The dancers eventually looked at Christina with eyes full of pity. While they had already resigned themselves to the reality of their limits, Christina, who had finally tasted the lead role, found it difficult to let go.
“Hang in there, Christina!”
“Wow— that turn was great just now.”
Deciding to offer encouragement, the dancers clapped, and Emilia’s gaze briefly fell on them. Even though they had lowered their voices, it was possible Christina had overheard, making their behavior seem thoughtless. Watching them gossip as if they were evaluating her performance, as if they were Enrico himself, was quite irritating.
Of course, even though Enrico had a high status and was incredibly skilled, it didn’t make it right for him to judge others in that manner. But on the other hand, since she was the one who made a contract with him like that, she couldn’t really say anything. Emilia decided to ignore it and slowly began stretching in preparation for the upcoming rehearsal.
Soon, the chief choreographer and the masters, who had been outside, started entering the rehearsal room, and the pianist sat at the piano, waiting for the dancers to take their positions. As the male lead dragged a chair to the center and sat down, Christina assumed her preparatory stance beside him, her face tense. Though she knew she should relax, her mood remained sour, likely due to the careless comments of the gossiping dancers.
‘…What do they know, a bunch of losers.’
The remarks had hit too close to home, leaving Christina aware that her mood had been ruined, but she steadied herself after casting a disdainful glance at the other dancers, as if they were pathetic.
‘I’ll prove myself on this stage. If I perform better than Emilia, they’ll definitely consider it, and Giselle will be mine.’
Christina clung to the belief that the judges had only chosen Emilia as the lead because they were curious to see her perform, trying to deny the harsh reality. Soon, with the gentle sound of the piano, her pointe shoes lightly tapped the floor, her beautiful movements masking the twisted emotions underneath.
* * *
A woman with an elegant demeanor passed through the entrance of the café and walked between the outdoor tables. Dressed in a two-piece dress and a small hat blending red and black, she briefly observed the scene where the brilliant midday light poured through the wide windows before scanning the surroundings.
The spacious interior was divided in half, with tables on one side and an area resembling a luxurious salon on the other, furnished with sofas and a billiards table. After briefly glancing at the men sitting on the sofas, smoking and chatting, the woman noticed a man sitting alone in a secluded spot on the opposite side and elegantly smiled.
“Duke Michele.”
The woman slowly approached and called out to Enrico, who was seated. It seemed Enrico was already aware of her arrival, as he simply gestured for her to take the seat opposite him without offering a verbal response.
“Oh my, not even standing up to greet me? How rude.”
As a staff member pulled out her chair, the woman gave a slight smile before taking her seat. Enrico leaned back against the chair, crossing his legs slowly. With a gentle swirl of his wine glass, the rich aroma of red wine filled the air around them.
“I heard that Your Highness prefers a more casual atmosphere, so I decided to accommodate that.”
“Hmm—you know that’s not the kind of freedom I meant.”
Vivian Carrent crinkled her nose.
“Who knows? Maybe we’ll find out after our conversation today.”
“You’re really not fun at all. I was thinking of having a meal together, but I suppose I’ll just get to the point and leave.”
“That sounds like a good idea.”
As Enrico smiled elegantly, Vivian gave him a playful glare before picking up the menu. She quickly ordered the same wine as him and then removed her semi-transparent white gloves.
“I was hoping we could meet somewhere quieter, but you’ve chosen a rather open space with all these windows.”
“There’s no reason for us to meet in secret. So, what is the purpose of this meeting?”
“You’re more impatient than your relaxed appearance suggests. I was hoping to take a sip before we started.”
“Ah, here it comes. Please, have a drink.”
Enrico quietly watched Vivian as she sipped her red wine, waiting for her to start talking. A few days ago, when she first contacted him to arrange a private meeting, he had ignored her. But her persistence in reaching out again, with an intriguing proposal, piqued his curiosity enough for him to show up. He also had a hidden agenda—hoping that by meeting with her, Alessandro might hear about it and mistakenly believe things were going his way, thus letting his guard down a bit.
“I’ll get straight to the point. Unlike you, I hate beating around the bush.”
