Translator: Hye; Editor/PR: Hye
It was a major accident.
It was not the actor’s fault that the queen praised him too much. It was difficult to blame the actor for the queen’s lines in the play and expressions that were not to the king’s liking.
One could also let pass the use of a purple cape as a prop because Larissa was there. However, at the moment when Vainas’ pride was hurt, Rick snapped a prohibited item and put it on his finger.
“It suits you very well, as the queen said. The purple color that symbolizes the king.”
Vainas said coldly, raising the corners of his mouth.
It was clearly a sarcastic comment.
“It was only meant for keeping…”
Arnoa murmured with an awkward expression.
Rick’s complexion became paler. He couldn’t think of anything to refute or blame.
It was actually quite normal for a member of the royal family to grant a purple sapphire. Even though it was prohibited to wear, one could show it off. It was a treasure that could be traded, or if one presents it to the next king again, a larger imperial gift would be given.
But Rick put the ring on his finger.
Right after the queen complimented him on the purple cape.
It was an act that seemed to say, ‘Yes, I look good in purple. I’m like a royal family too!’
It was useless to excuse that he did not have time to properly see the jewel because Arnoa held it in his hand and pressured him with her eyes.
“Y-Your Highness! It’s a mistake. I’ll take it out right away!”
Rick twisted the ring as if wanting to pull his finger out, but strangely, it didn’t come out. With sweat and a whimper, his face as he held his finger looked as if gradually dying.
“Your Highness! It was too dark to see it.”
Larissa came forward, but Vainas’ face remained cold.
“B-because of a small mistake, the future of a promising actor…”
“I don’t want to hear it.”
Surprised by his cold eyes she saw for the first time, she could no longer protect her relative and shut her mouth.
“…Get that out of my sight.”
He ordered.
The guards, who were on standby, quickly jumped onto the stage and dragged Rick away.
“Y-Your Highness! I apologize, Your Highness!”
No one could stop the guards. The actors on stage and Count Estea trembled, only swallowing dry saliva.
“That’s it for today.”
Even though the event was not yet over, Vainas already stood up.
“Y-your Highness! Please take Larissa with you!”
Larissa, as well as the surrounding servants and maids, hurriedly followed him. Some maids goggled at Arnoa at the last minute.
It seemed to mean that a good place like this was ruined because of a crazy woman who couldn’t read the atmosphere.
Arnoa grinned.
Perhaps it’s going as she expected.
‘What’s the use of being first love?’
Larissa knew what Vainas loves, but she didn’t know what was important.
Similar to a child, he was extremely reluctant to let others get more attention than him. He’s worried that such a person would appear. He was willing to bend over to those who were considered stronger than him from the beginning, like Luciano.
However, there should be no such person in the Kingdom of Dirhan. That’s probably why he torments Arnoa, who has a noble lineage.
Why should a rising star actor be an exception?
Arnoa, who was sitting on the queen’s seat, even though only in name, fell in love with the actor and compared him to Vainas. It was a real blow on Vainas’ pride.
It wasn’t a problem that Rick broke the law.
While he was annoyed that he received a honey-dripping gaze from his queen, he hated the appearance of an actor, waving a ring that should only be allowed to him.
It would have been more annoying that many people saw it.
Larissa taking his side was like adding fuel to the fire.
“Oh dear…It was a performance that I liked.”
Arnoa said with a sigh as if she was truly disappointed.
“Is today the last show?”
The faces of some actors, standing in front, turned dark while Count Estea still couldn’t breathe properly.
“D-do you have anything else to say?”
One of the employees cried.
Half of it seemed to only be talking to himself. The other half seemed to mean that Arnoa should take responsibility for what happened.
It was something like, I’m ruined because of you, so pay me back.
“Ah. I should bid goodbye.”
Arnoa, who was about to leave the theater, paused and turned around. However, contrary to the expectations of the employee, she did not take out gold coins.
“It was fun.”
She just smiled and clapped her hands. Her earlier flustered expression disappeared from somewhere.
“I’m very lucky to see the last appearance of such magnificent actors.”
Last appearance.
