Evil Dragon Chapter 42: Learning to Dance

Chapter 42: Learning to Dance

Translated by Addis of Exiled Rebels Scanlations

Editor: Kris

 

Lin Nuo’s rationality told him that this posture seemed somewhat improper. He should step back a bit to create some distance between them instead of being so tightly pressed together. But… the moment Rennes brought their hands together and smoothly moved closer, Lin Nuo felt a dizzying sensation. It was like when he got unexpectedly drunk at Summerset Hill and akin to the restlessness he felt when the dragon started moving spiritedly this morning.

Not good… If he were in dragon form now, Lin Nuo vaguely knew that this situation would involve breathing fire into the air. But in human form, what could he possibly do? Could it be… Could it be that the surreal and inexplicable dream from last night had been a hint of what was to come? That indescribable image troubled Lin Nuo, making his face flush, even causing his palms to heat up. 

At this moment, Rennes used his palm to gently graze Lin Nuo’s warm hand and asked, “What’s wrong? Doesn’t Your Highness want to teach me?”

Rennes’s breath brushed Lin Nuo’s ear like a drop of red wine into a clear glass, making his fair earlobes turn red instantly. His inquiry carried a tinge of injustice, as if saying, ‘I have been diligently teaching you, Your Highness, and now, when I ask for a simple dance lesson, you refuse?’

It was a tone Lin Nuo had never heard before from Rennes, and it made his shoulders tremble slightly as his voice faltered, “I-I don’t mind…”

Rennes’s cheek moved closer to Lin Nuo’s ear, his lips almost touching the earlobe, “Then, please, Your Highness, be quicker. I’ve been waiting for quite some time now…”

Lin Nuo’s body shuddered slightly, stammering, “It’s, uh, holding each other’s hands, raising the arms, and then facing each other. Uh, your posture is fine now. Uh, please don’t move your hand…”

Rennes chuckled softly, and the fingers that had been idly caressing Lin Nuo’s hand obediently stopped, “Okay, not moving.” 

Hearing Rennes’s laughter, Lin Nuo’s already racing heart leaped further. This scenario made him think: If he had known that teaching Rennes to dance would accelerate his heartbeat so much, he wouldn’t have hesitated to dance rather than accost him at the bottom of the cavern.

After showing him how to position their hands, it was time to teach the dance steps.

Lin Nuo took a deep breath and tried to mimic Rennes’s usual teaching tone as he continued, “Left foot forward, right foot forward to the side, then together. Yes. Then, the right foot steps back, the left foot moves back to the side. Good, the right foot joins the left foot… The steps shouldn’t be too large. Don’t rush but maintain the pace of the lead dancer.” 

While instructing, Lin Nuo moved his feet, spinning under the starlight with Rennes. He occasionally praised his only student just as Rennes sometimes did, “Very good, you’re learning well.”

Rennes’s voice, for some reason, sounded hoarser and more alluring than before, “That’s because Your Highness is teaching well.”

Hearing Rennes’s praise slightly eased Lin Nuo’s mood. He gathered what remained of his composure and tried to ask lightly, “Since I’m teaching now, shouldn’t you also address me as ‘Teacher’?”

He didn’t have much hope for this request. Rennes Clement is such an aloof person; would he really change the way he addressed him just because of a dance? 

“Oh…” Rennes responded with a nasal tone before slowly saying, “Tea-cher.”

This ordinary word, in Rennes’s voice, unexpectedly carried an inappropriate undertone, as if Lin Nuo was committing a grave misdeed.

“Ah!” Hearing that address, Lin Nuo almost stepped on Rennes’s boots, feeling as if the wildfire inside that had slightly calmed was now flaring up again, threatening to consume all of his rationality. He hurriedly spoke, trying to fend off the sensation, “No, it’s better not to call me that.”

“Why? Didn’t the teacher himself request it?” Rennes held Lin Nuo’s hand, elegantly performing a half turn.

“Yes, but, but…” Lin Nuo’s face burned, his words stumbling, “In any case, you can’t call me that!”

“Alright, tea-cher.” Rennes said softly with a smile. 

“Now, release your hand and take a step back, then rotate on the spot.”

The previously quick-learning Rennes suddenly seemed unable to understand the teacher’s words, refusing to let go of Lin Nuo’s hand.

“Uh, I said, release your hand…” Feeling a bit anxious, Lin Nuo explained with a tone of command, “Let go. At this point in the dance, both parties should step back, and then the lead pulls the other person back in, holding their hand to make them spin half a circle before embracing…”

“Ah…” Rennes acted as if he had an epiphany, releasing Lin Nuo’s hand and stepping back.

