Don't confiscate my citizenship

Mid-January.

Ikrit Opera House.

Located on the Yala moat in the north of the city-state and the south bank of the river port bridge, Ikrit Opera House, as a multi-functional performing arts center in the capital of the Kingdom of Hutton, is one of the most famous and iconic buildings in the southern continent.

Designed by craftsman Jera a hundred years ago, it includes a series of starry night-like strip roof structures, shaped like sails of sailboats, sitting on a huge blue granite base, as if it is about to set sail in the starry sky.

This weekday afternoon.

The Blierda Troupe is rehearsing here.

"This half-demon lady, why are you sitting in my room?"

The male protagonist dressed as the governor of the demon clan on the stage asked the female protagonist sitting on a chair on the other side of the stage.

The scene was set up as a room in a noble mansion. The light of the chandelier hanging from the ceiling illuminated the entire bedroom. The crimson velvet sofa and chairs were placed next to the fireplace, and the firewood crackled in the fire. Even if the audience did not see the snow curtain outside the window, they would feel that this was a long-lost warm mansion in winter.

"Because I'm your fiancée."

The half-witch noble lady sat on a retro sheepskin chair. The window curtain behind her was drawn down, and the light from the window could vaguely seep into the room through the fine crimson gauze curtain.

She looked like a debt collector, but also quite reasonable, and spoke softly to the demon governor.

"What do you need to do to stop pestering me?"

The demon governor raised his hand to cover his forehead helplessly. He had knocked on the door before and wanted the butler to invite the lady back, but unfortunately even the butler couldn't invite the lady back, so he could only bite the bullet and talk to her here.

"..."

The half-witch lady stared at the demon governor's expression, and it seemed that a trace of sadness and self-blame flashed in her eyes.

But now she can't just nod to give up.

Evidently, they were so close, but now he has forgotten her as if he had lost his memory.

Finally, she stood up in compromise and looked at the governor.

"I hope you can solve the mystery of who cursed you and caused you to keep forgetting me."

The copper floor lamp was beside her, and she said,

"By then, even if you still can't remember me, I will persuade the family to stop you from worrying about this engagement."

The lampshade was painted with fairies symbolizing good luck, chasing each other, as if moving with the light and shadow of the two people.

The performance continued on the stage.

The audience in the auditorium was sparse, and Antanas and Shinora reached out to the popcorn bucket to watch the rehearsal while whispering to each other.

"They both acted really well."

"It doesn't look like a farce at all."

Antanas and Shinora came with Hyperion.

"Are you guys implying that someone's acting is not good and it looks like a farce..."

The Snow Witch muttered to the side.

She also had a day off today, so she just came to see the rehearsal, or to watch it in advance, so that she could be more calm on the date and not be surprised by the plot of the day's performance.

"..."

Planai wiped his glasses. He had a pair of glasses after returning to Ikerite and carried a glasses cloth with him.

Planai, the historical consultant of the troupe, was also here today.

But he sat very calmly today.

Antanas knew that the play was safe and he could speak freely just by looking at Planai.

In addition to the four of them who watched the public screening of the Great Demon when they stopped in Nistro City in the Krema Empire last time, there was another Great Demon present today.

Their friend Toliado is now working as a coolie musician behind the curtain.

As an employee of the troupe, he also came to Ikerite after a long absence, which he wanted to come but didn't dare to come at the beginning.

Abigail had not forgiven the Dimension Bishop for the 20,000 pounds, and this time he was not allowed to run around during the performance and lose the chain, so he could only conduct the string orchestra honestly and play the piano according to the situation.

"Toliado knows better how to compose music, and can even improvise according to special circumstances."

Antanas listened to the background music of each scene and commented.

In fact, when in the demon world, Yabo's music style would be more unrestrained and even abstract and weird, but when he calmed down and wrote the opera soundtrack for himself, he could also play a soulful movement.

"Seeing him so quiet, I feel a little strange."

Sinora tilted her head and covered her mouth and said.

"When the creditor is powerful, the one who owes money is the son. You see, when Tata mentions the debt, Lanqi will also put down his rebelliousness."

Antanas told the truth.

"Although Yabo is usually unreliable, he does have a talent for opera performance."

Planai spoke pertinently for his friend in the demon world.

Planai, who has been working in the troupe during this period, knows that director Abigail will tie Toliado to the theater this time, so as to avoid the situation that he can't find someone at the critical moment of the performance.

"The old crew of the Dimension Branch, this is how intelligence work is done."

The Snow Witch agreed.

The dimensional branch itself is a crew, and they have to sneak into any place and pretend to be employees of any unit. In the Demon Realm, General Yabo's subordinates sneaked into the human kingdom to perform tasks in this way.

"Have you all read the original work of "Holy War Romance"? Should I read the original work first?"

Antanas asked the three great demons around him.

It's rare that five of them came today to watch this kind of rehearsal that is not open to the public.

