NOVEL NEXT Chapter 110
“Princess.” With a voice cracked from exhaustion, Sarah called out to Rubette and firmly grasped her hand. “C-could you possibly stand in for me just for today on stage?” Sera asked.
“What are you talking about?” Rubette replied.
Heron quickly interjected. “Sarah isn’t feeling well at all. She seems to have caught a cold and can barely walk. She’s not in a condition to perform on stage.”
Rubette touched her forehead as if weary. “I knew this might happen. That’s why we should always have an understudy. I’ve said it before.” She sighed, feeling troubled, and shook her head. “It’s absurd to suggest I take the stage, but given Sarah’s current condition, it would be too difficult for her to perform. It’s best to cancel today’s schedule right away.”
“Princess!” Sarah exclaimed with a trembling voice. “I’m sorry. I haven’t been properly caring for myself, and I can’t perform like a professional…”
“…”
“But of all days, we can’t cancel the play today. There are imperial guests present.”
Ah, right. The emperor. Rubette touched her forehead in distress. It would be difficult to unilaterally announce the cancellation of the play when the emperor and empress were present because the image of the troupe was important to the actors.
“Just for today, please.”
“…This is maddening.”
But to ask her to take the stage herself…
She had been helping the lead actors memorize their lines during rehearsals. The actors knew this, which is probably why they were making such a heartfelt request…
“I really want the play to go well. I don’t want to cause any harm due to my shortcomings.”
“…”
Watching Sarah’s cry, Rubette pondered. Fortunately, her face was not widely recognized in the capital at the moment.
However…
‘I have to have a meal with the emperor after the play is over…’
Today’s guests, giants in stature, were bound to find out.
Rubette, who had been silently contemplating, began to scrutinize the expressions of those surrounding her one by one. She knew better than anyone that they had sacrificed sleep for this moment. The reason this situation had to be regrettable…
“Sigh.”
Determined, she stood.
Tick. As she loosened the pin holding her hair in place, her crimson locks cascaded alluringly.
“Wig.”
“Here it is!”
With sparkling eyes, Heron handed the Juliet wig to Rubett.
Accepting it, Rubette briskly walked to a spot in front of the dressing room mirror and sat down. “Makeup…”
“Yes, we’re ready!”
Two makeup artists with brushes and cosmetics between their fingers quickly took their positions behind Rubette.
“Phew…” Staring at her own face in the mirror on the other side, Rubette took a deep breath with an awkward expression. She hadn’t imagined that she would be standing on stage like this after her retirement for such a long time.
‘Juliet Karenina’ performing as ‘Juliet’.
***
The audience seats were filling up rapidly.
The emperor and empress, along with Lady Marion Endelturn, had already arrived and taken their seats in the front row of the VIP section. The emperor and empress occupied the seats to Marion’s left and right, while Lark sat next to the emperor.
And on Lark’s right was an empty seat.
“Didn’t Princess Rubeatria say she was coming to watch the play with us?” the emperor leaned over and asked quietly, to which Lark nodded.
“Yes, she should be here soon. She mentioned she would briefly visit the actors’ waiting room.”
“I see.”
Soon, Lark glanced toward the waiting room.
Rubette, who had promised to return after greeting the actors, had been absent for an hour now, even though the play was about to start.
‘Could something have happened?’
As he worried, all the lights inside the hall went out. The play was about to begin.
“It looks like it’s starting.”
“Yes.”
The emperor affectionately smiled at the excited Marion.
Click—! A single beam of yellow light descended onto the previously dark stage. Within it stood a lone actress. With her deep brown hair pulled to one side, she lowered her eyes as if in sorrow and remained silently still. Her presence alone overwhelmed the atmosphere, drawing the attention of the audience.
“The beautiful person who stole my heart in an instant…”
The actress, her hand on her chest, bit her lip and delivered her monologue with a melancholic gaze.
“Why must your name be Romeo of all things?”
The moment Lark’s eyes made contact with the sorrowful actress on stage, his mouth dropped open.
Click— Once again, the lights went out, and hushed whispers filled the hall.
“Wasn’t that the leading lady just now?”
“No, it wasn’t Sarah Hugo.”
A whispered conversation from the two audience members with hushed voices reached their ears.
“My goodness. What a beauty. Acting is definitely not for just anyone.”
Even Marion’s voice, whispering and laughing as she spoke to the emperor.
