The candlelight made the white silk appear somewhat bright, and in the corner, several musicians were intently playing music.
The elegant sound of the violin filled the entire golden hall, bringing a sense of peace to everyone who entered the mansion.
The nobles exchanged pleasantries and conversations, and upon seeing Augustus and the princess, they would raise their glasses in respect.
August nodded in response to each one, quite pleased with the atmosphere.
It's easy to imagine how much Earl Laureen cared about this banquet and how meticulously he prepared for it.
However, he did not see Archduke Barlow at the banquet.
Although Grand Duke Barlow almost never attends such banquets, today is a special occasion.
His absence surprised August.
As the group walked, the king even noticed the female student, Joanna, who had narrowly lost to him at the academy last time.
She sat quietly to one side of the banquet hall, staring intently at the king when she saw him.
Aurelion also saw the girl.
She remembered that it was Joanna, who came in second place in the academy's arena competition.
The king noticed Aurelion's expression, and when he came to his senses, he turned to look at Hilda:
"I remember, that's your sister Joanna?"
Hilda nodded behind her and replied:
"yes."
"Why don't you go and keep her company?"
“This is Earl Laurean’s territory, and Princess Aurelian is with me, so you don’t need to follow me around all the time.”
Upon hearing this, Hilda's expression softened slightly, and she replied humbly:
"Yes, Your Majesty."
After that, she obediently turned and walked towards Joanna.
Aurelion's gaze remained fixed on Joanna, as if she were paying close attention to her.
Seeing this, August began to explain:
"She is Hilda's sister, and like her sister, she has considerable talent."
"only....."
He seemed to be sighing over something, his gaze fixed in that direction, a hint of nostalgia in his eyes, as he continued:
"Hilda's parents died in an accident after her sister was born."
"It was Hilda who took care of her sister and raised her to adulthood."
At this moment, Hilda had already walked up to Joanna.
Upon seeing her sister's arrival, Joanna still wore a somewhat indifferent expression.
But her gaze shifted from August to her sister, her eyes filled with affection.
Hilda sat down next to Joanna and offered her sister words of comfort and concern.
Seeing the scene before him, August couldn't help but say a few more words:
"Because of Hilda's outstanding performance at the academy and her remarkable talent, she earned two stars and became a true noble viscount."
"I personally awarded her the medal."
Aurelion stood to the side, silent.
August suddenly realized he had gone a bit too far with his sentiments, and coming back to his senses, he couldn't help but smile apologetically:
"Sorry, I got distracted and talked too much."
Aurelion smiled and looked at him:
"It's alright, I actually think you and Viscount Hilda have a good relationship."
August chuckled softly, and said with a hint of helplessness:
"Yeah?"
"Maybe it's because we're classmates."
"Let's keep going."
...
Following the golden staircase, in the golden corridor on the second floor.
Earl Laureen and Victor stood in front of a door.
In the dimly lit corridor, the scarlet "No Entry" sign on the door stood out prominently.
Count Laureen's gaze shifted to Victor.
He noticed the black, one-eyed raven on his shoulder, pecking at its glossy feathers.
Laurie spoke with anticipation, her tone subtly pleading:
"Mr. Victor."
"Can you really cure my wife's epilepsy?"
Viktor paused for a moment, then responded calmly:
"It's worth a try."
Hearing Victor's reply, Laureen took a deep breath and solemnly said:
"Then, I'll leave it to you."
Then, he removed the dark blue barrier and gently pushed open the door.
The view behind the door was pitch black; the candlelight in the corridor could not penetrate the deep darkness of the room.
But the air behind the door felt heavy and viscous, and the stench of blood hit Victor's face, entering his nostrils.
Like clumps of flesh hidden deep within the room.
Viktor stood in the doorway, frowning.
Earl Laureen gazed into the darkness, closed his eyes in anguish, and said forlornly:
“Mr. Victor, I won’t accompany you inside any further.”
"I don't want to see my wife like that in front of outsiders; I won't be able to control my emotions."
The bright moonlight made Laureen's pale hair shine incredibly brightly.
He slowly opened his eyes, and his red eyes, just like his daughter's, revealed a deep seriousness.
"My wife is in danger, although with your strength, it shouldn't be a problem."
"But I still want to remind you to be very careful."
Without saying a word, Viktor stepped into the deep, dark room.
It was as if blackness was slowly churning in the depths, and a pool of dark ink enveloped Viktor's entire body.
With each step forward in the darkness, it felt as if I were sinking deeper into a deathly quagmire.
Squeak—
Bang!
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