Chapter 2 (Part 5)

After finishing their meal, the two headed to the opera house to see Lainus’s performance.

Anthus led Yuliana into a box seat, drew the curtain, and seated her on a plush sofa.

“Are you alright? I’m sorry. I should have escorted you better…”

Anthus spoke with a voice filled with worry and apology.

“…No, Duke. It’s just that I twisted my ankle a bit after wearing heels for the first time in a long time.”

Yuliana had twisted her ankle while walking, thinking about hearing Lainus’s song. Anthus, who had been escorting her, was startled.

“May I examine your ankle, Yuli?”

“It’s fine! Really, I’m fine, Duke!”

“I’m not fine. I’ll just take a quick look at your ankle. Please allow me.”

Seeing his earnest eyes, Yuliana hesitated for a moment before nodding. Anthus carefully removed her shoe and examined her ankle with a serious expression.

Yuliana unconsciously tensed her ankle. His touch on her ankle gave her a strange, peculiar feeling as if his hand would travel up her calf and thigh.

“Yuli… It seems you’ve slightly sprained your ankle…”

“No, it doesn’t hurt. It’s just a slight twist.”

Startled by Anthus’s touch, Yuliana involuntarily flinched.

“I think you should show your ankle to a physician immediately.”

Anthus frowned slightly.

“Really, it’s fine!”

Yuliana insisted that she was fine.

Even though the beautiful singing on stage should have lifted her spirits, Yuliana was more conscious of Anthus’s arm touching hers. There was no armrest on the sofa they were sitting on. So, whenever she moved slightly, her left arm touched his right arm. Because of the frequent contact, she became aware of his arm, making her body tense.

Yuliana recalled what had happened earlier.

<Duke, we prepared a single seat, thinking you’d be watching alone.>

At the usher’s words, Anthus looked very troubled and asked if there were any two-seater box seats available, but they were all sold out due to the many spectators who came to hear Lainus’s performance.

<Then we’ll have to apologize and compensate other box seat holders to get a seat.>

<Ah… The performance is about to start…>

<Tell them that the Rockbellion family will take responsibility and ask for their understanding.>

<Yes… I’ll do my best to make it happen.>

The usher, who looked like he might cry if touched, glanced at Yuliana and replied. Most of the box seats were occupied by nobles, making it difficult for the usher to ask for a seat. Hearing this, Yuliana felt sorry.

<No, Duke. It’s okay. The performance has started, and we shouldn’t inconvenience others. Let’s just watch. The sofa just lacks an armrest, that’s all.>

At Yuliana’s words, the usher’s face brightened.

<Thank you, Lady Loengrin. Thank you very much.>

Thanks to that, she sat on a sofa where Anthus’s arm could touch hers with every slight movement, feeling tense and quietly swallowing her saliva. Trying not to be conscious of it, she looked down at the stage and focused on the song, but her heart pounded strangely.

“Yuli?”

Suddenly, Anthus leaned in and whispered close to Yuliana’s ear. Hearing his pleasant, deep voice so close, Yuliana covered her ears with her hands and looked at him.

“What… What is it?”

The feeling of Anthus’s breath on her ear made her heart drop to the floor, startling her.

“Why are you so surprised?”

Anthus leaned in closer to Yuliana and spoke.

“You came too close, so I was startled.”

“I’m sorry. I was worried my voice wouldn’t reach you because of the singing… So I whispered close to your ear. Did it make you uncomfortable?”

Anthus, looking at Yuliana, gently placed his hand on her forehead.

“Your face is red, Yuli. Are you not feeling well?”

At his words, Yuliana covered her face with both hands.

“No.”

“I can’t hear you well.”

Anthus’s face moved closer to Yuliana’s.

“I’ll speak louder, so please don’t come any closer!”

“Are you really okay? Your face is red.”

“It’s just a bit warm…”

Although Lainus was singing on stage, Yuliana couldn’t concentrate on the song at all. It was the first time in her life that her heart beat so irregularly.

