How to Make a Sinner Sleep - Chapter 84: Chapter 84

The theater filled with students and guests alike, every empty spot destined to be occupied before the curtains drew. The Academy's privacy was a well-known fact, a secret school that only selected new adults were invited to.
However, within certain regulations, a few exceptions were allowed to be made. Nicola, whose performances happened outside of the Academy's walls as well, had a few well-known guests.
Behind the curtain, Nicola sighed into her hands. "Where did she go? The play is set to start momentarily."
It was to be a tale of star-crossed lovers, destined for ruin. A pair that both loved and hated each other, drawn by the inclinations of the universe, yet determined to remain apart. The man, for the sake of his own ambitions and ideals.
The woman, because she could not remain with her beloved, whose faith went against her very nature.
Nicola, the director, had already taken to the role of the female lover due to limited applicants. It was easier to find students willing to audition near the middle of the year, in comparison to the end.
There were a few, but none matched the image she had in her mind.
Of course, Nicola was open-minded and rarely selective. But for this particular play, only she could fulfill the role. Perhaps it was in the sense that a writer often gave a part of themselves in their own sentences—that they were all their characters and yet none at all.
The male lead had been a difficult find, several auditions had been done before she decided on one. In a play, gender could fluctuate easily—a woman could play a man, and a man could play a woman if they wished.
She cared about the character's soul more than the skin that they wore.
There had been a young woman, charming and yet carrying a deep sense of emotion in her gaze, that Nicola selected.
However, she wasn't here. And they had only so much time before the curtains parted.
A man entered the backstage area, calmly looking around. "Nicola," he greeted. "I thought I'd come by and greet you."
The woman's worry smoothened, replaced by an empty gaze. Then, she smiled politely.
Reed noticed, smiling back at her. "We haven't had a proper conversation in a while. How have you been? What have you been up to, as of late?"
"I believe it isn't in our job description to share personal information, Your Highness?"
The woman, always gentle and kind, turned icy in moments.
The man stared at her quietly, remarking, "We'd been friends, once."
"I loved you, once." said Nicola after a breath, an exhale of memory from a distant past. Reed stiffened, and she turned to examine the costumes. "But I value the character in my friends, Your Highness. I value character more than status."
"Are you insulting a member of the royal family?"
"Will you have me rot away in jail, Your Highness? Please, but on these grounds, you have no right to any power." She didn't look back, checking the seams as she debated how to find another actor within the time she had.
"Your attitude. Was it my brother who influenced you?"
"You are the last to have the right to call him your brother."
Reed's gaze softened in realization. "Ah, then it was."
Nicola's thin fingers paused against the silky fabrics, turning her face slightly. "...I apologize, Reed. I'm busy—the play is about to begin. If you need anything, please let me know after."
She looked conflicted, almost pained in the way her full lips pressed into a frown. Nicola Akasha was undoubtedly an attractive woman, but what Reed had been drawn to was the shape of her caring nature, her kindness that seeped from the tips of her fingers.
To this woman, he never acted.
"You need an actor?" Reed walked around the woman, stressed and verging on irritation, unlike her regular self. "Allow me to help you, Nicola. I'm not an actor, but I can try."
Her smile was strained. "Please return to your seat, Reed."
"You need somebody."
"And that somebody is not you."
"Nicola," He spun her around to face him as her act of pleasantry fell into a soft frown. "For this last time, trust me."
Soon, they would graduate and leave the Academy that they'd studied together with for three years. Nicola would remain affiliated with the Academy as a researcher that focused on studying blessings, while continuing her charity work on the side.
Reed never had a choice, bound to his noble title. He would return to the palace, and become a person near impossible to see again.
Whatever they might've been, could've been, didn't matter.
Nicola sighed, gathering a bundle of clothing and handing it over. "Change into these, and read the script. As long as you understand the theme, the words themselves don't matter. I can adapt as your partner in this play."
She turned to make sure everything was sorted and ready, pausing by the slip of the curtains where Reed had moved to change. Seeing her stop, he turned around quietly.
