Chapter 51
The Forest Troupe was performing a new play featuring Leuké, and the audience response was phenomenal. Merchandise sales were through the roof as well. Everyone was clamoring to see Leuké.
What’s more, ever since she had gained confidence, Leuké had blossomed like a flower. If before she had simply been pretty but a little awkward, now she radiated her charm so naturally that the reaction was explosive.
“Ah, Lady Leuké, if you keep smiling like that, I won’t live long!”
“Oh my. Then I should stay cold and distant.”
“No way! That would be even worse for my poor heart—it would explode!”
“Will you be coming to the audience meeting?”
“Of course! Of course!”
Even after the show ended, when the actors made brief appearances, Leuké received the most attention by far. Her timing of joining had been perfect—had she joined earlier, when Forest wasn’t yet well-known and the other actors hadn’t built up solid popularity, they might have felt slighted.
“Today was amazing again.”
“I’m just grateful, really. I’m nothing special.”
“You’re still saying that? When you’re out front, smiling with your eyes and everything!”
“Ugh, you’re heavy, Anna!”
Anna pressed down on Leuké’s back with her weight.
“You stole all the cute girls from me!”
“You’re more popular with women than Shion, what are you even talking about?”
“Both of you, cut it out. You’re annoying me.”
Shion deliberately pulled a sulky face. When the troupe had been performing plays with princes and knights as leads, Alex and Shion’s popularity had been sky-high. But once Leuké joined, and Anna and Leuké starred in a dual female-lead play, the entire landscape shifted. Of course, the one who wrote that play had been Shion himself.
“You’re the one who made it that way, Shion.”
I nudged him, and he exaggerated a shrug.
“Exactly. That’s why my feelings are complicated.”
The audience event—the fan meeting—was the very next day. As the date approached, Leuké grew more excited, though I could see some nervousness underneath it too. She seemed to talk more and act bigger because of her tension, but I didn’t tell her to calm down or not to worry. That was just part of her mood right now.
“Are you guys busy after this? I feel like hanging out.”
Leuké looked around at the troupe. Anna shook her head.
“I have to emcee another actor’s event tomorrow.”
“Ugh, honestly, I’m just too nervous about tomorrow!”
I linked arms with Leuké.
“I’ll escort our princess home.”
“Ah, come on, just a little! I just want to have dinner together before going!”
“No. You’ll eat at home and get to bed early.”
“Hahaha, Lady Melias is so strict, it’s reassuring.”
“This is tyranny!”
“Yes, yes.”
I pulled Leuké away with me. Though reluctant, she didn’t really resist—she hadn’t actually planned to party anyway.
“Please step into the carriage.”
“Ah, Melias. I’m so nervous.”
“All the tickets are sold. Why be nervous?”
“What if I say something weird? Like, what if they come to see me but end up hating me? Like, ‘She was cool acting on stage, but in person she’s boring and ordinary’?”
“Oh, come on. You know that won’t happen.”
Leuké shook her head.
“I know, I know! But my mind keeps spiraling.”
“Then stop thinking.”
“How do you even do that~!”
The whole carriage ride home, Leuké spilled out nearly delusional worries, buzzing with tension and excitement. But once we got home, she seemed drained and half-asleep.
“Ugh, I’m so tired. Good thing I didn’t go out. Melias, I’ll sleep first.”
“I knew it. Goodnight.”
“Bye bye.”
Leuké disappeared into her room. I went straight to wash up.
The truth was, I was nervous too. This was Leuké’s first solo event. Her achievement, yes, but mine too. I wanted to see with my own eyes the fans who came for her, and how she met them. More than that, I wanted to see Leuké receive that overflowing affection and energy.
“And after that, how happy will she be?”
I could already imagine her smiling radiantly, telling me that now she truly knew people’s love for her was real.
The next day dawned clear and bright. Leuké had slept well and looked refreshed. Our maids, in charge of her styling, dressed her to perfection, and we laughed together all the way to the venue. I’d heard Anna was already there early, preparing. Everything seemed perfect.
But when we arrived, something felt wrong. The tickets had all sold out, yet barely half the seats seemed filled.
“This is… strange.”
We had rented a theater more than twice the size of Forest’s, expecting the crowd. But the audience that had gathered looked anxious, not excited.
“Looks like a lot of people dropped out.”
“After last night’s fuss, yeah.”
