“That’s right. My memory is a bit hazy since I was young, but you don’t seem to resemble Duke Este very much.”

“Yes, I take after my mother a lot. Father would sometimes feel regretful, but he was extremely happy when he saw mother and me together. Come to think of it, weren’t you quite close with my father, Your Highness?”

At Emilia’s casual question, Alessandro slowly closed and opened his eyes.

“……Me?”

“Yes. I think you exchanged notes with each other.”

Alessandro’s brow furrowed. A slight change flashed across his pale purple eyes as he looked down at her.

“Well. I wonder what notes you’re talking about?”

Emilia paused her steps as she noticed the familiar carriage approaching. Then she half-turned to look up at Alessandro.

“I briefly visited Bacorta during my vacation. I happened to find some of my father’s belongings there, and among them was a note asking why he wasn’t coming to the palace and demanding jewels.”

“……But why do you think it was from me? That’s what I’m curious about first. It’s not like I’m the only royal, you know.”

Alessandro’s eyes were devoid of any humor as he slowly curved his lips.

“Ah….. I thought it might be from Your Highness because it seemed like a playful message, but was I mistaken? If so, I apologize. I suppose I naturally thought of you since I had visited the palace with my father when I was young.”

Emilia pretended to be flustered and at a loss for what to do. Seeing her like this, he playfully winked one eye.

“Oh my, I didn’t mean to receive an apology….. It’s just that it was such a long time ago, I can’t seem to remember. Could I perhaps see the note myself?”

Can’t remember? The day she discovered the note in Bacorta, Enrico had asserted it immediately, so she couldn’t readily believe Alessandro’s words.

−Why aren’t you coming to the palace? You need to catch my eye if you want to get what you want. Or give me your jewels.

Unless he had been sending such notes all over the place, how could he not remember at all? It was too overtly arrogant in its short sentences to be brushed off as insignificant.

“Ah− Then I’ll look for it when I get home. Actually, I’m a bit hazy on whether I left that note in Bacorta or brought it with me.”

Emilia unwittingly pretended not to know about the note she had carefully stored at home.

Although she had currently requested to terminate the contract with Enrico, all the information he had provided so far had been indisputable, so she couldn’t help but feel uneasy about Alessandro’s reaction.

It was incomprehensible that someone who remembered their childhood memories so well couldn’t recall even casually exchanging notes.

“Is that so? Then please let me know when you find it. I’ll be waiting.”

Fortunately, Alessandro didn’t seem intent on pursuing the matter further and immediately agreed. However, whether it was just her imagination or not, even though he was clearly wearing a kind face, it somehow gave her the chills.

Is it because she was already harboring preconceptions? Emilia hid her uneasy feelings and forced herself to raise the corners of her mouth.

“Yes….. Well, I should be going now. Thank you for escorting me this far.”

“I hope we can have a longer conversation next time.”

Emilia nodded politely to Alessandro, who courteously opened the carriage door for her. Until she entered the carriage and the door closed, the gentle smile never left his face.

‘……But didn’t Fabio come?’

She had been worried that if Fabio was already in the carriage, Alessandro might suggest taking a different one, thinking there was already a passenger, but that was fortunately not the case.

Well, since she had told Enrico she wanted to terminate the contract, he wouldn’t send his aide. He might even be preparing to end the contract at the duke’s residence.

Emilia felt somewhat bitter and stared into space with a gloomy expression.

‘Why do I feel so down? Is it because of the weather?’

Was it because of her ankle that ached more on rainy days, or because of the tense conversation she had with Alessandro? She felt particularly drained today.

‘Yes, that must be it.’

She needed to hurry back and rest. After soaking in hot water and taking a nap, she would feel better.

Emilia took a deep breath and turned her head towards the window. Then, feeling the carriage gradually slowing down, she blinked in confusion.

Amidst the continuous sound of rain hitting the roof, she heard the carriage door opening. Emilia hesitantly turned her head to see who was entering.

“Ah, did I startle you?”

It was Fabio, whom she had assumed wouldn’t come. Seeing Emilia staring blankly at him, Fabio hesitated for a moment.

