Chapter 34
Even while I was lost in thought, Shabelle was busy chattering inside the theater.
“This is so worth seeing even if I’ve been born again. I can’t believe I’ll get to see it!”
“I’m glad that you’re happy.”
I roughly answered her and glanced down at the strange balcony again.
As expected, it was still empty. Shabelle was bouncing on her seat in excitement.
“I think it’s starting.”
The curtains of the central stage opened, and all the lights except for those directed at the stage were turned off.
The play began.
‘The Young Master’s Hidden Flower’ was a love story between Sir Bell, a female escort knight who’s pretending to be a man, and Edward, a noble young master.
The young master trusts his escort knight who was devoted to him.
The knight loves her master, but when there was a banquet held to find a spouse for him, she couldn’t resist but attend the ball in a dress.
The young master instantly falls in love with his knight at first sight and takes her to the garden.
Since they were seen to be without an escort knight, Edward’s half-brother attempted to kill him to take over the family.
Bell tried to stop him and got struck on the hand with a blade, and when the assassination attempt failed, people ran there as they heard the commotion.
Since Bell always wore gloves, Edward didn’t even know that his escort knight’s palm was hurt.
They parted ways at the party, and Edward fell ill.
Towards Edward, Sir Bell apologized to Edward for deceiving him and hiding that she was a woman, and she showed him her scar.
Surprised by Bell’s confession, Edward apologized as well for now recognizing her.
He kissed Bell’s wound, and proposed to marry him.
Bell accepted the proposal. With the two of them smiling, it hinted at a happy future ahead of them.
That’s about it, but with Shabelle watching so intensely throughout the play, I muttered curiously.
“Shabelle…?”
Looking closely though, Shabelle’s expression was cold.
On the stage, Bell had a dress on and blocked the sword heading for Edward with her hand.
“Does she have iron gloves? Why block a sword with your bare hands?”
You’re right, but why are you so angry about it?”
“You need to get hit on your chest or back!”
As she said this, I watched the scene where Bell threw herself in the way of the sword. It did look a little weird.
But isn’t it natural to reach out first with your hand when you want to block something?
In other parts of the audience, bursting into tears, gasping at Bell’s injury, but here we have Shabelle who looked to be on the verge of throwing a teacup towards the stage.
The knight was muttering something, but it seemed that she was telling Edward not to worry because it was just a wound on her palm.
…But if your palm gets cut to the point that your nerves get damaged, wouldn’t you be able to use it anymore?
The cooking teacher I had in my previous life had three fingers on his left hand that had gotten numb.
I heard that he got hurt when he got injured by a kitchen knife while he was practicing to cook when he was younger.
His hand was generally fine, but for precise movements, he couldn’t use his middle, ring and pinky fingers properly, like they’ve lost strength.
Well, Shabelle herself hasn’t read 〈 Shabelle, the White Snowflower 〉 after all.
Compared to that novel, which was a total flop, this lowbrow play was a masterpiece.
Shabelle continued to huff and puff and I thought that she could be heard even by other people.
So I had no choice but to speak to Shabelle affectionately.
“Shabelle, do you feel sick?”
“N-No.”
Shabelle was flustered and she covered her mouth, laughing. However, her eyebrows were still furrowed.
Then, she took out a handkerchief and wiped her lips.
She seemed to be covering her mouth because she thought that her laughter wasn’t enough to cover it up.
After that, Shabelle didn’t say anything else and only looked at the stage coldly.
It was the finale where a kiss scene would happen, something that Shabelle seemed to be anticipating. Edward kissed the back of Bell’s hand.
The pamphlet showed that miracles could happen with the power of love, which eventually should heal Bell’s wounds.
Bell looked at her normal hand with a surprised look on her face, and Edward held out a ring to her.
Applause and cheers erupted as Bell said yes.
I glanced at Shabelle again, who was looking down at the stage with a scowl.
Then, when we barely made eye contact, she once again had a smile on her face. But even with a broad smile, she seemed to still be dissatisfied.
“Sister.”
As Shabelle called me, she leaned over to my side and asked quietly.
“I feel like it’s over, but when will they kiss?”
The highlight of the play was the scene with Edward kissing Bell’s wound.
