"System, I can't dance. And I don't even know what the hell bonga-bonga is," Anna mummured, as the crowd anticipates her next move.
[ Would you like to purchase some emergency dance protocol]
"Yes please."
[ It'll cost 24 hours and will be active for 24 hours, and you have 155 hours left to complete your task ]
"Uhh," Anna did not have time to think, this was the only option there was for her to impress the team enough to let her dance with them in the Palace. However, the problem was that the emergency dance protocol would become inactive after 24 hours, thus she'd have to spend more time daily on rehearsal.
"Just do it for today, I'll have to learn their dance moves tonight."
[ Activating emergency dance protocol in exchange for 24 hours! ]
[ Time left: 131 hours 47 minutes and 6 seconds or 5 days and 6 hours ]
Bang Bang, then a pause and a final bang, the rhythm of the drum caused Anma to move effortlessly. Her hands swaying side to side, and her hips moving to the beat.
Anna couldn't believe how quickly she became one with the music, dancing each step like something she had rehearsed for ages, and leaving and crowd speechless.
While she was still dancing, the other girls joined in and danced with her. The bonga-bonga was a simple and popular dance step amongst them, and anyone who couldn't dance was not worthy to be called a dancer.
"Love, you dance great!" The girls cheered Anna on, as they shared the epic moments until the music stopped.
"Yay!" The spectators cheered and clapped for the newcomer, never have they seen someone dance with such grace and elegance as Anna. And the dancers were all willing to let her join the group if she would agree.
"I don't know girls," Anna said acting like this wasn't the reason she came in the first place,
"My father will not let me, I had to sneak out."
"Oh," all the girls burst into laughter as if Anna had just said something that they could all relate to.
"Love, your father has to understand that you are a woman now, he can't hold you captive for so long, or wouldn't you get married someday and leave his home?"
"True," another girl chimed in,
"Men just love to make decisions as long as it favours them. Stand up to him and he'll let you dance. This your talent can not go to waste."
Anna sighed heavily, acting like they had convinced her to join them against her will.
"Alright," she said,
"But I don't know the choreography for the next visit to the Palace."
"Don't worry, we will teach you, it's very simple."
[ + 20 Exp ]
And just like that, Anna became one of their members, but while they rehearsed, she remained conscious of time, not wanting to get back home to meet her father waiting for her. Surely the old man catches her, he will do anything within his powers to make sure that she doesn't dance, and that will ruin her chances to become a servant.
In less than two hours, the practice was over and Anna was the first to leave after saying goodbye to the team. Unfortunately, the next practice was scheduled for the afternoon the next day since the lead dancer was going to be absent at night, leaving Anna confused about how she'd attend without her father's consent.
On the bright side, if she made it to practice, she wouldn't have to exchange time for the emergency dance protocol since the current one would remain active for twenty-four hours. Anna needed to plot her next move.
Upon getting home, Anna heaved a sigh of relief. everyone was still sound asleep and she made it back to her room without waking them up, and blew out the lantern that she left burning before covering herself with the bedsheet and going to sleep. Anna had so much fun today and couldn't wait to do it again the next day, but little did she know that her prank wouldn't last very long.
The next day came faster than she anticipated, and from the moment she woke up, all Anna could only think about was the dance. After taking care of the animals that she needed to, and having breakfast with her family, Anna decided to execute the plot to her next escape by approaching her father directly.
"I want to take a stroll to the village stream, the one I went to yesterday with mom." She said to him.
"You don't have to lie to me, Anna," her father cut her off, and Anna's heart skipped a beat. She couldn't tell why she feared this man so much even when he wasn't her biological father and this was a novel.
It appears that Anna had subconsciously immersed herself into the role of a submissive daughter, and it has affected her decision-making and overall ability to think like her usual self.
"Huh?" Anna raised a brow, wondering if he knew that she had snuck out to join the dance.
"If there is a man in the village that you like, then bring him home once so that he can have lunch with us. You are too old for this."
Frankly speaking, Anna wouldn't mind buying into this idea, but she was quick to refute, just for the sake of a man being involved.
"I'm not going to see anyone," she said with a frown,
"I just need to be myself for a while. I'll be back soon," she added and ran out of the house faster than her father could approve or deny.
And like that, Anna attended the second practice. But even without the emergency protocol, she started to get a hang of the dance steps, hoping that she doesn't have to use anymore of her time for the final practice.
With one more practice before the big day, Anna couldn't wait for it, but at the same time, she needed to fina a way to convince her father to let her go to the castle without causing any drama.