Chapter 3. The acting of the fake newlyweds
2022.08.23.
We were so thoroughly disguised that Emily could not be recognized at first glance. Even if he changed his hair color and eye color, he looked like a different person.
“Welcome, sir.”
As we entered the high-end jewelry store, we were greeted by a waiting staff. Aidan, who was standing still, started acting only when I looked up.
“I’m trying to present it to my wife.”
“You want to give your wife a present! You are very beautiful.”
The employee left a sales comment and smiled at me. It was the right decision.
I don’t know, because when it comes to a gift for your wife, you have to like it.
However, the opponent was Aidan.
“Clear those eyes.”
“yes?”
Suddenly, Aidan started arguing with the staff.
“Ahaha. It’s my husband’s habit. I would like to see some necklaces, so please guide me.”
“Oh you see!”
Fortunately, the veteran employee smiled and moved on. I whispered to Aidan as I walked inside the store following his guidance.
“honey. Can’t I just say something bad all of a sudden?”
“But the author first opened his ugly eyes-.”
“honey.”
When I stopped talking and glared at Aidan, Aidan was silent for a moment, then opened his mouth.
“…was wrong honey.”
“great.”
I took Aidan, who still didn’t know what was wrong, and started to explore the surroundings in earnest.
Like a high-end jewelry store that sells accessories to nobles, noble ladies were looking at the accessories throughout the spacious store.
Finding Emily among them wasn’t that difficult. Standing proudly with a man presumed to be Lois, Emily was looking at the ring the employee had given her.
Unfortunately, the man named Lois had his back turned so I couldn’t see what he looked like.
Even from a distance, I could see Emily smiling. Even then, the two of them had a quiet conversation.
‘Does that look more like a newlywed couple?’
Curious about what the hell they were talking about, I used my ability a bit to deal with the wind.
Then the sound of their conversation could be clearly heard in my ears.
“Don’t do that, lady.”
“Lady?”
“Emily… Anyway, I have to buy the ring for Emily.”
“What are you talking about? I told you. Lois, just come.”
“Ha, but…”
“I’m responsible for everything else.”
“But…”
“Don’t talk nonsense, just look at the design and choose. I like this ring. How about Lois? Shall we try it on?”
He saw Emily grabbing Lois’ hand and inserting the ring. The man named Lois hesitated and seemed embarrassed.
‘Huh…?’
I doubted my ears. Emily’s attitude towards Lois was like a bulldozer.
Such an active Emily!
The prospective fiancées, who had been whispering and talking for a while, seemed to have finally decided on a ring.
“Then, when production is complete, send it to the Xavier family. The balance will be paid at that time.”
“I understand, Your Excellency the Duke.”
It was then. Emily turned to face us standing by the exit.
“omg.”
I hurriedly turned my head and pretended to be looking intently at the necklace. Aidan also slightly twisted his body to match my rhythm.
Fortunately, they didn’t recognize us and walked leisurely through the high-end jewelry store.
I was in agony as to whether I should follow them or not.
‘Well, I’m still not sure what Lois is like.’
In the meantime, Aidan bought one of the necklaces lined up by the employee.
“Do it with this necklace.”
“Excellent choice! This is a necklace made by an artisan, and it is a very precious item that is only one in the world. It will look really good on you.”
Suddenly, I looked at Aidan, wondering if I was buying a necklace, and he looked at me with the necklace. Eventually, a hand holding a necklace much smaller than mine slowly approached.
It was just a necklace, but it felt like being held in Aidan’s arms.
Aidan’s hand, which had been tickling the back of his neck, quickly fell away.
“I thought it would suit you well.”
“So what?”
“I do not know. I can’t even see the necklace.”
I was inwardly amazed.
‘Aidan’s acting is quite good?’
Anyone could see that he had eyes and lines like a husband who loves his wife. At that time, Aidan inadvertently spoke to the staff.
“Please charge the price to me, Archduke Aserad.”
Surprised by the disguised words, the employee turned to me.
“Lungs of the Emperor of Fire.”
“this.”
There was no one in the empire who did not know that the emperor’s lover was Grand Duke Aserad.
Therefore, it was not difficult to deduce that the person who bought Aidan the necklace was me, the emperor.
“…”
Only then did Aidan avoid my gaze, perhaps realizing my mistake.
My identity was revealed in an instant, so I turned to the employee and put my index finger to his mouth.
“Shh.”
Nod nod!
Leaving behind the employee who nodded enthusiastically, I came out of the jewelry store.
It happened just before Emily’s carriage had left. Aidan and I hid in a side alley and overheard the conversation in the wagon.
“It’s still too early to go home, so how about watching an opera?”
“great.”
“I don’t like it, but I’m not saying I like it, right?”
“Anything Lady or Emily wants is fine.”
“Speaking like that makes me want to do mischievous things. Do you know Lois?”
“Emily…!”
Royce’s perplexed cry faded away. I looked up at Aidan and asked.
“honey. Sounds like going to the Evil Theater, right?”
Of course, the Evil Theater also belonged to me.
“yes. It is the largest theater in the islands.”
“I suddenly want to see an opera.”
When I held out my hand, Aidan held my hand tightly as if he had been waiting.
‘I don’t know if it’s a follow-up or a date.’
***
While restoring the entire unbalanced continent, the Evil Merchant did not hesitate to provide support not only to Ermano but also to other countries.
In the process, of course, it pierced the trade routes with other countries, and now it really has become the largest merchant company throughout the entire continent.
Even within the Ermano Islands, it was hard to find anything that was not owned by the Evil Merchant.
However, only a few people knew that the real owner of the Evil Merchant was the emperor, me.