The princess sisters went to the Golden Bee Playground to play again. According to Ifatiya's suggestion, she wanted to keep a little surprise for the long-awaited performance, so she did not come to watch the rehearsal.

Antanas has not read the original work, but Sinora, Pranay, and Artis should have read it.

"Actually, it doesn't matter whether you have read the original work or not. There must be some adaptations in Abigail's performance version. This is also the reason why the last performance of the Cinderella story was accepted by the audience. The audience expected from the beginning that it would be similar to the original work. Of course, it was different, but luckily Lan Qi took care of it that time and didn’t let the deviation be so big that it was discovered by the audience.”

The Ice Witch said and gave Antanas a brief introduction to the relationship between the Half-Witch Arc and the Gray Princess Arc.

The story takes place during the Holy War in the Protos Empire.

First of all, some historical background should be mentioned.

The Half-Witch Chapter is set a few years after the timeline of the Cinderella Chapter. The Holy War has already begun, but the historical figures of the Protos Empire, Franklin the Great, and the Great Sage of the Empire, Isis, have not yet risen to power. It is far from forming the current pattern of the northern continent.

Before the start of the Holy War, the Protos Empire and the Demon Realm had established diplomatic relations. Since the Demon Realm was extremely developed but Protos was relatively backward, the Demon Race would have a very high status in the Protos Empire at that time. For example, in the Cinderella Chapter, go to the Protos Empire. The male protagonist, the demon governor.

Due to the beginning of the Holy War, the human countries and the demon world in the northern continent have become enemies. The governor cannot continue to stay in the human country. He knows that bringing the gray girl back to the demon world will be a dead end for her, and his family and the demon king will not allow it. At this juncture, he married a human woman. In order to protect Gray Girl, he decided to agree to the family's deal and return to the demon world. He also left Gray Girl enough treasure to revitalize the family. He made an agreement with Gray Girl that if the war could end, He will come back.

"This story strictly refers to the background of the times. Since the ancient Protos Empire learned a lot of knowledge about the demon world and was under the control and construction of the demon clan after its defeat many years later, many demon clans remained in the realm. Its legacy can be seen in the construction of the later imperial capital Herom.”

Pranay is also on the road to Antanaskope.

Although they are all possible characters in the history of the Northern Continent, Antanas had been staying in the demon world at that time and had no detailed understanding of the culture of human society, so he did not carefully study the metaphors of the Cinderella story for the subsequent plot.

Looking back at history from the present, the Protoss can neither forgive the demons nor separate their traces, as if they are entangled forever.

When the story of "Holy War Romance" begins, the war has not yet broken out, and the demons and the Protoss are still on good terms.

It’s just that if humans and demons in that era accidentally fell in love, what awaited them in the future would be destined to be a rugged road full of wind, snow and thorns. Although the Cinderella story has a happy tone, the era buried at the beginning of the story The background foreshadowing has already destined them to have a difficult ending.

What follows is the story of the male protagonist, the Demon Governor, returning to the Demon World.

Since the governor himself has a high-status half-witch fiancée, his famous family not only hopes that he can fulfill the engagement as soon as possible to eliminate the sensitive suspicion of being accused of being close to humans, but also to obtain the protection of the other family.

Then there was the opening of the Half-Witch episode performed by Ranchi and Hyperion just now——

"The half-witch thinks the Governor has forgotten her."

The Ice Witch pointed at Hyperion in the direction of the stage.

"The governor insisted that he had no memory of the half-witch. He had no memory of the two of them in the demon world."

Her finger moved towards Lan Qi, who was acting opposite Hyperion.

"So the half-witch in the original book proposed to let the Governor solve the mystery. She suspected that the Governor was cursed by the demons, so he kept forgetting her in order to destroy the marriage between their two families. As long as the Governor can find the curser , regardless of whether the Governor will remember her or not, and whether he will marry her or not, she will promise not to bother him anymore. "

The Ice Witch told Antanas.

The two demons embarked on an unforgettable and romantic journey.

Along the way, they adventured in the demon world, explored clues, and experienced dangerous life and death tests until they found the mastermind and defeated him.

In the end, the Governor still couldn't think of the half-witch, but during this journey, he fell in love with the half-witch again.

Even though there was no past memory of her left in his mind, he still couldn't erase the feeling of loving her from his heart.

"So this opening is not much different from the original?"

Antanas asked the Ice Witch in a low voice.

"It's like this. Abigail's adaptation just omits a lot of historical background and quickly cuts to the scene where the governor meets the half-witch in the mansion on a snowy winter day as the opening scene."

The Ice Witch nodded.

On the stage at this moment, the demon governor has already made an agreement with the butler and is preparing to take the half-witch on a journey, and it will soon change to a new scene.

"Stop."

A voice from the first row of the auditorium interrupted the ongoing rehearsal.

Abigail made a pause gesture to signal the actors on the stage to stop. Today she was wearing a black off-shoulder evening dress. The well-cut fabric fit her slim figure. She always wore a black gemstone necklace. .

