https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-876-Lance-and-Huberian-s-Opera-Rehearsal-Part-1-/12937183/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-877-Lance-and-Huberian-s-Wonderful-Day/12937188/
Chapter 876: Lance and Huberian's Opera Rehearsal (Part 2)
Chapter 876: Lance and Huberian's Opera Rehearsal (Part 2)
"Yes, could you please send this Demihuman lady home?"
The governor pointed in the direction of the chair and instructed the butler.
"..."
The butler followed the governor's gesture and looked at the vintage sheepskin chair.
He paused for a moment, then turned to look at the governor, staring into his eyes.
"I'm sorry, sir, but I can't help you."
The butler regretfully bowed to the governor, his eyes filled with concern, sadness, and helplessness.
"Never mind."
The governor shook his head, and the butler's gaze, as if looking at a fool, made it clear that he couldn't do anything and couldn't possibly persuade the young lady to leave. He could only let the butler go.
The butler's attitude was clear; even their family was firm in their stance, urging the governor to marry the lady to whom he was betrothed.
"Sir, do you feel a bit cold in this room?"
The butler felt that the room was so cold that he could see his breath, even with the fireplace, it seemed colder than outside.
"It's normal in winter."
The Demon Governor simply leaned against the door and said, not feeling any issue at all.
"Then I'll take my leave."
The butler bowed and withdrew.
A few seconds later, the bedroom was once again left with only the Demon Governor and the Demihuman noblewoman.
"..."
The Demihuman noblewoman stared at the Demon Governor, her eyes flashing with a hint of sadness and self-blame.
She seemed to not want to make things difficult for him.
Finally, she stood up as if in compromise, her eyes fixed on the governor.
"I hope you can solve the puzzle and find out who cursed you, causing you to keep forgetting me."
The brass floor lamp stood beside her as she spoke,
"By then, even if you still can't remember me, I'll convince my family to stop making you suffer because of this engagement."
On the lampshade, there were drawings of little demon hell sprites chasing each other, as if dancing along with the lonely shadows on the wall.
...
In the audience seats, Antanas and Sinora leaned back in their chairs, snacking and intently watching the performance on stage.
"Is there any change?"
Antanas, who hadn't read the original, couldn't spot any significant changes.
"There's definitely no change, just some minor adjustments in the details, and Lance and Huberian's performances haven't changed yet."
Sinora was also looking for differences.
So far, the plot had only undergone minor changes.
For example, the butler had fewer lines in the opening scene.
"It's okay, Antanas. Even if we've read the original, we wouldn't know how the later plot would unfold, so you can just watch and understand what you can."
Sinora explained to Antanas.
"Since Abigail has tailored the plot for them, it shows that she believes they can perform well."
The two of them whispered and continued to enjoy the show.
Over ten minutes later, the first act ended.
The stage setting changed, and the Demon Governor had already instructed the butler, and with the Demihuman noblewoman, they set off for the Demon Academy, the place where the Demihuman lady insisted they had shared memories.
The Demon Academy's corridor looked both classical and luxurious, dimly lit, and filled with the scent of ancient wood. It exuded an ancient magical haze, and the end of the distant corridor seemed to be forever swallowed by darkness, leaving only an air of deep mystery.
In this corridor, music of unknown origin echoed through the empty hall, mixed with wailing and singing. It swirled around the governor and the Demihuman lady, like a haunting overture of pursuit and escape.
Even though the scene of the Demon Academy might give human audiences a slight sense of horror and eeriness, Lance and Huberian on stage remained calm, as if they were demons themselves, not feeling any danger in this school.
"You're saying that this place can awaken my memories?" The Governor asked the half-maiden skeptically.
He had only agreed to accompany her to get her to stop bothering him, and at this moment, he had no intention of believing her claim that someone had cursed him, causing him to lose his memories of her.
He was certain he had never met this half-maiden before, so how could they have been classmates, let alone him falling for her?
