An elderly gentleman with a large build was smiling kindly at her.

“It’s a very beautiful mansion.”

Lumiere found herself staring blankly at the approaching elderly gentleman.

Broad shoulders and a robust build.

Neatly combed graying hair.

The elderly gentleman was so stylish that it was difficult to guess his age from his appearance.

His somewhat exotic feel added to his mystique.

Above all, those golden eyes that resembled someone greatly caught Lumiere’s attention.

“How did you know I painted it?”

She carefully asked the elderly gentleman standing beside her.

After staring at the painting for a while, the elderly gentleman turned to Lumiere with a gentle smile and said,

“Because you were looking at it with a longing expression.”

“……Pardon?”

When Lumiere stared intently at the elderly gentleman in confusion, he smiled and shrugged his shoulders.

“The expressions of people longing for someone all look similar.”

“……”

Lumiere unconsciously raised her hand and awkwardly stroked her cheek.

She felt a pang in her heart, wondering if her expression had been so careless that such things were visible.

The elderly gentleman looked at Lumiere with a smile, then clasped his hands behind his back and gazed at the painting of Buchanan Castle for a long time.

Looking back at him, Lumiere thought she understood what the elderly man meant by that “longing expression.”

Why did the expression of someone she was seeing for the first time feel so tender?

“Seeing it in person makes it even more heartbreaking.”

“What do you mean?”

“That this beautiful mansion burned down in an instant.”

“……!”

Lumiere looked up at him in surprise.

The premiere hadn’t started yet, so how did this elderly gentleman know about it?

Lumiere’s heart began to beat anxiously.

‘If my guess is correct…… No, but he couldn’t possibly be here?’

A blush gradually spread across Lumiere’s face.

Just as mild excitement and unbearable curiosity rose to her throat, the elderly gentleman turned to her and smiled.

“It’s a pleasure to meet you, Miss Lumiere Lashantia.”

“Ah……”

Her pounding heart gradually solidified into certainty.

The elderly gentleman kissed her cheek and whispered.

“Please take care of my grandson. He’s a boy who never knows how to act spoiled around me, but he seems quite honest with you.”

In the playfully smiling elderly man’s appearance, she caught a glimpse of him.

“The shining sun of Berhe……!”

“Shh.”

The elderly gentleman smiled, placing a finger over his lips.

“My presence here is officially a secret.”

“Ah……”

“I’ll be watching from afar. Please tell that boy that. Well then, goodbye.”

The elderly gentleman turned and walked away.

Only then did Lumiere notice the security personnel moving around him.

The back of Karl’s maternal grandfather, the King of Berhe, quickly disappeared into the crowd.

* * *

Hoo.

Behind the black curtain.

Beyond the stage where orchestra members busily moved about.

The actors who had been running toward this day gathered in one place and looked at each other.

Tension filled the air.

Hearts raced.

They were all actors who had been performing in operas for over ten years.

Ten years, or twenty years.

Or even longer—their faces, those who had been singing and acting, were flushed like children’s.

It had been a long time since everyone had felt such a heart-pounding stage.

“This is really thrilling, a stage where we might have to risk our lives. Right?”

At one person’s words, everyone burst into laughter and nodded.

It would be a dangerous and provocative story.

Perhaps even for themselves who would be performing it.

Nevertheless, they had all prepared their best.

The moment they received the script, they felt they had to act, had to sing.

It wasn’t simply because this was the final stage for their beloved Elina.

It was the duty and honor of those who had learned the weight of truth that had been buried for over three years.

“Anyway, we all live off someone’s attention. The hotter it is, the more brilliantly it will burn.”

“That’s right. Come on, let’s all go in hot!”

Ding—

Finally, the orchestra played the first note announcing the start.

The melody announcing the beginning of the spring banquet echoed throughout the stage and the Sun Hall, the largest hall in the Cissus Opera House.

The actors all joined hands.

Praying that nothing would happen.

Or…… praying that something truly tremendous would happen.

* * *

Act 1. Young Spring, Spring Banquet.

The orchestra music begins softly like tender new buds.

A lovely girl, like a young bluebird, hides in her attic and sings about the party soon to be held in this mansion.

All her family members are looking for the girl.

The girl’s name is Philia Buchanan.

Indeed, she was the first protagonist of this opera.

“……Buchanan?”

At that moment, some people watching the opera began to murmur.

Though the name had been erased now, any decent noble would know ‘Buchanan.’

Ladies hiding their faces with fans whispered with anxious expressions.

