Chapter 53: Meeting
Empress Borough, Count Hall's manor.
Audrey Hall stood before the massive floor-to-ceiling window of her room, gazing into the distance.
The morning breeze, carrying the fragrance of roses from the garden, gently brushed against her cheeks, which were slightly flushed with excitement.
Outside, the scenery of Empress Borough was tranquil and magnificent; in the distance, the gas streetlights merged into a brilliant band of light, faintly visible even in the daylight.
But at this moment, no matter how beautiful the scenery, it could not fully capture her attention.
Her heart was filled with unprecedented anticipation and a hint of nervousness.
To her, the "XXX Grand Theater" located in Empress Borough was no longer just a place to watch a play; it was more like a mysterious coordinate, a stage where a brand-new story was about to begin.
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Her and Susie's futures seemed destined to truly intersect there with that mysterious, knowledgeable, and powerful "Mr. Lover."
"Woof?"
The golden retriever, Susie, seemed to sense her mistress's distraction and approached, affectionately rubbing her large, furry head against Audrey's leg.
Audrey looked down at Susie's clear, innocent eyes and couldn't help but laugh.
She leaned down, gently pressing her forehead against Susie's, and in a small voice filled with solemnity and excitement that only the two of them could hear, she announced:
"Susie, get ready. We are going to meet a very, very important person."
"Woof!" Susie wagged her tail happily. Although she didn't understand the specifics, she could sense the joy in her mistress's tone.
After all—he was going to meet her at the theater!
This... isn't this a date?!
As soon as the thought occurred to her, Audrey's cheeks instantly became burning hot.
Almost subconsciously, she interpreted this information as the version she most looked forward to.
Although reason told her it was more like a necessary meeting for a "collaborative project"—namely, the Beyonder pet development plan for Susie—how could a young girl's fantasies be easily suppressed by reason?
What's more, "Mr. Lover" had specifically mentioned compensation and offered the thoughtful and somewhat whimsical suggestion of "feeding it to a trustworthy pet."
At the thought of working with "Mr. Lover" to train Susie into a unique Beyonder pet, Audrey felt a surge of excitement.
This was simply the coolest thing in the world!
For Audrey, the time that followed was both a torment and a sweet anticipation. She began preparing for this extraordinarily meaningful "date."
First, the outfit.
She opened her walk-in closet, which rivaled a boutique, and hesitated among the rows of fine clothes.
This ivory-white gown was too plain; it didn't seem important enough.
That rose-red one was too vibrant; would it seem too frivolous?
She hoped to leave a perfect impression on "Mr. Lover"—one that befitted her identity as Miss "Justice" while also showcasing her unique charm as Audrey Hall.
Finally, her eyes settled on a new haze-blue taffeta gown.
The color of the dress was like the sky after a rain, calm and gentle.
Layers of tulle and lace outlined a silhouette like a blooming flower, both elegant and noble, yet not losing the liveliness of a young girl.
This was the one.
Then, the hairstyle and jewelry.
She had her personal maid, Annie, carefully weave complex braids for her and chose only a pair of small pearl earrings as an accent, appearing refined without being overly ostentatious.
When everything was ready and she stood before the ornate full-length mirror in her room, even she felt a bit dazed.
The girl in the mirror had emerald eyes as clear as ever, but they held an indescribable mistiness more than usual, like a lake shrouded in morning fog within a forest—possessing both a girl's innocence and a faint anticipation of stepping into an unknown world.
"Like this... will he like it?" Audrey looked at herself in the mirror and couldn't help but ask in a low voice.
After asking, she felt her question was a bit too blunt, and her cheeks couldn't help but redden further.
She took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down.
"Audrey, stay calm. You are a 'Spectator'; you must learn to observe and control your emotions," she told herself in her heart.
But the more she said that, the faster her heart beat, like a mischievous little squirrel hopping restlessly in her chest.
This anticipation, mixed with a slight sense of guilt (after all, it was a private meeting), carried a heart-pounding sweetness of its own.
She had put a lot of thought into being able to go to the appointment alone smoothly.
She was both longing and apprehensive.
Longing for that "Mr. Lover" who existed only in the Tarot Club and occult knowledge—all-knowing and all-powerful.
Apprehensive about this nearly adventurous private meeting, wondering what he would be like in reality.
Would he be the same as she imagined?
Would he be disappointed in her?
Countless questions swirled in her mind.
Moreover, this nearly adventurous private meeting.
For an unmarried noble lady to meet an unidentified man alone—if word got out, it would be enough to cause a significant scandal.
When Audrey arrived at the theater, she smoothed her skirt, took another deep breath, pushed open the carriage door, and stepped into this glittering social arena of Backlund's upper class.
She skillfully greeted the noble ladies she encountered, wearing a proper and elegant smile, but her heart had already flown to that reserved box on the second floor... The Empress Borough Grand Theater's second-floor boxes were the exclusive social territory of the powerful.
Nairn arrived at the agreed location ahead of time. A waiter respectfully led him up the thick-carpeted curved staircase and pushed open the heavy wooden door of the box with the best view.
He waved the waiter away, leaving only a bottle of pre-chilled top-tier red wine from an ancient estate in the Feysac Empire.
Inside the box were red velvet seats and gilded railings; the air was a mix of high-end wood, ladies' perfume, and the eager whispers of the upcoming performance.
Nairn did not sit down. He poured himself a glass of wine, the amber liquid swaying gently in the crystal glass.
He walked to the edge of the box, one hand resting casually on the railing, the other holding the glass, calmly looking down at the floor below.
The hall and tiered seating were already crowded. Gentlemen and ladies in fine attire moved like schools of migrating fish under the brilliant crystal chandeliers, weaving and talking amidst the sea of dark red seats.
