IWBAACTWITOS Chapter 13

The actor on stage looked around and swung his short sword.

"Miss, please wait just a moment! I'll save you."

He moved as if fighting someone, then soon fell down and curled up his body after a while.

On stage, there were only him, the protagonist, and the actress playing the goddess.

The goddess only watched from the side while only the protagonist moved.

From scenes of fighting someone to holding someone's hand and escaping from a bandits' den, he acted as if there was another actor present, repeating exaggerated gestures and reckless actions.

The protagonist ended up getting captured while trying to save someone. He traveled the world with the young lady who had helped him escape from the bandits' den and spent his life with her. After living happily together for a long time, when his lifelong companion departed first and it came time for the protagonist himself to reach the end of his life, he shed tears for the first time.

Then he asked the goddess who had been silently watching him throughout the play.

"Goddess of comedy, Thalia of joy, was my comedy entertaining?"

Upon hearing those words, the goddess - who had maintained an expressionless face while watching from a distance throughout the entire play - approached the protagonist, smiled, and gently stroked his head.

The goddess's hand was glowing as everything gradually grew dark.

'Comedy. Right, she was the goddess of comedy.'

Thalia was the name of the goddess who presided over comedy among the nine Muse goddesses in Greek and Roman mythology.

Though Aegis's name also came from Greek mythology, this was a world dominated by monotheistic religion, so there were no other religions, especially polytheism.

'But where did this story of the goddess of comedy suddenly come from?'

While I was lost in thought, the curtain call began, and Julian told me I should clap.

The theater was packed, but somehow there wasn't much energy.

Only a few people enthusiastically responded each time the actors bowed. Perhaps because she stood out, the actress playing the goddess looked our way, smiled brightly, and waved both hands at us.

After the curtain call ended and people began leaving their seats one by one, Julian picked me up.

His steps led not outside the theater but to the waiting room behind the stage. When Julian entered the waiting room, everyone who had been busily cleaning up greeted him with welcoming faces.

"Your Grace!"

"How has everyone been?"

"We've been well, of course. It's been years since we've seen you like this."

"Haha, it's been hard to find time because of the baby."

At those words, everyone's gazes focused on me in Julian's arms. Under their stares, like they were looking at some strange creature, I scowled deeply.

"Oh my."

"She looks exactly like Your Grace."

At the comment that I looked exactly like him, Julian's shoulders rose with pride. Even I could see that I resembled Julian too much, but seeing him so proud made me not want to acknowledge it.

"No way, Daddy and I don't look alike at all. My daddy is ugly."

At my calling him ugly, the theater troupe looked back and forth between me and Julian before bursting into laughter. Julian nodded as if used to it.

"Right, right. Unlike me, our daughter is really pretty, isn't she?"

When Julian lifted me high in the air as if showing me off, I struggled to escape from him.

Julian couldn't withstand my flailing and put me down before long. As soon as my feet touched the ground, I gestured for Julian to bring his ear close.

"Daddy."

"What?"

"Listen to me carefully. If you do that one more time, I'll demolish you."

I whispered in his ear and demonstrated by grabbing a rabbit doll's head and body and twisting them like wringing out a rag.

At my death threat, Julian laughed and apologized.

"Hello, Your Highness."

The actress who had played the goddess smiled and greeted me first. Crouching down to meet my eyes and spreading both hands to wave at me, she looked completely different from her untouchable atmosphere on stage.

I handed the rabbit doll, whose head and body seemed like they'd separate with just a little more force, to Julian and checked both of her palms.

"Your hands don't sparkle."

"They sparkled earlier because I had makeup on them. Did you like it? Should I put some on Your Highness too?"

"No."

At my firm refusal, the actress smiled awkwardly. Julian stroked my head and said.

"Tilly, when someone greets you, you should greet them back. Sorry, Tilly's been getting more mischievous lately."

"It's fine, Your Grace."

At Julian's pointing out, I cleared my throat loudly and belatedly greeted her. The actress smiled at my greeting.

Starting with her greeting, the theater troupe members eagerly introduced themselves to me. The last person to greet me was a middle-aged man with an extremely stern-looking face.

"I'm Willie, the troupe's dedicated writer and director."

"Dedicated writer?"

"Yes. Ah, do you know what a writer means?"

"Yes, did you write that play too, mister?"

"Yes, did you like the play we performed?"

