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Chapter 755: Lanchi is Stunned
Chapter 755: Lanchi is Stunned
At the Breilda Opera House, in the performance hall...
"This impromptu addition to the play is quite well done."
"As expected of a public performance directed by Director Abigail herself."
"It's a perfect touch, adding depth to the girl's character—her greed for food is understandable given her difficult past."
"Hold on, I thought that was a stage accident! The lead actors were clearly improvising, and it was only their understanding of their characters that saved the scene."
"Really?"
Murmurs spread throughout the audience.
The music began to play.
In the center of the ballroom, the lead couple danced gracefully, their movements harmonious as if they were made for each other.
Their steps were light and elegant, and their eyes conveyed deep emotions. Despite their occasional missteps, they always managed to support each other in a strange yet wonderful way.
"Their choreography seems a bit rough, don't you think?"
"They're performing the Demon Tribe dance, and as a professional dancer myself, I can assure you that they're both incredibly authentic in their performance, as if they had stepped right out of an ancient Demon Court."
"Now that you mention it, in the original story, the Ashen Maiden is supposed to dance with a governor from the Demon Realm. Given the context of the era, it wouldn't make sense for them to instantly click and have a smooth dance. Their future is destined to be full of obstacles, so this deliberate mismatch and sense of friction in their dance is likely a carefully choreographed and rehearsed element of the performance."
The audience couldn't help but marvel at this insight.
Abigail, seated in the VIP section, felt her scalp tingle.
She hadn't put that much thought into it.
And she doubted Sid had either.
Gradually, the entire ballroom joined the dance, spinning and flying to the music in a joyous celebration.
Those who weren't dancing stood at the edges, their eyes fixed on the governor and the Ashen Maiden.
"Young Master... It's been a long time since I've seen you smile like that."
The demon butler who had accompanied the governor from the Demon Realm wiped away a tear, his voice filled with relief.
The guests at the banquet exclaimed: "He! Actually! Smiled!"
The new opera performance continued in this vein.
After a while...
The stage gradually grew quiet.
"I don't seem to hate you."
As the music came to an end, the Demon Governor took the Ashen Maiden's hand and spoke.
"I..."
Talia looked at Lanchi, at a loss for words.
She was still relieved that she had danced with Lanchi at the Temple of Love, which helped her muddle through this part of the performance.
But the aura of the governor that Lanchi was portraying made it hard for her to distinguish whether he was still acting or genuinely interacting with her.
The immersive performance made her feel as if she had traveled into the romantic story of the Holy War.
"Talia, your next line should be 'Me too.' Smile naturally and innocently at me."
Lanchi reminded Talia through their mental connection.
He had probably realized that Talia had forgotten her lines and was now trying to recall them based on his own impressions, doing his best to help her.
"Me too..."
Hearing Lanchi's gentle voice in her mind, Talia lowered her head and mumbled softly.
She didn't understand why Lanchi was still so reliable at this moment, able to support her.
Her resilient character would only bring her more disasters.
Yet, there was someone willing to reach out and help her up.
"..."
Lanchi heard Talia's response and was about to speak when he paused.
Talia had gotten the line right, but her acting was off.
The Ashen Maiden shouldn't be showing softness and shyness at this moment.
However, the applause from the audience threw Lanchi off as well.
Did they actually like this interpretation of the Ashen Maiden? Lanchi had no choice but to continue the performance.
"Are you ready to join me for the rest of the banquet?"
He asked Talia.
"Yes, but can you take me over there?"
Talia looked towards the banquet tables at the side of the hall and asked.
The only scene she could clearly remember was the one after the dance, where the governor asked the Ashen Maiden where she wanted to go, and she would answer that she wanted to eat more delicious treats.
"You don't have the right to make demands of me, girl."
Lanchi replied, pulling the Ashen Maiden's hand.
He maintained the Demon Tribe's arrogance and sharpness in his tone.
In reality, he was very indulgent towards the Ashen Maiden, leading her towards the banquet tables.
As the music slowed, the spotlight focused on the couple, and the governor led the Ashen Maiden by the hand to the dessert table they had visited earlier.
"From now on, I will decide everything for you."
The Demon Governor declared without an ounce of hesitation, his eyes unwavering, as he claimed the Ashen Maiden for himself by the banquet table.
"No..."
The overly assertive Lanchi caused her heart to race uncontrollably, and she didn't know why, but she found herself anticipating his next words.
Like this...
In this way...
She would be unable to think...
Talia's cheeks flushed, and she averted her gaze, unable to look directly at Lanchi.
"Including what you eat next."
Lanchi picked up a piece of caramel mango custard and brought it closer to the Ashen Maiden's mouth.
"Wait, I refuse!"
Talia shook her head.
"I refuse your refusal."
Lanchi was unwavering.
"Boo-hoo!"
Talia weakly pushed against Lanchi, as if guarding her last line of defense, keeping her mouth tightly shut and refusing to let him feed her.
