When Pride Fell At My Toes - Chapter 22



Only Noblemtl

#22. Swaying Candle
2024.01.22.

Emilia swallowed a sigh as she got into the carriage. She hadn’t noticed it because she was concentrating during practice, but as soon as the ballet schedule ended, her body started to feel a bit chilly. Was it a cold?

Her body was cold, but her forehead was constantly covered in cold sweat. The only good thing was that her ankles didn’t hurt like they did in the morning, but since it was the day she was going to meet Enrico, she just felt like everything was going to go wrong.

Her body needed to move as she wanted, but she was worried that he, who was sensitive, would be displeased. This wasn’t a personal appointment, this was work.

She wouldn’t go on stage just because she wasn’t feeling well, and if it was his usual personality, it would have been enough to criticize him for not taking care of his body properly.

Her desire to get to the truth about her parents as soon as possible and her desire to not get caught by him for no

reason all came together. ‘I’m already here, so I’m going to rest today anyway… … .’

Emilia looked out the window at the scenery passing by quickly with a worried face. It would have been okay to go a little slower today, but the carriage, not knowing her speed, ran quickly and arrived in front of the Duke Michele’s residence in no time.

“You’re here.”

But why was Enrico standing outside the mansion? Unlike the usual waiting in the observation room, she was somewhat taken aback by his smooth face that appeared as soon as the carriage door opened.

“… … Duke.”

“Get down.”

Enrico held out his hand as if telling her to take it. Emilia hesitated for a moment, but since she couldn’t do anything about him holding her hand in front of her, she grabbed his hand anyway. Feeling his hand gently holding her fingertips, she got out of the carriage with a complicated feeling.

“It’s strangely uncomfortable.”

They hadn’t really had any contact since the day she had shed tears in front of him. He didn’t mention anything about that day, and just watched her dance as usual and sent her home. It was really so neat.

It wasn’t that we ate every day, but whenever we did, he would talk to me a word or two, but he was so quiet that I couldn’t help but feel strangely uneasy.

It was good that he was only interested in my dancing, but if he suddenly lost interest, that was a problem in itself, so I couldn’t help but worry.

‘Ha, I don’t know. Why do I have to worry about this? My head hurts now.’

Emilia frowned as she glanced at his side profile as he escorted her with an incomprehensible expression. She took a deep breath, thinking that her head was secretly heavy, and exhaled.

‘I have to hold out until I finish the stage… … .’ The body

aches that she had thought were light were getting worse as she was exposed to the cold wind. Even after entering the warm mansion, her headache didn’t get better, and now she felt hot as if her body was getting a fever.

As soon as she entered, Emilia tried to let go of his hand to go to the room where she always prepared for the stage. However, her hand wouldn’t let go easily, and instead, he held onto her fingertips tightly.

“Emilia.”

“Yes?”

“Look at me.”

His eyes were narrowed as he looked down at her, who had already turned her body halfway. She hesitated and turned her head slightly.

“Can’t we get ready for the stage right away?”

“No.”

He pulled her hand as if he was not satisfied. Emilia was suddenly dragged into his arms by the force. She instinctively touched his chest and stopped right in front of his nose, but to others, it looked like she was almost about to be hugged.

“Your Majesty, what are you doing?”

“Hold on.”

He didn’t care about her sharp reaction. Instead, he lifted her chin and made her look up at him. Her

face was flushed in the cold wind, but her overall body temperature was high enough to feel warm when she got close.

His handsome forehead furrowed.

“Are you feverish?”

“… … Your body temperature is a bit high to begin

with.” “It wasn’t like that when I touched you last time.”

“That is… … Your Majesty?”

He suddenly lowered his head. She tried to step back as the distance became closer, but his hand that had been holding her hand was now wrapped around her back. Her two eyes closed tightly.

“… …!”

She felt an unfamiliar sensation on her forehead. She opened only one eye slightly and saw him resting his forehead against hers. Because they were so close, her eyes could clearly see his downcast purple eyes.

“… … You have a fever.”

She came to her senses at the cold voice. Emilia belatedly pushed Enrico’s chest hard. Fortunately, this time he stepped back obediently, but his expression that caught her eye at a glance was not good.

