Chapter 3.6

Juliet stood with her arms crossed, looking at Natalie and Mr. Wharton. Mr. Wharton stepped between them, as if shielding prey from a hunter.  

Natalie peeked over Mr. Wharton’s shoulder with wide eyes. She couldn’t take her eyes off Juliet, who looked every bit the part of a stunning protagonist.  

“She’s not my lover; she’s my friend.”  

At Natalie’s words, Juliet let out a mocking laugh.  

“Friend!”  

The word, spoken by Juliet, sounded like a line delivered with great emphasis due to her powerful voice.  

“That’s exactly how Mr. Wharton ensures his lovers don’t recognize each other. Everyone is just a ‘friend,’ so no one is a lover.”  

“Rosaline.”  

Mr. Wharton called the name firmly, as if to stop the commotion.  

Natalie realized it was her real name. The actress playing Juliet was named Rosaline.  

It was the same name as Romeo’s first love in ‘Romeo and Juliet’.  

Rosaline, who had caused Romeo to pine in unrequited love, was now playing Juliet. The irony and destiny of it all were overwhelming, filling Natalie with emotion.  

“That’s amazing.”  

Natalie’s thoughts spilled out unintentionally. Unable to hide her excitement, she spoke her mind.  

“Rosaline is Juliet, and Romeo’s first love is also his last love. The one who taught Romeo the ecstasy of love and the one who made him realize the pain of love are the same person. Where else could you find such a perfect Juliet?”  

Natalie, caught up in her enthusiasm, only realized how quiet it had become after speaking.  

Rosaline, who had been silently watching Natalie, let out a small laugh. The others followed suit, laughing as well.  

“Mr. Wharton has brought quite the friend!”  

“To melt the icy heart of Rosaline, we should give the next Romeo role to this young lady.”  

While the actors chattered, Rosaline poured a drink into a glass on the table. Natalie leaned closer to Mr. Wharton and whispered.  

“Is she your lover, Mr. Wharton?”  

Mr. Wharton laughed without a hint of seriousness in response to her earnest question.  

Rosaline answered before he could.  

“I can hear you.”  

“Oh, you can hear me.”  

“I would never be Mr. Wharton’s lover.”  

Rosaline declared, handing the filled glass to Natalie. Once again, Mr. Wharton tried to intercept it, but Rosaline was quicker, pulling her hand away and narrowing her eyes.  

“Do you think the princess is so fragile, Sir?”  

Natalie accepted the glass from Rosaline.  

“I’m not fragile.”  

She promptly drank it down.  

Natalie endured the burning sensation in her throat. The actors applauded her accomplishment of emptying the glass.  

The only one who didn’t clap was Mr. Wharton. Looking flustered, he ran his hand through his hair, his blond strands falling out of place.  

Natalie drank everything Rosaline offered her. She thought Mr. Wharton’s friends were incredibly kind, welcoming her warmly, and she smiled brightly under the influence of the alcohol.  

***

The young lady, surrounded by actors, displayed a peculiar talent that drew everyone’s attention.

“Mercutio is excellent at acting out death scenes.”

It was a talent for finding something to compliment in everything.

“Death scenes are my specialty.”

Mercutio shrugged his shoulders. Next, it was Romeo’s turn to receive praise.

“Romeo is great at memorizing long lines.”  

“Of course. Writers should be grateful to me.”

Edgar found it fascinating how Natalie blended in with the actors even better than he had anticipated. Meanwhile, the other actors, as if vying for their turn, leaned toward Natalie, seeking her compliments.

“It seems Mr. Wharton is also waiting for his turn.”

At Rosaline’s remark, everyone turned to look at Edgar. Natalie did the same. She fixed her gaze on Edgar.

“Mr. Wharton has many friends.”

At Natalie’s words, the crowd burst into laughter. However, Natalie was serious.

“Everyone likes Mr. Wharton. That’s because he has put in a lot of effort to be a good friend.”

Edgar met Natalie’s gaze. Amid the noise, the two silently looked at each other for a while. Their eye contact was interrupted when Mercutio raised a bottle of alcohol.

“To Mr. Wharton, who has worked so hard!”

The sound of bottles and glasses clinking together echoed. After the toast, everyone drained their glasses. Watching this, Natalie followed suit and emptied her glass.

As Natalie tilted her head back to drink, she swayed backward, almost falling. Edgar quickly grabbed her shoulder and took the glass from her hand, setting it aside.

“I think it’s best if you stop drinking. Let’s get up.”

When Edgar helped Natalie to her feet, Friar Lawrence furrowed his brows deeply.

“Eddie, where are you sneaking off with our new Romeo? You must be in love.”

Hearing this, Romeo burst into loud laughter.

“I’ve always known Mr. Wharton had feelings for me.”

