‘How could she…’

For a moment, a great bewilderment spread, overwhelming even the feeling of gratitude.

The interlude that Ariana was freely improvising blended perfectly with the song.

So much so that even Rosalyn, who had sung this song dozens of times, didn’t notice at first.

Moreover, it was beautiful enough to be mesmerizing.

If not for this situation, she would have surely been lost in appreciation.

‘Is it possible to improvise at this level?’

While continuing such an amazing performance, Ariana occasionally glanced at Rosalyn.

With a calm gaze that never rushed, as if saying to speak whenever she was ready.

“…”

No one, not even Mark who had been her lover, had ever shown Rosalyn such consideration.

It might be closer to say they didn’t have the skill to do so.

Rosalyn barely swallowed the hot feeling that welled up.

‘I have to sing.’

Fortunately, her voice had settled much more than before. Now she felt confident she could handle the climax.

Steeling herself, she gave a nod, and Ariana, understanding, lowered her beautiful eyelashes and continued playing.

The music once again approached its climax.

The audience, who had been lost in a daze with bewildered faces at the unfamiliar melody, began to expect the familiar once more and their eyes lit up.

Rosalyn finally opened her mouth.

“I’ll never regret again, for only I will be by your side!”

An explosive melody burst forth from her lips.

After a brief silence, the audience began to applaud enthusiastically in unison.

Clap clap clap clap!

Amidst the applause that sounded like thousands of birds chirping, Rosalyn smiled happily.

“Wow, I was completely captivated. Who’s the singer? Not only her tone, but her vocal power is no joke.”

“Indeed. Isn’t that an extremely high note that would be difficult to handle unless you’re a soprano like Elena of the Lopez family? She seems to be a newcomer, but she’s amazing.”

“But about ‘On Possession’. Was it originally such a song?”

“No, I think it was arranged a bit? I was surprised by how different it was, but I really liked it.”

“Oh, me too! I was taken aback at first because the interlude was so long, but that part keeps ringing in my ears. Ah, I wonder if there’s anywhere else performing this arranged version?”

“By the way, who was the accompanist?”

“Well, judging by the build, it’s definitely not a man but a lady… But her face was completely covered by a cloak, so I can’t tell beyond that.”

The initially empty audience seats were now bustling.

People’s gazes lingered on the stage. They seemed to want to speak to those responsible for the auditory feast.

However, as soon as Rosalyn finished her greeting, she immediately turned around and rushed in one breath to Ariana, who was getting up from the piano bench.

“Lo-Lopez!”

Ariana turned to face Rosalyn.

Rosalyn inwardly sighed in relief. It seemed she had addressed her correctly.

‘Surely, my benefactor said she was the one who created ‘On Possession’.’

Although Rosalyn had never touched an expensive opera house ticket, she knew the name of the rising main composer of the opera house these days from hearsay.

If her memory served her right, that name was definitely…

“You’re Edward Lopez, right?”

“…”

‘No. Anyone can see that’s not the case.’

Ariana faced Rosalyn’s sparkling face with a blank stare.

Edward was clearly a male name, even if viewed sideways. This young lady was excessively unprejudiced.

Ariana laughed softly, as if sighing, and said,

“My name is Ariana Lopez.”

“Ah, uh…?”

Rosalyn’s mouth fell open blankly. It seemed to be a name she was hearing for the first time.

Of course, that was to be expected.

Ariana’s name had never once come before the names of Edward the composer and Elena the soprano.

Thinking this, Ariana turned her head and froze in place.

Far away, leaning askew against the doorway, a man was watching her.

“…”

The moment their eyes met, it felt as if all the sounds in the world had disappeared.

Rosalyn’s voice, the murmuring of people, all of it.

In the silence, Ariana slowly inhaled.

‘Since when?’

While blankly pondering such a question, she simultaneously felt she knew the answer.

When a soprano is brilliantly dominating the stage in front, attention usually doesn’t turn to the accompanist.

But Ariana could feel it throughout her performance. The weight of that persistent gaze trailing along her cheek.

It was different in texture from the curious glances occasionally thrown at an accompanist.

‘It was that person, from the beginning.’

As soon as she realized this, Ariana’s fingertips subtly stiffened.

A tension she had never experienced before, even under the gaze of the audience or Rosalyn’s sparkling eyes that looked at her as if seeing a mentor, crept up her spine.

‘He must have been gauging.’

Whether my skills would be worth the price he agreed to pay.

He must have been comparing throughout with those eyes tinged with blood.

And after listening to the song to the end, he must have finally reached a conclusion.

‘What kind of conclusion would it have been?’

Step.

Cutting through her thoughts, the man suddenly began to move.