She unconsciously looked down at the intense gaze that seemed to stab her.

“Did you try to go on stage like this?”

“I just have a slight fever. I can dance without any problems. It’s okay-.”

“Emilia.”

Her mouth automatically closed at his cold call.

“I don’t need anything that isn’t perfect.”

Her eyes, which had been downcast, turned to him again. His ruthless face, devoid of a smile, was clearly reflected in her shaking eyes. She couldn’t say anything at his unusual aura. She felt dizzy as if she was hearing ringing in her ears, even thinking about what would happen if he broke the contract like this.

For a moment, a suffocating silence stretched between them. And that silence was broken when Enrico, who had been arrogantly looking down at Emilia, turned his back.

“This is what’s annoying about being alive.”

The cynical tone of his words stabbed her heart. For some reason, she felt like a mere animal that was just joking around in front of him. She had been prepared for it all along, but when she actually faced him, she was certain. She thought that

if Enrico really didn’t like her, she would just abandon him. And maybe she would just break the contract for the crime of offending him.

Emilia stared blankly at his back as he walked away after giving some instructions to the butler. Her eyes were empty as if they had erased all emotions.

***

The chandelier and candles, like stars in the night sky, lit up the dark stage. Enrico, sitting on a red velvet chair, stared at the stage. The only sound in the silent space was the sound of the second hand of the clock on his wrist.

He listened quietly to the sound of the clock. He liked being alone, but ironically, he hated being in a quiet space. Even now, if it weren’t for the sound of the clock, he would have played music even if he didn’t feel like it.

I don’t know when it started. Maybe it was since he was born. Although he was a son born late to the previous king and queen, there was always no one around him.

The previous queen, who had a weak body after giving birth and didn’t come out of her room, and the previous king, who only stayed by her side. Enrico, who was naturally forgotten by their indifference, was used to being alone because there were only servants who occasionally took care of him and waited outside.

‘Enrico, you are your brother’s shadow. Just be quiet and don’t think about doing anything.’

Although he had everything except one thing, his surroundings were always quiet.

The previous queen occasionally allowed him to visit, but that was mostly when the current king, Matthias Treano, was by his side. Then she would always warn him in front of him as if brainwashing him.

To appease the anxiety of the first son, and for the second son who might dare to covet the position that was decided before birth. Since she couldn’t get rid of the royal descendant she had accidentally, she was forced to have a child at a late age, so Matthias was the only one who mattered to her.

Therefore, the brainwashing continued until just before the previous king and his wife passed away.

Matthias didn’t keep an eye on Enrico after the previous king passed away, perhaps because the previous queen’s appeasement had worked, but he didn’t intend to be a good brother either. He

only received reports on what Enrico was doing at certain times, and gradually lost interest after hearing that he was mostly alone or occasionally interested in art.

‘Your Majesty, I have purchased the paintings and ceramics you mentioned. However, I think you should consider remodeling the Duke’s residence exhibition hall.’

‘Send the old ones to the estate.’

Since he had no interest in the throne in the first place, he started collecting art pieces as a way to show the King that he was indifferent to politics, and because it was the only interest that he had for a long time .

Beautiful things satisfied his heart for a moment, and even if he got tired of them, he could quickly fill them with something else.

So he endlessly bought art pieces that he liked even a little, but the problem was that he had no particular desire to possess them.

‘Get to know that woman.’

Then, for the first time, something he wanted to see appeared before his eyes.

Emilia Este, that’s her.

He had never paid attention to a living thing. That’s why he became even more curious, and he didn’t hesitate to buy her. He thought that if it satisfied his heart for a moment, he would be willing to dig into the case of the Viscount Este couple, whom he had ignored because he didn’t want to get involved in something useless.

And that contract was quite satisfactory. Since it was not an object without an ego, there were unexpected situations from time to time, but it was not something that would upset me that much. It was strangely satisfying to see my doll dancing only for me, rather than watching it in a crowded place.

But I was starting to worry about what to do with Giorgio Este, who was annoying.

‘I want you to stop sponsoring me.’