***

“You look happy today, Ren. Did something good happen?”

Sitting in the dressing room receiving makeup, Leticia smiled slightly at the question.

“My family came to visit. It was nice to see their faces after so long.”

Strictly speaking, Tan hadn’t come to visit the city but had escaped to it, but it was true that she was happy to see Tan after such a long time.

Leticia tried to suppress her laughter as she recalled Tan sprawled on Chamuka’s sofa, and Chamuka looking like he wanted to bury Tan somewhere immediately.

Seeing Leticia’s expression, the other person remarked curiously.

“You must be close with your family. I’ve never seen you smile like that before, Ren.”

“Yes, we’re quite close.”

“If your family is here, the troupe director must be happy too.”

They thought that since Leticia and Luka were siblings, Leticia’s family would be Luka’s family too.

Leticia momentarily imagined Luka and Tan embracing each other warmly, and finally couldn’t hold back her laughter.

Imagining something that would never happen was truly amusing.

“I’m not so sure about that.”

Leaving behind the people in the dressing room who were startled by her sudden laughter with wide eyes, Leticia crossed the hallway with light steps.

Somehow, she felt today would be an exceptionally good day.

Even the brief coordination before going on stage seemed smoother today, and she was more satisfied with her own acting.

Luka’s sour expression when he secured an additional reserved seat after learning of Tan’s arrival was amusing, and the particularly enthusiastic audience response was enjoyable.

Chamuka had sent an even larger flower basket as if to make up for missing the previous performance, Tan had pouted seeing Leticia happily holding it, and Luka had looked at the scene with disgust…

“Ren.”

So Leticia turned her head with a smile when another actor called her.

The actor, with flushed cheeks, asked carefully.

“Are you going straight home?”

“Yes. See you at the next practice.”

Their blocking had often overlapped in this performance, so they had exchanged words quite a bit, but the other person had treated Leticia somewhat awkwardly, making them distant colleagues.

They rarely had reason to call each other, so she couldn’t even remember their real name, only knowing their stage character name.

“If you’re not busy, could you spare me a moment?”

Though she wondered if there was anything that needed to be discussed separately, Leticia nodded, seeing no reason to refuse someone’s request on such a good day.

“I’ll just tell the people waiting outside, then come back. Can you wait a bit?”

“I’ll wait in your waiting room.”

Couldn’t we just talk in the hallway?

Leticia hesitated but then dismissed the other’s words without concern and went outside.

She told Luka, who was standing in front of the theater, to wait a moment, then returned to the waiting room.

As soon as she entered, the man sitting in the waiting room jumped to his feet.

Leticia looked at him and asked.

“What did you want to talk about? If it’s about adjusting next week’s holiday practice schedule, rather than me—”

“No, no. It’s not about practice.”

“Ah, I see.”

An awkward silence fell.

Leticia took out the pocket watch she had kept in her pocket and spoke again, as the other person showed no signs of starting the conversation.

“Then what is it? Sorry, but I have people waiting for me, so I need to leave soon.”

“Your patron?”

There was something pointed in his tone.

Leticia raised her eyes from the pocket watch and stared at him.

The other person flinched at her gaze. But soon he swallowed and said to Leticia.

“Your patron is famous, you know. The way he dresses every time is peculiar…”

This was an imperial city where the checkpoint to Basilinte was located.

Unlike in the imperial capital, Chamuka covered his face thoroughly from head to toe here. Wearing a hood and a separate mask underneath it.

As a result, he looked extremely suspicious, but at least no one could tell who he was.

However, it was obvious to anyone that he was concealing his identity, yet he spent money lavishly only on Leticia’s performances, so there were some unfavorable rumors.

For Leticia, this wasn’t even worth worrying about, so she simply ignored it.

Above all, there had been no rude person who openly asked, “Are you perhaps that suspicious rich man’s mistress?” to Leticia’s face.

She thought that even without common sense or manners loaded in one’s head, no one would want to antagonize the theater director’s beloved sister and the theater’s main actor, but…

“Everyone in the theater knows you’re having an inappropriate relationship with that patron. Of course, I’m not saying you’re the only one at fault, I just…”

…Here was such a foolish person.

“What are you trying to say?”

Leticia cut off his words and asked.

The other person’s shoulders stiffened at Leticia’s sharp tone.

Leticia wondered why he had brought up such a topic if he was going to be so tense about it.

“If you want to criticize my conduct based on your own assumptions, may I leave now? I don’t have time to listen to such things.”

“I’m not criticizing…”

“Then what? Don’t beat around the bush, just say it. I need to go now.”

Leticia snorted at the other’s hesitant attitude and turned around.

She had spared some time thinking of him as a colleague, but if this was what he wanted to say, there was no need to listen further.

“Wait!”

However, the other person grabbed Leticia’s arm as she reached for the doorknob and shouted urgently.

“What I mean is, how about going out with me!”

At that moment, though she hadn’t applied any force, the door Leticia was holding creaked open.

The other person mumbled something behind her, but Leticia’s attention was drawn to the people visible through the open door.

“End that inappropriate relationship and…”

In an instant, a silver blur flashed before her eyes.

Soon after, with a thud, the hand gripping Leticia’s arm fell away. Then came the sound of someone tumbling to the floor.

Leticia turned her head hastily.

Tan was kicking the fallen man with his foot.

He had moved so quickly that his hood had fallen back, revealing his face clearly.

“What is this?”

Luka, who had been standing at the door, covered his face and groaned.

Leticia hurriedly grabbed Tan, who looked ready to stomp on the man.

“Tan!”

Tan stopped. Then he looked at Leticia and asked innocently, though what he had been doing was anything but innocent.

“Don’t do it?”

Leticia quickly nodded.

Tan backed away, looking disappointed.

She turned to Luka, leaving the unconscious person on the floor behind.

“Brother. Please take care of him somehow.”

“Don’t worry. I’ll handle it.”

“I don’t mean bury him somewhere, just check if he’s okay and send him home.”

Tan, who was clinging to Leticia’s back, complained.

“That’s it?”

“Yes, that’s it. Tan, don’t think about secretly burying him later either. A misunderstanding can be cleared up, and a confession can be rejected.”

“Leticia is too generous.”

Chamuka, who had been standing quietly outside the door, strode in and peeled Tan off Leticia’s back.

“Get down, Tan. Stop bothering Leticia.”

After practically throwing Tan off, Chamuka patted Leticia’s back and shoulders.

Leticia was somewhat surprised by Chamuka’s seemingly unaffected attitude.

Honestly, she had thought it would be Chamuka, not Tan, who had slammed the man to the floor.

But Chamuka hadn’t caused any disturbance.

He didn’t seem upset, nor did he appear jealous.

Leticia found herself asking the seemingly calm Chamuka.

“Are you okay…?”

“No.”

Despite his demeanor, his answer came immediately.

But Chamuka quickly added that she shouldn’t worry about it. Because…

“I can’t ruin your day because of my feelings.”