Antagonist Protection Service-Chapter 66: Cold (1)

Right after lunch, I was summoned by Lucretia. It seemed she had something to say.

"I have a request."

"Okay..."

Staring at me with gleaming rubies in her eyes as if having glimpsed some universal truth, she started. For some reason, her appearance seemed strange compared to this morning.

"Previously, I was supposed to have weekly dance practice with His Highness preceding my coming-of-age ceremony and simultaneous engagement announcement. However, due to circumstances, that is no longer the case. You are aware of this."

"That’s right...?"

I was confused where she was going with this, and a small part of me began to worry slightly.

Yesterday, we returned to the residence from that Lady Pyella’s tea party to immediately start preparing Lucretia for visiting the Imperial Palace to meet the prince. That’s when we received the letter that was posted here, and she ended up not going.

I did wonder what the emperor’s reaction would be to the prince’s cancellation of the scheduled dance practice, but we still haven’t received any notice of that.

Still, because there was no sign of his interference in the matter one way or the other, I didn’t hold any hope.

"Henceforth, I would like for you to replace His Highness as my practice partner for the ceremony ball."

’...Huh?’

Naturally, I hesitated at her request.

Even excluding the fact it was bound to be one of those fancy noble dances you see in historical dramas or whatever, my feet had never so much as graced the dance floor at a school dance, disco or house party before. Wasn’t something like that just awkward?

Without realising it, a tentative grimace emerged on my face.

"Of course, I am well aware that you are not well adjusted to the practices of the empire, but due to the nature of it being mere practice, it matters not your skill or technique."

"...Do I have to?"

Barely managing to squeak that out, she shook her head in response.

"I have no intention of forcing you. As I stated, this is merely a request. You are free to decline if you so wish. I gave it plenty of forethought and simply arrived at the conclusion that you would be the best fit for my needs. Is there a problem with that?"

"I didn’t say that, but wouldn’t someone actually good at dancing be better so you can learn? Why don’t you ask someone who knows what they’ll be doing?"

"Enki. Did you think His Highness knows how to dance?"

’What? That guy? No way in hell.’

"I’m not stupid."

That one was a no-brainer, even for me.

"Yes. And who is it that I am dancing with on the ball of my ceremony?"

Listening to her, I frowned. Then, as I processed her words in my head, I belatedly realised her reasoning.

"...Ah."

"Now, do you understand why I am asking you?"

Unable to refute her logic, I sighed.

"Because it’ll give you the most accurate experience of what it’ll be like to dance with the prince..."

"You see. Then--"

However.

"But, there are lots of people who are just as bad at dancing as me, even in this building. Why don’t you ask them?"

Just because her logic made sense, it didn’t mean I would comply all of a sudden. I still didn’t want to dance, even if it was just practice.

"The ball and the engagement between me and His Highness is supposed to be kept a secret to as many people as possible to prevent any potential leaks. However, because you already know about it, there is no issue with having you as a practice partner. So, will you accept my request?"

’Fuck.’

I paused for a moment.

"...Well, I don’t have to, right?"

At that moment, a sensation as if I had made a grave mistake washed over me, and Lucretia’s eyes narrowed.

"You don’t have to, indeed, the choice is entirely, wholly yours, with no other considerations necessary... However, should you decline my request, I sincerely hope you make that decision with full knowledge of who exactly it is you are the attendant of."

A few seconds of pause passed, my mouth gaped.

"...What’s that supposed to mean? Is that a threat or something?"

"Excuse you? Why would I ever do that? I am merely advising you to make a decision you won’t regret, and isn’t that just a kind thing to do? All I am is a noble young lady asking innocently for your assistance, for a dance, coming to you, as a responsible adult, for help. The only person I could come to for help in this matter, in fact. Such a considerate, compassionate, and selfless person as yourself wouldn’t decline a sincere request like that, would you?"

"..."

When did I ever claim to be any one of those things? I was sure that I hadn’t done so, most positive in fact.

Was this also a part of maintaining the Antagonist’s stable mental and emotional state?

Because I was someone who didn’t know how to dance in the slightest, I was just like the prince.

Because I was someone who knew about the engagement between them, I was just like the prince.

Because I was a 「target of interest」, I was... just like the prince...

’Damn it...’

In the end, I had to settle with the fact it was only once per week.

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Just when I consoled myself with the knowledge the dancing would only be for one to two hours each Sunday afternoon or evening, it was decided single-handedly that ’we shall begin right away’, and so, just like that, it was determined that we were about to practise a truly noble dance.

However, at the very moment that all preparations had been made. At the very instant that our hands touched...

Lucretia flinched, her thin eyebrows jumping ever-so-slightly upwards.