“Came out of nowhere, didn’t it? But that person looked really miserable.”
“Schacht?”
The whispers carried one word to my ears: Schacht. I couldn’t make sense of it just from eavesdropping. I strained to listen closer, when suddenly Polly spotted me and hurried over.
“Something happened?”
“I’m checking. Seems like it.”
I blinked. Something had happened, yet neither I nor our staff knew what.
“Did you ask the attendees?”
“No. Should I?”
In my past life, I would have just searched the news. But here, I had no such option.
“Pretend you’re a regular fan and ask. Everyone here probably knows my face.”
Polly cleared her throat a few times, then approached the crowd, shyly. She didn’t even need to act—she naturally looked like a theater geek. She hesitantly asked some of the fans, and I sidled closer to overhear.
“Hello… you came to see Actress Leuké too?”
“Ah, yes.”
“Me too! It’s my first time… but, is something wrong? I’m not really up to date on the news…”
“Ah, well. Um. It’s not confirmed! Definitely not.”
One of the women began cautiously—the classic start of a bad rumor: It’s not certain.
“They say, back when Leuké was at Schacht… I don’t know how she ended up leaving, but on her way to Forest, well…”
“Don’t drag it out. The rumor is she betrayed Miss Katia and ruined Schacht. That she made outrageous demands and was horribly arrogant. But we don’t believe it.”
“Eh? This is my first time hearing that. Where did it come from?”
“From a friend. Not in any publication—her friend heard it from someone who used to work at Schacht. Said Leuké treated the workers badly, though not the other actors.”
“So the origin is…”
“When Schacht fell on hard times and laid people off. One of them was crying about it at a tavern last night.”
It hit me like a blow. Of course. Quiet until now, and then suddenly loud the night before our event? I didn’t need to guess—it must have been in the biggest tavern right in the theater district. Timed deliberately.
“If you truly support Leuké, you shouldn’t be swayed by this, right?”
The fan worried Polly might be the kind to abandon Leuké over such talk. But Polly would never—employee or not, she probably loved Leuké more than anyone here.
“Of course!”
“Leuké must be feeling distressed too. We have to stay strong for her!”
“Yes, I know!”
Polly grabbed the stranger’s hand, promising over and over.
“You too—don’t change your heart!”
“I never would!”
Polly’s eyes sparkled, thrilled to meet another devoted fan, and she even got the other girl to promise back.
“Anyway, my friends are over there—”
“Let’s meet inside later!”
“Yes, yes!”
Polly marched back toward the theater, and I hurried after.
“It’s so obviously Schacht’s doing. Should we tell Leuké? Maybe she should say something during the event—just briefly—that these baseless rumors shouldn’t be believed.”
“Keep it short. Then we’ll need something positive to shift focus. First, we just have to make sure she isn’t too shocked.”
I rushed to the waiting room. Leuké, knowing nothing, was still beaming. Anna seemed unaware too. Flowers sent by fans filled the space.
“Melias, how’s it outside?”
Leuké asked innocently.
“Well… you see.”
“Hm?”
“The audience might not be as many as we hoped. Something’s going on outside, but we’re checking.”
“Oh? Is it serious?”
Anna widened her eyes. I hesitated, but remembered what Polly and I had agreed: it was better to acknowledge it briefly, so fans would hear reassurance.
“Schacht spread some bad rumors about you. Just last night.”
“Ah… I thought it was oddly quiet.”
“Just tell them not to worry about baseless rumors. Keep it short.”
Leuké nodded. Then came a knock on the door—Polly peeked in.
“Miss Anna, it’s time!”
“Yes!”
Anna bounded onto stage. The lights went up, her voice carrying into the hall.
“Hello, everyone! I’ll be your host for today’s meeting with Actress Leuké!”
But instead of cheers, the audience was subdued. The applause sounded perfunctory.
They had come to see Leuké, yet the mood was damp. Leuké turned to me, worried.
“Are they angry at me because of the rumor?”
“I don’t think so.”
Anna should have warmed them up with a joke, but the atmosphere was too heavy. She skipped her lines and forced a smile.
“Please welcome her with a big round of applause—Actress Leuké Warren!”
Leuké glanced at me, uncertain if she should go onstage.
“Those who are here still love you. Even with rumors, they want to believe in you. Smile for them.”
Leuké gave me a brave grin, then walked out with a perfect expression.
“Hello, I’m Leuké Warren!”
