Chapter 23
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 23: I Won't Miss You, Only You
‘What… what on earth is that woman?’
‘Is her head filled with flowers or something?’
‘Even if she’s clueless, there should be a limit!’
Clara couldn't hide her bewilderment, not understanding why goodwill returned when she showed malice.
This is the first time since her social debut, at least, that someone flustered her like this.
To Clara Vence, life was fierceness.
She had only thought about stepping on opponents to climb up to receive everyone’s recognition.
Therefore, she doesn't know things like approaching in a friendly manner.
It was always calculated and gauging the opponent.
Naturally, there were two reactions other young ladies showed to such Clara’s behavior.
Either being unpleasant and hostile, or being unpleasant and bowing down.
But she encountered the first opponent in her life who belonged to neither.
Not a man who wants to win her favor… but for a fellow noble young lady to show affection at the first meeting.
Even her followers have never shown affection to Clara.
They utilize her calculatingly because following Clara benefits them.
Otherwise, toward an opponent who approached showing affection abruptly, Clara showed an appearance like a land creature startled and fleeing upon seeing a marine creature for the first time in her life.
“Kugh….”
Somehow she feels like she lost and she doesn't like it.
Gripping the fan in her hand tightly, she resolved that if she met her again next time, she would pay back double the price for flustering her──.
“Ah, you were here.”
“Hick?!”
The reunion with the incomprehensible creature called Noel Grace was far faster than Clara thought.
Before she even had a moment to calm her heart startled by the first-time experience in her life, the culprit appeared again.
The pink color entering her vision.
Clara felt even awe at that pink coming to her side and taking a seat as if it were natural.
‘What is this woman really?’
If someone left the seat like that, she should avoid her out of embarrassment at least; to chase after her like this right away?
Question marks filling her head.
Lately, rumors were circulating that she was favored by the 7th Princess, so she wondered what kind of woman she was, but she was a completely incomprehensible creature.
Whether to call it fortunate, Princess Lydia, who was dragged here, felt the same way about not understanding.
She intended to enjoy the play somewhat cozily with her favorite author….
Suddenly an uninvited guest intruded.
No, in this case, it would be correct to say she was squeezed in rather than intruded.
Noel was on Clara Vence’s right, and Princess Lydia was on her left.
As per Noel’s request, they took seats like this as if besieging her so Clara couldn't run away again.
『I want to become close with Lady Vence. It seems it will help my creative activities too, so please help me, Princess.』
‘Really unfair. If you ask like that, I can’t even refuse.’
Recalling the words Noel requested on the way, Lydia eventually ended up helping.
A top-grade trap mobilized by none other than the Princess.
In this situation, Clara couldn't storm out either, so eventually, she ended up watching the play between Noel and Lydia as if giving up.
‘Just what… is this woman’s purpose?’
Unless there was some scheme, committing such an act was a realm Clara couldn't understand.
So she tries desperately to recall for what purpose Noel is approaching her like this.
Since Clara treats and meets people only calculatingly, naturally she thinks everyone else approaches her for such reasons too.
Well… Noel did have a purpose if one could call it that, but that purpose was different from what Clara was thinking.
Since there was no way for her to know that, Clara watched the curtain rise for the premiere without finding an answer no matter how much she racked her clever brain.
‘Since it became like this, I should make this an opportunity to become close with the Princess using that pink woman as a stepping stone.’
Practicing the saying if you can’t avoid it, enjoy it, Clara schemes to become close with Princess Lydia.
However, Lydia was sulky at the fact that her bias showed interest in Clara, so she was lukewarm whatever Clara said.
At least,
“I’m looking forward to the play.”
“Right?”
She showed a somewhat positive reaction only when talking about the work she liked.
Seeing that appearance, Clara had no choice but to admit the fact that Noel Grace was inevitably necessary to capture Princess Lydia.
It’s frustrating.
Since Clara stood out in painting or music, she didn't think falling behind Noel in writing was a stain on her life or anything like that.
Because she thinks writing isn't exactly her domain.
But faced with this situation, she feels frustrated and jealous.
Why is the Princess so enthusiastic about that woman’s novel, not her paintings or performances?
Not just the Princess.
Others too.
‘「The Bridges of Imperium Town」? What is so fun about such a thing.’ Just as there cannot exist a work that satisfies everyone in the world, unlike others, Clara only thought 「The Bridges of Imperium Town」 was peculiar but didn't get immersed in it to the extent of falling for it. Considering Clara’s family history, her life was spicier than 「The Bridges of Imperium Town」, so her sensibility was different.
When she lives a more stimulating life herself every day, can she be enthusiastic about a fictional soap opera that ultimately cannot beat the ugliness of reality?
So regarding the started play too, it wasn't uninteresting, but she couldn't understand people fluctuating with joy and sorrow at all.
Then,
‘That is…?’
The moment she saw the stage direction that advanced a dimension, it changed.
She still wasn't deeply moved by the story side, but she became impressed with the technical part.
“The background… is moving?”
It was to the extent she muttered aloud forgetting viewing manners.
Matching the play, staff were manually moving the background backstage invisible from the audience seats.
