Emilia showed no great dissatisfaction with the number of ballet performances, but seemed only interested in the compensation.
“Let’s have that provided as a service first. But it’s not just about doing ballet, I need to be satisfied.”
“But isn’t that too vague? Your point of view could change depending on your mood, and people’s tastes can change too.”
“That’s why I wrote that I would sponsor you for a year. If I change my mind and don’t watch, I’ll keep providing evidence.”
“Wouldn’t it be my fault if you didn’t tell me first that you’ve changed your mind?”
At first, he seemed to be trying to read the mood, but his smile slowly faded as he watched Emilia spit out her words more and more recklessly.
“I’m not a free man. I’ll throw you away when I don’t need you anymore, so don’t worry.”
He wasn’t interested in fakes.
She hesitated at the sudden change in his demeanor and slowly nodded her head. Then, biting her lower lip, she looked down at the contract again.
Her contemplation was not long. As if she had made up her mind, she put the paper down on the table and carefully picked up the pen next to it. Anyway, as long as the contents of the contract were in her favor, she didn’t see any harm in looking at it multiple times. There didn’t seem to be any unfavorable terms, and since her primary goal was to find out the truth, there seemed to be no need to hesitate any further.
Enrico Michele watched her sign in silence. He would provide her with everything she needed while she was doing ballet, but he would not give her complete control over Giorgio Este, the man she called her uncle.
It seemed like a good idea to hold the reins to send Emilia Este to hell if she became lazy, or if Giorgio, who had unseemly ambitions, didn’t play along.
The sound of the pen tip moving on the paper stopped. Emilia, holding the pen tip slightly in the air, looked down at her completed signature, her long eyelashes casting a somewhat gloomy shadow.
“……Please tell me now.”
After a while, her emerald eyes appeared as if the darkness had lifted. Her back was straight and her demeanor was as dignified as ever, devoid of her previous pitiful appearance.
“A fragment of the truth.” The words that followed half a beat late were only whispered, not spoken aloud, but it was impossible not to know what she was saying. Enrico smiled and pulled the paper towards him. Then, looking down at the signed contract, he opened his mouth softly.
“I hear that the carriage parts were deliberately left out. And the coachman was dead outside the carriage.”
The small hand resting on the table clenched into a fist. Enrico’s gaze fell on her hand.
“I wonder if he was thrown out when the wheel fell off.”
Her fist trembled finely, as if she had put too much force into it. His smooth forehead wrinkled in disapproval.
“Well, I hear it (the carriage) was a considerable distance away (from his body).”
Enrico naturally wrapped his hand around hers. Flinching, Emilia looked down at her hand and saw long fingers slipping into the gap, unclenching her fist.
The man’s hand, which evoked an atmosphere reminiscent of an autumn breeze, was unexpectedly warm. And the skin, which seemed soft, was studded with calluses, suggesting that he was not just a man who sat around and admired art.
“That’s all for today.”
Emilia, who had been blankly staring at his hand, raised her head suddenly.
“What? The evidence?”
“I was going to show you the evidence next time?”
“Next time? That’s ridiculous. How can I believe circumstantial evidence alone? It was clearly settled as an accident at the time, so how can I believe it’s not now?”
“Then that’s your problem.”
“….Yes?”
“I haven’t gotten anything out of our contract yet. I even dealt with the man who’s supposed to be your uncle, and even gave you a statement about the incident involving the Viscount and his wife, which you had never even thought about.”
That, that…She wanted to retort something in her haste, but no words came to mind. Emilia muttered the same words several times, eventually clenching her jaw and shutting her mouth tightly.
Enrico, silently observing her, slowly raised the smooth hand he was still holding.
“The investigation wasn’t done properly in the first place. The initial records were scrapped and it was simply concluded as an accident.”
“Why…”
“It’s my job to find that out now. And it’s your job to keep me focused on that.”
Emilia’s two eyes, which had been staring at Enrico without a care for her captured hand, belatedly found his hand. She flinched and instinctively tightened her grip, causing her hand to fall back. But his hand, holding the tip of her finger, held it firmly as if not allowing it.
