When Pride Fell At My Toes - Chapter 20



Only Noblemtl

#20. Dry Sea
2024.01.20.

“You only have a part of the property?”

Enrico got up from his seat and stood next to Emilia. At his sudden movement, she forgot about her tears and opened her eyes wide.

“That is also a matter to be investigated in the future. If the truth is revealed, I will tell you as compensation.”

Emilia’s eyebrows lowered slightly. Normally, she would have furrowed her brows in discontent, but today, Enrico licked his lower lip at her subtly sorrowful appearance. Enrico

knelt down on one knee and gently wiped her wet cheek with a handkerchief. Embarrassed, she tried to pull her head back as if to avoid his hand, but his hand that grabbed her slender shoulder was faster. She

could feel the hot body heat through her clothes. Enrico’s hand went up her shoulder line and stopped between her chin and cheek, then pulled Emilia’s face closer to his.

“Your Majesty?”

“… … Is it over now?”

A faint scent of wine wafted from him.

“Yes, thanks. So, can you let me go?”

Emilia felt her tears suddenly stop in surprise at Enrico’s sudden action and grabbed his wrist and pushed him away. Her brow furrowed slightly at his body that didn’t move at all.

“What a pity. It was nice to see you.”

“Yes?”

He waved the handkerchief in front of her as if telling her to take it. She hesitated, looking back and forth between him and the handkerchief, then carefully took it and cleaned the area under his eyes, thinking that he might fall off.

However, contrary to her expectations, he looked at her for a moment and got up from his seat and reached out to the table.

“Stay here. I have something for you.”

He didn’t let go of the hand that was holding my cheek.

With his other hand, he picked up a rectangular jewelry box that had been pushed to one side of the table.

Emilia blinked, wondering if there was something like that, and then looked at Enrico and the box in turn when she saw the diamond-encrusted earrings and necklace inside the open box.

Enrico quickly became indifferent as he looked at her as if asking what it was, and picked up the diamond necklace.

“Why…?”

“I don’t spare anything when I give.”

“It’s okay. What you told me a little while ago is enough.”

“Do you think I bought this to ask for your opinion?”

Enrico whispered languidly, the hand that was holding Emilia’s face slid down and pushed the hair that was hanging on her shoulder to her back. Then he lifted the tip of her chin with his fingertips. He tilted his head crookedly and with an inscrutable expression, he lowered his hand back down her chin and brushed the nape of her neck. For

some reason, he seemed to be overwhelmed by his strange atmosphere. She trembled once at the unfamiliar touch, and then felt a cold sensation surrounding her neck where his hot hand had touched.

She felt that she had to refuse right away. She thought that if she delayed any longer, she would never be able to get away, so she carefully grabbed his arm.

“I told you. Put aside your shameful pride.”

Her brain flinched at his words that seemed to warn her. He was already feeling like he was losing his mind because of Giorgio, so I thought I shouldn’t provoke him any further.

The necklace that was slowly approaching felt like it was tightening around my neck like a rope. His fingertips slid from my neck to my collarbone. At the ticklish sensation, my shoulders let out a short sigh or a sob.

“… … It’s okay, after all.”

Anyway, I was becoming more and more accustomed to the humiliation of him calling me a work of art and not even treating me like a human being. What could I do now that I had no intention or courage to break the contract, even if I showed my pride?

‘But… No matter what, I’m not a doll without emotions… …’

In the end, Emilia closed her eyes tightly and lowered her head as if denying reality. His hand fell from her chin. As if he was just engrossed in decorating his doll, Enrico brought the remaining earrings and put them in each ear.

My neck and both ears were too heavy. Soon, Emilia’s head slowly rose again as a hand grabbed her chin. Her trembling eyelids lifted, revealing dry eyes filled with resignation. His head lowering filled her vision, but Emilia didn’t move at all. It was like a quiet forest.

“… … Your tears have dried up.”

Enrico didn’t like that seemingly indifferent response for some reason. It had only been a few minutes since she had shed tears, but her face was different as if she had never cried. He had expected her to shine like the diamonds she had worn under the chandelier, but she shouldn’t have shown such a dying gaze. Forgetting that

she had warned him not to show his emotions offstage, Emilia had an incredibly paradoxical thought.

