When Pride Fell at my Toes

The people who had been chatting looked over at Juliana, sitting in a corner hugging her knees. With a feeble expression, she shook her head side to side.

 

“Oh… I heard she was taken away by someone who came with a doctor that day, saying she needed to be hospitalized. You don’t know where she is?”

 

“No. I went to a nearby hospital, but they said she wasn’t there. But the Sub-Director said not to worry and that she had confirmed that Emilia was fine…”

 

Juliana sighed, resting her chin on her knees.

 

“Are they hiding her so reporters can’t find her?”

 

That day, it was an unusually severe accident, and if Duke Enrico Michele hadn’t shot the rapidly falling stage light with a gun, causing it to explode midair, it would have fallen directly onto Emilia’s head, potentially leading to an even more dangerous situation.

 

The problem, however, was that some people started talking about hearing Enrico Michele shout Emilia’s name as she collapsed. This was further fueled by speculation that the two might know each other, causing uncontrollable rumors to spread rapidly throughout the theater.

 

“That could be it.”

 

With the reporters on high alert, it made sense to hide her. But no one expected her whereabouts to become so completely unknown.

 

Sub-Director Sylvia was busy instructing everyone to keep their mouths shut and inspecting the scene of the incident with the police. Juliana, who desperately wanted to sneak over and ask if Emilia was at home and, if so, where that might be, could only feel as if her insides were burning with anxiety.

 

Soon, people started chatting among themselves again, and Juliana looked at the empty seat next to her with a downcast face. Then, she noticed a foot at the end of her gaze and slowly looked up.

 

‘…But why is that person acting like this? She wasn’t even on stage at that time.’

 

Christina Firdana had been in that state since the police barged in today.

 

Yesterday, Juliana had been too out of it to notice how she was, but today, she looked incredibly anxious, as if she had experienced the accident herself.

 

At the time of the yesterday’s accident, Christina had been waiting in the wings stage, as her role, Sylph, did not appear in that scene

 

When the accident happened yesterday, it wasn’t time for the ‘Sylph’ role to appear, so Christina had been on the wings stage.

 

Yet even the dancers who had been on stage during the accident didn’t tremble this much, so her overly intense reaction was a bit puzzling.

 

Perhaps because it was such a stark contrast to her usually calm demeanor.

 

“Christina Firdana?”

 

Christina, who had been biting her nails nervously and staring blankly into space, froze as soon as the police called for her. Her stillness, as if time had stopped for her, prompted the police to glance around the practice room once more and call for her again.

 

“Christina Firdana, is she not here?”

 

“Christina? She’s over there… Christina! It’s your turn.”

 

“She must’ve been really surprised. She’s been like that the whole time.”

 

The dancers’ gazes fixed on Christina. She belatedly snapped out of her daze, looking around, only to shrink her shoulders under the weight of the stares directed at her.

 

“We don’t have time. Come out quickly!”

 

A police officer motioned for Christina to hurry over.

 

“…Yes.”

 

“There’s still a long way to go for the full investigation. If you want to go home quickly, please cooperate promptly.”

 

At the officer’s request, the dancers gestured with their eyes for Christina to go quickly. However, Christina, moving sluggishly in a way she’d never shown before, slowly rose from her seat.

 

The accident became so severe that the performance was canceled, and they ended up stuck in the practice room all day being questioned by the police. As a result, the gazes toward Christina, who was behaving frustratingly, started to turn increasingly unfavorable.

 

“Christina! Just go already!”

 

“She wasn’t even on stage at the time, so why is she making such a fuss?”

 

“Exactly! Anyone watching would think she and Emilia were close or something.”

 

“Didn’t she apologize at the end?”

 

“Honestly, who knows if that was sincere. Ugh, just hurry up and go!”

 

With stress reaching its peak, sharp words burst out. There were people trying to stop it, but since most of the people in a bad mood had loud voices, only the negative comments stoot out even more.

 

The police officer standing at the door, watching Christina take her time walking over, briefly considered just dragging her along. But then, hearing the sound of someone running, he turned his head.

 

“Oh, are you here because of Christina Firdana? Did the higher-ups say to bring her quickly?”

 

“Huff…huff… no, that’s not…”

 

“If not, then what? Are they bringing someone else in to investigate with us?”

 

The officer, who had been catching his breath and waving his hands side to side, adjusted his disheveled hat before speaking.

 

“They said to take her in. In handcuffs.”

 

“What? Who?”

 

“Christina Firdana.”

 

TL/N: I JUST LOVE ENRICO RN…

 

 

The officer who had run in pulled out a pair of handcuffs from his pocket and headed toward the practice room. Christina, who had frozen the moment her name was mentioned, looked as pale as if all the blood had drained from her body.

 

Shock filled the gazes of those around. Some were so surprised that they gaped like fish, while others sprang up from their seats. Among them, Juliana was the latter, urgently asking the police officer as he passed by her.

 

“Why, Why are you arresting Christina? Is it connected to yesterday’s accident?”

 

“We can’t provide detailed information, but there was testimony closely linked to the accident, so we decided on an emergency arrest. It’s been judged that the suspect poses a risk of fleeing.”

 

A cold silence settled over the room. Christina unconsciously took a step back, but froze in place at the officer’s final words. Another officer, who had been waiting by the door, quickly approached, grabbing her wrist to assist in easily placing the handcuffs.

 

Christina, handcuffed in an instant, seemed too shocked to say anything. With her eyes shaking violently and her lips twitching as if she didn’t know what to say, the eyes of those watching her were filled with disdain.

