Author: 唇亡齿寒 / Lips Gone, Teeth Cold
Translator: Kinky || https://kinkytranslations.com/
Chapter 30
Getting off the Gondola and facing the massive crowd of fans around the Whirlpool Grand Theater, Alois couldn’t help but feel a bit hesitant. The small artificial land at the theater’s entrance was packed with fans waving little flags saying “I love you, Camilla”, and the police had to mobilize patrol boats around the edges to prevent anyone from accidentally falling into the water. Soon, even the patrol boats were crowded with people. A small number of lucky (or wealthy) individuals with tickets walked into the theater under the envious gazes of the crowd. Those without tickets had to wait outside or hover around in flying vehicles, hoping to catch a few notes of the performance or see a glimpse of light from inside once the show started.
Joshua parked the gondola next to a patrol boat, ignoring the police’s shouts of “Hey, no parking here,” and pushed through the excited crowd, creating a narrow path for himself and Alois. Alois gratefully followed behind him, occasionally guarding against being knocked over by someone’s arm.
The two of them weaved through the maze of people, struggling towards the theater entrance. Halfway there, Joshua noticed that Alois had fallen several steps behind, so he stopped to wait. When Alois caught up, Joshua grabbed the young man’s hand and continued their effort towards the door.
After finally making it through the crowd, they joined the line to enter, drawing suspicious looks from the security guards. Most of the people ahead of them had electronic tickets, which they scanned at the machines to confirm their identities before entering. When it was Alois’s turn, he silently handed over two pieces of paper to the stiff-faced guard. The papers were crumpled and stained, and the guard frowned as Alois coughed awkwardly.
“Front row special seats, hmm?” This remark caused a small stir among the surrounding fans. Alois, bathing in looks of envy, jealousy, and resentment, took the torn stubs from the guard. “Go on in.”
“Uh, excuse me, how do we get to the backstage?”
The guard’s eyes widened. “Unauthorized personnel are not allowed backstage!”
“I’m looking for Srosie,” Alois said. “He asked me to find him.”
The guard turned and had a whispered conversation with a higher-ranking official behind him. This man had a square face, a severe expression, and even a bit of a fierce look with a scar running from above his left eye down to his nose. Alois noticed that his left eye was a prosthetic. The square-faced guard nodded repeatedly, then glanced at Alois with both his prosthetic and natural eyes.
“Follow me,” he gestured.
Alois shivered, wanting to say, “Maybe I’ll come find Srosie another day,” but the guard’s stern look made him follow obediently. Joshua silently joined them.
Their departure caused another stir in the crowd. “Hey! Why can they go in?” “It’s not fair! Why can people with special seats go backstage?” “I want to see Camilla! Let me in!”
“Quiet! Quiet!” The guards had to shout to calm the crowd, doing their best to keep the excited fans outside the security line.
The square-faced guard led Alois and Joshua through the theater doors and into a small corridor marked “Staff Only”. The Grand Theater was almost entirely enclosed, and the inside was so dark they couldn’t see their hands in front of their faces. Only the “Emergency Exit→” signs in the corners provided some faint light. The guard remained silent, his tall figure like a looming mountain, and in the dark hallway, he looked like a grim shadow.
Alois suddenly felt they weren’t heading backstage but to some underworld boss’s lair. He remembered the anxious expression of the woman named Rita when she came to fetch Srosie, suggesting that Srosie might really be some high-ranking figure. Hey, could they really be heading into a criminal hideout?
He slowed down to walk alongside Joshua, seeking some comfort. If they did run into a gang fight, an assassin would be more useful than him. But damn, it was as dark as space here! Joshua looked even more scared than he was!
The corridor ended ahead, revealing a half-open door. Golden light and the sound of chatter spilled through the crack.
“Go in.” The guard stood by the door, gesturing for them to enter. “I’ll wait for you here.”
“Does it have to be this formal…” Alois muttered as he pushed the door open.
Instantly, the noise amplified several times, rushing at him like a tidal wave.
“Mary! Where’s the comb?” “These shoelaces are wrong! Get the silver ones!” “Makeup artist, don’t make the makeup too thick!” “Let’s tie the hair up.” “The director’s urging us. Let’s hurry up!” “Why the rush? We still have nearly an hour!” “Fiza, your tie is too loose!”
The entrance led to a spacious room, with walls lined with mirrors topped with diamond-like lights, making the room so bright it was blinding. Several people sat before the mirrors, applying makeup, while many more ran around, busy passing things. A group of makeup artists gathered in front of a large mirror on the left, surrounding someone. From the gaps between their bodies, Alois glimpsed a strand of blue hair. He had no doubt it was Camilla.
Camilla! The Galactic Diva was now standing less than ten steps away! So close! So close!
Alois’s heart started pounding wildly, and he felt parched, not knowing what to do. Everyone was bustling about, and hardly anyone noticed them. Alois spotted the woman named Rita standing not far away, leaning against a dressing table with her arms crossed, calmly watching the makeup artists.
“Uh, are you Ms. Rita?” Alois decided to talk to someone he recognized.
Rita turned at the sound. “Who are you?” She looked confused. “How did you get backstage?”
“I’m here to see Srosie.” The young man scratched his head and repeated what he had told the guard. “He asked me to find him.”
Rita suddenly understood. She clapped her hands and called out to the makeup artists. “Srosie, someone’s here to see you!”
Could Srosie be one of the makeup artists? Alois wondered as he walked over. His heart was racing because he was now one step closer to Camilla.
“Move aside! You’re blocking me! Get out of the way, I need to talk to someone! Stop the makeup, continue later! Out, out!” Srosie’s irritated voice came from the center of the crowd. The makeup artists shook their heads and dispersed, revealing the person they had been surrounding.
Alois’s heart almost leaped out of his throat.
The Galaxy Diva Camilla was wearing a short dress made of silver foil, a material that could gather holographic lights to create dazzling effects. Her deep blue hair was tied up in a complex braid, also covered in silver foil. She had a slender figure, with a somewhat flat chest compared to other girls her age, and her half-done makeup made her pointed face look rather plain.
She waved off the makeup artists like swatting away flies, then extended her hand towards Alois. “You finally came!”
The voice was a very, deep male voice.
Kinky Thoughts:
LMAO. Too bad he met Joshua first.
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