As he strode with wide steps, people who recognized Dante hurriedly cleared the way.

Dante passed through the center as if it were only natural, instantly reaching right in front of me.

The presence that was felt even from afar made my heart instinctively constrict when it arrived right before my eyes.

Trying not to show it, Ariana gave a light bow.

In response, Dante lifted the corner of his mouth slightly.

“Composers often take sopranos as their muses, I hear.”

His low voice fell without warning.

Raising her head at the sudden words, Ariana saw Dante lightly jerking his chin to the side.

“Is it that woman? The muse you’ve discovered.”

In the direction Dante had indicated was Rosalyn.

Who was staring up at him mindlessly with her mouth agape, as if her soul had left her body.

…Although she showed somewhat naive and clumsy aspects now, she was a talent who would become a top-class soprano in five years.

As Ariana slowly nodded, Dante smiled faintly.

“You used my space to promote your singer.”

Ariana gently bit her lip.

That was correct.

If the goal had been simply to discover Rosalyn, it would have been easier to just generously provide her with an inn room and buy her meals to gain her favor.

Yet, the reason for deliberately taking the stage and even playing the piano was for a different purpose.

Because she wanted to start making Rosalyn’s name known from now on.

It was a calculation that it would be much easier to build at least a minimal reputation if she was to become a soprano rivaling Elena in the near future.

“I’m sorry for performing without permission. If you were displeased…”

“No.”

The low voice cut off her words abruptly.

“…Pardon?”

Instead of answering, Dante leaned down. Slowly, but at a speed from which there was no escape.

Before long, a large hand cupped Ariana’s cheek.

The heat touching her cheek felt terribly surreal.

‘…Again.’

The distance closing without hesitation, as if it were only natural.

Ariana only then discovered things she hadn’t seen from afar.

For instance, the strange shadows undulating beyond those red eyes, like suspended particles of emotion.

Dark and dry, perhaps like a suppressed thirst…

“Use everything you can from me.”

Dante slowly opened his lips and whispered.

“I intend to use you to the fullest as well.”

The voice seeping into her ear was as distant as a devil’s.

“…”

Ariana realized a beat late that strong arms were lifting her body.

Her lightly lifted body settled onto the piano.

“…Ah.”

Ariana’s eyes blinked slowly, unable to adjust to the suddenly changed view.

Dante, who had taken his place opposite her, approached with a slight curl of his lips.

Ariana thought that the heaviness of the arm wrapping around her waist, the firmness of the fingers digging into her hair, were all too surreal.

“Huk…”

The sound of Rosalyn inhaling sharply.

“W-What?”

“My goodness, the Duke is…”

“Who’s his partner?”

The exclamations of people all felt hazy like a dream.

Ariana held her breath. The head tilting down obliquely felt dreamy, as if from another world.

A scent she had smelled once before rushed in.

Ariana unconsciously squeezed her eyes shut. It was too much.

The man’s thick scent, the heat touching her, the firmness of his skin, everything.

“How is it, Lopez.”

Dante whispered. At a distance where their lips would touch with just the slightest movement.

“Are you still not afraid?”

At that voice, Ariana unwittingly opened her eyelids again.

The man was smiling.

Leisurely and languidly, as if all this were nothing more than a tasteless joke.

But Ariana, trapped between the piano and the man’s body, could barely even breathe properly.

‘…I feel like I’m going to be devoured.’

The solid body blocking her front like a wall, the unfamiliar scent filling her lungs, made such an irrational thought occur.

At the same time, she thought.

‘This too is an extension of the test.’

Today was the day she came to sign the contract.

If she hadn’t completely passed this man’s test yet, she must never show any weakness.

Ariana forced her eyes wide open and slowly opened her mouth.

“…Yes. Not at all.”

Ariana confirmed that her voice didn’t waver by Dante’s reaction.

The man who had slightly raised one eyebrow as if surprised soon chuckled and murmured lowly.

“A formidable opponent.”

“…”

Ariana felt her mouth oddly going dry.

Her heart was beating unusually fast and her throat was parched.

Was it because the gazes of everyone present were all fixed on them, making the back of her head feel hot?

“I’d like to make you pay for your impudence, but…”

The lips that had been moving teasingly close suddenly rose upwards.

Then, a warmth bordering on heat pressed against her forehead.

“Well, we’re still engaged for now.”

After lightly kissing her white forehead, Dante smiled faintly.

Thinking that the feeling of those green eyes, always calm and composed, now wide like a startled deer as they faced him, wasn’t too bad.

Ariana blankly watched as Dante gently pressed his thumb against her lips.

“Let’s see after we’re married.”

The man smiled as he whispered briskly.