Ai Luo wanted to go outside and see whether there was any way to leave Rose Manor. He quickly walked out of the ballroom, and when he passed by his carriage, the coachman called out to him, “Young… Young Miss, are you going back?”
Ai Luo stopped, turned to look at the coachman, then quickly walked over to him and asked in a very low voice, “They said the Rose Formation was activated, and everyone has to stay here for several days before they can leave. Do you know any way to leave immediately?”
Ai Luo was also desperately grasping at any possible solution. In his heart, he knew the possibility that a coachman would have a way to leave was very small, but right now, as long as there was even the slightest possibility, he had to ask.
“The Rose Formation?” The coachman froze in surprise, then said softly, “If the Rose Formation has been activated, I’m afraid even the two Counts won’t be able to get out. Young Master, don’t recklessly try to force your way through. You’ll lose your life.”
Hearing this, Ai Luo became even more nervous and anxious. “Then what should I do? If I stay here, I’ll very likely be exposed.”
The coachman turned and climbed onto the carriage, took out a small locked leather case from beneath the seat, and handed it to Ai Luo together with the key, saying, “The butler prepared this. He said that if there was any emergency, I should give this to Young Master.”
Ai Luo took it and was just about to open it and look inside when Galen ran over looking very nervous. He could only put the small case down and carry it in his hand for now.
“Miss Aixi.” Only after Galen saw that Ai Luo was fine did he breathe a sigh of relief and say, “It’s very dangerous outside. There may still be thieves hiding somewhere. For the next few days, you absolutely must not come outdoors after dark. The butler already prepared a room for you. I’ll take you there.”
In order to avoid causing panic, they did not tell the guests that a monster escaped from the dungeon. Instead, they said that thieves broke in and triggered the Rose Formation, and that they had to wait a few days until it returned to position on its own before they could leave. Being able to stay at Rose Manor for several days, the guests did not have much objection to it.
Ai Luo turned his head and glanced at the coachman. He still had things he wanted to ask, but it seemed that he could no longer ask them now.
“Someone will make arrangements for him. You don’t need to worry,” Galen said.
Ai Luo could only follow Galen inside.
After Galen brought Ai Luo to the room arranged for him, he said, “Because there are relatively many guests, there may be places where our hospitality is lacking. If you need anything, you can also tell me.”
“Alright, thank you.” Ai Luo nodded.
“Then… if there’s nothing else, I’ll leave first.” Galen clearly looked as though he wanted to stay and continue talking and chatting with Ai Luo, but it was already so late that it would not be appropriate for him to take the initiative to suggest continuing to stay in a girl’s room. However, if Ai Luo asked him to stay, he could appropriately remain for a while longer.
Ai Luo nodded again. He only wanted Galen to leave quickly so that he could see what was inside the case the butler gave him. If it did not contain the things he needed, then his true identity would soon be exposed.
“Then rest early.” Galen turned and left, somewhat disappointed.
Galen felt that Ai Luo was being so cold toward him because Ai Luo must already have fallen for his Third Uncle. After all, even in his own heart, he always felt that his Third Uncle was the most charming man in the world. There was naturally no need to mention his outward qualities, and there probably was no one who could resist his Third Uncle’s gentleness.
Although Galen felt very disappointed inside, he also felt that Ai Luo and Olesen were very well-matched. Moreover, Olesen treated him very well ever since he was little. He felt that if this was an opportunity for Olesen to break the curse, then no matter how sad or disappointed he was, he would endure the heartache and give them his blessings.
After Ai Luo locked the room door from the inside, he immediately walked over to the sofa and sat down, impatiently placing the small case on his lap and opening it to look through it. Inside were several bottles of the potion the butler gave him before, enough to last for more than ten days, as well as the cosmetics he needed. It seemed that when he asked the butler to prepare cosmetics for him, the butler prepared an extra set and placed it here.
Seeing these things, Ai Luo breathed a slight sigh of relief and sighed inwardly. He never thought there would come a day when he needed to rely on cosmetics in order to survive.
After washing up that night, Ai Luo reapplied a no-makeup makeup look. Although he was already preparing to sleep, if something happened during the night and he was directly exposed because he was not wearing makeup, it would be troublesome.
After finishing his makeup and hair, Ai Luo came out of the bathroom wearing a sleeping robe and lay down on the bed. The cosmetics he asked the butler to prepare were all treated with a special potion and also required potion to remove. They could not even be washed off with water, so he did not need to worry about them rubbing off on the bed.
Ai Luo was originally not the type who had trouble sleeping in an unfamiliar bed. No matter where he went, as long as he was tired, he could fall asleep. But tonight, no matter what, he could not fall asleep. Whenever he closed his eyes, he felt as though he heard a strange sound, and that sound made him feel very frightened inside.
Ai Luo got out of bed and walked to the window to look outside. Rose Manor at night still carried an eerie and terrifying feeling, but Ai Luo did not see anything strange. He felt that the sound that frightened him was very likely just a psychological effect.
