When Pride Fell at my Toes

As the participants settled into their positions, the piano accompaniment began to fill the air. The coach, standing at the front, signaled with his hands and gave instructions. The participants, all together, assumed the first position in the warm-up sequence, plié, and followed with basic movements.

 

TL/N: Pilé is literally the first move you learn in ballet, I used to call it penguin’s feet 😭 WOAH…Kinda reminds me when I first started ballet (it lasted for a month lol)

 

Emilia took every position with care and attention to detail. She knew that this was not just a rehearsal for specific steps and positions, but also an opportunity for the judges to scrutinize her every move. She couldn’t afford to let her guard down for a moment. Her tense body began to relax, and heat started to rise in her arms and legs.

 

“Number 17, your line is beautiful.”

 

“Ah- yes, I’m Emilia Este. I graduated top of my class from the Arts Academy last year. I’m not required to attend the morning audition because I’m eligible for the regular member benefits, but I decided to come anyway.”

 

“I see… All of your movements are flawless. Your posture is excellent, and your body line is perfect.”

 

“Yes. Your basic skills are solid, but I saw from the graduation performance that you can also jump very high and turn well.”

 

Chief choreographer Chiabe squinted his eyes as if reminiscing about that moment. That day, Emilia Este didn’t just act like a fairy; she moved like one.

 

Her movements were like a painting, with her hands fluttering like the wind, her back straight, and her legs effortlessly extended back. Even now, her ability to lift her legs higher than the other dancers was unmatched. Seeing her graceful yet powerful movements, he wondered if she could incorporate some of the movements that he had been holding back due to the dancers’ skills into his choreography.

 

“With the choreographer praising you that much, I regret not seeing it myself that day.”

 

“Haha, I’m worried he might be raising expectations too high.”

 

“Um- no, you don’t have to. There are many flexible dancers, but it’s rare to find one as powerful as you. So I’ll keep an eye on you.”

 

Subdirector Sylvia’s eyes were cold, but her words were soft. Chief choreographer Chiabe nodded in agreement, keeping his eyes on her the whole time.

 

“How about we move on to the next participant right away? Except for number 17, they all seem to have similar skills, so we’ll have to compare them with other movements to determine their ranking.”

 

“I agree.”

 

“Wait a minute. I’m not sure if number 17 is that exceptional yet. And you’re saying the rest are all similar? That’s a bit premature, isn’t it?”

 

Stage director Carlo glared at Subdirector Sylvia with disdain.

 

“Maybe you don’t know because this is your first time here, but we need to evaluate them seriously. We shouldn’t judge them with prejudice.”

 

“……I’m sorry to hear that you thought it was a premature judgment.”

 

“You should be. Subdirector, I know you had great success as a ballerina, but dancing yourself is different from evaluating others. We also have a role to play in helping them reach their potential. Well, anyway, just think of it as all experience and learn as you go. Just follow my lead and you’ll be fine.”

 

And yet, he had never danced himself. He had simply been highly regarded for his work at the opera theater from the early days and had ascended to the position of stage director. Subdirector Sylvia’s eyes narrowed coldly as she suppressed her unspoken resentment.

 

Sensing the tense atmosphere, the coach quickly approached the participants and gave instructions for the next sequence. The air was filled with heat, but there was a strange chill around the judges.

 

In the meantime, Emilia’s gaze met the stage director’s for a moment and then fell away. A spark of light flashed in her calm emerald eyes.

 

* * *

 

After the audition ended, the judges instructed everyone to wait briefly as they were planning to announce the successful candidates after a discussion. Seeing the judges move to another room, Emilia, who was the first to go to the dressing room, came out into the corridor, wrapping herself in a thick shawl to keep warm.

 

“Emilia!”

 

At the sound of her name being called warmly as if they had been waiting for her, Emilia turned her head. Then she noticed a man standing in the distance. Tilting her head as if trying to figure out who it was, Emilia’s mouth slightly opened when she saw the approaching man’s face.

 

“…Antonio.”

 

It was Antonio Chiavelli, her partner from two years ago. He was a talented ballet dancer who had joined the Avillanch Ballet Company and even played the lead role in the year-end performance of “Giselle.”

 

TL/N: I SMELL A 2ND ML (not a spoiler… I haven’t read it before)

 

Antonio approached her with the same boyish face she remembered from when she saw him at the academy, flashing a warm smile.

