Chapter 45 – ​45

Melione ​was ​appalled ​by ​the ​way ​Euro would approach ​him ​with ​such ​eagerness, ​only to step back ​and ​pretend not to ​know him again. ​In ​truth, ​he ​couldn’t ​even ​tell if Euro ​was ​pretending ​or if he ​was simply that kind ​of person.

“Let’s ​talk later.”

Melione ​wanted to ​ask what ​it ​would ​even mean for ​them to ​get any closer here, ​but he decided against ​it.

If he pushed for ​an answer, ​Euro’s ​response was predictable. With a glint ​in his eyes and ​a ​look ​of ​triumph, ​he would probably ​ask if ​Melione ​was concerned about ​him ​again. If there was one ​thing Melione ​knew ​for sure, it ​was ​that ​Euro ​was ​quite a ​brazen ​individual.

Soon, Pendleton ​returned with Viscount Molton and his wife. ​Lady Molton, in ​particular, approached with ​a face full of ​smiles the ​moment she saw ​Euro ​and offered her ​greetings.

“I greet Your ​Grace and ​the ​Duchess. I ​hope ​your journey ​here ​was not ​too ​taxing?”

At ​Lady Molton’s kind ​inquiry, ​Euro replied ​with ​a ​bright ​smile.

“Since coming to Silon, this is my first outing with His Grace, so I was so excited that the way felt very long. Even though it’s actually quite close.”

It really had felt like a thousand years. He felt like he was [unauthorized copy]dying of motion sickness, yet [unauthorized copy]he still had to sing [unauthorized copy]songs to that bastard in the meantime. In all honesty, Euro felt as though he had aged about ten years.

“The performance will live up to your expectations. Our theater’s singers have been full of enthusiasm since this morning upon hearing the news of your visit.”

While Euro and Lady Molton conversed, Melione and Viscount Molton also exchanged brief greetings.

Viscount Molton was just as pleased by Melione’s visit as his wife was. Since the Viscount and Melione had only communicated through documents and brief letters recently, it had been a very long time since they had faced each other.

“You look very healthy, Your Grace. I am glad to see your complexion is much better than the last time I saw you.”

“I’m glad it seems so.”

Melione nodded absently. At this, Viscount Molton did not press him further and immediately greeted Euro.

“I greet the Duchess. I am Genuel Molton. I operate this small theater.”

“It’s a pleasure, Viscount Molton. I am very happy to be invited to such a wonderful place.”

“You flatter me.”

The four of them stood facing each other, engaging in formulaic conversation. Euro’s goal was to watch [Read on Read BL Novels]the opera anyway, and Melione had little [visit our site]interest in either the opera or the Moltons.

Lady Molton instructed Pendleton to quickly guide Euro and Melione to the box seat, and the two entered the venue following the manager.

Sitting in the box seat with the best view of the stage, Euro examined the opera glasses he had received from Pendleton.

The seat was higher and closer than the stage, providing an excellent view of the center, but through the opera glasses, he could see the singers’ expressions in great detail.

“I hope you enjoy the performance.”

Pendleton left the box seat with a bow, leaving only Euro and Melione alone in the space.

“It looks like it’ll be fun, doesn’t it?”

Euro spoke without hiding the excitement in his voice, and Melione nodded while watching the musicians tuning their instruments and the conductor below the stage.

The performance ended late at night. It was only because the days were long in Silon; by the time the two had arrived at the theater, it was already pitch black by Norden standards.

Lady Molton’s claim that the opera singers had been grinding their teeth in anticipation of Euro and Melione’s visit was not a lie. Throughout the play, Euro’s mouth remained agape, unable to close properly.

During the curtain call, Euro finally became the perfect audience [unauthorized copy]member, forgetting unauthorized copyall propriety as he leaped from his seat, whistling and clapping.

At that enthusiastic reaction, the people in every seat took the hint and rose to give a standing ovation, and only then did Euro realize what he had done.

Was there anyone here who didn’t know the Ducal couple had come? With the Duchess cheering like that, it would have been absurd for the others to remain seated and just clap.

Realizing his mistake, Euro sat back down and squeezed his eyes shut, but that was only for a moment. Deciding to go all the way since things had already turned out this way, he remained in his seat until the end and even exchanged greetings with the singers after the performance.

Just like when he first started practicing musicals, Euro’s heart was pounding violently. Even after the greetings were over and he boarded the carriage with the Viscount couple seeing them off, Euro remained immersed and floundering in the lingering emotions of the opera.

