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Chapter – 07
By this point, Radius couldn’t help but think that fate kept tying him to this actress.
“Mina! Over here!”
He was about to say something more, but someone called out to Mina.
“Ah, I’m sorry! My carriage is about to leave—I have to go!”
Carrying a large bag—probably full of costumes for her prince role—Mina gave a quick bow and dashed off.
“Go, go!”
The image of Mina running away burned vividly into Radius’s mind.
The light behind her made her whole figure glow.
That very day, Radius contacted Anima again.
He wanted to check the casting schedule at the musical theater.
His plan was simple: look up Wilhelmina Martinez’s musical schedule and reserve every show.
“What’s this? Since when did you care about musicals?”
Anima squinted at him suspiciously.
“I just… got interested, that’s all.”
Radius looked up Mina’s role.
“The Thorn in Her Fingertip.”
It was a classic romance novel he knew well, and he was surprised to see that Anima was cast as the most beautiful woman in the story.
“Hey, isn’t it kind of shameless to use your uncle’s influence to get a role like that? Maybe try having a conscience?”
“Shut up.”
“Come on, I love that story too, but you as the most beautiful woman in the kingdom? That’s a stretch.”
“What’s wrong with me? Now hand over the cast list!”
“Once it’s in my hands, I don’t give it back.”
In the production, Wilhelmina Martinez was playing Empress Theresa—a woman of immense charisma and allure.
She was also the male lead’s mother.
And the role suited Mina perfectly.
Even though she was technically a supporting character and appeared later than the leads, from her very first entrance, she completely outshone them.
“Welcome, my prince.”
Her elegant voice.
The Empress was the embodiment of a ruler weary of power and privilege.
She carried a long golden staff, which she struck against the floor whenever chaos arose—instantly commanding everyone’s attention.
That scene only appeared a few times, but every time it did, the audience’s immersion was absolute.
Wow.
Radius had always known that Mina was a talented actress and singer—whether playing a witch or a prince—but her portrayal of Empress Theresa was something else entirely.
Maybe it was because she was a lead-level supporting role.
Among them, the “Empress’s Song” was easily the most memorable number in the entire show The Thorn in Her Fingertip.
Why am I here?
Because I’m beautiful?
Because I captured the emperor’s heart?
Because I was born into a noble marquis family?
No. None of that.
No one knows—
How much I have done during the emperor’s reign.
The laws you worship—I proposed them.
The policies that enriched your lives—I pushed them through.
But because I am a woman, my achievements are hidden,
And history remembers only my husband and son.
The truth is—I wanted to be emperor myself.
What do these fools know of politics?
They want me to rot away in a backroom widow’s chamber when my husband dies?
Ridiculous.
I’m still alive.
Still capable.
Far more than any of you.
I am exceptional.
I will not wither away.
Never.
Mina’s eyes, her voice, her movements—everything about her.
Wow.
Radius could only sit there, speechless.
“Who’s that actress? She’s incredible!”
He heard a nearby audience member whisper, and he couldn’t agree more.
If he hadn’t already known who she was, he would’ve gone out of his way to find out the name of the woman playing the Empress.
When Mina finished the “Empress’s Song,” the audience burst into applause—not led by Radius, but naturally, as if everyone was compelled.
It was pure power—Mina Martinez’s own.
This role, this song—everything was made for her.
Radius was convinced.
Why is someone this talented still a supporting actress?
Sure, the Empress was an amazing part, but still—a supporting role?
“Because Mina doesn’t have a patron,”
Anima said, giving him a pitying look.
“What does that have to do with anything?”
“You know Father bought shares of the theater, right? And he’s been handing out free tickets to nobles.”
“Uncle’s doing that much?”
“The thing is, musicals are still new. Not many people go to see them yet.
So until the actors build real ticket power, patrons buy up blocks of tickets to fill the seats.”
“So those patrons buy tons of tickets and hand them out?”
“Sometimes, yeah. Or they just keep them and watch quietly themselves.
Most of the promotion’s being done among new nobles and successful businessmen, but it’s still not enough.”
Radius thought about it.
He’d never cared about musicals himself—if Anima hadn’t started acting in them, he probably never would’ve gone.
“…Then I’ll just sponsor Mina.”
“What?”
“I’ve got plenty of young noble friends, and my uncle owns several of my businesses.
If I buy Mina’s tickets and sell them myself, wouldn’t that help?”
“And make sure the theater owner knows you’re her patron.
That way the owner can nudge the director to consider her for lead roles.”
“Hmm… but should I let Mina know it’s me?”
Radius gave an awkward smile.
Anima stared at her cousin, baffled that he’d talk about promoting someone while also wanting to stay hidden.
“Why the distance?”
“If a young, rich, handsome noble starts sponsoring her openly, she’ll get the wrong idea.”
“The wrong idea?”
“I just want to support her because she’s talented, not because I like her.
But she might think I’m pursuing her romantically.
That kind of misunderstanding would be… unpleasant.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me.”
Radius Lorbacher—convinced that every woman adored him.
And annoyingly, he wasn’t wrong.
More than a few ladies had once dreamed of marrying him after so much as a polite smile.
“You’re insufferable.”
But her irritation didn’t matter to him.
“Maybe I’ll tell the theater owner, but ask him to keep my identity secret.”
“Whatever. Not my problem.”
“Yes, that’s it. I’ll be her silent supporter in the shadows.”
Anima just stared at her cousin’s ridiculous conviction and muttered:
“If you like her that much, why not just tell her and date her already?”
After all, it was rare for him to be this taken by a woman.
Radius had never once spoken about liking anyone, despite the endless women who threw themselves at him.
“What?”
“She’s clearly special to you.”
“No, I don’t have romantic feelings for Mina.
I just want to help her grow as an actress.
It’s more like… the affection of a parent for a child, or a teacher for a student.”
“Oh, sure. Right. The ‘pure mentor’s affection’ for a young, beautiful, talented woman.
That’s not suspicious at all. Hilarious.”
Anima’s eyes were full of scorn—but Radius didn’t care.
He acted immediately.
The theater owner looked completely stunned when Radius approached him.
“You want to sponsor an actress?”
“Yes.”
“Oh, the Lorbacher family’s support would be an honor! Which actress would you like to sponsor?”
“Wilhelmina Martinez.”
“Wh–Wilhelmina? Ah… I see…”
Something about the man’s tone made Radius raise an eyebrow.
“Her talent is remarkable, of course.
Actually, we’ve been receiving multiple sponsorship offers for Miss Martinez ever since her Empress Theresa performance.”
“Is that so?”
Radius suddenly felt an odd sense of defeat.
“How many tickets did those other sponsors say they could buy?”
“Pardon?”
“When you say sponsorship, what it really means is they’ll buy her tickets once she gets a leading role, right?
I’m just curious—how many tickets did those people say they could purchase?”