Externally, it was known that it belonged to Count Casey Troysel, who was granted the title of count from a commoner mage.
When we arrived at the Evil Theater, we took our seats near the box seats where Emily and her fiancé were seated.
I closed the curtains on the box seats and put my telescope through the curtains to observe Emily. The two sat side by side waiting for the opera to begin.
‘That person is Lois Ortheld.’
Lois, the first person I saw, was a really pretty looking guy. Even so, I did not feel that I was weak.
In terms of pretty things, Enrique is not easy, but he gave off a more innocent image.
“…the looks pass.”
As for her personality, when I recalled the conversation she had with Emily, she seemed timid and unable to express her point.
It perfectly matched the conditions of the ideal type that Emily had been talking about.
“honey. Dangerous.”
Aidan pulled me over and seated me straight. I grumbled and slightly opened the curtains to watch the opera.
Meanwhile, the curtain rises.
It’s been a long time since I’ve seen an opera, so I looked at the stage with a throbbing heart. Soon the opera began.
However, as the play progressed, my facial expression gradually changed. It had to be.
Because the contents of the opera were spectacle!
The ‘Jewel of God’ born in the eastern part of the continent is growing wonderfully with a great mission. Beside him was a strong father and a loving older brother…
“What is this?”
“The sponsor is… Esteban Nice Hermano. honey.”
“What the hell is this dad doing?!”
Whether I was shocked or not, the play went on.
Reinforcements gathered from the Empire to support the protagonist.
“I am late.”
“…it’s not too late ball.”
Eventually, the main character shouted while defeating the enemy who brought destruction to the continent.
“Now it’s your turn to fall.”
“Ugh.”
I buried my face in my hands.
‘Dad won’t leave me alone.’
Dark history stuffed into an opera.
***
I left the theater tattered.
“If I had known it was an opera like that, I wouldn’t have seen it, honey….”
“Cheer up, honey.”
“I’m going to have to drop that opera completely.”
“…”
There was something strange about Aidan’s reaction, of course.
“What’s wrong with your expression?”
I snatched the pamphlet from Aidan’s hand and looked over the names of the sponsors.
Esteban Nice Hermano. Oscar Alle Donovan. Pacifica Donovan. Lisandro Donovan….
There was not one name that had a huge ripple effect with just one person, but one after another.
And underneath… Aidan Aserad.
I raised my head and pointed.
“Even you Aidan!”
“…Lisandro suggested. How about sponsoring? I convinced Mabel that it would help.”
“Yes! But why don’t you support Hall!”
I shuddered at the feeling of betrayal. Aidan and no one else sponsored my dark past taxidermy.
“Let it go. I will put on an opera in praise of Ades.”
“…”
“Are you dissatisfied, honey?”
“doesn’t exist.”
Aidan shook his head obediently, as if he knew his mistake. Then I reached out my hand, and Aidan grabbed it.
It was then.
“…Whether or not I should pretend not to know this.”
I froze on the spot at the familiar voice I heard from behind.
I looked up at Aidan with a creak and he just stared at me.
“I thought you already knew, honey.”
“Okay, honey.”
When I turned around with a feeling of dejection, I saw Emily standing crookedly with her arms crossed. I was distracted by Aidan, so I didn’t even notice a familiar sign approaching.
I smiled and greeted Emily.
“Hello Emily? It was such an amazing coincidence that we met at the theater like this!”
“I came to see an opera that I sponsored.”
“Write it… Did your sister also sponsor it?”
“of course.”
At this point, it was faster to find someone who did not sponsor.
“It was a pity that the greatness of the main character did not stand out more than I thought. Still, it was pretty well made. It was fine.”
“no. I think I can stop emphasizing it…”
I muttered dissatisfiedly, when Royce Ortheld entered, staring at me from a few steps away. I deliberately pretended not to know.
“Sister Emily. Who is that?”
“My fiancé.”
When Emily gestured, Lois smiled awkwardly and took a step closer.
“My name is Lois Ortheld, lady. Nice to meet you like this.”
“yes. nice to meet you.”
Lois laughed in embarrassment. That’s also because I didn’t introduce myself even though the person himself introduced himself.
Emily’s eyes met Emily’s bewilderment, but she didn’t seem to have any intention of introducing me either.
Instead, Emily quietly asked a question.
“Come to think of it, I went to a jewelry store earlier, and one newlywed couple caught my eye. Do you know anything?”
“Well.”
“You look like someone I know. Do you really not know?”
“Kuhm.”
Emily’s target has changed to Aidan.
“Doesn’t the husband next to you know?”
“I do not know.”
“I see. Apparently I was looking at it wrong. There’s no way someone was stalking me.”
I just laughed along with the smiling Emily.
“ha ha ha.”
You knew we were being followed from the first time you walked into the jewelry store.
After all, Emily was Emily.
“So, did the curiosity get resolved?”
I nodded at Emily’s question. After following Emily and observing Lois Ortheld today, everything was passing.
“I think he is a good person.”
“You’re exaggerating.”
As I said that, I looked at Lois, and he blushed in embarrassment and lowered his head.
I was so ashamed that my ears and neck were all red.
I could see why Emily was being naughty.
“Then we’ll be on our way. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
After Emily greeted us, she turned and walked away. I burst into laughter as I saw Lois following Emily hesitantly.
‘It’s pretty cute.’
Scared to think of that, Aidan grabbed my hand tightly and intertwined his fingers.
“Are you jealous?”
“Yes honey.”
Aidan kissed my finger.
“Now it is time to give the promised reward.”
“promise?”
As I tilted my head, Aidan answered firmly.
“One hundred kisses.”