Anthus had intentionally made the carriage interior narrow, arranged for a single-seater box seat, and provided a sofa without armrests, all to make Yuliana more aware of him as a man.

Anthus glanced sideways at her, wanting to fix her gaze on him instead of the stage.

The urge to lay her down right there and reveal all his hidden desires was intense, but he had to restrain himself.

‘Not yet…’

“It’s because of Lainus, Duke.”

He wanted to tell her to stop looking at Lainus and only look at him. Feeling parched, Anthus reached for water.

“Lainus is known to be very selective about his patrons, but to think that you, Duke Anthus, would become his patron. I’m really envious. How did you become his patron?”

Popular opera singers and artists like Lainus can choose their patrons. Especially Lainus, who had many families wanting to sponsor him, was not someone who could be swayed by money or power.

“It seems the song is about to start.”

“Yes!”

The stage darkened, and the spotlight focused solely on Lainus. The audience applauded his appearance.

‘How did I manage to get Lainus to accept my patronage?’

Anthus had repeatedly urged Lainus to accept his patronage, but Lainus had firmly refused. So Anthus met Lainus in person and asked him to accept his sponsorship.

Then Lainus asked him to explain his ‘reason’ for wanting to be a patron. Anthus laid it all out honestly.

<The woman I have unrequited love for is a passionate fan of yours. I want an excuse to go on dates with her. So, under the pretext of sponsorship, I’d like you to sing on stage whenever I request it.>

<To think that Duke Rockbellion is in unrequited love… It’s surprising to hear. So, you’re saying you don’t want to brag about sponsoring me to others but solely want to use my songs to fulfill your unrequited love.>

<Precisely.>

<Then I will accept your sponsorship on the condition that my songs are used only to fulfill your unrequited love.>

<Agreed. But on the days I ask, no matter what, and on any stage, will you come and sing in front of her?>

<Of course.>

Thus, Anthus became a strong patron of Lainus. One year, two years passed, but Lainus, not having been called upon, sent letters to Anthus asking when he would use his voice for his unrequited love. Each time, Anthus replied with a short ‘one more year.’

Finally, Lainus received a letter asking him to use his voice for Anthus’s unrequited love. As promised, he postponed all his schedules and arrived at the Moon Theater. Over the years, he had composed songs to fulfill the unrequited love of his patron, Duke Rockbellion, and today was the first time he would perform them.

People sang along with his unrequited love, his longing, and his deep feelings for the desired person. When Lainus’s song ended, the audience shouted for an encore, and Yuliana was no exception.

“It’s such a beautiful song.”

Seeing Yuliana moved to tears by Lainus’s song, Anthus quietly smiled.

“If Lainus has time, I’ll arrange for you to meet him.”

“Really? Duke? You must invite him!”

“I promise.”

“Where should I get his autograph? My heart is racing.”

Unaware that Anthus’s plan was progressing smoothly, Yuliana smiled innocently. Anthus also beamed brightly, following Yuliana’s lead.

“I must keep my word…”

“Yes?”

“Remember, I said I would try hard for you to call me ‘Yan’?”

“…Yes.”

Yuliana’s voice, mixed with laughter, gradually faded.

“I will try even harder.”

Yuliana’s face turned red from her cheeks to her ears.

“Duke Anthus… do you really like me?”

“To speak the truth… I love you, Lady Yuliana Loengrin.”

Yuliana’s heart sank with a thud.

“I have a strong personality…”

“I like people who are assertive.”

Anthus’s eyes sparkled as he whispered sweetly to Yuliana.

“I’m not that beautiful…”

“When I said you were cute and beautiful, it wasn’t a joke but my genuine feelings.”

“I recently broke off an engagement…”

“I nearly gave up my feelings because my first love was engaged, but I was happy to hear about your broken engagement.”

“First love…”

“Yes. From the moment I first saw you, you became my first love and unrequited love simultaneously.”

Despite being a fan of Lainus’s songs, especially the poignant “Unrequited Love Song,” Yuliana couldn’t hear it. Only Anthus’s words, “first love” and “unrequited love,” echoed in her ears.