Bad woman, am I pretending to be bad?

Upon hearing this, Charlotte felt she should reveal part of the truth and gain some credit in this incident. So, Ms. Melissant, I'm sorry.

Don't blame me for being heartless; let's just say we're on different paths and can't work together. You, who dote on me, with your abilities, will always manage to escape arrest, and then forgive me.

With a slight upturn of her lips, she spoke calmly.

"Ms. Z, regarding the clues about the Enlightenment Society, after reviewing the items and characteristics you provided, I was able to confirm that there were similar suspicious individuals at the ball I attended a few days ago. Therefore, when you inquired about it before, it was not because I knew but did not report it."

Explaining the causes and laying the groundwork is the most appropriate way to narrate the situation.

Tell me more about it.

A strange look flashed in Zelena's eyes as she looked down in surprise. She hadn't expected that while she was fretting over this matter, the blonde girl would have a clue.

"Yes, I had just escaped at that time and only wanted to learn more about the hidden details of my parents' death at those gatherings of nobles. I didn't ask about anything else. Then, during the ball, that noble lady kept inviting everyone to one-on-one meetings. When I passed by, I overheard a gentleman carelessly let slip some words, in which he mentioned a similar organization."

"Although there was no specific name, it was quite close to the information you provided, Ms. Z. Afterwards, out of interest in celebrities, I inquired about the other person's name. I heard that the lady was a noblewoman who had recently come from overseas, named Mélisande."

The voice fell silent, and the beautiful woman with black hair lowered her eyelashes, lost in thought.

“I haven’t heard of this name before; it’s probably just an alias. But the information you provided, Charlotte, is crucial. I’ll investigate the truth later. Anyway, as usual, Pederina, you take Charlotte to Melvis to finish her basic courses.”

Hearing and seeing it, the thoughtful look on his face was definitely not the first time he had heard it. It seems that his little report was quite useful.

As Charlotte walked deeper into the corridor with Pedeline, the matter of the lesson was left unsaid. Charlotte actually felt somewhat guilty towards Ms. Melissant, who had always doted on her.

So, she decided to try a little to salvage the situation by doing something small, like being a kind person—

He kindly reminded Melissa of her precarious situation and the arbitration tribunal's arrest.

The saying "one person does the work, one person takes the responsibility" perfectly describes this situation.

P.S.: Happy Lunar New Year's Eve everyone! Love you all~ (I won't skip this!)

Chapter 115 Out of Control and Disqualification

"Okay, that's about all the things you need to pay attention to. You'll need to familiarize yourself with them in your spare time and keep them in mind during practice."

Time always flies. The gentle voice faded, Melvis pressed the spine of the book, closed the classic text, and thus ended today's lesson.

"Oh, thank you for your hard work, Melvis. Hearing these familiar words again now feels like a lifetime ago."

Pedeline stretched lazily and remarked with a touch of nostalgia.

"Unbeknownst to us, three years have passed. Fortunately, everyone is safe and sound, and no familiar faces are missing."

"Thank you."

I thanked her softly. Although I had already learned similar knowledge from Ms. Mosang, the different way she explained it did provide me with some supplementary information.

Grateful gratitude has always been Charlotte's virtue.

"No need. Since it's Ms. Z's appointment, it's my duty. I've been through the same thing as you in the past."

Melvis offered a calm and understated eulogy, showing a clear greater gentleness and tolerance towards the person before him compared to Zelena.

"I have to work half a night shift today, you guys go and get some rest."

As she cleaned the library again, the black-haired beauty said "rest," but it was clearly a veiled invitation to leave.

Stepping back into the corridor, illuminated by the lights along the way, they quickly returned to the church's main hall, where they looked after the priest guarding the hidden door.

"How is the girl doing? Tonight is a blood moon, and due to its extraordinary properties, she might experience uncontrollable situations."

"Probably not. Melvis's mind is very clear, and she seems quite rational. She shouldn't lose control."

As both a friend and a regulator, Pedeline recounted what she had seen and heard that day with a mixture of worry and relief.

"Yes, you've worked hard. I hope you have a peaceful night."

After bowing in prayer, the two soon left the sanctuary surrounded by the prayers, walking away into the twilight.

"Aren't you going to report this to Ms. Z?"

"Yes, tonight is the Blood Moon, which occurs once every three years. At this time, the sealed artifacts placed at the bottom will often cause some degree of disturbance, and the effects of their extraordinary characteristics will be amplified. Therefore, Ms. Zelena usually personally oversees the event to prevent any accidents from happening."

"What about us?"

Charlotte parted her lips slightly, wanting to know her own role in all of this.