I didn’t know what Shabelle wanted after I heard her say that Bell should have been struck at the chest instead.
This was a play that children came to watch as well, so there’s no way such a provocative scene would be shown.
They didn’t even use fake blood when Bell hurt her hand because they were afraid that the children would be frightened. She just acted hurt.
To answer her question, I pulled Shabelle’s hand and brought it to my lips.
“That’s the kiss.”
Shabelle stared blankly at her palm.
She looked very conflicted.
Perhaps even dejected and angry. Like someone in movie trailers and advertisements.
At that moment, I felt another stabbing gaze.
I looked over at Stein, who was standing on one side calmly waiting for orders. I stood up.
Stein looked at me with questioning eyes, and with one hand, I gestured for Stein to stay there. The actors were taking a bow on the stage.
“Shabelle, wait here for a second.
Shabelle looked at me, her gloomy expression suddenly lighting up.
‘I just told you to wait, but why do you look so glad?’
Anyway, I brushed away the question in my mind, hurried out the balcony, and went downstairs.
Everyone in their respective balconies was cheering for the actors.
The balcony I went to was on the second floor.
It was where I could feel the stinging gaze. I didn’t think it was from someone dangerous though.
Because I’m already so used to that gaze.
The separate room was empty, and the curtain call was already halfway done. There was also a curtain drawn at one side of the balcony room, where tea was to be prepared.
As soon as I entered, I reached into that curtain and grabbed it tightly.
I felt something as I grabbed it with one hand, surprised.
And when the curtains were pushed to the side, a familiar pair of golden irises were staring down at me.
“Karpel.”
“……”
Karpel’s face was all flushed, his eyes wide with astonishment. It made me anxious.
And I slowly… lowered my eyes and saw what it was that I touched.
It’s a belt. Fortunately, it’s just his belt.
I let go of it and retracted my hand to my chest.
In the first place, it wasn’t that I was flustered because I touched a belt, but the feeling also of my hand almost touching something that I shouldn’t have touched.
“Why didn’t you tell me you were here? Why are you here? You came here secretly?”
Karpel frowned, then nodded once.
Maybe this was a secret meeting for the rebels, but I seemed to have intervened for no reason.
“Okay then… I’ll be having dinner with Lady Float tonight. Karpel, don’t stay out too late.”
Karpel stared at me without answering.
I don’t know what he wants to do.
I looked up at him, then around us because I felt that it had gotten noisy upstairs.
I could see the other separate balconies through the curtain.
In terms of angle, it was hard to see, but I spotted Shabelle, who I left alone, being surrounded by young ladies of a similar age.
The people who gathered there weren’t any of my followers, so the atmosphere was good.
However, it was clear that Shabelle was being questioned about when and how she became close to me.
She might even be receiving requests asking to be introduced to me or to be invited to teatime.
I waved slightly at Karpel, who was still staring, as I tried to leave, but my hand was caught.
“What is it?”
“Come home before 7 o’clock.”
It was 6 o’clock right now. For that to happen, I’d have to rush to the restaurant, inhale the food and go straight home without dropping off Shabelle. No, even if I did that I don’t think I’d be able to come hope at 7 o’clock.
“…8 o’clock.”
“Half past seven. No later than that—”
I poked Karpel on the stomach, which shocked him into stopping mid-sentence.
“8 o’clock. I don’t want to eat in a rush.”
“Alright. Make sure to be home by 8 o’clock.”
Only then did he let go of my hand. I glanced back at him once, then went back upstairs.
What’s he saying? Wasn’t it him who’s the one going out in the middle of the night for meetings with the rebels?
Was it because he’s afraid that I’d meet him on the streets while he was out? But we already met here, too.
When I arrived back, I saw a crowd around Shabelle. Inside, I heard Shabelle’s chattering.
“Yes, yes. Young Lord Nable Esprey. I’ll definitely tell Sister about you, yes, yes.”
“Will you invite me to your tea parties?”
“Of course.”
“Oh, Lady Float! I really want to go to Princess Krenberia’s tea party!”
“Of course.”
As I heard her speaking, I was left speechless.
‘Just what is she doing right now?’
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