“Why…. are you here?”

Emilia spoke up a beat late as he sat down beside her, closing his umbrella.

“I saw you coming from afar with the Crown Prince, so I was waiting here just in case.”

“……I thought you wouldn’t come.”

“Pardon? I’ll continue to come until the Duke’s order is rescinded. If I can’t come due to personal circumstances, someone else will be sent.”

Fabio looked back at her with a rather puzzled expression. Could it be that Enrico hadn’t said anything?

Given how heated Enrico had been, acting as if he would immediately impose penalties, she had thought he would surely give some instructions to his aide, but Fabio seemed to know nothing, which was quite unexpected.

‘Or could it be that he thinks the situation will be resolved if he just ignores it?’

Emilia’s brow furrowed slightly. Her mood swung up and down. Amidst indescribable complex emotions, she stared blankly into space and nervously moistened her lips.

“Miss Emilia?”

“Yes?”

“Did something happen?”

“Ah….. It’s nothing, I just remembered that Fabio had left in a hurry yesterday due to an urgent matter.”

She had considered mentioning the contract termination request, but somehow felt it would be better not to, so she changed the subject.

Fabio would surely relay what she said to Enrico, but she couldn’t gauge how he would react upon hearing this.

It would be fortunate if he got angry and agreed to terminate the contract, but she was concerned he might instead ignore it more and try to forcibly continue the contract.

‘I might even have to hire a lawyer if it comes to that.’

She couldn’t help but sigh. She was already worried about what kind of lawyer would be willing to take on a case against Duke Michele.

“Yesterday, it was indeed an urgent matter. Due to its confidential nature, I can’t give you details, but someone who knows important information has become willing to speak, so we’re currently in the process of verifying that information.”

Fabio lowered his voice significantly, his expression serious, indicating it was a more grave matter than expected.

Important information? Could it be that’s why they don’t have time to worry about contract termination? Emilia’s eyes narrowed as she was about to dismiss it casually. Noticing her reaction, Fabio straightened his back and smiled brightly.

“However, he will attend the performance as scheduled. There were no instructions to cancel that appointment.”

……Surely he wouldn’t come to see the performance in a situation where contract termination had been mentioned? Worry soon seeped into Emilia’s eyes.

Three months after suspending the performance of [La Sylphide] due to an unfortunate incident, the curtain rose once again.

The setting sun poured through the wide windows into the theater interior, and the theater awaiting the performance was beautifully decorated.

The large chandeliers hanging from the ceiling brightly illuminated all directions, and despite the hot weather, many spectators had come. As if they had forgotten all about the previous incident, the expressions of those entering the lobby were full of anticipation.

Amidst the bustling noise as the audience seats began to fill one by one, Emilia, waiting in the dressing room, sighed as she held a glass of water.

“It’s especially hot today.”

“Indeed it is.”

The makeup artist wiped her forehead as she just finished her work. Emilia murmured softly as she stood up, still holding the cup.

“Ah, I should hurry and get out too. It’s more of an ordeal to stay inside on a day like this.”

Emilia smiled slightly at the makeup artist who was quickly tidying up her place, as if agreeing with her. She slowly swallowed the lukewarm water.

Usually, she tried not to drink much water before a performance, but on such hot days, she had to stay hydrated to endure.

While winter performances brought worries about the body stiffening from the cold, summer performances were a constant worry about the heat-exhausted body not having enough strength.

However, although it was almost the end of summer and autumn would soon arrive, this year’s heat seemed to be lasting unusually long.

Emilia put down the empty cup and quickly headed out to the corridor. As many people were standing in front of the large windows in the corridor to escape the heat, she moved towards the relatively less crowded end of the corridor.

After nodding a greeting to the two people already standing there, she closed her eyes briefly and felt the breeze gently brushing her cheeks and nape.

Just as she was thinking that the wind had become a bit cooler than during the day, she suddenly turned her head, feeling a gaze that sent a chill down her spine.

Amidst the people busy moving about and the various conversations mixing together, Emilia’s eyes darted around and caught sight of a slightly open emergency door.