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The carriage stopped in front of the Golden Rose Theater.
To match its splendid name, the Golden Rose Theater had both its interior and exterior adorned with golden waves.
Yves Russell, who got off from the carriage first, held the door and smiled up at Radis as he looked back at her.
“Shall we go, Milady?”
“
Lady?”
It was the first time she was called that all her life.
But then, after seeing Radis going up the red-carpeted stairs of the theater with Marquis Russell as her escort, who wouldn’t call her ‘Lady’?
It seemed like there was a small social gathering being held at the beautiful lobby right now.
People who came to the theater to watch a play gathered in the lobby while chatting.
Then, a gentleman with a very dashing mustache approached Yves.
“Oho, who do we have here! Is that you, Marquis Russell?”
“Long time no see, Count Braunt.”
“Hahaha! It seems like you’ve grown a lot. You look so dignified, too. My wife, come over here! Look who it is!”
Countess Braunt and some other people in the lobby came closer.
It seemed like Yves knew all of them.
After saying their greetings to one another, it was natural that all their eyes rested on Radis.
Yves spoke.
“This lady here is Miss Radis Tilrod.”
Not used to being the center of attention, Radis immediately felt her face burning up. But even so, she greeted them as politely as possible.
“Oh my, if you’re from the Tilrod family, then it’s that Tilrod family? Whose ancestor is Sir Alexis Tilrod—a founding father of the country?”
“That’s right, Your Ladyship.”
“Gosh, come to think of it, the Marquis also has Verard Russell who’s a founding father of the empire as well, correct? Oh my goodness, how amazing!”
“There’s a deep significance in seeing you both together like this.”
At that, there was a flurry of conversation.
Radis couldn’t keep up.
Golden light poured from above her head, from the walls and from the columns surrounding her from all sides.
The theater itself was already spectacular, but the smiles of everyone around her were even more dazzling.
Elegant laughter, subtle jokes about how opportune this all is, a sudden toast, champagne, more laughter.
It seemed like she was being assaulted with ten hallucinations all at once.
“
is.”
“

”
“Radis!”
Snapping out of her reverie, Radis looked up. She was just standing there looking like a drunkard, both hands occupied by two glasses of champagne that she couldn’t refuse when they were offered to her.
And Yves Russell had a smirk on his lips as he looked at her.
“Goodness. You just need to pretend to sip and send it back. Did you drink it all?”
Yves Russell took the glasses with leftover champagne in them from Radis’ hands, then passed them off to a servant.
Then, he placed the back of his hand over Radis’ cheek gingerly.
“Your face is bright red, Radis.”
Radis was just on the verge of instinctively breaking his wrist, but she couldn’t do it. It was either because she was too flustered or because she was too tipsy from the champagne.
Well, that’s a relief.
She didn’t know what would happen if she had broken off his wrist amid this very crowded theater lobby.
“
It’s because I get flushed easily.”
“Wait a sec.”
Yves fetched some ice water for her himself.
He sat her down and also sat down in front of her, smiling as he watched her finish drinking the glass.
Those who watched this scene were all wide-eyed.
“It looks like their relationship isn’t ordinary?”
“Does Marquis Russell finally have a lover?”
“He was never the topic of any scandal, though there were still all sorts of rumors about him. Even so, it’s a bit of a relief.”
As Radis sipped a little of the ice water, a theater employee brought a pamphlet for her.
The play was called, 〈 Knight Angela and Two Men 〉.
Intrigued, Radis opened the pamphlet.
The play was an adaptation of the romance part of the novel titled, 〈 Knight Angela 〉.
Radis turned to Yves.
“Have you read the novel?”
“Which novel?”
“’Knight Angela.’”
Yves Russell shook his head casually.
“No.”
“This play is adapted from the novel.”
Radis spoke with a tearful face.
“This
 I’ve never read the novel for this, but can I know the story when I watch the play?”
Yves shrugged.
“It doesn’t matter. The novel is a novel, and this play is a play, right? Aren’t they two separate things?”
“Huh? They’re different! Haa, if you told me about it in advance, I wouldn’t read the book! We went through a gate just to watch a play, but this
 I should at least read the entire pamphlet.”
Spreading the pamphlet out, Radis looked at Marquis Russell.
“Shouldn’t the Marquis read it, too?”
“Then read it for me.”
“

”
Before reading it aloud, Radis glared at Yves.
“In the Dallit Village, a girl called Angela resided, and she had a mysterious power over fire. All the villagers feared her and thought she was a witch.”