Then it really felt like the actors acting on stage were walking on the streets.
Of course, similar stage devices existed before, but this presented a much richer and more realistic feeling to the audience.
A newly advanced theatrical technique resulting from experts pondering over the idea Noel presented.
That had a very interesting corner for Clara too.
That’s not all.
‘S-She slapped the cheek with pasta?!’
She thought she was going to splash water or something on the face of the cheating woman out of anger.
But the actress playing ‘Elise’ grabbed the pasta as is and slapped the woman cheating with her fiancé with pasta noodles.
This was truly… a development unimaginable.
Not only Clara but also Princess Lydia and other VIPs gaped at the shocking soap opera development without exception.
Amidst that, only Noel,
‘Right. This is the taste I watch soap operas for.’
Was satisfied while regretting the absence of popcorn.
And the devilish charm the play version of 「The Bridges of Imperium Town」 gave started from then.
Is this allowed? Is this okay?
Such unconventional plays filled with directions one might see in morning dramas on Earth let people know the taste of soap operas.
They watch knowing the story obviously because they read the original, and the play’s story goes the same way, but with direction added, the taste is different.
The taste of soap opera, even more intense than imagining while reading the text, made the brains of those with low dopamine resistance boil.
Clara, whose life itself was a soap opera, also found it more interesting watching it as a play than reading it as a novel.
Although not as intense as the Pasta Slap appearing in the introduction, the following directions were all rare.
Like spilling the drink she was drinking as is upon learning the shocking truth.
It’s absurd but… strangely one keeps getting drawn in.
Clara, who said she didn't know why people liked such things, watched the play interestingly as if that was a lie.
Beside such Clara, Princess Lydia also watches the play heading toward the climax with her hands clasped tight.
Eventually revealed relationship between Elise and Rina.
Agonizing Leon.
Accident.
Amnesia.
To put a little difference between the play and the original, the play unraveled stories intentionally omitted in the original novel a bit more.
So even those watching already knowing the original could feel newness sufficiently.
Elise did get amnesia due to the accident.
But that wasn't just because of the shock of the accident, but because she realized not only the hidden birth secret through Rina’s remarks but also the unachievable love between herself and Leon.
It was amnesia resulting from reflecting the heart wanting to forget everything in the face of too painful reality.
Then,
“Goodbye….”
The moment she saw Leon’s face, the buried memories resurfaced.
Like that, the love that was like a midsummer night’s dream ended, and as Elise and Leon went their separate ways, the play came to an end.
The newly devised stage equipment and directing techniques, and unraveling the story intentionally omitted in the original to save the sticky feeling more….
“The saying that there is no good wine at a rumored party didn't apply to 「The Bridges of Imperium Town」 play.”
“Ah, it was a good choice to get the premiere ticket somehow and come!”
“Truly amazing. How on earth could they think of such directions? The direction of dramatic scenes is truly tremendous, isn't it?”
Whether fans or not, a result that satisfied everyone came out.
Amidst thunderous standing ovation, the actors who performed passionately went up on stage and bowed to the audience seats.
Curtain call.
Having watched the play funnily, it would have been nice to go rest now….
“The chief contributor who made today’s play possible is someone else.”
Contrary to Noel’s wish, the director started saying unnecessary things while greeting on stage.
“It is Lady Noel Grace, the original author who wrote 「The Bridges of Imperium Town」 and gave great help in adaptation too.”
In an instant, people’s gazes focused on Noel.
Feeling fatigue rising rapidly at that attention, Noel prayed inwardly.
‘Please let it not be that.’
However, the heavens didn't listen to that prayer.
Is it because her soul is Earth-made?
Or are they telling her not to pray when they are busy with such things?
Whichever it was, the god of this place, Equirion, ignored Noel’s prayer.
“I wish to share this glory. Could the Lady please come up on stage?”
‘Ultimately…!’
I can’t go up.
She wanted to refuse like that if following her heart, but it wasn't the atmosphere for that.
Noel, who sighed slightly,
“I have something to talk about with Lady Clara after this ends. Please don’t let her go anywhere.”
Whispered this request to the Princess’s escort knight Rosalyn and went up on stage.
Gazes focusing again.
Amidst that burdensome yet enjoyable attention, Noel spoke.
“I didn't do anything. The practitioners who made it happen quickly when I said this would be good did well.”
People thought she was humble attributing the credit to subordinates, but Noel was sincere.
What does she know about plays?
She just talked about what she saw on Earth and the troupe people implemented it well.
So it is difficult if they expect some comment regarding the play.
So instead, Noel said this.
“Thank you for loving 「The Bridges of Imperium Town」. Hmm, a new work will be coming out soon, so please give a lot of interest to the new work too.”
Since she went up on stage anyway, she decided to promote the new work.
And naturally, at this remark of Noel, the audience turned upside down.
“Author Homer’s new work… you say?!”
“What?! A new work when it hasn't even been a year since 「The Bridges of Imperium Town」 was published?!”
“We can’t miss this. Definitely the next new work, our Merchant Guild will──!”
A popular author’s new work.
Because they learned of that mouth-watering existence.
Fans and merchants alike had no choice but to turn upside down.