Sidestory: Mias Ballroom Dance Club (Part 1)

Mhmm

Mia was taking it easy in her room three days after the Horsemanship Tournament. She no longer had the crippling muscle pain that had been bothering her, and she was back to being her normal, fully functional self. Unfortunately, something else was also adamant about being the same old thing

Ugh, nothing seems to have changed, she said with a groan of disappointment.

The Princess Chronicles that she had borrowed from Bel were still as thin as ever, which meant that her life was still short.

This is awful. When I see this book, it makes me feel bad and I dont want to do anything.

She was about to give Bel the book back when she saw something else on his desk.

This is My

She had found the results of Bels exams..

Oh yeah, thats right. She had to stay here and go to summer school over the holidays. I wonder what happened.

She turned the pages because she was curious. Luckily, Mia wasnt a cat for curiosity didnt kill her. Not yet, anyway

She was so shocked by what she saw that she held her chest and gasped for air. It was terrible.

How on earth does that girl get to sleep at night with those grades?

But sleep she did. And also well. Mia was amazed by how strong her granddaughters nerves were. And more scared than amazed, actually.

Just then, she looked at a line and stopped.

Her grade for dancingis E?

Since dancing was the only thing Mia was good at, her granddaughters terrible opinion hurt her even more.

E?! That is awful! What did she do to get an E? Oh, no, wait

Even though it took a while, she finally figured out why. Bel had never had a formal education like an imperial princess should have. Mia, on the other hand, had been taught how to dance, as well as all the rules of high society, such as how to behave and what to do. Their childhoods were very different.

I might have been too hard on her

Bel said that Ludwig had been teaching her, but its likely that he didnt spend enough time teaching her important skills like dancing.

On the other hand, shes not doing much better in school either.

Even though there were still questions, Mia decided not to find out more.

Anne and Elise could teach her etiquettes, but I guess she was out of luck when it came to dancing.

She remembered that she had said she would teach the girl how to dance at some point.

Hm, I think it might be time for me to do my sweet granddaughter a favour, she said, feeling a sudden rush of grandmaternal love.

I did sign her up for Saint-Noel, after all. Miss Rafina might start giving me dirty looks if she keeps failing so badly at everything.

Even with the sudden increase, her grandmotherly love was only about 20% of what drove her. Like always, the rest was self-love.

Mia went right ahead with her plan once she had made up her mind.

After dinner, Bel took a bath and was just about to go to bed when Mia asked her, Bel, can I ask you something?

Eh? Uh, yes. Whats the matter, Miss Mia?

She put Bel on the bed and looked her in the eyes.

Tell me, Bel. Do you not like to dance? she asked as a safety measure.

Tearmoon princesses were expected to know a certain amount about their culture, and while shed like Bel to have as many of these skills as possible, she wouldnt make her do something she didnt want to.

Even though I didnt like vegetables, the head chef tried to make them taste good to me. Something like that should be done for Bel. If she doesnt like to dance, Ill have to find a way to make it more fun for her

This thought, though, turned out not to be necessary.

Hate dancing? Not really, no Why? asked Bel, looking confused.

Good, said Mia, who was happy. If thats the case, Ill teach you how to dance.

Huh? Teach me how todance?

Bels eyes got bigger.

What do you mean, that dance? The legendary one

Mia nodded.

She wasnt sure what Bel meant when he said the legend, but she nodded anyway.

Yes, just like I promised you. Get ready, because Im going to make you remember it. As a member of the imperial family and a princess, you need to know a lot about dancing. We cant let you make a fool of yourself.

Bel straightened up right away and stood at attention like a soldier.

Yes, Miss Mia, I get it. Ill do my best to learn your dance so I can live up to your name!

Thats the way to do it! Ill make you a dancer yet, Mia said with a smug chuckle and crossed arms.

The next day, Bel started taking dance lessons.

Mia said, All right. First, we need to decide what our short-term goals are.

Oh, I have a short test on dance in ten days. What do you think?

After a short discussion, they decided that their first goal would be the practical exam.

So I have 10 days to get her in shape. Ill make sure she gets a perfect score on her next test. Oh, I cant wait to see what her classmates will be thinking when they watch her dance.

About these clothes, Miss Mia, by the way

Bel pulled at the bottom of her half-sleeved shirt, which was paired with knee-length shorts.

The sporty clothes she wore were perfect for the activity she was about to do, but

Shouldnt you wear beautiful dresses when you dance? With those long, flowing bottoms so you can strike good poses?

She looked at her shorts with her lips sticking out.

The pretty dresses are coming, Bel. Right now, you need those. Wear clothes that are easy to move around in. You only need a partner now. Id like to ask one of the boys for help, but

Mia didnt want to do it because she cared about her granddaughter. A person who is just starting to learn how to dance isnt exactly a pretty sight. Even though Bel has pretty thick skin, Im sure she wouldnt want a boy to watch her practise.

