Chapter 17: Prince of the Night
Ascal was suffering from insomnia.
Lying awake, he pondered the cause of his sleeplessness.
‘Damn those Lion Tribe people…’
Even now, it was a memory he wished to forget.
After everyone had left Erindale, Ascal had to rough it out for a few days. Only by sheer luck did he manage to catch a passing carriage that took him back to the capital.
Upon his return, he had slept so deeply and soundly that his day and night cycle had completely reversed.
‘It’s problematic.’
Soon, he would have to return to his routine.
Humans are creatures of habit. This disrupted sleep pattern could lead to a severe drop in efficiency.A decline in efficiency would tarnish his reputation, and this could gravely affect his performance evaluations...
'Wait.'
A negative impact on his performance evaluation?
That might actually be a good thing.
‘From now on, my name is Prince of the Night.’
Grabbing his coat, Ascal dashed into the night streets of the capital.
****
During the day people work, and at night they rest.
It was a long-standing tradition of humanity. However, the esteemed Dr. Hikigaya from the Far East once said that the cultural level of a nation could be measured by its ability to conquer the night.
In that respect, the cultural standards of the imperial capital were quite commendable.
Illuminated by stone lamps, the capital still had several taverns with lights burning brightly. On the streets, wandering musicians played fervently, placing hats on the ground for alms.
Ascal flicked a coin with his finger. It landed neatly into the hat.
"Nice play."
“Thank you, kind sir.”
Ascal lowered his voice as much as he could.
“The starlight tonight is too dazzling, making sleep elusive. I’m at a loss on how to spend this night. You, the bard whose tunes flow as blood does in veins, can you suggest a place where I can either soothe my restlessness or find serenity in the night’s stillness?”
It was quite a dramatic tone. If anyone recognized him, it would be bothersome. At this moment, he wasn’t the imperial official Ascal.
He was the Prince of the Night.
“You have shown me a favor, so how could I not repay you? Over yonder lies the ‘Moonlight Theatre,’ known for its refined music and tales.”
'Hmm. This wandering musician sure knew how to play his cards right.' Ascal added another coin to the hat.
“Thank you. I shall pay it a visit.”
With that, Ascal headed in the direction of the Moonlight Theatre as guided by the musician.
****
The Moonlight Theatre was a renowned troupe in the empire.
A few years ago, at least.
But lately, the Moonlight Theatre was anything but prosperous.
They had consecutively failed in plays they had heavily invested in and were facing dire financial straits.
“Hey, I clearly told you to prepare all the props. Why is the mask missing? Seri, are you disregarding your senior?”
“I’m sorry, senior. Senior Suna asked to borrow the mask...”
Slap.
The scene was one of blatant workplace violence. Seri, having been slapped, bent down silently, wiping the floor with a rag.
While some form of violence existed everywhere, the arts, on average, seemed to face more of it.
“Oh, you missed a spot here.”
“Where, senior?”
“Right here.”
Rosanna spat on the very spot Seri was cleaning.
It was a grave insult.
“Sorry, I’ve had phlegm stuck in my throat.”
“Yes, senior.”
Seri wiped away Rosanna’s spit. With no further reaction from Seri, a bored Rosanna snorted and left.
“Hey, Rosanna, you’re pushing it too far.”
“Why? Because she’s a noble’s daughter? Didn’t she say she wanted to start from scratch by joining our troupe? She should expect this much.”
“You are heartless.”
Suna, who said this, wore a faint sneer. It wasn’t as if she was fond of Seri either.
“Who does she think she is, wanting to pursue ‘noble art’? Does she think we can’t produce art? It’s only because the theatre is struggling that we’re making sacrifices.”
The reason for Seri’s mistreatment was partly her noble status, but more so because she wanted to perform using her self-written play.
“Well, whatever. She’s here because of her generous donation. She wants to ‘create art’, an art no one watches. Ahaha.”
“Excuse me... I’ve finished cleaning.”
Suddenly noticing Seri behind the stage, Rosanna looked startled, but soon retorted coldly.
“Good. Since the audience will be here soon, hide somewhere. Your turn’s last after all.”