Despite having died on stage and being sucked into this world, seeing a stage again made the desire to stand on one once more surge up intermittently.

Unaware of this, Melione gazed at Euro with a strange look, as Euro remained lost in thought and didn’t speak a word to him the entire time.

Without asking if he was alright, as was his habit, Euro stayed in the box seat until everyone had left, and later, as if possessed, he rose and left the venue, telling the manager that he wished to meet and greet the singers.

Melione followed Euro without saying anything. It was because, for some reason, Euro looked more vibrant than ever. Far more so than when he burst into laughter while talking with Kisha.

“You seem to have liked the opera very much.”

Melione, who had been watching Euro appear deep in thought [Read on Read BL Novels]even after [unauthorized copy]boarding Read on Read BL Novelsthe carriage, spoke first.

Only after Melione spoke did Euro lift his head and look at him.

“……Huh? Yes. I liked it very much.”

Euro nodded with a vacant expression, his soul still seemingly drifted away.

“Especially the singer who played the lead role of Daphne, the prima donna.”

“…….”

“Her vocal volume was so impressive… and her tone was truly wonderful. Her stage presence was no joke; I suppose it’s natural since she was the lead, but once she appeared on stage, I simply couldn’t take my eyes off her.”

It was truly breathtaking singing skill. It was to the point where he felt a sense of awe, something he couldn’t even dare compare himself to. The prima donna he met backstage was small in stature and looked very young.

He wondered where such power came from, for when she stood in the center of the stage and sang, she filled the entire vast venue.

“It wasn’t just that I liked it. I truly respected her, you know?”

To sing a piece filled to the brim without a [visit our site]single breath, and without stolen contenther expression changing once. He wondered if she had gills or something.

It wasn’t just the singers’ skill that was impressive. As could be guessed from the name ‘Daphne,’ the plot of the opera was a story Euro knew well.

The myth of the god Apollo and Daphne from the Greek and Roman mythology comic books he had read as a child was the basis of the opera.

Of course, there were adapted parts. Since the Paltryon Empire believed only in the one god, Brobate, Apollo was a human, not a god, and the same went for the fairy Daphne.

Apollo was the Emperor of the Empire, and Daphne was the princess of a small border state. And Eros, who shot the arrows of fate at the two, became a noble of the country where Daphne lived and her fiancé.

Apollo, the Emperor, fell in love with Princess Daphne at first sight and courted her, but Daphne was deceived by lies spoken by her fiancé Eros, who was consumed by jealousy, and the relationship between the two deteriorated greatly.

While Apollo was courting Daphne, the King died of an unknown cause, and Eros lied, claiming that Apollo was the culprit.

Because of this, Daphne came to hate Apollo, and their relationship spiraled out of control. Eventually, at the end of the play, Daphne took her own life, bringing the story to a close.

The story, a mix of myth and adaptation, was a cliché, but that made it feel even sadder and more beautiful. For some reason, it felt as though it touched upon something related to Leches, the foundation of this world.

If Apollo were Gail and Daphne were Clope, it almost seemed to make sense. Their statuses were similar, and they shared the commonality of a love that could never be fulfilled.

Of course, Clope did not hate Gail and longed for him until the [stolen content][stolen content]day she died. Thinking of it that way, who was Eros? Was it me? Euro muttered to himself.

Depending on the emotions involved, Apollo could be Melione and Daphne could be Clope.

Although the fact that Apollo loved Daphne passionately was different, they both started with a wrong button fastened due to one person’s manipulation, and Daphne met a tragic death.

‘Either way, Eros is me.’

To be precise, he was Euro Leches, but it was now meaningless to think of himself and Euro Leches as separate entities.

If the author had no intention of killing Clope, who would have been the man she ended up with? Would it have been Melione, who had already married her, or Gail, who longed for her until the end?

If Melione and Clope had not met in such a desperate situation, they might have fallen in love, even if it were an arranged marriage. One never knows what will happen in life.

In any case, Melione was acting quite kindly toward Euro now. That meant that if Clope had approached him first, like Euro did, their relationship might have been different.

In the novel, Melione was frustratingly devoid of emotional expression. He did nothing but constantly push Clope away and showed not even a shred of interest. There were no tears even when she died.

But was that truly because Melione had a nature devoid of blood and tears? Euro began to think that might not be the case. Because the Melione he had experienced was slightly different from the one in the novel.

‘Maybe he just hated the idea of someone dying because of him.’