landbeastnovel Chapter 172 The Masquerade Ball Under the Moonlight
Chapter 172 The Masquerade Ball Under the Moonlight
Chapter 172 The Masquerade Ball Under the Moonlight
"Distinguished guests, sir and madam, welcome to the Silver Moon Corridor."
The man in the black tight-fitting jacket standing in front of the door wore a blank white mask that covered the upper half of his face, revealing only his eyes, nose, and mouth.
The faceless servant greeted Gebu and the swordswoman politely. To accommodate Gebu's height, the servant bent his knees and leaned slightly to speak, but his back remained ramrod straight, showing no sign of disrespect.
Respectful but not obsequious, polite but not overly familiar. Like a nobleman's butler.
Behind him stood two men dressed in black robes, identical to him. The only difference between them was that the man in front wore a silver crescent-shaped badge on his chest, with a red ribbon tied below it.
Judging from the appearance, all the waiters in the Silver Moon Corridor are dressed in this black robe and faceless attire.
The butler didn't ask Gebu to see the invitation or anything like that. He simply stood in front of Gebu, his hands clasped in front of his abdomen, a polite smile on his face. He didn't stop Gebu, but he also didn't invite him in.
Geb quickly realized what was happening, raised his head, and said unhurriedly, "I am Tissant-Cedric's guest, and this is my companion."
Upon hearing Gebu mention Tissanthemum's name, the butler immediately nodded and gestured for her to enter: "Of course, the Silver Moon Corridor has been waiting for you for a long time, Mr. Bronze Fox, Ms. Silver Cat."
Gebu nodded to him, then took the swordswoman's hand and walked past the butler. The black-robed servants parted to the left and right, respectfully inviting the two through the manor's brass-carved gate.
After passing through a small square with a fountain, the two walked up the spiral steps to the main gate of the manor. Before they even went inside, Gebu could hear faint music coming from the other side of the gate.
Da-da-da, da-da-da. The rhythmic three-beat beat sounds like some kind of dance music.
"How was your dance, Swordswoman?" Geb asked in a low voice.
"—The last time I attended a ball was ten years ago, so you'd better not expect me to dance very well."
.
"You actually participated in that?" Gebu teased. "You really are a rich girl. Oh right, your past is a sensitive topic, I won't ask."
"Tsk." The swordswoman rolled her eyes at Gebu. "And you? Let me remind you, the nobles of the New Kingdom go to balls all the time, they're basically in the dance floor every night. If you're not a good dancer, it'll be obvious immediately—"
They're very snobbish; they know you're not one of them, so they'll completely ignore you.
"It's alright, I understand," Geb replied in a low voice, then switched to telepathic communication using telepathy to maintain secrecy.
"I'm not here to pick up noble ladies, so whether I dance or not is irrelevant. Our main goal is to listen and observe more, and find out Peacock's whereabouts. I don't need to be face to face with her. As long as I get within the range of the communication spell and keep her in my sight, I can talk to her—and once I can talk to her, I'm confident I can lure her out."
"Be careful. There must be Peacock's people everywhere at this ball," the swordswoman replied in her mind.
"No matter how many people there are, they can still hear the conversation in our heads, right? Don't worry," Gebu confidently relayed.
"By the way, what exactly does 'in front of the statue of the Rose of the Garden' refer to?"
"Now it's your turn. Once inside, I'll gather information from the crowd, and you can wander around. You don't need to talk to anyone; just figure out the layout of this place. The Silver Moon Corridor is bigger than I expected; you might get lost if you don't investigate properly."
The woman with the sword nodded in acquiescence. At that moment, the doors opened to the left and right, and dazzling light poured out of the ballroom, catching the eyes of the two. The music grew louder and louder, elegant and clear, yet not intrusive. The air was filled with a kind of delicate and expensive exotic fragrance. Gebu tried to distinguish it, and it seemed to be a mixture of agarwood and mountain peach blossoms.
Upon opening the doorway, two grand, arched staircases come into view, leading to a large, open courtyard that opens onto a magnificent ballroom. Right now, to the accompaniment of a band, a dozen couples are dancing on the dance floor.
"Champagne?"
