"Mia, don't overthink it, just follow my rhythm..." Mike reminded the girl after his toes were stepped on for the nth time.
The Genovia dance was a dance for making friends at balls, with a very high degree of freedom; one could dance as long as they mastered the basic steps.
But the girl was overdoing it now; she paid too much attention to her steps, losing her rhythm.
This was a vicious cycle: the more she paid attention, the easier she made mistakes, and the more mistakes she made, the less she knew how to dance.
"Sorry, I'll try my best." Mia, who had stepped on Mike many times, had an embarrassed look on her face.
"It's okay, as a beginner, you've done very well." Mike encouraged the girl and continued: "Now, you need to learn to enjoy the music and dance, relax your body..."
With Mike's hands-on teaching, the girl soon found the feeling.
This novel experience filled the girl's heart with joy.
At this moment, the girl noticed that due to the dance, her face was very close to Mike's.
The warm afternoon sun shone on the boy through the glass window, making him look as if he were covered in a layer of holy light.
Handsome features, deep eyes, flawless skin...
If there were angels in the world, they would probably look like this.
The girl fell into a daze from the beauty attack, and a blush instantly rose on her cheeks.
Sunshine, music, dance...
Mia, whose mind went blank, seemed to understand what Mike said: enjoy the music, enjoy the dance.
Aside, Mr. Joe, who was correcting Mia's dance movements, silently retreated to the side seeing the girl getting better.
Leaving the space for this pair of young men and women dancing.
After a few more dances, Queen Renaldi sitting on the sofa put away her knowing smile and stopped Mike and Mia.
"Mia did well, your dance study today has passed." After affirming her granddaughter, Queen Renaldi said to Mike standing quietly aside: "Mike, thanks for your help too."
With Mike present, the girl's learning progress was obviously much faster.
Afterward, Her Majesty asked Joe to prepare some small desserts and tea to treat Mike and Mia.
It wasn't until the two finished eating and rested well that Mr. Joe sent them out of the villa.
Standing at the villa entrance, Mia still felt unsatisfied.
The girl had a quantitative requirement for etiquette study every day. Previously, to complete the task, Mia needed to spend a lot of time, and the process felt very painful.
However, studying with Mike today made the girl feel that learning etiquette wasn't that difficult.
"Mike, do you have plans for the afternoon? Want to visit my home..." Mia joyfully invited.
Meeting the parents so soon?
During this week, Mike had basically grasped the girl's family situation.
Because of her parents' divorce, Mia, who followed her artist mother to make a living since childhood, actually didn't have a good childhood.
And her mother, Ms. Helen, dreamed of becoming an opera dancer.
Lacking other survival skills, to raise her daughter, she once gave up her dream and usually took some sewing work to supplement the household income.
"Sure, I happen to be free this afternoon." Mike thought briefly and agreed to the girl's invitation.
It wasn't far from where Mia lived; it only took a dozen minutes to walk.
So the two walked towards the destination.
At the same time, Mr. Joe, who returned to the villa living room, saw the lonely side of the Queen.
A queen wanting to manage the country well is always more difficult than a man. In front of people, she always has to show her elegant and strong side.
Therefore, the position of queen was more of a burden, or a responsibility to the people, for Renaldi.
"You've worked hard~" Joe felt moved and went behind the Queen to massage her shoulders to relax.
More than ten years of companionship made Joe, the personal assistant, and the Queen more like family.
And Her Majesty actually knew Joe's feelings.
But again, as Queen Renaldi, her every word and deed would receive the attention of the people, so she couldn't do anything detrimental to her status.
"Have they left?" Queen Renaldi didn't refuse Joe's massage. She closed her eyes and chatted: "What do you think of Mr. Mike?"
Joe and Queen Renaldi had long investigated Mike's past experiences.
What Her Majesty wanted to ask now was naturally Joe's feeling about the other party after meeting Mike.
Actually, calling Mike over today also had the purpose of observing and testing him.
"Very handsome, and excellent enough... just a little worried if Princess Mia can hold onto him..." Mr. Joe gave an evaluation.
Sometimes being too excellent is also a fault.
Speaking of Mike's performance today, Joe could almost give him full marks. But thinking of the other party's lifestyle, this butler still couldn't help but have a headache.
That was a complicated emotion of a parent worrying about their junior meeting a bad person.
Yes, Joe had recognized Princess Mia's identity and treated her as a junior to protect.
"That child is indeed handsome, better than any prince I've seen..." Queen Renaldi smiled.
Mike left a very good first impression on this Queen today; smart, clever, knowing when to advance and retreat.
People with these qualities are at least not losers.
"What do you think about inviting Mr. Mike over together when Mia studies in the future?" Queen Renaldi, having a plan in mind, asked.
As a queen, Renaldi knew well that to become a qualified queen, one needs to experience many things, and emotion is also an indispensable part.
With this cognition, the attitude towards Mike was easy to determine.
"As you decide..." Mr. Joe smiled, guessing the Queen's thought.
And this talented butler also had his confidence. He firmly believed that with him watching on the side, he definitely wouldn't let Princess Mia suffer.
"Then it's decided. You invite him on weekends in the future. Usually, if Mr. Mike is free, you can also pick him and Mia up together." Queen Renaldi said, seeming to let go of a worry.
Three months to transform a rural "wild girl" into a princess from inside out was obviously very difficult.
But Mike's role today made the Queen see possibility.
Although it's a bit impolite to say so, Mike is indeed a very good tool for Mia to become a princess.
"As you wish, Your Majesty~"
Seeing the relaxed look on the Queen's face, a smile also appeared on Mr. Joe's face.
Then, Mr. Joe invited: "My Queen, may I have the honor of inviting you for a dance?"
The Queen's job isn't as easy as it looks to outsiders. Being tense all the time, she really needs some relaxation time.
"Of course, you have the honor. And I haven't danced for a long time." Queen Renaldi looked at the man who had accompanied her for more than ten years with emotion, then stood up elegantly.
Companionship is the longest confession of love.
With such long companionship, it's impossible to say Queen Renaldi has no feelings for Mr. Joe.
As the soothing music sounded again, the two in the room leaned together slowly like an old married couple.
"Mia, what fruit does your mother like to eat?" Seeing the small market in front, Mike asked.
The two were now close to Mia's home, not far from a large old district. At the entrance of the old district, there was a market full of life atmosphere.
Going to a girl's house for the first time, not bringing a small gift is somewhat impolite.
"Apples, I know a fruit shop where apples are delicious and cheap." Mia, who grew up almost free-range, wasn't that pretentious.
Then, the girl took Mike to a friendly fruit shop.
After some bargaining, Mike had a bag of red apples in his hand.
A few minutes later, the two crossed the main road, turned a few corners on the small path in the old district, and came to the side of an old residential building across an iron gate.
"This is a shortcut. Just squeeze through this small iron gate, and we'll be at my house." Mia's carefree personality made her unaware of anything wrong with taking the boy she liked to climb over an iron gate.
Or rather, the girl subconsciously showed her true side in front of Mike.
After all, she was a child who grew up in Texas.
Different from being timid in school, the girl's personality out of school was somewhat straightforward.
"Let me demonstrate for you first~" Mia ignored her gorgeous long dress, pushed the iron gate open a crack, bent her waist, and was about to squeeze through the opening.
This iron gate was locked by a chain and didn't close tightly. Just pushing hard would create a gap just enough for one person to pass through.