Enrico responded with a single nod. Vivian leaned slightly closer to the table and lowered her voice.
“Aren’t you interested in the monopoly on the parts?”
His brows furrowed slightly.
“Why would I be interested in something that isn’t even mine to begin with?”
“What if I said I could give you that monopoly? Would you be interested then?”
“…This is quite sudden. I thought everything was already settled with the Crown Prince?”
“Yes. Since the royal family can’t hold private property, Count Vallemont will handle this matter.”
Vivian frowned in displeasure.
“But I can’t stand the idea. How could I just sit back and let an old man who’s practically on his way to the grave keep hitting on me like that?”
“Ah, yes. Count Vallemont has quite a reputation for his womanizing.”
At the masquerade ball, Count Vallemont had persistently approached Vivian, constantly offering her drinks and subtly brushing his hand against hers while flaunting his status in the kingdom. Vivian’s patience had worn thin. Even though Carrent might not be as powerful as the kingdom of Treano, it was outrageous for a mere count to make such sleazy advances toward a princess of a sovereign nation. He was clearly overstepping his bounds.
She had considered overturning the whole situation then and there, but seeing how Alessandro had turned a blind eye to it only made her more furious, as it was evident who was backing Count Vallemont.
“So, you came to me to give him a hard time?”
“Yes.”
“Do you think the Crown Prince will just sit by and let that happen?”
“I haven’t broken any promises. I said I would give it to the kingdom of Treano, but I never specified to whom within the kingdom.”
In any case, the King of Carrent had entrusted Vivian with full authority over this matter. As long as the transaction was successfully completed, it was clear that he wouldn’t care what choice she made, which is why she had no hesitation in seeking out Enrico.
“From what I saw that day, it seemed like there was some distance between you and the Crown Prince. It’s nothing major, but how about using this deal to ruffle his feathers a bit?”
It was a statement that revealed the princess’s personality—honest, straightforward, and bold. Enrico couldn’t help but chuckle at her audacity, planning to betray someone who had invited her simply because they had offended her.
“That could be quite amusing.”
“Exactly, right? You, as a duke, aren’t restricted in your personal property. And from what I saw that day, you seemed willing to endure a little trouble just to annoy the Crown Prince. So, what do you think?”
“Well…”
Enrico trailed off, gazing out the window. While the Kingdom of Carrent might consider this a minor transaction, the Kingdom of Treano was currently pouring all its efforts into developing automobiles. The belief was that once completed, these vehicles could be exported, helping to enrich the kingdom, which made every single part crucial. With not only the monopoly but also fixed prices on the table, if Enrico were to secure this deal instead of Alessandro, the cautious king would likely avoid provoking him further.
“It doesn’t seem like a bad idea.”
Of course, this might make his arrogant nephew act out even more. But over time, if he started supporting the second prince, Alessandro might either shut his mouth or self-destruct. Vivian smiled broadly, as if she approved of his thinking.
“Then will you prepare the contract? We’ll proceed under the same terms as those set by the Crown Prince.”
“We might need to discuss that a bit more. If I’m going to go through the trouble, I should gain something from it. After all, whether or not I have the monopoly doesn’t really matter to me.”
“Sigh… I really can’t stand men who are this meticulous.”
“Thank you for the compliment.”
“Then grant me a small favor in return. It’ll be nothing for you, Your Grace.”
Enrico raised an eyebrow. Regardless of his lukewarm response, Vivian suddenly clasped her hands together, slightly twisting her body as she whispered in a more suggestive tone.
“Could you introduce me to the second prince?”
“Hmm?”
“I briefly saw him at the ball, and he’s just my type. So well-mannered and… Oh! Forget I said that last part.”
Vivian covered her mouth, eyes wide in faux innocence, while Enrico stared at her for a moment before his lips curled into a smile, intrigued.
It seemed like a good opportunity to offer some real support to the second prince, who had been unable to find a suitable fiancée due to being overshadowed by Alessandro’s dominance. And with multiple issues piling up, Alessandro would likely have less time to bother Emilia.
For the first time, an interesting glint flickered in Enrico’s usually indifferent violet eyes.
* * * *
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