A petite, faceless servant leaned over and asked softly, holding a silver tray with two rows of slender stemmed glasses filled with golden sparkling wine.
Gebu calmly picked up two glasses of wine from the silver tray and handed one to the woman with the knife. The woman accepted it with some hesitation.
Are you sure you want to drink?
"You don't necessarily have to drink, but having something in your hand makes it easier to blend in," Gebu said to the woman with the knife, releasing her hand. "Let's split up here, according to the original plan. I'll go gather information, and you'll scout the terrain—it's about 10:30 now, and we'll meet here at midnight to exchange information."
"Okay, good luck."
The woman with the sword nodded to Gebu. She looked around, straightened her skirt, and gave herself a pep talk. "Dove—you can do it."
Hey, I've never seen this woman so nervous during a fight. Gebu found it somewhat amusing, watching the tall woman disappear into the crowd.
After the swordswoman left, Gebu took a deep breath.
The little goblin's heart was pounding.
He feigned confidence in front of the swordswoman, but in reality, Gebu was still somewhat flustered. After all, this was his first time attending such a gathering of nobles. Gebu wasn't intimidated, but it wasn't exactly his area of expertise.
My turn — Hey, how hard can it be compared to hunting a manticore?
Find the peacock, send her a message, and lead her to the garden—simple and direct.
Geb gave himself a pep talk, then looked at the champagne in his hand. Tiny bubbles rose and burst in the golden liquid.
He downed the drink in one gulp, then casually placed the empty glass on the waiter's silver tray. He took another glass, and emboldened by the alcohol, he plunged into the dance floor.
At 10:30, the silver plate rose.
Inside the ballroom on the first floor, the atmosphere of the dance party was slowly heating up. Men and women hid behind masks, looking at each other with curious and eager eyes, whispers and laughter filling the entire ballroom.
The musician was a master at creating atmosphere; the music was light and rhythmic, like a fawn leaping on pebbles in a stream. The rhythm of the people's feet on the dance floor gradually quickened without them even realizing it, and under the influence of alcohol and ambiguity, a warm blush rose on their cheeks beneath their masks.
Geb did not participate in the ball—he had no dance partner and no interest in dancing. The halfling, posing as a wealthy merchant from afar, nimbly hopped between the conversing circles.
After a few drinks, the people dressed in fine clothes became excited. All Gebu had to do was press the right button, ask a few guiding questions, and find an opportunity to flatter them. Then these people would pour out all the things they had to say.
"To be honest, this is my first time here, and I'm a little reserved. With your noble status, you must frequent the Silver Moon Corridor, right?" Gebu inquired indirectly. The young nobleman wearing the lizard mask raised his head proudly and replied, "Of course! I'm a regular at the Silver Moon Corridor; I never miss an event here—"
"So, who is hosting this ball?"
"That's naturally—" The lizard mask suddenly froze, blinked, and said somewhat awkwardly, "I really don't remember—"
Another, older, rat-faced nobleman standing nearby chuckled, saying with a hint of disdain, "You don't remember, or you simply don't know?"
"I just don't remember—sir, if you know so much, why don't you tell me?"
The rat-faced nobleman, leading a plump woman also wearing a rat mask, approached them and said, reeking of alcohol, "Young man, if you had truly attended this masquerade ball under the moonlight, you would surely remember its secrets—my halfling sir, I mean no offense, but judging from your demeanor, you don't seem to be of local noble birth, am I right?"
"No offense, you're right. I'm a businessman from out of town, who came here because I've heard so much about it. If you don't mind, could you broaden my horizons and tell me about this masquerade ball under the moonlight, what exactly is going on?"
"Hey, it's nothing to be ashamed of your humble origins. In this kingdom, there are plenty of impoverished nobles who put on a show of wealth. In this day and age, gold is more valuable than a surname." The rat-faced noble pinched his female companion's back and laughed heartily. Hearing this man mocking an impoverished noble, the young nobleman in the lizard mask from before became somewhat displeased and sulked silently to the side.
"This ball is held by none other than our beloved Princess Hilian! Every year on the third full moon night in autumn, Her Highness holds a masquerade ball in the Silver Moon Gallery—a tradition that has continued year after year since she turned sixteen."
