“What is it? I wonder what you came up with♪.”
“You’re close, too close!? …… I was just thinking, singing and dancing is good, right? Not a play or something.”
“That’s right. My mom wants me to do something like that, so I’m aiming for it, but do you have an idea?”
Keeping my distance from Helena, I asked her. I’d say it’s fine the way it is, though.
“The dance competition doesn’t have a set program, does it? There are two things I want Helena to do, do you want to hear them?”
“Hmm? I don’t have many days, so I don’t think I can do anything too elaborate.”
“You’re right. First of all, why don’t we try something called cheerleading? You have to dance with these wavy pompoms. As the name implies, it’s mainly a cheerleading dance, but I thought it would be a good fit for Helena. The other one is a little more agile in its choreography, called “Idol.”
I try to do some cheerleading-like moves with one hand, and some idol moves and songs that I’ve seen on TV.
“Ahahahaha! It’s funny♪ …… But how did you come up with that? It’s like you’ve known them forever?”
“N-Not at all. I got the idea from watching Helena move. What do you think?”
“Well …… if you’re just going to add to my current act, maybe “cheer” would be better? “Idol” seems like a lot of choreography and singing. But if Lars thought of it, it might work♪”
Helena’s heartstrings seemed to be tugged and she wanted to do both. Furthermore.
“It’s true …… Lars’ movements were a little strange, but I think he was surprisingly good. Why don’t you give it a try?”
Even Yogus and Sarge started talking about it. Come to think of it, do dragons even have skills? When I was thinking about that, Helena continued.
“I think I want to do both! Lars, help me♪ I’m sure it’ll impress mother and everyone, and you’re not busy until your arm heals, right?”
“No, I’m not free, but ……”
“Now that it’s decided, why don’t you write the song down and give it to the fifth-grade teacher so she can play it on her instrument? I can also try choreography from scratch. I’ll learn it!”
Something about Helena seemed to have lit a fire in her, and she started to push me harder. I can’t say it’s impossible since I’m the one who suggested it …… I’ve had the opportunity to see idols in my previous life, so I should be able to handle it if I rely on my memory.
“Okay. Then let’s go to my house now. If we stay here, we’ll be exposed even if we’re doing secret training.”
“You’re right♪ Yogus-kun, you’ll come too, right?”
When Helena called out to Yogus, he nodded and opened his mouth while fixing his glasses.
“Yeah, I’m going to train with Sarge in magic …… I’m also interested in seeing it before everyone else does.”
“We should hurry up, then. It would be nice to have a maid who can play an instrument ……”
Once that was decided, we headed for the exit to leave the hall. As we headed for the exit, a girl from C-class called out to us.
“Helena! Are you done with practice?”
“Oh, Anthea. Yes, I’m going to practice somewhere else.”
“Really? Good luck with the dance competition!”
“Okay. See you later!”
“Wait, Helena, aren’t you in a hurry ……?”
With that, Helena pulled us out of the hall. Her face is smiling, but I think she’s a bit tense.
“What’s wrong? Being so forceful?”
“…….”
He didn’t listen to Yogus’ words, and walked on and on. After walking for a while, she finally stopped and opened her mouth.
“…… Anthea is good on the outside, but she’s the worst on the inside. That was just her trying to show that she’s better than us.”
“Heh~, she has a pretty face, though.”
When I turned and said that, Helena’s air changed and she said.
“…… I’m going to tell Luciel, Makina, and Kudelica♪.”
She said.
“Why those three ……”
“No, even I can understand that ……”
Sarge too? When I was feeling frustrated, Helena stepped forward a little and said to me.
“It may be too early to tell, but if you don’t decide on someone, you’re going to get stabbed someday, you know? I mean, they’re all cute, but you can’t keep them half-dead forever, can you?”
“……”
“Well, isn’t if fine, Helena. I envy you, but I’m sure you’ll choose one day, just like your brother, I guess?”
“Well, yes. But if you to the Capital, I wonder if they’ll follow you?”
“!?”
Helena may or may not have known about my concern, but she said it, making me slightly upset. It’s not decided yet. But if you’re asking me if I’m going to stay in this town forever, the answer is no.
I’m going to join the guild to help my dad and brother and keep the peace in the town. I think that’s fine. However, as I said in front of the king, in order to let people know that [super Jack-of-all-Trades] is not a failure, I’m thinking of not going to the Capital and going on a trip.
As I walked out of the gate, Helena put her hand on my shoulder and laughed at me, as if she was concerned about my quietness.
“Y-Yeah, I was out of line, I’m sorry♪ I’m not interested in Lars, but I feel a little sorry for the three of them …… Makina is earnest, so you should care about her, okay?”
“You’re always arguing, though.”
“I’m jealous of her. I’ll be a knight! She says that so determined. I’m a dancer because that’s what my skills are, you know? Ah, you can’t tell them♪ You too, Yogus!”