Whenever she was working in the theater, Abigail would dress smartly and maintain her appearance.

The actors who were speaking on the stage stopped at the same time, and both Ranch and Hyperion looked at director Abigail in confusion.

There should be nothing wrong with their performance, and they performed with all their heart and soul.

Abigail shook her head, as if to let them relax.

"It's not that the performance was bad, it's just that the effect was not what I expected."

Abigail did not blame them, and she talked to the two leading actors.

"How can we improve it?"

Hyperion humbly asked for advice.

She thought it was not Lanqi's problem, but her problem.

"..."

Abigail was silent for a while.

She was also thinking about the reason.

After watching Lanqi and Hyperion's performance, Abigail couldn't help but compare it with Lanqi and Tata's performance. Abigail clearly felt that Lanqi's performance was all accidental, and she was unexpectedly over the top.

Abigail thought about it and wondered if she, who always had strict requirements, had fallen into evil, and actually liked Lanqi and Tata's outrageous performance.

But if Lanqi and Tata were to do it again, I'm afraid they wouldn't be able to replicate the effect of the Cinderella chapter.

Although Tata has acting talent, the reason why Abigail chose Hyperion instead of Tata is that Tata's lower limit is low and her upper limit is high. Her success is not replicable, while Hyperion has an upper limit and can perform steadily.

In addition, Abigail never wants to have a stage accident again.

"I understand. It's not your problem. It's the script and my arrangement."

After thinking for a long time, Abigail finally found the answer and pointed out the problem to the two.

From Cinderella to Half Witch, although Half Witch also maintains the comedy tone of finding joy in suffering in that era, Half Witch is a sentimental character and no longer needs to be a comedian like Cinderella.

Just like the same song will have completely different feelings when it is arranged differently by the audience.

"Huh?"

Huprienne thought she would be criticized by Abigail, but she didn't expect Abigail to find another problem after reviewing it.

"Yes, this comedy-style adaptation is not the most suitable for you."

Abigail said firmly.

The current arrangement cannot bring out Hyperion's emotional talent mixed with melancholy and joy.

Wait.

Cinderella was not a funny character at the beginning.

Abigail thought for a long time and found that Tata's appeal was too strong.

"Then what should we do next..."

Lanqi asked Abigail tentatively.

He didn't know whether he should continue to perform.

"You take a break for half an hour, let me prepare for a while, and then I will tell you how to rehearse."

Abigail said so, and asked the crew on the stage to rest, and walked backstage with the script.

...

The half-hour waiting time may be considered long for the scattered media and industry professionals in the audience who came to watch the rehearsal today.

Of course, it was almost quite short for several big demons.

The biggest feature of their demons is patience.

Until Antanas leaned out again, took a bag of potato chips from the seat on the side, opened it and shared it with several big demons, Abigail returned to the performance hall again.

"Okay, everyone should have rested enough."

Abigail walked onto the stage, and Lanci, Hyperion, and a group of actors explained the new script. However, she unexpectedly did not mean to waste more time, but wanted them to start the performance immediately.

"But Miss Abigail, where is the complete script?"

Lanci looked at the brief script in his hand and asked her as if some bad memories were evoked.

Abigail only gave him and Hyperion the lines of the first act, and this was not a script but a simple line. They only knew their own lines, but did not know the development of the plot and the lines of the opponent actors. She even asked them to prepare to start the performance after only letting them read for a while.

Even though Lanci and Hyperion were most familiar with the first act and the changes in this act seemed small, they still did not know when to perform.

"In fact, this form of performance was used in ancient drama performances."

Abigail explained to the two of them.

Knowing only your own lines but not the lines of other actors was mainly to keep the script confidential in early operas. The script was an important property of the troupe. To prevent the script from leaking out, the playwright might only give the actors their respective lines instead of the complete script.

This can prevent competitors from plagiarizing the script.

Of course, this is also a way of rehearsal. In ancient times, the rehearsal time was very short. The actors might rehearse more around the director, who was usually the screenwriter, and rehearse according to his explanations, rather than relying entirely on the complete script.

The actors are familiar with the fixed performance routines, and with their own lines, they can prepare for the performance in a short time.

This form can also fully improvise. Some parts of the script may only have an outline, and the actors need to improvise and fill in the details.

Giving a complete script will limit the actors' space for performance.

"The last reason is that there will be illiterate actors. At that time, some actors had a low level of education and could not read a few words. They could not understand the complete script."

Abigail explained the history of drama in the ancient Cyrus period.

In short, considering the historical background at that time, there was a precedent for the director not giving the actors a complete script, and she was not making things difficult for the actors.

"But Abigail, in the first act of the new script you gave us, there are some parts where you didn't even write an outline, you only wrote half a line, so how are we supposed to talk?"

Huprienne pointed at the cloze questions on the script and asked Abigail.

She was also very nervous and squeezed Lanqi's palm slightly to tell him not to panic.

