Chapter 89

#089 The Ghost of Padtrua (4)

"‘Esprit’ likes the darkness as a monster should. Its main diet is the corpses of monsters, but it also feeds on noise and mana."

Sir Haines explained. I nodded as I listened to his explanation.

"If it likes darkness and noise, there would be no better place than an opera house. It could hide in the audience and absorb the music and applause."

"Yes. Since it’s difficult to find monster corpses in the capital, it might have taken refuge here. When it’s really desperate, it probably takes the mana of the actors."

Christel, who had been listening to the conversation between Sir Haines and me, her eyes sparkled.

"Should we just sweep it away? We could clean the entire theater with water. Or, Your Highness, you could set it on fire. With the prince here, there’s plenty of ether."

"Princess Christel, that might be a bit difficult."

It was Sir Elizabeth who spoke. She smiled at her friend with a troubled look.

"This is the capital, after all. A full-scale ‘monster extermination’ to hunt a monster would be different. If you capture a monster with great power in front of many people, it would create anxiety among the citizens of the capital. Since the opponent is a low-level monster, I don’t recommend an excessive response."

"Ugh."

Christel put her hand to her chin.

"Also, Your Highness will ascend to the position of Crown Prince the month after next. It’s best not to be the subject of any noble gossip until then."

Indeed, she acted like a true successor to a viscount who had been the lifelong close friend of a prince.

I glanced at Prince Cedric, who stood like a statue.

The appearance of a holy knight in the empire is certainly a blessing.

However, there’s a big difference between him using his holy power to knock down a ruffian and give a sprite shower, and setting fire to a theater in the heart of the capital.

Most would hail him as a hero, but some would feel fear.

Even if he is to become the emperor, he wouldn’t like that.

"Can we evacuate the audience in advance?"

I asked. The four of them stared at me intently.

"I know the monster can transform into a human. If we move the crowd rashly, it might mix in and escape. But is there really no way to identify it?"

Trapping it in the theater is the most reliable method.

But how can we find it when we don’t know who it has transformed into?

Moreover, even if we take a ‘stealth’ approach, we can’t leave so many civilians in the operation area.

This is a headache.

"Since it’s a monster, it probably can’t speak human language."

Christel’s lowered head suddenly shot up.

Sir Haines and I opened our mouths in surprise. Indeed.

The monster can only copy physical traits, not language skills.

It wouldn’t be able to respond to our questions. Hmm, this alone isn’t enough.

"There is a way to identify it for sure."

Sir Haines, who had been quietly observing us, spoke up.

His drooping eyes held a subtle hint of mischief.

He looked back and forth between Christel and the prince, speaking softly like a breeze.

"It’s a bit tricky, but those I teach should be able to find it."

*

"I’m nervous."

"Stay calm, Your Highness. Everyone will do well."

Sir Haines said, trying to reassure me.

He always addressed me as ‘Your Highness’ when we were alone.

Even though he had given up his nationality and joined the Vatican, his origin was the Penetian Holy Kingdom.

I tried to focus on something else and stared intently at the stage.

Sir Haines and I stood at the back of the first floor, against a wall where no one would notice us, only making breathing sounds.

Finally, the orchestra’s grand performance ended, and the dancers began to exit the stage one by one.

The red curtain slowly covered the stage and then quickly opened to the sides.

The first act was about to begin.

I barely managed to suppress a laugh at the scene before me.

"Ah!"

No, I couldn’t hold it in. The actor on stage was...

"O! My beautiful Daphnis. Are you feigning death like this to beg me to wake you? Or has the cruel god truly taken you from my arms?"

His mouth dropped open in surprise. Had he memorized all that already?

Our protagonist, with a white half-mask covering his face, was displaying incredible acting skills.

Although he stumbled a bit in the middle, it was hard to believe he was a beginner.

Christel soon collapsed to the ground, unable to contain her sorrow, and looked at ‘Daphnis’ lying in the black coffin.

