Chapter 93. Debut, Part V
Translator: Khan
Editor: Aelryinth
Julietta grinned as Amelie clicked her tongue at the sight of the brick-red wig that had been put on for her disguise.
“It’s ugly, but it’s a bigger problem because it’s more comfortable now.”
At the end of the remark, the three women went out. After passing through the small garden in front of the annex, they entered the main house and walked across the hall on the first floor. Upon arriving at the front gate, Julietta looked back at the two and hugged the big Amelie and the small, compact Sophie once.
“I’m so happy to be able to see you more often than before. It must be hard for you to come out of the place you’ve been working, but I’m sorry to both of you because I think I am only giving you more trouble.”
The two hugged Julietta back.
“We’re really good, too. We didn’t really like the new person in charge of clothes.”
“That’s right, everything hasn’t been the same since Mrs. Megan retired. I was very tired because if there was any difference in the designs she drew, she was so nagging and tight.”
Julietta hugged the two who seemed to be trying to relieve their burdens, and then opened the door and went out to the street. She hurried to get to Gibson who would be waiting for her at the public carriage store on Eloz Street, instead of the mansion’s wagon depot, which was still under repair.
——
“Stop the wagon.”
Killian was on his way back to the Imperial Castle after touring the streets of Eloz to open a jewelry store. If he could find one, it was appropriate to open a store just as Julietta had once said.
Killian briefly recalled her flashing eyes explaining her dream shop and ordered them to stop the carriage in a hurry as he saw a woman who casually walked past. Ian, who had been promoted from the servant of Sir Albert to the Prince’s private servant, quickly ordered them to stop and opened the window on the side of the driver at Killian’s order.
When the carriage stopped in a hurry, Killian hurried down to the road. The aristocrats looked at Killian, who was walking hurriedly in search of the brick-red hair, ignoring his escort knights and Ian’s surprise.
“Your Highness, who are you looking for? I’ll help search.” Ian dissuaded Killian, but Killian didn’t even pretend to be listening. He stopped angrily when he could not see a familiar figure with her stiff broom-like brick-red hair and big glasses, even looking a long way.
“I’ve missed her. She is gone in the blink of an eye.”
Ian groaned, conscious of their surroundings and getting upset. “Your Highness, let’s get back on the wagon. We have drawn the attention of people.”
Killian swept up his glossy black hair which was down his forehead, glancing at the crowd who was converging on him, wondering what was going on. He wanted to catch and shout at those who dared to make a spectacle of him, but he had to refrain from making false accusations because he had decided to become an Emperor. Suppressing his feelings, he got back on the wagon that had followed him.
“It was definitely Julietta.”
Ian was surprised at the remark.
‘How did the woman, who they could not even see any hair of when they searched through Bertino, return to Dublin while avoiding the eyes of the Prince?’
Killian nodded as if he had noticed Ian’s thoughts. “What a strange thing it is. Isn’t it?”
“Yes, Your Highness.”
As Ian looked at the fierce silver eyes, he swallowed without realizing it.
‘Who in the world stole the woman from the Prince’s eyes? What did he do this for?’
Ian even wanted to pray for the repose of his soul if he found out who it was. The fool would not die well if he were caught.
“Is the Eileen theater around here?” Killian murmured in a low voice. While Ian hesitated to answer, Killian spoke again, “Let’s go to the Eileen Theater.”
After meeting with Lillian, he placed people around the Eileen Theater, but there was no specific news. But this sighting was near the theater where Julietta had grown up. It occurred to him that she had some sort of connection with the theater.
“While I am here, it’s okay to watch a performance. Call Oswald and the Marquis of Rhodius. I’ll see them at the Eileen Theater.”
Calling those two, instead of Count Adam and Count Valerian, who hated opera as much as they loved it, Killian flashed his eyes like a wolf. Finding Julietta was important, but now he was really beginning to wonder who was up to it, or what it was about…
——
“Who’s here?” Maribel was surprised at what the theater manager had said.
“Prince Killian has arrived. He just said he would wait, even though I said we still have an hour left before the evening performance.”
“Did he make reservations?”
“He didn’t say that. While he was out, it was too early to go back to the Imperial Castle. He is going to watch the opera, so he told me not to worry.”
Maribel was lost in thought as she looked at the message from Raphael, who had sent in detail about the Duke of Kiellini staying in Tilia.
‘Who would believe that Prince Killian stopped by the theater because he had spare time as he passed?’
After sitting silently for a long time, Maribel locked the desk after putting the letter she was holding into it, and stood up.
“Prepare the best wine. And as usual, you will put no one around the box seat I will be in.”
—
After giving the manager his orders, Maribel left her underground living quarters and went up to the top floor reserved for the royal family.
“Your Highness, it’s an honor for you to visit the Eileen Theater. When you came before, I was sorry that you left before I even said hello.”
Killian nodded in resignation when the owner appeared and greeted him, as expected. “Oh, it was because I found something interesting that day. I just went back because I lost interest in the performance.”
Maribel laughed at Killian’s words. “Are you going to find something interesting in our theater today?”
“I was wondering if it might be so. What do you think? Is there anything here that would interest me?”
Facing Killian’s cold silver eyes, Maribel’s mind began to run busily.
‘He found something interesting in the theater. What was there that this noble Prince might have been interested in?’
Maribel was busy running her mind and thought of something. She grinned as she looked across at the Prince at the thought of it.
“You must have noticed what I found.”
Maribel could certainly swear that she had never been so surprised as now. She barely smiled, hiding her trembling hands between the folds of her dress.
“I just got a call from Lillian a while ago. Your Highness is looking for Julietta.”
Lillian said the Prince did not seem to know Julietta’s true appearance. Maribel continued, barely calming her heart that was fluttering about what was happening so abruptly. “Unfortunately, Julietta did not return to the theater, Your Highness.”
Maribel’s appearance was very calm, the result of long experience. Killian grinned as he looked at her appearance with a wide-eyed stare.
Only
“I just saw Julietta around here.”
Maribel’s heart sank again.
“It’s true that she didn’t come to the theater. I haven’t heard anything from the people who have been monitoring it.”
At Killian’s words, Maribel’s heart sank further down. Fortunately, it was obvious that he did not recognize Julietta’s appearance when she was disguised as Princess Kiellini. She needed time to think, but the Prince kept attacking, not giving her a break.
“I know Julietta grew up in the theater. Was anyone close to her?”
Maribel wanted to praise herself for getting Amelie and Sophie out of the theater as soon as she had finished talking to Julietta. “Well, I don’t know in detail, because I don’t pay attention to every single child who grows up in the theater.”
Killian asked, looking at Maribel with a slight frown on her forehead, as if to recall. “Who takes care of children when they come into the theater?”
Maribel clutched her shaking hands again at the sharp question. “We accept children who are entrusted with us as an investment, but it’s very expensive to hire people to take care of children who can’t do their part. The children are looked after by the staff after discussion. In fact, I didn’t care because I didn’t have to know how they were doing.”
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