"At the beginning of the second act, there will be a teleprompter to remind you of your real-time lines, of course, half a sentence. This is where you can improvise. If you two are completely immersed in the plot and regard yourself as the hero and heroine of the story, you will be able to infer the development of the new script and know what you want to say."

Abigail's pursuit is to allow the two of them to perform works that exceed their upper limits.

"In short, on the stage next, you should regard yourself as the real governor of the demon clan and the half-witch lady. Don't be afraid of challenges."

Tata and Lanqi's performance gave her a good idea.

Sharpening the knife before the battle can sometimes strongly stimulate potential, especially for talented players.

This kind of simulation training can also be used to train Lanqi and Hyperion.

"Are there big changes in the plot later?"

Huprienne asked Abigail, she wanted to have a bottom line in her mind.

Abigail didn't even give them the second act, the third act, and the subsequent scripts.

That is to say, they hardly know the new plot and can only see it on the prompter in real time.

In order to prevent the main actors from forgetting their lines again, Abigail specially developed a new tool, magic cards, which can allow actors to see the text like the shadow world task prompt in their own field of vision in real time.

As for the plot, the two of them may only be able to watch it while acting, and they have to improvise at the same time.

"The changes in the first few scenes are mainly in the details and foreshadowing, and the final scene is completely different... So you will be familiar with many scenes in your previous rehearsals, don't worry too much."

Abigail patted Hyperion on the shoulder and said,

"But please note that the direction of the script has been re-adapted by me, and it will not be the same as the original work you have seen before, so you can forget the original plot of the half-witch chapter that you have performed before, and just put your heart into my new script."

"Wait, adaptation is not random editing, and dramatization is not nonsense..."

Toliado, who was sitting behind the piano behind the curtain, stood up. He, the original author, had something to say.

But before he finished speaking, he was stared at by Abigail and sat back honestly.

"Anyway, it's definitely right to listen to the director. That guy who plays the piano doesn't understand "Romance of the Holy War" at all."

Abigail was sure that she had found the problem.

The tone that was more inclined to joy and adventure was not suitable for Ranch and Hyperion.

She was still led astray by Tata, so that when she adapted the Half Witch Chapter, she subconsciously considered the effect of the Cinderella Chapter when it was released.

However, after this revision, she believed that the script was completely created for Ranch and Hyperion, and the two of them would definitely be able to fully display their respective acting characteristics.

"Huprienne, don't treat the next performance as a rehearsal, but as a formal performance. If you don't perform well, I can only ask Tata to replace your role."

Abigail decided to put some pressure on the two, otherwise it would be difficult to stimulate their potential. Of course, she would not really do this, and the pressure was not on Hugh.

"Uh."

Huprienne didn't have much competitive spirit.

But she saw that Ranch on the side was sweating on his forehead.

He seemed extremely afraid of performing another drama with Tata.

"Don't worry, I'll do my best."

Huprienne assured Abigail, and also said to Lanqi.

In order for Lanqi not to suffer, she would do her best to meet Abigail's requirements.

"In that case, I'll try my best."

Lanqi flipped through the script and felt that Hyperion was beside him. His mood slowly calmed down. He couldn't help but feel fortunate that this was a rehearsal at the Ikerite Opera House, not a performance directly dragged on stage.

What comforted him most was that the heroine who played opposite him was Hyperion.

With Hyperion, who was the most reliable in daily life, he didn't have to worry about Hyperion getting into trouble. On the contrary, she would help him.

"I'll try my best too!"

Huprienne clenched her fist and said with all her strength.

In the distant audience seats.

"I'm looking forward to the opening."

Antanas put potato chips in his mouth, chewing with a crisp sound, and spoke vaguely.

Tata was not here. It seemed that she bought too many snacks today, and they couldn't finish them.

"It feels more interesting than the real show, watching their improvisation."

Sinora and the other big demons could use detection magic to hear what the people on the stage were talking about even though they were far away.

The legendary actress Talia's performance last time was purely free, and the effect was extraordinary.

"It's opening."

The Ice Witch reminded softly.

She was very concerned about Hyperion's performance. Seeing her perform so well, as a parent, she felt like her daughter had grown up. Sitting in the audience, she was very pleased just to appreciate it.

The light on the stage changed, and rehearsals began again.

The scene was still the dark gray demon-style mansion bedroom in the noble mansion at the beginning. The dark red velvet sofa and chairs were placed next to the fireplace, and the firewood and sparks crackled in the stove.

"This half-demon lady, why are you sitting in my room?"

The demon governor asked the figure on the vintage sheepskin chair with a little indifference and displeasure.

"Because I'm your fiancée."

The half-witch noble lady put her hands on her knees and answered calmly.

She seemed to have been to this room many times before and did not feel awkward as a visitor at all.

"What do you need to do to stop bothering me?"

The demon governor covered his forehead, turned around and knocked on the door, wanting to call the butler to ask the demon lady to go back.

"Master, you called me?"

After the knock on the door, the governor opened the door, and the old demon butler outside walked into the room respectfully.