That would be terrible. It would be nice if someone who knows how to dance, like Sion, could help her, but I guess well have to wait until shes at least halfway good. After all, I dont want to make her feel bad.

Just so you know, Bel would have chosen the other option if she had been given the chance. She might have to deal with some shame, but she would get to dance with Sion. So, it was probably best that Mia didnt bring up this pointless thing she was thinking about.

First and foremost. Fundamentals. When it comes to dancing, the basics are the most important thing. I have to start by teaching you all the basics, and I know exactly where to start!

There was a dance called the Dance of Moonlight that had been passed down through the royal family for generations.

It was a well-made exercise piece that was made for dancers to practise their technique. It covered all the basic techniques of ballroom dancing and had parts that were hard on the body to strengthen the muscles.

Mia usually solved most problems, whether they were related to school or dancing, by using numbers (the former, of answers memorized, and the latter, of sheer mind-numbing repetition).

Since she had been doing this dance since she was young, it was clear that she knew every step and twirl by heart.

Bel, Im going to teach you a secret dance that only the royal family of Tearmoon knows. Its called the Moonlight Dance. First, Ill show you, so just watch.

Mia began the dance right away.

The feet are where we start. Un, deux, trois Un, deux, trois

She moved around easily, and the rhythm of her steps matched the rhythm of what she said.

We turn here. Turn your right foot around and keep your left foot as still as you can, she said, showing the move a few times.

The hands are next. They should be in good shape. Elegant. Move them gently, like theyre being blown by the wind.

After that, she did a series of graceful spins.

When you spin, you have to get a sense of how far youre going. Ive heard that distance is also an important part of swordsmanship. They need to know where they are in relation to their opponent and the rest of the area. In dancing, its the same. You need to know how far away things are. How far you go with each step. What kind of room you have. Getting good at that takes a lot of work. If you keep doing it, it will start to get easier.

As she danced, she could feel Bels intense gaze on her. Pleased by the girls attention, she carefully demonstrated every movement, slowing down during fast parts and repeating complicated passages for clarity.

When she was done, she shook her hair out and said, Well, thats about it. Its not too hard, so you should be able to figure it out pretty quickly. Lets review the first few steps once more

No, its okay.

Bel stopped Mia in the middle of her story.

I remember everything, Miss Mia. I believe I can.

Really?

Yes, because my veins are filled with Grandmother Mias blood!

Isuppose it does.

Well, go on.

Then try it, Mia said, hoping to be impressed.

After all, the girl was her kin, and she seemed sure of herself. She might have been fine with just a few hints.

Then, Bel did something she didnt expect. In the worst way that could happen. After she was done, she looked at Mia with excitement.

I did it! What do you think, Grandmother Mia?

Hm Hmmm

Mias eyebrows twitched as she tried not to furrow them.

I see, I see What was that?

She looked at her granddaughters chest, which was proudly puffed out, and found herselfimpressed.

Where does this girl get the nerve to tell me, I did it, after putting on such a show?

It probably doesnt need to be said, but you cant just copy all the steps to a dance after seeing them once. Bels performance was exactly what you would expect from someone on their first try.

And yet, there she stood, very sure of herself and very proud of what she thought was without a doubt a great example of the Dance of Moonlight.

The guts alone were something to admire. With that smug look, she might be able to make a few people think she did pretty well, but she cant fool my eyes.

Mia cleared her throat in a showy way and said, Its not bad for your first try. Youre going in the right direction.

So that her granddaughter wouldnt feel bad, she started by saying what she thought in a nice way.

Accuracy will be the most important thing you need to work on, she said. That is, making sure you do each move the right way.To dance well, you need to know the basics well, so take your time learning them.

Dont get sloppy, or youll regret it later.

Understood!

Bels strong nod made Mia happy, and she smiled.

There was still time. We didnt have to hurry.

She could take this race slowly and steadily, making Bel better and better as she went. The next thing she knew, three days had gone by, and she hadnt done much of anything.

This is very odd Why are you still not able to do it right? Its just a light flick. You move your hand like this and swish swish See? Nice and stylish.

Hnnngh, Miss Mia, its hard

Bel hung her head in discouragement. Mias head was turned back so far in confusion that it looked like it was going to break off.

Unfortunately, Mia had no idea that all of her education and practise since she was a child had changed the way she thought about dancing and given her teaching style a genius vibe. In other words, she taught in a way that was so hard to understand that only a genius could figure out what her vague descriptions meant.

Hmm I think we should try something different

Mia murmured while thinking. Bels excitement was clear to see. At this rate, she might start to hate the idea of dancing, which would be terrible.

Just as Mia started to think about it

Excuse me, milady.

My, Anne. Whats going on?

Youve got a guest. Its Princess Rania.

Rania? I wonder what she wants.

Mia took a quick look at Bels lazy body.

Okay, lets just call it a day. Go take a shower and clean up, Bel. I need to talk for a while with Rania.

She left the dance lesson early after that and went back to her room.