Chapter 07

Just as Ethelbert was drifting off into a daydream, the lights went out, interrupting his train of thought. The lilting music that had been accompanying the dance also abruptly ended. The entire region was completely submerged in a vast sea of darkness.

"What occurred?" It was possible to hear murmurs in the distance. The guests were shocked and dissatisfied by the events unfolding before them. Due to the pervasive darkness, Ethelbert's senses were sharper than they usually would have been. Immediately after that, he caught a whiff of a scent that evoked a sense of recognition in him. Ethelbert rubbed his head with his hand and muttered a prayer, hoping that what he was experiencing was merely the result of his hallucinations and this glass of wine. Why did he feel the same as when he went to the Enfleurage and met Coronis, despite the fact that the scent had nothing in common with the scent in the Enfleurage? Initially, neither she nor this location had anything in common. Was he experiencing hallucinations as a result of his excessive preoccupation with her recently? However, Ethelbert's memory of the scent was never incorrect. Why did he still have the same memory file when he detected two completely different odors?

While Ethelbert struggled to find answers to the countless questions that were racing through his mind, the pleasant music continued to play as if there had been no interruption. Despite the fact that there was still a significant amount of darkness present, the music had a very peculiar soothing effect on them. All of the unhappiness caused by the interruption of the previous fun vanished from the guests' faces. Their eyesight has become accustomed to adjusting to the dim lighting conditions. The moonlight from the balcony on the second floor reflected in the room's expansive hallway. This made the hall appear even more disorienting and unsettling. The guests continued to dance, converse, and consume alcohol as if nothing had occurred. They give off the impression of being even more enthusiastic than before.

On the other hand, Ethelbert was unable to enjoy himself and felt increasing discomfort and frustration. As a result of his strong intuition, he had the impression that something unfavorable was about to occur. On occasion, he experienced ringing in his ears as a result of the sounds. Occasionally, though, he couldn't tell which conversations were going on in the room.

"Can you describe this wine's flavor to me?" Someone said.

"Yes, it smells weird. However, drinking is also an engaging activity." An additional individual responded.

"Why does it smell like rust and taste a little bit fishy?"

Another trembling voice asked, "Hey... why does my glass smell like blood?" It possesses a sticky quality..."

A few guests began to notice peculiarities at the party, but the majority of guests did not appear concerned. As their enthusiasm increased, they continued drinking, dancing, and laughing, as they had been doing up until that point. As the scent spread throughout the room, it grew increasingly alluring.

While dancing, someone appeared to step on what appeared to be a dead body. This resulted in the individual letting out a loud scream. As time passed, so did the remainder of them.

"Aaaaaaaaa!"

The entire room gave off the impression of being fraught with unease. Everyone became terrified and hysterical. The cacophonous sound of hell was produced by combining various sounds, including sobs, laughter, screams of terror, and melodic music. The more individuals panicked and screamed, the more they realized that additional dead bodies were at their feet. Due to the darkness that covered the area and the faint moonlight that illuminated it, the people's fears were multiplied by a factor of a thousand. As people became suspicious of those around them, they began to arm themselves with whatever was available. In their haste to kill one another, they used every available weapon, including the wine glasses, the expensive bottle of champagne, the ladies' high-heeled shoes, and the concealed gun in the men's vest. The scene was as chaotic and horrifying as if a mass murder had occurred.

Ethelbert leaned against the wall and violently shook. Due to his position in the far corner of the room, few individuals paid attention to his location. However, he was a sensitive individual who was more profoundly affected by the chaotic environment than anyone else. Ethelbert had difficulty breathing and began to experience chest tightness. The air in his chest appeared to be hissing, and the pain in his head felt as if a thousand knives had slashed it. You do realize that someone will soon be rushing to this location to plunge a knife into your heart, don't you?

Ethelbert saw a shadow pass in front of his face just before he lost his balance and fell. Before he passed out for good and went into a coma, he took one last whiff of the familiar smell.

The horrific murder scene was all that remained after the previous night's events the following morning. All of the nobles present that day appeared to be responsible for the barbaric and frustrating rage.

The Celton family hosted the party in a private mansion hidden in the woods, with stringent security measures in place. As a result, the police could not arrive until the following morning's break of dawn.

When Ethelbert finally opened his eyes, he had been unconscious for more than a week.

According to reports, when the police arrived at the scene, all they saw was a horrifying mess with bodies strewn about. A thick layer of bright red blood covered the room. A few individuals are still alive, but their minds are in a state of extreme panic and severe trauma. I am still hearing the hauntingly beautiful music from the dance we attended the night before.

Helena, his older sister, could be considered fortunate for leaving the house at precisely the moment the power went out. Helena was exhausted at the time, so she decided to take a nap in the private car she shared with her bodyguards and family members. As a result, she poses no threat whatsoever to Ethelbert. It was very strange when police discovered him unconscious in the bathroom. Possibly because of this, he did not sustain any additional physical harm.

The police discovered the strange substance, which was in the form of a drug, in all of the guests' drinks at the party. Vincent pays Ethelbert a visit while holding a bouquet of flowers, but he is not in good health himself. Due to personal obligations, he was unable to attend the family party that evening, but his own Celton family organized and hosted the event. Currently, the entire spectrum of public opinion is focused on condemning the Celton family. Celton allegedly intends to eliminate the powerful in order to achieve his hegemony objectives in a more methodical manner. At the same party, however, the head of the Celton family, Celton de Loren, also lost his only brother, Vincent's uncle. This news profoundly affected Vincent. A heinous crime has been committed against one of the two most influential people in Celton. At this time, the true perpetrator of the crime has not been identified.

At the medical facility, Ethelbert was positioned on the bed. After making eye contact with Vincent's tired, dark eyes, he respectfully bowed his head in silence.

"Does any additional investigation into what exactly was in the water on that day? I also detected some peculiar odors. It is possible that they were all responsible for the group's widespread insanity." Ethelbert rarely inquired about Vincent's involvement in the ongoing investigation. Vincent's lack of response to his sighs today is a peculiar aspect of the day. He had furrowed brows and did not seem to be paying attention to Ethelbert. Ethelbert concluded that the situation appeared to be considerably more complex than that.

"You rest. I have work to perform. " Vincent uttered some words before saying goodbye to Ethelbert and leaving the hospital room where they were both present.

After a moment had passed, Lily dashed over with a fruit basket in her arms. When she learned that Ethelbert had regained consciousness, she rushed to this location.

"May I ask how Ethelbert is doing?"

They discussed Ethelbert's condition during their conversation. Ethelbert claims to have made a complete recovery. He then determined to inquire of Lily:

"Lily, do you have any information about the investigation's status?"

Lily was conversing with a beaming smile on her face. Her expression hardened as she processed Ethelbert's question, causing the change. In order to avoid Ethelbert's question, she turned her head and softened the intensity of her gaze.

"I would appreciate it if you could tell me, as I was a witness that day. Please inform me. " Lily was persuaded by Ethelbert's persuasive argument.

"Are you certain you wish to listen?" Once more, Lily inquired. Ethelbert nodded.

"The police discovered an unknown substance in the drinks of each and every guest present that day. Then, they quickly discovered that the substance had never been sold commercially and that it was only discovered in the composition of a drug that had been discontinued fifteen years prior." Lily hesitated briefly but ultimately decided to make her statement.

The Gotha family was responsible for developing that medication.