“Understood, senior.”
After Seri left, Suna remarked,
“She might have heard us.”
“So? What’s she gonna do about it?”
It was nighttime.
Soon, it would be showtime for the Moonlight Theatre. In an instant, Rosanna’s expression changed – the face of an actress.
****
“Oh, Isolde. Why are you so beautiful?”
“It’s because you’re in love with me, Jerron.”
On stage, the actors moved briskly. At times, they danced and sang. It was a packed performance with not a moment’s rest.
Ascal sat in the audience, watching the performance without any enthusiasm.
‘Hmm. Utterly boring.’
Having been conditioned by the dopamine-triggering entertainments of his past life, it was hard for Ascal to be moved by what seemed like a familiar classical script.
Exaggerated emotions he couldn’t relate to.
Random dances. Was this Bollywood?
Clap clap clap.
The act came to an end.
Clapping sounds erupted from all around.
Ascal looked around. It seemed that, aside from him, the other spectators were genuinely enjoying and even moved by the performance.
“You seem new here. How did you find the show? The passionate love between Isolde and Jerron brings tears to my eyes no matter how many times I see it.”
“Hmm. I suppose.”
“...?”
If he was going to be sarcastic, Ascal decided he might as well commit to it fully.
“Emotional lines I can’t relate to, a clichéd story with no twist. If I were to give it a rating, I’d say 3 out of 100.”
“You madman!”
The audience gasped.
Ascal chuckled dismissively, ignoring the spectators. Truth be told, he was somewhat provoking them on purpose.
A headline like ‘Empire Official Ascal Embroiled in Violence’ in tomorrow’s paper wouldn’t be so bad.
“Everyone should leave. Seri’s performance is up next.”
“Is it that time already? Listen, consider yourself lucky. It’s rare to find someone who insults Isolde and Jerron, the fist of this empire, and still remains unharmed.”
It was a strange occurrence.
As if they had all made a pact, the audience began to depart like the ebbing tide. There were not many to begin with, but now only two or three remained.
At that moment, a girl with red hair appeared from offstage.
“Booooo.”
Jeers from the audience filled the room.
The girl paused briefly, glancing at the seats, before beginning her performance.
It was a one-woman show.
‘Better than expected?’
There was something... pure about the girl’s acting.
Without overdoing it, she narrated the story with restrained emotions, yet her delivery was persuasive.
“How can it be so boring? I can’t bear this any longer. I’m leaving.”
The last remaining members of the audience left, but the girl continued her performance, clearly engrossed in her act.
To be honest, it wasn’t the most captivating performance. However, compared to the earlier tacky show, this felt more deserving of the title ‘art.’
Ascal appreciated the girl’s monologue.
“When the sheep remain silent, I speak. I say that a wolf has already appeared within the fence, and it will prey on the poor first.”
It was good.
Her measured tone, everything was just right.
Yet, it made him incredibly drowsy.
‘Sleepy, of all things?’
Ascal suffered from insomnia.
And this girl’s voice was the perfect cure.
As if coffee had been poured directly into his brain, forcing it awake, his active mind began to shut down the moment it heard the soothing voice of the girl.
One sheep, two sheep...
‘Sleep... I’m falling asleep...’
Ascal’s eyes closed, and he was instantly embraced by slumber.
It was a most satisfying sleep.
****
The curtain fell on Seri’s performance.
Yet, there was no sound of applause.
It was usual for not even a single audience member to remain, let alone for applause to ring out.
At times like these, Seri felt like sinking into the floor.
Born into a noble family, Seri felt she had found her calling the first time she experienced a performance.
She sincerely wanted to become an artist. An artist who wrote and performed her own scripts.
However, reality was cruel.
No one seemed to understand her art.
Seri looked out with lifeless eyes at the empty seats. No one in front, no one behind, looking back at her...
‘Is there... someone?’
But in the middle of the audience, a handsome man dressed in a black coat and wearing a half-mask was seated.
He seemed deeply engrossed in the aftermath of the performance, eyes closed, savoring the lingering emotions.