"And you're mistaken, Reed." said the woman softly in the shadows around them. "You are, undoubtedly, the most brilliant actor."
He stared as she left, lowering his head with a low breath of laughter.
Outside the curtains, within the numerous students that had filled the seats, Holly was revealing an interesting magic tool she had discovered outside—once again, a thing that nobody questioned how she came upon it.
Lux strolled by the seats, noticing the small group of his junior students and his sly lips quirked as he slid between the rows, approaching.
He fell back into a seat beside Kaden, who glanced over coldly, unamused. "What're you doing, Lux?"
"I'm prepared to enjoy the wonderful student president's performance, as any other student here."
"And you're sitting here for what reason?"
"To enjoy the pleasantries of your company, of course."
"I'm not pleasant."
"It's great that you're self-aware."
Kaden's scowl deepened, and Lux relaxed back into the comforts of his seat, a lazy smile curved on his lips. He turned his attention to the closed curtains, briefly sweeping his gaze over the restless crowd.
Then, a yelp came from besides Niklas, from the mouth of a startled, bright-eyed woman. Her magical tool sprang from her hands as if charged with life, leaping towards two things.
The first—looping around Niklas and Noah's resting wrists.
The dragon's eyebrows furrowed and he reached over, scaled black hands briefly sharpening as he scraped the rope—it would not break.
He didn't have long before his attention was stolen by the second rope-like tool that latched onto Kaden's own wrist, and Lux's that rested beside him. Both look down in surprise.
Kaden immediately reacted, using his strength to yank at the device, only for it to tighten more in protest. He attempted to pry it off, the tool digging into his skin as a red imprint begun to form. Lux shook his head and stopped him.
The man leaned forward, smiling at Holly who suddenly felt cold. "Holly, was it? How do we take this tool off?"
"I—" A sheepish smile crossed her lips, eyes darting. "I actually don't know. That's why I was playing with it... to find its properties! Give me time, and I'll ask the professors and figure out how to separate them, I swear!"
"....." Kaden took a deep breath, nodding slowly. "So we're stuck together?"
Lux leaned back again, undisturbed. "It would seem so."
In the other pair, a certain dragon was silently and aggressively attempting to saw off the device with his claws, on the verge of transformation.
Niklas patted his friend. "I'm afraid, Noah, that you're not having much success. Is it really that bad to be stuck to me for a while?"
"It isn't you that's the problem." replied Noah coldly.
"Oh." Niklas understood immediately.
Noah kept sawing pathetically, eventually giving up when not even a scratch was made on the black tool. He turned to look at the resigned fool beside him instead, fiercely gazing at the tool looped around the other man's wrist.
"Chauvet, don't pull at it." remarked the dragon, noticing the red marking.
Kaden frowned, scratching at it lightly. "It's fine, sturdy though. The play's about to begin so there isn't much we can do."
Noah moved slightly, frowning in slight annoyance. As if his mere glare could burn through the tool through sheer will. He moved closer again, fingers delicately about to ghost past the red mark—paying no heed to the dumbfounded red-eyed man beside.
Then, his arm was jerked and Noah turned sideways.
Niklas paused, making direct eye contact as he slowly pulled his connected hand to itch his nose.
Scratch, scratch.
Silence fell over them all.
"Niklas," deadpanned Kaden. "Do you know that humans have two hands?"
"I'm right-handed." defended the other.
"You're so loyal to your right hand, that you can't bear itch your nose with your left?"
"I'm a very loyal person, I'm glad you understand."
Kaden didn't know what else to say, and Noah seemed eager to claw at the tool again and force it off. They settled back into their seats—Niklas reluctantly agreeing to use his left hand for any important itches.
For a moment, everything remained peaceful. Holly seemed to be aggressively scribbling something in her journal, peeking up every few seconds.
Then, Lux abruptly stood up.
Kaden, connected by their wrists, was awkwardly jerked up as well. He glared in annoyance, seething. "What is it now?"
Lux calmly smiled. "I need to use the washroom."
"Absolutely not."
