Emilia heard unwanted words piercing her ears. She wondered if she should leave, and she gestured to block Juliana, who was trying to catch her eye as if she found the topic interesting.
But to be a mistress? She realized anew that the perception of patronage in the ballet world had hit rock bottom.
The Kingdom of Treano was monogamous, there was no punishment for adultery, making it even easier to commit infidelity. She knew that there were quite a few nobles who were married but had lovers and lived dissolutely.
But she didn’t know that they would even go so far as to find their own sponsors. It was serious.
“But that was lucky for Clarice. Most of them just get bored and dump them.”
“That’s true… Especially if the rewards they get in return are high. Well, there was a girl who was so desperate for money that she accepted a sponsorship without even looking into it. Well, that guy was a huge pervert. The emotional shock was so great that she still can’t go outside.”
Maybe it was because she was thinking about Enrico’s sponsorship just before. Their words made too much sense to her. She had written a contract of her own, but she knew that he was doing whatever he wanted, and she was secretly worried about what other demands he might make in the future.
Of course, she tried to ignore it, but the anxiety that suddenly came over her was inevitable.
Now that they were focused on stretching, their conversation stopped, but Emilia’s mind was racing.
‘…… Will he really be satisfied with just dancing? What if he asks for something weird?’
Enrico, who had narrowed the distance to the point where she could feel his breath, was once again dominating her mind. Maybe dancing is his goal right now, but there’s no guarantee that his intentions won’t change someday. For people of high status, a contract is just a piece of paper that can be torn up.
‘It’s not like I’m going to get an answer by worrying about it this way. Let’s just focus on what’s in front of me for now.’
Emilia swallowed a sigh and slowly turned her ankles. Fortunately, she saw the rehearsal coach coming in just in time. The first day of the real ballet troupe was bright.
* * *
From now on, Emilia would be using a carriage sent by Enrico, disguised as a street carriage, for her commute to the ballet company.
Although it had only been three days since she joined the ballet company, Juliana, aware of Emilia’s habit of coming out an hour or two earlier than the others or practicing until the very end since the conservatory meeting day, left the practice room first.
Emilia must have been wondering what excuse to make if she asked to go together, so it was a relief.
Emilia finished practicing earlier than usual and left the theater. Beyond the carriage window, the scenery changed swiftly, as if a spider was spinning its web on the sluggish ground.
‘It’s finally today.’
Emilia’s face was as tense as it was when she was about to go on stage. There was no time to dwell on thoughts. The carriage arrived quickly at the duke’s mansion, and Emilia was guided to a building on the left side, not the central mansion.
“We have prepared the stage costumes in the room. This child will help you with your makeup.”
“Makeup?”
“Yes. You can think of it as a ballet performance as you originally did. His Excellency the Duke will not tolerate anything messy, so please prepare perfectly.”
The butler bowed politely and opened the wooden door with exquisite patterns. The room was full of splendor. A dazzling chandelier and a gold clothes rack stood next to a large mirror with a gold frame.
Emilia opened her mouth unconsciously, looking at the clothes on the clothes rack and the numerous ballet costumes worn by several mannequins. She walked slowly into the room, drawn in without realizing that the door was closing behind her.
“Do you have a costume that matches the piece you have prepared? If not, please let me know.”
How could she not? The room seemed to have a wider variety of ballet costumes than the prop room at the theater. Could it be that he collected this many costumes to watch a performance three times a week? He seemed to be crazy about art, but Emilia couldn’t help but think that maybe Enrico was more imaginative than she thought.
‘……Is this just a room for someone who collects costumes for watching dances? Really?’
The maid stood by the clothes rack, watching Emilia shake her head blankly.
“Then, if you tell me the costume, I will help you get prepared.”
“Yes….”
The sponsorship story that she heard at the ballet company a few days ago flashed through her mind. Could he be asking for something other than dancing? A sense of unease arose deep within her heart due to his excessive possessiveness, which went beyond obsession.
Her grip tightened on the costume she had taken. Emilia’s eyes closed tightly and then opened.
