Chapter 24. At the Theater
Unlike when they had met at the guild, he was dressed in a suit that looked quite expensive at a glance.
Additionally, he wasn't wearing the round glasses she had seen him in at the guild.
Perhaps the glasses had disguised him with a gentle impression—without them, his appearance looked somewhat sharper, unlike his soft first impression.
"I hope your journey here wasn't too arduous."
"Thanks to you, it was fine."
Convincing the knights that she "wanted to go quietly without drawing attention" had been somewhat troublesome.
After arriving at the theater, she had entered through the back door to avoid attention, and since the manager had guided them, it wasn't difficult.
She had intended to cause a scandal at some point, but now was too early. So she had no choice but to endure some inconvenience.
Mikhail extended his hand to Blair. Having lived as a princess, Blair naturally accepted his escort and took her seat.
Mikhail offered her a filled wine glass. It was a posture of someone very accustomed to hospitality.
"Thank you."
Blair accepted the glass he offered and asked.
"Then is the purchase of the mansion in the kingdom finished now?"
Mikhail, who had been about to introduce the wine, let out a small laugh at Blair who jumped straight to the main point.
"My, you don't even give me a moment to catch my breath. I'm a little disappointed."
Blair blinked as if she didn't understand. Wasn't the request the purpose of their meeting in the first place? Wasn't there nothing else for them to discuss?
Mikhail, still with a smile on his face, took out a small coin from his inner pocket and held it out.
"To get straight to the point, the mansion purchase has been successfully completed. If you take this to Argenta and go to the location written on the coin, they will give you the mansion sale documents."
Blair picked up the coin held out before her and examined it.
Something was written on the front of the coin in Clanian. Having learned foreign languages as a princess, Blair easily read the words "The Last Glass of Clania." It seemed to be a metaphorical expression.
Mikhail then handed her a wooden tag and added an explanation.
"And this is the identification you requested."
"You've worked hard. I'll send the fee to the guild through my maid tomorrow."
"I'm glad I could be of help."
Mikhail replied with a gentle smile. Seeing him smile, his gentle impression from when he wore glasses seemed to show through.
Just as Blair was about to ask him about his glasses, a black curtain fell over the theater stage.
"It seems the play is about to begin."
After waiting briefly, the curtain rose and actors appeared on stage.
Soon, a narrator standing to one side of the stage began reading the narration, and the play began.
They came from another world and possessed power far superior to humans and demons alike. Yet without coveting greater power or ruling over the weak, they strove for the balance and peace of this world.> The content of the play was a story about Divine Beasts that Blair had encountered many times through plays and books since childhood. Something anyone born and raised in the Western Continent would have heard of. And after marrying, as she studied the history of the Delmark Duchy as its mistress, it was a story she encountered once more. Because the protagonist of this play, Helios, was the Divine Beast who had lent his power to the first Duke of Delmark. Seeing the story again like this brought fresh emotions. Noticing Blair focusing on the play, Mikhail added an explanation. "It's the story of the last Divine Beast Helios and the human knight Arwen who was his lover. It's quite an entertaining play." The early part of the play told the story of how Helios, who had been hostile toward humans unlike other Divine Beasts, gradually opened his heart and grew closer to Arwen. The two, still young, grew close through Arwen's affability, built their friendship, and set out on adventures. Accompanying this, grand, resonant music began to play. At that moment, a faint noise mixed in between the music. It sounded like a woman's crying. Blair looked back in the direction of the sound, puzzled. The source was the adjoining room. Blinking in surprise as she stared at the wall, Blair soon realized what the sound was. 