Antique lights illuminated the grand marble staircase, and shadows of people danced beneath the red curtains.
Odelia stopped for a moment, speechless at the sight.
She had forgotten, but today Odelia is just Judith's stand-in, and everyone knows that Calix's date is Judith.
Up until now, she had been spending her time in his villa, out of sight of anyone, but if she had been with Calix in such a crowded place, she would definitely be caught.
"Is it okay to go to a place like this? What if people recognize me?"
But before Odelia could even finish her sentence, Calixx shook his head with a reassuring smile.
"Don't worry, you won't run into people."
The carriage stopped not at the main entrance, but in front of a separate door on the side of the building. The staff waiting in front of the entrance quietly opened the carriage door, and Calix got out first and extended his hand to Odelia.
Odelia looked around, made sure there was no one around, quickly grabbed his hand, got out of the carriage, and rushed into the building.
So, there's no need to go that far in hiding. This is a passageway reserved for the royal family anyway, so no one else can come near here.
But Calix had decided not to speak out. Odelia looked around cautiously, as if she might run into someone.
"Looks like a meerkat."
He gave a short laugh and strode briskly to catch up with Odelia.
Through this VVIP-only passage, which was completely blocked from outsiders' view, Calix escorted Odelia to the innermost seat on the third floor, which overlooked the front of the stage.
There were only two seats, so there was no room for anyone else.
As soon as she sat down, the lights went down, and the curtain began to rise. Only then did Odelia, seemingly completely relieved, lean back against the back of her chair and let out a tense breath.
As the orchestra's magnificent overture began to play, Odelia straightened her back and focused on the stage again.
The actors' gestures on the stage illuminated by golden lights, the songs they poured out, and the orchestra's lines flowing in sync with them were all new to her, and everything was both unfamiliar and splendid.
Odelia was completely absorbed in the sight of the opera singer singing the sorrow and despair of losing a loved one, without taking her eyes off the stage.
Calix watched her quietly. In the shadows, where the stage light didn't reach, only Odelia's profile shone faintly.
At that moment, Henry approached him carefully from behind and whispered faintly.
"I caught the stalker. What should we do, Your Highness?"
Calix answered quietly, without moving a muscle.
"Cut off his tongue and send it."
Henry nodded briefly and quietly stepped back.
***
Odelia was unusually quiet on the way back. She wasn't usually a talkative person, but her strangely withdrawn demeanor worried Calix.
“Was it not that good?”
"Yes?"
"I'm talking about opera."
"No, not at all. It's just... the last scene lingers."
The last scene was beautiful, but Calix couldn't quite remember it. Perhaps it was the enjoyment of not being able to focus properly that made Calix slightly nervous.
"Why?"
"I wondered if I had ever felt that way. I wanted to save the one I loved, even if it meant sacrificing my life. I didn't understand how it would all be of any use if I were to die."
The ending was this. A woman who decided to sacrifice herself to save her lover met her death, and her lover, who gained life through her sacrifice, fell into despair while holding the dead woman's body.
"..I also wondered what it would be like to love someone that much."
As she watched the opera, only one thing came to Odelia's mind.
Was the pain of heartbreak so intense that His Highness Calix jumped into the battlefield? Did he love Her Majesty the Empress that much?
The sudden thought kept swirling around in Otelia's head.
"Have you... Ever loved someone deeply, Your Highness?"
At the sudden question, Calix looked at Odelia silently.
"...Yes."
“I see.”
He wondered what kind of answer she was expecting, but the person who asked the question was more flustered.
“I’m jealous.”
"What's so jealous of that?"
"Just living and loving like that.."
"It's just an annoying feeling, it's something you don't need to know about."
"..."
"Even if you find out, it's just painful."
"..."
"It's like self-harm, so there's no need to wonder about such things."
Odelia simply nodded at the words that seemed to be a declaration.
The conversation ceased. Odelia, feeling as if the air had grown subtly heavy, was her fault, and for a moment, like a sinner, she hung her head low.
The carriage stopped quietly near the main gate of the Herdel mansion. Judith, who had been waiting outside the gate where the night air had quietly settled, appeared first.
"Your Highness."
Calix nodded briefly in response to the greeting. His gaze then shifted to Odelia, who was sitting next to him.
As if she had just woken up from a splendid dream, Odelia remained motionless in the carriage for a long time. Judith naturally welcomed Odelia and placed a hand on her arm.
"I've been waiting for you. It's getting late, so how about staying at my house for the night?"
Odelia took a short breath, looked at Judith's hand, and nodded slightly.
"Thank you."
Odelia slowly bowed politely to Calix and then went straight into the mansion.
***
As soon as they entered the mansion, Judith took Odelia by the hand and led her to her room.
She opened the drawer and took out a long, light apricot-colored dress similar to the pajamas she was wearing and handed it to her.
For Judith, it was a dress that covered her ankles, but for Odelia, it was so high that her legs were barely visible.
It was quite an unfamiliar outfit for Odelia, who usually slept in a polo shirt and loose pants, but the silk felt good against her bare body.
Judith took Odelia's hand after she came out of her clothes and sat her down at her dressing table. She began to style Odelia's hair herself.
"After the date, chatting all night with Odelia was what I was most looking forward to today."
"Lady Judith, are you feeling better?"
"Ohhoho, yes, of course! Now I'm completely fine!"
Her excited voice, her shining eyes, and her expression showed no regret at not being able to go on a date, but rather, she seemed excited to hear Odelia's story.
"How was your date?"
Looking at Judith, her eyes filled with excitement, in the mirror, Odelia slowly recalled the day.
"The greenhouse, filled with white birch bushes, was truly beautiful. His Highness personally rowed a boat across the lake. We enjoyed horseback riding in the vast fields, and finally, we saw an opera."
The sight of Calix in the beautiful white rose greenhouse, the reunion with her beloved horse, the thoughtless ride through the fields together, and even the heavenly voice she heard for the first time in her life.
It felt like a dream.
'Your Highness... have you ever loved someone deeply?"
'Yes.'
It was so much fun that she wondered if it was a dream.
It didn't take long for Odelia to wake up from her dream, but her eyes were slightly shaking.
"...But why is your expression so dark?"
Odelia remained silent for a long time, unable to answer the question.
"I don't know. Why is it so frustrating?"
Judith stared at her quietly, a playful smile on her lips.
"Are you just feeling frustrated? Doesn't your heart start pounding like crazy? Or does it make you feel nervous?"
Odelia pursed her lips, subtly avoiding her gaze from Judith's reflection in the mirror.
She was just now realizing that an unspeakable emotion was stirring in her heart.
But what does that mean?
'It's just an annoying feeling, it's something you don't need to know about.'
There's no need to be curious because finding out about it is just painful and like self-harm.
Odelia only smiled warmly instead of answering, as if Calix's voice was still ringing in her ears.
Seeing that smile, Judith decided not to ask any more questions.
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