Ai Luo returned to the bed and lay down again. After quite a while, he felt as though he smelled a sweet fragrance, and then he drowsily fell asleep.
Fronde, who was originally sleeping deeply, suddenly opened his eyes. When he turned his head to look, an incomparably beautiful sleeping face with a touch of innocent cuteness entered his sight.
For someone who suddenly appeared on his bed, according to Fronde’s personality, his first reaction should have been to grab the person’s neck and throw him off the bed. But looking at Ai Luo’s sweet sleeping face, his first reaction instead was not to wake him, because the scene before his eyes was simply too tempting. He felt as though something deep inside him was stirring restlessly, making his mouth dry, as though he was craving something.
Fronde raised his hand, wanting to touch Ai Luo. His snow-white and delicate skin and the beautiful curve of his neck both seemed as though they were deliberately tempting Fronde to kiss him fiercely.
While Ai Luo was sleeping soundly, he turned over and placed his hand to the side. Feeling as though he touched a person, he immediately woke with a start, widened his eyes, and turned his head to look, discovering that there really was someone beside him.
Ai Luo quickly sat up and retreated while holding the quilt, looking at Fronde somewhat panicked as he asked, “C-Count, why are you in my room?”
“Take another good look and see whether this is your room.” Fronde also sat up and said expressionlessly.
Ai Luo turned his head and looked around, discovering that this really was not the room he was in before falling asleep. Judging from the furnishings and size of this room, as well as the fact that Fronde was here, this should be Fronde’s room.
Ai Luo immediately explained in a panic, “I didn’t come here myself. I really didn’t come here myself. I fell asleep in the room that was arranged for me before. I also don’t know why I appeared here. Please believe me.”
Fronde, however, was very calm, because he knew very clearly in his heart that Ai Luo could not possibly appear on his bed without alerting him. In this manor, the only person capable of doing that was his younger brother, Olesen.
“Although I also don’t know why I appeared here, I’m truly sorry. I’ll leave right now.” Ai Luo wanted to get off the bed and leave, but then he discovered that this room actually had no door. He froze, not understanding why this room had no door. Could it be that they had to leave through the window?
“Count, w-where is the door?” Ai Luo looked at Fronde and asked in confusion.
“There is no door.” Fronde said expressionlessly, “Before tomorrow morning, neither of us can get out.”
Fronde knew why Olesen did this. He raised his hand and touched the mask on his face. The effects of the curse already began spreading across his face, and even he himself did not know how much longer he could hold on. He knew it must have been because he invited Ai Luo to dance, making Olesen think that he was very likely somewhat moved by Ai Luo. And Ai Luo indeed had a face that could easily make someone fall in love at first sight, so Olesen, who was anxious and worried about Fronde, directly sent Ai Luo to Fronde’s bed tonight.
“Since that’s the case, please allow me to stay on the sofa until tomorrow morning. I’ll be very quiet and won’t disturb your sleep.” Ai Luo cautiously prepared to get off the bed. Although he had many doubts in his heart—why he appeared here, why this room had no door, and why they could only leave in the morning—his intuition told him that it would be better not to ask too much.
Fronde suddenly covered the mask on his face and let out a low growl of pain. Ai Luo was startled, and when he turned to look at him, he saw that Fronde’s eyes were red and that he pounced toward him like a ferocious beast.
“C-Count…” Ai Luo was pressed down onto the bed and looked at Fronde in terror. At this moment, Fronde was like a ferocious beast that wanted to devour him. Ai Luo was not sure whether Fronde still had his reason, nor did he know what Fronde would do to him, so he was very frightened and panicked right now.
Fronde panted as he looked at Ai Luo for a while, then buried his face against Ai Luo’s neck and breathed in deeply before opening his mouth and biting his neck.
Ai Luo felt the damp sensation against his neck. The fear inside him made him unable to stop himself from beginning to struggle. “Please let go of me.”
However, the more Ai Luo struggled, the tighter his wrists were held. Fronde also seemed to inexplicably become more excited, suddenly kissing Ai Luo. The more Ai Luo tried to avoid him, the more forcefully he kissed him, and Ai Luo soon lost his strength and could only let him do as he pleased. Fronde’s movements instead gradually became gentler.
Ai Luo still wanted to resist in his heart, but he could no longer move even a single finger. Although he resisted it inwardly, his body reacted beyond his control. He felt as though he was about to melt into a puddle of water, his body extremely hot and restless.
The reason Olesen sent Ai Luo to Fronde’s bed tonight was because he knew that Fronde did not have much time left to break the curse. He wanted to see whether Ai Luo could survive the night while staying together with Fronde, who went mad under the curse’s influence. If Ai Luo could survive, it would mean that because of him, Fronde’s reason overcame the curse’s influence, and that Ai Luo truly might be able to help Fronde break the curse.
And tonight, Fronde was not the only person affected by the curse. Olesen and the others likewise felt very pained and empty because of the curse’s influence, instinctively craving something that could help them break the curse. It was only that their condition was not as severe as Fronde’s. Although they were suffering, they were still able to remain rational and clear-headed.