CHAPTER 73: BACKSTAGE

"Thea?" Arthur whispers, checking if he’s really faking it. Flashlights from cameras explode around them.

Theo blinks slowly, then smiles gently. He places one hand over Arthur’s hand.

"I’m okay, Arthur. Just a little dizzy. I’ll be fine. We need to finish this."

Arthur instantly knows Theo is still performing. He decides to play along. He sighs — a little more dramatically than usual — and nods. He helps Theo steady himself and keeps one hand on his back.

He does all of this under the eyes of every reporter on-site and all the viewers at home.

Theo faces the audience again.

"I apologize. It seems I haven’t fully recovered. My brother, Arthur, will take over. He will be my proxy for any future legal matters. Thank you, everyone. And have a good evening."

Theo steps back from the microphone and returns to his seat, Arthur walking him back. Once he’s securely and comfortably seated, Arthur winks at him before turning to face the crowd again.

"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen, our media friends. As my sister has said, from now on, I will be her proxy. My staff has prepared the official statements from today’s conference."

A group of uniformed staff begins circulating, distributing the official statement packets.

"I’m sure many of you are eager to return to your offices and start writing your articles. We will not keep you any longer. Thank you for coming."

Arthur bows slightly and turns around to help Theo off the stage.

"You really think you can just leave like that?!"

A voice booms above the crowd, silencing everyone.

Arthur halts. Liam frowns. Theo’s eyes widen in surprise.

All heads turn toward the voice.

Arthur, still facing away from the crowd, glances at Liam, who is already looking at him.

Liam mouths, Stille.

Arthur smirks. Stille needs to go. He’s too corrupt.

Arthur takes a deep breath and turns around. He speaks into the microphone, calm and cold:

"I’m sorry, but today’s press conference will have no Q&A. Any questions you may have, you can send them to my staff, and we will issue official answers."

He speaks to the crowd and completely ignores Stille.

Harrison Stille, Chief of Arvion Dungeon Emergency Unit (DEU), storms forward. His face is red, his breaths uneven, he’s clearly in a bad mood and trying very hard not to show it.

Arthur acts as if he notices him for the first time.

"Ah, Chief Stille. Good evening. You’re here. I didn’t know you were coming, sir. Had I known, I would’ve waited for you before starting the conference. We’ve just finished here, sir."

Chief Stille steps onto the stage and stops directly in front of Arthur. He glares at him before quickly adjusting his expression.

"Mr. Montrose, why didn’t you inform the DEU? Everyone knows that any matter regarding the Azure dungeon is currently being handled by the DEU. Which means, if you want to say anything to the public, it must go through us."

His words are restrained. He covers the microphone and speaks through his teeth.

Arthur smiles apologetically.

"Pardon my negligence, Chief Stille. But even though this conference concerns the Azure dungeon, it is mostly about the claimant of the extraction rights, the delay in the mining process has gone on for quite some time."

He pauses for a beat, then continues, calm and deliberate:

"We plan to head to the city and register the extraction rights. And to do that, we go to the City Mining Department, not the DEU, correct, Chief Stille? So I’m not sure why we would need to go through you for this press conference."

Arthur bows his head slightly.

"And sir... if you still need to speak with us, we’re more than willing. But perhaps we can discuss it somewhere more comfortable, and not here?"

Arthur’s polite smile is so immaculate, it grates against every nerve in Chief Stille’s body.

As if on cue, somewhere in the crowd, someone shouts,

"Chief Stille, is there a problem with the mining rights of the dungeon, sir? Has the DEU found this Aldriana?"

Another reporter chimes in,

"Is Montrose making a false claim, Chief Stille?"

A third one shouts,

"Have you found Aldriana, Chief Stille?"

Reporters start firing questions at Stille, and the cameras swing toward him immediately.

He turns to the crowd, lifting both hands.

"Please, please, ladies and gentlemen. I can’t hear your questions clearly. I’m here today to discuss matters with Mr. Montrose regarding the mining process."

A reporter cuts in, louder:

"But your claim when you entered the hall, Chief Stille — it sounded like you still have questions for Mr. Montrose regarding the Azure dungeon. Can you please elaborate, Chief Stille?"

Theo sits in disbelief. This guy is the head of the city’s DEU? How can this stupid toad be the head of anything? He’s obviously on someone’s payroll. I hate politics.

Theo decides he’s had enough. He stands up slowly and silently, maintaining his delicate-princess persona. Liam notices and rises too. He understands a little about politics, but he has zero interest in it. His father always nags him to pay more attention — he knows it’s important, but it bores him to death.

And today, watching Arthur "fight" Stille in public, he finally understands the pull... but he knows it’s not for him.

