I was in a grassy area behind the mansion. It was a spare place for drying clothes, so not many people came there.

You've improved your posture.

Is that so?

At the end of my physical training, my master, Heinz-san, the butler, said something to me that I was not aware of.
I was drenched in sweat, but Master's expression was as cool and unreadable as the surface of the water. It's strange that he gave me a little handfasting at the end. I wonder what's going on with his sweat glands. No, I didn't even get a blow in and was easily thrown.

Yeah. I was thinking of correcting my hunchback.

Master says it saved him the trouble. It's true that most of the gardening I do requires me to bend over, so I might be hunched over. My mother told me that my father's height actually helps me to bend over, and I was happy to be able to help him, but I didn't know it would have such a negative effect.

What are you doing?

Uh, ....... Oh, I've started stretching before strength training.

I know what you mean. But I couldn't say, so I said so. It's not a lie that I've been stretching more.
When I'm in front of a master, I feel like he's going to find out what I'm hiding, and it makes me nervous inside. In such a situation, I feel that I must not deviate in any way, so I look straight back into his quiet eyes.

"I see. Please continue to do so.

"Yes.

Somehow I managed not to be mentioned, and I feel relieved inside.
Perhaps my posture has improved because I've been accompanying my daughter in her voluntary exercises. She said that all she does is the basic waltz, so there must be other kinds of dancing. But those basic exercises are too hard for me. It used muscles I've never used before, and consciously keeping my posture was harder than learning a body art form.
At any rate, I was afraid of stepping on the lady's feet, so I tried my best to learn how to move my feet first.
I'm not very good at rhythm.
According to her, there is a difference between triple time and quadruple time. She said it was difficult for her to catch the rhythm of the waltz in triple time because I often sing in quadruple time.
As I was about to leave after the practice, I stopped the master because I wanted to ask him something.

"Excuse me, Master.

"Is it ......?

He replied after a beat. I wondered why I could hear a hint of resignation in his voice.

"I've been wondering for a while, are there usually people like you who can fight with their servants?

"Not many, but we do hire them from knightly families. They can deal with cases where regular guards are not available.

Oh.

You'll have to name a few for Master Ludia soon. ......

The master who put his fist on his chin thoughtfully took a glance at me for some reason and muttered something like that. In the future, the young lady will have more opportunities to go out, so she will need a guard. Does that mean that the Duke and Ok-sama's servants are also martial artists? It's hard to believe that there was such a person among the maids at the last tea party, but there might have been.

I'm sure you'll be able to find something that works for you.

It is true that we will be looking for a young lady who is close to your age.

No, I was just wondering if your daughter ...... would have any da ...... friends.

"You're so fluent .......

Oh, the master is not hiding his dismay. It's unusual for him to have an expression. Did I say something so strange?
I have the impression that aristocrats don't have many opportunities to spend time with their peers because they are supposed to be tutored until they reach the age of compulsory education in Japan. It's a good thing to be able to spend time with your peers, even if you are a guard. Well, in my previous life in elementary school, there were not many people who could crawl, and if they could, they were called apes. I was told I looked like a monkey when I tried to jump kick to make up for my lack of height, so I guess I haven't changed much.
My train of thought was interrupted by the sound of Master checking his pocket watch.

So much for idle talk. You should get back to work.

"Yes, sir, I'm sorry to keep you.

The Master's eyebrows arched slightly as he reflexively saluted him. However, his expression quickly returned to a quiet one and he turned on his heel to return to his residence.
I wiped off my sweat with a hand towel and went back to where my father was working to do some chores. I told the young lady not to come on the days when she was to be trained by the master. She doesn't want to smell like sweat, and it wouldn't be funny if she did.
Besides, I don't want her to see me looking uncool. I don't have the dignity of an older man, but I don't want to be dumbed down any more than I already am.

"Hmm ......?

I turned around, feeling weird. But there's nothing. Just some maids cleaning the windows inside the mansion.
Lately, I've been getting a strange feeling when I'm working near the mansion. I sometimes feel a strange sensation in the nape of my neck, but when I turn around, I see only the servants working diligently, and there is no sign of anything unusual.

Is the spirit playing a trick on me?

I can't see them, so I have an image of them as mischievous and fairy-like. They're happy with my songs, so I think they're happy with anything that's fun.
I'm convinced of this unexplained feeling and go back to work.
A little less than a month has passed surprisingly quickly since I started to accompany my daughter in her voluntary exercises. The fact that she used to come and talk to me has been replaced by practice time, so I guess people don't know about it. After all this time, I've never had a girl come to me alone and someone come looking for her. It's a long walk every time. I wonder if she thinks it's okay because she's on the premises, or if Katrin is following her around.