“Yes, indeed.”
Then, glancing discreetly at the opposite side, the emperor furrowed his brow. Wide eyes, gaping mouth. It wasn’t just astonishment; it was a look of sheer amazement on his son’s face. The emperor, lowering his head, offered a rebuke, “Your expression.”
“…”
“Lark.” The emperor was incredulous. His son’s stunned expression looked as if the actress’s face had enraptured him. “Why are you behaving like this? Maintain your composure.”
“No, I, um, I apologize.” Lark quickly closed his mouth, turned his head, and was astonished.
If my eyes are not deceiving me…
‘Why is Rubette there?’
The actress on stage had been unmistakably Rubette. The script she had shown with enthusiasm, claiming she had adapted it herself. It was the opening prologue monologue of Juliet Capulet, the leading lady. Lark distinctly remembered that.
‘What is going on?’
Could it be that Rubetria had planned to be on stage from the beginning? No, that couldn’t be. Would Rubette, who clearly knew that the emperor would be personally attending the play, deliberately create such an awkward situation? If she had aimed for a surprise entrance, she would have coordinated with him in advance.
‘This is troublesome.’
It seemed that very few in the audience recognized Rubette’s face, and that included the emperor and empress. Moreover, the stage and the audience seats had a considerable distance between them, making it difficult to see Rubette’s distinctive golden eyes, the hallmark of a summoner.
With an exasperated expression, Lark covered his face and glanced to the side.
The play continued with the introduction of the next characters and the emperor was focusing on the performance.
It’s better to get ahead of things quickly. Lark whispered quietly, “Your Majesty.”
The emperor, still looking toward the stage with his ears slightly inclined, responded. “Oh?”
“The leading lady was played by Princess Rubetria.”
As expected, the emperor turned back with a puzzled expression.
With a bright smile, Lark spread his hands wide. “A surprise gift! Were you surprised?”
“What are you talking about?”
Lark leaned in quickly again, and the emperor, bewildered, brought his ear closer to Lark’s lips.
“The princess has always had a great fondness for theater. She goes to the theater at least once a week.”
“…I see.”
“As a result, it seems she became quite interested in expanding cultural endeavors like theater.”
“Is that so?”
“She once mentioned to me that she was slightly disappointed with the nobility’s perception of actors.”
“Oh, really?”
“Yes. It seems that being an actor is considered a commoner’s profession. Because of that, even though the nobility enjoy the theater, they tend to look down on the actors.”
“Hmm, true.” The emperor stroked his chin in agreement.
“I’ve heard about the friendship that developed between the actress who originally played the leading lady in this play and Princess Rubetria. It’s quite unfortunate. I heard the princess helped her friend who was facing difficulties due to a proposal from a noble to become his mistress…”
“Oh, again with that?”
The emperor’s eyes lit up in anger, and Lark nodded vigorously, adding, “It’s like a small first step to gradually change the perception of the nobility and expand the theater culture to have a high-ranking lady like Princess Rubetria experience life as an actress herself.”
Lark wiped away the cold sweat trickling down his forehead with a sly smile. As their gazes finally met, the emperor’s expression was enigmatic.
‘Please let him accept it, please.’
My father, with some differences but also similarities with me, must accept it! Lark silently prayed while discreetly wiping his sweaty palm on his thigh.
‘Please!’
“Hmm…” The emperor, nodding while stroking his chin, wore an expression that hinted at his growing interest. “Quite an impressive young lady.”
Lark remarked, swallowing a lump in his throat, “She certainly is.”
“I really like her.”
Oh, it seemed like he had wrapped it up better than he thought.
Lark breathed a sigh of relief when the emperor, seated beside him, whispered something to Marion. Soon after, Marion cupped her cheeks in surprise before bending down and called to Lark, “My goodness, Crown Prince!”
“Yes?”
Marion leaned closer to Lark’s ear and whispered as if sharing a secret, “That lovely young lady who appeared at the very beginning is going to be our empire’s future empress?”
“…Yes?”
Lark’s eyes blinked at Marion’s question, which was accompanied by a playful grin. Glancing discreetly to the side, he saw the emperor focused on the stage, wearing a satisfied smile and with his arms crossed.
‘What on earth did Father say?’
Lark chuckled at Marion, whose eyes were twinkling. It was a face that laughed because it couldn’t cry.
‘It’s one challenge after another, isn’t it…?’