When Pride Fell At My Toes - Chapter 30



Only Noblemtl

#30. Twisted Arrow
2024.01.30.

Vice-President Sylvia let out a sigh with a troubled expression.

“But even though the former director wasn’t a ballet dancer, he was someone who had an eye for talent. Seeing you picking on ridiculous things made me think there was something there. So I asked Duke Michele what he had to do for me if I received his help.”

Enrico’s hand didn’t just stop at her. He even reached out to the inside of the ballet company.

“He told me to judge fairly. Don’t worry about anything else and just focus on what’s in front of you.”

It wasn’t a surprising intervention, since he was the one who told her to take on the lead role. However, it was heartbreaking to realize that even ballet couldn’t be done on her own. No matter how good her skills were, if she didn’t have someone to support her, she would be nothing more than a doll in a music box, just like he said. I thought

ballet was purely my lot… … .

Emilia lowered her head slightly and laughed painfully.

“Emilia?”

“… … But, can I tell you this?”

“Oh! Of course. If you’re worried, I already asked for Duke Michele’s permission to tell him, so it’s okay.”

You asked for permission. Then Enrico knew that he would hear about this.

It’s true that the headache was gone thanks to his help, but she couldn’t help feeling like she was being played into his hands. Her jade-colored eyes, which had been shaking like a violent storm, had now settled like a deep, calm lake.

“Thank you for telling me. I almost didn’t know anything.”

Emilia raised her head and smiled slightly. Vice-principal Silvia looked puzzled for a moment at her blank expression, but soon added that it was probably due to stress.

“I want to grow this ballet company and improve the kingdom’s perception of ballet. To do that, I absolutely need a talented star ballerina like you.”

The light in the eyes of Vice-Chief Sylvia, who whispered the future, sparkled.

“I feel like there are many situations that are drawing Emilia in, I’m sorry. But don’t doubt the casting. I’m a thorough talent-oriented person.”

However, despite the hopeful words, Emilia’s expression was still calm.

***

Emilia’s mood did not improve even the next day. Her gloomy face, just like the gloomy sky outside that looked like it was going to rain, was powerless.

Why did I have to meet Enrico on this day of all days?

She sighed as she got into the carriage she had been waiting for. Today in particular, she wanted to quickly find out the truth and end this relationship. She was afraid that if she continued like this, she would become someone who could not do anything without his help.

‘I guess I should go to the ball.’

Just waiting for the information he gave her and receiving it was taking up time. Even if she wanted to increase the number of times she would stand on his stage, the night practice time was a problem, and Enrico, who wanted perfection even if he only saw one stage, didn’t seem to be very interested in it.

‘It’s a masked party, so it’ll be okay.’

In fact, even if you go to the ball and meet someone suspicious, you can’t do anything, but if it was someone who had some kind of relationship with your parents, there might have been traces left.

Since Giorgio had been living in the capital since becoming a Viscount, he probably wouldn’t have touched his family home. Even if he searched everywhere to find something worthwhile, it would be hard to find a place that only his parents and himself knew about.

Since he ran away to the art academy, he hadn’t been near Barcota even once, but he thought it would be a good idea to go there sometime during Easter. While he was thinking about it, his long shadow was completely covered in darkness.

***

Enrico didn’t really interfere with what she danced on stage. So Emilia chose a piece she was practicing for the stage and showed it to him as a ballet she had previously created. If he had been picky about the piece he chose, she wouldn’t have been confident that she could maintain this contract for a long time, but it was fortunate.

‘Let’s finish it quickly and go.’

As soon as she arrived at the duke’s residence, Emilia changed into a pure white ‘Giselle’ costume and stretched out.

It was a costume similar to [The Sylphide] that looked like a fairy, but Giselle gave off a more calm and delicate vibe, so there was a strange difference.

I usually like the solo part at the beginning of the play, but today I didn’t feel like dancing and laughing in front of Enrico, so I prepared to start with the part where Giselle appears as a ghost.