Sweat formed on her palms.

The first act of "The Ghost of Padtrua" begins with the dramatic parting of Daphnis and Chloe.

Daphnis, a ballerina, wants to make Chloe, who has guided her and composed music for her since childhood, a complete captive, even taking her own life as a hostage.

She takes a potion that makes her appear dead, and Chloe believes that Daphnis has truly died because of her.

It’s a fusion of "The Phantom of the Opera" and Shakespeare.

-Clap!

Christel reached out and firmly grabbed the cheek of the man lying in the coffin. I flinched.

She should caress it!

"Too cold. Like the ice of the North Sea! No, I can’t believe it!"

Most of the audience seemed to be completely absorbed in her performance, unaware of what was happening, but I saw it clearly.

Daphnis, buried in flowers, clenched his fist!

"Ah. Frustration, no. Anger. I want to break the wheels of fate that took you away! But to do so, I must destroy myself..."

Christel held the prince’s cheeks and trembled.

Some of the audience already let out sympathetic sighs.

But from what I could see, she was struggling with the next line and action.

Is that all? For someone so handsome?

"The last... If this is the last, then this is the final... Mmm... Mmm..."

The words she mumbled were ‘kiss’.

She continued to move her lips, but I couldn’t hear what she was saying.

Christel slowly leaned her face over the coffin.

The prince’s picturesque profile was visible, but no one seemed to believe it was the real prince.

Her pink hair fell and mixed with his jet-black hair.

I quickly covered my mouth with both hands. Jin Eun-seo, are you watching?

"Ah!"

Just before their noses touched, Christel screamed and jumped up.

The audience sighed. What a shame!

"Hmm. This is it. Now, the song. The rhythm of our... event."

Love, right? Regardless of my confusion, Christel quickly found her rhythm.

The lines didn’t matter; she wanted to get to the aria quickly.

After all, finding the monster was the most urgent.

The perfect pair, with the ear-piercing noise and the powerful mana of the wizard, and the abomination that could provoke the monster’s aggressiveness.

-♩♪♬······

The orchestra’s tragic and poignant melody filled the air.

Even though the two didn’t share a farewell kiss, the audience easily immersed themselves in the drama and understood the flow.

Fortunately...

"Hmm, hmm."

Christel stepped forward to the front of the stage and cleared her throat. That was the signal.

Sir Haines and I exchanged glances. Then,

"Now! Where are you? When will you come? Oh, oh?"

Wait, that’s not right! I opened my eyes wide.

The lyrics and sentiment were so foreign to the ‘Retirement Duke’ world.

Instead of a lament for Daphnis, ‘Chloe’ was singing a street vendor’s call.

The pitch and rhythm were completely off from the orchestra’s performance, and the nobles murmured.

Still, her powerful voice was a blessing. The monster would react soon!

"Will you come? Oh, oh! Oh, oh, oh!"

The protagonist enunciated the lyrics clearly, scanning the dark audience with large eyes.

No fourth floor, third floor, second floor... I could feel the tension in Sir Haines’ bicep beside me.

Christel’s voice echoed loudly throughout the theater.

"Underworld! The path is long! You! First floor, A section! Row H, seat 13!"

-Bang!

At her words, Sir Haines darted to the coordinates.

A white wind swept past my hair.

I quickly unfolded the sacred sanctuary and walked out.

A circle 30 meters in diameter enveloped dozens of audience members in a brilliant golden light.

Now it’s a race against time!

[Everyone, please stand up calmly and leave the main entrance in an orderly manner. Follow the instructions of the royal guards until you return home!]

"Yes, yes!"

"I understand, Your Highness!"

The nobles bowed their heads and stood up in a rush. The power of the divine message was strong.

Those outside the sanctuary were very confused, but the audience who heard me began to line up calmly, and they followed suit.

-Bang!

"This is the Royal Guard. Everyone, please evacuate!"

"A low-level monster has appeared! We are taking action, so please evacuate!"

