Act 4:
Going to the Theater
AFTER I STOPPED HAULING myself around to different parts of the kingdom on expeditions, my carefree days continued for a time. The only things I had to take care of were my work for the institute and my classes at the palace.
Then there came a day unlike the others, in which it felt as if someone had tossed a small stone into the calm waters of my life.
It happened on the day I took magic lessons at the palace. Normally, I had a classroom lecture in the morning followed by practical lessons in the afternoon, but that day I only had the lecture because Grand Magus Yuri Drewes, who was my teacher, had business to attend to later.
Yuri was utterly obsessed with magic, and because he got to observe the Saint using her special power during my practical lessons, it would have been no exaggeration to say that he saw them as a treat. As such, I was pretty surprised when he said those lessons were canceled for the day.
On the other hand, the obligation he had to deal with instead was apparently related to monster slaying, so he probably saw that as a treat as well.
“Right then, thus concludes our class for today,” Yuri announced as we reached a good break.
The day’s lecture was one that Royal Academy second-years learned at the end of that year.
I sure have powered through the course content, I thought as I expressed my usual gratitude to Yuri. “Okay. Thank you as ever.”
I was gathering my textbook and other things from my desk to ready myself to return to the institute when Yuri surprised the pants off of me—he brought up a topic other than magic. “Have you ever been to a play?”
“A play?” I was taken aback for a moment. A play? As in a theater play? It took a moment to finally comprehend what he had asked me. “You mean like, as in the kind performed on stage?”
Yuri smiled. “Yes. One that incorporates singing as well.”
I never would have associated that kind of thing with Yuri, but it was indeed what he was talking about. What in the world was going on with him? “Stage performances, huh? Yes, I went to one once, back in my old world.”
“Really? You’re interested in them, then?”
Theater and so forth? I wasn’t so sure if I did have an interest. I had only been to one because a friend had invited me. So I hesitated as I replied, “I suppose? I wouldn’t say that I’m not interested.”
Yuri paid my hesitation no heed as he went on smoothly. “Excellent. Would you like to accompany me to one?”
Okay, so this was an invitation. And it wasn’t for magic drills. Nor to slay monsters. But to go to the theater. I was so shocked, I wound up blurting out, “I beg your pardon?”
Nevertheless, Yuri didn’t let my astonishment bother him as he eloquently explained, “A few days ago, I received tickets for a play that will be performed in the capital. It occurred to me that you might be interested in joining me.”
“Oh…?”
When Yuri coughed up further details, I learned that House Drewes had been a patron for this performance. The tickets were an expression of gratitude. By all rights, the head of the family or his heir should have used them, but they had prior engagements and were unable to attend. That was how they’d ended up in Yuri’s lap.
There were two tickets, which had been meant for a man of House Drewes and his wife. Moreover, Yuri wasn’t allowed to go by himself even if he couldn’t find someone to take with him. This performance was already popular, and his family had forbidden him from letting the tickets go to waste. At first Yuri figured that he could just go with someone else in his family, but unfortunately, everyone was booked. After mulling over his alternatives, he had settled on me.
Now the question was what I ought to do.
All the letters inviting me to tea parties and balls had to be sent through the palace. I felt like an invitation to go to the theater fell in the same category, but Yuri was the grand magus. Then again, if he’d just been some stranger, I would have told him to send the invitation through the palace without a second thought.
“Please, Lady Sei,” Yuri said to my hesitation. “If I ask anyone else, I expect I’ll land myself in a bit of a conundrum.”
“What do you mean?”
“You see, I simply don’t know what kinds of things one ought to talk about with women.”
Did Yuri mean things like fashion and pastries? If so, I could see how he felt out of the loop, what with his sole interest being matters of the arcane and all. As he said that, a wry smile on his face, I understood why he considered himself to be in a bind.
I was indebted to Yuri for teaching me everything I knew about magic, so I was willing to go the extra mile to help when he was in trouble. Seeing a play would be no big deal, right? Although I wasn’t particularly interested, I was curious to see what theater was like in this world—so much so that I was increasingly tempted to go. Moreover, the ticket was free.
“Okay. I’ll go with you.”
The most breathtaking smile spread across Yuri’s face. “Thank you!”
With that, he gave me the important details, such as where we would be going and the date and time. We said our goodbyes and several days passed before it came up again.
Later, as I was speaking with Johan at the institute, I suddenly remembered a question I’d failed to ask Yuri: What kind of clothes did one wear when going to a play?
“Ah, I’m going to the theater in the city during my next day off,” I clarified. “So I was wondering what I should wear.”
Johan immediately began to interrogate me. “You are? With whom?”
He sounds like my dad, asking who I’m hanging out with like that, I thought. “Lord Drewes.”
Johan’s brow knit. “And when you did you agree to this?”
“During his last lecture.”
“So he asked you directly?”
“Yes. He said that his family couldn’t go and that they had extra tickets.”
“Ooh…” Johan put a hand on his forehead and lifted his head up.
Huh? Did I do something bad? A panicky feeling started to rise within me, and for some reason I became anxious.
When Johan recovered himself, he gave me an explanation with a thoroughly strange expression.
There were several theaters in the capital, but nobles and commoners patronized separate venues. If House Drewes was planning to attend one, it was likely the sort reserved for the nobility. Johan guessed which theater I was going to, and it turned out to be exactly the one Yuri had named.
Johan is so knowledgeable about this kind of thing. I can always count on him.
In other words, since I was going to a theater for the nobility, there was a dress code. Yup. I was going to have to wear a fancy gown.
“If I’m going to have to get dolled up, then I suppose I should ask the palace maids for help.”
“Indeed. I don’t know that much about women’s garments. I’m sure they’ll be much more help on that front.”
“Yeah. And if I’m going to have to wear one of those dresses…”
“Even though the performance is in the evening, you’ll have to get ready before the sun sets.”
“Yeah…”
Oof. I suspected as much. Will I have to start getting ready first thing in the morning like I have to for Lady’s Day etiquette lessons at the palace? Even if I’ll be going with the grand magus, I have a feeling they’ll approach it like they would a real social event rather than some lesson. I laughed weakly at the thought of what was to come.
At any rate, I would have to consult with the maids first. I had a feeling I would have to submit myself to their expertise at the crack of dawn, but maybe it would be possible to start in the afternoon instead.
With this sliver of hope, I sent a message to the palace right away.