When I nodded, all the theater troupe members simultaneously breathed a sigh of relief. Willie smiled and praised me for understanding art like my parents.

"Haha, I may be called a dedicated writer, but the problem is that the plays I write sell the least. Without Your Grace and the Countess' patronage, all our troupe members would have starved to death on the streets."

At those words, when I said nothing and just pressed my lips together, Willie's smiling expression crumbled. Flustered, he whispered to an actor beside him.

"......Was that joke not funny?"

"Honestly, it wasn't funny. It's also hard for kids to understand."

At that, Willie smiled awkwardly and changed the subject.

"Have you seen plays before?"

"......Only puppet shows."

"Puppet shows...... Those are excellent plays too. Do you like puppet shows?"

"Puppet shows are childish. I like Willie mister's play better."

At my answer, Willie's cheeks rose as if they might ascend to heaven. Despite his appearance, it was a truly innocent smile.

"Do you think it would make a good hobby?"

"Hobby......"

'I definitely used to go see musicals and plays quite often in the past, though it was expensive.'

I was originally someone with many hobbies - what you'd call a multi-fandom otaku. With a child's body, there wasn't much I could enjoy besides fairy tales, but seeing a play after so long was extremely enjoyable.

'No, I can't throw my life into fandom again......'

"If Your Highness takes up theater as a hobby, we won't charge admission fees from now on."

"Really?"

"Willie, where are you trying to scam? Our family gets in free anyway."

At Julian's point, all the theater troupe members burst into laughter. With me being the only one not laughing while glaring at Willie, he scratched his head awkwardly and put on airs.

"For Your Highness, you should be able to come watch plays for free anytime you visit."

"I can come visit anytime?"

"Yes, anytime."

At Willie's words that I could visit anytime, Thalia looked up at Julian. When Julian tilted his head, Thalia asked.

"Can I come visit when Mom and Dad aren't here?"

When Thalia, who had never been outside the mansion except when she was a very young baby, suddenly requested to go out alone, Julian firmly shook his head.

"No. How dangerous it is outside - why would you try to go around alone?"

At Julian's words, Thalia looked at him as if he was saying something very strange.

"Why would I go around alone?"

"Huh?"

"I'm only four years old, how could I go around alone? I'll tell the nanny first and come with a maid and knight. I won't stay out too late either. No matter how late, I'll come back together when Mom and Dad are on their way home from work."

"......What would you do there?"

"Come to the theater to watch plays, obviously."

"Were plays that interesting?"

"Yes."

"Can't you come watch again next time with Mom or Dad?"

"Mom and Dad can't immediately take me whenever I want to watch plays."

"That, that's true but."

"Daddy, I know all the secret passages in the mansion. If I wanted to go out alone, I would have done it long ago."

She was saying that she wasn't going out only because she chose not to, even though she could. Certainly, if Thalia really intended to go out alone, she wouldn't have asked for permission like this.

Moreover, if she went with guardians, there wouldn't be much of a problem.

'But she's barely four years old?'

Of course, Thalia was extremely mature and smart for a four-year-old, but there were many concerning points about carelessly allowing outings.

"Ge, get permission from Mom first."

"Of course I have to get permission from Mom."

Thalia answered as if she knew from the beginning that Roxana was the final decision maker.

Julian belatedly realized that his young daughter had played him again. At Julian's look of resignation, Thalia smiled mischievously and turned her attention to the stage props.

Julian tilted his head watching Thalia mingle naturally with the actors.

'Something seems different.'

It was hard to pinpoint exactly, but suddenly Thalia's attitude had changed. She seemed to be acting more spoiled, but since children were originally unpredictable, he wondered if it was just today.

'Well...... it's good if she acts spoiled. Today she even kissed Mom first.'

Though she didn't kiss him, Julian decided to think of it as a positive change. As Julian's gaze lingered while observing Thalia, Willie chuckled.

"It's been a while since we've met, and you seem to have changed a lot, Your Grace."

"Do I seem that way?"

"Yes, you've changed a lot."

Willie answered while glancing sideways at Thalia. Both of them knew that his change was thanks to Thalia.

'Certainly......'

"Daddy, look at this!"

Thalia, holding a comedy mask to her face, called Julian. The mask was too big for the child's small face and looked ridiculous. But even that sight looked like a goddess to Julian.

Julian wanted to ask the gods like the protagonist in the play: Was my comedy entertaining?