“If it’s Buchanan……”

“……Could this possibly be the story from that time?”

“I’m not sure. I don’t really……”

A wave of anxiety swept through the audience.

Nevertheless, the opera had begun, and the next story unfolded immediately.

“What’s your name?”

“My name is Laedro Carlei Stings Winger. I’m the future Crown Prince of this country!”

“I am Philia Buchanan. I’m the future owner of this mansion!”

“How can you be the owner when Rudels is here?”

“Rudels promised to give it to me. Rudels loves me very much.”

“Oh my goodness! Coveting the family head’s possessions—you’re going to get punished!”

“Hmph! Rudels will go to a bigger place. He’ll become someone greater! So giving me Buchanan mansion is nothing.”

“Instead of that, why don’t you come to the capital?”

“……What would I do there?”

“Well, perhaps play the role of the future Crown Prince’s fiancée?”

“……”

Philia Buchanan’s face turned red.

The girl glanced sourly at the boy before speaking arrogantly like a queen.

“I shall consider it, Your Highness.”

The boy and girl locked eyes.

The two children created a cute secret time hidden in the small attic.

The sound of children’s laughter echoed.

Everyone smiled, forgetting their uneasiness at the lovely scene.

The music continued, very softly and carefully, until all the nobles gathered at the mansion.

And finally, when about 100 nobles gathered at Buchanan mansion to enjoy the spring banquet, a dark shadow seeped into the midst.

Screech—

A subtle dissonant chord intruded into the orchestra’s gentle flowing music.

Act 2. The Children Were Hidden in the Attic.

The candles burned brightly, the party music sounded sweet, and the skirts of the dancing ladies spread out like blooming flowers.

Elina Buick and Madame Rosa appeared in the center, anchoring this play.

Their spinning dance movements were elegant, and the Crown Prince and his close associate, Duke Buchanan, escorted their wives with impeccably polite and splendid manners.

There was no hint of illicit affair anywhere.

Philia, who had been properly keeping her place at the banquet, quarreled with Rudels and once again hid in her secret place.

“Bad Rudels! You promised we’d stay together for a long, long time this time!”

She felt hurt that her brother said he would return to the capital soon.

The prince came to the sulking girl, offering her a lemon candy.

The two hid in the attic, building their own narrative.

It was a peaceful and sweet time.

If only someone hadn’t dragged an unconscious duchess into the room.

The music instantly changed to something dark and secretive.

Uneasiness seeped into what had been sweet emotions.

Those watching unconsciously tightened their grip on their fans.

A maid undressing the unconscious duchess, a thug killing the maid, the boy and girl watching with bated breath……

“How strange, Duke Buchanan asked to meet me here?”

Then Crown Prince Richard enters, seemingly unaware of anything.

The Crown Prince looks around in confusion, discovers the duchess lying disheveled on the bed, and becomes flustered.

“Wh-what is this……! Diena, why are you in such a state……!”

And just as he approaches her,

“Here, a suspicious person brought the duchess in…… Ah, no, Richard! Why are you here……!”

“Geril Stings” appears with people in tow, as if he had been waiting.

……Gulp.

People who had been chatting while watching the opera all closed their mouths and focused on the play.

They couldn’t come to their senses because the opera showed a story completely different from what they knew.

The actors performed so well that it was impossible not to be immersed.

Those who had kept their mouths tightly shut gasped when Geril, who had been arguing with Richard, and Duke Buchanan drew their swords against him.

“Kyaaaaaah!”

A song like a scream, fast and desperate, instantly dominated the theater.

“Gasp!”

“M-my goodness!”

Some people unconsciously squeezed their eyes shut, while others covered their mouths in shock.

‘That’s…… treason!’

No one said it aloud, but everyone swallowed the word behind tightly closed lips.

That was an accusation about the “treason” that happened that day.

Some began to doubt whether they should be watching this.

Though more than a decade had passed, the horrific truth had been laid bare before them.

“……It must be fictional, right? Surely this can’t be real?”

“W-well…”

“Shh— This is an important scene. Since we’ve come this far, we shouldn’t miss a single scene.”

Among those watching the opera were members of Tartien’s faction.

They hurriedly whispered among themselves, sensing something ominous, but the opera had already begun and no one could stop this song.

“Save me!”

“Fire! Everyone escape!”

“Geril Stings set the fire!”

“Someone, please, someone save us!”

Like Geril Stings who was determined to turn the spring banquet into a sea of blood.

Now no one

could turn back this play.