Doors opened in sequence in the second and third floor boxes and the fourth floor audience.

I could hear Sir Elizabeth’s voice leading the crowd from a distance.

I continued to issue divine messages, focusing on where I could see children.

[Don’t worry. Everyone will be safe. Leave in an orderly manner!]

"Ah!"

[Oh, how scary. It’s okay. Nothing will happen.]

I gently picked up a child who was crying in fear and smiled.

The little one, sensing my ether, stopped crying immediately.

The parents bowed deeply in gratitude.

After handing the child over gently and turning my gaze, the stage was right in front of me.

Christel threw off her mask as she watched the crowd evacuate like a receding tide.

"Teacher!"

She shouted loudly, looking towards the A section. But Sir Haines said,

"It’s a copy."

There were two of them! The prince, who had walked out of the coffin, immediately drew his holy sword.

I was shocked to see the two men fighting, their white hair flying.

They looked exactly the same, without a single flaw.

Due to copying physical traits, the monster was as fast and strong as Sir Haines. However,

-Boom!

The prince’s shadow shot out like a bullet. The theater floor was indented.

Even though the lights were now on in the audience, the prince already knew how to distinguish the monster.

Christel had used the same method to pinpoint its coordinates.

"Keh!"

-Boom!

-Haaak!

Sir Haines quickly moved to avoid the spot where the prince’s sword deeply pierced.

The monster also instantly dodged his attack and made a threatening sound.

The speed of the archbishop-level holy knight copy was incredible.

The monster’s eyes glowed like a luminescent sticker. That was it.

A creature that reacts to prey and emits light in the darkness.

Esprit, meaning ‘ghost,’ was named for this reason.

-Huff!

The monster lunged at the prince with a movement invisible to the eye. It’s over.

Since it only copied a human’s ‘body’ and couldn’t use ether or mana, it couldn’t face the holy sword with bare hands...

But then, the monster noticed me.

-Swoosh!

"That’s it!"

I shouted. The monster was smiling at me, taking my form.

For a moment, the prince’s movement faltered.

He let his fist drop and, uncharacteristically, struck the monster with the scabbard. Fool!

-Smack!

"It’s my turn!"

‘It’s easy for the prince!’

Christel let out a cheerful, sad sound and pounced on the monster rolling on the floor.

I closed my eyes tightly and bent down under a chair. I wanted to complete my assigned task.

I needed to check if anyone was left in the audience,

"Ah, you little—!"

But Christel shouted loudly in anger. I was startled and straightened up again.

My jaw dropped at the scene before me.

The prince had one arm around Christel’s waist and the other hand gripping her wrist, bringing his lips close...

"Wow, almost exactly like the cover—"

-Smack!

The protagonist headbutted him in the jaw. It sounded like a watermelon cracking!

-Haaak, Haaak!

The monster, in the prince’s form, writhed in pain and retreated.

Its appearance flickered like a mirage, alternating between clear and blurry.

The moment of staggering didn’t last long.

Christel, who was thoroughly enraged, immediately pulled a long ice spear from her hand,

-Pierce!

-Crash!

and deeply stabbed the monster’s left eye. At the same time, a black sword tip emerged from its right eye.

A black-haired man, equally enraged, had thrust the holy sword from behind.

-Kaaak!

The monster screamed.

As the prince ruthlessly pulled out the sword, the forms it had copied over time flashed rapidly over its body like TV channels.

I swallowed hard, checking the last seat on the first floor. It’s almost over.

The glowing eyes of the Esprit were said to be the most critical weak point.

Once the vulnerable core is exposed...

-Boom!

A cartoon-like sound effect accompanied the appearance of a black will-o'-the-wisp in front of the two.

Christel didn’t hold back.

-Slice!

A sharp ice blade split the ghost in a straight line. Her pink fringe rippled. At that moment,

-Ping!

A bullet-like sound rang out. Something small and white rushed towards my heart.