Chapter – 13
The next morning.
I went downstairs looking like a complete mess.
It was the aftereffect of having practiced all night until dawn. I keenly felt that if I wanted to continue the performances for the remaining period, I had to take care of my body.
‘If I, the lead actress, catch a cold and lose my voice—.’
I didn’t even want to think about it. Still, among those terrible actors, I was the best, relatively speaking. Even though if I were among modern professional actors right now, I’d probably struggle quite a bit.
‘I have to go today and make them practice the parts they messed up yesterday.’
As I forced my drooping eyes open and tried to stuff bread into my mouth, my head felt complicated. The thought of having to endure watching their terrible acting again with my own eyes… ‘I want to buy new eyeballs.’ Of course, only if I had the money.
Moving the actors costs money, installing the lights costs money, the stage costumes and props all cost money. And then yesterday, that damned Leo Pier guy went and tore Juliet’s dress.
‘I lost control of my strength.’ Was the scene we acted a battle scene, not a kissing scene?
‘This is all your fault, Master.’ At Leo’s words, which sounded almost like he was throwing a tantrum, I was left speechless. What kind of guy says that?
But I had no regrets. The kiss during the curtain call… Well, while there was a slightly impulsive aspect to it, it was largely a strategic choice. A fun and lively play? Sure, that’s good. It would probably generate word-of-mouth and sell tickets steadily. But that alone doesn’t give people something to talk about. To use a more popular term, ‘aggression’ (aguro).
All art needs something to attract people’s attention. A beautiful, perfect play makes people watch it and leave kind reviews, but unless it attracts people who were already likely to see our play, it doesn’t secure a larger audience. If people have something to chew on and discuss, word spreads, and even people who don’t normally watch plays come to see it. Of course, if the aggression harms the artistic quality, that’s no good. For example, controversies about the lead actor’s bad acting.
The best forms of aggression are moderately intense kiss scenes, shocking reveals, satisfying slaps in the face (like “kimchi ssadaegi” – a Korean idiom for a sharp slap), and such. And I chose the kiss scene from among those.
Of course, I hated physical contact terribly, but from my position of needing to make this play a success to lessen my death flags even a little, I wasn’t in a position to be picky. ‘It was closer to rubbing lips than a kiss.’ In a life where I could count on one hand the number of hugs I’d had with anyone, let alone kisses, attaching any meaning to pressing my mucous membranes against someone else’s was impossible, but it still felt strange. The fact that the other person probably felt similarly made it even more so. Seeing Leo’s face contorted with shame, I even felt a little sorry. ‘I stole this guy’s first kiss, which should have gone to the heroine.’
In the original story, Leo Pier pretended to be a playboy to push the heroine away, but it was described in detail that the kiss with the heroine was his first. But just as I was thinking that, Leo suddenly swallowed my lips first. Yes, ‘swallowed’ is the most accurate description. I knew in theory that kissing involved mixing a part of each other’s flesh, but I didn’t know it was an act that felt so much like consuming each other. While we were mixing our flesh, Leo was fully immersed. I just knew. Through his breathing, his scent, the very subtle vibrations. Because we were acting. It was an extreme communion only actors immersed in their roles could feel. His profile, and my profile, must have certainly attracted a lot of aggression from everyone.
‘The mad princess kissed on stage!’ The news must have spread all over town.
During the first performance, the auditorium was only about two-thirds full for the box seats. Saying two-thirds sounds okay, but the capacity of box seats in this era was excessively large; if filled completely, it would be 300 seats. So, no matter how cheap the tickets were, the Count must have made a tidy profit. On top of that, while box seats were cheap, the balcony seats, mainly for nobles, cost up to 10 times more, so it was a profitable venture. However, since these people came more to see the face of the Duchy’s mad princess rather than to see a ‘play’, I heard that pre-sales rates dropped sharply from the second performance onward.
But if my ‘aggression’ had properly taken hold, then the remaining performances could sell out at the same level as the first one. Word of mouth is a powerful thing. Then… couldn’t he give me a bit more generous support funds? Those actor guys must have gone all soft after yesterday’s performance, so I need to feed them something before we start.
