Chapter 661
“So, if that’s the case… You know the complete puzzle now, right?”
On the balcony of the opera hall, after hearing Fernand’s words, Ed couldn’t help but narrow his eyes slightly. He then continued speaking, while Fernand placed his empty wine glass on the nearby table and calmly continued.
“Of course, but there’s a tiny bit of poison recognition involved in the full puzzle. Listening to it without preparation might cause some harm.”
“My preparations are ready. Just tell me directly.” Ed responded straightforwardly to Fernand. Hearing this, Fernand paused for a moment, then looked at Ed for a few seconds before continuing.
“Alright, then remember this. The puzzle I know goes like this…
“In this palace, there are seven stages of lotus blooming. Dancing at the predetermined time will earn you the blessing of the flower owner.
“Dancing on the first stage grants a stem blessing. Dancing on the second stage grants a leaf blessing. Dancing on the third stage grants a flower blessing.”
Fernand slowly narrated to Ed what he knew about the puzzle. As Ed listened, he couldn’t help but stroke his chin thoughtfully, then responded.
“Is this puzzle really passed down by King Charles?”
“It should be. As far as I know, there’s a rumor in the Secret World of Froz that King Charles’ treasure is hidden in the Palace of the Goddess. This rumor seems to have originated from this very puzzle. It started circulating about half a year ago, with no clear source, but most versions contain similar details.”
Fernand replied this way. After listening to him, Ed pondered and nodded, then smiled and extended his hand towards Fernand.
“Thank you for your cooperation, Mr. Fernand. Your information is very useful to us.”
“Huh… We’re practically family, no need to be so formal. Come…”
While saying this, Fernand moved Ed’s hand away, then took out a cigar and handed it to Ed. Smiling, Ed took it and lit it with a match, putting it to his lips.
…
As night fell, Adelle, who had just finished dinner, was strolling around the parade square of the Palace of the Goddess, admiring the night scenery while communicating through the information channel with Doro in the distance.
“What? Mr. F works for the official government of Faraluo?” Adelle responded to Doro’s voice in her mind with surprise. Soon after, she heard Doro’s voice again.
“Yes… More precisely, he is likely a powerful figure’s ‘black glove’ within the current Faraluo government. This treasure hunt activity was planned by him. His main purpose is to keep you in the Palace of the Goddess until dusk tomorrow.”
“Keep us until tomorrow’s dusk? Why would he want to do that? What will happen if we stay until then?” Adelle asked with confusion, and Doro quickly replied.
“I don’t know. Based on the intelligence we currently have, we can’t determine the mastermind’s goal. The reason he lured you to the Palace of the Goddess is unclear, but it’s probably not for any good. So, Adelle, are you still planning to stay here and continue searching for treasure?”
Doro asked Adelle directly. Her meaning was simple: although they didn’t know the mastermind’s true intentions, leaving the Palace of the Goddess immediately would prevent him from getting his wish, thus avoiding any hidden malice.
Listening to Doro’s question, Adelle was silent for a moment. She slowly scanned the entire parade square, looking at the statue of King Charles and the transformed water fountain, then quietly responded.
“No… I still want to stay in the Palace of the Goddess. Although there are conspiracies involved in these events, at least the puzzle is real. There is indeed a secret of King Charles hidden in this palace, which can only be revealed at a specific time. I want to stay here and solve the puzzle…”
Adelle responded seriously to Doro. Doro seemed to have anticipated this response and replied.
“So… Do you think the predetermined time is tomorrow’s dusk?”
“Yes. According to the intelligence we gathered, King Charles held banquets every year during this time, with the highlight being the performance at dusk the next day. I believe this is the predetermined time. If we miss it, who knows how long we’ll have to wait.”
Adelle continued to respond to Doro. Her purpose for coming to Faraluo was to find Bourbon’s inheritance and the secrets of King Charles. Although the current situation was filled with conspiracy, she had already expected this. As long as there was still a possibility of finding King Charles’ secrets, Adelle wouldn’t easily give up.
“Your guess makes sense. Given the current signs, tomorrow might be the crucial moment in this puzzle. If the mastermind plans something for tomorrow, his goal might be related to this puzzle. From the perspective of solving King Charles’ purpose, it’s not the right time to leave now.”
Doro answered Adelle like this. Hearing Doro’s words, Adelle smiled and continued.
“From what you say, you also plan to stay and accompany me, little detective?”
“Heh… What kind of talk is that? The one actually staying in the Palace of the Goddess is you. The only one taking risks is you. Since you’re not afraid, why should I say more?” Doro replied with a light laugh. Adelle also laughed and said.
“Regardless, thank you for your help. We have one more day. No matter what risks we face later, let’s rest first and then continue.”
“Suit yourself…”
In a distant inn outside of Faraluo, after ending her communication with Adelle, Doro found a spot near the fireplace in the warm room and sat down. She then began to contemplate while gazing at the flickering flames in the fireplace.
“Given the current situation… our time is limited. It’s difficult to clearly investigate who the mastermind behind Fernand is. Therefore, the focus of the investigation should be on solving the puzzle of the Palace of the Goddess. Once we understand the secrets hidden in the palace, the motives of the masterminds can be roughly guessed…
“But… What exactly is the truth of this puzzle? Where are these three stages really located?”