"I'm not inviting you. I'm going." The menace of a prince that could compete with Niklas on levels of annoyance begun to walk away, naturally dragging Kaden along.
Lux glanced back, faking surprise. "You're following me to the washroom? I didn't realize you liked me so much."
"I'll. Kill. You." gritted Kaden as he sighed and followed behind.
Noah stared after them with a frown and stood up as well. Niklas stared at the dragon, the cogs in his brain turning quickly. "Noah, Noah, please don't say you're about to follow them."
"I haven't said anything."
And yet a second later, a second pair of men appeared in the washroom. Niklas abruptly decided he also needed to use the washroom since they were already there, and hearing the sound of water from the sinks sparked an inner need.
Noah hadn't known what to respond and told him to remain quiet and go.
The door swung open as a young man need to use the washroom before the play, humming to himself. He paused at the door, staring at the four men that were oddly close to each other.
And why were some of them holding hands? He didn't notice the tool, from his angle, all he saw was the proximity of two hands right beside each other.
"I-I didn't see anything!" the man exclaimed with a flush as he darted outside
Four pairs of eyes stared at the slammed door in silence.
"Think of the bright side, puppy." said Lux as he shamelessly zipped his pants, moving to wash his hands.
Kaden, mortified and horrified, shot him a look. "A bright side."
"Yes. Rumours of you frolicking in the bathroom are probably the best rumours about you that currently circulate around."
Kaden couldn't deny that, but he also didn't want to agree. He resorted to clicking his tongue before he turned to look at the other pair that had followed them, making the situation all the more strange.
"And why did you guys follow us?"
Noah replied steadily, no fluctuations to his voice. "I also needed to go."
"It was Niklas who ended up going?"
"I changed my mind."
"...does the body work that way?" Hearing the solemn dragon speak nonsense with a straight face made Kaden's frustration wither away, leaving him simply dumbfounded. Noah found the expression a little silly and amusing, eyes curving lightly.
Kaden squinted at the other as the four exited the bathroom as if all connected by rope. A few students glanced over, even fewer noticing the handcuffs as they whispered.
"You're finding this amusing." said Kaden accusingly, tilting his head.
"I find you amusing." correctly Noah in an even tone.
Kaden frowned, moving closer as he decided to complain, before his body was pulled away, hand dragged into the air. In confusion and with a blank expression, he was spun around by his wrist and caught lightly by the shoulder.
"......" Kaden turned his head stiffly. "What are you doing now, Lux?"
"I needed to stretch."
"And the elaborate spin was for...?"
"For my fun, of course." confessed Lux shamelessly as he led them back to their seats, casually sliding into his as if he hadn't been the cause of the previous events. There were still several eyes trained on the group as they sat.
Noah stared at the pink-haired man that had been rudely tugged away from his side—a position that exclusively existed for only one person. His eyes trailed back to the magic rope again, boring into them.
"Even if you attempt to again, Noah," reminded Niklas kindly, "You do not have an ability that can tear through magic by your glare alone."
The sharp black eyes flicked over to the other man.
Niklas stared back and nodded thoughtfully. "If anybody had to have such an ability though, it would definitely be you."
Noah opened his mouth to remind his friend that silence was a virtue before the lights dimmed, drowning them into darkness. The restless crowd stirred, and a single spotlight turned on at the center of the stage.
A man stood with his head lowered, eyelashes cast against his fine cheekbones as his golden hair was purposely mused and tangled to create an air of disarray and fleeting youth.
Lux straightened in his seat, raising his eyebrows in light surprise.
There were a few gasps from the audience, and Kaden's lips turned downcast.
Slowly, the beautiful man gingerly lifted his gaze into the sea of people before him, his voice calm and steady. He remained expressionless, but a faded longing and desire existed in his watchful gaze.
"In this life," he said quietly, though his voice carried through the expansive space, rebounding off the walls. "There have only been two I could learn to love."
"One was a woman who possessed the glory of the everlasting sun and the tranquility of the sweet moon."
The spotlight turned off.
In the darkness, the Crown Prince's voice filled every crevice of the room.
"But in this lifetime, loneliness shall be my only companion."