Agnes and Riel's Music Drama Premiere (1)
Cecilia was gradually adapting to life at the Pantheon.
Attending lectures in the Endia Order was enjoyable, and she'd made some close friends among her peers. And that wasn't all. Ever since signing the contract with the Aiterne Merchant Group, her creations had been selling like hotcakes.
So now I can cover my medicine costs without too much burden... I'm not such a nuisance to my sisters anymore.
Unfortunately, the purifying demon ore's effects weren't holding as well as before. But drugs often built up tolerance, so there was nothing for it.
And she knew her own body best.
The backlash from her failed contract with the demon archduke had been too much even for her dragon physiology, which transcended human limits.
Her dragon heart was already ruined once. Even with medicine, she wouldn't live long.
Still, Cecilia was happy. If she'd stayed in the demon palace, she'd have been confined there, waiting alone for a lonely death.
If I'm going to die anyway... I want to experience all sorts of things like this before I go.
In that sense, her current life was perfect. With some financial breathing room, her days at the Pantheon had become even richer.
Especially the permanent stage in the Hesos Hall of the Hesos Order. Watching the music dramas performed there had become another of her joys.
Lately, she'd grown close to Eirin, Yulian von Reinhardt's exclusive maid, and they'd seen a few music dramas together.
Eirin... and Yulian...
Just thinking of him made her heart race. The other day, when he'd visited her workshop, something strange had happened.
Her chest had pounded like it might burst, her mind filled with thoughts of Yulian. She'd even unconsciously called him "oraboni."
Her whole body had felt like its blood was boiling—an intense reaction that made even the horns hidden by her dwarven magic tool twitch.
She'd wondered if it was a side effect of her crumbling dragon heart or poison in her teacup, but it was clearly different from that pain.
My chest felt stuffy... kind of painful, kind of ticklish...
Cecilia knew what that feeling was.
It was her first time experiencing it, but according to the vast knowledge she'd accumulated in the demon palace, it was unmistakably the reaction of falling in love.
She'd read countless human romance novels, so she couldn't be mistaken.
Yulian... he's so kind and wonderful...
To humans, Cecilia was a commoner girl with an incurable illness, one who required a lot of care.
Yet he had recognized her hidden talent and supported her—like a northern noble straight out of a romance novel.
Even as a dragon, Cecilia, who longed for human life, had fallen hard.
But there was something puzzling.
I'm not human, though... No matter how much I like him, there shouldn't be such a physical reaction...
Dragons loved, of course.
But dragon love differed from humans'. They instinctively recognized partners with ideal physical compatibility and went into heat only for them.
Yet Count Yulian was unmistakably human—from the Reinhardt family, the pinnacle of human nobility. It was strange.
I'm not some lust dragon...
There were dragons who built harems for fun without heat, but she wasn't one.
Maybe after over a year in human society, I've become more human? And with my dragon heart crumbling... it could be.
She rationalized it for a moment, then shook her head vigorously.
With her life so short, even a dragon's cold rationality didn't want to overthink it.
If her heart went to him, she could just like him and cherish him inwardly.
I probably won't ever get romantically involved with him... but liking him in secret is my freedom.
She did want to court him openly, too. That's why she'd engraved the special rune "will" on the imperial sword he'd commissioned.
That rune also meant "family" and "oraboni." It was her secret wish to be with him like that.
Unrequited love... should be fine, right?
By human standards, Yulian was the perfect man.
His family was second only to the imperial house in the empire. In Essemont territory, his grandfather wielded near-imperial authority.
And his looks were flawless. Dragons' standards of beauty differed slightly from humans', but...
From others' reactions, Yulian was clearly a dashing young noble straight out of a romance novel.
Lucia-unnie... Eirin... and even Chloe... their eyes lit up when they looked at him.
It was their misfortune that he wasn't a demon.
In demon culture, the strong could take as many mates as they wanted.
But in the Holy Empire's customs, even polygamy had restrictions. Plus, Yulian had a fiancée—the Third Princess, no less.
Cecilia was friends with Lucia and Eirin, so she wanted to root for them. But...
For some reason, Chloe...
She didn't hate her much, but she couldn't bring herself to cheer for her and Yulian.
She was her employer now, but she'd tried to rope her into a shady contract close to a scam. She seemed cunning.
That was when the workshop door opened. A customer had arrived.
"Welcome! This is Cecilia's workshop..."
She called out energetically, but her breath gave out, stretching the end. The visitor didn't mind and approached with a greeting.
"Hello, Cecilia!"
The silver-haired lady unfolded her fan with a haughty tone. It was Chloe.
***
Cecilia said in surprise.
"Tickets to the premiere of Agnes and Riel's... music drama?"
