novelraw Chapter 331: Changes in the Plot
Chapter 331: Changes in the Plot
The last sliver of daylight vanished from the sky, and across the mountain slopes and shores of Belfast, lights began to flicker on.
From the peak of Sugard Mountain, by the shores of Agate Lake, the view of the city at night was breathtaking. It was a spellbinding panorama, if one could set aside their inner turmoil and anxieties.
Moon Bay was not shrouded in silence; the occasional ship could be seen returning to port, guided by the steadfast beams of the lighthouses on the reefs.
“I would be delighted if you stayed,” the baroness murmured, standing beside Lu Li. She was still in the maid’s dress, its hem fluttering gently in the breeze.
A sudden chill prickled her skin, and the baroness was surprised. The dress was made of a fairly thick fabric, and she was wearing stockings.
“I have to get back to the agency,” Lu Li said, tearing his gaze from the city to look at the butler standing a short distance away.
“One moment. I’ll have the carriage brought around,” the butler replied calmly, ignoring the baroness’s disapproving glare. He beckoned to a maid and gave her quiet instructions.
The baroness took a half-step back and, striving for a more reserved tone, asked, “Perhaps you’ll stay for dinner?”
Lu Li paused for a moment before shaking his head.
Wandering about at night was unwise, and not even a lavish dinner was worth the risk.A flicker of disappointment crossed the baroness’s eyes.
When the butler returned to announce the carriage was ready, the baroness reluctantly watched Lu Li walk toward the garden, then shot the butler a reproachful glance.
Oddly enough, the moment Lu Li departed, the unpleasant chill she had felt vanished as well.
Could it have been because of Lu Li’s assistant... that ghost?
The baroness rubbed her arms, which were stippled with goosebumps.
The butler soon returned to the baroness, who was still standing by the lake. “It’s getting chilly. Let’s return to the house.”
The baroness turned, wrapping her arms around her shoulders. “Sometimes I think you’re in love with him,” she said resentfully. “And that you’re deliberately getting in my way.”
“I simply believe you ought to be more mindful of your safety,” the butler replied, his tone as impassive as ever. “And as an aristocrat, you should conduct yourself with more restraint.”
“Restraint? Everyone knows that Baroness Joseph and that word are incompatible,” the baroness declared, lifting her chin proudly as her golden ponytail swayed. “I want him, and I want him now!”
The butler said nothing.
After another moment of grumbling, the baroness tugged at her dress in disgust. “It’s this dress! It does nothing for my beauty. Lulu, contact the tailor at once and have my uniform altered.”
“I will not,” the butler replied, his expression unruffled.
“I’m ordering you as your baroness!”
“And I refuse as your butler.”
“Tch... Fine. Contact a makeup artist. I need a new look.”
“Very well.”
...
The carriage, lined with plush carpets, rode so smoothly that not a single jolt could be felt.
“How much longer do we have to take this case?” Anna mumbled. From her vantage in the In-Between, she had a clear view of the way the baroness looked at Lu Li—like prey—and she didn’t like it one bit.
“Until the story is over,” Lu Li replied. “Did you sense anything today?”
Anna understood what he was asking. After a moment of thought, she answered, “It’s like... the Evil Spirit doesn’t notice me.”
Lu Li grew thoughtful. A new idea was beginning to form.
...
The rain, which had held off for several days, returned at midnight.
The next morning, a light drizzle fell outside the window as passersby hurried on their way.
Without stopping for breakfast, Lu Li washed his face and climbed into the carriage from the baroness’s estate, which was already waiting for him outside. The carriage set off, leaving the waterfront district behind.
Inside, Lu Li unfolded a newspaper he had bought from a street urchin; his own subscription hadn’t been delivered by the time he’d left the agency.
The headline—[Bizarre Entity Departs Port Zenster!]—made Lu Li freeze.
He read on: [Shadow Over Port Zenster Lifts. Flocks of Crows Circle Overhead. Police Search for Survivors!]
The article was accompanied by a grainy, black-and-white photograph. The sky was peppered with black dots, while below, the city streets were deserted. In the distance, the surface of the sea was calm.
The Awful Giant, a single glance at which could drive a person mad—even in a touched-up photograph—was gone.
The newspaper offered no further details. Today was Friday, which meant the next issue of the "Investigator Weekly" was three days away. Only then would Lu Li learn what had truly transpired in Zenster.
Why the Awful Giant had vanished, for instance.
Lu Li continued to read at a leisurely pace. Just as he was nearly finished, the carriage turned onto the cobblestone road that skirted Agate Lake.
Ahead, the sprawling estate of Baroness Joseph came into view.
Glancing at the weather forecast, Lu Li saw that a drizzle was predicted for tomorrow. The day after, the symbol for clouds was joined by icons for lightning and wind.
Harbingers of the rainy season. A storm was approaching.
After stepping out of the carriage, Lu Li entered the house, where a maid escorted him to the dining room.
After breakfast, Lu Li changed into the servant’s attire and made his way to the bedroom. The other three exorcists were already waiting for him.
Soon, the baroness and her butler appeared at the far end of the corridor.
The baroness was wearing the same maid’s dress as the day before, but today she had on makeup.
Her fair, smooth skin had been made to look sallow and tanned, with freckles dusted across her cheeks. Her lustrous golden hair was tousled and pulled back into a messy ponytail.
Now, the baroness looked just like an ordinary servant girl.
“Sara can bring the maid, Eileen, with her. Aristocratic pride forbids her from appearing alone,” the butler explained to the exorcists, who were staring at the baroness in astonishment.
In this guise, Baroness Joseph was truly difficult to recognize.
The time for the ritual was drawing near, so Lu Li and the others entered the bedroom.
[Chapter Five: The Agonizing Rendezvous]
The clock on the mantelpiece chimed noon, and a voice—ancient and indistinct—resounded in the depths of the exorcists’ minds.
[Sara slowly opened her eyes. She had slept poorly, suffering from a bout of insomnia for the first time in a long while. She sat up in bed. Bright sunlight streamed through the window. Her maid, Eileen, was dusting the writing desk while other servants tidied the room in silence. “Do I look tired?” Sara asked Eileen uncertainly, who had noticed she was awake. “A little, perhaps...” Eileen replied with a blink.]
“A little, perhaps,” the baroness muttered, avoiding Lu Li’s gaze.
[“What am I to do? I can’t fix this...” Sara looked at Eileen anxiously. “Do you have any advice, Eileen? Help me!”]
“Do you really intend to sneak out for a rendezvous?”
[“Yes! We’ve already made arrangements!” Hearing Sara’s firm reply, Eileen quietly clenched her fists... She had to tell the head of the family about this.]
Everyone in the room frowned.
Something was wrong.