"Yes, can you help me ask this half-demon lady to go home?"

The governor pointed to the chair and told the butler.

"..."

The butler looked at the vintage sheepskin chair in the direction of the governor's finger.

He was silent for a moment, then looked at the governor again, staring into the governor's eyes.

"I can't help you, Master."

The butler replied to the governor with regret, with a hint of concern, sadness, and helplessness in his eyes.

"Forget it."

The governor shook his head, and the butler's caring eyes, as if looking at a fool, let him know that the butler could do nothing and could not ask this young lady to go home, so he could only let the butler go out.

The attitude conveyed by the housekeeper was very clear, and even their family's attitude was very firm, asking him to marry the fiancé as soon as possible.

"Master, do you feel that the room is a little cold?"

The housekeeper felt that he could exhale mist in the room. It seemed colder than outside even though there was a stove.

"It's normal in winter."

The demon governor just said this while holding the door panel. He didn't think there was any problem at all.

"Okay, then I'll take my leave."

The housekeeper bowed and left.

After a few seconds, only the demon governor and the half-witch lady were left in the bedroom again.

"..."

The half-witch lady stared at the demon governor's expression, and a trace of sadness and self-blame flashed in her eyes.

She didn't seem to want to embarrass him like this.

Finally, she stood up like a compromise and looked at the governor.

"I hope you can solve the mystery of who cursed you and caused you to keep forgetting me."

The copper floor lamp was beside her, and she said,

"By then, even if you still can't remember me, I will persuade the family to stop you from worrying about this engagement."

The lampshade was painted with little ghosts of the demon purgatory, chasing each other, as if reflecting the lonely light and shadow on the wall.

...

In the audience.

Antanas and Shinora leaned back in their chairs leisurely, eating snacks, and watching the performance on the stage with focused eyes.

"Are there any changes?"

Antanas hadn't read the original book, so he couldn't see too many changes. "It's true that there are no changes. It seems that only some details have changed, and the performances of Lanqi and Hyperion have not changed."

Shinora was also looking for differences.

So far, there have been only some minor changes in the plot.

For example, the butler didn't have so many lines at the beginning.

"It's okay, Antanas. Even if we have read the original novel, we don't know how the plot will play out later, so you can just watch it and you can understand it."

Sinora told Antanas.

"Since Abigail has modified the plot for them, it means that Abigail believes that they can perform well."

The two chatted quietly and appreciated it quietly.

More than ten minutes later, the first act ended.

The scene of the stage switched. The governor of the demon clan had already explained to the butler and took the half-witch on the journey to the demon clan's academy, which was where the half-witch insisted that she had shared memories with the governor.

The corridor of the demon academy looks classical and gorgeous, with dim light and full of the fragrance of ancient wood. It has been arranged to create a hazy sense of magic deep in time. The end of the road in the distance seems to be swallowed by darkness forever, with only unfathomable mystery.

In this corridor, music that came from nowhere echoed in the empty corridor, mixed with howling and singing, lingering around the Governor and the half-witch, like a prelude to pursuit and escape.

Even though the scene of this demon school would make human audiences feel a little scary and weird, Lanqi and Hyperion on the stage still looked calm, as if they were originally demons and did not feel that this school was dangerous at all.

"You said, this place can evoke my memories?"

The Governor asked the half-witch doubtfully.

He agreed to the half-witch just to let her stop disturbing him. Until now, he did not believe what the half-witch said, "Someone cursed him so he lost his memory of her."

He firmly believed that he did not know the half-witch at all. How could he have been a classmate with her here, and even fell in love with her?

The dark marble floor was painted with golden patterns. The two stood on a carpet with demon flower patterns in front of a door.

The surrounding walls were all covered with strange portraits and mirrors, as if looking at the students on the road.

"Yes."

The half-witch nodded firmly and proudly.

"But there are no photos of us here. How can you prove that we have been to this music classroom together?"

The governor stared at the large classroom with the door number for music and asked the half-witch.

"Look, the music classroom is full of ghosts."

The half-witch just shook her head and pushed open the sealed classroom door with telekinetic magic.

When the projection of the classroom was displayed on the stage, the scene inside also flooded into the audience's eyes. Compared with the tiered classroom, this place is more like a wide theater.

The gorgeously decorated lighting, red velvet seats, and the solemn stage are like the reflection of the Ikrit Opera House.

At the same moment, the air became extremely oppressive and almost solidified. The temperature in the corridor suddenly dropped due to the Yin Qi, and the scene with closed sound echoed with mournful wails like tears of blood.

Countless illusory figures appeared as if they had traveled from another dimension. Their figures overlapped and it was impossible to distinguish individual figures. Like the choir, the echoing sound made the half-witch couldn't help but cover her ears.

"Do you know that I once caused this?"

The Demon Governor looked at the classroom that sounded like hell. He didn't care about the half-witch at all. He didn't feel uncomfortable or afraid.

When these ghosts saw him, they felt scared and did not dare to invade him.