They stood on a floor made of dark marble, adorned with golden patterns, and a carpet with a demonic flower design, in front of a door. The surrounding walls were filled with eerie portraits and mirrors, as if watching over the students passing by.
"Yes," the half-maiden affirmed with a confident nod.
"But there are no photos of us here to prove that we've been to this music classroom together." The Governor pointed out, his gaze fixed on the classroom with a large sign indicating its purpose.
"Look, the classroom is filled with spirits," the half-maiden replied, using her telekinetic magic to push open the sealed classroom door.
As the classroom projection appeared on the stage, the interior scene unfolded before the audience. Compared to a typical classroom, this space resembled a grand theater, with elaborate lighting fixtures, red velvet seats, and a solemn stage, akin to a reflection of the Ekitire Opera House.
At that moment, the atmosphere became oppressively heavy, almost frozen in time. The temperature in the corridor dropped as a chilling breeze blew, and amidst the silence, a blood-curdling, mournful wail echoed through the space.
Countless ethereal figures appeared, seemingly crossing over from another dimension, their forms overlapping, indistinguishable as individuals, like a choir. The reverberating voices were so overwhelming that the half-maiden instinctively covered her ears.
"You know that I was the one who caused this, don't you?" The Demon Governor gazed at the classroom, now filled with the sounds of hell, unconcerned and unaffected by the spirits.
The spirits, upon seeing him, were filled with fear and dared not approach.
"Yes, I was there too, so when they saw me, they were afraid of me as well," the half-maiden explained, taking a step towards the classroom. The spirits, upon seeing her, retreated, their fear of her matching that of the Governor.
The Demon Governor furrowed his brows, sensing that something was amiss.
In his memory, he had been solely responsible for the music classroom disaster, and since then, the classroom had been sealed. However, judging by the spirits' reactions, this half-maiden seemed to have been an accomplice.
"These spirits don't realize they're dead; they can only keep singing," the half-maiden explained.
But their reactions were genuine, driven by pure instinct and obsession.
"Alright, I'll tentatively believe you—I may have forgotten you. However, I still can't rule out the possibility of this being a deception. After all, I genuinely can't recall any memories of you. I'll investigate alongside you until we find conclusive evidence." The Governor addressed the half-maiden.
"Let's retrace our steps, and you'll see more traces of our past together," the half-maiden suggested with a smile.
They embarked on a journey through the demon school, searching for remnants of their shared past.
The scene transitioned to the next act...
On stage, a chilling wind blew, not the bone-chilling cold of winter, but a crisp, refreshing breeze reminiscent of a mountaintop.
The setting shifted to the interior of an ancient, dilapidated castle.
This was the banquet hall of the castle, which also resembled an old cathedral.
In the projection, a grand pipe organ, almost as tall as several floors, dominated the entire back wall. Its pipes stood upright, curved, or bent, some gleaming with golden light, others in natural wood tones, arranged in various shapes and layers, exuding an indescribable sense of sacred solemnity.
The dome, crafted from stained glass, was illuminated by the Governor's light, resembling a starry sky descending from the ceiling, casting a warm glow on the dark stone-carved walls and floor.
In the center of the hall stood a majestic, spacious long table, its silver candelabra long extinguished. On either side of the table, brown oak dining chairs were neatly arranged, hinting at a past filled with lavish feasts and merriment.
"What's so special about this place?" The Governor asked, his hands in his coat pockets, mist forming at the corners of his mouth as he gazed around aimlessly.
He remembered this place but couldn't recall any memories associated with the witch.
By now, he was no longer surprised that the witch knew he had once visited this castle.
She seemed to know so much, as if she had indeed known him in the past.
"Can you sense the curse in this castle? I feel it as soon as I step inside," the half-maiden asked the Governor.
This place was evidently more dangerous than the demon school, yet she showed no fear, perhaps due to the Governor's presence by her side, or because they had been here before, overcoming all dangers and hardships together.
"This castle is indeed cursed, but why does the curse technique feel so familiar..." The Governor placed his hand on the tabletop, sensing the energy.