It wouldn’t solve the problem if she worried about it here. Emilia quickly chose a costume without hesitation. After changing into her leotard and doing her makeup, Emilia looked even more beautiful thanks to the more elaborate care she had taken than in the performance she had done at the end of the year.
With her hair neatly tied up, a top that showed off her curves, and a skirt made of multiple layers of fluttering gauze, she looked like the fairy she had been when she first met Enrico at the Avalliantee Theater.
TL/N : Just revised and read the theater’s name ‘Avalliantee’ in korean myself instead of using Google TL and it turned out to be ‘Avalliantee’ not ‘Avallianche’
Emilia, with her makeup and tiara on, put on her toe shoes and left the room. She followed the butler, who seemed to be waiting, along the corridor lit with orange lights. After passing by a large painting that filled one wall and intricate sculptures that seemed difficult to create by human hands, a golden double door appeared.
“You may enter.”
“……Yes.”
Emilia’s heart swelled and sank. She stared at the door that opened wide, feeling like she was opening Pandora’s box.
Emilia, who had been secretly worried that she might be led to the bedroom with all this decoration, saw a theater with a mixture of red curtains and gold.
Yes, it was exactly like a miniature version of the stage of the Avalliantee Opera House.
“Next time, I would like you to appear from backstage instead of the entrance.”
Emilia, who was hesitantly looking around and taking one step at a time, was startled by the sudden soft voice and looked straight ahead. She saw the back of a large chair placed in front of the stage. Enrico slowly rose from the chair, hidden in the darkness.
At that moment, everything seemed to slow down. Underneath his hair that seemed to hold the night sky, his thick eyebrows were revealed, and his straight, straight prominent nose turned to face her. His eyes, like amethysts that matched the ornate interior, met hers.
“I’d also like you to do your stretching backstage from now on.”
He was wearing only a dark purple vest, but unlike before, he had fastened the top button of his shirt and was wearing a black tie. It felt strange, as if he was dressed more formally.
He didn’t have the air of wanting to go to bed or do something sinister, but his dedication to watching ballet was so intense that it gave her the creeps.
It was as if the only thing he truly cared about in this world was art. And so, it made her realize anew how important this contract was to him.
“Are you going to dance La Sylphide?”
TL/N: it’s an actual ballet performance, you can look it up:)
Enrico turned the chair and approached her. As if observing a purchased item, he meticulously scanned her from head to toe with his persistent gaze.
“Seeing you up close…”
His hand reached out towards Emilia’s round shoulder. She flinched slightly, as if wary of the unfamiliar sensation of his touch on her skin, but he paid no attention and instead moved his hand slowly along her body line, keeping a slight distance from her.
It was a strange feeling. His hand was clearly in the air, but it strangely felt like he was touching her directly. Her body froze like a plaster statue. Emilia fluttered her eyelashes and barely managed to exhale a trembling breath.
“Not bad. In fact, it’s good.”
He curled his lips as if satisfied.
“We met in the hallway, didn’t we?”
“…Do you remember?”
“No, Fabio told me.”
He touched the fluttering fabric on her shoulder and replied nonchalantly in a sweet voice.
“Why didn’t you catch my eye then?”
It was a familiar sense of alienation. As she watched his languid gaze sweep over her body and rise again, Emilia showed signs of discomfort.
At the gesture of her stepping back slightly, he let out a pleasant chuckle. At the sight of him smiling as if he was just interested and already enjoying himself, Emilia bit her lower lip.
Enrico’s hand naturally took her fingertips. Emilia, who flinched and tried to pull back, instinctively loosened her grip in his grip that seemed to tell her to stay still. Then, as if escorting her to the front of the chair, he pushed her towards the passage leading to the stage and let go of her hand.
For a moment, she stood there dazed and blinked at him innocently as he sat nonchalantly on a red velvet chair. The gentle atmosphere from a moment ago was gone, and in an instant, Enrico was staring at her with the eyes of a predator.
“Now, then, dance.”
* * * *
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