The Search for the Duchess’s Husband Chapter 133

The woman’s eyes narrowed, but then she lifted the hem of her skirt with an innocent smile. 

 

“Greetings, Artia. I’m Sandra.”

 

The man bowed as well.

 

“I’m Mikhail.”

 

“So it’s not just good looks that make an actor. You both have very good voices, and your pronunciation is correct.”

 

Artia stared at them mesmerized, then realized, “Ah,” and greeted them.

 

“Nice to meet you, Artia von Edenberg.”

 

“…….”

 

There was an awkward pause. 

 

Artia panicked and asked, “Did I make some kind of mistake?”

 

Sandra waved her hand.

 

“No, no, Artia, you’re not just a noble, you’re a duchess, and I’m surprised someone so high up would use a respectful title for us.”

 

Artia laughed at the honesty.

 

“We’re not nobles and commoners, we’re producers and actors, and I want to honor you as partners in our work together.”

 

Even among the commoners, actors were often dismissed as useless clowns who made their money from clowning around. 

 

But to hear a noblewoman say that…

 

Sandra burst out laughing.

 

She laughed so hard Artia wondered how such a sound could come from such a skinny body.

 

“It was such a good deal, I jumped at the chance, but I was worried. I thought, what kind of woman is this lady who runs the theater, and if she’s moody and angry, it’s going to be hard, but I never thought you’d be so lovely…”

 

Sandra’s eyes drooped.

 

“I love it.”

 

“I like it too.”

 

The words slipped out of Artia’s mouth, and she gasped and covered them. 

 

But it was too late. 

 

Sandra grabbed her stomach and laughed like she was dying of amusement, then nudged Mikhail with her elbow.

 

“You like Artia too, don’t you?”

 

Mikhail, who’d been keeping a straight face the whole time, arched an eyebrow.

 

“Don’t be rude.”

 

“Well, this is my charm.”

 

“That’s right, it’s your charm, Sandra.”

 

Ego, the thought in her head jumped out again. 

 

Mikhail turned to Artia, who had covered her mouth again.

 

“I know you have faith in me, so I’ll do my best to show you something great.”

 

His eyes were so much softer than they had been a moment ago, and how romantic…

 

Artia was convinced

 

‘Reinhard and Maria, played by these two, will definitely be a hit!’

 

But there was one role that hadn’t been decided until the last minute.

 

Shine. 

 

A mute slave who has a crush on the female lead. 

 

Although he doesn’t have much screen time, his character is so endearing that some readers fell in love with him more than the male lead.

 

Lam’s face had grown thinner in the intervening years, and his eyes sparkled.

 

“I think we should hold auditions.”

 

But there was no miracle that the man who Lam was so confident he knew all the actors in the empire would show up at the audition room. 

 

The audition went nowhere. 

 

Lam muttered to himself, looking as devastated as a mother who has lost her child.

 

“Shine… Shine… where are you, Shine…” 

 

Sandra, who was sitting cross-legged in front of him, said in a squeaky voice.

 

“If there was someone who was good-looking enough to swoon over people without saying a word, the word would have gotten out long ago. Stop being greedy and find an actor who can make up for his not-so-good looks with his acting skills.”

 

Mikhail beside her nodded his head in agreement, and then Artia and Lam shouted at the same time.

 

“No!”

 

Artia said, her eyes blazing. 

 

“Shine is like a strawberry on top of a white whipped cream cake. It doesn’t directly affect the flavor, but the image and feel of the cake is determined by how luscious and pretty the strawberry is. We need to find an actor who is like a spring strawberry…”

 

Artia trailed off. 

 

Because at that moment, the door opened and a man entered the room. 

 

It wasn’t just her. 

 

Lam, Sandra, Mikhail, and everyone else in the room looked at him as i their souls had been stolen. 

 

Lam, who was next to Artia, shouted.

 

“Shah, shah, shah!”

