When Pride Fell At My Toes - Chapter 6



Only Krnovel

#06. In Hell
2024.01.06.

“It’s okay. You can watch more.”

“No. I watched it all.”

“Yeah. By the way, you were really noisy on the day of the performance.

You even got scolded.” “Yeah, I guess that’s why you were kind of impressed.”

“Now that I hear it, I’m a bit curious. I’ve heard a lot about sponsorship, but I don’t know what the conditions are. Usually, rumors are bound to spread, but you’re being too thorough. Could it be… … .”

“Could it be?”

“Are you asking for something strange?”

Juliana covered her mouth with her hand and widened her eyes.

“Well, sometimes there are nobles who ask for sex.”

“No way… … . Could it be that they’re just sponsoring you for pure reasons?”

“Well, that could be possible. Gee, it’s a bit strange that such a famous person wouldn’t talk much, so I just said whatever. If the intention is truly pure, then it’s really nice for the recipient.”

Pure intention… … . Emilia smiled bitterly and nodded. Enrico had asked her to just dance, but wasn’t it too far off from her innocence to propose a contract with her parents in the first place?

What should she do? Should she try to run away again? Or should she go apply for the Avaliante Ballet tomorrow? He had only given her two days to think. The time given to her was not long.

Emilia looked out the window with her eyes wet with worry. In the meantime, sunlight had broken through the clouds and was streaming into the room.

***

Maybe because so much had happened in the short time, she had forgotten the most important thing.

“What is your relationship with Duke Michele?”

Emilia swallowed deeply as she looked at Giorgio Este standing before her.

Was she really out of her mind? She had run away in the middle of the night to avoid her uncle, and now she was only concerned about Enrico Michele. If she had been dragged away like this, the situation would have gotten more complicated, whether it was the contract or not, but she had been too complacent.

Moreover, unlike what he had expected, he came to the art academy himself, and since he naturally recognized himself as a poor, distant collateral family here, Giorgio’s sudden appearance was bound to be awkward.

‘Thank goodness it’s vacation time.’

He quickly dragged Giorgio to a secluded road near the back gate of the art academy before anyone could see him, but he briefly wondered if this was the right thing to do. He might be the one being dragged there instead.

But… …

“Duke Michele?”

He was a bit puzzled by the unexpected first words, mentioning Enrico Michele out of the blue.

“Yes. An aide came to visit me this morning. He said he would invest in a business.”

The deserted alley was eerie. The sunset was fading away and the ground was starting to get dark, but his eyes, which had already adapted to the darkness, were able to read Giorgio’s expression clearly.

“… … Business, you say?”

“I’ve been having a hard time finding investors, but you already knew everything and came to me, right? You don’t need to know this. Anyway! The reason I’m asking this is because you’re included in the investment conditions!”

Giorgio twitched his mustache and narrowed his eyes. It seemed as if he was looking for anything suspicious. Even in a place without candlelight, his oily brown hair and mossy eyes sparkled. “Please tell me more , in detail.” “He said he’d invest on the condition that you wouldn’t interfere with your ballet. Since when has this sly thing been taking money behind the scenes? And you’re going to get married? Did you eat it all by yourself?” Emilia’s expression became extremely calm. If the investment came in, it would have been a happy thing, but why was he so angry? It

seemed that he had come running here because he thought he had taken the money for himself. Since he was a man who was crazy about money, it wasn’t that surprising anymore. Rather, it was more surprising that he had offered a conditional investment. It was as if he had prepared everything in advance. Enrico Michele, who had called her in a carriage the other day, came to mind. Now that she thought about it, he seemed to know something about her since their first meeting. From the way he waited for her carriage near the art academy that night, to the way he gave her a knowing look when he saw her pack her luggage. Maybe he already knew what Giorgio Este had asked of her. If her last thought was right, then this situation was also a situation where he had said such things in order to keep Giorgio on a leash. However, it seemed that he had done it not because he wanted to give her some time, but because he thought she would naturally sign a contract with him, so he could swing her around without restraint. Emilia hesitated for a moment and shook her head. “… … We’re not like that. We met for the first time at the concert hall the other day.”