Their eyes met in the air. Enrico slowly erased his smile and turned Emilia’s hand over.
“So now, just take care of your health so you don’t become useless.”
Emilia naturally lowered her gaze as she opened her small, clenched and trembling hand when he slowly released it. She saw her palm with clear nail marks.
“I don’t like defective things.”
* * *
The Kingdom of Treano has long been a country that actively supports various fields of art, such as fine arts and music. As a result, talented people naturally gathered in it, and it became known as the “Country of Art” in other countries, and became famous as a cultural tourist destination.
In the center of the city, full of beautiful buildings, there was the huge Prometheus Square in front of the train station and the Violice Street connected to it.
The kingdom called it a cultural street and offered a lot to see, and among them, the Avalianche Opera House was a place with a long history, boasting a full-time opera troupe and orchestra.
Emilia looked around the Avalianche Opera House, which she had come to for the audition for the second time. The gold-colored lobby, which seemed to have absorbed gold like a sponge, and the gorgeous chandeliers were shining light everywhere.
The scenery at noon, where the crystals reflected in the sunlight sparkled, was splendid, unlike the elegant scenery where the moonlight and sunset poured in through the large windows and illuminated the field of vision like lighting when the sun went down.
It seemed like just a few days ago that she had her graduation performance here, but it felt like a long time ago.
‘There are fewer people than I thought.’
Only those who are presumed to be related were busy walking around in the quiet interior.
Originally, instead of here, the graduation performance was held in a small theater inside the art academy, but starting last year, the art academy also started performing here for the first time as there were many applications for ballet.
The sound of singing came from afar. The volume was so loud that it echoed through the corridor, wondering if they were rehearsing on stage.
Emilia, who was concentrating on the sound for a while, suddenly turned her head at the touch of a hand on one of her arms.
“Oh, what should I do?”
Juliana was seen standing still and covering her mouth with one hand. Just a moment ago, she was leaving the dormitory happily, saying that she was finally going to audition today, but her face was completely different from that.
Seeing her face that seemed to be very nervous, barely catching her breath, Emilia turned her body completely to face her and gently stroked one of her forearms.
“You’re shaking a lot?”
“Well…I think the audition room is coming up soon, so I feel like my heart is going to burst.”
Emilia lowered her eyebrows slightly as she looked at Juliana’s face, which had turned pale. She was worried that her body would stiffen because of the tension.
“Shall we go out? Let’s rest outside and come in.”
“……No. I need to loosen up too.”
“Even then-.”
“Just let’s talk about something else. Maybe if we keep talking, I’ll relax.”
“……Alright.”
Emilia stroked both arms one last time and turned around. Then, she slowly walked, matching the pace of Juliana, who was walking forward holding one of her arms.
“Isn’t the audition schedule too tight? I thought they would do it in the middle of the year, but they are doing it as soon as the new year comes.”
“That’s right. They said they were going to increase the number of performances this year, so I guess they’re trying to pick them early. There were only two last year.”
“Only two last year?”
“Yeah. I did two, The Stubborn Daughter and Giselle.”
“Ah! That’s right. You did. But still, a week of practice is too intense. It’s only possible for geniuses like you, but ordinary kids like me, Ah…”
Juliana’s face seemed more lively than before, perhaps because she felt better. Emilia narrowed her eyes slightly and glanced at her.
“What are you talking about? Your dance is so beautiful.”
“I know. But I know it’s not as good as yours. I know you practice hard too, but… oh, by the way, what are you going to do with the dorm? You’re guaranteed to be a regular, so you don’t have to find a place to live?”
“Yes, well…”
Emilia turned her head forward vaguely, blurring the end of her words. She could feel Juliana’s gaze piercing her cheek.
“Would you like to stay at my house for a while? It’s small, but my family will understand.”
“No. Actually, I found a house on the way back from submitting my application. Thank you for recommending it.”
“Really? Where?”
“……In the direction of Inichio.”
* * * *
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