"I didn't expect that even a noble princess would be a guest in the brothel?" Gebu asked with some surprise. This wasn't an act; it seemed this place was no ordinary brothel, but had a very powerful background!
"Not just a guest, but one of the main sponsors," the rat-faced nobleman said smugly, as if he himself benefited from knowing these inside stories. "Princess Hilian participates in the masquerade ball every year, but her identity is kept secret. Even the people of the Silvermoon Corridor don't know what mask the princess wears."
"You mean, Princess Hilian is right among us?" the lizard-faced nobleman interjected.
"That's right—if the lucky one uncovers the princess's disguise before the ball ends, then he/she will have the opportunity to be alone with the princess on the rooftop terrace."
"Alone with Princess Xilian? You must be joking. What do you take that person for? Aren't you afraid of being arrested and whipped by the Hundred Flowers Guard for spreading such filthy rumors?" the young nobleman said aggressively.
The rat-faced nobleman sneered, "Only filthy people think about filthy things. Young people's minds are filled with nothing but lust; they're utterly foolish. Princess Hilian is the crown princess of the new kingdom, the second most powerful person in the entire country. So many people scheme and plot against her, just to flatter her. If one can successfully please Her Majesty, one could gain a lifetime of wealth and honor, and to spend time with the princess—this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!"
As Gebu listened to the conversation between the two noblemen, he thought to himself that this masquerade ball was even more turbulent than he had imagined.
What is the relationship between Princess Hiren, the peacock, and the golden mask? Why did the golden mask specifically arrange the delivery at the princess's masquerade ball?
"You are truly knowledgeable—if that's the case, then surely many people must be desperately searching for the princess at the ball?" Geb complimented the rat-faced nobleman before continuing to probe.
"I'm not really interested in this kind of thing myself—I know I'm not very charming, and even if you put me in front of a princess, I wouldn't be able to say anything flattering. Let those merchants and minor nobles who are desperate to get ahead do this—look at their eager faces, it's really disappointing."
Gebu followed the gaze of the rat-faced nobleman to the other side of the dance floor.
Several men wearing raven-beak masks rudely weaved through the crowd. Although they were dressed in fine clothes, they did not have the leisurely demeanor of nobles. Instead, they hurriedly and impolitely interrupted the people enjoying themselves.
Crow's Beak—could he be one of Peacock's subordinates?
Geb became alert, hurriedly bid farewell to the two nobles, and used his size to blend into the background, using vases, statues, decorations, and crowds to conceal his whereabouts.
The halflings secretly observed these incongruous people, interrogating those who matched specific characteristics with a purpose, interrupting conversations, even forcing them to remove their masks, and rudely searching their belongings. The customers being questioned protested, but the halflings were quick to react, disappearing into the crowd once they realized the other party wasn't their target.
Of course, they couldn't escape the pursuit of Geb, the professional scout.
After searching for more than ten minutes, Gebu discovered seven uninvited guests wearing crow-beak masks. They seemed to be specifically targeting short people, mainly halflings.
That solves the case. These people must be Peacock's subordinates, searching for magical goblins at the masquerade ball. It seems Peacock has some knowledge of magic for disguising appearances. She knows that faces can be modified, but body shape is difficult to change, so she sent her subordinates to investigate races with similar body shapes to goblins.
Gebu had no idea what they were searching those people for; it might be the "Kiss of the King" poison. There were many people on the other side, almost a carpet search of the entire dance hall. At this rate, Gebu would be found sooner or later.
Gebu remembered that there was a spiral staircase in this place that led to the second floor. He secretly left the dance hall under the cover of the crowd and came to the spiral staircase at the entrance. Just as he was about to sneak upstairs, he bumped into the knife woman who was hurrying downstairs.
"Hey!" Gebu sent a message to the woman with the sword. The woman was in a hurry to go downstairs and didn't see the halfling hiding in the corner. She paused for a moment, searched for a while, and then finally saw Gebu.
"Gebu!" the swordswoman blurted out, forgetting to reply with a teleportation spell. As soon as she said that, Gebu felt a chill run down his spine, noticing out of the corner of his eye that a crow-beaked man had turned to look in their direction.
The halfling panicked and ran towards the swordswoman in two steps, then slipped inside her skirt!