With many thoughts in mind, Doro fell into deep contemplation. At this moment, she began to seriously consider how to find the three hidden stages.
…
As the moon set and the sun rose, time flew by. Before long, the night passed, and daylight returned to Froz once more.
Morning sunlight shone upon the gilded roof of the Palace of the Goddess, reflecting dazzling light. Prominent figures from various parts of Froz gathered once again in the palace, continuing yesterday’s banquet. The remnants of Bourbon still scattered throughout the palace, frantically searching for clues to the supposed treasure.
At this moment, in some inconspicuous corners of the Palace of the Goddess, another group was active. They dressed similarly to other prominent figures but were not busy socializing within the palace. Instead, they communicated with servants who usually went unnoticed, serving long-term in the palace.
“What? You ask if there are any abnormalities in this palace?” A maid in disguise curiously looked at a handsome young man standing in front of her and asked. The young man nodded and replied.
“Yes, like strange sounds, odd appearances… or even ghost stories? Or are there any unique legends about this place?”
The young man earnestly asked the maid in the palace, his words carrying an invisible charm that made her naturally speak out what she knew.
“As for that… Let me think. Strange sounds and appearances… I’ve never encountered them. I haven’t heard of any ghost stories either. As for legends, there are many about the Palace of the Goddess, such as treasures, ghosts, and secret bases of the Royalists… Various rumors exist, but they are only circulated externally. After working here for a few years, everyone knows that these rumors are mostly false.”
The maid waved her hand and said. Listening to her, the young man furrowed his brows slightly and then asked.
“Then has anything strange happened recently?”
“Strange things… Well, there was something strange a while back, about a month ago. A group of people with passes came here, rummaging everywhere and observing. It seemed like they were researching something, staying here for over a week.”
“Strangers? What did they look like?”
“I’ve forgotten what they looked like, but they were a group of men and women wearing uniforms. Among them were a few black people speaking a language I couldn’t understand.”
The maid continued to tell the young man. After listening, the young man nodded thoughtfully and then asked.
“Did they discover anything in their research?”
“I don’t know if they discovered anything. I think they must have found something. During their last days in the palace, they once ordered us to evacuate the opera hall with a high-level document, and then they stayed in the opera hall for two or three days before finally coming out, allowing us to re-enter.”
The maid recalled and continued. Listening to her, the young man stroked his chin thoughtfully and thanked her.
“Thank you for your cooperation. Here’s a tip.” The young man handed the maid a bill, and she bowed in thanks after receiving it.
“Thank you, sir.”
After accepting the money, the young man looked at the maid and continued.
“Lastly, please forget our conversation earlier. Today, you haven’t seen me at all, understood?”
“Understood… Sir…”
After a somewhat dazed response, the maid turned and left silently. Meanwhile, Brandon, after adjusting his collar, left from another direction.
Soon, Brandon walked past the polychromatic dome hall and arrived at the opera hall. Looking at the circular stage in the opera hall, Doro couldn’t help but think in her heart.
“It looks like those guys have already figured out the location of at least one stage…”
Thinking this, Doro controlled Brandon to look up, gazing at the audience seats above, where several guests were wandering. Although everything seemed normal at first glance, there was a strange feeling permeating the air.
“No… I can’t act rashly with this stage. If they have already confirmed its location, there’s a high chance they’ve set up some security measures. I can’t act recklessly…”
As Doro contemplated this, she abandoned the idea of acting immediately and continued to ponder.
“The stage here can’t be touched for now… So the key now is to find the other two stages. Where could these two stages be hidden?”
For a moment, Doro summarized and analyzed all the information she had collected in her mind. A large map of the Palace of the Goddess appeared in her thoughts, and various thoughts arose in her heart.
“A gathering held only at a predetermined time each year… Dusk… Seven-petal lotus pattern… Three stages…”
After a rapid succession of thoughts in her mind, Doro suddenly had a flash of inspiration and finally found the answer.
…
In front of the gilded iron gates of the Palace of the Goddess, several guards were focused on their posts when suddenly a distant sound echoed. The guards followed the sound and saw a slowly approaching carriage team.
Compared to the usual carriages of Faraluo’s prominent figures, this carriage team was significantly larger in both scale and grandeur. In the center of the team was a finely crafted carriage, with two rows of cavalry guards in front and behind. These cavalrymen wore the uniforms of Faraluo’s army, their expressions focused as they guarded the surroundings.
A cavalryman riding at the front noticed the Palace of the Goddess in the distance and immediately rode to the side, slowing down until he reached the carriage.
“Mr. Sander, we’re almost there,” the cavalryman reminded the carriage. Inside the carriage, a calm male voice responded.
“Mmm… I know.”
At the same time, on a hill far from the road, several figures were gathered. Leading them was a woman with pale skin, a slender build, a handsome yet somewhat sickly appearance. She wore a wide suit, a top hat, and carried a cane, standing silently. The gem at the end of her cane was unusually large, wrapped in a beautiful silk.
Far away, she gazed at the approaching carriage team on the road leading to the Palace of the Goddess, a faint smile appearing on her lips. Then, she turned to face the figures behind her and spoke in a hoarse voice.
“The stage is nearly set, and the audience is in place. Now we just need to wait for the opening…
“Are you looking forward to it, Governor…?”
