https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-884-Lance-s-Selfless-Sacrifice-Part-2-/12945307/
https://novelcool.info/chapter/Chapter-885-Lanfu-the-Matchmaker-Part-2-/12945309/
Chapter 885: Lanfu, the Matchmaker (Part 1)
Chapter 885: Lanfu, the Matchmaker (Part 1)
The moment Minera agreed, the entire performance hall erupted in cheers and applause.
The audience in the back rows almost stood up, their voices echoing with cheers and blessings, and some even began to sing the sacred hymn of blessings in unison.
The solemn Echire Opera House's main performance hall instantly transformed into a flash mob proposal, with even the musicians in the orchestra pit picking up their instruments and playing a melody.
First row of the VIP seats.
"..."
Minera's eyes turned white, and she felt like her day was ruined.
Lance held her hand, his expression grave as sweat beaded on his forehead.
The atmosphere shouldn't have been like this.
But ever since Toriadus started playing his piece, it had become a raging fire.
The actors on stage paused their movements, witnessing this unexpected development.
They never expected the male lead to suddenly pull off such a stunt.
Now, only Toriadus was playing with utmost concentration, setting the mood of a proposal in the performance hall—
Even though it was still February, the romantic notes seemed to carry the warmth of spring, flowers blooming, and a surprise love.
The audience's cheers grew louder with each passing moment.
"Waaah."
At the back, another lady was also crying.
Rosalinda, the Countess, covered her face with one hand and wept as she watched the sudden turn of events in the front row. She never imagined that her greatest rival would not be Ifatiya, but her good junior, Lance.
Her years of companionship couldn't compare to Lance's sudden invitation.
Could it be that because Lance had saved Minera, she had secretly given her heart to him since then?
"Rosalinda, are you okay? I... I think this might be a misunderstanding."
Aitio patted Rosalinda's shoulder, her voice growing weaker with each word.
Although Aitio couldn't understand what was happening either.
But from her perspective, the sight of Lance and Minera holding hands was explosive.
"Do I even have a chance to be the runner-up?"
Rosalinda finally burst into loud sobs.
She couldn't win in any scenario.
Even if Huberian chose a stepmother, she would choose Lance over her.
The more Rosalinda, the Countess, thought about it, the more heartbroken she felt, and there wasn't even any wine nearby to drown her sorrows.
"This..."
Antanas and Sinora watched the unfolding drama.
Everyone in the hall seemed to have gone mad, some laughing, some crying, and some silent.
The background music was lively, but the more joyful it was, the more it hurt Ifatiya's heart, leaving them unsure of how to comfort her, and how to judge Lance's choice of Ifatiya's sister-in-law Minera over Sigrid, Talia, or Huberian.
"Wait a moment."
Antanas began to think carefully.
Logically, Talia hadn't even cried yet, so why was Ifatiya so upset?
For Ifatiya to be this heartbroken, it was as if her dearest love had been snatched away by Lance.
"No way?!"
They stared at each other in shock.
The two of them now recalled the various doubts they encountered during their exploration of the Duke's Mansion, as well as Migaya and Ifatiya's reactions when mentioning the secret room in the basement. They gradually formed a startling suspicion.
Could Minera be Migaya?
Antanas and Sinora covered their mouths in succession.
They somewhat understood Pranay's actions.
Indeed, he should have left earlier, but with the chaos in the performance hall, even leaving was impossible.
Minera could feel the stares of Antanas and Sinora from behind, and her skin prickled with discomfort.
"Waaah..."
Ifatiya wept uncontrollably.
She was like a helpless child.
This crying not only made Minera suffer but also made Lance's conscience uneasy.
The music played by Toriadus, mixed with Ifatiya's heartbroken sobs, seemed even more hellish than the nuclear fusion music classroom in the Inferno Maze Academy.
Amidst the chaos and confusion, the media and audience alike were fixated on Lance and Minera.
"Let's go then."
"Mhm."
Lance and the black-haired noble lady had no choice but to continue their act, exchanging whispers to attract the media's attention.
When Lance stood up, the black-haired noble lady sitting in the VIP seats was also pulled up by him.
With this eye-catching couple, Loren could now quietly slip away under the cover of this chaotic drama.
The familiar faces around them were all stunned.
Lance felt like Talia and Sigrid were questioning him.
Although he couldn't avoid the media frenzy and apologies to the production team, friends, and family that would follow.
But he and the Duke.
No longer owed Loren anything.
"Waaah."
Ifatiya watched as Minera was about to be led away by Lance, finally understanding the irreversible reality.
"Wait, don't go."
She knelt down, crying, and grabbed Minera's hand.
In such a situation, her first thought was to seek help from her brother.
However, it was Lance who brought up this matter.
