Chapter 249

“No way! The performance was completely off! It’s like watching a bunch of puppets dangling from strings!”

In the backstage of Central Cross Theater, after watching the final dress rehearsal before the show, a middle-aged man clad in a perfectly pressed double-breasted white suit—without a single wrinkle anywhere on him—couldn’t help but fling his top hat off his head. Pointing at a group of actors, he angrily berated them: “Emotion! Where is the emotion? You are living, breathing people, not machines reciting my lines! If you want the audience to be entranced by your performances, then you must first immerse yourselves in it! Stop obsessing over every step and entrance, worrying about physical expressions or lighting cues. Theater isn’t afraid of mistakes; it doesn’t demand mechanical precision. What theater truly demands is for the audience to feel what you feel!”

“That kind of perfect, robotic performance with no flaws in footwork or action has no soul! A long, smooth, dazzling monologue, where even the tail notes of an aria are flawlessly delivered, might not measure up to one heartfelt sob!”

“You all… damn it! Ever since Andrei was banned and couldn’t perform, what you’ve been doing is nothing but trashing my script! You’re all a bunch of fools! I wish I could just string you up with wires and have you act like this!”

The middle-aged man seemed to hold an extremely high position within the troupe. Despite being scolded for ten minutes straight, none of the dozens of veteran actors who had toured half the world dared to retort. One timid actress even began trembling and sobbing softly.

After hearing her cries, the middle-aged man seemed to realize he’d gone too far. After a brief silence, instead of continuing his tirade, he directed the actors to rehearse the first act of *Twelve Days Together* once more.

Unfortunately, despite their best efforts, even these highly skilled actors couldn’t meet the middle-aged man’s minimum expectations. Witnessing yet another abysmal rehearsal where no one lived up to his standards, the barely suppressed anger in the middle-aged man erupted uncontrollably.

“A bunch of useless trash! Trash! TRASH!!!”

In a fit of hysteria, the middle-aged man threw the crumpled top hat he’d been clutching onto the ground and began stomping on it with all his might, reducing the expensive accessory to shreds.

Moments later, after venting most of his disappointment and rage, the middle-aged man wanted to try again. But glancing at his watch, he realized it was already time for the performance. With a sigh filled with regret, he extended his hand toward the disappointing actors.

“It seems I can’t count on any of you… guess I’ll have to do it myself!”

As he sighed with regret, a row of bright lights above the stage suddenly turned on, illuminating the prop-filled backstage. One by one, the slightly trembling puppets rose with the movements of the middle-aged man’s hands.

On the face of Agatha, the wooden puppet playing the female lead dressed as a waitress, strange wooden tears rolled down her cheeks, plopping onto the backstage floor.

“Quick, quick!”

Grabbing Leon’s hand and rushing into the reserved lovers’ box, the princess pulled up her skirt and clamped it between her legs, bending over ungracefully to adjust the chairs for both herself and Leon, hurriedly finding the best angle to watch the play.

“Come on!”

She patted the empty spot beside her excitedly. Princess Veronica urged, “Hurry up and sit down. When we came up, I saw the announcer preparing to take the stage. The first scene of the first act of *Twelve Days Together* is about to start. If you don’t sit down now, you’ll miss it!”

“…”

Sitting down wasn’t really an issue… but are you sure this chair is designed for two people? Looking at the already overcrowded double seat occupied by just the princess, Leon hesitated to remind her:

“Isn’t this booth’s seating a bit too narrow?”

Of course it is! That’s why they call it a ‘lovers’ box.’ Hearing Leon’s question, the princess, whose eyes were fixed on the stage with anticipation, couldn’t help but flash a cunning smile.

Central Cross Theater certainly wasn’t short on funds. Making the seats so narrow was deliberate. Even two slim ladies would find sitting together uncomfortable in such a lovers’ box. For a man and woman sitting together, there was no choice but to be squeezed together by the armrests. During a three-hour-plus play, maintaining proper posture with legs tightly closed would be unbearable for anyone, inevitably leading to attempts at changing positions—like one person sitting directly on the other’s lap~ “Not narrow at all, it’s perfect for two!”

Though fully aware of the situation, the princess, who already had ulterior motives, naturally wouldn’t bother explaining it to Leon.

“Alright…”

Still feeling it was a bit cramped, but seeing that the curtain had indeed risen on the stage, Leon stopped talking and sat on the half of the seat the princess had left for him.

Once he sat down, the princess, who had previously been holding back, relaxed slightly, allowing her soft, full body to press against him. Even with two layers of clothing separating them, the subtle warmth and impressive elasticity were unmistakable.

“…”

Now I get it…

Realizing the reason behind the narrow seating, Leon instinctively tried to move away. But the princess shamelessly leaned closer, boldly resting against him.

Her icy fingertips found their way into Leon’s hand, intertwining their fingers in a cool, refreshing grip.

I knew this would be trouble!

“It seems… still a little crowded…”

As his arm was pulled further to the right and his elbow brushed against a soft mound, Leon couldn’t help but mutter under his breath:

“I could actually stand and watch…”

“Shh!”

Placing her index finger against her lips in a gesture for silence, the triumphant princess frowned slightly, slyly stopping him: “You should remain quiet during a play. But if you really need to talk, you can wrap your arm around my shoulders and whisper into my ear~”

“…”

Then I’ll stay seated…

Having no idea how to deal with her endless schemes, Leon abandoned the idea of standing and awkwardly settled back into the seat.

Meanwhile, the sea-themed folk tune playing on stage had reached its end. A narrator actor jingling shell bells announced amidst the simulated ocean sounds of a marine organ and surge drum:

“Ankara, for this tranquil seaside town, lacks neither tides nor sea breezes, nor young souls yearning to ease their sorrows in the vast and beautiful waves…”

As the narrator clearly introduced the setting, a male puppet wearing a white jacket and athletic build slowly stepped out from behind a wooden house prop, sighing wistfully with a look of sorrow:

“Only twelve days… twelve days from now, I will no longer be free. Instead, I’ll become a caged bird fluttering in unfamiliar confinement…”

Wait, something seems off here… Watching the male protagonist “Elijah” lament on stage, Leon couldn’t help but raise his hand and rub his eyes in disbelief.

Did I come to watch a drama or a puppet show? Why is the male lead on stage a talking marionette?

(End of Chapter)