Since I saw [Giselle] when I was young, I practiced on my own, and I also performed it once at the art school, so the two choreography was appropriately mixed and clearly engraved in my head.

Thanks to that, it wasn’t difficult to reconstruct the choreography so that I could fill the stage alone.

Soon, she stretched and went up on stage as soon as her body was warmed up. As usual, a beautiful face with arrogance was waiting for her.

‘I have to concentrate. If I feel even a little regretful, he might find fault with me again.’

She stood slightly on the left side and took a ready pose. Emilia’s eyes slowly opened after closing them and taking a deep breath for a moment.

Music flowed from the gramophone, and Emilia’s face lost its expression. Giselle’s unique eerie and sorrowful atmosphere enveloped her. Giselle, beautiful but gloomy, gave herself to the music and soared high as if defying gravity.

At first, she had a strong desire to do this stage. However, at some point, Emilia was completely absorbed in Giselle and dancing. She began to focus on this moment as if she had forgotten reality for a moment, and Enrico watched her with an expression he couldn’t read.

The chandelier’s light strangely looked like pale moonlight, softly enveloping Emilia’s body.

***

Enrico called Emilia to the dining room, wondering if he had any plans to send her off right away today. Now, she sat down as if she were used to it, and while eating the dishes that came out one after another, she waited for his mouth to open.

“Have you thought about it?”

Finally, the last dessert came out, and his hand reached out for his wine glass.

“… … Are you talking about the masquerade ball?”

“Yes.”

It hadn’t even been a day since she asked, and she already wanted an answer. In a way, it seemed like he had already decided on an answer.

Emilia looked at him once and opened her mouth with a half-resigned expression.

“I’ll go.”

“That’s unexpected. I thought you’d say no at least once.”

“Actually, I don’t know what to do when I go.”

“Even if you don’t do anything, the atmosphere will be formed on its own. There are quite a few people who become bold with just a mask.”

What kind of atmosphere would make them become bold?

“Ask Fabio the exact date. I’ll take care of the preparations.”

“Yes.”

“And you don’t have to prepare for next week’s stage.”

“… … Yes? Do you have another schedule?”

Emilia opened her eyes in confusion.

“No.”

“Then why?”

“I noticed that you couldn’t concentrate at all today. Just rest for a while.”

Her eyes wavered at his monotonous words. It was only at the very beginning, but she quickly focused. But did she notice that brief moment? She thought it was ridiculous and quickly denied it.

“Can’t concentrate? I did my best.”

His eyes narrowed at her trembling lower lip.

“Well. It didn’t look like that to me.”

Enrico’s head tilted lazily. His attitude, which was so light as if it was just a momentary amusement, made her insides boil.

It was true that she couldn’t concentrate at the beginning, but she quickly got absorbed in Giselle and danced hard, but it felt like all that time was being denied.

‘With what kind of heart am I dancing…?’

She had ignored the words inside her in order to focus only on reality. But every time she did that, guilt weighed down on her shoulders. Now, she said she would do ballet for her parents, but sometimes she felt guilty that she was using her parents to do ballet.

How contradictory it was for her to be completely absorbed in ballet itself. She rationalized it as immersing herself in a role, but she knew that she was actually enjoying ballet.

‘No. This man who exploits this is the problem. I was trying to find out the truth… . . . ‘

The guilt turned into a twisted arrow and headed toward Enrico. She resented him so much for trying to play with her pain by pulling it out of his grasp.

Emilia took a deep breath, afraid that her harsh words would come out.

“Your Majesty, if the days I stand on stage are delayed, my compensation will also be delayed. I want to hear the results of the investigation as soon as possible.”

“That’s why you’re taking me to the ball, too. I’m doing everything I can.”

“Your Majesty!” She

tried not to get excited. However, her attempts to respond calmly so as not to provoke him collapsed in vain.

“Why are you forcing me like that when I don’t want to see you? “I don’t remember there being a clause that said you had to see it unconditionally.”

Emilia bit her lower lip.