"Enki. Your hand―it’s awfully cold."

Pausing at her statement, I glanced down at my hand, my body. Ever since I received the Winter Mother’s Blessing, over twenty-four hours ago now, it still had not dissipated.

Deep within, at the core of my heart, it lay.

No, even deeper than merely the heart――As if my soul itself, even, was frozen over.

Even now could I feel it, clear as day, that persistent, icy chill, biting and gnawing from inside, everpresent, peerlessly pervasive, and utterly abhorrent.

It had not weakened so much as an inch, not a single percentage point since that moment of origin, and though my body ceaselessly shivered internally, exhausting itself in a constant war of homeostasis to warm and maintain my biology’s inner equilibrium, my skin continuously rousing with goosebumps and my blood rushing everywhere at top speeds, I had, certainly, done my best to ignore it.

Because I knew it was that Goddess’ Blessing, it couldn’t have been a malignant affliction. It, rather, must be something beneficial to me, somehow.

So, at least until I return to the Library and take a look at the description, I should endure.

That was the thought process, no matter how taxing it may be.

"How peculiar."

"..."

"I wonder, just whose blood flows through you? You truly are of a gelid feel..."

Grasping my hand fully and raising it up to her eyes, Lucretia knitted her brows so as to examine my constitution more closely; studying my skin, feeling the bony contours of my hand, gazing at me with crimson eyes of profound intrigue.

"...Weren’t we going to dance--"

"Shush. Would you so foolishly change the subject when I am evidently pulled along by curiosity at this very moment? Quiet."

I let out a small exhale at her show of obstinacy, realising I probably had no say in when this farce might end.

No, it was my mistake for not thinking she might react this way. I didn’t even consider it.

Having another person grope my hand as if it was a toy, even moving up to feel my wrist and forearm was, needless to say, exceptionally awkward, and I couldn’t help but feel in the back of my mind that something about the current situation was rather funny in an odd way.

Still, because I knew nothing outrageous would happen as a result, I could afford to lend her this moment to satisfy as much of her curiosity as she wanted.

"Hm."

Just as I thought that, she gave a transient hum before looking up to meet my eyes.

"It is fortunate, I suppose, that this young lady is one of the Christina-Rasa lineage; else, you rather might have had a case of severe mistrust, or indeed, a heavy catechization."

"...Excuse me?"

"Hah. Simply put, you, Enki――truly are a perfect fit for the Archduchy."

"..."

"I thought something felt odd when you rudely dishevelled my hair yesterday, but it turns out the culprit was this..."

Unable to decipher what exactly the meaning was behind those words, I stared at her, to which she muttered and finally stopped messing around with my arm. Bringing her hand to a position that instead had her fingernail resting lightly on my own palm, she continued:

"’The Land in Which a Star Once Fell’."

"’The Scape Ruled by Endless Winter’."

"’The State From Where a Moon Was Born’."

Murmuring such enigmatic phrases that sounded like the title of some ancient epic or archaic mythological tale, Lucretia tapped her nail absentmindedly on my palm.

Then, she addressed me directly.

"Enki, I informed you this very morning that the empire’s majority worships the Father of the Sun and the Father of the Sun only."

"Yes..."

"Then, would it perhaps not surprise you if I subsequently stated that the Imperial Royal Family of Drakon-Rasa, headed by the current Ruling Sun of the Drakon-Rasa Empire, His Majesty Doran de Drakon-Rasa, are also blessed by the very same Father of the Sun?"

"...??"

"Correspondingly, the heritage of the northern Christina-Rasa Archduchy, the world’s most faithful followers of the Winter Mother--"

Cutting off her own words abruptly, Lucretia’s eyes gave me an icy glint of something blood-red, something I momentarily forgot could only have been her irises... at least, I thought that was all it could be. Simultaneously, her hand, moving in an elegant fashion to grasp my own, curled its slender fingers to hold on to my own with an almost painful firmness.

And with a low, almost despondent voice...

"Rather, perhaps the present is no time for such meaningless discussion..."

Lucretia murmured such a line, seemingly to herself.

I was so incredibly lost that I didn’t even know what to think, let alone respond with, but before I had the chance to whip something up, she took charge once again.

"Then, shall we dance? I would prefer to gain some experience with you before the afternoon wanes too much."

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Like that, the subject was swiftly shifted. Since I had no idea what sort of reaction would even be appropriate for the current situation, I decided to just wordlessly comply.

We soon began her practice, akwardly shifting my feet however she directed me.

All the while, in the deepest corner of my being, I endured.

That omnipresent chill, the sentiment of something symbolising a wintry death coursing through my veins.