As Romeo stood abruptly, Rosaline grabbed him by the collar and forced him back into his seat.

“No, you idiot. He likes that pretty little lady.”

Instead of refuting, Edgar tried to leave with Natalie. However, Natalie leaned toward the drunken group.

“Mr. Wharton has someone he likes. He’s going to get married.”

Edgar caught Natalie as she stumbled forward. Meanwhile, the drunken group grew rowdy.

“Marriage? Who’s getting married?”  

“Surely not Eddie!”  

“Who’s getting married?”  

“That little one grew up and is getting married?”

Edgar responded to the commotion with nothing more than a smile. There was no point in answering drunken people who wouldn’t remember anything by tomorrow. Leaving the noise behind, he guided Natalie toward the stairs. As Edgar led her down the stairs, Natalie tilted her head back.

“Where are we going?”

Looking up at him, Natalie met Edgar’s gaze as he answered.

“Home.”  

“Are we going to my house? Are you coming to my house too, Mr. Wharton?”  

“No. I’m going to my house.”  

“Why won’t you come to my house?”  

“I’ll come later.”  

“Why later?”

It seemed like the questions would never end. The curious young lady’s drunken habit appeared to be an endless barrage of questions.

When Edgar didn’t respond, Natalie stopped mid-step and turned to face him. On the narrow staircase, Edgar had no choice but to stop as well.

“Are you busy? Too busy to come?”

The drunken young lady looked visibly upset. It seemed she wouldn’t let him pass until he answered. Edgar chuckled softly, looking at Natalie, who appeared as sulky as a child.

“The owner of the theater is always busy.”

Whether the answer was convincing, Natalie stepped back. In doing so, she tripped over her own feet and staggered backward. Edgar quickly caught her. In his arms, Natalie showed no signs of surprise but instead smiled brightly.

Caught off guard by her smile, Edgar momentarily lost his grip, allowing Natalie to slip from his arms. She walked ahead unsteadily, as if she were walking on clouds, yet she didn’t fall.

“Natalie!”

She didn’t look back. She marched forward confidently, as if she were already accustomed to the place. Though she wobbled, she didn’t stumble.

The backstage was now deserted, with the lights turned off. Edgar watched Natalie walking into the darkness with unease.

“Where are you going?”

There was no reply.

Edgar followed her. His pace quickened until he was close enough to reach out to her. But he couldn’t catch her.

Natalie suddenly broke into a run, as if something had caught her attention. She stopped in front of a large box. The object that had captivated her was a box filled with discarded props.

Natalie, like a child who had discovered a treasure chest, sat down in front of it with wide eyes.

“Look at this!”

She placed her hand gently on the box and looked up at Edgar. Her cheeks were flushed pink from the alcohol, but her eyes were unusually clear.

“Look at this!”

Natalie repeated the same words to Edgar, who was looking only at her instead of the box. Edgar chuckled softly and replied.

“I’m looking.”

Natalie hugged the box, which was as big as her upper body, as if it were a precious gift and rested her head on it. With one cheek pressed against it, she gazed at Edgar with a look of complete satisfaction.

“I found a treasure chest.”

Edgar couldn’t bring himself to tell her that it was merely a box filled with broken and useless props.

“It’s a very splendid treasure chest.”

When Edgar praised the treasure chest, Natalie beamed so brightly that even her eyes curved into smiles. Edgar approached her and unlatched the box.

When the box opened, Natalie let out a small “Wow” of admiration. Without hesitation, she buried her head in the box and began rummaging through it like she had been waiting for this moment.

While Edgar gave up trying to stop her and simply watched, Natalie found something inside the box and burst into a wide grin. What she carefully held in both hands was a sparkling crown.

“I found a crown!”  

“That’s amazing.”

Edgar widened his eyes and responded with genuine enthusiasm. Natalie, her cheeks puffed with joy, looked at Edgar intently.

“Is it yours, Mr. Wharton?”  

“……”

Edgar didn’t immediately understand what she meant. 

Was this drunken rambling? 

As he silently looked at Natalie, she extended the crown toward him as if returning it to its rightful owner.

“Did I find your crown, Mr. Wharton?”  

“…My crown?”

Edgar stared at the crown, something he had never once considered his own. Competing with the Royal Theater was already enough to make him a thorn in their side—claiming a royal title on top of that would surely be treason.

His gaze met Natalie’s, which was filled with expectation.

“Princes all wear crowns.”

The silver tiara, adorned with imitation jewels, was far from the dignity of a prince’s authority. It was crafted to shine beautifully under stage lights, perfectly suited for its theatrical role. Now, rusted in places, the fake crown had been relegated to the box of discarded props. Yet Natalie held it as carefully as if it were a genuine coronation crown.