There is no way to know whether she belongs to the Orthodox or the Unorthodox. Especially for a woman, it is impossible to tell where in her heart the Orthodox is destroyed and the Unorthodox runs rampant.

–Heinrich Heine, Dreamlike Satire ~Atta Troll~

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Thus, the first sword dance began.

Watson and I held our practice swords and watched the martial artists stepping in rhythm, slowly synchronizing our breathing.

The flowing music was calm and quiet.

Unlike the Debutante Ball, there was no need to duel anyone else afterward, so I felt lighter.

However, since someone who disliked Watson and me might try something, like Irene Adler throwing a paralysis needle earlier, we must not let our guard down.

“Raise your awareness and prepare, Watson.”

“You’re trying for now.”

We moved smoothly to the leisurely rhythm played by the orchestra, following the procession through the ballroom without lowering our guard.

Those dancing to the first song were the people gathered in the center of the ballroom, including Watson and me.

Near Her Majesty the Queen and members of the royal family, those with high-grade invitations were gathered, dancing.

No matter how large the area, not all attendees at the royal ballroom could dance at once, so they danced in assigned spots and took turns stepping aside to wait.

Though I had received a Seven-Step Invitation, since my partner Watson had a Fifty-Step Invitation, we maintained a proper distance without joining them and danced the sword dance.

‘Is there anyone trying to check us?’

I tried to sense if any of Irene Adler’s followers were harming us, but it seemed there was no need to worry yet.

“…The situation seems better than expected. Let’s focus on the dance for now.”

The key was to hold Watson’s right hand and skillfully keep her from entering within fifty steps of Her Majesty the Queen.

There is no need to forcefully close the distance now.

Only a greedy person would dangerously approach the fifty-step limit.

If one got excited just by standing in the same space as the Sword Queen and danced without awareness-

-White cotton red robe, Out.

-Whoosh whoosh whoosh!

From the brass trumpet came the voice of the Chief Special Maid, and the Special Maids holding poles with nooses strangled the limbs and neck of the fool who approached Her Majesty beyond the permitted distance.

“No!! If I don’t hold out until dinner, my father’s iron fist will!!! Aaaah!!”

The wealthy noble’s son screamed like a pig being slaughtered while being dragged away, but when the Etiquette Enforcement Special Maid Corps instilled manners into his neck, he soon quieted.

Four Special Maids carried the large man to the wall, opened a secret revolving door, and tossed him in with the noose.

“…They are merciless even to nobles.”

Watson watched the brutal farce with a terrified expression, then suddenly turned her head as if she met eyes with a Special court lady.

“The Forbidden Palace’s rules apply equally to all British subjects.”

Her wide, rabbit-like eyes and red irises constantly swam through the air, worried about when she might become a victim of strict etiquette.

I checked her pulse with the hand I held.

‘…Is she nervous again?’

If she gets nervous and stumbles here, it will truly be our turn next.

It seemed that training at the boarding house was not sufficient for her to respond perfectly.

Maybe I shouldn’t have told Watson the details of the Forbidden Palace’s punishments.

‘It’s no wonder she’s scared; the Thames is still far from warm.’

I heard from my master that most of the Lout-Exclusive exits in the Forbidden Palace lead to slick, oiled sewers.

Those who break etiquette are subdued by the military guards, pass through a one-way exit guarded by spirit beasts, and are dumped into the Thames River.

Naturally, being thrown into cold water awakens them the moment the water soaks their clothes.

But the worst disgrace for those forcibly expelled from the royal ballroom is yet another matter.

On the day of the royal ballroom, Yellow1 journalists run by the press and London citizens gather by the river from dawn.

Of course, this is to mock those expelled for breaking etiquette and capture their foolish faces in photos.

The press uses certain methods to quickly obtain the attendee list each year, compares photos or descriptions with the faces of the expelled attendees floating in the river, and publishes their information in newspapers.

The sight of press kids wearing newsboy caps running the streets with evening papers on the ballroom day has become a springtime tradition in London.

Without a large donation, the next morning’s paper publishes soaked photos and names of expelled attendees, so when a noble’s child is disgraced, the press pockets swell.

‘As a former soldier, Watson would rather bite her tongue than suffer such shame.’

