23 – Persuasion
In a corner of the royal park, a woman was secretly observing a man and a woman from a distance.
Her name is Natasha, one of the lowest butlers from the Gibson family.
Nominally, she was a butler, but in fact, she was one of the spies in charge of information warfare for the noble alliance.
She was a little flustered by two exceptional situations.
The original purpose of the noble alliance was to reveal the princess’s true nature through the activation of a dispel artifact used as a prop in the theater. The Anderson’s prospective son-in-law, feeling disappointment and betrayal, declares a divorce.
He was assigned the task of observing the progression of the plan from start to finish and reporting back to Gibson Street.
However…
From the very first plan, things went awry. The fake mithril sword prepared was no longer needed.
The princess exposed her true form even before the artifact was activated.
Even though things didn’t go according to plan up to that point, it was alright.
Ultimately, the goal was to expose her true self, so even if things went a bit off track, it was ok.
However, Anderson’s reaction was vastly different from what the Aristocratic Union had predicted.
While various predictions had been made for the success of the plan, his actions didn’t fall into any of them.
Even in the worst case scenario where he forgives the Duke of Tyler for his deception, it was expected that cracks would inevitably form in their relations, widening over time.
However, looking at them now, it didn’t seem like that would be the case.
Unless that Thomas Anderson, was an extraordinary individual who perfectly conceals his motives and manages his expressions.
They were…
‘What on earth are they doing?’
Right now, the two of them were sitting side by side on a bench cooing at each other.
If it was just that, it could still be accepted.
The sight of a woman calming a sulking man was a common scene.
There would have been hope then.
But…
‘It’s the other way around…’
The prince is comforting and soothing the princess who looks guilty and downcast.
Holding her hand and patting her head, it’s a real ruckus.
The corners of the princess’s mouth, which had been drooping, can be seen gradually rising.
‘A woman’s shame’
With contempt in her eyes, Natasha gazed at the princess.
But that’s not all.
If only the prince was so saintly in character that he forgave everything and in turn comforted her, it would have been a blessing.
But his gaze has changed a little from earlier.
More accurately, since the point her true self was revealed.
Natasha, who had watched their date from start to finish, was able to detect this.
After her spell was undone, he seemed to have developed a deeper liking, evident in his gaze.
‘How?’
Sometimes, his gaze would land either on the grotesque pair of hills on the princess’s chest or her broadly spread pelvis.
He probably thinks no one noticed his furtive glances, but it was blatantly obvious.
Even the princess herself must be aware.
‘Is he drawn towards the revolting?’
That’s what Natasha initially thought.
Why not? There are times when one can’t help but look at something repulsive or dirty, despite feeling disgust.
But, when he snuck a glance, his eyes didn’t show any disgust but rather something more intense than fondness.
‘Is it lust?’
A sense of desire, akin to what a woman feels when she looks at a handsome man.
As a spy, Natasha prided herself on her ability to understand human psychology and emotions. But watching them that day had her confidence slightly shaken.
There was only one conclusion from her observation.
An absurd one.
‘Thomas Anderson is attracted to Beatrice Taylor in her true form.’
That alone was illogical, but you could still probably force that possibility.
Having observed numerous individuals, Natasha had never seen a man with such a peculiar taste. But assuming that he does exist, there is one more problem.
‘Thomas Anderson has the disposition of a woman.’
This posed a bigger issue.
Normally, men are the ones who get wooed. They receive affection from various women and choose among them.
At first glance, it seems advantageous. However, it is a disadvantageous position due to its passivity.
Because they cannot dare to approach the woman they genuinely like.
The dominant position of choosing the opposite s*x was basically held by women.
But Anderson was different.
Due to the shy and passive demeanor of Miss Taylor, he must have felt at ease.
Even if fortune came knocking, she was the kind to turn it away herself.
But Lord Anderson was different.
The fortune that fell upon him wasn’t just ordinary, but something that stuck and wouldn’t fall off.
‘How do I handle the artifact…’
Natasha pondered briefly.
The conclusion was,
“Just leave it be.”
It’s a dispel anyway.
Even if I leave it as it is, or specifically rebound it, the outcome will be the same.
There’s only one thing left for me to do.