"Lanchi, no, don't come any closer!" Talia screamed in her mind.
The Demon Governor chuckled softly, a mix of nonchalance, mockery, and indifference.
"Your mouth says no, but your stomach is honest."
Lanchi tilted his head slightly, as if listening to a faint sound.
It was the rumbling of her stomach.
"Oh, even the sound of your hungry stomach is so enchanting." Lanchi complimented, true to his character.
"You..." Talia's veins twitched on the back of her hand, and if they weren't on stage, she would have jumped on Lanchi by now.
"What about me?" The Demon Governor raised an eyebrow, intrigued.
"You're going to feed me now..." Talia muttered.
At this point, she had no choice but to play along with Lanchi's antics.
She felt both embarrassed and angry as she thought to herself.
...
In the living room of a mansion in Nestro City, a television program was being aired.
"Xiao Bao, are you crying?" Sinora asked in surprise, placing her hand under Huibo Lian'an's eyes and finding her fingers slightly damp when she withdrew them.
Based on the human definition, she didn't think this was a sad drama.
"I, I'm not." Huibo Lian'an wiped her eyes with a tissue and denied it.
On the large sofa, Antanas, sitting next to Huibo Lian'an, kept her eyes glued to the stage play, not wanting to miss a second, while also glancing concernedly at her good friend.
Antanas understood everything, but she had a soft spot for these kinds of plays, and the performance was even better than she had imagined.
Upon hearing Antanas' words, the Ice Snow Witch probably understood why Huibo Lian'an was in a bad mood.
"I'm not sure if the girl looks like Talia," the Ice Snow Witch said, focusing on the screen.
"Yeah, I don't think she looks much like Tata either," Huibo Lian'an agreed, feeling relieved to hear the Ice Snow Witch's confirmation.
"But the male lead does resemble Rocky McCarthy," the Ice Snow Witch analyzed.
Upon hearing this, Huibo Lian'an fell silent again.
"Hey, Xiao Bao, do you remember the last time we video-called Tata in the Kingdom of Bosken? She and Lanchi were as pure and innocent as could be!" Antanas said.
"And Boss Cat was there too. They would never sneak off without him to have a private meeting!" Sinora added, patting Huibo Lian'an's back.
They all knew that Artemis was unaware that Rocky McCarthy from the Northern Continent was actually Lanchi!
"By the way, where's Pula Nai?" Antanas looked around, encouraging Huibo Lian'an optimistically.
It would be great to have Pula Nai's evaluation; he always saw through things.
"He said he wanted to go out and buy something, so he just left," Sinora replied, glancing toward the door.
"Eh...?" Antanas' smile froze.
...
On stage, time flew by, second by second.
The dessert table was almost completely empty.
"My dear, I've fallen for you at first sight. May I have the pleasure of your company for a while longer?" The Demon Governor asked, offering the last piece of dessert and pointing toward the garden backdrop outside the palace.
Clang, clang, clang.
As if ripples in a pure white heaven, the clock struck twelve, accompanied by festive music.
The Ashen Maiden, as if awakening from a dream, hastily pushed the Demon Governor away.
"Your Excellency, I appreciate the sentiment, but I... I have a difficult situation, and I cannot stay any longer," Talia replied quickly.
"Wait, tell me where I can find you? You haven't even told me your name! Will I ever see you again?" Lanchi reached out to grab her.
But she wanted to run, and Lanchi couldn't stop her. She dodged him and fled down the stairs in a panic.
"Finally, I can take a look at the script!" Talia thought excitedly.
She figured she had messed up.
From now on, she could rest backstage and review the script.
"Wait!!!" Lanchi shouted in panic.
But Talia was too fast, and in the blink of an eye, she had disappeared from the stage, even beyond the range of their mental connection.
Lanchi was left standing on the stage, bewildered, turning to face the audience.
"As expected of the Ashen Maiden, who has been doing manual labor at home; she runs fast," the audience commented.
"Indeed, she portrayed the urgency of fleeing in the middle of the night so well that it doesn't seem like acting," someone added.
"And the way the male lead looks flustered is also well-acted. He even looks a bit pale," another person remarked.
"Wait, doesn't something feel missing..."
...
Backstage, Talia hurried to her resting spot and grabbed the script, flipping through it eagerly.
As she reopened the script, a sense of relief washed over her.
"Your Excellency, have you come to find me? I knew you would come," she read.
"As you passed by me, our eyes met, and my heart seemed to drift away."
"When you looked at me, you didn't know that I had already fallen into danger."
Holding the script, she happily recited the lines.
On stage, she had felt her blood rushing, and now, after eating her fill, she felt refreshed.
She had only recited a few lines when Abigail stormed backstage in her high heels and glared at Talia.
"What are you doing?" she demanded of Talia.
"I'm reviewing the script," Talia blinked, not understanding why the director was so angry.
"Have you forgotten?"