And Minera had agreed.
"Please..."
Just as Ifatiya was about to say something, her words caught in her throat, leaving her with only a trembling voice.
Minera was only her sister-in-law on the surface.
She had no right to stop her brother from taking her sister-in-law away.
"You have to treat her well, and never..."
Ifatiya's eyes welled up with tears as she pleaded with Lance.
Just saying these words, Ifatiya broke down in a sob, covering her face.
At that moment.
The journalist in the back row seemed to have figured something out.
"Shocking! The Duchess also has feelings for this guy, and seeing his confession to another woman makes her cry!"
Luveshir quickly jotted down these words in her notebook.
She believed that not only she but also her media colleagues could deduce this.
Even those in the front row could hear the whispers from behind.
Because the Duchess was crying so painfully, it was obvious that her emotions were genuine, and she couldn't have faked it.
"Oh my, were all the rumors about Professor Landry at St. Crethine Abbey true?"
The ninth Divine General, Marquis Ryan, from a foreign land, held his head, feeling unable to watch any longer.
He had heard the rumors about St. Crethine Abbey.
But because those rumors about the evil Professor Landry were so outrageous, claiming that the professor's ultimate goal was to marry his sister-in-law's husband as well, leaving no one in the family untouched, Ryan, even if he had been controlled by the vampires, didn't believe a word of it.
Now that she had witnessed it with her own eyes, this trip to the Herton Kingdom would give Eura and her friends a year's worth of gossip.
"Besides the three fiancees, there's also a silver-haired cutie and a tall, black-haired married woman involved in his rumors, meow?"
Bianka also remembered the outrageous rumors that were circulating in St. Crethine Abbey at the time.
However, what was unfolding before them was an even more explosive reality.
They had heard that the male lead and the Duke's daughter were close, but they never expected that he was here to join their family!
"Migaya."
Salon lowered his voice and muttered to himself.
Today's ticket was definitely worth it.
He never expected there would be an additional scene, and the Herton stage was truly spectacular.
"Meow..."
Cat Boss curled up, pretending to know nothing.
He had been following Lance all day and had more or less figured out the cause and effect.
In the end, it was Migaya, Ifatiya, and Lance who caused the explosion.
The commotion at the Echire Opera House had yet to subside when, at Abigail's call and arrangement, uniformed security staff from the opera house quickly entered through various entrances.
Well-trained, they efficiently navigated through the audience, gently but firmly guiding the crowd.
"Ladies and gentlemen, the performance has concluded. Please follow the directions and exit in an orderly manner."
The supervisor's voice echoed throughout the entire hall via the surround sound system,
"Please take your belongings and look after the elderly and children. Do not linger in the aisles for photos, and watch your step on the stairs."
The media reporters were clearly reluctant to leave. Even when blocked by the staff, they held up their cameras, trying to capture as many shots as possible.
Flashbulbs went off one after another, creating a dazzling sea of light beneath the golden dome.
The security staff had to form a human wall around the front VIP area and the stage, creating a safe passage.
The audience, with their view mostly blocked, reluctantly stood up, still immersed in the unexpected romance, discussing in small groups, their steps unusually slow.
Some were still secretly taking photos, and whispers and laughter echoed between the velvet seats.
The security supervisor had to repeatedly remind them,
"The performance has ended. Please do not linger at the armrests and maintain your formation as you move forward."
The opera house staff in charge of clearing the venue worked in an orderly manner, dividing the area into sections.
Between the rows of seats, they carefully checked for any forgotten belongings—scarves, crumpled programs, and a few forgotten ticket stubs—efficiently tidying up these minor details.
After nearly half an hour, the bustling crowd in the main hall finally dispersed completely.
The vast auditorium fell into an unusual silence.
The once lively space now only had a few duty lights left on.
The warm yellow light gently washed over the empty rows of seats, casting delicate shadows on the red velvet surfaces.
The crystal chandelier dimmed its brilliance, emitting only a faint glow, as if it, too, was tired.
The carvings on the dome were barely visible in the dimness, silently witnessing the rise and fall of the event.
The air still carried a faint fragrance of perfume, mixed with the fresh scent of flowers, reminiscing about the recent excitement.
The last official staff member of the Echire Opera House gently closed the stage door, and the echo of his footsteps slowly faded in the empty hall.
The performance hall finally shed all its brilliance and clamor of the day.
Toriadus and Abigail, in charge of the troupe, cleaned the stage in the twilight, waiting for the last few to leave.
They had deliberately evacuated the troupe early and didn't call for other troupe members to help.
Now, only Lance and Sigrid remained on the stage, discussing the day's events.
Although Antanas and Sinora were a bit scared, they stayed behind because they were worried about Huobao. They listened to the gossip.
