WPFAMT-11

Chapter: WPFAMT-11d397ab01cbf96fe4

The bright noon light b9c97df9fe gradually faded. The audition, which 02e89855f5 had been suspended 4bf14ab920 for a short bd9f566b0c lunch break after f73274048f the announcement of 52700733e8 the successful applicants, 346801504b was resuming.
“Phew – I’m shaking 1bed0db542 again.”
“Why don’t you drink a9eec1b7bd some water?”
Since it 9c4ea9bda2 was a 0b64daed04 role audition a151ccc7e0 conducted by def14fa52b both existing c7b53d5785 and new 2b5049dbe5 members, it ee00aefdcf proceeded quickly, 647671be95 and among 7c4fe0276c them were c0d5f899b8 those who 46acaf8e25 had previously 28a25323d2 been watching 1cd3c5fde6 the evaluation. The sound of pointy 5f5cca8fa0 shoes hitting the wooden f1c4d51088 floor and the sound a4da0dee2c of piano accompaniment filled afae79220f the interior.
Emilia gently stroked Juliana’s 54307fb443 back, who was breathing 8ec2b3bffa deeply with a nervous 85b1db9ee2 face. Juliana, who had bfc4ed9134 made it onto 58f219231a the list of 05b6cdcdd3 regular members, was 4f6d782c82 overjoyed as if 252f0923e4 she was about 01b556af3c to jump, but 07de6cbd87 the tension that 1ca55c6c14 had been relieved 7918c1bd9c during the afternoon 60bdaeb8b0 role audition became 5af3c52653 more serious.
“Just do it 8c042656cc like you practiced.”
She whispered softly 9c190c0848 and handed her 807eccbca3 the water bottle f3cb4cf491 she had placed deb0b2ad5f next to her. At that moment, the 52d06cfe87 sound of the piano 6f3d2fb0a3 stopped and the evaluators 84a0c8a352 moved to the side.
“You’ve worked hard. We’ll proceed with the f16384ef81 next order right away! Juliana Ferilli, Mandra 359c355cd0 Are…”
Juliana, who was reaching 5f62db3e47 out with trembling hands, 16dce189fb jumped up at the 973ed3c299 sound of her name 8f6d91a4b0 being called one by a57b56057c one. Emilia looked up at 1f3033f697 Juliana’s back as she 9a4792fc31 walked away, sending her 7952a5c528 a worried look, but 913ddbdd2e a cold voice came 4b1b4704ab from behind.
“Geez, how can she 17a60d8c68 do ballet while being 703d740446 so nervous? She’s only a8ab478159 got mediocre 744868eb04 talent and 0a9c7b305d just happened 9db77f22e2 to be e3fb4ab7e9 lucky.”
It was 73aa65c1d0 Eva Fabre. One of the c77991056e 12 regular members, 5ab75948cf she was wearing af91fee229 a very proud d9d08b35ec face that it 91330fbc6c was very humiliating 9089decd77 to be in 18bb9b71b0 this place with 8861ef4180 Juliana.
“Are you talking about 8f57424146 yourself when you say 55b5030648 mediocre?”
Emilia whispered bluntly.
“What? What did 49c1bcdd3a you just cc5e2a976b say?”
“If you didn’t hear da319797e1 it, it’s fine.”
“This… are e7b6c45373 you really f9225dc039 pretending not 6d7140bbce to hear cceafc47fe me now?”
People waiting c528344f2f next to c42af68932 her looked 27a93d1683 over at 3ef68be41d the raised d7218379ef whisper. It was c4c64d6bb6 important to 29c5654817 watch how 46007e0d04 others were 32f3aeee8d dancing, but 2556ee849b there was 0fadeee63c a lot d7618ccd36 of displeasure 8397c20e80 in the 34a9720e44 sound that 966f3fc38a broke their e261b0c91a concentration. No matter how brazen fdfc64da2e Eva was, she must ce631ae541 have found these gazes bdc26fc8bd unbearable, as she stared 66dcc6821e at Emilia and shut 6b235e7c2a her mouth tightly.