That noisy background sound was the most vivid portrayal of the Backlund social season.
Nairn's gaze swept over it all, like a monarch reviewing his territory, yet with a hint of a "player's" playful detachment.
He was waiting for his "heroine" to appear.
Audrey Hall.
In his heart, this name was not just the innocent and kind Miss "Justice" from the original work, but also a crucial part of his plan.
She was a key chess piece he was inserting into the core of power in the Loen Kingdom, the perfect spokesperson for his push for financial infiltration.
But at this moment, putting aside those complex plans, a sense of pure curiosity arose in his heart.
What would she be like in person—a girl who grew up in the most affluent environment yet always maintained her innocence and kindness, a "Spectator" who yearned for Beyonder powers?
Time passed minute by minute, and the noise below gradually died down, signaling that the play was about to begin.
Just then, the door to the box was gently pushed open.
Nairn did not turn around immediately. He could feel a breeze carrying the scent of roses and a hint of nervousness flowing in from the doorway.
Then, the stage lights suddenly flared up; the play had begun.
Because of the intense backlighting, Audrey did not see the full interior of the box at first glance when she pushed the door open.
She saw only a tall figure leaning against the railing, his side to her. He lowered his head slightly, appearing to be enjoying the play below, or perhaps just savoring the remaining wine in his glass.
It was a silhouette.
Elegant and calm, with a composure that controlled everything, starkly different from the passion about to boil over below.
The backlighting perfectly outlined his straight nose, his slightly pursed lips, and the clean, sharp arc of his jawline.
The rim of the crystal glass in his hand reflected the dancing lights from the stage, like a frozen star held in his grasp.
At this moment, Audrey felt as if her heart had stopped beating.
Was this "Mr. Lover"?
More real than she had imagined... and more... captivating.
As if sensing her arrival, the figure slowly turned around.
Light shifted wonderfully the moment he turned.
From the pure backlighting that silhouetted him, it changed into a soft sidelight.
Part of the light slid across his deep eye sockets and straight nose, finally landing on the slightly upturned corner of his lips.
It was a smile.
Gentle and polite, yet possessing the power to pierce through everything—through the strong light at the door, through the distance between them—landing with absolute precision in her eyes.
In that smile was a clarity that saw through everything, and a hint of... anticipation that made her heart skip a beat.
Audrey forgot to breathe.
And Nairn, the moment he turned and saw the newcomer, his fingers holding the wine glass tightened imperceptibly for a second.
He had anticipated Miss Hall's beauty.
But any words or imagination seemed pale and weak when facing this real, living girl graced by the light.
It wasn't just a simple assembly of exquisite features and perfect poise.
It was an amazing chemical reaction produced by the fusion of an untainted innocence from the depths of her soul with the elegant upbringing of her class.
Especially those eyes.
Under the intersecting reflections of the backlighting and the stage lights, they truly looked like the finest emeralds with a flame of life burning inside.
Brilliant and clear, with a hint of the ignorance of a startled fawn and a forced composure, they crashed straight and defenselessly into his sight.
He could clearly feel the heart in his chest—one long hardened and made calm by various schemes—give an unexpected, heavy, and clear throb.
Time seemed to be caught by the last sustained note of the protagonist's aria on stage, completely freezing.
Below, the conflict of the play reached its peak; the protagonist's shouts and the roar of the music swept over everything.
Upstairs, in this private, dim box, it was quiet enough to hear each other's faint breathing and the subtle "hissing" of the gas flames burning steadily in the crystal chandelier on the ceiling.
Their gazes met in the air.
No longer mysterious codenames separated by the gray mist at the Tarot Club, no longer assessments and calculations behind layers of curtains in a plan.
It was a real, unobstructed first look at each other—crossing identities, secrets, and even the possible barriers of worlds.
In her jewel-like green eyes, Nairn clearly saw his own backlit silhouette.
And Audrey, after the initial dazzle, tried to focus and finally saw his face as the halo faded.
It wasn't the kind of flawless, aggressive beauty of a classical sculpture, but a very unique temperament that blended the sharpness of youth with a steady restraint beyond his years.
His eyes were especially special, deep as the night, yet startlingly bright, as if they could easily see through all her carefully maintained ladylike facade to the heart that was leaping with joy because of this adventure and unknown encounter.
That smile that had been on the corner of his mouth no longer seemed unfathomable in her eyes; instead, it took on a layer of real, faint amazement and appreciation.
This interval was as long as a century, or perhaps only the space of two heartbeats.
Suddenly, the climax of the music on stage erupted in a magnificent chord, and applause thundered like a storm, completely breaking the extreme silence of the second-floor box.
The lights changed accordingly, becoming less blinding.
But in the wave of applause and light, their gazes remained firmly locked together.
It was as if a silent conversation had already begun.
In the lingering charm of the play, in the shock of the first meeting, in the undisguised "heart-startle" and the quietly budding ripples in each other's eyes for the other's unique existence.
The smile at the corner of Nairn's lips deepened slightly.
Toward the doorway, toward the girl who seemed to be a manifestation of light and beauty, he naturally raised his wine glass and silently mouthed two words:
"Please enter."
Audrey's long eyelashes trembled violently like the wings of a startled butterfly.
A flush, almost the same color as the rosy lights on stage, quickly climbed her snowy-white cheeks.
She nodded slightly to him in greeting, lifted her skirt, and finally took that step—truly entering this box filled with the mellow aroma of red wine, the soft scent of velvet, and a certain new and heart-pounding anticipation.
"Mr. Lover?"
Her voice carried a slight, imperceptible tremor from nervousness.
Nairn put down his wine glass, turned to face her directly, and spoke in a gentle and clear voice.
"I am here."