As for Minera, she had left early with a crying Ifatiya.
Some things might be easier to explain back at the Duke's Mansion.
In any case, continuing to stay at the opera house would only make things more awkward for them, and the more they explained, the more confusing it became.
Each person had their own person to comfort—this was the consensus between Lance and Minera.
"..."
On stage, Talia had separated from Huberian and was quietly listening to Lance and Sigrid's conversation.
Huberian was still asleep, lying on Talia's lap, being cared for by her.
"You really came up with this idea, but why did you drag Migaya into this explosion?"
Sigrid shook her head and sighed.
"I was thinking that I needed to find someone who could immediately understand my intentions, has a certain level of popularity, and would be easier to explain the relationship with afterward. The only person who fit these criteria was Miss Minera, and I didn't expect Sid to play such a fitting piece at that moment. I'm truly grateful to him."
Lance believed that today's outstanding performance in capturing the attention of all the media was largely due to Toriadus, but it was hard to say what his motivation was as he played the piano and tried to hold back his laughter.
Toriadus was on stage, packing up the set, his lips quivering.
Even if he were to be chased by the Mad Love Bishop and the Black Night Bishop, he would have no regrets.
This life was given to him, so what's the big deal?
"Stupid pig, get to work!"
Abigail hit him on the head with a rolled-up paper, telling him to focus and work.
She felt guilty towards the Duke and Ifatiya for the situation that had unfolded.
Toriadus was definitely a hidden culprit today.
Suddenly, Huberian slowly opened her eyes on Talia's lap.
"Is the performance over?"
She sat up abruptly, looking around.
"Yes."
Talia nodded.
"Was it successful?"
Huberian asked Talia again.
Being able to see Talia as soon as she opened her eyes gave her a sense of security.
"It was very successful. Tomorrow's performance will be the perfect touch."
Abigail reassured the awakened Huberian.
"Phew, thank you, Tata."
Huberian hugged Tata, expressing her gratitude.
She had thought that today's performance might not go smoothly, but fortunately, Tata was there in the dressing room.
"You should thank Lance. He saved the situation and might have even elevated tomorrow's performance."
At this moment, Talia also learned the real Half-Maiden Act public screening script from Abigail.
She almost became a war criminal.
From now on, she mustn't be so confident, let alone compete with Lance.
Every time, they push each other further, and if this continues, they will eventually do something irreversible.
"Lance, well done! Mwah!"
Huberian released Talia and blew a kiss to Lance with a smile.
However, she noticed the remaining people in the auditorium.
And the strange atmosphere.
A puzzled expression appeared on her face.
As Huberian observed Antanas and Sinola's expressions, she felt as if something significant had happened in the auditorium. Instead of merely waiting to observe, they seemed more like a jury listening to the outcome of a trial.
"Houboliyan, this situation is complicated. We'll explain everything once we're back at the Duke's Mansion."
Talia spoke to Huberian, taking her hand and preparing to leave the stage.
Today's farce wasn't difficult to untangle.
It was all about this group of people repaying Loren's debt.
But for Huberian, the most complicated person involved, understanding the situation might be even more challenging.
"Can you give me a brief explanation?"
Huberian followed Talia off the stage, her curiosity growing.
She had barely slept for three hours.
Yet, according to Talia, what happened behind the scenes couldn't be easily explained in a few words.
"..."
Talia lowered her head, deep in thought.
How should she explain it?
For the first time, she felt she lacked storytelling skills.
At that moment, she looked towards Antanas, an old friend sitting in the audience.
In the Demon Realm, Antanas was always good at sharing gossip.
Undoubtedly, Antanas was the most eloquent scholar.
"Your husband wants to take your mother away from your father."
Antanas helplessly summarized the situation to Houboliyan.
"???"
Was this still the kingdom's language? Huberian's first reaction was to question her hearing.
"So it's true that a few words can't explain it, but it's just a farce. Let Lance explain it to you slowly."
Talia brought Huberian over to Lance and Sigrid, preparing to head home together.
"Alright, let's get off the stage quickly. You have ten minutes at most."
Abigail clapped her hands on the stage, dispersing the involved parties and their friends in the VIP seats.
She knew Migaya was going to comfort Ifatiya, and Lance still had to comfort three others.
The Brillada Opera House crew needed to quickly set up the auditorium for tomorrow's performance. Sending the other staff out was to facilitate private conversations for Lance and the others.
"We'll take our leave first. See you at the Duke's Mansion later."
Antanas and Sinola bid farewell to Huberian and the others, heading towards the auditorium exit.
They had promised Ifatiya that they would go to the Duke's Mansion, and now it was the perfect time to comfort little Ifa.
(End of Chapter)
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