Even in modern South Korea, where plays don’t make money, we at least fed the actors plentiful, delicious food during productions, even if we couldn’t pay them much. I glanced at the Count sitting across the spacious table.
“Um…” Even though I’m saddled with an enormous debt, bringing up money feels very awkward. With an uncomfortable expression, I changed the subject. “Have you thought about the annulment?”
Of course, he must have. The answer would be yes. The Count also saw the play yesterday, so he must clearly know that my play is likely to be a hit. So now he’d be less worried about me taking the money and running, he wouldn’t have to worry about being the only one getting criticized if the play’s content becomes gossip in social circles, and overall, the justification for the annulment is perfect. My head was so full of worries about the play that I wasn’t really that interested in this obvious answer.
“No. I haven’t thought about it.”
“Huh?”
If that’s the answer, then things are a bit different, aren’t they?
“I’ve been thinking about something else. How to make more money with this play.”
“Still, could you find some time to think about our annulment too…”
“The entire nation is very interested in the jewel you possess. Are you aware of that?”
For some reason, Arno’s gaze, which seemed to carry a hint of venom, was directed at me. The jewel.
“Ah, you mean that one? That incredible jewel I’m supposed to have bought by robbing my grandfather’s safe before he died?” I was well aware of the rumors circulating the Empire. Of course, it’s true that this mad princess indulged in luxury by summoning jewelers even while her grandfather was on his sickbed, but the claim that the amount was equal to the Duchy’s annual budget is an exaggeration. Besides, I didn’t have a single proper jewel in my possession now. I couldn’t bring them when I fled the Ducal estate as if being chased by debt collectors.
“That jewel…”
“This is that jewel.”
“What?”
I looked at the sapphire necklace and the dress densely studded with jewels that Arno presented with a firm voice. I was confused. This is mine? Did he steal my jewels and dresses from the Ducal estate and bring them out?
“I don’t remember buying something like this…”
“Of course you wouldn’t. You didn’t buy it. I did. I recently bought a sapphire mine in the south. I plan to hire a few craftsmen and open a jewelry store in the capital myself. It will also double as a dress shop.”
But why is he giving this to me? Feeling a thought flash through my mind, I waited for his next words.
“Wear this on stage.”
My premonition was right. So, if I wear this and appear on stage, it will naturally serve as promotion. From my modern perspective, it’s old-fashioned, but from the perspective of someone living in this era—
“That’s creative?”
“……”
“You’re really sharp in this area, Count.”
I was honestly impressed. Right now, I am the subject of the entire Empire’s attention. While creating <Romeo and Juliet>, I said I would overlay the image of Juliet, an unfortunate adolescent girl, over my image as the mad princess, but that was an attempt to gain at least a slight pardon. Even so, the perception of me as a luxurious and vicious woman is too deeply ingrained to be easily erased from people’s minds. I only left room for people to ‘consider thinking differently’ through the play. Simultaneously, I decided to try to soften my image to that of a ‘charismatic villain’, even if they still hate me the same. In that situation, this luxurious woman appears on stage wearing a large sapphire? Everyone will wonder where she got that sapphire.
The public’s hatred is such a double-edged sword. They hate me, but they still want to copy everything I do, don’t they?
“So, what do I get out of this?”
Convinced that this PPL (Product Placement) would work very well, I switched gears. Authoritatively. ‘I can act like this a bit.’ It means that the Count wants to involve my play in his business because he finds it entertaining enough.
“I’ll give you money. 5 million Derrc.”
“20 million Derrc.”
I said with a light laugh.
“10 million.”
“Let’s make it 30 million.”
“Why are you increasing it?”
The Count’s brow furrowed.
“Because my value is skyrocketing at this very moment. Tell me, Alfredo. How many tickets for <Romeo and Juliet> have been sold now?”
At my words, Alfredo, who had a ‘are they fighting again?’ look on his face, hesitated as he answered.
“Um… well…”
It must have sold a lot.
“It’s completely sold out.”
That’s a bit surprising. I turned my head to look at Alfredo.
“Today’s performance?”
“No. Not that. All performances, for all showtimes, are completely sold out.”
…?
I pursed my lips as much as possible to avoid showing my surprise. The reaction is hotter than I expected.
