Chapter 112: Rated 15+
TL: Aniea
“Hehehe....”
“Oh my....”
“Wooooow....”
Exclamations of admiration erupted from various parts of the audience. Regardless of gender, everyone stared blankly at Kim Eun-ha. Even in the case of couples who had come together, there were no exceptions.
Even though they had already been aware of her beauty through SNS or the internet.
When her rare medieval-style costume blended with her radiant smile, they simply lost their minds.
“Let’s see. The laundry is done. Ah! I saw a spot with blueberries on the way here. I should stop by and pick some on the way.”
Regardless of the reaction, Kim Eun-ha smoothly continued her lines. Her acting was so natural that there was no fault to be found, even compared to professional actors.
As she folded her fingers one by one, mumbling about her to-do list, her innocent appearance made the watching audience burst into laughter.
“Hmm. Should I pick the blueberries first?”
After a brief deliberation, the [princess] began to walk. She arrived at a pre-prepared bush prop and carefully reached out to begin gathering the berries.
“Gasp-!”
At that moment, a scream erupted from the audience. From beyond the bush, someone crouched low stepped out quietly.
It was a face very familiar to the audience, and yet at the same time, incredibly unfamiliar. That person was none other than Kang Woo-ju.
“Oh my....”
“Kyaaaaaa-!”
"No way no way no way."
People screamed.
They tried to lower their voices to avoid disturbing others, but since the entire audience shook together, the noise was quite loud.
Kang Woo-ju, appearing on stage, wore the black base and gold-embroidered uniform he had worn during the final rehearsal.
His appearance was worthy of being called a [prince] from any country. Not only women but even the men couldn’t help but be impressed.
"Hm hm hmm~♪"
Unaware that the prince was watching her from nearby, the princess hummed a tune while picking the berries.
Srrrng-
Watching quietly, the prince silently drew a sword from his waist and, with a clean motion, brought it to the opponent’s neck.
No, to be precise, it was just when he was about to do that.
In a flash, the princess’s eyes gleamed. She ducked forward, deflecting the sword to the side, and then dashed at the prince.
“...Gasp!!”
Startled by the sudden movement, the prince widened his eyes, but boldly let go of his sword and blocked her attack.
Thwack, thwa-thwack-!
The exchange of blows continued in an instant. The choreography between the two was so tightly coordinated that the audience struggled to keep up with their movements.
‘...What the hell is this all of a sudden!?’
‘...Oh right, this was an action play.’
‘...I don’t know what’s going on, but it’s freakin’ awesome.’
Though the combat was rather sudden, the audience accepted the situation without difficulty.
From the start, the play’s poster and trailer had shown scenes of lightsaber battles.
And the movements unfolding right before their eyes were so dazzling that there was no room for any other thoughts to creep in.
“.......”
“.......”
How long had the fierce exchange lasted?
At some point, as if it had been planned, the two simultaneously retreated to gain distance.
They both realized that continuing to clash all day would lead to no resolution, and in the process of their physical contact, they had come to understand that neither bore murderous intent.
“...What faction are you with?”
The one to speak first was the prince. Though the murderous aura from earlier was gone, he still looked at her with suspicion.
The princess was no different. She furrowed her brow and responded, as if to say, what are you talking about?
“Faction?”
“You’ve not only set foot in the royal garden without permission but also attacked me, the rightful successor of the royal family. I could accuse you of treason and have your head on the spot.”
Royal family? Garden? Successor?
Muttering the listed words while tilting her head, the princess instinctively realized that something was off between the two of them.
“...I don’t know what you’re talking about, but I was just here to pick some blueberries. This is the path I walk every day, after all.”
“...You walk through here every day? Nonsense. This place was dearly cherished by my mother when she was alive. It’s not a place just anyone can enter.”
“What are you even talking about!? I’ve been living here for over 20 years now. If you walk just a little that way, you’ll get to my house.... Huh?”
Feeling something was wrong, the princess cut herself off mid-sentence. Looking toward the direction she was pointing, her mouth dropped open in disbelief.
“Wh-what is that?”
“...Are you talking about the pavilion?”
“Pavilion?”
“It’s a general term for outdoor structures... simply put, an outdoor terrace. It’s where my mother used to enjoy tea parties with her acquaintances.”
“.......”
Even as she listened to the explanation, the princess kept glancing around in disbelief. It was completely different from the place she originally knew.
Seeing her so flustered, too much so for it to be considered acting, the prince ended up making an awkward expression as well.
“U-um.... that....”
“Just call me ‘Richard.’”
Haa-
At her gesture that seemed to say she didn’t know what to call him, the prince let out a deep sigh and revealed his name.