And the only person who can stop this ridiculous circus is currently getting up. He won’t miss his chance to leave.

He approaches Theo, ready to help him. Theo smiles sweetly at him — and Liam instantly knows that smile is terrible for his heart.

Theo walks toward Arthur and Chief Stille’s standoff.

Chief Stille is the type who talks with his whole body. His hands swing around like he’s about to attack someone, but that’s just how he expresses himself. Today, he’s about to learn exactly how dangerous that habit is.

Stille is in mid-rant, waving his hands wildly, when suddenly he feels one of them strike something — and then—

"Ah!"

Startled, he turns and sees Theo holding his cheek as if he’s just been hit.

Arthur reacts on pure instinct. He grabs Chief Stille’s wrist and barks,

"What did you do?"

His voice is colder and sharper than it has ever sounded. Arthur is truly angry.

Deep down, he knows Stille wouldn’t deliberately strike Theo in public, he’s not that stupid, but Arthur’s body moved before his brain caught up.

Chief Stille is clearly startled. He hadn’t meant to hit anyone, much less a young woman, and now Arthur is looking at him like he’s going to swallow him whole.

He’s never seen Arthur lose control like this, and every instinct in his body screams, Danger. This man is dangerous.

The crowd erupts again. Many didn’t actually see what happened, but the sight of Theo’s hand on his cheek, combined with Arthur’s reaction and Stille’s panic, is enough. Their brains connect the dots and immediately spin the worst possible version of events.

"Chief Stille, why did you strike Ms. Montrose? She’s innocent!"

Chief Stille is flabbergasted. He stammers,

"I–I–I didn’t! It was an accident!"

The crowd only gets louder.

"Arthur!" Liam shouts.

Arthur grits his teeth and releases Stille’s wrist. He moves immediately to Theo, and as much as he wants to check that cheek, he knows he can’t do it in front of all these cameras.

He places a steady hand on Theo’s back and guides him off the stage and out of the room.

-------------------------------

When they reach the room next door, Arthur immediately turns to Theo to check his cheek, only to find Theo dropping the entire act and taking a long, deep breath.

"Ah, it’s great that it’s finally over!" Theo exhales.

Arthur just stands there, motionless. Only his eyes follow Theo. Theo notices Arthur’s lack of reaction and turns to him, finding Arthur looking at him slightly dumbfounded.

Theo smiles, this time, genuinely.

"I’m sorry. Did I startle you? I’m okay. My cheek is fine. He didn’t hit me or anything. Arthur? I’m sorry."

Arthur lets out a shaky breath. His knees feel like they’re about to give out. He forces himself to compose quickly.

After a few seconds, he says quietly, "Don’t do that again without telling me first."

Theo chuckles, then tries to sober his expression when he sees Arthur is serious.

"I’m really sorry, but I can’t exactly tell you beforehand, right? It defeats the purpose. You understand, right, Art?"

Arthur can only chuckle helplessly.

"Well. I never took you to be quite a performer, Liam." He tries to distract himself.

Liam grins. "I never knew it myself."

His expression shifts. "Don’t make me do it again. I felt ridiculous. My mom and sister will have a field day."

Theo laughs. "I can actually see that."

"Well, I’m glad you enjoyed my performance, Princess. But if anyone deserves a standing ovation today, it’s definitely you." Liam laughs.

Theo’s eyes sparkle with mischief.

"I only followed your performance, young Mr. Monfort. I couldn’t possibly fall short, now could I?"

He adds a dramatic accent and exaggerated movement.

All three of them laugh.

Knock. Knock.

"Come in," Arthur says.

Sam enters, looking straight at Arthur.

"Well?" Arthur asks.

"The reporters are making their way out of the hall, but it looks like some of them are staying in the lobby. They want to photograph you leaving the building. They want to know about the ’hit’ on Ms. Montrose."

Arthur turns to Theo.

"I guess that’s enough excitement for you today. It’s almost dinner time. We need to go back. Let those reporters wait in the lobby if they want. We’ll leave through the back exit."

Theo nods. He knows when not to push Arthur. He’s already shown a huge compromise during the press conference, that’s enough for now.

"Well, then I’ll leave through the back exit too. I want to go home and do my homework from Aldriana." Liam yawns.

"Homework?" Arthur raises a brow.

"Yeah. She told me to ’feel’ my surroundings. I still haven’t figured out what she wants me to do."

Arthur frowns. "Feel your surroundings? You sure she isn’t pulling your leg, Liam?"

"Yeah. As ridiculous as it sounds, I’m sure she was serious. So... let’s go home, guys."