'This sound, could it be...' From behind Blair, Mikhail's voice could be heard. "This theater is that kind of place." As if familiar with such situations, he calmly drank his wine and added an explanation. "A place where secret lovers meet and make love—suitable for the content of your request, madam. That's why the play has many battle scenes." The stage needed to be noisy to bury all sorts of sounds coming from the lounge. Blair's face flushed red after hearing Mikhail's words. She turned her head as if even making eye contact with him was embarrassing, but her flustered face seemed to speak her thoughts. Good heavens, how could they do such a shameless act... For someone who was shocked over merely this to be thinking of causing scandals with multiple people as grounds for divorce—he found that disparity somehow endearing. But as if to fluster Blair further, the sounds from the adjoining room grew more intense. Blair couldn't focus on the play and only darted her eyes about anxiously. Mikhail chuckled as he watched Blair, then brought up another topic. "Do you have any plans after the divorce?" "I'm thinking of starting a business for now. I'm still considering what kind of business to do." Mikhail, who had brought up the topic solely to draw Blair's attention away from the adjoining room without any deeper meaning, was inwardly surprised by her answer. It felt novel that a woman who had lived her whole life without want would personally jump into business. "Have you secured the capital?" "I plan to soon. And I need your help in securing that capital." The jewels and valuables that Blair had owned as a princess had already been mostly spent when she entrusted the request to Mikhail. So Blair had devised another plan to raise capital for her business. Using the memories of the future she possessed. However, she had no intention of stealing other people's business ideas. Though she had miraculously returned to the past by chance, she felt she shouldn't use that solely for personal gain. Instead, what she was aiming for was... 'If my memory serves me right, my brother's head steward will soon purchase a few paintings at an auction house.' When she had attended a family meal, Ivan had cursed his head steward for buying cheap paintings. However, the artist who painted those works would catch the eye of the Marquisate of Piatze, famous for sponsoring artists for generations, and make a name for himself two years later. Consequently, the prices of his paintings would skyrocket. Only then did Ivan dig out the paintings he had carelessly stuffed into the warehouse and show off his artistic eye. Blair planned to take a little of what would eventually become Ivan's share. After being robbed by him her whole life, wasn't it fine to take this much as her share? She rationalized it arbitrarily like that. 'It will take two years for the paintings' value to rise, but I was planning to rest until giving birth to Asiel anyway.' Even after the topic of business, Mikhail skillfully led the conversation, guiding Blair not to focus on the sounds from the adjoining room. Having traveled through many countries as a guild master, he spun tales that Blair couldn't help but be captivated by, and gazed at her eyes sparkling more than usual. When the adjoining room finally fell quiet, Mikhail naturally wrapped up the conversation. Thanks to that, Blair was able to finish watching the play she had seen in her childhood. Eventually, the play ended. "Allow me to escort you." Mikhail extended his hand to Blair. Blair took his hand and rose from her seat. But after taking only a few steps, Mikhail stopped at the door. "Unfortunately, my escort ends here. It's not yet time." Blair, who had been watching him silently, suddenly asked. "Are you a noble?" Even in the future Blair knew, Mikhail's identity had never been revealed. She had naturally assumed he was a commoner, but meeting him in person, she found he was also very skilled in noble etiquette. At Blair's sudden question, Mikhail smiled gently. "I'm glad if that's how it appears." He responded smoothly and naturally evaded the answer. Noticing this, Blair didn't pry further. Mikhail lightly kissed the back of Blair's hand and released it. "Then I shall see you again soon, madam." * * * "Welcome back, madam." When she arrived at the ducal mansion, Mason and the lined-up servants greeted her. Blair stepped into the mansion and asked him. "Where is the duke?" "His afternoon schedule ended early, so he returned just a moment ago." Hearing that Herdin was in the mansion, Blair's heart dropped. Nothing had happened between her and Mikhail at the theater, and she and Herdin were currently a couple in name only bound by a thorough contract, but her heart was anxious. Like someone who had actually committed adultery and returned home. In truth, all of this was merely part of a plan for a safe divorce, just as he wanted. Blair climbed the stairs, hoping—as she always did lately—that she wouldn't run into Herdin. But God was not on her side. Beside her door stood Herdin, waiting for her. Her husband, who hadn't shown his face for the past half month, with cold eyes.