So I Was the Persecuted Grand Duchess Destined to Die? Chapter 91

Chapter 91

The owner of that booming voice was none other than Director Peter.

“Oh—oh my goodness!”

Seeing so many high-ranking persons gathered in the corridor, he nearly leapt out of his shoes and rushed over.

“Y-Your Highness! And… also Your Highness!”

It was, objectively, a ridiculous way to address them—but no one laughed.

I had to forcibly press down the corner of my mouth.

Technically, he wasn’t wrong. Xavier was His Grace, and Felix was His Highness…

Still. It was funny.

“Y-Your Grace… here is your… pamphlet.”

Right. The lead actress was still here.

Aurora timidly handed me the signed pamphlet, her eyes trembling violently.

Peter hurried over and grabbed her wrist.

“The performance starts in five minutes! Why are you still here? Come now! Or I’ll put the understudy on!”

“I’m coming!”

Ah. So this visit hadn’t been authorized.

“And… I hope to see you again, Your Highness!”

Aurora winked brightly at Felix Rembrandt before disappearing down the corridor with Peter.

“W-what was that?”

Felix looked utterly stunned.

Honestly, though—the prima donna really was gorgeous.

So pretty…

Maybe I smiled a little too obviously, because Xavier nudged my arm.

“Oh.”

Right.

The awkwardness returned in full force.

Xavier stood stiffly.

Felix’s nose was still bright red.

And behind him—his aide, probably.

Then suddenly—

Drip.

A thin red line streamed from Felix’s nose.

“Y-Your Highness! You’re bleeding!”

“What?”

He wiped beneath his nose, saw the blood on his fingers—

“Ah! It’s real blood!”

He looked genuinely on the verge of fainting.

“Am I going to die from blood loss?”

“No one dies from a nosebleed.”

…Oops.

“Really? That’s a relief. I thought I was done for.”

He accepted that surprisingly easily.

I pulled out a handkerchief and offered it to him.

Xavier’s brows furrowed immediately.

Oh, come on. Let this one slide.

“Did Your Highness come to watch the opera as well?” I asked politely.

“W-well… yes.”

Even in the dim light, I could tell his face had turned red.

Ah. So he really was an opera fan.

“Then, Your Highness—”

I was about to politely suggest he return to his own seat when—

Click.

The lights in the audience dimmed.

The white noise of the crowd dissolved into silence.

“It’s starting,” I whispered to Xavier.

Felix suddenly panicked.

“No! I can’t miss a single second!”

His urgency was so sincere that I reflexively gestured toward our seats.

“W-would you like to sit here for now?”

“I won’t refuse!”

He actually sat down.

I slowly turned to Xavier.

“…Haa.”

That sigh said everything.

“Your Highness has his own seat,” Xavier said flatly.

But I had seen it.

That look in Felix’s eyes.

“Don’t interrupt an otaku mid-ritual…”

“…What?”

“Just this once.”

Felix’s expressions were so transparent it was almost endearing.

His aide quickly brought over an absurdly plush single sofa—clearly Felix’s designated seat.

Felix immediately migrated to it, eyes never leaving the stage.

Xavier muttered under his breath.

“Shameless.”

Still, with Felix relocated, I returned to my seat beside Xavier.

And then—

“La~ la la la~”

The curtain rose.

There was Aurora Bright at center stage.

Even though I knew the story by heart, seeing it in opera form was overwhelming.

The adaptation was flawless.

The music.

The acting.

The emotional crescendo—

And then the highlight.

I clenched both fists.

The ex-husband scene.

“Cha-cha, I love you. Madly…”

The male lead pulled Mimi into his arms.

“Not enough, Marquis. I… desire something deeper…”

The tango violin swelled.

“Insane.”

A full-body shiver ran through me.

Is this opera? Then I love opera.

At that moment—

“—!!!”

I turned.

Felix was biting into my handkerchief to muffle a silent scream.

“….”

“….”

We locked eyes.

Instant recognition.

We are the same.

Perhaps I had crossed the point of no return.

“…What are you two doing?” Xavier muttered, unimpressed.

We ignored him.

Soon—

Thunderous applause.

The curtain call.

Felix and I shot to our feet simultaneously.

Tears streamed down our faces as we clapped furiously.

My heart wouldn’t stop pounding.

Beside me, Xavier stood stiffly, lips pressed into a thin line.

The house lights came up.

The audience began filing out.

I turned excitedly to Xavier.

“That was insane! Absolutely insane! They adapted the original so well! That added side-character arc blended perfectly! The vocals were incredible! It was amazing!”

“I’m glad you enjoyed—”

“What?! There’s an original novel?”

The voice didn’t come from Xavier.

It came from Felix.