To act without tension under countless social gazes, one must keep gaining experience.

In that regard, Watson was at a considerable disadvantage compared to others.

Moreover, she experienced various incidents upon arriving at the royal palace today.

She encountered the Zion Clan’s Father Brown, witnessed the Indulgence Talisman’s secret revealed, and even had her acupoints struck by a monster disguised as herself.

Not only that, she learned the secret of the Medicamentum Communionem which was rarely heard of and even faced Sir Newton, thought to be dead.

For a typical martial artist, experiencing such events even once in a lifetime is rare, yet she faced five in a row, so mental confusion is natural.

It was understandable even if the strict etiquette training over a month did not fully manifest.

Above all, Watson was not comfortable wearing dresses regularly.

No matter how much she practiced, it was expected that she couldn’t behave as naturally as other attendees.

She kept her mouth shut as I instructed, but if a noble spoke to her and she stammered like she did with Sir Newton, she’d become a target for the court ladies.

“Aaaah… Help me, Holmes. At this rate-”

Most of all, seeing Watson’s knees trembling from tension, she might trip and fall at any moment.

In this situation, as the one leading the sword dance, I had to guide her well.

“Hold on a little longer. If we take a few more steps, we can switch with the waiting group. Do you see the man in the brown martial uniform?”

“…That’s the one you marked earlier.”

Just before the medley’s second song started, we timed and slipped out from the circle of martial artists dancing the sword dance.

“I’m feeling unwell for a moment. Could you take my place?”

“Certainly.”

When Watson asked, a pair of martial artists waiting quietly outside the procession smiled and swapped places with us.

He was a Seventy-Step Invitation holder I had noted since I got off the carriage.

Since Watson, holding a Fifty-Step Invitation, requested the switch, the court ladies cannot punish her for approaching within fifty steps of Her Majesty.

Whether Watson is fifty or seventy steps away from Her Majesty makes no difference, so it’s best to behave safely rather than attract attention.

Moreover, Irene Adler’s special performance was about to begin.

“Huff… Huff…”

It was then.

I glanced beside me and saw Watson gasping for breath.

Her face looked strained.

Facing continuous dramatic situations seemed to have caused mental fatigue affecting her body.

“…This is bad.”

I touched her forehead and felt a chill rising.

It was proof that the Vital Energy flowing inside her was turning Yin regardless of her will.

“Strange, Holmes. I’m starting to struggle just standing. Why-”

“……”

Unfortunately, her meridian blockage disorder symptoms worsened at this moment.

Because my standards were off, I failed to notice Watson’s meridians had reached its limits.

“Don’t worry. I prepared for this.”

Of course, I had a countermeasure ready.

-Crack!

I reached into my pocket, took out a small scale, and crushed it into powder with my fingers.

It was a scale I had taken from the 10,000 year Fire Carp swimming unseen in the garden earlier, containing considerable Yang Qi despite its size.

“Do I just eat this?”

“…No. Sniff it through your nose.”

I quickly stopped Watson from sticking her tongue out.

If she licked my fingers, both of us would surely be dragged out of the Palace.

-Swish!

Within five seconds of the Elixir absorbing through her mucous membranes, Watson’s complexion improved visibly.

Relieved to have overcome the crisis, the first song ended, the attendants collected the wooden swords, and the chief attendant appeared to announce the next event.

“Martial world attendees, please pay attention. Before moving to the next dance, by Her Majesty’s order, Lady Norton, the Mistress of Green Willow, will perform a special show.”

The martial artists reacted one by one to the name Lady Norton with exclamations.

She was a prima donna from the Warsaw theater, an American who attracted the attention of Russian royalty.

Known for mastering sound skills at just twenty-three, despite her commoner origins, her beauty and talent made her one of Europe’s most celebrated artists, so the reaction was natural.

“Martial world attendees, please warmly welcome Lady Norton with applause.”

As the elderly attendant finished speaking, the waiting room door opened, and Irene Adler appeared.

-Click!

The next moment, thunderous applause filled the ballroom instantly.

Unlike before, Irene Adler had elegantly braided her hair and dressed in a white and pink dress, exuding the refined grace of a young noblewoman.