"Yes, I was still there at the time, so they would be afraid of me when they saw me."

The half-witch took a step toward the classroom. When the ghost saw her, he immediately began to back away, maintaining a fear equal to that of the Governor.

"..."

The demon governor frowned.

He seemed to have discovered the problem.

In his memory, he was the one demon who caused the disaster in the music classroom. Since then, the classroom has been closed, but judging from the reaction of the demon ghost inside, this half-witch also seems to be an accomplice.

"These ghosts don't know they are dead, they just keep singing."

The half-witch lady said.

But their reaction must be real, the purest instinct and obsession.

"Okay, then I initially believe your words - I may have forgotten you. But I still can't completely rule out that this is a scam. After all, I really can't remember your memory. I will investigate with you until I find it. Smoking gun evidence.”

The Governor said to the half-witch.

"If we walk the road we have traveled together again, you will see more traces we left behind."

The half-witch smiled.

They explore the past in the demon school.

The scene gradually came to the next scene.

…

A cold wind blew on the stage.

This is not the biting cold of winter, but the freshness and coldness of breathing as if on the top of a mountain.

The scene is in a desolate and dilapidated old castle.

This is a banquet hall on the first floor of the castle. At the same time, it looks like an ancient church.

In the projection, a majestic pipe organ nearly several stories high occupies the entire back wall. Some of the pipes are upright, some are curved, some are golden and some are woody and elegant. They are arranged in different shapes and levels, exuding an indescribable sound. A sense of sacred solemnity.

The dome made of stained glass, the lights turned on by the Governor seemed like a starry river hanging from the ceiling, illuminating the magnificent dark stone walls and floors.

The most conspicuous position in the center of the hall occupies an atmospheric and spacious long table. The silver candlesticks have been extinguished for an unknown period of time. The brown oak carved dining chairs on both sides of the long table are in an orderly manner, which cannot hide the fact that they were drunk and drinking many years ago. A luxurious fragrance for a change.

"What's here?"

The Governor put his hands in his coat pockets, looking here aimlessly with mist floating in the corner of his mouth.

He remembered this place, but could not recall any memory of the witch.

At this point, he no longer wondered why the witch knew that he had been to this ancient castle.

She knew so much that it was as if she had actually known herself.

"Do you feel the curse in this castle? You can feel discomfort as soon as you walk in."

the half-witch lady asked the governor.

This place is obviously far more dangerous than the devil school, but she is not afraid at all. This is entirely because the governor is by her side, or because they have been here before and have overcome any dangers and hardships, so she is not afraid of any possibility. The coming threat.

"This is indeed a cursed castle. Why is its curse so familiar..."

The governor put his hand on the table and felt,

"Is there really a curse on me, and I just fell under this spell unknowingly?"

he said to himself.

Perhaps this kind of curse was too familiar and not that harmful, so he had never been able to detect it. It was only when he sensed other curses that he discovered that he might have the same type of curse.

"I knew that with your talent, you would definitely be able to find the curse on yourself. You just didn't believe it before."

The half-witch grinned, holding her hands behind her back, bending slightly and smiling.

"Feel sorry……"

The demon governor's troubled eyes were lowered.

His previous distrust of the half-witch seemed to have hurt someone who had been truly close to him.

"It doesn't matter. If you still can't remember me, I won't pester you. After all, I just want you to be happy every day."

The half-witch lady said cheerfully.

"..."

The demon governor did not answer her.

He couldn't guarantee whether he would be able to think of her, or if he really couldn't remember her, whether he would be able to fulfill his engagement and marry her.

At this moment, he only felt guilty in his heart.

"Okay, it's something you and I agree on. Don't make it look like someone owes someone. Why don't you think carefully about the clues to unlock the curse. Only in this way can you think of me, right?"

The half-witch approached and raised her hand to caress the demon governor's cheek, but stopped when she was about to touch it and took it back.

Their relationship is no longer what it used to be, and she doesn't want the demon governor to feel disconnected or troubled.

"The curse should be broken. There is no curse that can last for such a long time unless it is constantly affected by the environment or is continuously cast."

The Governor nodded and murmured.

"so?"

the half-witch asked him.

"So the demons around us must have cursed me and want to destroy our family's marriage. We can narrow the scope of our investigation and we should return to the city now."

The demon governor replied firmly.

They searched for clues among the castles on the cliff and were ready to return.

Then they passed through many places, and the scenes kept changing with the operation of curtains, machinery and projections.

It's been a long journey.

It's like a review of their lives.

Or a proof.

Proving that even if he forgets her several times, he will fall in love with her again.

Until the final scene, the demon governor and the half-witch lady came to a church.

…

In the audience, Antanas and several great demons watched with rapt attention, their frowning expressions all immersed in the moving performances of Lan Qi and Hyperion.

For a moment, they couldn't tell whether this was a show or a real love story between the governor and the half-witch.

"That's not right. They have reached the last scene and still haven't found the murderer who cursed them."

