HOW FAR ALONG IS "THAT"?
ABOUT ONE-THIRD OF THE DUCAL HOUSE'S ASSETS REMAIN.
THE SPONSORSHIPS AND DONATIONS ARE ALSO PROCEEDING WITHOUT A HITCH.
LIQUIDATE EVERYTHING WITHOUT LEAVING A TRACE.
PICK UP THE PACE A BIT.
YES, YOUR GRACE.
THE IMPERIAL PALACE.
LINE UP IF YOU SEEK AN AUDIENCE WITH HER HIGHNESS!
THE IMPERIAL AUDIENCE CEREMONY.
HELD ONCE A MONTH, THIS WAS THE ONLY OCCASION WHERE COMMONERS
COULD MEET ROYALTY AND OFFICIALLY VOICE THEIR GRIEVANCES.
I'M FINALLY MEETING THE PRINCESS.
COMMONERS LIKE US SHOULD JUST BE GRATEFUL FOR THE CHANCE TO MEET ROYALTY.
IF I TELL HER WHAT I KNOW AND PLEDGE MY LOYALTY, SHE'LL TAKE ME IN.
ONCE THE PRINCESS FINDS OUT ABOUT THE TWO OF THEM...
VIOLETTA WILL BE CAST INTO THE ABYSS!
OUT OF THE WAY!
TODAY'S SCHEDULED AUDIENCE WITH HER HIGHNESS HAS BEEN CANCELED!
DISPERSE, EVERYONE, AND GO HOME!
HOW CAN YOU DO THIS SO SUDDENLY?!
I'VE BEEN WAITING SINCE DAWN WITHOUT EVEN EATING BREAKFAST!
WHAT THE...
AFTER ALL THE TROUBLE I WENT THROUGH TO GET HERE...
DAMN IT, IT'S A BUST. THERE GOES THE INTERVIEW.
TELL ME ABOUT IT.
AND HERE I THOUGHT WE'D FINALLY LAND A SCOOP ON THE PRINCESS.
A SCOOP ON THE PRINCESS...?!
THE RUMOR HASN'T ALREADY SPREAD EVERYWHERE, HAS IT?
WE EVEN PAID EXTRA TO KEEP HER QUIET, SO THAT'D BE UNACCEPTABLE.
BY THE WAY, DO YOU THINK WHAT THAT BOUTIQUE WOMAN SAID IS TRUE?
THAT WOMAN MIGHT HAVE A LOOSE TONGUE, BUT SHE DOESN'T SPREAD FALSE INFORMATION.
IF DUKE OTERO REALLY DID BUY WOMEN'S CLOTHES...
SHH. WATCH YOUR MOUTH.
THERE'S NO ONE AROUND, SO WHO'S GOING TO HEAR?
DAMN IT, THIS WON'T DO...
I HAVE TO SEE THE PRINCESS BEFORE THE RUMOR SPREADS!
ONLY THEN CAN MY SAFETY BE GUARANTEED.
I NEED TO REACH THE MAIN ROAD, QUICKLY!
AM I JUST IMAGINING THINGS BECAUSE I'M SO NERVOUS?!
EITHER WAY, I NEED TO GET OUT OF HERE FAST!
SOMETHING DEFINITELY FEELS OFF.
WHY ARE WE GOING SO SLOW? GO FASTER!
YES, RIGHT AWAY!
THERE SHE GOES AGAIN.
LOOKS LIKE SHE'S IN A TERRIBLE MOOD.
BUT SHE'S THE PRINCESS, SO I HAVE NO CHOICE BUT TO CATER TO HER WHIMS.
Y-YOUR HIGHNESS, IS SOMETHING TROUBLING YOU?
HAD A DREAM.
A DREAM? WHAT KIND OF DREAM WAS IT?
AS IT HAPPENS, I'M QUITE ADEPT AT INTERPRETING DREAMS.
IS THAT SO? THEN INTERPRET MY DREAM.
MY FIANCÉ WAS FOOLING AROUND WITH SOME WOMAN I DIDN'T EVEN RECOGNIZE.
WHAT?!
IT SOUNDS UNSETTLING TO YOU TOO, DOESN'T IT?
THERE'S DEFINITELY SOMETHING GOING ON.
N-NOT NECESSARILY SO, YOUR HIGHNESS.
DREAMS ARE OFTEN THE COMPLETE OPPOSITE OF REALITY.
IN FACT... IT COULD EVEN BE AN AUSPICIOUS OMEN.
BY ANY CHANCE... DID YOU SEE THE WOMAN'S FACE?
NO, NOT AT ALL. THAT'S WHY IT'S DRIVING ME MAD.
TH-THEN YOUR HIGHNESS COULD VERY WELL BE THAT WOMAN.
AT TIMES, PEOPLE OBSERVE THEMSELVES IN DREAMS
AS THOUGH THEY WERE A THIRD PARTY.
IS THAT SO?
THE PERSPECTIVE WAS CERTAINLY STRANGE, COME TO THINK OF IT.
WAS IT A BOOKSHELF?
IT FELT LIKE I WAS LOOKING DOWN FROM ON TOP OF ONE.
HE THREW HIMSELF AT HER.
AT THAT WOMAN, WHETHER SHE WAS ME OR SOMEONE ELSE.
BOOKS CAME TUMBLING OFF THE SHELVES,
AND HE RAVISHED HER LIKE A MADMAN...
WATCHING THAT SPECTACLE MADE ME FEEL SO...
UTTERLY REVOLTED AND WRETCHED!
DO YOU STILL CONSIDER THAT AN AUSPICIOUS DREAM?
IT'S AN ILL OMEN!
A NIGHTMARE THAT GIVES EVERY REASON TO SUSPECT HER FIANCÉ'S INFIDELITY!
BUT THERE'S NO WAY I CAN TELL HER THE TRUTH!
O-OF COURSE. DREAMS ARE ALMOST ALWAYS OPPOSITES, AFTER ALL.
IT CAN BE INTERPRETED AS A SIGN THAT THE TWO OF YOU WILL GROW MUCH CLOSER. HAHA!
WHETHER YOUR DREAM INTERPRETATION IS RIGHT OR WRONG...
I'LL FIND OUT ONCE I GET THERE.
As the ducal residence secretly liquidates its assets, the imperial audience ceremony is suddenly canceled. The informant who hoped to see the Princess and report Violetta is left disappointed. Meanwhile, the Princess in the carriage recounts her disturbing dream of her fiancé becoming intimate with a strange woman.
