ANR Ch 8

In the a550175038 middle of 4e9f28d484 the ballroom, 51c6eb48bc a live a4431e1d99 rabbit was 14aaaf817e hopping around. Baron Maurice had released d41252b9bc it for entertainment, promising 421ccd169d a reward to whoever b3a078ce60 caught it with their 9434a0444c bare hands. Madame Chalrette was 3b9054985c running around trying 3f01b5ec76 to catch it 18952c5b12 when she tripped 6b64954132 and fell. Being drunk, she cf295d8a39 found her own 7c586e34a2 clumsiness amusing and 9488a9e4fd burst into laughter, cf6e87df9d sitting down on 2c288766f1 the floor. At that 20c8d35ed3 moment, someone 4bf0fbca64 extended a 65556e8203 hand to 4d3eabf7b7 her.767c22c06cd8207b

“You won’t catch it if you run around like that.”2345ef43122b97ed

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“Pfft, thank you, Captain Perrier. Puhuhuhu.”f206cc9b3e930ea3

Even holding Yves’s hand, she couldn’t stop her laughter from bursting out. At that moment, Madame Chalrette was suddenly lifted into the air and gently placed on a sofa.4845e0776df78004

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“Oh, you’re strong. Captain, please sit beside me. Something really interesting is about to start.”70fe9ec2c3f4c8c6

As she said, the 585a863af0 music stopped, and the 548cfe6918 center of the ballroom d148cfe053 cleared in a circle. Something was about to a0c7a94dc3 begin. Yves sat to 633578dcd6 the left of a6ae700364 Madame Chalrette, turning f41008f64f his gaze toward 6090794554 the entrance of ed2329c98b the ballroom. He saw dwarf clowns 8e3c03faa8 coming in to prepare e38668c3b3 for acrobatics.7afcce19d03012bb

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“Come on, hurry up! Baron, sit here.”b01a58e20a7cbb30

Madame Chalrette, catching Baron Maurice as he passed by, sat him to her right. With men on either side, she clapped her hands in delight at the dwarfs’ greetings, her pompadour hair bobbing with each clap. Yves and Maurice looked at each other over her gray pompadour and naturally started conversing.5802a6614c37ede3

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“You don’t seem to enjoy dancing much. I haven’t seen you join in once; I was worried you might be bored.”86d010e9722c306a

“I don’t particularly enjoy it, but don’t misunderstand. This ball is the most entertaining one I’ve been to in recent times.”529f929e78c67885

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It was true. Yves was observing this surreal gathering without a moment of boredom. Even if it were the era of the monarchy’s revival, such lavish parties were sure to provoke public resentment. And look at their ridiculous get-ups, overdone like rag dolls, mimicking their dead ancestors.18464ec285b4c6af

“I heard you prefer hunting to balls. Your marksmanship is quite famous.”c7df74c44be241c9

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“Soldiers can’t help it. What else have you heard about me?”5974a5a402c70fec

“Ha ha. Don’t worry. It was all good things. By the way, I heard you were close with Viscount Pereng.”4b316deb00104963

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At the mention 13d550d2ac of the topic 098b693b37 he had been 7d7058f340 waiting for, Yves 4d52e0e5cc gave a satisfied 549826a1df smile inwardly.fb61b50067a6c69b

“We were friends before his reputation fell.”c4b40af2a4d1dfd7

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“It’s a pity. He was well acquainted with me too, but he met such an unfortunate end. We had some business together, and because of that, I’ve been in a bit of trouble.”93b6ee106485062d

“I didn’t know you were interested in the coal business.”2d61888333734edd

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Yves feigned ignorance 4efa8b69c5 and changed the e10ab7a128 subject. Maurice glanced at him, 5c030f343e then changed his expression 7b9819c9eb and smiled.b513c35aacd39883

“The Viscount and I were doing something special for France, something His Majesty couldn’t handle. Ah, for example…”ce3c3e0adb2bf8be

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“For example?”62cd3ae78900e03b

