SCENE 11. Please Don’t Hate Me Too Much

The mansion was filled with people. Perry walked along the wall, repeatedly holding her breath to the limit before exhaling. By the fountain stood a playwright who once dominated the era, and at the entrance to the banquet hall was a painter whose stock was rapidly rising.

Though her life had been like a racehorse running after seeing just one play, living as an actor meant hearing various rumors. The young actor walked stiffly, trying to compose herself as she straightened her back. When the lilac dress caught the white light, a blue glow cascaded down.

Greet sophisticatedly, approach people warmly, be polite, be polite……

The woman’s forehead wrinkled slightly as she recited her self-made mantra. No matter how hard she tried not to be nervous, it was impossible with so many celebrities around. Especially when with each step, she could hear the voices of actors she had vaguely admired!

Perry carefully tapped her white cane as she walked. Naturally, except for the servant who asked if she needed help, no one approached her first.

Perry had expected this. What was a vague nobody doing at a party with invitations reserved for the renowned? She was more out of place than a duck among swans. At least ducks are cute.

Her lightly painted lips curved up slightly. But that was no reason to feel sorry for herself or disparage the other guests. She was here thanks to her friend’s kindness, and there was no harm in observing such company, even from a distance.

When else would she have the chance to be in the same room as such luminaries!

The glass she held for appearance’s sake was slippery with sweat. The actor, fairly well-known in theater circles but not enough to make headlines in major newspapers, adjusted her grip. Even at the risk of disapproval, she intended to at least greet the veteran actors.

Hello, esteemed actor. I’m Perry Humble…… Hello, hello, hello—

“Humble.”

“Eek, hello!”

“Yes, hello. Did I startle you by speaking so suddenly?”

Her dark eyes narrowed. Despite her habitually furrowed brow, Perry had already identified the person before her.

Bria Sol, the kingdom’s greatest beauty, elegantly tucked her golden hair, which flowed below her shoulders, behind her ear.

“I didn’t expect to see you here.”

“I received an invitation from a friend. Are you—”

“Just call me Sol, no, Bria. When both my mother and I are in the rehearsal room, what would you call us?”

“Your mother?”

At this stupid question, her neatly groomed eyebrows rose artificially.

“「Night of Brilliance」. Don’t you know my mother is the director?”

“No, of course I know. I didn’t mean that…… there’s still the final audition left.”

“You think you won’t make it?”

「Night of Brilliance」, Bria Sol’s next work and the play Perry Humble had applied for.

It was a perfectly reasonable question, but Bria snorted slightly as if it wasn’t worth hearing further.

“If not you, then who? Don’t entertain unnecessary thoughts.”

While Perry had been losing sleep for days due to tension and anxiety, the beautiful actor casually asserted the future as if it were already determined.

“Don’t fumble around in the rehearsal room—sort out how to address people in advance. Bria.”

“Yes, Bria. I’m Perry—”

“I’ll pass. It feels too familiar.”

“But if I’m the only one calling you by your first name, won’t it seem like I’m pretending to be close one-sidedly?”

“……That’s true. Alright, Perry.”

After this series of naming negotiations ended, Perry assumed the other would leave immediately. After all, Bria Sol was one of the most famous people in the kingdom, not just among actors but across all fields. Even now, her back burned with the gazes of those waiting for their conversation to end.

Her gentle eyes curved smoothly, as if unaware of the atmosphere. The woman with the highest value in the theater world stared at the face that had no sharp edges or protruding features.

“Did you come like that?”

“Pardon?”

“That rental shop chea— never mind. You have pierced ears? You do.”

“Yes, as soon as I became an adult, I immediately—Miss?”

Perry forgot the earlier naming issue and opened her eyes wide. Cold sensation, slight weight falling below the earlobe, small vibration.

“At least this has some class.”

Earrings, of which only five pairs had been imported into the country, dangled from Perry’s earlobes. The accessories, perfectly crafted with diamonds, opals, and platinum, shone like small moons.

“Um, Miss.”

“Bria.”

“Yes, Bria. This—”

“I’m giving you this so you won’t be ignored.”

This place is all about appearances, Bria Sol declared firmly, insisting it wasn’t for Perry’s sake.

“It’s not fair otherwise.”

“What? What’s not—”

“Now, shall we go over there? It wouldn’t hurt to get acquainted.”