And just moments ago, she'd felt guilty for thinking ill of Chloe—the proposal was that generous.
"Of course. Cecilia, it's the premiere tickets for that music drama all the rage among Pantheon's female cadets lately. I came to give them to you."
Chloe placed the tickets on the parlor table. Bearing the symbol of Hesos, god of arts, they were unmistakably genuine.
"Something this precious... you're really giving it to me?"
The Hesos Hall of the Hesos Order had a permanent performance hall. Open not just to cadets but to the imperial capital's citizens.
Pantheon cadets got discounted access to concerts and plays as a welfare perk.
But a music drama premiere is different!
The capital's most popular shows were music dramas.
Established by bard Riel before the Great War, they blended theater and music into spectacle-filled performances.
Premieres held special meaning. They weren't just first shows.
They dedicated new arts to Hesos, proving faith.
Since Cardinal Grius and the Central Order seized power, cultural arts in the capital faced heavy censorship.
Private premieres were fine, but public runs differed.
Public performances change a lot from the premiere.
Thus, premieres stayed private, open only to the performing troupe's affiliates.
Occasionally, a few personal guests were allowed—connections mattered. Tickets for hot premieres fetched premiums, but were hard to get.
Especially for something special like this—the value soared.
"Of course, our Aiterne Merchant Group is the troupe's biggest patron. That's how we got them. This premiere is huge buzz. A music drama about Saintess Agnes and bard Riel's romance! Exciting, isn't it?"
Chloe was right. She briefly explained the background.
The great saintess Agnes, recorded in history, fell for a mysterious bard and bore his child.
From prestigious Reinhardt blood, their only son was the legitimate heir—Yulian, naturally.
"But bard Riel vanished just before the Great War. Rumors say... furious Grand Duke Wilhelm assassinated the bard who got his daughter pregnant. Mysterious figure, that Riel."
Back to the music drama. It was based on testimonies from actors and musicians who'd worked with Riel then.
"Um... Chloe, I already know the story. And how precious these premiere tickets are... You're really giving them to me with no strings attached?"
Even as she spoke, Cecilia slyly pulled the tickets toward her.
Suspicious offer, but she couldn't refuse.
Agnes and Riel... Yulian's parents.
She loved music dramas already. And with Yulian filling her thoughts lately, a story about his parents?
An uncensored premiere... might give me conversation topics with Yulian.
Maybe create a chance to get closer, beyond mere patronage.
Devil's temptation... no, angel's. She'd take it.
"Naturally. Strings? Hmm. Well, your recent profits for Aiterne have been massive. So, a no-strings gift. And not just the tickets—another present too!"
With that, Chloe subtly pitched joining the Imperial Capital Artificers' Union.
Couldn't fully trust the marchioness's daughter. But Cecilia couldn't think straight.
I won't live long anyway. Even if it's shady... I'll play along till I die.
As she gripped the tickets and nodded—
Another visitor entered the workshop. Unexpectedly, Count Yulian.
***
"Hmph. I see."
I sat with legs crossed at the parlor table. Across from me: Cecilia and Chloe.
After hearing the story, I could guess. Chloe seemed to value Cecilia even higher now.
The last contract wasn't enough, huh.
I'd verified Cecilia's skill myself. Not just my imperial sword, but Lucia's gift sword too—top performance.
Her weapons were buzzing at the Pantheon. Even outsiders marveled at her products.
Trying to bind Cecilia with a new pretext.
Imperial Capital Artificers' Union. Supposedly a guild for notable artificers.
"Ordinary artificers can't even get in. But for you, Cecilia—and connected to Count Yulian—we're making a special offer."
But it was Chloe. Couldn't trust it. Aiterne influence surely permeated the guild.
Joining meant no escape from her grasp.
Not happening.
I snatched the tickets from Cecilia and handed them back to Chloe.
"Oh? You don't want Cecilia seeing the show, Count? It was pure goodwill. She'd lose nothing refusing. But..."
Chloe's gaze shifted to Cecilia, shaking the tickets before her eyes.
Platinum-haired frail beauty Cecilia. Regret filled her golden eyes.
She gazed at the tickets like a chick missing its mother.
"Cecilia seems to want them, though? As you know, Count, money can't buy these non-sale items."
Bard Riel was hailed as Hesos's apostle by arts folk and Pantheon affiliates.
The uncensored premiere was faith-proof beyond normal—and dedicated to Riel.
"Even Princess Lilia couldn't demand them. We got one through long trust with the troupe."
Using such pricey bait. She planned to milk Cecilia hard.
Probably to solidify her heir position at Aiterne.
I stopped Cecilia reaching for the shaken tickets.
As her golden eyes welled with regret again, I pulled an identical ticket from my pocket.