191 – Behind the Scenes (7)
Olivia looked at Lilith’s back and smiled as if she had expected it.
“I knew it would happen like that.”
“Why are you doing this?”
“No matter how many times you say no, no matter how much you leave out. But I see you say yes right away after one look.”
“… “Did she call the boy who had been rejecting her the whole time?”
“Because I knew she would say yes in the end. You are a very difficult person to become friends with in Eternia. “Not too long ago, some of my classmates were asking how I got to know you.”
“It seems like her face has become somewhat known since the sparring evaluation.”
“Yeah, I thought they would have talked at least if they were in the same art department, but it’s surprising that they aren’t close friends.”
“I am not close to most people, not just Lilith.”
“Lilith is sociable, so she’ll be fine. You know he’s popular, right? “You must have seen boys snooping around the Marigold Pavilion to catch a glimpse of Lilith.”
“I didn’t know.”
She saw a few boys hanging around the marigold coffin, but she thought they were just waiting for a friend, and she didn’t think they had any other purpose. Did you mean he was hanging around to see Lilith? There was something a little suspicious about it.
“Well, yeah, anyway, when it comes to dancing, it would be hard to find someone like Lilith. She grew up strictly in a family where she lacked nothing.”
By the way, why did Lilith accept her request for dance lessons? I don’t think it’s simply because I was a classmate of the art department. She may have decided that she had something to gain from me.
If you just think of it as a favor… That would be naive. Well, I was willing to pay for the value of the education she provided.
In the future, I will often have to attend social gatherings against my will, so I need to learn the etiquette and rules of that world.
“First of all, thank you for introducing me to this person.”
Olivia waved her hand.
“No, this is nothing compared to what you did. Goes! Now that we know each other, let’s become friends!”
After saying that, she suddenly left for her next class.
While I was left alone in the clock tower, something came next to me.
When I turned her head, Luna’s spirit came next to me and sat with her tongue sticking out as usual.
“… ?”
When did we get this close? And why are you wandering around me?
The guy just stared at Olivia leaving, wondering what he was thinking.
***
After rehearsal, sophomore Fontana, one of the writers in the theater department, got off the stage and headed to the audience. She then looked at Luna, who was halfway across the audience holding a piece of paper and reading something intently.
Fontana crept up to the middle row of her seats where Luna was sitting.
Luna was reading a letter with her expressionless face, her light-emitting little sparrow spirit resting on her shoulder.
“Luna!”
When she called, Luna was so shocked that she folded up her letter.
“… Senior.”
“What were you doing?”
“Letter… I was reading. From a family….”
“Family? “Are you talking about the Raylis family?”
“Yes.”
The Raylis family was one of the most historic and prestigious families in the empire. The achievements of Luna’s ancestors were so legendary that the Raylis family was always mentioned in ballads and fairy tales related to the Spirit King.
“It’s so amazing. “The junior who is making a play with me is the daughter of the Raylis family.”
“….”
“How would you feel if your father went to the Raylis family when you were born?”
“I don’t feel anything…” .”
“Yes, you are so used to it that it feels like nothing. But what did the letter say? “Your expression is so serious.”
“… “I was asking if you got good grades in the sparring evaluation.”
“Is that all? “I thought you were told to quit school because your face was so bad.”
“Nothing serious was said….”
“Then why is it like that?”
Luna closed her mouth and was silent for a moment. Fontana looked at Luna’s face and nodded as if reading her thoughts.
“Oh my, it’s because of the prom. She said don’t dance with men. Right?”
Luna She thought for a moment and reluctantly nodded her head.
“How did you know?”
“It’s obvious. Children who come from strict families control their limbs as if they were their own, even if they are far away. All adults know this. How dancing brings people together. When you make eye contact and share body language with your partner, how can you not make eye contact? hehehe, not only you, but there are quite a few kids who can’t dance because of their family background. Cheer up.”
“….”
“Last year, most of the students in the literary department were free, but there are many students in the theater department who are having a hard time because of their families. Ah! “Have you ever had someone in mind?”
“… No.”
Although it was a sad situation, Fontana’s expression seemed strangely happy. Luna said, sensing her discomfort at her subtle inquiry.
“Can I think about it alone for a moment?”
When Luna came out rather coldly, Fontana immediately took a step back.
“Yeah, I’m not feeling very good. I’m going to the locker room for a moment. “I’m even organizing it.”
“Yes.”
After Fontana left, Luna picked up her aunt’s letter again. A letter from a relative who arrived after a long time. What it contained was, in fact, a different story from what she had told Fontana.
Luna became confused and sighed.