To report, sense, and deliver what’s been realized to the Gibson’s house.
Natasha gave up observing them, who were disturbing her tranquility, and flew the new model.
—————
“Audrey! Start getting ready!”
The senior shouts that through opening the door to the theatre dressing room.
Instinctively responding to the call to assembly that’s been drilled into her, Audrey shouts back.
“Yes! I understand!”
Audrey has gotten the lead role, the warrior, in this play, beating out her seniors.
It’s even at the Central Kingdom Theater.
But it wasn’t a role she received wholly from her acting skills.
The lead role just got assigned to her about a week ago.
At first, Audrey was flustered.
“A lead role all of a sudden?! I’m not qualified for that with my acting skills!”
She was a newbie who had barely managed to get a minor role in less than a year.
That role was accidentally given to her as well, due to the seniors’ appreciation of her hard work as a practicing actor.
The position felt extravagant to Audrey, a humble citizen with no lineage or connection to speak of.
Yet, a week ago, the lead role suddenly became hers.
Audrey had no choice but to be flustered.
Then an event, which forced her to accept it, occurred on the very day.
“Are you Audrey?”
A graceful woman dressed in an elaborate butler attire.
She indeed was a servant from a wealthy and prestigious family.
“Yes… I’m Audrey.”
“The reason you suddenly got the lead role is because we helped.”
And then, followed by her brief dispatch.
“The request is for the triggering of the artifact. That is all.
For that, I breathed life into you, making you the protagonist, hoping you will accomplish it.
“I have a nagging father and young siblings still,”
He then exposes his vulnerabilities, his reasons for living.
A father who has raised four siblings single-handedly with a frail male body.
That father has been suffering from a chronic disease for a year now.
The livelihood of the household depends solely on him.
How happy he was when he landed a role at the central theater because of that.
‘Finally, I can provide medicine for my father and meals for my siblings’
But if he were the lead actor?
He can hope for even more.
“What do you want…”
He had no choice but to ask.
The woman, dressed elegantly as a housemaid, opened her mouth with a gentle smile.
“You just need to do one thing.”
“……”
“In the climax of the work, in the scene where the final boss appears, instead of the line ‘Who is it,’ you need to change it to ‘Reveal yourself.'”
Audrey pondered.
From Noble mtl dot com
A rookie who just landed a lead role improvising?
Most colleagues and staff will not look kindly upon it.
But ‘Reveal yourself’ instead of ‘Who is it.’
Audrey thought that anybody would find this degree of ad-libbing reasonable.
“Understood.”
Audrey accepted.
Even if there was no further involvement from them after this, it was an opportunity.
If he could fully demonstrate his ability on this occasion, if he could prove that his acting was appropriate for a leading role!
He would soar, and there would no longer be a survival issue for his family.
“I trust you, Audrey. Please do well.”
With these words, the maid disappeared.
She literally vanished, like a shadow.
Audrey wasn’t greatly surprised by it.
Rather, she thought it was to be expected.
A group that had the power to control the roles of the Central Royal Theatre.
What kind of talent they might be fostering – that was beyond her imagination.
All she had to worry about were her family and her future.
‘Yes. Let’s do this.’
Whoever got hurt as a result, she wouldn’t know.
She didn’t want to know either.
————–
“It’s the two of you. Enjoy your time.”
They bought tickets and entered the theatre.
In the park, she had consoled Betty and heard honest stories.
Most of it was as she had predicted.
The heroic qualities of that girl slightly exceeded her expectation.
Apparently, she was suffering from ‘Magic Overload Syndrome’, a heroic defect that appears about once every 100 years.
‘So that’s why she struggled so much with control.’
It would have been tough for her, who already had low self-esteem.
Unexpectedly, the part about her younger sister was beyond her prediction.
‘The potion clerk was her younger sister…’
The one who accidentally sold me the gender-change potion turned out to be Tyler’s second daughter, Joy Tyler, who was even the developer of the potion.
And she was the person who was to become my sister-in-law.
‘Next time we meet, I should confront her.’
I think it is a reasonable idea.
Even though she did provide the Elixir, she never quite paid a personal price for it!
Of course, it’s just a thought.
The situation with Betty was relatively well resolved, and now they have entered the Royal Central Theater, their final date course.