Empress of Another World

Short Stories 3.2

It was a wonderful night. It was her best performance at the best stage possible. It couldn’t have been better.

Amarince was back in her waiting room, removing her makeup. She enjoyed this glorious moment as she remembered the standing ovation from the royal family.

Knock knock!

Someone knocked on her door. Amarince opened the door in annoyance and was shocked at the familiar face.

“Oh, my…!”

She looked around quickly to make sure no one else was around before letting him in.

Amarince poured a glass of cheap wine for him and smiled.

“When I spotted you during the performance, I thought I was mistaken. When did you get back to the city? And why were you sitting there? You were… sitting beside the royal family…”

The man accepted the wine glass and replied, “It kind of just happened.”

“Are you not composing anymore? There are many who are waiting for Jusepe Loano to come up with new music.”

The man, who was called Jusepe, smiled. “I already released a new piece.”

“What? But if you released something, I would’ve heard about it…”

She was one of the top sopranos in the continent. It was also a well-known fact that she used to be composer Jusepe’s lover.

The man shrugged. “The piece you performed just now was mine.”

Amarince dropped her glass on the floor. The red wine splattered everywhere and stained her dress.

“But that was a piece by Christian Boceti! The new up-and-coming composer who appeared out of nowhere 6 months ago!”

“Yup. That’s my new name.”

“… I can’t believe it!”

Amarince exclaimed in shock. She always found Jusepe mysterious, and now, he looked even more enigmatic.

If people found out Boceti and Jusepe were the same person, the entire continent would go in shock. When she thought back, the new piece did have the same kind of flare Jusepe showed in his old music, but there was no way anyone would be able to guess this secret.

He stood up to put on his coat.

Amarince asked disappointedly, “Are you leaving already? It has been so long since we got together, yet all you give me is this shocking news?”

He smiled and kissed her forehead gently. “I just wanted to congratulate my old lover. You have achieved what you always wanted. You are now the biggest star.”

“Jusepe…! I mean, Christian? Just what is your real name?”

The man smiled vaguely. When she was a young girl, Amarince believed she could give up her soul for this man. However, she realized how dangerous and poisonous he was after he abandoned her.

She managed to grow up and learn that he was not the man she should or could love. It was better to keep him as a colleague and friend.

Yet… Now she saw him again, she felt uncertain.

He shook his head. “You can call me whatever name you want.”

When he was about to leave, Amarince asked, “Where are you going? Will you continue to compose?”

“No, I found something much more interesting to do.”

His face turned dangerous as he smiled.

***