"Could I have been cursed without realizing it, falling victim to this technique?" he wondered aloud.
Perhaps the curse was too familiar, and its harm not significant enough, that he had failed to detect it until he encountered another curse, only then realizing he might be affected by a similar one.
"I knew that with your talent, you'd be able to find the curse on yourself. You just didn't believe me before," the half-maiden said, her hands behind her back, leaning forward with a smile.
"I'm sorry..." The Demon Governor's weary eyes drooped.
His initial distrust of the half-maiden seemed to have hurt someone who had once been close to him.
"It's okay. If you still can't remember me in the end, I won't bother you. I just want you to be happy every day," the half-maiden assured him cheerfully.
The Demon Governor remained silent.
He couldn't promise that he would remember her or if he did, that he would fulfill their marriage agreement.
At this moment, he only felt a deep sense of guilt.
"Alright, if it's something we both want, let's not make it seem like one of us owes the other. Instead, let's focus on finding clues to lift the curse. Only then will you remember me, won't you?"
The demi-maiden approached, raising her hand to gently caress the Demon Governor's cheek, but she stopped just before making contact, withdrawing her hand.
The relationship between them had changed, and she didn't want the Demon Governor to feel uncomfortable or troubled.
"The curse should be lifted. There's no curse that can last this long unless it's constantly influenced by the environment or continuously cast."
The Governor nodded, murmuring in agreement.
"So?"
The demi-maiden asked him.
"So it must be a demon from our entourage who cursed me, wanting to disrupt our families' marriage alliance. Our investigation scope can be narrowed down, and we should head back to the city now."
The Demon Governor replied with conviction.
They had searched for clues in the castle on the cliff and were now ready to return.
Then, they passed through many places, and the scenes changed constantly with the operation of the curtains, machinery, and projections.
It was a long journey.
Or perhaps, it was a review of their lives.
Or a proof.
A proof that even if he forgot her multiple times, he would still fall in love with her again.
Until the final act, the Demon Governor and the demi-maiden arrived at a cathedral.
...
In the audience, several powerful demons, including Antanas, were fully engrossed in the performance, their furrowed brows and intense expressions immersed in Lance and Huberian's captivating act.
For a moment, they couldn't tell if this was a play or the true love story of the Governor and the demi-maiden.
"That's not right. They've reached the final act, and they still haven't found the culprit behind the curse."
Sinora, who had been immersed in the plot, suddenly realized this.
In the original script, the Demon Governor and the demi-maiden should be fighting the Demon Archduke at this point, the very person who cursed them.
But in the new plot modified by Abigail, they still couldn't solve the mystery, not only failing to find the caster but also creating the impression that the caster didn't exist at all, as if they had imagined a conspiracy in the demon realm.
Now, on stage, they wandered with a sense of abandonment, reaching this Dusk Cathedral.
This was also the last place the demi-maiden and the Demon Governor shared a common memory.
The stage was dimly lit, with spotlights illuminating the two of them. The alternating hues of the color halo created a gloomy atmosphere, as if it were dusk in the cathedral between the stone pillars.
As the Demon Governor and the demi-maiden arrived, the music began with a series of soulful piano solos, setting the stage.
The two actors on stage seemed to gradually immerse themselves in their roles.
They were no longer like Lance and Huberian, rehearsing for a play, but had transformed into the Governor and the demi-maiden, genuinely searching for the secret.
"I don't understand, I just don't understand."
Antanas might have felt relieved if she knew there was more to the story, but Sinora suddenly told her this was the final act, leaving her feeling caught off guard.
It was only when she checked the time that she realized the performance had already lasted nearly two hours.
She couldn't help but glance at Pralane and the Ice Maiden.
The Ice Maiden was still intently watching the stage, as if she hadn't heard Sinora and Antanas' whispered discussion.
Pralane, on the other hand, sighed.
It seemed like Pralane had already understood the hidden implications of the plot.
Just like on stage, Lance and Huberian were looking at the upcoming lines that only they could see, and they should soon find the truth.
