Chapter 229
Vargan and Erica headed towards the Academia in a wagon.
Vargan remained silent for a while, staring out the window.
The only sounds were the clattering of the wagon and the rhythmic hoofbeats.
“……”
Vargan seemed lost in deep thought, and his expression appeared somewhat gloomy.
After quietly observing him for a while, Erica subtly shifted her position.
She moved from across the aisle to sit right next to Vargan.
Gingerly, she placed her hand over the back of Vargan’s hand resting on the seat.
Feeling the slightly cooler temperature of Erica compared to the average body heat, Vargan turned to face her.
Her slightly arched, thin eyebrows.
Her lips pressed together like the edge of a long eave.
Seeing her sorrowful expression made Vargan realize he was overly empathizing with the original Vargan’s emotions and he smiled gently.
Erica’s mouth corners perked up a bit, looking slightly relieved.
What should Erica say… She thought carefully before speaking up.
“Schugen… Oh, I mean Vargan now.”
The word slipped out of her mouth habitually.
Schugenhartz.
But, he was no longer a member of Schugenhartz, so it was an inappropriate title.
That one statement carried many meanings.
As he gave up his family, their engagement naturally came to an end.
Even without drafting some grand document or putting it into words, both of them knew the truth and didn’t utter the word “broken engagement.”
To change the somewhat somber atmosphere, Vargan jokingly said,
“Right. I’m not Schugenhartz anymore. It may take some getting used to, but please call me Vargan like before if you can.”
“Sure. Got it… Vargan.”
“You don’t seem to mind as much as I thought you would.”
“I thought you’d hate me calling you Vargan?”
“Considering how prickly you were over the past few years, yeah.”
“That’s….”
Mentioning the times when she had been cold towards Vargan darkened Erica’s expression dramatically.
Vargan lightly tapped her forehead.
“I’m just kidding. Don’t get so gloomy.”
“Okay….”
“Come on now. Your face still isn’t brightening up. At this rate, I wouldn’t even be able to make a mischievous remark out of fear.”
“No, it’s fine. You can joke as much as you want. I’m okay with everything.”
Vargan chuckled at her absurd remark and opened the window to ventilate.
The cold January wind swept into the moving wagon.
The chilling wind.
To prevent Erica’s long hair from being excessively tousled, Vargan narrowed the window’s gap.
Naturally, their gazes shifted outside the window.
The sight of Academia was still not visible.
Instead, a nearby city closest to Academia came into view.
It was a place they both shared the same memory of.
“Vargan, can I ask you for a favor?”
“A favor?”
Erica, who hadn’t taken her eyes off the window, suddenly spoke up.
When Vargan urged her to go ahead, her clear eyes detached from the window and turned back to him.
“I want to stop by a place for a moment before we return to Academia.”
*
“It’s been a while here.”
The place Erica led him to was a grand theater located inside the city viewed from the wagon.
A wide building, a mixture of Renaissance and modern styles.
It flaunted an extravagant appearance, as if an orchestra was about to perform right away.
It was the place where he and Erica celebrated their engagement anniversary during the first semester.
At the same time, it was also the turning point where he managed to protect her from Bishop Caliculea’s clutches.
As Vargan gazed at the building interwoven with various stories, he turned his attention to the surroundings and mentioned the change.
“There are no people.”
“Looks like it’s on the brink of collapse.”
“Well, considering it was a place where a bishop hid, it’s amazing they’re still operational.”
Previously, it was a situation where one had to line up from dawn to snag a ticket, or even trade them on the black market.
Where did all that fame go? Now only an empty shell remained.
“But, Erica… are you sure about this? Here…”
Vargan asked, gently shaking the hand he held with Erica.
Erica nodded. Her slightly tense expression revealed her determination.
“It’s fine. I’m not alone, right?”
“Yeah….”
“Let’s hurry. I hope there’s a suitable time slot.”
Taking the lead, Erica pulled Vargan along.
From the strength in their clasped hands, Vargan realized she was making an effort and feigned being helpless as she dragged him along.
But coincidentally or prankishly, just as the play ‘Romeo and Juliet’ was about to begin, the seats were quite empty.
Vargan and Erica managed to secure seats with a great view of the stage. Soon, the play commenced.
As the clichéd lines they had memorized played out, Erica whispered in a volume barely audible to Vargan, “Even I think this is a bit much.”
She laughed as if incredulous.
Vargan completely understood her assessment.
The play was in a state that could only be described as disastrous.
The stage lighting and props used were rather colorful and realistic, but the problem lay in the foundational aspects.
The actors’ voice projection and facial expressions were like unripe fruit; generously speaking, they were fresh, and negatively, they were inexperienced.
Even the orchestra providing the background music lacked the personnel to evoke the intended emotions, and they were clumsy at it.
To put it metaphorically, it was like a beginner’s dish served on a master’s plate.
For someone like her who had seen various plays throughout her life, this could easily be considered ridiculous.
The last performance she’d seen with Erica, where Caliculea had displayed wondrous things, was of far superior quality.
It seemed the theater was struggling financially, making it hard to hire talented actors or musicians.
It seems to be enough.
Erica watched the awkward play until the end, intermittently bursting into ridiculous laughter.
Even though she already knew the entire story, it felt like she enjoyed it even more than when she saw it before.
