“…What?”

“I think you’re misunderstanding something. While I did offer the contract, you never had a choice to begin with.”

A bored, indifferent voice muttered lowly.

“I know you’re in a desperate situation and need sponsorship, but don’t you realize that plan fell apart the moment I caught on to you?”

The area around Emilia’s eyes gradually reddened. Her trembling lower lip and eyes that seemed to call him a vile human looked precarious, but her slender back remained straight as if it was her last bit of pride. Finally, Emilia clenched her fists and gritted her teeth.

“It doesn’t matter. I’ll stay and conduct the investigation myself.”

“…You?”

Enrico tilted his head slightly and smiled. His eyes, filled with underlying contempt, lazily looked Emilia up and down.

Emilia tightly closed her eyes, overwhelmed by the humiliation coursing through her body. She knew all too well what that condescending gaze meant, as if looking at someone completely ignorant of the ways of the world, which made her feel even more choked up.

Investigations required money and status. The only money she had was barely enough jewels she brought from childhood, which would only be enough to get a place to live and survive for three or four months once she became an adult.

It was an ambiguous amount that was barely enough for her current escape funds, let alone using it for investigation costs.

If she were to ask for an investigation into something that happened not just 1 or 2 years ago, but 7 years ago, they would naturally demand an enormous fee. Especially if it was a request from a woman with no status, they would surely make even more outrageous demands.

The words she had spat out of spite came back to strangle her. If she stayed here, she would be dragged off by her uncle and married off like being sold to a wealthy family. Would she really be able to investigate as she wished in that household?

“…Please.”

Many thoughts flashed through her mind in a short moment. Though the answer to this problem was already clear, her mind became increasingly complicated as she struggled to accept it. So in the end, all she could utter was just this.

“Give me time to think.”

Finally, Emilia simply bowed her head deeply, as if hiding her anguished emotions.

Emilia shook her head vigorously, caught in endless contemplation.

“What’s the use of keep thinking about yesterday’s events? I should be considering what to do from now on.”

Emilia muttered with a sigh as she tucked her disheveled hair behind her ear. While she thought she should obviously accept the contract, the word “sponsorship” gave her pause.

Could someone who treats people like disposable puppets really be satisfied with just dance? It didn’t make sense within Emilia’s common sense. Perhaps influenced by the rumors about sponsorship she occasionally overheard at the art academy, his sponsorship didn’t come across as purely innocent.

Especially the words he revealed at the end as if doing her a favor further fueled her suspicions.

Dancing at his mansion, he said. From what she had heard, those who provide pure sponsorship usually support stage performances and occasionally have meals together, but Enrico’s conditions seemed far too suspicious.

‘I should refuse… Instead of hesitating, I should be figuring out how to escape somehow…’

Though she knew it was a poisoned chalice, it was hard to refuse outright. What if there really was something behind her parents’ deaths? Isn’t it right to at least look into it? The faces of her parents smiling down at her came to mind.

The warm hands that always held hers, loving kisses, and gentle eyes that earnestly watched her ballet performances. Even after 7 years, the memories of her parents remained as vivid as if imprinted on her retina.

“Is this signature alone okay?”

The faces of her parents as they carefully asked while handing over the Royal Art Academy enrollment papers. Their expressions of briefly pondering if it was right to give papers for a place she couldn’t attend as a birthday gift.

“Yes! It’s fine!”

But soon, seeing the happily smiling face of young Emilia, they smiled back as if they couldn’t help it. Every moment passed by like a panorama.

Emilia hugged her legs and rested her cheek on her knees. Her eyelashes trembled finely along her tightly closed eyes.

“…It’s not fine at all.”

Now all she had left was ballet, and even this had become uncertain. An unpleasant sense of powerlessness began to creep up from her toes.

‘Rather than… Rather than ending up unable to do anything like this…’

Wouldn’t it be better to do something, even if it means using this ballet? Her closed eyes opened. A spark of light flashed in her emerald green eyes. No matter how strange a person Enrico Michele might be, unless she ran away, her future would clearly be miserable no matter who she met, so what was there to hesitate about?

Emilia slowly raised her head. As she wiggled her toes like someone who wanted to run away right away, she turned her gaze to the carefully opening door.