"Pu..."
Antanas wanted to ask Pralane, but she stopped herself.
She knew Pralane wouldn't spoil the story for her, and after watching the opera for so long, she should experience the ending herself.
On stage, in the Dusk Cathedral.
No matter how the seasons changed, the old cathedral on the cliff amidst the sea of flowers always remained warm and pleasant. The setting sun's rays shone through the stone pillars, and the gentle breeze carried fresh air and faint petals.
And at the end of the cathedral stood the opera's leading couple.
"Why..."
The young demon seemed perplexed, unsure why he couldn't find the answer.
"I think, along the way, I might have understood."
The demi-human noblewoman was still wearing her pure white dress, unafraid of the winter cold, holding the flowers she had picked along the way.
A faint smile graced her face.
"What did you understand?"
The Governor looked up, gazing intently at the maiden before him.
He wanted to read the answer in her eyes.
In her amber eyes, he couldn't find a trace of resentment or disappointment, only acceptance and a hint of sadness as if she were about to bid him farewell.
He didn't know why, but seeing her eyes at this moment, he felt a sense of fear. Were they not companions who had just met a few days ago? Had he subconsciously trusted her during their journey?
"Think carefully, think hard, and you'll surely understand."
Her voice grew softer, reminding the Governor of the memory traces they had found along the way.
The melody played on the piano was elegant and gentle, with notes flowing through the heart like tears, echoing the joys and sorrows of the opera's era. The left hand played with stability and power, and at times, it was as light as a feather, hinting at the unpredictability of fate.
"... "
The Governor stared, looking at her with a sense of loss.
He seemed unable or unwilling to understand, choosing to ignore many doubts.
Scenes from their journey flashed through his mind, and the chains holding the truth were about to break, shattering with a loud bang.
The voices he had heard along the way also echoed in his ears again, deafening him.
"They don't know they're dead."
The demi-maiden had told him the answer.
These were the words she had spoken to the Governor outside the music classroom in the Demon Academy.
Spirits wouldn't know they were dead unless someone told them or gave them a hint to realize it.
"... "
The Governor's eyes glistened with tears as he looked at the demi-maiden in shock.
The melody became urgent and intense, wave after wave, as if expressing the characters' surging emotions and unspeakable pain.
At the same time, the lower registers played heavy chords, occasionally joined by dramatic strings, creating a sense of impending doom. The music bluntly and sincerely revealed the cruelty of the war era, the impermanence of life, and the entanglements of love and hate.
The Governor's thoughts were countless.
In the room, the butler acted as if he couldn't see the demi-maiden, staring only at the direction of the chair, without any interaction with her throughout the performance.
Wherever she went, a chill seemed to follow.
The cursed demon, who had been cursing him all along, was always by his side, casting spells upon him.
It turned out...
The half-maiden was actually a ghost that only he could see.
"Was it me... unconsciously cursing you?"
The half-maiden seemed to recall the past.
It turned out she had already passed away.
Perhaps before her death, her greatest wish was for the Governor to forget her, to not be sad, and to not be obsessed with her. This wish inadvertently turned into an obsession and a curse, and the ghostly half-maiden, unaware of her transformation, foolishly stayed by the Governor's side, hoping that one day he would fulfill their engagement.
"No, it's not like that! Don't think too much. Let's go back first, and tomorrow we'll continue searching for who cursed me. It must be some noble family trying to stop our marriage."
The demon Governor spoke with a rare mix of panic and forced calm.
"..."
The witch paused, then smiled and slowly raised her hand, wanting to touch the Governor, an impossible feat.
Her smile carried a hint of indulgence, along with a touch of pity and helplessness.
"My intention was to let you move on from me."
The half-maiden spoke to the demon Governor with reluctance.
"What... did you say?"
The demon Governor's voice was stiff, as if he didn't understand.
"Remember now. I won't curse you anymore. If you stay here, you won't be able to move forward and start a new life."
The half-maiden spoke softly in his ear.
"Don't say it, please! I don't want to recall any memories of you."