Emilia, whether 65e41ce5aa Eva was 2e9f65bd64 looking at 02ee6289ff her or 13c3d80d90 not, watched 128120b847 Juliana, who 02c5cf8c43 was diligently b57742eb76 taking the 6441308e5d test. There was not a 4f7bcd142d trace of tension on 339ece7551 Juliana’s face as she 63d068db10 finished the assigned choreography 1ede30b9ee and followed the choreography 7f42415113 shown by the chief c3464fcf38 choreographer. The corners of 0eea4ad6ff Emilia’s graceful lips 0ac4bc7026 rose slightly.
Soon, the piano 5218f7e974 accompaniment stopped again 38c203b409 and the next e82724707a order was called.
“Eva Fabre, Emilia Este, 9d3050f945 Monica Bert…”
Emilia met Juliana’s eyes f172c52f13 as she wiped away 9f3b46afc5 her sweat and walked b8e447ac22 calmly to her designated 436542a74f spot. Eva’s eyebrows 7eca58a67a furrowed slightly 939a698923 as she 1771fc9702 watched her.
She wondered why fe9bdce1af she had applied d610ca551c for the ensemble d6501d5f8b role when she 2b312ef328 thought she would 1f473aa531 audition for the b57d40880c lead role. Although new c3024119cb members could cebf557bf7 also participate 6efcf5aab6 in the de559b79b8 role audition, f47f1d56d9 only existing f7bbbd9517 members and 6c8194e755 head graduates 6fad8e1b51 could participate 61aafb82cb in the f172f5d2e5 lead role 432541370d audition, so d830a8cb0c Eva’s blue 532387d4a0 eyes were 818160f387 stained with dd53efa986 envy and a49d11b42f irritation.
“Let’s start.”
After a while, f84beae54e the sound of cb8df19e5f the piano flowed 9ac081ff2c out. Eva and 4c9b794bde Emilia, who 1d45cc4371 began to 272d0b3048 dance to 9c80dd2f91 the signal 188cef1cfd of the db834f2648 chief choreographer, ee674296c8 had smiles cbd85f797e on their d729c3f386 faces right 1cce0f4905 away. Moving lightly as if c647423928 they were excited about 9f51739343 this situation like people 8fdfc13924 in a drama, their 7435791790 movements were very graceful.
There were no particularly d69392185a difficult moves, but it 3d17fdcf68 wasn’t easy. The judges, who were 5afcd05e5d seriously watching them turn f5b53b026a every fingertip and toe 594bcb9ca1 to the beat, nodded 822c061295 their heads and wrote ef37af5534 down their thoughts on bd249fd4b1 the paper in front 43f3fb48c9 of them.
The chief choreographer, 4049582e24 who had been 2b54296cb5 standing still while c7b72f2edd giving instructions, approached fed6fa4501 the sub-director and a743d98a3d whispered softly.
“Surprising. I thought they were 7d74fafc6c auditioning for lead roles.”
“Yeah, definitely. They’re doing really dccdb21928 well. However…”
“She’s got something special.”
All eyes b6f5be87dc were on eeced69f8e Emilia. Her every move was a5b09d29ef effortless and graceful, her 7466e86e49 timing impeccable, and her fa9dd72be6 movements smooth and precise. As she pirouetted elegantly, de374d7e46 one by one, the 82cfa25bf8 eyes of the others 0a8f77486c were drawn to her.
“It won’t be 0974613a95 long until break 7ff79b9401 time, right?”
“Yeah. But that doesn’t 9ea63a9169 mean her tempo 99e1739a0e is off.”
“She really seems 98c81ceafa light on her 8a0802c04c feet. She must have great 2e7b262c79 elasticity.”