Lin Nuo breathed a sigh of relief. As per the dance steps, he, as the lead dancer, was about to extend his hand to guide the other in, but unexpectedly, Rennes took the lead, swiftly pulling Lin Nuo and spinning him around. Then, in a swift motion, he pulled him back, encircling Lin Nuo’s shoulder with his arm.

Lin Nuo gasped, exclaiming, “That’s wrong!”

“Hmm?” Rennes inquired humbly, “What’s wrong?”

With his chin resting on Lin Nuo’s neck, their cheeks almost touching, Rennes asked with a tone that felt improper, “Did I make a mistake in the lead’s steps just now?”

Lin Nuo’s steps were now completely disordered, and he stumbled, “I am leading; I should pull you back.”

“Oh, is that so?” Rennes chuckled softly, “Then, if I’m the lead now, doesn’t that mean Your Highness has taught me very well?” 

“Uh…” Lin Nuo was left speechless, feeling overwhelmed. Unable to refute, he just lowered his head, biting his lip and saying nothing.

Seeing His Highness the Prince in this embarrassed state, the knight sighed, leading the other man’s arm and guiding him in a half-circle, bringing the prince into his embrace, eliciting a short, subdued sound from the prince.

“Your Highness, is this step still correct?” Rennes asked softly, his chin grazing Lin Nuo’s forehead. 

Lin Nuo’s crumbling rationality told him that Rennes’s rhythm and approach were flawless. The pattern of this dance step was to repeatedly open and close the distance between them.

Lin Nuo knew that in the next step, he should willingly leave Rennes’s embrace and step back. As if bewitched, at this moment, he surprisingly didn’t want to leave his arms at all.

He felt that this brief, face-to-face embrace, the gentle breath against his face, and the intoxicating fragrance were so beautiful. Beautiful to the extent that he even had the impulse to bury his face deeply in Rennes’s neck, inhaling his scent, and then…

What would come next? The following thoughts were too shameful. Now, Lin Nuo was acutely aware that he harbored a different kind of sentiment for Rennes Clement, the person who, according to the original text, would eventually kill him, but in reality, saved him. Was this what they called ‘heart fluttering’?

Or was it because of the dragon’s nature that, during this special period, he developed such sentiments toward the person closest to him?

At this moment, Rennes decided to speak, “Your Highness, during this dance, when they embrace, should the two people still gaze into each other’s eyes?”

Lin Nuo shuddered, making a vague sound in agreement. He didn’t dare to lift his head now; he was afraid that raising his face would reveal what he couldn’t hide from Rennes.

Rennes didn’t let it go. On the contrary, he freed one hand, touched Lin Nuo’s chin and gently lifted it, saying, “Teacher, why aren’t you looking at me?”

Although Rennes didn’t use much force, Lin Nuo, touched in this way, subconsciously raised his head. Then, he saw the starry gleam in Rennes’s deep eyes, his bright lips slightly curved, forming a captivating arc.

Lin Nuo’s gaze was involuntarily hooked, unable to look away. Until Rennes spoke again with a hint of a smile, “Why did Your Highness stop teaching? Is there anything else in my posture to adjust?”

Even Lin Nuo’s eye corners began to blush now, and his voice carried a bit of a nasal tone, “No, there’s nothing to adjust… um!” 

After awkwardly finishing his sentence, Lin Nuo whimpered, unable to control it. His legs weakened, and his body stiffened. Oh no! Oh no! The state he feared the most had appeared! Too awkward! Too embarrassing! No, he couldn’t let the knight find out!

Lin Nuo pushed his arm forward, forced himself to step back, turned around to face away from Rennes, hunched his body, and with all his strength, said, “You— go back first. This is an order!”

Rennes not only didn’t obey but took a step forward, encircled Lin Nuo’s shoulders with his arms from behind, and considerately asked, “Your Highness, is there anything uncomfortable?”

Lin Nuo, nearly desperate, closed his eyes. His body had already gone limp, and his voice carried a touch of a sob, “No, nothing! You, just go quickly!”

Rennes sighed, saying, “Words may be deceitful, Prince.”

After saying this, he once again rested his head on Lin Nuo’s shoulder, exerted a bit of force on his arm, letting Lin Nuo lean securely against his chest. 

“Since Your Highness isn’t feeling well,” Rennes’s voice lightly brushed against Lin Nuo’s well-shaped earlobe, “then I should personally take action to help alleviate Your Highness’s distress.” Amidst Lin Nuo’s suppressed sobbing, the devoted paladin sighed deeply, saying, “It seems that Your Highness has quite a lot on your mind…” 

 

 

 

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