novelraw Chapter 338: The Deceased Lover
Chapter 338: The Deceased Lover
A deep roll of thunder sounded through the thick clouds.
Beneath a somber sky, the wind snatched at paper bags as pedestrians hurried on their way, bundled in simple, warm clothing.
Lu Li woke slightly earlier than usual. After washing his face, he grabbed an umbrella and stepped into the baroness's waiting carriage, leaving Sailor Street behind.
...
The once-calm surface of Agate Lake was now troubled, and the bare branches of the trees trembled in the wind.
A black boot emerged from the carriage, followed by a tall figure. Gusts of wind tugged at the hem of his coat and tousled his black hair. Lu Li inclined his head slightly and made his way to the mansion.
A maid opened the door. As Lu Li stepped inside, it swung shut behind him, sealing out the wind and cold.
Warmth seeped into him as he followed the maid to the dining room. Baroness Joseph was waiting, naturally not one to miss an opportunity for a private moment with him.
Fortunately, Lu Li also had matters to discuss with her.
— An advance on your payment? Certainly, that’s no problem. Lulu, please take care of our exorcist, Lu Li.The baroness readily granted his minor request.
— Thank you.
With the matter of payment settled, Lu Li took up his knife and fork and began to eat.
Baroness Joseph watched him in silence, her narrow eyes slightly squinted, occasionally taking a sip of wine.
Fifteen minutes later, after finishing their meal, Baroness Joseph retired to change her attire. Lu Li did the same, then made his way to the bedroom.
Petra and the two other exorcists were already there, discussing the possible outcomes for the day's events: a fairytale ending, a good ending, and a bad ending.
A fairytale ending meant that Adam and Sara would live happily ever after, as is common in tales of princes and princesses.
A good ending meant Sara would escape her cage. "Good," however, was a relative term. It might mean that the protagonist, Adam, would die, and the viscount would lose his heir, but Sara would at least be free.
A bad ending was a tragic one, where Sara and Adam, despite their love for one another, would be kept apart.
The evil spirit's preferences were a mystery, so any of these outcomes remained a possibility.
— Perhaps we're being too optimistic. Let's not forget the title of this story, — Petra reminded Lu Li and the others.
A short while later, the baroness reappeared, now dressed as a maid. The time for "Sara" to awaken was drawing near.
From the hall came the chiming of a clock.
[Chapter Seven: The Deceased Lover]
The somber, ancient voice spoke right on cue, and its words made the exorcists exchange uneasy glances.
It seemed a fairytale ending was off the table.
Sara was confined to her room. Due to the evening's dinner party, her lessons in piano, dance, and etiquette had been cancelled. This had a direct effect on the story: the morning and afternoon passed uneventfully, and the narrative skipped ahead to evening.
[Night had fallen. As the dinner hour approached, more guests began to arrive in the hall. The viscount, as host, was there to welcome them.]
[Sara's Room]
[The maid, Eileen, was applying Sara's makeup. Sara wore an exquisite gown adorned with purple flowers, her dark chestnut hair cascading over her shoulders. She looked like an elegant princess. 'I hear the earl's youngest son is quite handsome...' the maid said with a smile, happy for her mistress, yet tinged with a hint of envy. She herself dreamed of one day wearing a beautiful dress, of shining at a ball and capturing the attention of all.]
— I hear the earl's youngest son is quite handsome, — the baroness recited in a flat, indifferent tone, mechanically tracing an eyebrow pencil across "Sara's" face.
[Sara pressed her lips together and said nothing, letting Eileen finish. She picked up a hand mirror and studied her reflection. Delicate features, a straight nose, and lips pursed slightly... She looked like a beautiful bird in a cage.]
[But after tonight, she would be free of it all...]
Holding the hand mirror, the baroness raised a single, curious eyebrow.
In the hallway, the exorcists, leaning on their useless brooms, exchanged glances.
Had Sara devised a plan to escape? Or...
Technically, the earl's youngest son could also be considered Sara's "lover."
[— Eileen, could you do something for me? — Sara asked, her voice pleading as she looked at the maid. — Of course, my lovely bride, — Eileen replied with a smile.]
[— Could you go down to the ball and get a look at the earl's youngest son? Then come back and tell me about him? — The maid hesitated for a moment but agreed to her mistress's request. She, too, was curious to see what this nobleman looked like—if he was anything like a fairytale prince.]
The baroness exited the bedroom and, watched by Lu Li and the others, descended the stairs to the hall.
The somber, ancient voice did not follow her. It remained in the room, narrating for "Sara."
[Once Eileen had left, Sara hitched up her skirts and ran to the door, sliding the bolt home. She tore the sheet from the bed and, with a pair of scissors, cut it into long strips. Clutching the makeshift rope, she stepped out onto the balcony. In the moonlight, she tied one end securely to the railing.]
[— Click... Click-click... —]
[— My lady? Are you in there? — came Eileen's voice from the other side of the door, followed by the sound of the handle turning. Sara quickly tossed the rest of the sheet over the balcony. Seeing it land in the flowerbed below, she rushed to the door, smoothed her ruffled hair, took a deep breath, and opened it with a smile.]
Hearing the events unfold in the story, the exorcists standing outside the door pretended they had noticed nothing.
In a way, they were pleased with this development.
The sooner "Sara" and "Adam" escaped, the better.
[Eileen informed her mistress that the earl's youngest son had arrived for the dinner and that the viscount had sent for her. — Very well, let's go, — Sara said, exiting the room. Eileen nodded, ready to follow, but then her eyes fell upon the scissors lying on the bed. A sudden realization struck her. She threw back the blanket and saw the shredded sheet. Guessing what was happening, Eileen rushed to the balcony and saw the linen rope dangling down to the flowerbed below.]
[— My lady is trying to escape! — Eileen realized in horror. Without a second thought, she ran back into the room, snatched up the scissors, and moved to cut the sheet. — Eileen? — Sara's voice called out from the hall, laced with surprise. Startled, Eileen dropped the partially severed sheet, tossed the scissors aside, and hurried out of the room.]
[— Let us go, — Sara said to the servants and Eileen, clearly eager to be rid of them.]
[Trying to compose herself and hide her discovery, Eileen resolved to stay by her mistress's side, determined to thwart her escape.]
...
[The dinner party in the hall was in full swing. The night was clear and starlit, a pleasant evening for a gathering. Guests mingled, glasses in hand, all awaiting the arrival of the evening's main attraction.]
Outside the mansion, a brilliant white flash of lightning split the darkness, illuminating the entire city and the dark expanse of the sea. A deep rumble of thunder rolled across the sky.
The first drop of rain fell, instantly absorbed by the damp earth.
Then the downpour began.
The world within the story and the world outside had become two completely separate realities.