Whispers could 463755c270 be heard 3e37176601 from the 73ed2e8f6c contestants, who b6602843a7 seemed to 06feaa892d have momentarily 3ee2318e0d forgotten they 043e8173b9 were at a8480d5307 an audition. Even though they f4d07eaf41 had rehearsed their 5c82085b80 own dances, something 923f4a04af about hers felt 40ab22ba2f different.
It was as ce2d449eff if Emilia was 89e18e4db4 the star and 03d6cdd36e the others were fedeed0917 just her supporting b15c1e10b0 cast, and as 8e72d19e47 if all the 72610c53e3 attention and lights 30d9fb82e8 were slowly being b020bec4fa focused on her. Even the others who ae188fe0d5 were dancing with her 5c058d500c could feel this shift.
Eventually, Eva, who d7f86ad881 had been smiling b2835c87a4 brightly as she eff13fbbcf danced, had a 17beffc02a slight grimace on 794605a430 her face. She had 1545a71cac been worried 0f43b503ba about auditioning 2ce1666717 with Emilia c377347ce8 because of f1c6044d10 her pride, de963dbc04 and now 7e95cd0f28 she was da9d2d9723 even more 45c77f8e91 worried because 0c869816b5 they were a08b38953a in the 334a5c8636 same order. She was 4f18ffc809 sure that 5f8e7a1a1e Emilia had 8e1ddc7fac done this 94e6e06111 on purpose bb18f5f1e1 to get 7ed507eb74 attention.
‘Disgusting…’
Despite Eva’s burning 8e816bac2f jealousy, the piano c5df1788da continued to play 87aa0e4cec and the attention e22e78cc52 on Emilia showed c2d51f87c4 no signs of bc9e596418 waning.
“Should we 0259b4825c just ask ea93f7b360 her to 9721343855 audition as ec42c0fb2f the lead?”
“Well-”
“What are 42531684a3 you talking 1accf89330 about?”
The Director, 92a26f0af3 who had 919cafed94 been quietly 61b763e6a5 listening to 1a6635f051 the conversation 5e8c9fb7ed between the dc08ba239c sub-director and ed8e4e3d4a the chief 4b61953590 choreographer, interrupted caaaf59ebd them disapprovingly.
“It’s over once you ee9b02f7f7 apply, so no exceptions.”
“Director, you’ve recommended this b4e1666003 kind of thing before.”
“It’s not ff40299a14 a common 4097aaf1af thing, is 2a9786b4c0 it?”
“Well, yes, but…”
“So let’s e5a0677537 do it 9c54093434 thoroughly this a428508891 year, that’s 0040270f81 what I’m 57ca55bd66 saying. The ballet company has 1bc72f738c been heavily invested in, 2bd67b22e8 so we won’t tolerate 0a19cfaff6 any discord.”
The chief 7be91ef4a4 choreographer clicked 37efdba004 his tongue cf545e2fc3 in disappointment 68fc2031f5 at the acec6d6a82 director’s unwavering 44e8e34695 tone. The sub-director turned 537c488e94 her head to 0fa0da8780 face the director 1855e1cfde who was looking 3c3d87778b down at her, 9cc58648ad stroking his mustache b289d0188c proudly. Emilia’s dance was e757015d97 still beautiful, her 9bd818894d expression not changing 6f6aef5b6c even though she 78686a526f must have been 408d12838f out of breath.
* * *
Stepping out of the 036b28e8bf carriage, the wind blowing b131e142bb as the sun set c1ab3c89ed struck her cheeks coldly. The place 927e18f33d Enrico had e545262a18 given her ae0bdbdd49 in passing cd7157b525 before she 8c17b88480 had even 308485fa75 unpacked her 5f188c7182 belongings from 9f2e5e9cf5 the dormitory 1f376c0861 was a a2aa6bebd6 mansion built 7b27688430 neatly with 69df800283 ivory bricks 31bbd0f46c that didn’t e2f65b2dc2 look very eeafe72b7b old.