Her head was becoming more complicated than the pressure she felt not to hang out with men.
[Luna, I heard she made a lot of friends in Eternia. Now spring is ripe…… Eternia is also about to have a ball. I wish I could find a boy I like… I’m really curious what you will choose. No matter who you choose, we will gladly accept and support you.]
The letter actually contained words encouraging people to actively participate in the prom. And the last sentence kept getting stuck in my mind.
[We would like to invite the child who will become your partner to the Leiris family estate.]
Her relatives were well aware of the hurt in Luna’s heart, and because of that, they paid more attention to whether or not she was a partner.
But, the prom, the dance, the invitation. All three were still too much for Luna.
And more than anything, she didn’t know what kind of heart the person she wanted to be her partner had.
I wanted to deliver positive news, but I couldn’t do it the way I wanted to. This is because dancing is something that men must apply for.
***
After dinner, I headed in front of the clock tower as it got dark.
A slightly chilly wind blew. It was the time when everyone entered the dormitory, so the area around the clock tower was deserted and quiet.
After standing alone like that for about ten minutes, I saw a woman with long hair coming towards me.
Lilith walked calmly wearing a single-colored sleeveless dress. He stopped five steps away from me and glared straight into my face.
“….”
“….”
She didn’t even greet me, as if she was having a fight, but just kept her mouth shut.
I was the one asking for it, so I opened my mouth first.
“Is there a reason you asked me to come to the clock tower at this time?”
“… I like the front of the clock tower. “You can tell exactly who is late for an appointment.”
Seeing as how he likes the clock tower, I guess he is also a Cecilia. When I accompanied him before, he didn’t seem like that type of personality.
“I don’t think this is an appropriate place to dance.”
Lilith nodded her head as if it was obvious.
“Yes.”
And there is an awkward silence for a moment. I first asked Lilith about her purpose.
“But may I ask why you accepted Senior Olivia’s request?”
“There is no great reason. I think it would be useful to owe you something. You’re kind of famous. Just know that it’s not just a favor. “I don’t mind if you think of me as a snob.”
The blurry image of Lilith in my memory gradually becomes clearer.
I speak honestly without resorting to unnecessary tricks. Was this your original personality? Or did it change after admission? It is much more convenient for me to come out like this. It would have been very annoying if she acted similar to that gray-haired girl she knew when she was young.
As long as you teach clearly, you can pay any price and there is no problem.
“Okay, where are you going to teach?”
Lilith suddenly questioned me as if she was embarrassed.
“… What if you ask me that? “Isn’t there a place you saved?”
“It doesn’t matter where it is away from people’s gaze.”
Then Lilith shook her head.
“No, you have to wear shoes and be comfortable to move around. Not even in the mountains where it would stain my clothes. I don’t like grass either. “More than anything, there has to be music.”
“Isn’t it enough to just beat the beat with your mouth?”
Lilith said, avoiding my gaze and combing her hair with her hands.
“I think it would make sense to move your body to the rhythm but not even know what music it is. Well, you probably don’t need it right now. “If you learn it properly, it is absolutely necessary.”
“….”
Dancing also requires strict conditions. I hadn’t thought of this.
Do we need to hire a separate professional musician?
“It looks like there was no plan. Well, at the basic level, you can beat the beat with your mouth.”
She took a step towards me and continued speaking.
“Take me somewhere quiet and out of sight. Anywhere is fine, so do whatever you want.”
Then she slightly extended her hand towards me. As if he was asking me to escort him.
No matter what you did, the front of the clock tower was not a good place.
***
An evening when the sun has set. Luna wandered around the back of the Wittruff Building dormitory for a while. A cool breeze blew from the woods behind her dorm, ruffling her hair.
Luna, sensing something about her in the wind, turned her body back.
About ten steps away, a wild beast with a pure white body and glowing blue eyes was trotting along.
The beast came in front of Luna and sat with its buttocks pressed together like a puppy, which did not match her body size.
She heard the spirit’s report there.
Luna’s eyes widened for a moment as she understood her spirit’s words, but she soon regained her composure and nodded her head.
“It’s okay, it’s okay…” . Because I’m a classmate of the art department… I think it can happen. “Was there anything else?”
Luna’s expression began to harden for a moment as she listened to her spirit’s words.
“Damian… “He gave you a wave every time and today he gave you a belly rub?”
“Wolwol!”
The wolf spirit barked loudly as if he was proud.
Luna lost strength for a moment and squatted down. Then her face felt so hot that she couldn’t help but pulled the hair on the side of her head to cover her face. She then spoke in a weak voice.
“Then what should I do? I… She told me not to stand out….”
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