“You’re talking about me when we’re not even related? Are you kidding me right now! You acted so well and now you’re trying to hit me in the back of the head? Anyway, I think you’re a group of people who have no foundation. Did you learn how to show off your body indecently instead of dancing?”

“Uncle!”

“Where did you open your eyes?! You should give me money instead of your parents. You should be grateful that I’m maintaining your empty family. Huh? If it weren’t for that money, I would have started with you- Hmm, ahem! Anyway! You have to earn money. Remember that no matter how much of an adult you become, you can’t escape from me as long as you’re in the family. But what, sponsorship? Do you think that’s enough to satisfy me?”

Emilia’s body swayed like a tree branch in the wind as Giorgio grabbed her arm and shook it. Emilia glared at the thick hand that was grabbing her arm and then tightly shut her eyes.

‘I’m sick of it… …’ I should have just

run away. Regret came rushing back.

If only I could have shot him an apology right away. No, I wanted to slap him in the face. However, the ominous feeling that I wouldn’t be able to escape his grasp until I died sent shivers down my spine. Naturally, he was trying to take

my family, and even treat me as his property, and swing it around, but the reality that I couldn’t do anything made me suffocate.

“So what’s your relationship with the Duke? Can’t you tell me straight?”

Now, even my confidence in running away was crumbling. As I thought that even if I left, I would eventually be dragged back to this hellish place, I began to wonder if I shouldn’t have anything until I died.

My parents, Vale, and myself. The humans rushing at me like evil spirits as if they were going to take everything away from me pressed down on my whole body.

‘It wasn’t the same place, it was real hell.’

If this reality, where she had to avoid the human who wanted to sell her out and go to the human who wanted to use her parents to possess her as a doll in a music box, was it really hell? As the last spark of hope died out, her belated realization killed her heart.

Emilia’s delicate eyelashes, which had fallen, trembled pitifully like flower petals hit by rain. Her eyes gradually turned red like burning flames, and her deep breaths trembled and scattered out of her mouth.

‘… … If I can’t have anything in life anyway, wouldn’t it be better to know my parents’ injustice to live on?’

If Enrico Michele’s words were true. If she was just trying to use her parents, she wouldn’t be living in hell alone.

Giorgio was already spouting out obscene words in Emilia’s long silence. When she raised her head, her ears, which had been muffled as if they were underwater, opened again, and Giorgio’s figure, who was trying to get more excited, came into her blurred vision.

“That’s not true.”

Even if he expresses his emotions, the current situation won’t be resolved, and if he continues to provoke him, he might cause a scene that will draw in even the most innocent people. He’s a human being worse than an animal who doesn’t even know shame.

“The Duke first met me after the performance. And that’s when he offered me sponsorship.”

Emilia’s words, which she tried to regain her composure, were met with a sigh. Then, she grabbed Giorgio’s wrist with her other hand and tried to pull it away, but surprisingly, her hand gave out easily, so she quietly returned his arm to its original position.

“What kind of sponsorship? You didn’t just take it all by yourself?”

“Yes. I just received the offer, but I haven’t given you an answer yet.”

“What? You’re saying you’re going to invest in my business after I just made the offer? Then if you sponsor me, it’ll be even more… … ? Ahem. But why didn’t you accept it right away?”

Her voice softened slightly and asked back half a beat later.

“… … I’m an Este. My family needs to benefit through me, so you can’t let your uncle know. So I was going to consult with your uncle, but it seems that Duke Michele has already made a move.”

“Yes, that’s right. I should know. But the Duke is that interested in you? Huh… … So what do you plan to do?”

“Well, you said that you might get various offers after the performance is over. But since you’re Duke Michele, I don’t think you can compare to other nobles. Of course, getting married might be the priority, but if the Duke’s support would be of great benefit to you as well, wouldn’t it be worth considering?”

“Hmm… … .”

Giorgio stroked his thin mustache and closed his eyes tightly. After a moment of silence, Giorgio slowly opened his mouth.

“… … Well, I can’t dare refuse the Duke’s offer.”