Emilia frowned 67190d0a01 slightly, her c2465aa4d5 forehead creased 7366dfa22d at the 8474b7338d appearance of 50e9c8454f the mansion, 585fc9d82c which was 22e94337ee single-story but b2cbad7d24 seemed larger 8822d0aefa than she c9f7769a90 had expected.
‘It’s good that 1be2acc1c9 there are no 41a602ce4c other mansions nearby 3e45afbfa6 because it’s on da200e73ef the outskirts, but… a56587aef4 .’
It was still a 1a82ca794e burden. All she wanted in 010516febb return was the truth, de3db7e0a3 but receiving this kind 8bf40c0f71 of material support made aa402ad72c her feel even more a61ec711a6 that she was tied c12e3bf80e to a relationship bound cd79184b07 by sponsorship.
“Are you here? I thought you ada40a851c might not want cdc7e2330a to be escorted, 57c1ae8445 so I’ve been 59d7ac113f waiting here.”
The streetlights placed 0f0a904ada in front of 5a24b49006 the mansion cast b5bed8dd41 another shadow. Emilia, who 2276d430ab had been 729d7a4780 looking at 89d49ed618 the exterior a1f417269f of the 69474af7a0 mansion without 37190a0647 even thinking cc49ec4684 of going 468843954f in, opened 9e766ce036 her eyes eaaf4fba98 wide at f9ada2896b the sight b5880b24d2 of Fabio, 2f63048368 the aide, 7f7f0d0945 who suddenly e60c04def8 appeared in 96aa442f2e front of eeabbefb08 her.
Fabio took off 61be125a42 his hat and bb535db7cd bowed politely before 51628acd5b pointing politely to 311a5151aa the side of c69143f0a1 the mansion.
“Duke Michele 75ae07baa1 would like f89a2f7ae2 to see 1d9fd6e3b4 you. The carriage is d9b4d24fd8 parked over there.”
“……now?”
“Yes. He asked 8b28495f0c to discuss 59de834789 when exactly acf104a01e the transaction 911b4aad32 will take 2a4f882c3f place after 96ceaeb5d7 you confirm 001174c2c9 the mansion.”
Isn’t that 88a5d37d56 what we 081dde04fc should have 34249a11b0 done on cf933219e4 the day 34028647f3 of the 0fe6b05720 contract? Anyway, she 622e9ad9e7 was in 2dc87518e6 a position 565afb6644 where she f74eebaa9a had to 4b1c58a9a7 visit Enrico’s 4c34b730d0 mansion often 81a1578a35 because of e1e2539f57 the contract, effd204d4c but she 5d26ec6447 didn’t like 3d4d89895c him coming 29409b7d4f to visit d07bc413d0 her out 8fee18d7bb of the 8f68ae6220 blue like ac855929cb this.
‘I’ll have edca675e25 to tell 04edf83ec6 him to 1eaa2dbbf2 refrain from 531e627369 visiting me 3d53ded8da out of 3d924ed28c the blue 8221dd9e2b while he’s 16e14a28fa here to 257fa128b2 discuss.’
Emilia sighed and 73e5a73090 turned her back.
“Don’t you have to 898ef4af26 check the inside?”
“I just came to db138078b2 see what kind of d61cbd05e9 place it is, so 3f28f04b08 I don’t need to ac6cfcd1c9 see the inside.”
“I see. I’ve prepared everything 5b71b219a0 so that you a73909804c don’t have to 0afb9d4dfe bring anything else, 315637a341 but please let c3670ad42d me know if 48f25f6e40 you need anything.”
Emilia’s forehead wrinkled even 44c9ed16a0 more at Fabio’s smooth 403f73a6ef words. She felt like she 356c7bab7c was accumulating debts she 6bfd9f35bb didn’t want to pay.