As she read the word ‘fire’, Radis flinched.
But it’s just a novel’s plot. She continued reading.
“The beautiful prince Christian, the strong knight Verno and the wise sage Luminus all heard the rumors about Angela, and so they came to see her. Their meeting is the prelude to the great adventure that lies ahead of them.”
While Radis was reading the synopsis of the novel on the pamphlet, Yves was busy looking around the lobby as though he wasn’t listening to her.
“During their mystical adventure, Angela and Prince Christian develop feelings for each other. Meanwhile, Verno hides his feelings for her and simply watches from the sidelines. Indeed, where will their journey lead them?”
That’s the entire synopsis from the pamphlet.
Radis asked.
“Then, will they become lovers?”
At her question, Yves looked at Radis.
“What? Who?”
“Angela and Christian?”
“Who are those people?”
Radis opened the pamphlet to his face.
Yves squinted.
“What the, you were talking about the play?”
“Of course it’s about the play. You told me to read this aloud.”
“There’s one part that’s bothering me
”
Radis had read everything aloud. She almost clicked her tongue at Yves because he didn’t even listen to any of it.
But Radis endured.
Yves was her employer, and in addition, he was her savior for letting her watch a play today.
Watching some people heading inside, Radis spoke up.
“Shouldn’t we be on our way? Everyone’s going in.”
She stood up and took the lead, holding the two pamphlets preciously.
Yves Russell reluctantly followed her.
The inside of the theater was luxurious and spacious.
The red curtains that were covering the stage were embroidered with golden rose patterns, and the seats at the first floor were already full.
On the surrounding walls were box seats in the shape of a horseshoe. These balconies were reserved seats for high-ranking aristocrats.
An usher guided her to one of them.
Standing behind the railing of the balcony, Radis looked around the theater. It was full of people who were buzzing with excitement and anticipation for the play.
The seats on the first floor seemed to be reserved mainly for the theater casts’ family or friends. Apart from them, there were notably many groups of women in the audience.
They were having fun talking about the contents of the novel.
Observing the excited people, Radis had a thought.
‘I’ve been feeling this since we arrived at Dvirath
 This city is just the same as a dream city. Everyone looks really happy.’
Then, someone shouted.
“Ah, it looks like the play’s about to start!”
The red curtains parted in the middle and started rising to reveal the stage.
* * *
Just before the play started—
The Golden Rose Theater welcomed an unexpected VIP.
It was Adrianne Arpend, the country’s empress.
The moment that the imperial carriage arrived, the Golden Rose Theater’s manager rushed down the stairs—looking as though he’d be rolling down the stairs any second now—not even being able to fix his hat on his head properly because he needed to greet the empress.
“Your Majesty! For you to be here, it’s such an honor!”
Adrianne Arpend looked at the theater with narrowed eyes, smiling gracefully.
“The theater is truly beautiful.”
Adrianne said this as the manager kissed the back of her hand.
“I heard that this theater’s play is very interesting, so I came all the way here. I’m here just to watch it, so I came here incognito. Shouldn’t I have relaxing days like this sometimes?”
“You’re very right, Your Majesty. The Golden Rose Theater is a place that exists just so our VIPs can experience beautiful dreams!”
“Ohoho! A beautiful dream? What a sweet thing to say. Don’t you think so, Prince Olivier?”
Standing behind her, Olivier, the country’s third prince, nodded.
On this day, he looked as though he was a sculpture made out of crystal.
His deep blue suit was embroidered with the pattern of a blue peacock, which was the symbol of the Arpend Imperial Family. It matched his silver hair very well.
Thanks to the vividly colored suit and his neatly styled hair, the beauty of his immaculate features reminiscent of a sculpture was made even more apparent.
“I agree, Your Majesty.”
However as Olivier said this, his tone seemed to express how far removed he was from those sweet dreams.
It was like he was a cold porcelain doll with a mechanically moving jaw.
As she watched him, a satisfied smile spread across Adrianne’s lips.
“Now then, may I ask my adorable doll to escort me?”
Like a painting themselves, Olivier escorted the empress in a polite manner.
When she said he was a ‘doll’, it didn’t sound like she was joking.
With a hand on his arm, the empress and Olivier climbed the theater’s steps. He really looked like a mechanical doll.
Whenever his joints moved, it seemed like ice shards would fall. The theater manager had to rub his eyes several times.
Watching the retreating figures of the empress and the third prince, the theater manager murmured to himself.
“It’s rumored that the Third Prince is like an ice doll, and it seems like those rumors are true.”