Being of royal blood, his full name was naturally much longer, and his status wasn’t the kind where he should be exchanging names with a woman who clearly looked like a commoner.
However, Prince Richard was swept up in an inexplicable feeling and allowed it. It didn’t seem like she was going to call him ‘Your Highness’ anytime soon, anyway.
“Richard-nim! Where on earth is this place!?”
“Wouldn’t it be proper to give your name before asking questions?”
“Ah! My name is ‘Bella’.”
“...Bella.”
Prince Richard softly murmured the princess’s name as if to savor it. Afterwards, the two began to exchange questions and share information in turn.
“You live in the Labyrinth Forest!? How is that possible? It’s a place overflowing with monsters and where strange phenomena occur like it’s nothing.”
“Who knows? I’ve never actually left the forest. There are a few things you shouldn’t touch or should watch out for, but it’s actually a pretty livable place.”
“...You say that so easily. You coming here must also be one of the Labyrinth Forest’s strange phenomena. Do you know how to return?”
“I don’t even know how I got here. I guess I’ll have to try heading back to the Labyrinth Forest here.... Huh?”
“What’s that...?”
The two turned their heads at the same time. A huge portal large enough for a person to pass through had formed on the screen set up at the back of the stage.
“...I can’t believe what I’m seeing.”
Shake shake-
Prince Richard shook his head in disbelief. Bella, standing beside him, gave an awkward smile and slowly stood up from her seat.
“Well then, I’ll be going now.”
“...You’re heading back to the Labyrinth Forest?”
“If I’m too late, the fairies will get worried.”
Smile-
Bella smiled as if to say, “Don’t worry”. At her pure smile, untouched by the world, the prince couldn’t help but nod.
“Take this with you.”
“Huh? Are you sure? I’m pretty sure your mother cherished this....”
“The berries will grow back, so it doesn’t matter. No one else will eat them anyway. I was having a hard time dealing with all that on my own.”
“.......”
Receiving the basket filled with blueberries, Bella showed a briefly complex expression, then bowed deeply and disappeared into the portal.
Just like when it first appeared, the portal that swallowed her vanished without a trace, and Richard, left alone, stared blankly at where it had been before turning his back.
As the prince began to walk, the background changed with each step, signaling the passage of time to the audience.
“...Ah, hello!”
“...You again?”
Ahaha-
Bella scratched her head awkwardly. At this, Prince Richard let out a dry laugh as well.
Ever since their first meeting, Bella had somehow ended up in the royal garden at certain intervals, without even realizing it herself.
She would stay for quite a while, and only when the portal reappeared would she return, thus began a strange routine that kept repeating.
Upon realizing this, Richard began to sit in his mother’s garden and wait for her, staying with Bella until the portal opened.
“So yesterday, ‘Red’ taught me swordsmanship....”
“Learning swordsmanship from a fairy... that’s unheard of.”
“In the deep parts of the forest, there’s a plant called ‘Hellgrass’....”
“Hmm. Sounds as terrifying as its name.”
At first, it was almost like an exchange of information. Since their worlds were so vastly different, that alone made for an enjoyable time.
But as it continued for several days and then weeks, they eventually ran out of simple information to share. Even so, their conversations never ceased.
“Yesterday, ‘Blue’ fainted after eating a blueberry!”
“What!? Don’t tell me it was poisoned....”
“No, it was just too delicious!”
“Don’t scare me like that.”
Puhuhu-
Most of it was just trivial, mundane conversation, but both of them had smiles on their faces as they talked. The audience watching thought the same.
‘That doesn’t look like acting.’
‘Mm-hmm. They look like a nice couple.’
‘They’re definitely dating.’
Just watching a beautiful couple was enjoyable in itself. The audience looked at them with satisfied expressions, hoping this peace would not be disturbed.
But as if to mock those hopes, their crisis came sooner than expected.
“...So here you were, Princess!”
The Evil Sorcerer had appeared.
He had cast a spell the moment the baby princess entered the Labyrinth Forest, which allowed him to pinpoint Bella’s location.
Though the unstable space of the Labyrinth Forest had rendered his magic ineffective, during the time she crossed the portal, she became traceable.
“...So you’re the Evil Sorcerer.”
Through the conversations he had shared with Bella over time, Prince Richard had come to suspect her true identity.
He had also vaguely pieced together the connection between the suddenly fallen neighboring kingdom, the Evil Sorcerer, and the princess. He pulled Bella behind him.
“Hand over the princess.”
“I refuse.”
“...Thanks to you, I’ve found the princess, so I’ll forgive you just this once. Give her up and leave. Then I’ll spare your life.”
The prince knew how powerful the Evil Sorcerer was, but he couldn’t ignore Bella, who was trembling behind him.
