~Chapter 16~
“Unni! Another strong and powerful morning!”
At my booming voice, Peredil’s eyes turned to me.
Not missing that moment, I shot him an unpleasant look. At first, he seemed taken aback, but then, as if responding to my expression, his own face twisted into a deep frown.
“Yeah, thanks for seeing me off!”
But just then, as Luna’s angelic and gentle voice rang out, Peredil hurriedly wiped the expression from his face and turned toward the sound.
Well, well. Look at how naturally his gaze follows.
Of course, Peredil didn’t say anything or acknowledge Luna directly, but he couldn’t take his eyes off her.
He didn’t even seem to realize he was staring at her so intently.
I think I get why Luna finds him burdensome. Anyone would feel pressured being stared at like that.
The attention from the nobles from the capital was all on Peredil, and Peredil’s attention was all on Luna—so Luna kept becoming the center of unwanted attention.
And yet he looks so unaware, like he has no clue how obvious he’s being.
“Unni! I’ll come pick you up again later!”
To keep Peredil from staring at Luna any longer, I shouted once more toward the two who were already walking away.
Oops. I accidentally made eye contact with Peredil. What kind of face should I make this time?
I gave him a look of disgust, like I’d just seen a pair of cockroaches kissing in the middle of the street. Then, with two fingers, I pointed to my own eyes first, and then at him, signaling that I was watching him.
“Hmph…!”
Peredil snorted and quickly turned his head away from me.
I haven’t even truly started provoking you yet. I’ll torment you to the point that you won’t be able to help but squirm. Mwahaha.
***
I officially began accompanying Luna to and from work. Seeing her off at the palace in the morning and greeting her after work became part of my daily routine. At this rate, I could’ve passed for her personal handmaid.
The most important part of my day became growling at Peredil whenever I “happened” to run into him near Luna.
I glared at him so often I was starting to worry one of my eyes would get stuck that way.
It had already been five days of using Luna as an excuse to go in and out of the palace. Today again, I was on my way to greet her after work.
I arrived a bit earlier than usual, and no one had finished their duties yet.
Might as well take a look around the palace—a bit of pre-study before the banquet.
“You may not enter unless you have a scheduled appointment.”
Tch. I was blocked by a very firm-looking royal guard.
I gave up and turned to head back to the carriage, but just then, I locked eyes with Peredil, who was looking out a window.
Oh-ho, so that’s where Peredil’s office is?
As soon as our eye contact ended, Peredil disappeared from the window in a flash.
Lame. I wonder when he’ll finally make the first move.
I decided to quietly wait for Luna to come down. But against my expectations, I suddenly saw Peredil rushing toward me—the very Peredil who had just disappeared from the window moments ago.
Don’t tell me… he vanished because he was coming here?
His face was flushed red and pale in turns, and he had his fists clenched. Seems like today’s the day.
I stood still, ready in both body and mind to face his charge.
Just as he reached me and began to open his mouth—
Without warning, I was yanked sideways by someone else.
It felt like I’d been tackled—but when I came to, it wasn’t quite an attack. It was closer to a hug.
The person’s arms wrapped tightly around me, and their face was hidden beneath a cape.
“Got you at last!”
The stranger’s voice wasn’t just familiar—it was almost welcome.
This voice…
When the figure finally pulled back their cape, their identity was revealed.
A completely unexpected twist—something that would never happen during a performance.
The person who had suddenly barged into this scene between me and Peredil… was Theo, my fellow actor and only friend from Bria.
“Why… are you here?”
Theo didn’t answer my question. Instead, with a wistful expression, he said,
“I missed you, Joyce.”
How many emotions can a person feel all at once?
I was shocked that Theo, who should’ve been in Bria, had appeared here. I was happy to see him again after so long. But at the same time, I was frustrated that he had to show up now—right when the male lead was finally making his move toward me!
Swept up in all those tangled emotions, I couldn’t bring myself to move closer to Peredil or pull away from Theo.
“Come on, let’s go!”
“Huh? Go where?”
Theo didn’t seem interested in waiting for an answer. Before I could catch my breath, I was already being dragged along by his hand.
We only stopped running once we reached a quiet forest path far from the palace.
I was gasping for air from the unexpected sprint, but Theo looked completely unfazed—smiling as bright as ever.
“What brings you to the capital?”
“What else would bring me here?”
“Don’t tell me… you came looking for me?”
“You have no idea how long I’ve been searching for you. I turned the whole empire upside down. The day you disappeared without a word… I honestly thought something had happened to you. I’ve been worried sick. I’m just relieved to see you’re okay.”
So he really did come all the way from Bria just to find me.
Even if the rest of the troupe didn’t know where I’d gone, Theo must’ve been worried sick.
It’s not that I didn’t know Theo would worry. I knew. But I still chose to leave for the capital without telling him a thing.
I couldn’t explain everything and tie it up with a neat little bow. If I had, I wouldn’t have been able to leave Bria—I would’ve been stuck with all my regrets.
“I’m sorry. Everyone must’ve gone through a lot because of me, right? The female lead vanished overnight, right before a performance…”
The guilt I’d been pushing aside began to spill out as tears.
“No, Joyce. I never once blamed you. Sure, I was a little hurt you didn’t say anything to me, but I knew. The Joyce I know would never do something like this without a reason. I believed in you. I knew you weren’t the kind of person to run away irresponsibly.”
Instead of scolding me, Theo’s words made me feel seen—and I finally let the rest of my tears fall freely.
“Feeling a bit better now?”
“Yeah…”
“Then, can you finally tell me why you disappeared?”
After the tearful reunion came… the interrogation.
“Already? Shouldn’t we at least catch up a bit first…?”
I wanted to enjoy the moment a little longer after being apart for so long, but Theo clearly couldn’t hold in his curiosity.
He hadn’t changed one bit since I last saw him. Not the Theo with blond hair and red eyes he’d used on stage, but the real Theo—the one I first met.
His soft, curly brown hair and those big, gentle green eyes that always comforted me—he still had the same pure, lovable puppy-like face.
Except now, that sweet face was glaring at me with surprisingly sharp eyes.
Well… I’d be upset too, if I were him.
Theo was the one who had saved me after I was possessed, my long-time acting partner, and most of all, my closest and most reliable friend.
That’s why—even though I didn’t tell anyone else—I had considered telling Theo everything before I left.
I wrote and rewrote the reasons I was leaving Bria, scribbled and crossed them out again and again… but I couldn’t bring myself to actually give it to him. Because Luna had told me not to tell anyone.
Back then, I really thought I was being thoroughly blackmailed.
Even now, I wasn’t sure whether I should tell Theo the truth or just lie to cover it up.
But… this is Theo. Just like he trusted me, I want to trust him too.
The Theo I know isn’t the type to go around blabbing.
He was always there to listen to me in Bria—my comforting, dependable friend.
I realized I wanted to tell him everything. From the moment I met Luna to everything that had happened since then.
But unlike what I expected, Theo didn’t respond with comforting words.
Instead, he snapped.
“What?! Not only were you blackmailed into seducing the duke, you got adopted into a count’s household too? If something like that was happening, you should’ve told me right away, you idiot!”
