Chapter 83. Sudden Action

“Did you enjoy the opera?”

Alyssa asked in a friendly tone, and the Duke of Blanche replied,

“It was a story with a clear beginning, middle, and end. Though it was a shame the villain was dealt with too easily, the psychological portrayal was excellent.”

It was high praise from someone who had just dismissed it as a cheap story. For someone as arrogant as him, that was a significant compliment.

“I’m glad you enjoyed it. I was worried the content was too provocative and over-the-top.”

“Isn’t that the trend these days?”

“Indeed, reality is often more dramatic than opera.”

Alyssa agreed, glancing at Isabelle. Then she spoke casually.

“Sis, you don’t look well.”

“I’m fine. It’s just that being in an enclosed space for so long made me a bit dizzy.”

Isabelle explained nonchalantly, but her hand gripping the fan trembled with tension.

She should have been wary when it was presented as a gift. Fortunately, the Duke seemed oblivious.

Alyssa seemed intent on driving Isabelle mad by getting on her nerves.

‘Did you call me here for this?’

Isabelle’s eyes asked, and Alyssa simply smiled.

It was a mocking smile that seemed to say, ‘Do you like my gift?’ Maintaining her composure was draining Isabelle’s energy.

At that moment, the Duke stroked his chin and said,

“Well, the gentleman seemed like an idiot to me. To think he couldn’t see through such an obvious ploy from that woman, and yet he’s a nobleman.”

He had no idea he was criticizing himself. Camilla barely suppressed her laughter.

“Indeed. Such absurd stories need a foolish supporting character to be entertaining.”

“Entertaining? It seemed like a disgrace to nobility.”

The Duke boasted that he would never be fooled like that. It was a ridiculous statement coming from the very person who had been deceived.

“You’re leaving for Kamatie?”

“Yes. I’ve been assigned to the branch there. I wish I could stay longer, but it’s a shame.”

“Why not stay a bit longer? I was just about to offer you a good position.”

The Duke, not wanting to let Alyssa go, spoke kindly as if he was offering a sweet deal. But Alyssa took a step back.

“I appreciate the offer, but I’m glad I could introduce you to the Marquis of Letia before leaving.”

“Haha, that’s a shame.”

The Duke clinked glasses with Alyssa, pretending to be regretful. Then he turned his attention to Joseph.

“I’ve been curious for a while. What’s your relationship with him? You don’t seem like just friends…”

The Duke seemed very interested in the minstrel staying at the villa with Alyssa. Alyssa smiled.

“We’re more than friends. We’re like family, even though we don’t share blood.”

“Is that so?”

The Duke’s interest waned slightly at the mention of family. He seemed to think such friendships were impossible between men and women. He might have suspected Alyssa was secretly dating Joseph.

“Here you are.”

The atmosphere grew lively when the Marquis of Letia arrived. Those attending the reception whispered about the relationship between the Blanche and Letia families.

As the reception neared its end, the Duke of Blanche requested a private conversation with the Marquis of Letia.

“I have something to discuss privately…”

At that moment, Paris, who had fled earlier, burst into the reception hall.

“Oh! The party’s still going on!”

Unlike when he had fled, he seemed extremely agitated. His face was still pale, but his bloodshot eyes gleamed dangerously.

His voice even sounded cheerful. He spotted us and approached quickly.

He exuded a precarious aura. His face and unfocused eyes suggested he was not in his right mind, even for someone drunk.

The Duke of Blanche frowned upon seeing Paris belatedly. He seemed even more displeased as he was about to move to a private conversation with the Marquis of Letia.

“It seems my son is quite drunk. He’s not usually like this.”

“Parties are meant for getting drunk, after all.”

The Marquis of Letia responded smoothly to the Duke’s excuse. At that moment, Camilla whispered to Aster, sensing something was off.

“Something’s strange.”

Paris had been under immense mental pressure lately. A weak-hearted Paris wouldn’t have returned to the reception, which was suspicious.

Just as we were worried he might cause trouble, Aster suddenly embraced Camilla, shielding her. At the same time, Paris pulled out a gun and aimed it at Alyssa.

“How dare you show me such an opera?!”

“!!”

“Paris!”

Isabelle had no time to intervene. The usually boastful and cowardly Paris pulled the trigger. It was unclear what possessed him to fire a gun in a crowded place, but many eyes were watching.

Bang!

The gunshot rang out, and people screamed. Those half-drunk were thrown into chaos.

“Kyaaah!”

“The young duke of Blanche shot someone!”

The joyous reception was suddenly consumed by icy terror. Alyssa stared blankly at the man who had shielded her.

“Joseph?”

“Ugh.”

Joseph, who had taken the bullet for Alyssa, staggered and collapsed. Blood gushed from his chest.

Alyssa’s mind froze in disbelief. She never expected Paris to fire a gun in such a public setting.

If Joseph hadn’t intervened, Alyssa would have been hit.

At that moment, Paris, the cause of the chaos, clicked his tongue. His reaction was disturbingly nonchalant for someone who had just shot a person.

“Tsk.”

In truth, Paris had been frequenting bars and hanging out with bad company lately. Through them, he had been introduced to substances that made him feel good, which led to his downfall.

Curious, he had tried what was essentially a sedative, and his consumption had gradually increased. By now, he couldn’t do without it, and his bad friends began demanding money.

Lacking funds, he often pawned his jewelry. Upon seeing the opera, Paris, already on edge, had taken all the drugs he had on him.

It was his first time consuming such a large amount at once. After passing out from an overdose and waking up, Paris was not in his right mind.

Though he often felt the urge to kill those who tormented him, he never acted on it, knowing it was unethical.

But under the influence of drugs, Paris had no such restraint.

“Damn, I meant to blow her head off.”

Paris, who enjoyed hunting, had aimed precisely at Alyssa’s head. Unfortunately, the taller Joseph had blocked his shot, causing the bullet to hit Joseph’s chest.

Paris tried to aim at Alyssa again, but the guards at the reception quickly subdued him. Though caught off guard initially, they wouldn’t let it happen twice.

“Let me go! I’ll kill you all!”

Disarmed, Paris struggled wildly. Pinned to the ground, he giggled maniacally.

His deranged state shocked everyone. Some people had been injured in the panic caused by the gunshot, making the scene even more chaotic.

“Get a doctor! Call a doctor immediately!”

Meanwhile, Joseph was losing consciousness, coughing up blood. At Alyssa’s desperate cry, the guards rushed to fetch a doctor.

But the location of the gunshot wound was critical. Camilla averted her gaze from Joseph’s fading eyes. There was no hope.

Alyssa, whether she knew this or not, clung to him, sobbing uncontrollably.

“No, brother-in-law! You can’t lose consciousness! You can’t die! Please…!”

Camilla was the one taken aback. Alyssa was so frantic that she didn’t even realize what she was calling Joseph.

But everyone present could clearly hear the word. It was an irreversible situation.

Camilla feigned surprise, covering her mouth with her hand. The attendees at the reception began to whisper.

“Brother-in-law?”

“Lady Brilly only has a sister, doesn’t she…?”

“Then that man is…”

Unable to continue, their gazes turned to Isabelle. Given the recent play, their thoughts naturally leaned in that direction.

Isabelle was already pale from the chaotic situation.

Paris’s sudden action was one thing, but Alyssa’s words were the bigger problem. The Duke of Blanche, finally grasping the situation, couldn’t hide his anger.

He had been laughing at the gentleman in the opera just a moment ago. Now, he found himself in a similar predicament.

“Hah!”

“Hahaha!”

The Duke let out a breath of disbelief. Paris’s maniacal laughter created a bizarre scene.

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