Cold, dry hands wrapped around Perry’s shoulders. The lightly pressing touch was arbitrary but not uncomfortable.

Being “Bria Sol’s companion” created ripples of interest by itself. Bria Sol took Perry Humble around, introducing her to various celebrities. While someone unfamiliar with such settings had only steeled herself repeatedly without daring to approach anyone.

Wine-colored cheeks, a voice that skillfully adjusted according to the person, an attitude both kind yet unyielding. Perry quietly observed the person standing beside her after a round of lengthy introductions had ended.

“Thank you for helping me.”

“Do you know how old I was when I first came to this party?”

For someone receiving thanks, it was a completely unexpected response. Bria Sol moved along, ignoring all the gazes pouring down on her. Her slender fingers still wrapped around Perry’s shoulders.

“Seven years old. I came in holding my mother’s hand.”

“I see.”

“So don’t thank me.”

It was a puzzling flow of conversation. But instead of explaining the context, Bria Sol pulled open the half-opened balcony door. Pale pink cream-like sunlight bathed the railing. Around her swan-like, elongated neck hung a necklace adorned with diamonds, opals, and platinum.

Perry gently touched her earlobe. The precious jeweled earrings that hung like droplets.

The famous actor who had placed the earrings on Perry closed her eyes and enjoyed the breeze. There were no jokes or small talk to pass the time. That subtle silence was broken for a completely unexpected reason.

“Oh? Isn’t that you, Perry?”

“Boss, no, Della!”

A shrewd and cheerful voice, deep red hair, large glasses. Her cheeks, tanned brown, were flushed bright red, suggesting she’d already had a few drinks. The woman, dressed in a well-fitted suit unlike her usual attire, approached with a sly smile.

“What brings you here—”

“……Della Bellium.”

The smile of the person who had casually joined them on the balcony cracked.

Bria Sol’s features clearly showed her dislike. The actor, whose rest had been disturbed, soon relaxed her forehead and slowly curled her lips upward. Her violet eyes looked only at Perry, almost artificially so.

“I should go now. Perry, stay a bit longer or come out when you’re ready.”

“Ah, yes. I will.”

Bang! The balcony door closed violently. The uninvited guest, who had been standing pale and stiff, finally stammered as if released from a curse.

“Bri, no, um…… Perry, did you know Bria?”

“Yes. I recently became affiliated with the same agency as Actor, no, Bria.”

More than that, Perry had another point she wanted to address. Having satisfied her former employer’s curiosity, she murmured in a completely unsurprising tone.

“So your surname is Bellium.”

“……Yes.”

“I didn’t know because you only used your first name at the restaurant.”

“Ah, well. That’s right, haha. My mother told me to leave off the family name when playing rebel.”

“Your mother?”

“Um…… She told me not to do anything that might attract criticism. I wasn’t deliberately, you know, trying to deceive anyone. Not just you, Perry! None of the restaurant staff know my surname either.”

“And Yuan is your…… sibling?”

“Cousin. ……Oh, perhaps Yuan hasn’t told you yet—”

“I’m not sure what you’re referring to.”

A boy who’s terrible at deceiving others yet hides all sorts of things. A pen pal who would awkwardly change the subject yet readily nod to Perry’s requests.

Her dark eyes examined her former workplace boss up close. Large green eyes, a face that transparently revealed emotions, fidgeting fingers. Completely different from his cousin who adhered to classical etiquette.

And yet,

The awkwardly twitching eyes resembled him somewhat. Her rounded fingernails fiddled with the earrings.

“You told me he was someone you were introduced to through distant connections.”

“Well, cousins are, yes, distant connections, right? Mother’s brother’s son, father’s sister’s daughter—something like that.”

It was a silly play on words, but Perry didn’t point that out. She had no desire to demand the truth she had already suspected from her friendly former employer. Her light brown hair swayed gently. Her black eyes turned toward the late summer garden.

“By the way, how did you end up here?”

“I received an invitation from Yuan.”

“Ah…… So that’s where it went.”

“And you?”

“In place of my mother. She told me to just make an appearance.”

A moment of silence.

Perry sensed the other person wanted to say something, but she didn’t press. She simply closed her eyes and enjoyed the breeze, just as the woman who had been here until recently had done. The damp scent of grass tickled her nose.