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Chapter 43 Part 10 – We will once again challenge the nightmare ball that has driven mother to the brink of abandonment. Without realizing that Solomon is present there in the dark.

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Aquilegia

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Countess Rosenthal stood by the window looking down on the gathering guests.
Since the theme of the masquerade ball was the Silver Age, it was as if she were looking at a scene from over a hundred years ago.

The fullness of the skirts was wider across than it is in the current age and the unaccustomed ladies were blushing as they bumped their skirts here and there. Men who know each other laugh at each other’s slash-filled outfits.
One after another, carriages arrive at the entrance, spit out the nobles, and then drive off to the waiting area, following the guidance. The incessant sound of wheels and the high-pitched voices reading the names of the invited guests are uninterrupted.
It is the custom of the red nobles to read out the names of the guests at the ball.

After passing through the vast entrance hall, which was crowded with people, the guests climbed the huge staircase.
Those who wish to leave their coats or groom themselves go to the dressing room, and those who wish to relax go to the reception room. Those who wish to greet Countess Rosenthal as soon as possible hurry directly to the ballroom. Most people go directly to the ballroom. This is not surprising, since most of the people participating are here to flatter Countess Rosenthal.

However, the hostess of the mansion who is supposed to greet them has dressed up, but still made the guests wait for her, calmly relaxing in her room. It is as if she is flaunting her authority. That the only one allowed to do so is Countess Rosenthal.

Having become the favorite mistress of the previous king at a young age, she was still in her prime.
Her natural beauty, combined with her arrogant confidence, gave her an aura as if she had nothing to fear. The combination of her bosom that was exposed as much as possible, her excessively decorated hair, an artificial beauty spot, and her flamboyantly colored outfit, which reminded one of a tropical bird, was a sight that people would burst out laughing at if she had made one wrong move. However, she wore them well with an atmosphere and behavior that overwhelmed everyone around her. At the very least, Countess Rosenthal was not a clown who did not know how to show off her charm. She is a beautiful and seasoned actress, that’s my impression of her. Her beautiful brown hair and the eye color were the only remnants of the days when she was once a maiden.

「…… I have brought a drink.」

A young maid with braids entered the room with a silver goblet on a tray.
She was as expressionless as a doll.
Countess Rosenthal put her finger on the stem of the cup and spilled the contents of the goblet onto the maid.
Without blinking, the maid had the contents poured over her head.
The contents were red wine. It stained the maid like blood.
The maid’s eyelids did not move and her gaze remained fixed in front of her, even though the wine was pouring into her eyes. It was a bizarre sight.

「…… I don’t need any more drinks. There is not enough red in this room. I want more red color.」

In her room, the walls and floor were all red.
Countess Rosenthal glanced at the knife next to the fruit basket on the table.
Her eyes shone eerily.

「…… Understood.」

The maid nodded, took the knife, and pressed it against her own white throat.
Although her movements have been like an automatic puppet, at this moment the maid’s facial expression showed her confusion.

「…… Ah …… I …… What?」

She began to cry and her hands started to tremble.

「…… Hurry up and do it.」

But as Countess Rosenthal’s eyes shone even more intensely, the maid’s expression disappeared once again.

「…… Yes, I understand.」

Without hesitation, she slit her throat at once.
It was a bizarre sight to behold, as the girl’s arm strength was simply not up to the task.
Blood spurted out as tall as she was, dyeing the expensive carpet with blood, and the maid collapsed to the ground.
Tears glistened in the corner of her eye as she remained expressionless.

「…… Mom …… Dad ……」

The maid muttered with blood foams and died with her eyes open.
A pool of blood spread beneath the girl’s body.
Countess Rosenthal was ecstatically gazed at the carpet, which was dyed in a vivid red.

「…… It’s the eye color of that man, the Crimson Duke. How beautiful ……!!」

The Countess hugged herself, her breath trembling with ecstasy.

「I feel as if I am staring into that person’s eyes. If only he could only see me in his eyes, I wouldn’t need anything else. I can even go up the gallows right away ….!!」

「…… Fufufu, you who are feared as a monster in the aristocratic society, are willing to give up your life for love!! Love is such a deadly poison!」

A voice suddenly rang from behind the Countess.
A tall young man, wearing a jet-black academic gown, stood with his arms outstretched where no one was there a moment before. His ten fingers were twisted like claws, and the round lenses of his pince-nez glasses were glaring like an insect. His white, handsome face makes the insanity that oozes out of him stand out even more.

「…… Solomon. As usual, you always appear so unexpectedly.」

Countess Rosenthal was not surprised.
Because it was useless to be surprised.
She was well aware of the power of this silver-haired mysterious person. He may even have access to the throne rooms of the four large kingdoms.

「First of all, I apologize for entering the lady’s room unannounced. …… I see that you are now quite adept at using the evil eye of manipulation that I gave you. It reminds me of Rudy, one of the five heroes. …… That was a slip of the tongue. I meant him in the previous 「108 times」, not now. …… But I never thought I would see such a cruel scene because of it. Ahh, what a pitiful, unsullied maiden with braids who has never known love.」

The eloquent Solomon looked up to the sky and lamented deliberately.

「…… Love can make or break a person. Life is short, so fall in love. Maiden, may you be born again and discover the beauty of love. Good night for a short while. Sweet dreams.」

When Solomon bent down beside the girl and closed her open eyelids as if to spite her, Countess Rosenthal snapped her feather folding fan against her chest in annoyance.

「You hypocritical mad scientist. Thank you for giving me that power, but do not meddle in the affairs of my servants. Whether they live or die, it is up to me, their owner. She should be happy that she died without ever being defiled. The hearts of the weak are only free when they die and are discarded as garbage. ….Quickly get rid of the corpse, you guys.」

At Countess Rosenthal’s command, several servants entered the room. Just like the deceased girl, their gait and facial expressions lacked vitality. It was like a crowd of ghosts. Countess Rosenthal’s evil eye had taken away their free will. All of them casually grabbed the girl’s corpse and carried her away without a word. It reminded me of giant ants carrying a coffin.

「…… Khaa, mad scientist!! That’s the highest compliment I can get, having sold my soul to learning. A man has to sell his body, mind, and even his soul for the sake of what he loves. At the end of madness, there is a pure heart. That is why I sympathize with you and lend you my strength. You gave up everything in your life to be close to the Crimson Duke, that kind of unrequited and pitiful love.」

Solomon chuckled and pointed his long finger at the Countess.

「You were in the depths of poverty and had no choice but to choose the path of a love harlot to achieve your goal. And through your desperate efforts, you finally rose to the position of the late king’s favorite mistress. You have also earned the title of Countess. At last, you are getting close to the Crimson Duke, your heart was beating fast. However ……」

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