The Governor was like a child reluctant to get out of bed, wanting to linger for just one more second.
"Hmm."
The half-maiden sighed and smiled, lowering her eyes. She never expected that the beloved she once thought could do anything would choose to act this way.
But she remained patient.
Tick-tock, the gears of the church clock tower turned.
The bells were about to ring for dusk.
Her eyes were as beautiful as the clear evening sky at sunset.
The half-maiden moved closer to the Governor, and even though he couldn't truly hold her at this moment, she wanted to get even closer, as if leaning on him.
"I want to tell you what I've kept. In my room, I wrote many letters to you, but I never sent them."
The half-maiden began to talk to herself.
Since the Governor was unwilling to speak further, it was up to her to say goodbye.
"Sometimes I fall in love with your shadow."
"Just watching you and following you is enough."
"The love you give me is everlasting, and you know that my heart only loves you."
She whispered softly, like a gentle wife.
"..."
The Governor's hoarse voice couldn't utter a word, as if he dared not interrupt this conversation that might end with each sentence.
It was time to let go, but he didn't want to.
Wanting to erase memories of her only made them more deeply engraved.
His eyes stung, and his body, beyond his control, rushed forward to embrace the half-maiden he had previously refused to touch.
Only at this moment did he realize that he couldn't touch her, as if they were in a different space. He could no longer deceive himself.
"Haha."
The half-maiden suddenly burst into laughter, amused by the Governor's clumsy attempt to hug a ghost. Her smile also carried a hint of relief.
"You're finally willing to hug me."
Tears glistened in the corners of her eyes as she spoke.
"..."
The demon Governor stared at the half-maiden's face, both unfamiliar and familiar.
Perhaps it was the face he would never forget, the trace of a smile that made him feel guilty.
Perhaps she was the famine and the beast, or the daily cycle of heaven and hell he experienced.
Perhaps she was the mirror in his dreams, the smile reflected in the stream.
Her eyes were so straightforward and sincere.
When she cried, it was hard to bear looking at her.
When he got close to her, his heart trembled.
"If you can feel my intentions, please promise me that you'll let me go in your heart, so I can leave in peace."
The half-maiden looked at the Governor and asked her final question.
"..."
The Governor wanted to speak, but he couldn't find the words.
The voice that would never return was now far away.
He wished time could flow backward, that everything could be salvaged.
"Alright, no matter what, I should leave now."
The half-maiden shook her head, her mind already made up.
"No, I will never forget you, unless you continue to curse me. I'm willing to repeat this adventure, and I'll gladly stay by your side."
The demon Governor reached out to grab her, but he missed again.
"What's the difference between this and a dream? Don't stay in your dreams; this is fake."
She asked and said.
As the melancholy seemed to reach its peak, the music gradually calmed down.
The melody became gentle and soothing, like a ray of sunshine piercing through the gloom, illuminating the soul.
The parting tune emerged, intertwining with the main melody, symbolizing hope and salvation descending upon the world.
The ever-changing notes were like a candle in the darkness, revealing a faint light within.
When the dusk bells rang, her figure was illuminated by a bright light, the pure white color resembling a welcome to paradise.
"It seems this is still too cruel for you."
Her smile remained as she turned to look at him.
"I don't want to leave; I just want to be together."
There was no more sadness in her expression, and she seemed to have returned to the vitality she had when they first met.
"I..."
Lance wanted to say something, but he realized the Governor's dialogue had come to an end.
Huberian observed Lance's expression, a girlish giggle escaping her lips.
"If one day, God brings us together again, let no one separate us..."
Huberian continued,
"At that time, please hold my hand and stay by my side for life."
Her figure slowly faded from the light, eventually disappearing into the darkness of the dusk church.
"..."
The Governor stood in place, his red-rimmed eyes trembling.
He yearned for the warm spring sunshine, just like her quiet companionship, falling on him and helping him forget his past sorrows.
As the sun set, he seemed to see her hazy silhouette in the falling petals.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report