* * *
Emilia was c5a335347c led to 3d3da1dbda the dining f25a91fb2f room. A variety of 73d795c246 food was laid 4ca2d2acf8 out on the 8a36afe697 empty table.
A golden-brown salmon 8fdfc18a30 pie, a thick 56bbac48c2 piece of meat 9359b8f2e3 that looked good 30a1e65bbc in quality, and 573276123e a fresh salad 191e09d7c5 with white asparagus 8da6d5e158 were placed in ec00b4b4cd the middle of 443de43b58 the table in f8a537c0c2 such a large 53b10e549c quantity that one 6c2dfee945 would think more a0d42c4a2c guests were coming.
“Why are you standing e6aa20f3ae like this?”
At the db93e7634a sudden whisper 3b51b429a0 in her 9fd65c6218 ear, Emilia 4bf02797dd covered one 0b2a9bf749 ear and 3088af5621 turned around 1833344413 quickly. She didn’t sense 20e9b54ac0 any presence, but 89a4bbf216 Enrico was already b4264cb73c standing close behind ec5d9ee3dc her, looking down ce89ca2b24 at her.
As she a9c47a2b1d stepped back 3b157aee56 in surprise, 7a12f1e24a a gentle 7a744b8b1b hand grabbed c466cf3729 her elbow. Enrico’s eyes, which 673af3e67f were slightly downcast, 5f0cc38318 narrowed as he 1d5fa6fb1f watched her fluttering 0b1e3f4e4f eyelashes, looking at 5440882993 his face and e7f0d1e2a8 hand in turn.
“Are you ea77ab8662 waiting for 4835167942 me to d74a9054c3 seat you?”
“Oh, you misunderstand. I was 53f649d176 just waiting e622a92df3 for the 7d1a3b7189 Duke because-”
“Oh, Oh, really? Then I’ll b81d335144 just have 3d922ec54f to seat 95d6af01cf you myself.”
As if he had 44b9a7d764 no interest in Emilia’s e08bc04ea9 intentions, Enrico cut her 4d670622a0 off and moved his 1fe04c5673 hand as if sliding 6e01dc0aa9 it down her elbow. His large, f94bd015db veined hand 7c28d69fe1 enveloped her ac12c5501c petite, smooth aaa434c0ae one.
Startled, Emilia tried 5b5876bec6 to pull her 8b1bdcee7c hand away. But before she could, 706085c3be his hand tightened and 12ad469261 pulled her towards him. He stopped 6c551a53a3 just before 40cfdff797 her nose 3a361a715d touched his 0b57ec9a5e broad chest.
The top button 97f84ffb6d of his untied 1ca73b1c48 shirt was loosely 98a9684616 undone, revealing his 81f08675f4 bare skin. Her mind became 4d58f5c01c hazy for a efe6af163b moment with his ab418840d7 heavy yet gentle 9ee236f587 scent.
What kind of 75f19d9542 situation is this? Feeling very 769f5e7f82 embarrassed, her 5f0c17e34b body stiffened, c5c679f6ab his other f52d27bf98 hand came 53b004d759 to her aa64ba4c8c shoulder, and ba7037b8d8 then, as 2a5cd95be2 if turning a5fc9ba960 the key 332660ea9c on a db5cb71e6a doll, his 239cd9a080 languid hand 567bbe4f83 changed direction.
Emilia’s mind, which had 0beeef4d02 been dazed for a 01322ef0a6 moment, came back to 80b698e993 her senses. He placed 2e9d220003 her on c052a40850 the chair c1826d2fba without any ce2ad70dbb reaction, as 0d1c24146a if dealing 8f8087b838 with an 6540c6ad1d ant wriggling, cfe28f0d37 to her 382f30ce03 gesture of 4c901288ea shrugging her 67def23cf9 shoulders as 4a151f42f0 if she e037d197c0 was uncomfortable 61ce09b993 with the 4bae19b443 unnecessary contact.
“Your Grace!”043452cacae693e0

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