"Of course, everyone should go home. Sealed artifacts use babbling and illusions to lure ordinary people, and the same goes for low-sequence extraordinary beings. So, if we were there, we would also be a destabilizing factor."

Her voice was light and breezy, with occasional playful upturns, yet anyone could hear the red-haired girl's helplessness.

"Well, let's not talk about this anymore. Actually, Charlotte, I want to become friends with everyone, beyond business matters. When you walked in, I was so surprised, I thought, how could there be such a beautiful person in the world?"

"so?"

She looked at Pederina with great interest, and the little conch's praise pleased her.

Please praise me even more; I would love to hear it whether it's my appearance or my abilities.

"So, I really wanted a friend like this to brag to others, and I couldn't help but get inspired, so I wrote the score last night, which made me a little sleepy this morning."

Like a chirping little bird, the red-haired girl circled around Charlotte, occasionally sharing her thoughts in a romantic manner.

"By the way, there's a performance by the Kingdom Theatre Company tonight. I heard that the opera star, Ms. Falinger, will also be there. If we miss this, we might only be able to see such a spectacle again in Florence."

Raising her fingertips and resting them on her chin, Pedeline pondered with a hint of distress, yet—

"I am willing."

Without explanation, the blond man simply spoke calmly yet solemnly.

"Huh? You mean going to see that opera together?"

Meeting the seashell maiden's bewildered gaze, Charlotte gently curled the corners of her lips into a rare smile.

"No, go a little further. I mean, I'm willing to become your friend outside of work, gradually getting to know you from strangers to being able to talk about anything."

This is the truth. After changing her environment and no longer being completely helpless, she naturally needs new social relationships, and pretty and valuable girls are naturally her first choice.

"Really? Everyone in the arbitration panel is a bit of a taciturn person. Although they've been very considerate of me, it's hard for anyone to understand each other if they don't talk about certain things. I thought you, Charlotte, were also the kind of person who wasn't good with words. After all, you've been very calm from beginning to end."

"The calm and strength are just a facade for outsiders. When we first met, you said that as girls of the same age, we should have more to talk about. In reality, stripped of the mask, Miss O'Shaw is just an ordinary girl who has been wronged and suffers, and who longs for friendship. She is happy to listen to any music played by a friend."

Listening to the former's story, Pedeline was stunned for a long time. Then, her eyebrows and eyes became more and more excited, and her voice became more and more gentle.

She lowered her eyes and whispered.

"That's really great."

Then, opening her arms, the red-haired girl gave Charlotte a big hug, a brief but passionate embrace.

"See you tomorrow?"

"See you tomorrow!"

Saying goodbye, at the crossroads facing the street, Charlotte quietly reflected on the day's gains and losses.

Reporting Melissant would likely earn her some credit in the arbitration court, while getting to know Pederine would solidify her position. Having such a passionate socialite would make everything she did and said much easier. Secondly, she would indeed meet with Melissant again, but only after watching tonight's opera performance.

She had accepted Farlinger's invitation and was obliged to be a spectator.

I found a cheap newspaper, and as a celebrity of the entire empire, the legendary 'Salome,' there were almost countless reports about this performance, praising Faringer's beauty and superb acting skills in every word.

Of course, this time it won't be Miss O'Shaw who's going, but rather—

Fine snowflakes cascaded down from the sky, but a black umbrella shielded them from the wind and rain. The brown-haired beauty, about to depart, draped a coat over them and whispered words of comfort.

"It's windy at night, so please keep warm."

After saying just that, Isabella left the black umbrella behind and went alone to the brightly lit theater.

The performance was already halfway through, and the black-haired woman was kneeling in the center of the stage. Her lavender-purple dress was stained bright red, and the high-hanging lights mercilessly shone down, adding a halo to her bloodless face. This was the set design, the embellishment of the environment.

"The white candles burned on the side, and one could almost hear the sobbing of loved ones; the birds perched on them, and one could almost hear their bright chirping."

It is the description in the narration, the climax of a piece of music.

But then, at the next sentence, the next step, the frail woman suddenly began to tremble.

She staggered, covering her face and groaning in pain. The former opera star, Farlinger, fell like a mad cat that had fallen into the water, leaving behind a few specks of blood.

However, this disqualifying performance was so convincing that both the colleagues behind the scenes and the audience below the stage considered it a display of talent and did not have any doubts, except for the kind doctor who was about to arrive.

She raised her hand, raised her voice, and said:

"please wait a while!"

P.S.: Sorry for the late update.

Chapter 116 Madman and Doctor

The voice that was about to stop her was barely out of her mouth when, before anyone in the audience could ask, the fallen figure raised his eyebrows and opened and closed his lips as if he were begging her for something.

Farling thought to herself—

No.