“Is family that important?”

Emilia quietly opened her mouth, looking at Enrico, who fortunately hadn’t come close like last time.

“… … Yes. More than anything.”

“Then why did you stay still all this time? You just forgot and lived well.”

She let out a self-deprecating laugh at his words that mercilessly stabbed her sore spot.

“That’s why it’s more important. I’m so sorry that I ignored it for so long, making excuses for reality and just running away.”

She knew. Even if she had known, her parents would have already died, and it would have been difficult to investigate anything at that young age. But she blamed herself for letting her parents go so easily back then.

“That’s why I absolutely must find out the truth about the incident.”

The reason she was obsessed with ballet in the first place was because of her memories with her parents, and because it was the last method he had prepared for her, so she clenched her teeth and clung to it.

But if she could find out the truth about her parents’ accident through this ballet, what wouldn’t she do? Her eyes sparkled as she spoke to him, renewing her resolve.

Enrico slowly straightened his upper body. He would be indifferent at first, but his emotions would fluctuate, and then he would calm down again. The more I looked at her, the more I found her fascinating. She danced so hard

that I thought she might die the moment she came down from the stage, burning all her life. It was an uncharacteristic sight for a woman who danced so hard that I thought she might die. Sacrificing oneself for the dead, it was amazing how someone could be so desperate for someone.

What would happen if that desperateness, which was so busy running forward without any time to feel lonely, was directed at someone else?

Enrico’s eyes sank deeply at the sudden curiosity. The deepening night, revealing the dim moonlight, was calling for dawn.

***

Emilia, who had left until the end today, was stretching and practicing ballet movements. Her body, which repeated the same movements dozens of times, immediately moved on to the next movement. Sweat dripped down her sweaty forehead and cheeks, and the sweat that had formed at the tip of her chin dripped onto the floor.

‘The case was closed down, and judging by the situation that was quickly sorted out, it could be that a high-ranking official was involved.’

Just like her body that was moving diligently, her mind was also spinning quickly. She should have focused solely on her movements, but she had been having more random thoughts lately.

It had gotten worse, especially after visiting Enrico’s mansion three days ago. She kept reading the case materials he had given her whenever she had time, so she had memorized them all, to the point where the contents kept lingering in her head.

‘That guy knew right away that day his parents died. He

just stood by and watched them cover it up… … .’ She knew it wasn’t Enrico’s fault. She knew it

, but she just felt an unknown resentment. If he had been watching her, couldn’t he have saved her parents right after the accident? The records said they died instantly, but wasn’t there any hope? Or couldn’t he have done something to prevent the incident from being covered up?

She knew that all of this was forced and just her own guilt, but as she deduced the identity of the culprit, she naturally found herself shooting arrows at him. Even though it was a truth she would have lived her entire life without knowing if it weren’t for him.

Emilia continued to move as if she was trying to shake off her complicated feelings. She stood on one foot and spun around with all her might. She quickly turned her head to the front and let the changing scenery flow like someone trying to send all her thoughts to the fouette.

Her heart pounded as if it was going to burst. Her mind gradually went blank as her breath rose to the tip of her neck.

Bang!

At that moment, a sudden sound made me come to my senses. I barely managed to keep my balance, which was about to collapse, and stopped in place.

“Do your best when others are doing it. Don’t be left alone and show off.”

When I turned around at the scornful tone, I saw that Captain Carlo was standing there. The cause of the loud noise was the door, which was still creaking due to the force.

“It’s not good to keep the fire going just for you, and the floor wears out faster. It’s all a waste.”

“… … I’m sorry.”

I knew it wasn’t something to apologize for, but I thought this would be the end of my swearing. As expected, Captain Carlo opened his mouth once and then clicked his tongue, as if he had nothing to say to Emilia’s obedient attitude.

“Anyway, stop it and go back! Anyway, you’re… … .”

Emilia didn’t move an inch until his back disappeared after looking her up and down.

‘What the… … .’

Her body froze in embarrassment. Even though I had doubts during the audition, it seemed like the team leader Carlo was right to dislike me. Even then, he had glared at me with a look of disgust, so I thought I had seen things wrong, but looking at the situation now, it seemed like I had seen things right.

‘Does he just dislike me? Why on earth?’