Sinola, who was immersed in the plot, suddenly woke up.

In the original plot, the demon governor and the half-witch lady should be fighting the demon prince, the culprit who cursed them.

But in the new plot modified by Abigail, they still couldn't solve the puzzle. Not only could they not find the spell caster, it was even as if the spell caster didn't exist at all. Instead, they imagined a demonic world. conspiracy.

Now on the stage, they wandered into this dusk church in an attitude of giving up.

It is also the last place where the half-witch and the demon governor share common memories.

The entire stage was quite dark, with only the spotlight illuminating the two people. The flickering light halo filled the stone pillars with the dim atmosphere of a church at dusk.

With the arrival of the demon governor and the half-witch lady, the music begins with a series of soulful piano solos.

The two actors on the stage seemed to be slowly immersed in it.

They no longer look like two actors rehearsing a play, Ranchi and Hyperion, but have become a governor and a half-witch who are truly exploring secrets.

"I don't understand, I don't understand."

Antanas might be relieved if she knew that there were many more plots to come, but Sinora suddenly told her that this was the final act, and she felt a little caught off guard.

It wasn't until I looked at the time that I realized that almost two hours had passed since the rehearsal.

She couldn't help but look at Pranai and the Ice Witch.

The Ice Witch was still looking at the stage intently, as if she hadn't heard the whispers of Sinola and Antanas at all.

Pranay, on the other hand, sighed.

Pranay seems to have understood the foreshadowing of the plot.

Just like on the stage, Ranchi and Hyperion looked at the next lines that only they could see, and they should soon find the truth.

"general……"

Antanas wanted to ask Pranay, but stopped his voice.

She knew that Pranay would not give any spoilers to her casually, and she should finish the opera by herself after watching it for so long.

Stage in church at dusk.

No matter how the seasons change, it is always warm and pleasant in the old church on this cliff and sea of ​​flowers. The afterglow of the setting sun shines through the stone pillars, and the breeze lifts the fresh air and light petals.

The heroes and heroines of the opera are at the end of the church.

"Why……"

The demon youth seemed confused and didn't know why he couldn't find the answer.

“I think I’ve probably figured it out along the way.”

The half-demon aristocratic girl was still wearing the pure white dress, as if she was not afraid of the cold winter, holding the flowers she had just picked along the way.

She had a slight smile on her face.

"What do you understand?"

The Governor raised his eyes and stared at the witch in front of him.

I want to read the answer from the other person's eyes.

There was no trace of reluctance or loss in his amber pupils, only relief and a little sadness about saying goodbye to him.

He didn't know why, but he felt fear when he saw the girl's eyes at this moment. It was obvious that they were just companions who had only known each other for a few days. Could it be that he had completely trusted each other subconsciously along the way?

"Think carefully, think carefully, think carefully, and you will definitely be able to figure it out."

Her voice grew softer, reminding the Governor of the crumbs of memory they'd found along the way.

The melody played on the piano on the stage is melodious and gentle, and the notes flow through the heart like teardrops, echoing the joys and sorrows of the times in the opera. The left hand is sometimes steady and powerful, sometimes as soft as a catkin, as if to hint at the uncertainty of fate.

"..."

Governor Jing opened his eyes and looked at her in confusion.

It was as if he couldn't figure it out, or was unwilling to figure it out, and selectively ignored many doubtful points.

Scenes of the past that happened during the journey flashed through his mind, causing cracks to appear in the chain that locked the valve of truth until it suddenly broke.

The sounds he heard along the way began to echo in his ears again, deafening.

"—They don't know they're dead."

The half-witch lady told him the answer.

This is what she said to the Governor outside the music room of Demon Academy.

Ghosts do not know they are dead unless someone else tells them, or a hint makes them aware.

"..."

The governor's eyes were filled with tears and he looked at the half-witch in shock.

The melody begins to be rapid and intense, wave after wave, seeming to tell the characters' inner emotions and unspeakable pain.

At the same time, a thick sound is played in the bass area, and dramatic violin chords are added from time to time, giving people a sense of depression about the impending rain. The music directly and sincerely reveals the cruelty of the war years, the impermanence of life, love and hate. entanglements.

The Governor's thoughts were many.

In the room, the housekeeper didn't seem to see the half-witch. He just stared in the direction of the chair. There was no interaction with the half-witch.

Wherever she is, there is always a chill.

The demon that cursed him always seemed to be placing a curse on him by his side.

turn out to be.

The half-witch is actually a ghost that only he can see.

"Actually, is it me who is subconsciously cursing you..."

The half-witch seemed to be remembering the past.

It turns out she is dead.

Perhaps before she died, her biggest wish was to make the Governor forget about her, stop being sad, and stop being obsessed with her. This wish accidentally turned into an obsession and a curse, and she accidentally turned into a ghost without knowing it. She stayed with the governor foolishly, hoping that one day he would fulfill his engagement with her.