 

Artia stopped him as he rushed toward the panting man.

 

Lam said with a pained expression like a lizard in heat.

 

“Get out of the way, I have to catch Shine, sent by the Goddess of Art, so he doesn’t leave!”

 

“I can’t.”

 

“Why!”

 

Artia hesitated, then shouted.

 

“Because that’s not Shine, that’s Prince Killian!”

 

“……?!”

 

At that moment, the room shook like a bolt of lightning. 

 

Mikhail and Sandra gasped and covered their mouths. 

 

Lam blinked and looked at Shine, or rather, Killian.

 

He’d seen the royal family many times before, producing performances for the imperial court. 

 

But his tasteless eyesight couldn’t make out the prince sitting in the highest seat on the second floor.

 

Even through the foggy blur, he could see how handsome the prince was, with perfect features. 

 

Just like the man standing before her now. 

 

Suddenly realizing the truth of Artia’s words, Lam’s head fell to the floor. 

 

“Help me!”

 

“…….”

 

“Ah, no. I, the blood of the almighty Orpheus, greet you.” 

 

Sandra and Mikhail, whose mouths were gaping open, also knelt on the floor and prostrated themselves.

 

Killian’s arrogant gaze flicked from Lam to Mikhail. 

 

Unlike Lam’s, which passed in less than a second, his gaze lingered for quite a while. 

 

Then he turned to Artia and spoke.

 

“It’s been a long time, Artia von Edenberg.”

 

 

* * *

 

“I, Your Highness, have something I wish to say to you. Please allow me to speak with you as well…”

 

Mikhail interrupted Lam’s lifeless plea, and in the meantime, Artia ushered Killian into the parlor. 

 

After Vivi, who had brought tea and dessert, left the room, the two were alone in the vast space.

 

There was a silence like never before.

 

In the silence, Artia’s heart beat frantically. 

 

Her mind filled with memories she’d tried so hard to forget while focusing on her work.

 

The night they had drunkenly kissed in Reju.

 

‘What if the prince brings it up?’

 

The easiest answer was, she didn’t remember. But she didn’t want to lie to him.

 

Artia tugged at the hem of her skirt.

 

‘Let’s tell him I remember everything, and that I’m sorry I was such a terrible drunk.’

 

She couldn’t imagine what Killian’s reaction would be, and that scared her even more.

 

As Artia swallowed dryly, Killian spoke.

 

“The nobles, even the royal family, have been talking about the Duke of Edenberg’s new venture.”

 

“……!”

 

“I guess that performance you saw in Reju helped.”

 

“…….”

 

Killian spoke of Reju, but said nothing of the night’s events. 

 

His intentions were clear.

 

‘I don’t want to talk about it.’

 

It was strange. 

 

She should have been relieved, but an unpleasant feeling washed over her. 

 

Artia was embarrassed by the feeling and spat out the first thing that came to mind.

 

“Well, seeing as you’re talking about it, I think I’ve succeeded in getting your attention. Now I just need to make sure the show is good.”

 

“Are you sure?”

 

Artia asked, forgetting her embarrassment at my seemingly provocative question.

 

“Of course I am. I have a genius director, Lambrador, putting his heart and soul into the production of the Empire’s most popular novel by Redlip, and when it opens, it will shake the entire Empire like a giant blizzard.”

 

Killian stared at Artia. 

 

The woman who had sighed and sighed not long ago, unsure of what to do, was glowing as ever. 

 

It was both reassuring and bittersweet.

 

There was nothing more he could do for her.

 

Then Artia’s voice spoke in Killian’s ear.

 

“I mean, as a creator, I can only improve the odds, not guarantee 100% success.”

 

“…….”

 

“I’m actually really scared that it won’t work out.”

 

Artia’s face, which had just moments ago been that of a knight confident of victory, turned into that of a frightened girl.

 

In that instant, Killian’s gloomy mood lifted.