Chapter 4 : The Prima Ballerina Who Dared to Shine
“Isn’t the Duke usually uninterested in such performances? You’ve never even glanced at the arts before, have you?”
Sierra asked Arcturus with a charming gaze, her arm hooked delicately around the arm of her fiancé, Kaitro.
Arcturus glanced at Sierra’s courteous smile and responded with a fabricated one of his own:
“It just so happened that I received the tickets as a gift. I thought it would be a good opportunity to get my grandfather some fresh air.”
That answer was half truth, half fiction.
“Our ballet troupe holds the greatest treasure.”
Even Baron Theron, who had been trembling the entire time as though he’d seen a ghost, showed a rare moment of confident pride in that supposed treasure, sparking Arcturus’s curiosity.
Normally, he would have dismissed such a statement without the faintest interest.
But this time, he acted entirely unlike himself.
An inexplicable curiosity had grown within him—a desire to discover who this treasure was that Baron Theron held in such regard, and to see how she would shine.
And so, that curiosity had led him here.
Yet, had he known it would turn into such a tiresome family outing, he might have stayed in his office instead…
As he persistently ignored Sierra’s subtle glances, the lights suddenly dimmed.
A single spotlight cut through the darkness and illuminated the stage.
It bathed only one woman in its dazzling, almost blinding glow.
Then, the music began.
As it played, the woman seated on stage began to tremble—first her fingertips, then her arms, then her entire body.
At last, the performance had begun.
Watching from his seat, Arcturus didn’t want to admit it, but he had no choice.
Baron Theron’s confidence had not been misplaced.
The Swan Ballet Company truly did possess a remarkable treasure.
As in many such productions, the role of the lead ballerina was central.
And fortunately, Karen, the star of the troupe, commanded the stage with dazzling grace.
Fitting the role of a seductive spy with a background in dance, she bewitched every man in the theater, each of them wishing to claim her for himself.
The plot held coherence solely due to the ballerina’s presence.
Beyond her physical beauty, her movement was mesmerizing.
Soft steps, fluid gestures…
She captivated the audience, leaving their eyes hopelessly drawn to the elegant lines of her body.
She was indeed worthy of being called a “treasure” by Baron Theron.
“What did you think of the performance, Duke?”
After the curtain fell and Arcturus was preparing to leave with his family, several nobles approached to make conversation.
But Baron Theron would not let anyone steal this moment.
The performance had been hosted by his ballet troupe, after all.
And since the guests were invited personally by him, leaving without greeting was out of the question.
“It was excellent. Your confidence was well-founded, Baron.”
“In that case, about our business discussion…”
“This is as far as it goes.”
The baron’s face stiffened in obvious expectation.
“I’m far more accustomed to handling rifles than discussing art.”
“……”
“My apologies, Baron.”
Though his words sounded apologetic, his tone and expression carried not a trace of remorse—only cold sarcasm.
“Then, farewell.”
Arcturus excused himself and departed, with Kaitro helping their grandfather along.
Whether Baron Theron’s expression had frozen from disappointment or humiliation was of no concern.
Just as Arcturus was about to leave the theater entirely, he paused for a brief moment and turned his gaze back to the empty stage.
Indeed, the ballerina who led the performance had been captivating, but…
That was a matter separate from business.
One dancer alone was not reason enough to invest.
And Arcturus no longer found beauty in art.
Today had merely been an exception.
“Since the whole family is gathered for once, let’s head to Hotel Repola.”
Jude Cullen, now seated in the carriage, suggested they continue the evening together at the prestigious hotel.
Naturally, Sierra, Kaitro’s fiancée, was included in the invitation.
Hotel Repola was a favored retreat for nobles, with rooms fitted with private pools. It often served as a short summer getaway for busy businessmen.
Jude Cullen, now too old for long travels, had recently begun frequenting it whenever possible.
“Let’s dine and talk through the night.”
“I have work to do.”
“It would have been better if you said you had a woman. Then I might’ve let you go. But for work? Absolutely not.”
“Grandfather, please…”
Jude Cullen, who in his younger years had been so obsessed with work that he neglected his family, was now giving long lectures about the importance of love and family to Arcturus, who seemed to be following the same path.