“Uwah, D-Don’t entangle on me ……”
Helena hugged his arm, and Yogus blushed and said. Just when I was smiling bitterly, Sarge pointed his finger and said.
I saw that Nina was walking around in a different maid’s uniform. She was supposed to be on a date with Hauzen-san, but I wonder if it’s over?
“Hey, Nina!”
“Hm?”
I called out to her and Nina turned around. As I approached, Helena and Yogus greeted her.
“Hello♪.”
“Hello.”
“Yes, hello! Huh? Are you going home already, Lars-sama?”
“Yes. I had some things to do at home with the two of them. Didn’t Nina have a date with Hauzen-san? You look great in that dress.”
“Thank you, Lars-sama. Yes, I was with him a while ago.”
Nina smiled at me. I felt that she smiled a little less forcefully, so I asked her.
“What’s wrong? I think Hauzen-san is a nice guy, though ……”
“Ahhhh! Don’t worry, Hauzen-san was a nice guy. He escorted me properly and he knew a good place to eat. After our conversation in the park, we went to a café near the hospital and were just leaving!”
“Then why did you look so lonely …… Wha-!?”
I asked, and Nina suddenly took me in her arms.
“…… Oops, so you’ve grown now. You’re ten years old now, so you must be.”
“No, no, no, this is embarrassing with both of them watching ……”
“You’re right …… No, I mean ……”
I tried to protest, but Nina began to talk with a melancholy expression on her face. I didn’t feel like interrupting her, so I decided to keep my mouth shut and listen.
“…… Hauzen-san has asked me to go out with him. But I put it on hold and came back.”
“Why ……”
“…… I am now a maid again, and Sir and Madam have returned to their lord’s position, but if I had reported that incident earlier, the ten years would not have been wasted. I was so selfish that I kept quiet. There’s no way I can be happy now. So I’m thinking of refusing.”
She smiled at me as she said that.
…… So that was still bothering Nina …… But if I were in the same position, I might think that way.
But–
“It’s a little late for that ……”
“What?”
“That thing is already over. When Brao was captured, Retzel disappeared, and we returned to normal. Besides, it was like your sick mother was a hostage, you might have had a choice, but I’m sure Nina, who’s a woman, wouldn’t have been able to do anything about it.”
This is not a consolation, it’s just the truth. My dad and mom didn’t think it was Nina’s fault. In fact, it was because of her that I was able to get my revenge.
“So you can live your life the way you want. You don’t have to worry about us, it’s the same with Nina who suffered for ten years …… No, it might have been more difficult for Nina who knew what was going on and couldn’t tell us.”
“Lars-sama ……”
“I’m sure Mom and Dad, or even my brother don’t mind about it. If you want, you can ask them later. Even Mom is so happy about the thing with Hauzen-san, you know? I tried to follow you, but she got mad at me–“
“Oh, Lars, you tried to follow her!?”
“Oh, no ……!?”
Yogus, who had been keeping quiet, opened his mouth in surprise, and I hurriedly kept my mouth shut. Then Helena said with a laugh.
“That’s a little bad, huh♪”
“Lars-sama ……!”
“I’m sorry! I just wanted to see Nina happy!”
When I apologized with my head in my hands, Nina puffed out and patted my head. With tears in her eyes.
“You really …… have grown …… Is it really okay, for me to be happy too?”
“Well, of course. Nina is like a big sister to us, a member of our family, right?”
“Lars-sama ……”
“So, about the thing with Hauzen-san, think about it.”
“Yes …… Yes ……”
She nodded and smiled when I said that.
I went back to the house with Helena and Yogus, and my mother scolded me for chasing after them, and it was hard to clear up the misunderstanding.
Nina seemed to have gotten over something and was telling my Mom about her and Hauzen-san. It seems that Hauzen-san and Nina are on the same page, and the way she happily describes what happened makes me happy, too.
…… I wonder if I should have followed to see what they were talking about …… I wanted to see how Hauzen-san was doing too …… He was so stiff, after all.
Anyway, I started to work on Helena’s dance …… cheerleading and idol song and choreography, which turned out to be more difficult than I expected.
I was supposed to dance, sing and do the samples, but it was pretty bad, with Nora laughing like crazy and Makina wanting to do it too ……
Still, I finished adjusting for each event and did the best I could.
My arm healed quickly with Mom’s medicine, and I’m doing well practicing for my princess-carrying competition …… But when I saw the weight that I carried for Kudelica that I was taking with me, she bent and said, “I’m not that heavy”.
The day passed, and the day of the competition arrived.
Well, the next time will be a little longer ……!
Thank you for reading!
[Afterword Theater]
“It’s here-!”
There’s a competition you look forward to?
“10,000 Beryl!”
It’s all about the money, isn’t it!?