164 - Evil Husband (15th Anniversary Edition) Chapter 164
164
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Besides mythology, I wanted to gather information in other directions, but I didn't even know where to start. Going to the temple was out of the question; Cesare probably had the place swarming with his men.
Eventually, Aileen went to work as 'Ilen' with a complicated mind.
Aileen fiddled with her short-haired wig, glancing upward through her glasses. Just like her stalled mythology research, Ilen's situation was also complex. It was because of the guest in the Box seat.
Even while working, she felt a tickling sensation on the top of her head. It felt like someone's gaze was constantly on her.
The Box seat was occupied by only one person again today. No matter how much she looked up from this side, she couldn't see the guest properly. Aileen suddenly had a strange thought.
'Could they be watching me?'
But that was absurd. There were dazzlingly adorned Dancers everywhere, there was no way such a wealthy guest would be interested in a mere handyman.
'He must have been bored for a moment.'
Therefore, it was most logical to assume that he had helped Aileen out of a sudden whim and teased her a little. She probably wouldn't be involved with him anymore.
So, thinking she felt his gaze was just her imagination. Aileen touched the wig on her head.
If the Box seat guest had been watching Aileen backstage, he would have seen her disguised as a man. Since Aileen was the only one wearing glasses here, he would have easily recognized her.
If he had taken a little more interest, he would have even found out that 'Ilen' pretended to be mute at the Tavern.
But it didn't seem like the guest would carelessly reveal Aileen's secret. To be precise, he probably wouldn't care about the handyman's circumstances.
Aileen's gaze, which had been constantly glancing upward, was blocked by a Dancer. The Dancer leaned forward, half-revealing her chest.
"Ilen! Can you do my button here?"
It seemed difficult to fasten the button because of her long artificial nails. Aileen quickly fastened the button for her. Then, another Dancer came and asked her to help put on her knee-high stockings.
They were openly flirting and joking, but Aileen diligently helped them, thinking they really needed help. She didn't realize that her innocent actions were further stimulating the Dancers' playfulness.
While Aileen was diligently helping, the Dancers, who were fixing their makeup, chatted busily. It was about the man they had been trying to win over recently. A Dancer, who was complaining that he seemed indifferent, widened her eyes and said.
"Should I go to the temple and pray?"
She was delighted, thinking it was a good idea, but soon became gloomy.
"Ah, right. The Pantheon collapsed..."
Originally, the people of the empire did not enter the Pantheon, but offered flowers and prayed to the Winged Lion Statue erected in front of it.
However, as the Pantheon collapsed and entered reconstruction, the Lion Statue was also closed. Another Dancer advised her friend, who was grumbling about not having a proper place to pray.
"These days, many people set up altars at home and pray."
"Hmm, but I don't think the prayer will be effective."
"Offer a sacrifice, then."
"No way. That's scary."
The Dancer twisted her curly hair with her fingers.
"I've heard that offering sacrifices is to summon a god, and to get what you want, you have to pay an even greater price."
Aileen's hand, which had been organizing prop lace umbrellas nearby, slowed down. She pretended to be tidying up the already organized umbrellas, waiting for what would be said next.
"Even in mythology, humans who asked something of the gods always become unhappy."
The hand that had been moving slowly stopped completely. The Dancer's words were so deeply engraved in her heart that she even forgot to pretend to organize the umbrellas.
"What about the founding Emperor?"
"Well, he's different from ordinary people like us."
After scolding her for asking if he would be recorded in history, the Dancers' conversation flowed in another direction. Aileen slowly put down the umbrella. Her head was so complicated that it felt like it would explode.
"Ilen."
With a hurried voice, someone grabbed her wrist. Startled, she checked and saw that the owner of the hand was Alessia.
Aileen looked delighted to see her back after a few days, but Alessia's face was stiff. Alessia silently pulled Aileen away.
The performance was about to start soon. As she dragged Aileen away at a busy moment, the Dancers laughed, half-jokingly and half-seriously, telling her not to monopolize Ilen.
But Alessia showed no reaction, much to their embarrassment. She was just taking Aileen and walking as if running.
Before entering Aileen's room, Alessia checked to see if there was anyone in the rooms on either side. Only then did she go inside with her.
"It's strange."
Before Aileen could even ask about the sudden start, Alessia rattled off words like a machine gun.
"It's too quiet. I thought they would have released the soldiers and started searching by now, but there's no action. Even if they're moving secretly to hide the Grand Duchess's disappearance, it's unbelievably quiet."
Her eyes were dark underneath, as if she had been running around frantically for the past few days she hadn't been seen. However, Alessia's eyes were more deeply engraved with tension than fatigue.
"Decisively… even though I deliberately left traces, I wasn't tracked."
That was why it took longer than the time she had told Aileen. Because it was too quiet, Alessia couldn't trust what she had investigated and had to dig around everywhere.
"So, what Alessia is saying."
Aileen asked as calmly as possible, suppressing her pounding heart.
"Is that His Excellency already knows I'm here?"
"Yes. How about leaving now?"
It was a sudden but unavoidable suggestion. Aileen said she would, and was about to pack only two or three of the old books that Alessia had obtained for her, when Alessia put her finger on her lips. Aileen widened her eyes and held her breath, and soon footsteps were heard.
Knock knock! The old door shook as if it would break at any moment from the rough pounding from outside. Alessia silently and lightly approached the door like a cat. She sharpened her eyes, ready to throw a punch right away. A loud voice was heard from outside the door.
"Ilen! Are you here? The Box seat guest is looking for you again!"
At the words Box seat guest, Alessia tilted her head and made a questioning face. Aileen hid Alessia behind the door for now and opened the door. The employee, who had been searching for the glasses-wearer last time, looked down at Aileen with a bothered face.
"Go to the kitchen, get the food, and go up."
Then he left quickly. After the employee disappeared, Alessia looked at Aileen with puzzled eyes.
Aileen roughly told her what had happened in the meantime. After telling her that she had seen her father, Alessia had a very strange expression.
"The Box seat guest… isn't it Grand Duke Cesare?"
At Alessia's guess, Aileen quickly retorted.
"But the handwriting was different."
"If it's someone like His Excellency, it wouldn't be strange to have a different handwriting."
She meant that there might be a military handwriting used for security purposes. Aileen's eyes widened at the unexpected point. Alessia, in front of the faltering Aileen, packed the old books instead and said.
"I think His Excellency may have sent Aileen's father to Fiore Street."
"His Excellency…?"
When she asked back blankly because she couldn't understand, Alessia told her a clear reason.
"Isn't it to make Aileen return to the Grand Duke's Residence on her own?"
Is that really it?
But Cesare knows about my relationship with my father. He even stayed with me when I witnessed my father's terrible disgrace at the Tavern on Fiore Street.
He doesn't hesitate to use cruel means to achieve his goals, but he's always been gentle with Aileen. There was no way he would have sent my father knowing that I would be deeply hurt.
But at the same time, on the other hand, a strange thought came to mind. I wondered if it was really Cesare's order, as Alessia said.
Aileen suppressed the constantly rising questions and struggled to utter words of denial.
"I don't think Cesare would do that…"
