Celebrity Lady - Chapter 135

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Celebrated Lady
Episode 135
* * *
“Ha ha! I’m embarrassed.”
Lark, who had strode in confidently to fetch a standing room ticket, emerged after thirty minutes with an awkward smile.
“Don’t worry about it!”
“Yes, Your Highness. It wouldn’t do to pester the proprietess asking her to sell seats that aren’t for sale!”
Whether they’d recognized Lark’s regret or not, the knights hid their disappointment behind reddened noses.
Lark, embarrassed at their stares, finally spoke.
“Well, since we’re out here anyway, how about we all enjoy the festival together before we go in?”
“Your Highness?”
“But don’t you have a ticket, sire?”
The knights tilted their heads in confusion.
“Right, I do. Whoever gave it to me was considerate, so I’m planning to slip in during the fashion show. Come on, before that—wouldn’t it be nice if we brother-in-arms enjoyed the festival together?”
“Sire…?”
“No, you don’t have to——”
The knights, despite their hulking frames, grew visibly moved and choked back tears.
Just then.
“Whoa-o-o!”
A magnificent carriage pulled up before the Opera House, and a familiar face stepped out.
“…?”
“Gasp!”
“The… the Tower Master?”
A look of perpetual irritation and exhaustion.
The silver-haired man who’d simply thrown his long locks into a rough bun was none other than Shane, the Tower Master.
Lark rushed over with wide eyes.
“What? Why are you only just getting here?”
“What? You should be grateful I came at all.”
Shane scowled deeply and grumbled.
“You had me helping with the stage lighting, and now you show up? I thought you’d be here by now.”
“…? Exploiting a busy Tower Master’s labor—you two really have no conscience between you.”
At the mention of a couple, Lark glanced sideways at the knights standing behind him and lowered his voice to a whisper.
“Not a couple. That was my request, not hers.”
“Ha ha ha!”
Shane burst into loud laughter, then abruptly his expression hardened. He pulled a letter from his breast and opened it.
[Tower Master Shane,
I’m truly grateful you’ve agreed to attend the fashion show. But while you’re here, would I be imposing to ask for one favor?
I hired a magical artifact company to install the stage lighting, but I’m not satisfied with it at all. If you could come assist manually, it would be such a help….
Of course, if it’s too much trouble, don’t mind me. Enjoy yourself.
Madam Ruby.
Lark van Rashmah Deccard.]
“Hey, you just write my name at the end and suddenly it’s my request? You’re joking.”
“Fine, fine. Now go on inside.”
Shane asked as Lark pushed him toward the entrance.
“What about you?”
“I’m planning to enjoy the festival with the knights who came with me, then slip in midway.”
“Why not watch from the beginning?”
“Truth is, I don’t have a ticket. The booth sold out ten minutes after opening—the show’s that popular.”
Shane’s eyes narrowed as Lark spoke with a wry smile.
“With how many seats the Opera House has, it sold out in ten minutes?”
“Tell me about it.”
“That’s transparent. They’re not sold out—they’re just pretending to be.”
Shane clicked his tongue and continued.
“On the way here I noticed all the street vendors around this area have been controlled too. You’ve monopolized the entire Festival Street with a stall fee.”
“What?”
Lark’s eyes narrowed.
“So you’re not watching? How dignified of you, Madam Ruby. Can’t bear to see common folk coming and going around your fancy venue, I suppose? Why not just say outright that only nobles are welcome?”
“….”
Lark’s expression grew complicated at Shane’s sarcastic tone.
Rubetria would go that far?
The tickets were one thing, but she wasn’t the sort to control the entire Festival Street during the festival….
“Anyway, I’m going in.”
Shane waved dismissively and vanished into the theater, leaving Lark with a troubled expression.
* * *
‘Where did he go?’
I’d thought perhaps he’d gone to the washroom, but Lark hadn’t returned.
I was about to search for him myself when——
‘I’m going to lose my mind today.’
VIP guests kept coming to greet me, leaving me no chance to step away.
Once the show’s opening drew near and I could finally breathe, it was time to receive Shane instead.
“Excuse me, Tower Master. We’re truly grateful you came to help. But since you’re busy, could you please——listen to me seriously? Yes?”
Backstage.
As I explained the lighting cues, I felt tears pricking my eyes. I was frantic with work, yet his attitude was frustratingly uncooperative.
“I’m listening. Go on.”
“So when the models enter, if you could alternate between left light number one and right light number three——”
“Haa-a-a-ah.”
Shane yawned widely, mouth agape, as though barely hearing me.
I didn’t know what his problem was, but one thing was certain: he was clearly displeased with me.
“…Fine. Just enjoy the show and leave. I’ve already hired a lighting company anyway.”
I decided to cleanly cut off this difficult man and go find Lark instead.
“Hey.”
Shane grabbed my arm as I hurried past him.
Hey? Just “hey”?
“Excuse me.”
“Are you playing games with Lark?”
“I beg your pardon?”
I was about to say something, but he cut me off with an abrupt attack.
“What do you mean by that?”
“First, let me ask: there were plenty of people who wanted to watch the fashion show, but why aren’t you selling standing room tickets? I noticed the second-floor standing area was pretty empty.”
Shane chuckled and leaned in to meet my eyes.
“A crown prince no less—I saw him shivering on the cold Festival Street with his knights. I nearly cried at how pathetic it was.”