—Clap clap clap.
As the play ended, a pitiful sound of applause emerged from the not-so-full audience.
Vargan and Erica also sent applause as per basic etiquette, and the performers bowed their heads in gratitude before retreating.
And so, even after the curtain call was over.
All the performers, along with the few remaining audience members, had left the venue.
However, Vargan and Erica remained seated quietly.
If they stayed much longer, it was clear a staff member would come over to ask them to leave.
Maybe in about 10 minutes?
The two sat in the dark theater, caught in a brief moment of time.
Just as they were becoming fully accustomed to the darkness of the dim theater, Erica spoke up.
“If there were no obstacle like family, could those two have lived happily together?”
Her gaze was still locked on the stage.
An empty space where no one was left. Standing above the stage where the story had ended.
“Without misunderstandings, without facing a miserable death… Could they have reached a happy ending?”
“Like a fairy tale?”
“A fairy tale… Yeah. That kind of ending where they live happily ever after.”
“It’s a sad thought, but it seems difficult.”
Vargan replied with a small smile.
Like the bitter taste of brewed coffee lingering in his mouth, a hint of bitterness hovered around the corners of his lips.
“If there were no family, the two would never have met. So, there wouldn’t have been a story, and they wouldn’t have fallen in love.”
“…I suppose that’s true?”
Erica looked at Vargan with a chuckle.
Her smile resembled Vargan’s.
Erica exhaled a faint sigh, easing her expression a bit.
Then, as if she still had more to say, she parted her lips.
“I’ve never said it before, but honestly, I don’t really like this play.”
“Romeo and Juliet, huh?”
“Yeah. I don’t like how they misunderstand each other, and how their efforts for love go unrewarded.”
“That’s a fair perspective.”
The work itself isn’t classified as a tragedy, but for Romeo and Juliet, their tale could hardly be more tragic.
Vargan quietly agreed with Erica and held back his words.
Instead, Erica filled the conversational void and changed the flow.
“But you know, I feel like it might be a bit different now.”
“You think it might be different… Is there a reason?”
“…There is. Quite distinctly.”
After realizing the truth about Vargan, Erica honestly confessed that she was filled with hatred for herself for not understanding this sooner, and for the Portrait family, which was busy hiding this for selfish reasons.
Vargan listened seriously to her words.
Erica calmly continued her story.
“But… if I hadn’t carried the Portrait name, I wouldn’t have met you.”
“…….”
“That’s my nature. Honestly, it seems difficult for someone like me to be liked… but because I’m like this, I could face you as you are.”
If just one tiny detail had changed.
Would I have been able to feel this kind of emotion now?
Would I have been able to love you this much?
Erica swallowed her words that had risen to her throat.
It was far too much for her—thinking this, she forced out different words.
“So, you know. I’m trying to show that I like you, even just a little.”
“…….”
“Slowly, both for the family and myself. …And maybe someday, I can clear away the gloom that’s filling your eyes?”
Erica noticed that since the worsening of her anxiety, Vargan’s gaze towards her had changed to one of sympathy.
Just as Erica blamed herself for their tangled relationship, Vargan clearly did the same.
No matter how well he could act and conceal his emotions.
That subtle tremor in his eyes was hard to hide.
At Erica’s poignant words, Vargan’s lips twitched up as if he’d been struck.
Seeing this, Erica also managed to smile softly, but it quickly vanished as if something had come to her mind, and she subdued herself again.
Creeeak—.
Before long, about ten minutes passed when a staff member entered through the door.
The staff member slowly approached their table. Surely they would apologize and ask them to leave as the viewing time had ended.
Vargan stood up first.
He picked up his anticipated cane and adjusted his attire.
However, for some reason, there was no sound coming from the seat next to him.
Though it seemed time to get up, just as he was about to confirm the mana…
Erica spoke up first.
“Where… are you going?”
That was quite a loaded question.
The sadness entwined in her words, with hesitation woven into it.
It indicated that it meant more than just leaving the theater.
Vargan realized that Erica had vaguely sensed the emotions that had lingered in his eyes all this time.
So, he decided to answer without turning his head.
Even though his eyes might be concealed.
His turmoil would undoubtedly show somewhere on his face in response to her words.
“What are you talking about, Erica? Isn’t it common sense that we have to leave since the play is over?”
Vargan’s tone was teasing.
Yet, that light-heartedness felt more vulnerable than any mask he usually wore.
Erica knew he did not want to reveal himself, but she decided to dig a little deeper.
About whatever it was he was secretly preparing.
“I don’t know why… but it feels like you’re organizing your surroundings as if you’re about to leave.”
“Could it be because of the Schugenhartz Family? As I said before, that’s just the long-standing contract with the family head…”
“Is it really true…?”
“It is really true. Erica, where do you think I would go leaving you behind?”
“Yeah… I see.”
Erica lowered her head.
Vargan tried not to look at her expression, and she murmured softly.
“…I guess I can’t go with you.”
Tap—.
Vargan leaned on his cane and started to walk.
His gentle voice urged Erica, who was still seated.
“It’s late. Let’s head back now, Erica.”
He refused any further conversation.
And so, time began to flow quickly once more.
Winter was racing toward its peak.
In tune with this speed, Vargan’s trials widened his stride significantly.
