Chapter 23

The third floor of the Thalos theater was open only to sponsors. The best seats in the Thalos Theater are on the first floor and in the first row. Because it is the closest seat to the stage, you can see the performances made with small details, and if you are lucky, you can enjoy small events such as exchanging eyes with actors or receiving flowers as a gift.

On the other hand, the third floor had no merit except that you could overlook the stage at a glance. So playwright Rick Chaicoch thought: Aren't the seats that should be opened exclusively for sponsors on the first floor and in the first row? The theater owner, who also serves as a theater manager, gave a clear answer.

"If I ask people who have only learned to look down to look up, they get angry." Chaicoch managed to be convinced and he ridiculed at the same time.

"Then they don't even know how to look up at the stars."

"What are they going to do to see the stars in the sky? They must have a lot of stars on the ground in their drawer."

"The stars shine by themselves, but the jewels do not shine by themselves."

"Are you sober? Let's stop asking questions, playwright. Go and write." As the theater company said, Chaicoch was still sober. Chaicoch shrugged his shoulders and went down writing.

It was a week after that the script was published. And today, the curtain rises. Originally, today was the day of the final rehearsal. A sponsor who couldn't reveal his name earnestly asked, 'I want to see your new work at least one day earlier, but can't you just reveal the rehearsal to the sponsors?'

Rick Chaicoch was an iron-stubborn playwright who didn't budge even if they was given him gold.

However, he couldn't help losing his mind when he received the comments from the previous performances, which reached forty chapters, along with the Belshan liquor, which is difficult to obtain in the system, and those who also picked up the parts that Chaicoch cared about like a ghost*. He couldn't answer if he asked the Belshan liquor and the sentiment that he was more sympathetic to.

(*like a ghost/like a devil, it was used when someone precisedly quessed something to the point that you'll refer to them as a devil or ghost, because of how precise they did or said something)

'It is an artist's cruel destiny to shake and curl his heart even with a single person's quill.*'

(*a heartfelt comment will really shake an artist's heart)

After picking up a monologue, Chaicoch went straight to the theater manager. The theater owner accepted the request at once. It was because he received a proper amount of donations from a sponsor who could not be named. So the "final rehearsal" turned into a "special sponsor-limited performance" in the blink of an eye.

Sponsors gathered on the third floor to receive invitations made by the employees of the theater company that cursed the theater company and stayed up all night. Unlike the empty first and second floors, the third floor seats were crowded with people. Rick Chaicoch looked up at the audience on the third floor with a long face.

* * *

Erin Tantal went into the third floor. He could feel the gaze from somewhere. The Princess glanced down at the first floor. A man with a thick beard was looking up at the third floor. The man who met Erin's eyes turned his head and disappeared.

"What are you looking at?" Vivia asked, snooping her head. The Princess smiled a little.

"Nothing." Jedis, who had arrived at the theater first, approached the Princess in a flash. Erin asked her in her ear.

"How's the atmosphere?"

"Most of us are curious about the story of Sie Celtic and Your Imperial Highness. By the way, you really came to here. His Imperial Highness the Crown Prince. The Marquis Bloombordin must be pissed off."

Jedis glanced at Aurest. The Crown Prince, who was greeting others with a nice smile, seemed completely oblivious to the fact that he had broken his pre-arranged appointment with the Marquis Bloomlodrin. Erin laughed.

"How much did we do to speed up the first performance? Then I'll have to go. It won't be easy to talk about when the rumored party avoids the seat." Erin trimmed her hair and stroked her cheek. A charming smile floated over her white face.

"Sir Celtic! Sir?"

She looked around, but she couldn't see Celtic.

'Where did the person who should be faithful to the escort role disappeared?'

Erin looked around, greeting the people her eyes met, and finally found the person she was looking for. Celtic Durak was getting dressed outside the 3rd floor auditorium entrance.

"Where have you been? I've been looking for you for a long time."

"Oh, well... Will you take it?" Celtic smiled awkwardly and held out what he had in his hand. It was a simple bouquet of flowers woven from spring flowers. In front of the theater, shemquickly noticed that it was a bunch of flowers sold by a girl. Because she kept her eye on it when she came into the theater.

'There's a little detail. I think it's going to be great.'

Erin smiled broadly, smearing her nose on a bouquet of flowers.

"It smells really good..."

Erin led Celtic downstairs. Recently, when the main charactera of the rumor, which recently rocked the system, disappeared, several gossips approached the lady-in-waiting and escort. It was to talk about the intimacy between the knight and the Princess.

Gareth Wollow even disagrees and denies the relationship.

However, Vivia Contra Viol affirmed the relationship, so it did not show much effect.

Jedis Bell did not say anything, but she used a strange way of speaking that some listeners might feel there was something between them.

