chapter 20
But the director, lost in his own thoughts, murmured on without even remembering that the person across from him was Lord Damian of Matap.
“You know, that director tried a lot of new staging techniques. After he appeared, people say the theater world’s balance changed. You probably know — he even did that famous piece, The Thirteenth Knight.”
Hearing that, I had an idea who he meant.
But was it really something to say in front of Lord Damian of Matap?
Damian, who was standing next to me, replied matter-of-factly.
“Indeed, his direction was often experimental. Even when I was young and didn’t know much, I watched it in wonder.”
“Ah, childhood… ugh!”
The director, who had been absent-minded, suddenly seemed to realize who was standing before him.
“I failed to pay attention. I’m sorry, I’m sorry!”
He turned ashen and apologized to Lord Damian, insisting it hadn’t been intentional.
He must have remembered belatedly that Lord Damian had left his family for some unpleasant reason.
Compared to the flustered man, Lord Damian wore a calm expression.
“It’s in the past.”
He answered, and fortunately Lord Damian didn’t seem offended.
At least that’s how it looked at the time.
“…….”
Throughout the rest of the conversations with the others, Lord Damian barely spoke.
He wasn’t naturally very outgoing or talkative.
But now — how to put it — he seemed somehow low-spirited.
“Lord Matap, you look gloomy.”
I waited until the others had moved off and stepped beside him, lowering my voice.
“You’re too young to be walking around with a face like that.”
Lord Damian was silent for a long moment, then replied in a dry voice.
“It would be odd to be smiling all the time.”
“That’s true, but I can’t help worrying.”
“No need. I’m not the sort of person who has their head in the clouds like Polius.”
I snorted. Lord Damian had just quoted back to me what he’d said about Polius when I first came to see him.
“Still, Polius doesn’t go around grinning like before, does he? I think the two of us had something to do with that.”
I turned my head away from Lord Damian and deliberately used a light tone.
“Let’s succeed. Let’s succeed so much that no one can deny it.”
After all, we were on the same ship.
If Lord Damian sulked and lost motivation, it would hurt me too.
But I’m not very good at consolation, so I wasn’t sure if my intent really got through.
“All right.”
Lord Damian replied curtly, nothing more.
But perhaps I was exaggerating when I thought his hesitation had disappeared on the way back.
Well, he seems to have settled his mind somewhat.
I hoped he would work hard from now on. Until the Black Moon did well.
Seeing Damian like that, I walked on with a much lighter heart.
After finishing the work on site, Damian and I had to return to the Matap to deliver a few proposals and some filming equipment.
But as we passed the entrance to the Matap, we ran into an unwelcome face.
“……Good day. The two representatives have come in together.”
It was Wizard Printz — the one who had voiced opinions about the video division’s quality at the general meeting.
“The weather’s nice today. Did you two go on a date? Are you engaged?”
If it had been anyone else, that comment would have rolled off, but coming from him it sounded like he was implying I’d seduced Lord Damian into my pocket.
We’re not engaged — we only attended the ball together as partners.
And as a Matap wizard, he shouldn’t be unaware of that.
Someone who could handle this situation stepped up on his behalf. Lord Damian’s expression hardened immediately.
“If you have time for useless chatter, do the job you were entrusted with.”
He spoke briskly — where they had been, what we had been doing — no extra words, clear and cutting.
Wizard Printz immediately surrendered to that short rebuke.
“I- I’m sorry.”
……We’re both representatives, yet why does he treat Damian and me so differently?
Well, nothing serious for now.
We only brushed past each other today; there won’t be more face-to-face contact.
It’s more efficient to ignore petty scratches.
That was what I thought then.
This was the period when I believed Printz was merely twisted in temperament but basically sensible.
The Beldert troupe’s staging of The Thirteenth Knight was the most beloved play in the Empire’s history.
It captured both artistic merit and public appeal, and it was even widely known abroad — uniquely so. Even more than a decade later, it retained that fame.
It was the work that sparked a theater boom in an empire where performance culture had been underdeveloped.
Because of that fame, the Beldert troupe occupied one of the Empire’s most prime pieces of real estate.
Although the incompetent current Count Beldert had, since his installment, visibly let the estate decline, their image remained decent for that very reason.
The prestige of The Thirteenth Knight had once lifted the entire family into prominence.
But did the Beldert count treat the troupe well? Not at all.
While his father was at the estate, the one who managed the Beldert troupe was Polius.
Although technically a deputy troupe master, he had largely been idle, living like a dandy without much to do…
“Melanie and Damian are getting into the theater business?”
“W-well, we have to go now.”
“Don’t change the subject. Do you think anything they do will succeed?”
When he called the busy production staff together to satisfy his petty curiosity, he was very enthusiastic about it.
“We don’t really know.”
“What do you mean you don’t know? Don’t tell me you’re taking Damian’s side? Where did you hear Melanie and Damian signed a contract and why are you talking about it like that?”
“I- I’m sorry.”
“Why apologize in the first place?”
Polius, having dropped by the troupe after a while, overheard the staff’s chatter.
Because of the topic, he grabbed them and had no intention of letting them go.
“Why aren’t you answering? Do you still think Damian is some timid young master or something?”
Polius folded his arms and laughed.
When he refused to release them, the production staff had no choice but to speak up.
“Turning a play into a video project… we’re not experts, but it’s not a field that beginners should jump into lightly.”
It was a general statement with the subject omitted. Polius laughed until his head tilted back.
“Haha, right? What do those two really know! Damian… he’s gone crazy trying to beat me. When he left the family, and now he jumps into the family’s theater field?”
He was sure Damian was doing this because he was conscious of Polius — poking at Melanie with talk of engagements and such.
He had always treated Polius like roadside trash; now he was desperately trying to outdo the Beldert family — or Polius himself.
I was annoyed with those two who humiliated me at the ball, but if I leave them be, won’t they ruin themselves?
With the Belderts running the troupe, comparisons would be inevitable.
They’d waste money and lose their reputation; the losses would be huge.
And in high society, a few well-placed words could drive the rumor home.