“…?”
“How can he not have a ticket when he’s the one who can’t get in? You’re the one running the show.”
Then I realized my mistake.
‘Lark came to ask if there were any remaining seats.’
“There seems to be a misunderstanding.”
“A misunderstanding?”
“Yes. I am selling standing room tickets. However, from fifteen minutes before opening.”
“Why the delay?”
“Someone intentionally sold out all the regular seats. So technically I didn’t need to sell standing tickets at all, but I hastily decided to reopen the booth. If I’d opened it early, they might’ve done the same thing again, so I’m selling them fifteen minutes before opening to make it tight.”
Shane paused.
“But I was thoughtless. I didn’t know the knights were coming with him. I should have given them extra invitation cards.”
“Wait.”
“Oof!”
As I finished and rushed off to find Lark, Shane grabbed my shawl tightly, nearly tripping me.
“Why again! I need to find His Highness the crown prince right now—let go!”
“You and Lark broke up?”
“No!”
I answered immediately, then froze.
Shane didn’t know the two of us were dating, yet I’d just answered his question about breaking up….
But he seemed to know already, for his face showed no surprise as he asked.
“Then explain yourself.”
“Explain what?”
Shane dragged me along with him.
As we slipped out to the side of the stage, the packed audience came into view.
At that moment, I felt the Marquis Cade Lüben sitting in the front row looking our way.
“I’m a Light Spirit Mage.”
“Who doesn’t know that?”
“All the magical artifact lighting the mysterious woman hired and installed here—it’s running on my power.”
Why did he keep saying obvious things? I was swamped with work.
Whether or not he knew my expression behind the mask was bewildered….
Shane pointed to the largest light hanging from the center of the Opera House ceiling.
“The congratulatory message from noble invitees that the mysterious woman engraved into that center light number two. I can see it all with my eyes.”
“Yes, I’m sure you can see it.”
There was a segment where about ten VIP guests would have their opening congratulations for the fashion show announced.
I’d prepared it by engraving it into that center light’s magical artifact.
“Why are you so confident? What’s with that congratulatory message hinting at a public relationship?”
“A public relationship? What do you mean?”
Shane stared at the light and spoke.
“My beautiful muse, Rubetria Diolus. I love everything about you. Your rosy hair, your golden eyes, your small hands touching me, every morning as you…….”
“…?”
Shane stopped mid-sentence with a grunt, rubbing his forehead before continuing quietly.
“……wake beside me with sleepy eyes, your pale, slender back, your……. Ah, damn it. Never mind.”
My mouth fell open in shock.
“That message is engraved in the light. Weren’t you supposed to announce congratulations before revealing the mysterious woman’s identity?”
“….”
“But it plainly uses the mysterious woman’s real name. Any fool can see it’s a message from a lover who knows her identity alone. Lark wouldn’t write something like that unless he’d lost his mind. And brazenly at that?”
Shane irritably swept his hair back.
“Is it really Lark who did this? Or have you met someone else?”
“…I really… have no idea whatsoever.”
Shock swept over me. I quickly pulled the show script from my bag and checked the engraved congratulatory message.
Every detail of the show naturally passed through my review. There’s no way I would have let such a message through…….
“You have no idea?”
“No. That message didn’t come from me.”
“So someone must have bribed the lighting company. Can you guess who?”
“The person who… monopolized the seats?”
“Looks like you’ve got a stalker.”
Glancing back at the VIP section, the Marquis Cade Lüben had vanished.
‘Was he an obsessed fan?’
A man who even knew that Madam Ruby was Rubetria Diolus….
I collected myself, drew a breath for composure, then called to Shane.
“Listen, Tower Master. For now——”
“Yes. Go find Lark.”
Shane waved his hand dismissively.
“I will. And about that center light message——”
“I’ll handle it.”
Watching him fidget with his ear, I felt a wave of gratitude.
Without him, things could have gone terribly wrong. Really.
“Thank you so much. I nearly ruined the show. But since I’m asking, one more thing.”
Shane raised an eyebrow questioningly, and I leaned in to whisper into his ear.
“This time, no playing cute.”
“Ugh!”
He let out an exasperated exclamation.
* * *
As I stepped into the VIP Audience Passage where the common folk couldn’t enter, I pressed a hand to my racing heart.
“My beautiful muse, Rubetria Diolus.”
Beyond exposing my identity, monopolizing the seating, bribing the lighting company….
As the seemingly gentle Marquis Lüben revealed himself as a stalker fan, I found it hard to remain composed.
‘I hate this so much.’
How could this situation not feel familiar?
As Juliet, I’d encountered obsessed fans and stalkers dozens, no, hundreds of times.
The ones who’d figured out where I lived and left notes at my door.
The ones who’d called and harassed me.
And.
“….”
My footsteps halted halfway down the long corridor.
It was because of the Marquis Cade Lüben, leaning against the wall as though he’d been waiting.
‘There were always ones waiting for me no matter where I went.’
I tried to hide my tension and pass him, but Cade blocked my path.
My heart raced.
No matter how I tried to maintain composure, I couldn’t—the nightmares from my time as Juliet wouldn’t let me….
“Where are you off to in such a hurry?”
I sidestepped, but Cade simply mirrored my movement, blocking my way again.
“Are you in such a rush, Madam?”

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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