148. The Great Intersection (4)
As Chapter 2 becomes the main episode, the emergency mission also has a somewhat special aspect.
The emergency mission in Chapter 2.
It’s an event that occurs during the blank period before the episode progresses, providing a mini-game for the player to play, and rewarding them with additional rewards upon success.
Looking at it as something that can be chosen freely, it’s similar to Chapter 1’s sub-episode. Unlike the main episode, there’s less risk and no coercion, so there’s no need to necessarily complete the emergency mission.
On the other hand, if we look at the differences, sub-episodes affect the main episode, but emergency missions have almost no influence on the main episode, with rewards that are merely additional penalty relief items or items that lower abnormal status values.
It’s not something I would’ve bothered with normally.
There’s no risk, but it’s a waste of time.
The mini-game they’re offering boasts an absurd level of difficulty, and even if you clear it, the rewards you receive aren’t very useful.
But.
Things are a bit different now.
“Haruni.”
“Yes?”
“Could you narrow the distance a bit?”
“…?”
Harinee wore a puzzled expression.
Of course. That’s not the usual formation we practiced.
But there’s no time to think about it now.
-Swoosh.
I gently released her hand and immediately pulled her waist close.
The next residual image was ready.
“Exactly!”
As soon as I changed my stance, a faintly colored residual image appeared.
The next action was set in motion.
That means…
If we use the game system, we can even dance, can’t we?
“Ka, Karsein? Why are you suddenly standing in this formation? We didn’t practice this beforehand!”
I whispered to Harinee, who was flustered, while repositioning the residual image.
“Do you know this dance?”
“Well… I practiced with a mannequin, so I know it.”
Then, it’s not like she can’t dance.
Since we met the first condition, the next condition is to convince Harinee.
“Let’s do it with this instead of what we practiced.”
“What, what did you say?”
“I vaguely remember. I saw it in a book just once.”
Of course, saying I saw it in a book is a lie.
I’ve never seen a dance-related manual before or after the game’s possession.
But I can dance.
“The faint color is later. The deep color is first. That’s how it was. The faint residual image I see is because the music hasn’t started yet.”
The system of this urgent mission is supporting me, so I can dance even though I don’t know anything about it.
This dance is ultimately a mini-game that requires Karsein’s body to move in sync. It’s a ridiculously difficult level, but…
Surprisingly, it didn’t seem that hard when I saw the thick residual image with my own eyes and moved accordingly.
Just like during the Snowflake Festival’s urgent mission…
“This dance is much harder than what we practiced. It’s not something you can easily do just by reading a book!”
“But, if you think about it, this is the only dance I have prior knowledge of.”
“But…”
“If it’s not this level, then those young ladies won’t be convinced, will they?”
I glanced in their direction, and Harinee subtly turned her gaze towards Helly and her group.
“…Is it possible?”
I chuckled inwardly.
“I’ll take responsibility. Just trust me once.”
This damn game is ridiculously intricate and demanding.
But if I can utilize that intricate and demanding system?
It’s not something that can be laughed at by the socialites who are used to seeing perfect dance moves.
***
The men and women stood on the stage with a fixed number of spotlights.
They intended to reveal one person’s lie as soon as the party started today.
Harnie gazed at them with a mixture of familiarity and unease, swallowing hard.
‘All of them are people who can’t be beat in terms of dance…’
Of course, they were well-known figures in the social circle, including a renowned instructor from a prestigious family, handpicked by Helly to be here.
She had deliberately brought these people to this place.
The thought of dancing alongside them was daunting.
It was inevitable that comparisons would be made. Every mistake would be scrutinized, and the differences would be stark, accompanied by mocking laughter.
It wouldn’t take long for the lie to be exposed. If they made a huge mistake and fell on stage, it would be a massive scandal.
But.
“I’ll take responsibility. Just trust me once.”
Karsein said so.
It was strange that Harnie’s anxiety seemed to dissipate.
“I’ll do my best. Let’s do it.”
Yes. There was no escape anyway.
They had to put up a good fight before the truth came out and they became a laughingstock.
Karsein smiled faintly and nodded.
Before long, the lighting changed, signaling the start of the ball, and the prelude began to flow.
Harnie slowly moved to the rhythm, as if she had been waiting for this moment.
The only thing left was for Karsein to follow. That was the key.
The complex rhythm and difficult tempo.
They had to dance amidst the irregularities and rules of this song.
But.
‘…Huh?’
Karsein had perfectly matched the difficult tempo, moving with confidence. Was it just a coincidence?
At first, Harnie thought it was just luck, but she soon found herself comfortably in sync with the rhythm, their breathing matching perfectly. The broken rhythm they had struggled with before was now in harmony.
“How did you…?”
“How did Lady Harnie dance like that…? She really knows how to dance!”
“It’s weird! She even matched the difficult tempo!”
“Not only that! How did her fiancé, of all people, manage to dance so perfectly…?”
The ladies gazed at this spectacle in astonishment.
It was only natural.
Harnie was also surprised, albeit slightly.
It wasn’t just the breathing or tempo.
The timing of the dance, where the men and women took turns marking the beat, was perfectly in sync.
In this complicated and difficult music, it seems like I’m the only one who knows how to grasp the next rhythm and move.