"The combination of Durak and the Imperial family will be further strengthened by Lord Celtic and Her Royal Highness the Princess." One man said in a rash mannerisms. Aurest, who looked down at the stage set and admired the sophistication, asked back.

"What do you just mean?"

Gareth, pale-faced, tried to distract Aurest. The man who brought up the story also noticed his mistake and tried to avoid his seat. But Aurest was persistent like a hound. When the man finished his stammering, the crown prince was smiling insincerely.

"The union of the imperial family and Durak. Right. Of course. Oh, the play is about to start. Everybody in their seats, right?"

* * *

Aurest's eyes were glued to the stage throughout the first act. At least that's what it looked like to others. A quick-witted lady noticed that what Aurest was looking at was not on stage, but in the first row. There was a bright blonde woman and a black-haired man sitting side by side.

Erin Tantal and Celtic Durak.

Even after the first act of the play, the Princess and the knight did not seem to intend to return to the third floor. Aurest, holding onto the armrest of his seat, rose from his seat with an expressionless face. There was a lady who dared to block the Crown Prince's way out.

It was Jedis.

"Stay aside."

"Please forgive me for my rudeness. Your Imperial Highness the Crown Prince. I am..."

"I know who you are. You are my sister's lady-in-waiting. Get out of the way."

He said in a heartless tone, but there was a subtle accent when he said 'my sister.' Jedis knew the subtle nuances and of course the Crown Prince's discomfort, but she decided to be brazen as a child of House of Bell.

"...Jedis Bell. Sir Gereint Bell is my brother..."

"If you don't leave, I'll go back." Aurest overlooked Jedis' words. Even though her pride might be hurt by his blatant disregard, Jedis followed Aurest closely.

"Can you give me a moment? It's important."

"....."

"It has to do with Her Imperial Highness the Princess and Sir Celtic, as well as Durak."

"....."

"The Marquis of Durak is aiming for Rowenthal's fortune. Sir Celtic is trying to help." Aurest stopped walking down the stairs and looked back. Jedis stared down at Aurest's face blankly. He is a more beautiful man to see up close. He's like a piece of art carved from an old legend. The curls of his golden hair are as bright as the sun.

If the princess had been born as a man, would she have such a face?

No, no, something.

Something very important is different...

Jedis, who was in daze came to her senses and went down the stairs a few steps. The height of Jedis' and Aurest's gaze has been reversed. Aurest's folded his arms in front of his chest and looked down at Jedis.

"I've had a lot of girls trying to get my attention, but I've never seen a girl like you."

As usual, Jedis' did not play puns such as 'I have a limited edition charm, ho-ho'. When she stood in front of the icy gaze of the truth, and the joke was not going to work, she couldn't do it because of his chilliness, which was rising flat, evaporated.

"Okay, your effort was brilliant, so I'll give you time as you ask. What are you going to do now? Are you gonna pull up your skirt?"

She was speechless for a moment.

She was a bit thicker than the walls of the Imperial palace, but she couldn't stop this insult from heating up her face. Jedis opened her mouth, clasping the hem of her skirt tightly with her cold sweaty hand.

"In exchange for turning the Crown Prince's mind, Marquis Durak has been promised 30 percent of Rowenthal's estate to return to the Marquis Bloomlodrin."

"Aha?"

"They even wrote a contract. Lord Celtic knew about the deal but did not inform the Crown Prince."

"....."

"You have a hunting appointment with the Marquis Durak tomorrow, don't you? I'm sure the Marquis Durak will try to persuade you at that time."

"....."

"I've always tried to tell Her Imperial Highness the Princess, but I'm afraid she'll hide it to defend Lord Celtic..." Jedis bowed his head. Aurest's unexpected gaze poured over the back of Jedis' head.

"Is that all you have to say?"

"Yes? Yes." Aurest slowly went down the stairs.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

Aurest stopped on the same stairs as Jedis. Jedis twisted her bow slightly to the side and looked up at Aurest. Their eyes met. The blue eyes by the man's side were as transparent as ice.

However, nothing showed up.

Like a frozen winter lake, she never knew what was under that thick ice. All that Jedis could know was that it was as cold as it was. The temperature, as if it was too cold, that it felt like touching my hands, was like contempt. Jedis hurriedly bowed her head like a man on fire. A short breath that sounded like a ridicule passed through Jedis' ears. Aurest steps back.

Tap. Tap. Tap.

The sound of footsteps grew farther and farther away and disappeared in the end. When Jedis Bell found out that the Crown Prince was completely away, she punched the wall. Her face was still hot and her skin was dry with cold sweat. She wanted to cry about it.

T/N: Stay tuned for the updates!!