"No, no, don't think too much. Come back with me first. Tomorrow we will continue to find out who cursed me. It must be a powerful person from some family who wants to prevent our marriage."

The Demon Governor spoke in a rare panic and pretended to be calm.

"..."

The witch lady was stunned at first, then smiled and slowly raised her hand, wanting to touch the impossible governor.

Her smile was a little doting, but also a little sad and helpless.

"My original intention is for you to put me down."

The half-witch lady said reluctantly to the demon governor.

"What did you say……"

The demon governor's voice was stiff, as if he didn't understand at all.

"Just think about it, I won't curse you anymore. If you continue to stay here, you won't be able to move forward and start a new life."

The half-witch lady spoke softly in his ear.

"Stop talking, please! I don't want to recall memories of you."

The Governor is like a child lying in bed, wishing he could indulge in it for a second longer.

"call……"

The half-witch lady lowered her eyes helplessly and smiled. She did not expect that her beloved, who she once thought was omnipotent, would choose to cheat like this.

But she remained patient.

Tick ​​tock, the gears in the church bell tower turn.

The bell of dusk is about to ring.

Her eyes are as beautiful as the sunset in the clear sky.

The half-witch leaned close to the Governor. Even if she couldn't be hugged by him at the moment, she wanted to get closer, like cuddling against him.

"I wanted to tell you what I saved. I wrote many letters to you in my room, but I couldn't send them to you."

The half-witch lady started talking to herself.

Since the Governor was unwilling to speak again, she could only say goodbye.

"Sometimes I fall in love with your shadow."

"Just watch you and follow you."

"The love you give me is always full. Do you know that I only love you in my heart?"

She spoke softly, like a gentle wife.

"..."

The governor's hoarse voice was speechless, and it was more like he didn't dare to interrupt the words that might be missed.

It was time to give up, but he didn't want to.

Trying to erase the memory of her only made it more and more unforgettable.

He only felt that his eyes were sore, and his body was out of control as he ran forward and hugged the half-witch lady who had previously been unwilling to touch her.

Until this moment, he felt like he was in a different space with the half-witch lady and couldn't touch her. He really couldn't continue to lie to himself.

"Ha ha."

The half-witch lady suddenly smiled. Seeing the Governor clumsily trying to hug the ghost, she couldn't help but laugh at his stupidity.

Of course, there is also a bit of joy in this smile.

"You are finally willing to hug me."

She said with tears overflowing from the corners of her eyes.

"..."

The Demon Governor stared blankly at the strange yet familiar face of the half-witch lady.

She may be the face he will never forget, the trace of the happy face that makes him feel guilty.

She may be the famine and wild beasts, or he may be the reincarnation of heaven and hell he enters every day.

Maybe it was the mirror in his sleep, the smile reflected in the trickle.

Her eyes are so straightforward and sincere.

It’s unbearable to look at twice when you cry.

His heart fluttered as he came closer to her.

"If you can feel my feelings, please promise me to let me go in your heart and let me leave peacefully, okay?"

The half-witch lady looked at the Governor and asked him one last question.

"..."

The governor wanted to speak, but he couldn't.

Now we are far away on the other side of the sound that will never return.

I hope we can turn back time and hope everything can be undone.

"Well, it's time for me to leave anyway."

The half-witch lady shook her head, already making a decision in her heart.

"No, I will never forget you. Unless you continue to curse me, I will forget everything. I am willing to repeat such an adventure again, and I will accompany you willingly."

The Demon Governor stretched out his hand to catch her, but missed her again.

"What's the difference between this and a dream? Don't stay in the dream, it's fake."

she asked, saying.

When the melancholy seems overwhelming, the music slowly calms down.

The melody becomes soothing and gentle, like a ray of sunshine penetrating the gloom and illuminating the soul.

The farewell melody faintly emerges, intertwined with the main melody, symbolizing the arrival of hope and salvation in the world.

The swaying and changing notes, like a candlelight in the darkness, reflected the glimmer in her heart.

The moment the dusk bell rang, her figure was also illuminated by the strong light, and the pure white color seemed to be welcoming her to heaven.

"It seems that all this is too cruel for you."

There was only a smile on the corner of her mouth when she looked back.

"I don't want to be away, I just want to be together."

There was no sadness anymore, as if she had returned to the first time she met him, and even her expression was full of vitality.

"I..."

Lanqi subconsciously wanted to say something, but found that the Governor's lines had ended.

Hyperion observed Lanqi's expression, and a girl's chuckle floated from the corner of her mouth.

"If one day God can guide us together again, no one can separate us..."

However, Hyperion continued to say,

"Then please hold my hand again and accompany me for the rest of my life."

Her figure was slowly no longer covered by the light, until she was almost invisible and merged into the darkness of the church at dusk.

"..."

The Governor stood there, his red eyes trembling.

He was nostalgic for the warm spring sunshine, which, like her quiet company, fell on him and made him forget the sorrows of the past.

Until the sunset burned out, he seemed to see.

Her blurred back in the fallen flower forest.