Chapter 13
The noise suddenly disappeared.
The nobles were completely captivated by the heartbreaking and desperate tone of the music.
“Please remove the veil, oh goddess.”
Cecilia Deimos, who had been looking at her cousin, slowly turned her gaze forward. Her once-bored eyes were now filled with fresh shock.
The aria from the opera Lakado, the most beloved piece by Princess Arsene, was a perfect choice. It didn’t take long for the princess’s eyes, once frowning, to become moist with emotion.
Arsene slowly followed the path of the scandal caused by Christine Faledon and stopped at the side profile of Duke Deimos.
The duke’s face, with slightly furrowed brows, deepened eyes, and tightly pressed lips, was an expression that couldn’t be defined by any word.
“Please touch me! This burning love for you…”
Arsen was no different.
His gaze slowly shifted toward the woman, as if being drawn by something, toward the woman singing under the crystal chandelier.
The sound of her voice layered over the piano’s melody, reverberated through the air, sending chills down the nobles’ spines. They were mesmerized by her shining blue eyes, sparkling like stars.
The crowd seemed to forget to breathe.
Her voice, moving toward the climax, had a unique atmosphere, unlike anyone else’s. It was special, yet somehow familiar…
The voice echoed in their ears.
With a tender melody, the woman stretched out her hands as if reaching for the audience’s salvation.
“Oh, beautiful one, come back to me!”
Arsen’s attention was fixated on the woman’s voice, which seemed to pierce through his thoughts, pulling him deeper into the trance.
His consciousness was swaying, like a boat drifting toward rocks on a calm sea.
Ehirri…
“Brava! Bravo! Christine!”
The applause came like a thunderclap, and the image faded away in an instant.
After a short blink, Arsen’s heartbeat slowly returned to its normal pace.
He placed one hand over his chest and watched the woman, who was bowing elegantly, though clearly of common origin, with a noble grace that made her seem like a lady from a prestigious family.
As fireworks of applause erupted, their eyes met. Her green eyes, as if reminiscent of summer, looked regal, like a proud queen.
“Brava! Bravo! Christine!”
The applause never ceased and lasted long into the night.
“Can we leave now?”
Christine quietly asked the elderly woman playing the role of Sharprong.
As the night grew deeper, the lights in the grand ballroom became even more brilliant, and the orchestra’s performance more joyful. But Christine just wanted to leave as soon as possible. The intense gaze of Duke Deimos, which occasionally met hers, was suffocating.
“Leaving before Prince Arsen and his wife would be improper.”
The elderly woman said firmly.
Christine’s eyes darkened, like the night sky outside the window.
“Think of the opportunity. It’s a rare chance to build connections with the noble class. You wouldn’t throw it away, would you?”
The woman raised an eyebrow, clearly not understanding.
“Today’s performance was a success. So, try to be more proactive. If you get in their social circle, your life will be much easier.”
Christine, dressed in a luxurious gown and jewels from Count Guno’s family, looked nothing like the commoner she was. Yet, her expression was that of a dreary gray sky.
“You seem so shy. If you can see, then look around. These gentlemen are casting subtle glances. You should enjoy dancing while you can.”
Christine glanced around the ballroom, lit by golden candle holders with many branches and burning candles. The men were giving her subtle looks. Among them, Duke Deimos’s gaze seemed more like that of a predator preparing to strike.
A sense of fear washed over her as if the worst was about to happen. She struggled to suppress the urge to run away and composed her expression.
“I’m sorry, but madam, I just need a bit of fresh air-.”
Christine’s voice trailed off as she saw something in front of her.
Princess Charlotte, Princess Arsene, and a group of noblewomen were walking toward her, their luxurious velvet dresses trailing behind them.
“It’s been a while. Countess Marlin. It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Faledon. I’m Charlotte.”
With a beautiful and kind smile, the princess introduced herself.
“It’s an honor to meet you, Your Highness.”
Christine, embarrassed and feeling guilty, lowered her gaze and curtsied.
Why did my mother fall in love with the husband of someone like her? Can that even be called love?
Christine couldn’t bring herself to lift her head.
“The song ‘Pure Goddess’ is my favorite. Thank you for singing it.”
Princess Arsene, still touched by the performance, continued with a cheerful voice.
“I’ve heard it countless times, but yours was the most moving. The hesitation in the beginning felt so real, like acting. We all forget what to say when we’re in front of someone we love, don’t we?”
The princess smiled brightly.
“…Thank you.”
Christine forced a trembling smile on her lips.
“And you have such a beautiful, pure voice. Don’t you agree?”
“Well, the technique was a bit lacking.”
A voice suddenly interrupted, creating a brief silence. Christine, who had been looking down politely, lifted her flushed face.
It was Cecilia Deimos.
Her cold and cynical tone, with an air of arrogance, was unmistakably that of Duke Deimos’s daughter.
“Cecilia, that’s rude to Miss Faledon.”
Princess Charlotte gently chided her daughter.
“I didn’t mean to belittle her. I was just a bit disappointed. If she had proper training, it would have been perfect.”
“….”
Christine’s half-sister, who shared the same blood, spoke with no sense of pity.
“Have you ever considered enrolling in the Royal Academy of Music?”
Christine’s gaze sank deeply as she faced Cecilia.
She wondered if Cecilia Deimos didn’t know or simply didn’t care about the struggles that made such a thing impossible.
But Cecilia’s perfectly smooth face showed no expression of empathy. Her emerald necklace and deep green velvet dress fit her perfectly as if she were born with nobility.
Christine, however, had always been the one who lived a life full of humility and subordination.
Perhaps the resentment she felt came from deep-seated insecurities.
“I had to earn money. My mother was ill.”
Christine revealed her struggles honestly.
“Such hardship… What does your father do?”
A noblewoman with neatly tied white hair asked.
Charlotte, with a gentle smile, also asked, “Does your father work in the arts?”
Christine unwittingly clenched her hands tightly. The ribbon on her glove trembled slightly.
The curious gazes of the nobles focused on her.
The shifting light in her pale green eyes seemed to pass by the grand marble columns and stop at the imposing bronze vase, where Duke Deimos was standing between Prince Arsen and the Crown Prince.
“…My father…”