Perhaps the audience was still immersed in the former's reputation and believed it was due to his vivid acting skills, but whether it was a sudden tremor or disordered breathing, it was enough for Charlotte to diagnose the severity of the other party's condition.

This opera star of the Hastings Empire has been tarnished and has fallen seriously ill.

"Madam, please refrain from making loud noises in the theater."

"Ms. Farlinger has not finished her performance yet, and it would be impolite to interrupt her abruptly."

......

The clamor of voices was like a tidal wave crashing over her. Facing several questioning and unfriendly gazes, Charlotte finally fell silent and returned to her seat at the back.

She was not afraid of the hostility of many eyes and ears, but she would only sit down willingly after the protagonist of the performance had spoken, to see how that person would save face.

"Catarina was deeply moved by her lover's heartfelt words. She staggered forward toward that figure, like a fledgling bird, and even foolishly and awkwardly tripped and fell to the ground..."

The narrator continued to read vividly, and under his impassioned voice, the seemingly realistic but actually flawed acting was quickly covered up by the beautiful words, blending with the clear and melodious aria, turning into an inconspicuous ripple.

Gradually, the noise faded away, and if you held your breath, you could hear faint sobs from the audience.

Emotions shift so quickly; the songs that accompany the ears seem to possess a strange magic, easily stirring up the cracks in one's heart and painting a picture of sorrow.

Pinkerton eventually left, embarking on a journey with grand ambitions, leaving his homeland for an unknown end. Only Catalina remained alone in the castle, waiting day and night, believing that he would return. Not for love, but for waiting, waiting for a promise that would never be fulfilled.

"One year, three years, ten years, thirty years..."

As the first act came to a close, the gentle melody gradually shifted, transforming from sweet to mournful, with each note carrying a tearing pain.

"She waited night after night, but he never turned back. Thirty years passed like a single day. She was no longer as pretty and beautiful as she once was. Her hair was gray and her temples were white. Only the sun and moon faithfully stayed by her side, preparing the morning dew for her every day, and watching the starry sky and the flickering light of the fireplace with her."

The sobs from the audience grew louder, and the aroma of incense wafted around them, gradually blurring their vision.

This story wasn't new; at least, Charlotte had heard it too many times before. It was all the same, and she would only laugh at the meaningless waiting and the weakness of her heart in her heart. But then, those who witnessed it wiped their eyes and shed tears for the people on stage, as if it were only natural.

Yes, they should be applauding and cheering. If they don't join in, wouldn't they be going against the will of the people in the capital, telling others that they have no taste and have fallen into a low class?

“You lied to me, Pinkerton… You said you would come back and give me back all the tenderness I hadn’t given you, but thirty years have passed, and my youth is gone too. I thought nothing could separate us anymore, but time has made it impossible for me to believe and wait.”

A long lavender-purple dress lay scattered on the table, its folds ruffled by the breeze. The thin scarf woven from soft feathers could not contain her slender shoulders. She bent over, concealing her dry, tearful eyes, like a willow swaying in the wind, like any lonely, heartbroken person, but unlike herself.

A ray of moonlight pierced through the clouds and slanted into a corner of the stage, draping it in a vibrant crimson hue.

It is the blood moon that Pederina mentioned.

Looking up at the perfectly round yet eerily crimson full moon, Charlotte smiled indifferently. Her only thought was—

It happens only once every three years, which is rare and very beautiful.

The spiritual restlessness is much more lively than before, but the vast ocean in my heart is only rippling with faint waves.

Then, looking down at the dark-haired beauty in the distance, who was overcoming her illness and pursing her lips, Charlotte lowered her eyebrows in slight surprise.

Under the spiritual vision, just like the earliest descriptions, spirits lingered around Farlinge like drifting catkins. She did indeed reveal genuine emotions during the performance, but this was created through a process akin to a spirit possession.

So, that's why they're famous—by bringing horrible dead upon beautiful bodies?

Her singing was not her singing, her dancing was not her dancing, and even her expressions were not her expressions. This could naturally be attributed to some extraordinary ability, and as for Faringer's confused thoughts, she seemed quite resistant to them and did not understand them.

However, no one cared; all eyes were focused on that beautiful face and the lifelike performance, like a hungry dog ​​chasing a back, the faster it ran, the more it pursued.

As the final curtain fell, the dim lights illuminated the beautiful woman on stage, drawing the attention of the audience. They watched as Farlinger, holding a dagger, slowly plunged it into her pale chest, drawing forth a trail of bright red blood.

"Therefore, I am unwilling to wait any longer. I am willing to use this last bit of brilliance to plunge into hell, so that I may taste your regret and pain..."

The curtain slowly fell.