Chapter 48

The more I think about it, the more I realize I made the right decision to rely on Roche.

I never knew Oscar Crestwell would be so clingy to me.

I don’t know how I would have stopped him without Roche.

When I first met Roche, he looked so helpless and pitiful.

But now, he appears strong and unwavering. Despite his gentle demeanor, there’s a certain aura around him that makes Oscar subtly back down in his presence.

I sighed, peeking my head out of the doorway.

“Why is he acting like this when we’re divorced?”

Even if we’re competitors, it’s not like that.

What the hell was he doing in our theater today?

If he had a preview scheduled, he should have entertained the dignitaries at his own theater.

I can’t believe he’d abandon his own business to come see someone else’s.

Although I couldn’t resist provoking him instead of retreating…

I still don’t understand.

If he keeps sticking his head in my business like this, when is he going to see Serwen?

Anyway, now that he’s gone, let’s forget about it.

I don’t have the luxury to dwell on my ex-husband’s doubts on such an important day.

It was time to congratulate the actors on a job well done.

I had Becky gather the actors together.

“You guys did a great job,” I told them.

I encouraged them, looking each one of them in the eye. Perhaps because of the positive audience reaction today, the eyes of the actors and staff were shining brightly.

“The official opening is in a week, so start taking care of your physical fitness and throat from today so that you don’t have any problems. We’re a one-cast play, so we don’t want anyone to drop out.”

Just then, there was a timely knock on the door.

I nodded to Becky, who stood in the doorway. She quickly opened the door.

A delivery person had stacked two wooden boxes nearby and nodded respectfully.

I instructed the two actors sitting in the front row to distribute the contents of the boxes to all the actors and staff.

“This is…….”

It was a nutritional supplement.

I had commissioned a famous pharmacist to prepare enough for all our staff members a few weeks ago.

Since ticket sales hadn’t properly started yet, I couldn’t do anything grandiose.

But that didn’t mean I couldn’t boost morale with something impressive.

“Eat well, take care of your health, and let’s do even better from a week from now. You all know that today’s preview reaction isn’t everything.”

I emphasized.

The real money is made on opening morning when the box office opens, and the real report card is how full the theater is that day.

Today’s performance was encouraging, but it didn’t mean we should relax.

“I’ll keep that in mind, Theater Director.”

The atmosphere was warm as such words were exchanged.

I couldn’t help but smile wryly.

These people are savvy enough to know that tickets will sell.

There was no point in throwing cold water on it now, so I didn’t deliberately flatter the morale of the group. I just shook my head a little.

“Okay, then, dismissed!”

Now there was more practice, feedback, and final checks.

* * *
A week later.

“Countess, wake up.”

“Mmm…….”

“It’s 6:00 a.m., the time you instructed me to wake you. You said you were going to the theater early today.”

The older maid’s touch is gentle but firm.

I wanted to stay buried in the fluffy bedding for a little longer, but……. I decided to go to the theater early today, as the maid said.

“Ugh.”

I really don’t want to get up.

But what can I do? I have to…

At least in the early days of the business, I can’t just neglect it and leave everything to my subordinates. It’s a shortcut to turning the business into a mess.

I yawned as I reluctantly got up from my heavy body.

I peeked outside through the curtain that blocked the sunlight.

Roche, who usually woke up at this hour, was training with his bodyguard team.

I smiled, my gaze fixed on the back of Roche’s head.

“Tell Roche to come in and get ready properly. Leave only the minimum number of bodyguards at the mansion, and we’ll go to the theater together today.”

“Yes, Countess. Everyone, let’s assist Countess with her grooming and dressing.”

At the maid’s command, the other maids entered the room.

I held up my hand to stop them so that I could watch Dylan, who had heard the maid’s message, go outside and fetch Roche.

Only after I saw Roche enter the mansion after a brief instruction, I began to prepare to leave.

* * *
I dressed and made my way to the Sandro district, where the theater was located.

As soon as I entered the boulevard facing the square, I saw that people were already out.

It was only 7:30 am.

The box office opens at 9 am.

I counted the people out of the corner of my eye.

Pinocchio is a children’s play, so each person will buy two basic tickets. One ticket for the child, one for the guardian.

Estimating the quantity of tickets to be sold, I smiled to myself.

‘It will definitely sell out.’

This was encouraging, even with the bad luck of opening on the same day as the Crestwell Grand Theater.

It seemed like targeting the untapped market of cultural experiences for children wasn’t a bad choice.

‘And thank you, Duke Lopez!’

The eccentric Duke Lopez was still concerned about maintaining his relationship with the Crestwell Grand Theater.

So he didn’t write an exclusive review of our play.

He merely gave us a one-line review in the daily newspaper.

But even that short comment was overwhelmingly positive.

It seemed to be the final blow.

In the world of criticism, Duke Lopez’s authority was absolute.

Just the fact that he gave it a favorable review is enough to make people think, “Why don’t I give it a try?”

Even so, if I had been competing for the same audience as the Crestwell Grand Theater, our show would have been crushed.

If one had to choose, it would be clear which one had the edge.

Unfortunately, the Crestwell Grand Theater was still one step ahead in terms of glamour.

But by inviting children to the preview, I avoided directly competing with them. In the end, people who went to the Crestwell Grand Theater and those who came to our theater were completely separate.

And the nature of kids also played a role in ticket sales.

Kids’ competitive nature is direct and raw. They are purely bragging, envious, and want to do what everyone else is doing.

The kids who saw Pinocchio last week probably bragged to their friends about the fun they had.

None of the kids in this country had ever been to the theater before.

So the kids who were invited to the premiere must have been very excited. The kids who haven’t seen the play are jealous of the kids who have, and they want to have the same experience.

“It worked out well.”

I glanced out at the gathered crowd, then nodded to the security team.

They were there to clear the area in front of the box office, which was getting crowded as the opening time approached.

“Line up! Please form a line here.”

“No fighting, please. If there’s a disturbance, I’ll pull everyone out!”

“We don’t want anyone to get hurt!”

Our security team of former mercenaries yelled and began to control the perimeter.

The people gathered to buy tickets looked taken aback.

Oscar had never been one to consider the safety and convenience of errand boys who came to buy tickets.

As a result, ticket opening time at the Crestwell Grand Theater was a battleground, and scuffles were not uncommon.

The people gathered to buy tickets looked taken aback. I remember it being reported in the press that it was so popular that people were fighting for it.

The sensationalized gossip became the talk of the town at the Crestwell Grand Theater.

So seeing the theater owner herself come out to organize things outside would surely seem strange and bewildering to them.

In fact, they looked dumbfounded as they stood in line.

I smiled at them.

“I don’t want to see any bloodshed in front of the theater. This is a play for children.”

I would show a different kind of management than Oscar Crestwell’s.

I thought about how the employees who had come to work with determination, thinking about the chaos that often ensued in front of the Crestwell Grand Theater.

‘That person’s job will become easier.’

We differentiate ourselves and sell tickets efficiently.

How nice.

The people lined up in an orderly manner in front of the ticket booth kept glancing at me.

Why? Do I suddenly seem intellectual and beautiful?

An order to maintain order outside the venue is nothing new, but when it comes from a stupid, reputedly vicious woman, it can seem a bit unconventional.

“Keep it orderly. Check the ratio of new to returning patrons.”

“Yes, my lady.”

Jack Rogers nodded at me

I turned to Roche, who stood behind me like a shadow.

“Then let’s stop by our business partners.”

I had created a revenue model other than ticket sales, so I had to check it out.

Let’s see, are we ready for this?