At a first glance, it seemed like an ordinary courtesy greeting, but it sounded like an ominous prophecy that they could never set foot in the performing world again.
There was a cold sweat on the back of the actors and the employees.
“Well, then.”
Whether or not she knew that fact, Arnoa left the hall, leaving the dazed audience behind.
[space]
***
The performance was abolished in one show, as expected. The measure was approved on the same day.
When Vainas left the theater with a firm look, critics, who attended and cheered on the performance, changed their attitudes and wrote only harsh comments.
The theater refused to perform additional performances of <Love and Betrayal>, saying that they don’t want to be caught in fire unnecessarily. It was a natural measure, as they would be ruined if they received the king’s hatred.
Scriptwriter, director, and actors who participated in the show, all experienced difficulty in getting into the industry. No theater company wanted to take them, whom the king turned his back on.
Count Estea was not punished for the sake of Larissa’s honor. However, he suffered a lot of damage as he invested large amounts of money in a performance which spilled over only after one show.
Vainas was angry with everyone. Even Larissa had to sweat from meeting his gaze.
Yet, of course, the one he was most angry with was Arnoa.
“Why did you do that?”
Vainas’ furious eyes shot at her.
“What?”
Arnoa asked again.
Her answer, which was shorter than usual, made Vainas’ expression even harder.
“I’m referring to yesterday.”
I want to get a divorce quickly.
With an honest answer in her head, Arnoa looked up. At first glance, it was an innocent look, but if one looked closely, it was a spiteful one.
“Most handsome man in Dirhan, the purple color suits well, king-like…is this what someone on the right mind supposed to say? What a queen of a kingdom supposed to say?”
Vainas looked at Arnoa as if he was going to eat her.
“The nobles are already talking that the queen has an actor in mind. Do you even know how that affects my image?”
He growled.
“But what do you know as a princess who grew up like a flower in a greenhouse? You don’t even care about the basic etiquette as a couple!”
Slam–
The teacup shook dangerously when Vainas hit the table. He poured out spiteful remarks with an anger-boiling face, but Arnoa only laughed.
Were those words really came from a man who presents his wife’s dowry to another woman?
“It was the dialogue.”
Arnoa said with a smile.
She was already thinking about how to stimulate Vainas even more while she walked towards the study.
Winning his favor was something Arnoa couldn’t do, but it was too easy to get his hatred.
“Didn’t you praise Rick too?”
“…Rick?”
Vainas frowned when Arnoa’s lips let out an overly friendly title.
“Did you say…Rick?”
“The rising deity, a face with thousand expressions, a prince who fell from heaven, a face made by God…Ah, it suits him so well.”
Looking at the face of Vainas, which was alternating between flushing red and turning pale, Arnoa continued as if pouring oil.
In fact, her praise for Rick was an exaggeration.
His acting skills were only enough to fit the role, and his face was good-looking to an extent, but not enough to impress Arnoa.
Her standards for men’s looks were very high.
It wasn’t because she was picky.
It was because Anakin, whom she spent part of her childhood with, was a gorgeous flower boy and was called The Empire’s Last Lily of Summer.
(T/N: Variation of the poem: The Last Rose of Summer. And lily was used as it means sweet and innocent beauty.)
If you keep looking at pretty things, wouldn’t your eyes get used to it?
Slam–
At the end of her words, Vainas frighteningly struck the table with his palm once again. Arnoa opened her eyes like a rabbit and looked at him.
“To a mere clown, a person such as a queen…what kind of vulgar behavior are you showing in front of your husband?”
Arnoa gave no answer to the fuming Vainas. The two remained still and only stared at each other for a while. Unlike Vainas’ flushed face, Arnoa was calm.
“…Is your head suddenly not working? Please think of your position as a queen before you act.”
Vainas breathed a long sigh and concluded.
So far, Arnoa’s actions seemed to have been considered as a fleeting mistake of an unwise woman.
“I always remember my position as queen.”
She intended to change that judgment.
“How can I forget?”
Arnoa said with a smile. And before Vainas nodded, she quickly added.
“I barely have it. Since once I turn my eyes away, Larissa Estea will already pounce on it.”