After a while, the man opened his eyes.
“It was a splendid performance.”
His voice was clear, as if he had just woken from a brief nap.
“...You’re lying, aren’t you?”
“Lying?”
“Until now, no one has ever praised my performance. You must surely be here to mock me. Are you from Rosanna’s side? Or Suna?”
“Really? Of all the performances I’ve seen, yours was the best. Perhaps everyone else is blind.”
He wasn’t lying.
In fact, today was the first time Ascal had watched a performance here. And honestly, Seri’s performance wasn’t bad at all. If only it hadn’t made him drowsy.
“Really?”
“I, the Prince of the Night, swear on my name that it’s the truth.”
Ascal lowered his voice, deciding to nip Seri’s incessant questioning in the bud.
‘I finally have someone. Someone who understands my art. Even if it’s just one person, with that understanding, I...’
Seri felt as if tears might fall.
“Will you be able to come to my performance again tomorrow?”
“Of course, I will.”
Ascal, feeling fully recharged from his brief nap earlier, spoke.
It had been a while since he felt this refreshed. He must definitely come again next time.
****
“Your Highness, we have reports on the Her Royal Highness’ whereabouts. Oddly enough, she seems to frequent the government office these days.”
“Is that so?”
“Are you listening, Your Highness? Would you like me to come back later?”
“No, continue your report.”
“There’s no specific information on Princess Yulia’s whereabouts. There are only vague reports of someone resembling her at the government office...”
“The government office again? I might need to visit soon.”
“But for now...”
“I have matters to attend to.”
****
Once again, Ascal, tormented by insomnia, came to watch Seri’s performance. The moment he heard Seri’s voice, he was lulled into a deep sleep.
And so it went on for several days.
“Another splendid performance today, Seri. You truly are the world’s greatest actress.”
“Thank you. And... what should I call you?”
Ascal ran a hand through his gelled-up hair.
Commoners typically didn’t recognize the faces of those involved in state affairs, but Ascal felt that he had recently gained some notoriety.
It was a hassle to be recognized, so Ascal decided to keep his identity a secret.
“The Prince of the Night.”
“It’s a fitting name.”
Seri savored the name Ascal had given.
Watching her, Ascal spoke.
“It truly pains me to say this, but I don’t think I can come to the theater anymore.”
“...Why?”
“I’ve run out of the time allotted to me.”
He implied his leave was ending.
“Will we be able to meet again?”
“If fate allows.”
‘Thanks to you, my insomnia has been cured, and I’ve regained a normal sleep cycle.’
Ascal turned away.
His long, black cloak billowed behind him as he slowly faded into the darkness.
Left alone, Seri kept staring at where he had disappeared, then entered the dressing room.
She removed her wig and started wiping off her makeup.
“You’ve been quite full of yourself lately. Got a regular visitor and now you’re all high and mighty?”
“Seems so.”
“Who are you to talk down? Have you lost your mind?”
“Hehe, maybe you have gone a bit off the rails?”
Seri stood up. With her wig off and makeup removed, her bare face somehow looked different. Rosanna staggered backward.
She didn’t recognize the person before her.
“It’s been fun, more or less. And I’ve been satisfied.”
“What the hell are you talking about?”
“I wanted to leave quietly, but there’s one thing that bothers me.”
She snapped her fingers.
As if caught in some invisible snare, Rosanna found herself unable to move.
“Your performance was unbearably boring.”
“What, what are you doing? Stay back!”
“But I’m quite generous. How about just one fingernail?”
“Aaaaaaahhhhh!”
A scream echoed through the dressing room.
****
“Did you enjoy your outing, Princess Serena?”
“Outing? What are you talking about? I was sincere.”
“Oh, I misspoke. My apologies.”
“Anyway, find someone for me.”
“Who might that be?”
“Look for a black-haired foreigner who recently entered the country. He’s probably a prince from a nameless small nation.”
“What would you like to do once he’s found?”
“I’m not sure.”
Princess Serena, the second princess, spoke.
“I think he might be my first love.”
»»—ᴇɴᴅ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀ—««
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