Mushoku Tensei (LN) - Volume SS - Chapter 34

Short Story:

Dance Practice 

THAT DAY, I WRAPPED up a work trip and came back to the Magic City of Sharia, just like always. I’d thought this trip would drag on for a while, only for it to be over before I knew it. What I’d thought would take five days was over in two. I don’t think I’m amazing at what I do or anything, but after pulling things off as efficiently as I had on this trip? I felt that amazing. And it feels pretty good to feel amazing.

When I arrived home, Lilia called out, “Welcome home!” Just like always. “That was faster than I expected,” she added.

“Yes, I’m quite something if I do say so myself.” I was joking, but Lilia nodded like this made perfect sense. She’d agreed with me. That was no good. If I kept this up, I’d end up deluding myself that I actually was something special. I had to remember to be humble. I mean, I’d just happened to get lucky this time. More to the point, the fact that I’d gotten done in two days what I’d expected to take five meant I’d misjudged a bit, didn’t it? If I were really all that, I’d have seen it was possible from the start, and… But then, there was no point thinking like that. The important thing was that whenever I got cocky, I ended up blowing the next trip. It was important to praise myself to keep my spirits up, but I had to do it in moderation.

“Huh? Come to think of it, where is everyone?” There was no sign of Sylphie, Eris, or the others. At this time, Roxy was probably at school.

“Um, well…” Lilia was uncharacteristically hesitant.

“You don’t mean….!” At once, I was struck by a horrible premonition. My whole body tensed. But Lilia, seeing this, quickly dispelled my fears.

“Oh, no, it’s not that anything bad has happened. Please don’t worry.”

“R-right.”

What had happened? Maybe Eris had finally forgotten her own strength and ended up breaking Linia and Pursena’s backs or something. No, scratch that. I was pretty sure that would be categorized as a bad thing. Even if they’d mend up fine with healing magic. 

“So what’s going on?” I asked.

Lilia hesitated, then said, “I was instructed to keep it a secret from you, Master Rudeus.”

Well, that just made me want to know more. But I’d lived in this world thirty years now, and I was married. I hadn’t gotten to my age without knowing a thing or two about the workings of the feminine mind. I wouldn’t pry. Lilia had been kind enough to say this much, and that meant it probably wasn’t anything bad. With that, I headed for my study on the first floor. 

Guess for now I’ll fill in my diary, I thought.

“One two three four, one two three four, good! Good!”

But then, I heard a voice from out the window. 

It was Sylphie. I peeked out and saw two women stepping together in time, hand in hand. White hair and red hair bobbed up and down in time with the call. It was a dance. Sylphie and Eris were dancing. What were they doing a thing like that for? I was a tiny bit curious.

Did they ever make a beautiful pair, though. Sylphie wore trousers that harkened back to her days as Fitz, and in a rare sight, Eris was wearing a skirt for the first time in ages. It was the opposite of usual for both of them, but they both looked dashing and cool. I was so entranced by the sight of the two of them hand in hand, going through the steps, that I wanted to watch them forever.

“Uh oh, no you don’t,” I told myself. “This is a secret, remember.”

Right. None of that, Rudeus. You mustn’t sneak a look at the fairy dancers.

Oh, but look, Rudeus. See how Sylphie’s dancing the man’s part? She’s still just as dashing as she was back in her Fitz days. Yes, she’s beautiful, isn’t she, Rudeus? The way she stands so straight and tall.

Oh, and Rudeus, look at her partner. Isn’t she so much better at dancing than she was back in the day?

Well, Eris learned how to match her partner’s rhythm and use that to throw them off at the Sword Sanctum. This much is easy for her.

Don’t be so sure, Rudeus. Perhaps Sylphie is a much better teacher.

True. Fitz was always a good teacher, wasn’t he?

“Oh, hey, Big Brother. Welcome home.” I realized with a start that Aisha had been near the window. She came over to me, waving. Crap. This was supposed to be a secret, but I’d been caught.

“Ack! Rudeus!” Drawn by Aisha’s voice, Eris noticed me too. She immediately released Sylphie’s hands. It was like I’d walked in on her having an affair… But then, it was Sylphie, so I couldn’t blame her. I couldn’t hold a candle to Sylphie.

“Oh, Rudy. Welcome home.” Sylphie noticed me next and came running. She opened the window to welcome me back. 

“I’m sorry,” I said. “I didn’t mean to spy on you, I just…what were you doing?” I couldn’t help the fact that I’d been spying, so I doubled down and asked.

“Dance practice,” she replied. “Lately, you’ve been visiting ­palaces and attending parties and things in lots of different countries, haven’t you? Eris goes with you as a bodyguard, but she was saying if she had to dance, she might embarrass you.”

“I’m not going to get embarrassed just because Eris can’t dance.”

If anyone dared insult my wife for being so obsessed with her sword she couldn’t even dance, I’d be questioning their sanity ­before feeling embarrassed. Like, “You know the woman beside me is the world-renowned Berserker Sword King, right? You know your head could be off your precious neck before you know what hit you, right? Are you feeling okay?”

Jokes aside, everyone had their strengths and weaknesses, and Eris was better than anyone else with a blade, so I felt like not being able to dance was fine.

“When I got the chance I was going to dance like I used to and surprise you,” Eris said, pouting. She said it as though she’d used to be good at dancing. 

Eris, you used to dance like a pro wrestler…

Maybe she was just talking big in front of Sylphie.

“Tee hee. You heard her.”

“Right then,” I said. “If I’m going to keep up with you when we get the chance, I’d better practice too.”

“Oh, then I’ll be your partner, Big Brother!” Aisha said, raising her hand enthusiastically. And that was how, for the first time in a long time, I found myself practicing dancing.

By the way, after practice was over, Sylphie snuck me into her bedroom, then, sounding a little shy, asked, “Would you dance with me too?” 

So we danced, just the two of us. But that’s a story for another time.