Anyway, the day before the party was the last day of practice. I was so busy trying to keep up with the girl that I didn't even know if I was dancing properly. At the end of the practice, I was worried and asked her.

"Am I getting enough practice on ......?

"Yes. I've learned to be more careful when I'm with a partner, since I'm alone when the teacher teaches.

I was relieved when she said that with satisfaction.

So. Good. ......

I can see myself smiling absentmindedly in her pale blue eyes. I guess I was nervous about something I wasn't used to.

"Um, Zak,.......

The young lady opens her mouth, stammering. I'm not sure if it's because she's uncomfortable, but she's sticking her index fingers together, bending and stretching them.

I'm not sure what to say, but I'm going to say it. ...

The lady who had been looking away from you, pulled her lips together once and looked at you.

Thank you.

I'm not sure if this is a good idea or not, but it's a good idea.
She smiled, a little awkwardly, like a bud about to bloom. If I can see her expression like this, I'm glad I worked so hard for something that's not my fault. I felt my cheeks relax with happiness.

"Good luck on the show.

I handed her a paper bag that I had prepared with words of support, and she stared at it.

"Is this ......?

"I can't go with you, so I'm giving you a good luck charm.

The girl's eyes widened slightly and she took the contents out of the paper bag.
Inside came out a pale blue ribbon with a white, nearly blooming baby rose charm.

It's cheap, so you don't have to take it with you.

Just to be sure, I'll add this. It's just a ribbon I can buy with my allowance, it's not silk. I asked my father to let me pick the baby rose from the greenhouse.
The baby rose charm was harder to make than I thought, and I failed many times. I thought it was called "blizzard something" and froze it, and after the third one I finally realized that when the water freezes, the volume increases and the cells break down. After that, I thought it was an evolution of dried flowers and tried to remove the water from the flowers, but it was difficult to adjust the amount of water because of osmotic pressure or something, and I finally succeeded in removing the water from the flowers while maintaining the original state after the tenth freeze. Even though I'm not good at science, I regretted trying to manipulate water at the nano level. I wasted my nerves and don't want to use water magic for a while.
Tomorrow is like a presentation or an exam for a young lady, so I made this as a prayer for her success, but I wonder if it was unnecessary. She's been staring at her hand and not responding. I made a ribbon that would not get in the way, but... I guess I shouldn't have put it in a paper bag.

Sorry, I put it in a paper bag because I thought it would be better than leaving it there. ......

I wonder why decorative boxes are so expensive. I looked at it, but it cost more than the amulet itself, so I couldn't afford it.
Still no response. I hope you don't like it, I picked a beautiful one.

"If you don't like it, you can throw it away at .......

I'm not throwing it away!

Before I could finish, she hid the ribbon as if to protect me. He threatened to take it off me. I won't take it because it's your daughter's. I wonder if it's okay that she likes it.
At any rate, in order to make the girl who was holding the ribbon release her cat-like threat, I showed both my palms and made a gesture to show that I was not hostile. When she realized that she could not be taken, she let her guard down.
She gently opened her wrapped hands and looked at the flower in her hands again.

"Beautiful ......, pretty .......

The young lady's face broke into a happy smile. The murmur was small, but I could hear it. I'm glad you like it.

I'll do my best tomorrow.

"Don't be too nervous. You're a raw prince.

Why do you have to put "raw" in ......? It's okay, it'll remind me of Zaku and take my mind off things.

"Oh, am I being disrespected?

I was trying to be supportive, but I don't remember putting that effect on you.

It's a compliment in a way.

In a way? Well, the charm didn't go to waste, so that's good.
At dusk, the stone pavilion and the surrounding pond all turned orange, and we laughed at each other as usual. It may be a boring ending, but I think it's good for us.
I'm sure she'll be fine. I've seen her work hard, and I'm sure she'll succeed tomorrow. I don't know what to do to make it a success, but I'm sure she'll come back looking good.
On the way home that day, I saw a maid with red eyes before leaving the mansion. I wondered if she had hay fever even though it was summer.　I'm sure the flowers in the mansion are decorated after the pollen is removed. I was curious and talked to my father about it, and he said that there might be some flowers near the mansion that he doesn't like, and that he would look into it for the future. I'll ask my master if he can help me with this next time I practice.