 

“Finally, I see you. I waved at you earlier too.”

 

“Oh, you did? Sorry, I guess I was too focused.”

 

“Yeah, that’s what it seemed like. Are you still doing well?”

 

“Yeah.”

 

“The judges couldn’t take their eyes off you. Especially when they saw you jump, they were amazed. I was surprised too. You jumped even more gracefully than you did two years ago.”

 

Antonio praised her with an excited expression. With a slight bow, Emilia conveyed her gratitude once again, then glanced around. As they naturally started walking down the corridor together, Emilia noticed that they had moved quite far from the audition hall.

 

“But aren’t you supposed to wait for the role audition?”

 

“They said they’ll announce the results first. I think they called us in on purpose to watch from the morning.”

 

“Oh, I see…”

 

She nodded calmly, stopping her steps. Antonio, who stopped with her, noticed her gaze towards the dressing room and smirked.

 

“Are you nervous?”

 

“Yes. I feel more comfortable waiting in front.”

 

“Yeah, let’s go back. But what role are you thinking for the audition? Lead? With your talent, you could even go straight for the first soloist.”

 

“No. I’d be happy just to be the second soloist for now.”

 

“Second? Why? Why not just go for the lead?”

 

Emilia calmly shook her head in response to Antonio’s exaggerated reactions.

 

“I don’t think I’m ready yet.”

 

She had decided to refrain from any behavior that would attract too much attention as long as she was associated with Enrico Michele. Although Enrico Michele might be good at silencing any rumors, if the sponsorship contract were to be revealed, it would surely be distorted into something else in this gossip-ridden world.

 

There were even people who considered a ballerina’s sponsorship as a form of prostitution. It was clear that people would be prejudiced against her ballet in the future.

 

She had given up her pride when she signed the contract. But she didn’t want to become a shameful daughter in front of her deceased parents. Moreover, if Giorgio hears the rumors, he might rush Enrico to marry her.

 

Of course, she knew she couldn’t hide this fact forever. She just wanted to hide it for now, even if it meant delaying the inevitable.

 

But even if their relationship were to be revealed, she would never regret the contract for the sake of truth. Above all, her parents were the most important.

 

‘I hear that the carriage parts were deliberately left out. And the coachman was dead outside the carriage.’

 

What on earth could have happened to my parents? Was it really a deliberate accident? If so, who would do such a thing?

 

Emilia’s fingers clenched into fists. Her knuckles, white as if blood was no longer flowing, trembled under the force of her grip. She still didn’t completely believe his words.

 

How could she believe something that was just a statement without evidence? But if it was true, it was an inevitable reality that she needed Enrico to uncover the truth.

 

‘I’m not a free man. I’ll throw you away when I don’t need you anymore, so don’t worry’

 

Enrico’s words seemed to whisper in her ear. His gently twisted lips, his eyes that were devoid of warmth but curved affectionately. Even his face, which was as foreign as his name, was vivid in her mind, as if recreating the scene of that day.

 

“……lia.”

 

“…….”

 

“Emilia?”

 

“Ah.”

 

Focus returned to Emilia’s two eyes, which had been blankly lost in thought. Blinking once, she saw her own feet stopped in her field of vision.

 

“Are you okay?”

 

She must have been lost in thought again. Emilia seemed to be accustomed to this state of affairs lately, as she had a calm face.

 

“……Yes. I’m fine.”

 

“Your face looks a little pale. Are you sick?”

 

“No. I was just a little tense, I guess.”

 

Antonio’s worried face twitched his lips at her strangely resolute reply.

 

“I’ll be going now.”

 

“Oh? Alright…….”

 

But before then, Emilia stepped forward, cutting off his words. She didn’t look back at the bewildered voice that came from behind as she walked quickly away.

 

Emilia’s face was slightly stiff. The pointy shoes she was wearing felt strangely heavy.

 

* * *

 

TL/N: The chapter’s title is “A Well That Tries To Swallow A Flower”, It is a metaphor for someone who is ambitious or overreaching themselves. The well represents the person’s desire, and the flower represents the object of their desire. The well is trying to swallow the flower, which is impossible, and this symbolizes the person’s unrealistic or unattainable goals.

 

The phrase is often used to warn people against being too ambitious or setting their sights too high. It is a reminder that there are limits to what we can achieve, and that we should be realistic about our expectations.

 

* * * *

 

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