Srrrng-!
Instead of replying, Prince Richard drew his sword and pointed it at the Evil Sorcerer. The sorcerer smirked at the sight.
“Foolish boy. Because of your pathetic desires, your kingdom will fall, and innocent citizens will burn alive!”
Changg-!
Though the prince fought bravely, his sword was ultimately broken by the overwhelming power of the sorcerer.
Even the kingdom’s proud knight order fell like leaves before the Evil Sorcerer.
No-!!
Fully immersed in the play due to the dazzling effects and passionate performances, the audience silently screamed, covering their mouths.
“Will you keep struggling?”
“.......”
Huff-huff-
Though panting heavily, the prince did not lose the strength in his eyes. Just as the sorcerer stretched out his hand to finish him off.
“......!!”
The princess stepped in front of the prince. At the same time, a brilliant light began to pour out from the necklace she was wearing.
It was the royal heirloom that the queen had given to Bella before her death. Its purpose had been unknown, but now it radiated light and pushed the Evil Sorcerer back.
The light coming from the necklace was dazzling enough, but the screen behind the stage also sparkled, continuing with a spectacular production.
“Oooh!”
“Finally!”
“Is this the scene!?”
Realizing what was happening, the audience clenched their fists in excitement. It was the very scene from the trailer that had brought them here today.
Juaaaang-!
With a distinctly familiar sound effect, before anyone noticed, a dazzling lightsaber appeared in Bella’s hand.
***
“Phew... The response is better than I expected. Do you see the audience’s faces? Even the older folks seem to be enjoying it.”
“It’s all thanks to you, Eun-ha ssi.”
"Oh, how modest."
Pfft-
After Act 2 ended, Kang Woo-ju and Kim Eun-ha returned backstage. The two looked at each other and stifled their laughter.
The staff who had been on standby all rushed over, wiping their sweat, bringing them water, and offering all kinds of support.
The faces of the two, who had just given a passionate performance, were filled with undeniable exhaustion. But at the same time, there was a sense of relief and pride as well.
“The kiss scene ended smoothly too.”
“Well, yeah.”
Kang Woo-ju shrugged.
The kiss scene, which had been the toughest part during rehearsals, ended up being the easiest. Honestly, things had been so hectic that he wasn’t even sure if their lips had properly touched.
Since both of them tried not to be overly conscious beyond the acting, they were able to wrap it up without any incidents.
“Only the final scene left now.”
“Please don’t step on my foot this time?”
“That’s why I want to do it more.”
“Just hold back for today, please.”
Hehe-
Kang Woo-ju jokingly pleaded, and Kim Eun-ha responded with a pleasant laugh. Just like Richard and Bella, the two bantered playfully.
In the meantime, with the help of the staff, they had already changed into their next costumes.
“Princess. May I have this dance?”
Kang Woo-ju, with a smile at the corners of his mouth, bowed slightly and held out his hand to her. In response, Kim Eun-ha also smiled and placed her hand in his.
Just like that, the two stepped onto the stage. It was the final scene where the ball was being held, and the others were already dancing in pairs.
Following the prearranged choreography, they naturally moved to the center. The dance they had practiced hundreds of times, even with countless missteps, was now being shown to everyone.
“Eun-ha ssi.”
“Hmm?”
Just as the play was heading toward its ending, Kang Woo-ju suddenly spoke. He wore a mischievous smile like a prankster about to act.
“Don’t you think it’s a bit of a shame to end it just like this?”
“...What are you scheming now?”
“‘Scheming’ is a bit much, don’t you think?”
Kim Eun-ha squinted at him suspiciously, but Kang Woo-ju met her eyes shamelessly.
In that slightly unusual atmosphere, just as Kim Eun-ha flinched, Kang Woo-ju suddenly pulled her waist toward him without warning.
“Do you know something?”
“......?”
The already short distance between them closed further, until their noses were nearly touching.
As the startled Kim Eun-ha opened her eyes wide, Kang Woo-ju’s smile deepened.
"This performance. It's rated 15+."
“......!!”
Srrk-
Before she could even respond, Kang Woo-ju’s lips pressed against Kim Eun-ha’s. Their already flushed breaths mingled rapidly, growing even hotter.
The moment their lips met, pre-prepared paper fireworks burst open for the ending, and the choir’s song also reached its finale.
The performance hall fell eerily silent, as if by magic.
Countless flower petals rained down from above.
A faint tremble passed through their connected skin.
Amidst all of that.
Kim Eun-ha quietly closed her eyes.
*****
For more chapters check out my patreon: https://www.patreon.com/anieatl
If you enjoy this novel, please review and rate it at Novelupdates. Thanks! 😊