 

“……What the hell is going on?”

 

“Are you saying that Christina is connected to yesterday’s accident?”

 

“That’s insane.”

 

Juliana urgently grabbed Christina’s arm as she was being dragged out.

 

“Is it true? Did you really do it?”

 

“……”

 

“Huh? I’m asking if you did it! Could it be that you really targeted Emilia?”

 

The police officer tried to stop Juliana who was approaching Christina like she was going to eat her alive. But Christina, who had been staring at the floor blankly, suddenly raised her head and violently shook off the arm that was grabbing her.

 

“……I didn’t do it.”

 

“What?”

 

Her eyes, almost overtaken by madness, were too wild for someone who had just regained their senses. Christina was so agitated that she began to speak rapidly, spitting with each word.

 

“I said I didn’t do it! I was on the wing stage at that time, how could I have! Are you sure about this? Can you just drag people away like this without any proof?”

 

Everyone was at a loss for words at Christina’s defiance, as she even pushed away the police officers’ hands. Suddenly, like a completely different person, Christina was in an uproar, and the police approached again, grabbing her thin arm forcefully. Ugh, Christina let out a sound of pain from the tight grip.

 

“The accomplice has already confessed. Shut up and follow us before we spill everything here.”

 

The officer’s low, threatening tone was clearly heard by everyone. Christina’s lips trembled. No, her whole body was trembling. Perhaps it was her last desperate struggle, as tears began to pour down from her bewildered, bright red eyes.

 

* * *

 

Tap, tap.

 

The sound of tapping on the table echoed throughout the interrogation room. Christina sat with her head deeply bowed, looking as if she might collapse at any moment.

 

‘…Why on earth did it end up like this?’

 

Earlier, Inspector Raid, who introduced himself as the investigator in charge, had only conducted a brief identity check before suddenly letting in a man dressed in a black suit and then disappearing.

 

The shadow looming over her head was so intimidating that she couldn’t even lift her head, barely managing to glance at his legs. Ever since the man had sat across from her, tapping his fingers on the table continuously, Christina had found him strangely frightening.

 

Even though he wasn’t doing anything in particular, an uneasy feeling crept over her, as if those large hands might grab her by the neck at any moment.

 

“Why did you try to kill Emilia?”

 

“I-I didn’t do that!”

 

Christina lifted her head, choking on her words. Gasp, she inhaled sharply. She recognized him at a glance, but more than that, the vague sense of intimidation that hit her as soon as she looked into his eyes pressed down on her entire body.

 

‘Why is he here…?’

 

The handsome man, known for his beauty, was emitting a cold atmosphere, but right now, she couldn’t even focus on his appearance. She was simply overwhelmed by the confusion of the situation, and the ominous aura he gave off made her feel as if she were suffocating.

 

“Don’t waste your energy. I already know everything, so I don’t need a confession.”

 

TL/N: IDK ABT Y’ALL BUT I FIND HIM SO FREAKING HOT HERE!!!

 

“…Yes?”

 

“If you answer my questions properly, I might spare you the death penalty.”

 

“D-Death penalty? She didn’t even die—it was just an accident!”

 

“So, you admit you were trying to kill her?”

 

“No! I wasn’t trying to kill her!”

 

Without realizing it, Christina shouted out a denial, Realizing her mistake, she squeezed her eyes shut. What should she do? Should she keep denying it? The thought flashed through her mind in an instant. But his ominous aura that seemed like he would really send her straight to the execution chamber, made her mind go completely blank.

 

“I… I was just trying to scare her.”

 

In the end, with a face filled with resignation, she barely opened her eyes and let the words slip through her chapped lips. Christina’s shoulders shook as she lowered her head, seemingly too scared to look the man in the eye.

 

“It’s the truth…”

 

Her trembling voice came out in broken words. This really wasn’t what she wanted. She never had the intention to ruin her life and cause an accident. She just wanted to scare Emilia so she couldn’t stand on stage anymore, but she couldn’t understand how things had turned out this way.

 

She had only intended to tamper with a few small lights, giving Emilia a traumatic experience so she wouldn’t be able to perform again, or, if she was lucky, to cause an injury that would make it difficult for Emilia to continue ballet in the future, but she never intended to cause such a big accident.

 

But that idiot Peter ended up making a bigger incident than what I said.

 

‘I shouldn’t have entrusted such a thing to that guy.’

 

But who could she ask for this kind of favor? If she did it herself, it would be too obvious, and if she found someone who could go near the area without attracting attention, the only person who came to mind was Peter, the janitor who had been trailing her for years.

 

But she never expected Peter to get this worked up and cause such trouble.

 

“Peter Fureto said you wanted to get rid of Emilia.”

 

And yet, why had Peter, who had seemed ready to give her the world, suddenly turned on her and used her name like this?

 

“What? That was just something I muttered because she was annoying me. I didn’t actually mean it! I just wanted to scare her… sniff.”

 

“And who do you think you are, to try scaring anyone? You’re not even worth a rat a rat scurrying through Cornillo’s alleys*.”

 

TL/N: YESSS. GET HER ENRICO, DEFEND YOUR GIRL. MAKE THAT BISH KNOW HER PLACE.

 

*”Well, you know the alley in Cornillo. The red-light district before you get to the slums.” A snippet from chapter 31.

 

* * * *

 

If you want to support the Translator, Translator’s Ko-Fi: