Is it wrong for me to like seeing the villain suffer [48]
“I'm sorry if I offended you. But you know... you must know what I mean.”
'What is he raving about?'
I was busy focusing on choosing the right fabric to show the film, but his insistence on starting the conversation still bothered me.
I answered him politely, drawing a dividing line between us:
“Thank you for your concern, but you don't need to worry. Telling you won't change anything anyway.”
“No one knows. Sometimes listening to someone else’s advice can be a help you never thought possible.”
I sighed, then threw out a word that I wanted to put an end to the argument:
“So tell me, have you tried love, Knight?”
He suddenly fell silent, as if the words had froze on his lips.
I was about to tell him not to talk about things he has no experience with, like trite dialogue in a cheap drama, but he took the initiative to say:
“I have a fiancée.”
Then he added quietly:
“I haven't seen her even once, but...”
There seemed to be another story behind his statement, but I didn't pay attention to it.
“Ah… like that then. Well, this is the fabric I want! Here you go, please do the math.”
I didn't have time to listen to the life story of a strange man I had just met.
I paid for the cloth, carried the bag in my arms, then turned around and left coldly.
Behind my back, I felt his surprised looks following me.
“Let's go, Naran!”
I grabbed his wrist and pulled him along.
For a moment he seemed to have regained consciousness, but then he muttered again like a paper doll:
“Ah… ah….”
“We'll be back alone, we'd like to enjoy a little private time.”
I said as I turned to the knight before leaving the store.
“Then, in God’s safety, my lord knight.”
The meaning of my words: We were together in vain, and I have no need to meet you again.
Then I held Naran's hand tight and we left.
I felt as if his eyes were still on my back, but I thought:
'It's okay, we won't meet again after today anyway.'
While I was dragging Naran in no particular direction, I let out a long sigh when I thought the situation was safe:
“Ugh...it was on the verge of danger. Naran, wake up a little! Show us the way back.”
“Huh? Uh… you said we’ll go to the river together?”
I put the cloth aside and patted his cheeks with my palms:
“Afq, we have to go back. We have a lot of work ahead of us.”
Then he woke up a little, and nodded apologetically:
“Forgive me, Liz… I mean, Lizzie. Let’s go back quickly.”
He lifted the cloth bag with his hands and moved forward.
Then, as he walked in front of me, he turned hesitantly to ask me if I really had no intention of going to the river, as I had said before.
❖ ❖ ❖
We returned to Cayenne Palace through the same side door we left.
Fortunately, it was lunchtime, so we did not encounter any of the servants and returned to the room safely.
“Okay, let's try this right now.”
I hung the fabric over the window, then ran the display stone over it.
The result was very satisfactory; Much clearer than when using covers, and without any wrinkles.
'Well done, thick and perfectly tight fabric!'
"Amazing! The pictures look so much clearer like this, Lizzie!"
Naran said in amazement as he saw the screen for the first time.
“As I expected, you are amazing!”
She smiled softly.
It wasn't me, it was thanks to a marvel of my old life's invention called the Projector, but I didn't say anything.
“I will use this to show my film to the nobles of the party. They will all be in for a treat like they have never known before!”
"They'll be really amazed! Especially since it's made by you, Lizzy. You're amazing."
I smiled and patted his head gently as he looked at me with sincere admiration.
"Now the serious phase begins. I will turn the ballroom into a performance hall. I have taken Miss Martha's permission, and have prepared as many chairs as there are for the guests. The servants must have already begun preparing them. I will go and supervise them. Will you accompany me, Naran?"
"Yes! I'll definitely help you, Lizzy!"
He answered, shaking his head enthusiastically.
We took the cloth with us. I said while winking:
“We will say that he came to us through Huan.”
Naran had no choice but to respond with a similar wink:
“I will ensure that Huan agrees with our conversation.”
Then we set off together, me and my little angel who understands me without explanation, towards the dance hall.
❖ ❖ ❖
The work didn't end until late that evening.
Whenever I tried to do anything, the servants and Narans would jump in surprise beside me, shouting: “I will do it, Lady Lizzy!” And “Lizzy, I'll do it!” I ended up pretty much just supervising the workflow.
As I looked at the completed hall, my eyes sparkled.
'It looks so realistic! No, perhaps even more beautiful than a real movie theater!'
Comfortable plush chairs were placed, the windows were decorated with heavy curtains that blocked out the light, and on the main wall was hung a wide cloth that looked like a real projection screen.
I had an overwhelming feeling... In my previous life, all I had was a love for cinema, and yet I couldn't even go to it as much as I wanted to.
“It's great...thank you all.”
I said it with a pure smile.
The servants and Naran looked up at me.
Despite the fatigue on their faces after hours of work, their smiles seemed to open little by little.
“We'd love to help you, Lizzie!”
“Let us know if you need anything else, Lady Lizzy!”
“If you need anything else, let us know, Lady Lizzy.”
“Your help is self-evident to us...!!”
They spoke energetically as if they were never tired, and I felt grateful to them from the bottom of my heart.
'Even though they were already busy preparing for the party...'
I didn't say anything, I just looked at them smiling.
For the first time, I found myself anticipating the concert, not because of the movie, but for something else.
I wanted everyone to know quickly that I had already become part of the Cayenne House.
❖ ❖ ❖
As soon as I returned to the room after we finished work, there was a soft knock on the door.
“It's me.”
He was kicking.
She opened the door for him with a slight smile.
“Come in. I've been waiting for you.”
“Did you know I was coming?”
“I had a hunch.”
I remembered that Arkell had come to see me about the same time on the eve of my first meeting with Miss Martha, fearing that I might be nervous.
'And I guess in his confusion...he tried to clumsily hug me. Can he do it now too?'
I raised my head to look at him, and he gave me a confused look, the reason for which he did not understand.
“Do you have something you would like to say to me?”
“Actually, I thought you were…no, nothing.”
I said while shaking my head, feeling somewhat embarrassed.
He asked me in a low voice:
“Are you nervous about tomorrow’s party?”
I had not thought about this before, but as soon as I heard his question, my hidden feelings came out.
“The concert itself no, but the show... yeah, I'm a little confused.”
“…….”
“Only now do I realize that all film directors are really great people...”
“What do you mean?”
“Haha, nothing… I thought I didn’t care about other people’s looks, but maybe the only reason was that I didn’t get many opportunities to be seen in front of them.”
I paused for a moment, then added:
“The bottom line is that I will appear in front of many people for the first time with what my hands have made, and this makes me feel a little trembling...”
But I did not finish my words, because Erkel had me in his arms.
“...kick?”
I was a little surprised, and even shuddered.
He said, controlling his trembling voice:
“I… trained.”
“Is this better than last time?”
'I remembered then...'
I smiled slyly and said jokingly:
"Then why did you pretend to be in denial at first? And how does one practice hugging alone? Don't tell me you were hugging a pillow?"
“…….”
“Really? Then you should have told me, I would have helped you.”
“So…next time then…”
“I was joking!”
He laughed lightly, then said apologetically:
“Looks like I should practice understanding humor too.”
“You're kidding now, right? Don't worry, your level is okay. And then you're much better at hugging.”
“So the training has paid off.”
"actually."
I closed my eyes and rested my face on his chest.
I felt peaceful.
“It is said that this method is the most effective for allaying fear.”
I remembered his words when he hugged me for the first time, and at that time I was so confused that I didn't know if they were useful or not.
But now... I know.
'Yes, it has a real impact.'
It seemed to me as if everything around me had disappeared, and only me and him remained.
Time itself seemed to have stopped, except for his heartbeat, which was the only evidence of its continuity.
"Don't worry."
“…….”
“I truly enjoyed your work from start to finish. I trust others will feel the way I did.”
His words were like a rehearsed sentence. He spoke little and struggled to express what was in his heart.
“Thank you, Arkle.”
Then he slowly relaxed his arms and said gently:
"It's time for bed. Tomorrow's going to be a long day."
When they were about to leave, I held the door and said in a strong voice:
"I feel brave now! I was nervous, but now I'm excited. The stress won't go away completely, but I'll enjoy what's coming. This is truly a rare event."
Arkel turned to me, smiling slowly.
“I'm glad I was of help to you this time.”
‘I wanted to tell him: You are always my support... but the door was closed between us. I have to find another opportunity to say it frankly.'
❖ ❖ ❖
The next morning, the clamor of servants' footsteps echoed through the corridors.
The day of the party has finally come.
***
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