“Oh? You’re up?”

It was her roommate, Juliana. With cheeks like apples frozen from the cold, Juliana held a newspaper in one hand and had a slightly surprised expression.

“I thought you’d sleep in since you said you weren’t feeling well yesterday.”

“Ah. I guess the tension just wore off. But why did you come back so early? Weren’t you supposed to stay at home until tomorrow?”

“The audition is coming up soon. I felt a bit uneasy just resting at home.”

Emilia slowly nodded. Since most of those doing ballet at the art academy were commoners or fallen nobility, there was a trend of encouraging economic activities.

Though some families tried to arrange early marriages, fortunately Juliana’s family wasn’t like that.

“When are you submitting your troupe application? Want to go together?”

“Sure. It’s due the day after tomorrow, so let’s go tomorrow.”

“Great! The audition is in a week, right?”

“Yes.”

“By the way… Emilia, did something happen?”

Juliana, who had been staring at her intently for a moment, asked bluntly.

“Huh? No, why?”

“You look strangely drained.”

Emilia smiled faintly as she stroked one of her cheeks.

“I guess I just look tired. Oh, is there any interesting article in the newspaper?”

“Newspaper? Ah! They found a body floating in the Baia River.”

“Huh? A body?”

“Yeah. But it seems they won’t investigate deeply since it was found in the river flowing west from the slums. They say it’s hard to identify because it’s an old body…”

Juliana trailed off with a bitter expression. It was obvious they had judged it to be someone who died struggling with hunger since it was from the slums.

Even if they investigated, they probably wouldn’t be able to identify the exact person since it was from the slums area, so the police would arbitrarily conclude it was just a waste of time. Usually, it would be dismissed as something not even worth a single line in the newspaper, so it was rather surprising that it made it into the news at all.

“Apparently a noble lady discovered it and caused quite a commotion.”

Juliana continued, as if sensing Emilia’s thoughts.

“And it turns out that noble lady was meeting her lover there.”

“Ah. So that’s why…”

It made the news. It must be very exciting news for those who love to gossip.

Emilia also exhaled a faint sigh with a face that said “figures” and lay down comfortably on the bed.

“Come to think of it, there was also an article about Duke Michele.”

“…An article about Duke Michele? What did it say?”

Juliana blinked for a moment at the sight of Emilia suddenly sitting up again.

It was quite surprising to see someone who was usually so indifferent to anything other than ballet react like this. It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that almost all of Emilia’s conversations began and ended with ballet. Conversations with Emilia tended to be one-sided with Juliana doing most of the talking, while Emilia just responded enough not to make the other person feel awkward.

“It’s nothing much… Just an article saying he came to our performance yesterday.”

“Can I take a look?”

“Huh? Um…”

Such surprising interest. Juliana blankly stared at Emilia, who even took the newspaper before she could finish speaking.

Emilia’s brow furrowed slightly after reading just the article title. There seemed to be no need to read the entire content. Since Enrico was so famous for fanatically collecting everything that met his aesthetic standards, whether artworks or humans, it seemed that wherever he went, there was naturally a lot of interest in what would be added to his collection next.

But to think they would write an article even about a performance at the art academy. He wasn’t someone who rarely attended performances. It seemed that even though he was much younger than the king and had long since withdrawn from royal power after receiving the title of duke, he was still someone who attracted attention wherever he went, to the point where articles like this were written about trivial matters.

‘If I end up signing the contract… I wonder if it will be possible to keep it a secret.’

It looked practically impossible no matter how she looked at it. It was obvious that she would immediately attract public attention, and the label of being Enrico Michele’s collectible would surely follow her around more than her identity as a ballet dancer.

As Emilia naturally thought about the contract with Enrico, she slightly crumpled the edge of the newspaper with a start at the voice calling her.

“Emilia.”

“Yes?”

“…Are you interested in Duke Michele by any chance?”

“Just… Everyone was surprised that he came to watch the performance, but I didn’t expect it to make the news. Oh, sorry, it got a little crumpled.”

Emilia casually smoothed out the crumpled part and handed it back. Juliana, who received it with a bewildered expression, soon nodded with a face that said “I suppose so” and held out the newspaper again.