Arcturus rubbed his face, stifling a sigh.
It seemed his grandfather hadn’t been satisfied with merely watching the performance with him today.
“Arctor.”
Jude called his grandson by his favorite nickname, still wearing a gentle smile.
While the world either admired or feared Arcturus, to Jude, he was still the same boy he remembered.
He knew that, no matter how reluctant he seemed, Arcturus would eventually yield to his wishes.
“If you’re feeling stifled, hurry and find a pretty girl. If you tell me you’re dating someone, how could this old man hold you back? Even better, give me a great-grandchild.”
Arcturus had long since surrendered to his grandfather’s endless talk of love and heirs.
“You know, Grandfather… sometimes when you go on like this, I actually consider dating just anyone.”
“You can’t just date anyone. You have to fall in love, you rascal.”
Sierra, Kaitro’s fiancée, joined the light-hearted exchange.
“Don’t worry, Grandfather. The Duke will surely meet a wonderful woman.”
“Someone like our precious Sierra?”
Sierra smiled sweetly at the affectionate remark, as though she truly were Jude’s granddaughter.
Outwardly, she appeared shy and endearing.
But Arcturus knew Sierra Miller all too well.
Whether he wanted to or not, he had no choice but to know her.
As Sierra pretended to fan her cheeks with the back of her hand in playful embarrassment, her eyes briefly met Arcturus’s.
For just a moment, a flicker of desire shimmered in her gaze beneath that modest smile.
It was always the same.
His half-brother’s fiancée had always looked at Arcturus like that.
And it was one of the many reasons these family gatherings were so suffocating to him.
Feeling trapped, Arcturus loosened his tie and sank deep into the plush seat, turning his gaze toward the window.
‘Perhaps I should create a fake lover instead.’
Preferably someone famous enough to draw attention on her own.
Someone like…
Yes—like that ballerina who told stories with her every movement.
In a passing thought, Arcturus recalled her fluttering gestures under the dazzling lights,
like feathers dancing in the air.
Was it the stage lighting?
That ballerina had seemed so pale, as if she might vanish at any moment.
But Arcturus quickly dismissed the image by closing his eyes.
She was beautiful.
But that was all.
Creating a fake relationship just to escape his brother’s fiancée and his grandfather’s pressure would only invite further complications.
And Arcturus had no intention of wasting his energy on more trouble.
After all the performances had ended, Director Mark made his way to the training room.
Though the curtain had closed to thunderous applause, the show was far from over.
Since the same piece would be performed for months to come, daily rehearsals were necessary.
However, due to the sheer physical toll of each show, most dancers chose to return home afterward.
Of course, some stayed behind to rehearse, and Karen was always first on that list.
“…What? Karen isn’t here?”
But today was different.
“Why? Did she get hurt or something?”
“I’m not sure.”
Director Mark felt a rush of irritation at Alice’s indifferent tone.
How could she sound so unconcerned when a fellow dancer might be injured?
The thought of Karen—usually so isolated—brought a pang of unease.
“This is unacceptable. I’ll go to her home.”
“Why would you do that, Director?”
Alice asked, genuinely surprised.
“For Karen, of all people, to go home on the opening day of the season makes no sense unless she was injured.”
“Who knows? Maybe she went to meet a man.”
“…Karen?”
Mark paused, just as he was heading to the office where dancer profiles were stored to check Karen’s address.
Then he shook his head.
“Alice, isn’t it excessive to spread groundless rumors about a teammate?”
“It’s not wrong to meet a man… why are you so angry?”
“I’m not angry. Regardless, Karen isn’t that kind of person, so stop with the nonsense.”
Alice’s eyes narrowed as she observed Mark’s seemingly desperate expression.
“I saw her.”
“Saw what?”
“I mean Karen.”
Alice was observant.
She already knew that Director Mark harbored special feelings for Karen.
Until now, she’d assumed it was because Karen was a genius dancer who knew nothing but training, thus rising to the top.
But perhaps it was something else entirely.
“She was removing her stage makeup and putting on a different one. As if she were going to meet someone.”
Alice wasn’t lying.
“She seemed really excited.”
Though she may have embellished a bit.