I’ve never danced before.
I’ve never matched this dance before, either.
Everything seems to be going well, though.
“Hellie Young-ae, how did you do this?”
“It’s like you said, I would’ve fallen a long time ago if I had listened to you!”
“You’re naturally digesting a dance with extreme difficulty…! Even the dancers who prepared for this would─”
Not only the guys from the social circle who were bothering Harnie, but also the men who were waiting for Harnie’s mistake were whispering to each other.
Even though the music was covering it up, everyone couldn’t understand this situation.
But I couldn’t let my guard down until the end.
I couldn’t afford to make even one mistake. I had to keep up this atmosphere to completely dispel their suspicions.
Before long, the music reached its climax.
In other words, it was time to show off the most difficult move.
If I could just get past this…
If I could just finish this…
That lie would transform into the truth, and the cloud of suspicion would clear up.
However…
Harnie left the last dance move and collapsed, her body tilting to the side.
‘Ugh…!’
Her ankle, which had been holding up well, started to tremble.
I thought I could endure any pain, but…
Why did her ankle have to give up now, of all times, and shake like that?
She couldn’t perform the predetermined move. She lost the perfect rhythm needed to transition to the next move. The tempo was getting farther away, and her body, which couldn’t keep up, was greatly distorted, even affecting Carcsein’s center of gravity.
This was the last part…
If she could just finish this, it would be over…
But to end it in the worst possible way…
Harnie closed her eyes tightly, but…
-Tap!
‘Uh…?’
Her body, which was about to fall, was accurately caught by Carcsein’s arm.
Although she was caught in an emergency, Carcsein was maintaining an artistic balance, holding up her body. He had taken charge of this finale alone.
When the song ended, the audience gave a standing ovation.
Everyone, without exception, sent applause, and Harnie, feeling relieved, realized that she had successfully finished.
“Haah.”
Her two legs, which had gone limp.
Carcsein approached and supported Harnie’s body, which was about to collapse.
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Although she was leaning on him without any strength left, Harnie was finally able to smile and say…
“I did it somehow.”
I wondered what would happen if I couldn’t practice the dance properly because of my worries.
But despite doing something unbelievable, a fantastic result came out. With this, Hellie Young-ae, of course, and a few men would no longer doubt the lie about her dancing with her fiancé.
But.
Suddenly, Carsain’s arm slipped through the gap and lifted my body up.
Gasps of amazement erupted from the audience, regardless of age or gender.
“Ka, Carsain? What are you doing?”
Harnie called out to Carsain in shock, but he silently lifted her up, his expression unyielding, and moved away.
“Oh my, oh my.”
The gaze following the two of them was like watching a lovely couple, with their eyes locked in a sweet, loving gaze.
Harnie, lifted up like a princess, blushed and quickly tapped Carsain’s shoulder, asking him to put her down, but Carsain remained silent, only taking her away.
The place where they stopped was where the two had danced.
It was the terrace.
-Dal-kak.
Carsain closed the door and carefully sat Harnie down on a chair.
Then, he immediately knelt down on the floor.
“Ka, Carsain…? What’s… going on?”
With a faint sigh, Harnie’s high heels slipped off.
The hidden wound inside the shoes was revealed.
Carsain let out a sorrowful sigh.
“I thought it was weird that your body trembled slightly every time you moved your feet… You were hiding this?”
Why did he bring her here after the dance?
It seemed he wanted to confirm this.
Now that it’s been revealed, there’s no way to hide it.
“I’m sorry. I also… had a reason…”
“A reason?”
“…Yes. The shoes were a gift from the Duchess of Teresia, sent through a deal with Lady Helie, so I couldn’t not wear them.”
There was a reason, and it couldn’t be helped. But for Carsain, it was like a burden had been added.
He was aware that he was causing trouble in many ways. He was the one who made her dance, and he had also grabbed her ankle during practice. If it weren’t for his timely sense during the actual dance, things would have gone terribly wrong.
He was prepared to receive criticism.
But he didn’t get angry.
“I said it before, but even if I had to force myself, I wouldn’t have made you dance with this wounded foot.”
With an unexpected remark, he gently stroked her foot.
“I’ll borrow those shoes, the ones from Lady Helie.”
“What, what for?”
“I have to pay her back properly. How dare I do such a childish thing. I’ll have to hear about it from Arina, but I won’t let it go.”
-Du-geun!
The chaotic dance practice started again.
“…Why? You don’t have the right to do that to me.”
The words reflexively spilled out.
But there was not a single false word.
There’s no need to go that far.
This level of pain is something I can endure, isn’t it?
It’s just a part of the hardships I’ve always faced.
Besides, it’s just a contractual relationship.
I’m not even a real fiancée.
Do I need to be so deeply concerned about it?
“It’s enough that my lie hasn’t been exposed. So, there’s no need for you to find Helly Young.”
My goal has been accomplished.
This level of pain won’t last long.
Just bear with it, and it’ll pass.
“I’m sorry, but I’ll have to force myself a bit.”
Harnien’s eyes widened at Karsein’s response.
“Even if I’m not your fiancée, I don’t want to make you go through this experience twice.”
-Thud!
Was it just my imagination?
The sound of footsteps seemed to have grown louder than before.