Her lotus-colored dress and modest expression evoked the aura of the South Sea Virgin Mary Bodhisattva.

Though I knew it was intentional, the living embodiment of that woman stirred the few remaining human feelings within me.

But.

“…Ah.”

The moment I saw Watson’s dazed eyes staring at Irene Adler, I immediately snapped back to reality.

“Hic.”

As I sent the Direct Message, Watson’s eyes widened as she looked back and forth between me and Irene Adler.

“Why is such a noble woman… No, how did you find that out…?”

Seeing her still unsure whether to trust me, she seemed not fully composed.

“For now, stay away. It’s dangerous.”

“What on earth-”

“From now on, a sound attack will come. Though it’s not certain.”

I took ten large steps to put distance between Watson leaning against the wall and me.

I couldn’t let Watson get hurt in a direct confrontation with Irene Adler.

“The piece is No. 7, The Nine Orders of Lotus (Die Lotosblume), from Robert Schumann’s Myrthen, based on Heinrich Heine’s poem.”

Irene had already successfully performed dozens of major shows.

Except for Britons, no one complained about her honor to sing at Buckingham Palace regardless of her origin.

Moreover, Robert Schumann was a composer cherished by Her Majesty the Queen and Prince Albert, beloved throughout Europe.

The Sword Queen and her husband even attended the premiere of his Fantasie in C major, Op. 17, based on Beethoven’s melodies.

Though the lyrics were in German, no Briton openly showed hostility for these reasons.

So.

I might be the only one thinking that the song might contain a harmful supernatural power.

‘If I hadn’t opened up my meridians earlier, I wouldn’t have noticed the brief murderous intent.’

Ignoring Watson’s confused gaze, I sharpened my senses throughout my body.

‘Considering her personality, she would use a subtle method to target only me.’

Having prepared to use my internal energy at any moment, Irene Adler began singing Schumann’s The Nine Orders of Lotus.

Die Lotosblume ängstigt

Sich vor der Sonne Pracht,

Und mit gesenktem Haupte

Erwartet sie träumend die Nacht.

-The lotus flower is always pure where it grows

-Under the sunlight, it does not get dark

-Lowering its head silently, it only dreams

-Night falls, smiling coldly

The lyrics depict a delicate lotus blooming in the mud.

Irene Adler not only expressed this with voice and expression but, as a seasoned opera singer, transformed the atmosphere with overwhelming acting.

She resembled a compassionate Virgin Mary praying for sentient beings in the midst of paradise.

Her distinctive voice from a slender body quickly repainted the ballroom following the slow melody.

Though known as a contralto, she smoothly reached high notes without changing keys, showing no sign of struggle.

No, this is not the time to admire.

“……”

Fortunately, nothing unusual had happened yet.

I anticipated a directional sound attack and prepared a defensive technique, but there was no direct physical or internal injury.

Could I be mistaken?

Did I embarrass someone trying to be friendly?

I forcibly suppressed such thoughts with reason.

The Irene Adler I know would definitely attack now.

When I raised my head, as expected, the prima donna’s eyes were on me.

Her gentle expression showed no hint of hostility.

But when I used my sensing technique to examine her neck-

Der Mond der ist ihr Buhle,

Er weckt sie mit seinem Licht,

Und ihm entschleiert sie freundlich

Ihr frommes Blumengesicht.

Sie blüht und glüht und leuchtet,

Und starret stumm in die Höh’;

Sie duftet und weinet und zittert

Vor Liebe und Liebesweh.

-The flower is accompanied by the moonlight

-When the light awakens

-Ah, the flower blooms fully

-The nine orders of lotus in the mud

-The fully bloomed flower shines in all directions

-Lifting its head to gaze at the moonlit sky

-The flower’s fragrance spreads through the three realms

-Day and night praising the great path of enlightenment

‘Overtone Singing…?!’

A sound skill originating from Mongolia that produces two sounds simultaneously.

Then the current singing of The Nine Orders of Lotus is a deception.

What she aims for is probably-

-Whoosh!

The next moment, an invisible blade sliced past the nape of my neck.

1. ED: A form of newspaper reporting characterized by sensationalism and exaggeration ️