Leaving one shoe on stage as she exited—how else would the Demon Governor find her?!"
Abigail screamed in fury.
"Yikes!"
Talia inhaled sharply, her eyes widening in horror.
She was done for.
In her haste, she had completely forgotten about this detail, and now Lanchi was genuinely trying to stop her, not just acting out the scene.
So now...
Lanchi was left hanging on stage...
...
Onstage at that moment, Lanchi surveyed the ground left and right, pacing back and forth.
"Hmm, young lady, you left in such a hurry. Couldn't you have left some sort of clue for this governor?"
As he muttered, his head began to bead with sweat.
Lanchi dared not look toward the audience.
The vast performance hall was eerily silent.
Thousands of eyes felt like thousands of sharp blades.
They were watching him perform a one-man show.
He was desperately trying to salvage the scene.
Lanchi felt his composure slipping.
He felt just as flustered as when Tata had first bewildered him back in the Kingdom of Bosken.
"Great Goddess, please help me! If you give me any clue about her, I promise to be a good person for the rest of my life! But if you think I'm guilty, then go ahead and punish me!"
Lanchi raised his hands high and called out to the sky.
In the distance...
"Lanchi... I'm sorry..."
Talia whispered guiltily, her voice barely audible.
She had rushed to the back of the stage, near the curtains, and now hurled one of her shoes toward Lanchi from a distance.
Bang!
Tata's shoe hit Lanchi squarely on the head.
Lanchi fell to the ground.
Talia, still in her ball gown, froze in the throwing motion. She was stunned.
"..."
Abigail, who had been following behind Talia, covered her face.
She let out a sound that was a mix of laughter and tears.
She now suspected that these two were deliberately messing with her.
"Ouch!"
A chorus of exclamations rose from the audience.
"So, praying to the Great Goddess really works?"
"This is an adaptation from the original! It's even more romantic than the Ashen Maiden accidentally leaving behind a shoe!"
The audience commented.
...
At St. Cryxis Abbey, in Ursula's dormitory...
The two girls lay at the end of the bed, their eyes glued to the screen.
Their hair was still damp, not having been dried after their bath, and they were letting it air dry naturally.
After being sent back to school that evening, Elsa was still quite frightened, so Ursula kindly invited her to spend the night in her dormitory.
So Elsa brought Little Black Cat to stay with her in Ursula's room.
This way, the little black cat that her brother had left behind could protect them both.
"Oh my god!"
Ursula exclaimed as she watched the governor fall.
Even though she had read the original novel, she had not anticipated tonight's twists in the public performance.
"It's a shame we didn't go to watch it tonight."
Elsa sighed.
At first, she had thought that the public performance of "Holy War Romance" wouldn't differ much from the usual shows, but now it seemed that every few scenes had an Easter egg.
"Actually, if you had asked Landy to bring you along, he probably would have softened and agreed. I've realized that he's actually quite easy to talk to."
Ursula nudged Elsa with her shoulder, a mischievous smile on her face.
"Don't leave St. Cryxis Abbey for the time being. Don't cause any more trouble for your brother."
Elsa shook her head vigorously in disagreement.
"Tsk tsk, your brother is so lucky to have such a considerate sister like you."
Ursula teased.
As for her own stubborn and willful self, no one would ever like her.
She envied Elsa, but she couldn't say it out loud.
Ursula hid her embarrassment and turned her head to nudge the little black cat lying next to her.
"Little Black Bread, why aren't you talking?"
She noticed that the little black cat had been intently watching the play for a long time.
He no longer seemed as playful as he had been at the beginning and was now seriously analyzing the performance.
"Meow..."
Cat Boss felt that something was amiss.
The two people on stage resembled Lanchi and Tata too closely. No matter how he thought about it, he couldn't figure out how they could have possibly ended up as the leads, and he vehemently denied this possibility in his mind.
And did they not know that tonight was the public performance?
However, he also couldn't definitively say that the two people on stage were Lanchi and Tata. It was only because he knew that Lanchi and Tata had gone to the theater that he dared to make such a bold assumption.
Thankfully, Xiu Bao wasn't here.
Watching these two mess around on stage, Cat Boss couldn't help but worry for them.
The scene continued to play out.
After a few seconds...
"Thank you... Great Goddess..."
Lanchi held his head, feeling dizzy as he stood up.
He had never suffered such a misfortune.
He gazed into the distance, where the Ashen Maiden had disappeared.
"Mysterious beauty, who are you? Why did you leave in such a hurry? This magical shoe is the only memento you've left me..."
The Demon Governor clutched the shoe tightly, gritting his teeth. Then, he turned and stood there, lost in melancholy.
The stage lights gradually dimmed, and the governor exited the stage.
"What a performance! It was truly amazing!"
The audience applauded enthusiastically.
"?"
Cat Boss was struck as if by lightning.
How could they not see it? This was clearly a stage accident, yet everyone was clapping and cheering!
(End of Chapter)
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