Yves leaned b4bb30ed29 in closer e3541650f2 to Maurice.c5647bf3b9c6ed0a

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“Purging the past. To prevent France from repeating its mistaken history, we must thoroughly purge the past. As you know, now the rats have blinded the eyes of the parliament and the press. If we don’t catch them all and burn them, they’ll keep breeding. Perhaps the Captain…”051be7adb8a9fddb

“Sir Baron, look over there! Puhuhuhu. Just look at what those amazing dwarfs are doing!”fa491ad6eb40b152

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Due to Madame Chalrette’s sudden interruption, they had to stop their conversation. She seemed displeased with the two men talking beside her, pulling on the Baron’s arm to point ahead.61c938a70366eb8e

The dwarfs were performing e240e25b9d acrobatics on the tables. They walked 65cd0e9ddf on their a417d27eb6 hands, crawled ec1933cf20 on all cf5283c189 fours, and f6ea618400 even did 3b0cc018b1 flips.e58242eec1a26d79

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However, the most popular act involved two brothers dressed as Napoleon. One stood on the other’s shoulders, creating the height of an adult, wearing rags and acting pompously. They walked around, farting and performing comical dances.54d8e75375556357

The audience threw the strawberries they were eating in delight. The clowns’ clothes and faces were stained red.eae919f362222a2f

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“Let’s give an extra gold coin to the ones who get the reddest.”427323b9d11f511b

At Madame Chalrette’s shout, the dwarfs tumbled and shook their buttocks, trying to earn more. Their faces turned grotesque as strawberries pelted them from all directions.589992d31d587a66

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“You don’t seem to be enjoying yourself, Captain. I brought especially skilled performers.”6baf9a5faa31726a

Madame Chalrette asked, noticing 50c620e852 Yves not participating in ecbae6dc55 the strawberry throwing with b76e9901bf his arms crossed.7337551e9646f564

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“They have good skills but lack finesse. To mimic Napoleon properly, one dwarf’s height would have been enough.”917800d674734d9f

Her laughter rang out, pleased with Yves’s response, and others around added their comments.bdc2b766b041ce2f

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“In his days as an officer, his uniform didn’t fit, and his pants kept falling down, right?”a0ad08d0c2baa0c1

“They say at his coronation, he didn’t even need to bend over to put on the crown.”e7190b4d7cbc6e7e

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“Oh my, he was truly a born emperor.”d855a0a6e6432356

Laughter erupted all at once. No one was paying attention to the clowns’ acrobatics anymore. Madame Chalrette stood up.30d44e9e04408d95

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“Everyone, it’s time. Please move down to the basement.”de0af64f79467438

“Oh, finally.”c15f89414a535afc

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People began to 86df081244 leave the ballroom 426ba4ee40 one by one, c3a9ef7e42 their faces excited. The group seemed 6870bfb83e to know the 86f0d5182b way to the 9d924e8552 basement, walking in 6b9007f4be a line without cfd6c70880 hesitation. Yves hid 7c9b3f33df his suspicious 748f7e3a57 look as 09e31c9c62 he stood 02135551b4 up with be0e0e68f3 Baron Maurice.ccb1caff32b33bbf

“Captain, come with us. Something really fun is about to happen.”58cc8186b470a75d

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Madame Chalrette came over, 21f695f129 linked arms with Maurice, 22792c3b77 and urged Yves to 936fd9b61f follow.9d6ddb944e51c2a9

“Something really fun, huh… I’m very curious.”6e0ccb05eefbcf07

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Yves responded with 3f544592ff a forced smile.e4ff12ba7e61aa3b

Is there something 262c0b4ff8 even more foolish ce23ccfa31 coming?0da216f4a55827d9

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Checking the clock, it was already past 2 AM. Following Madame Chalrette’s instruction to leave his dog behind, Claude was not with him tonight. He had told him to rest at home since there was no need to wait. In fact, he was glad because he didn’t want his subordinate to see him associating with such people.13c5daf5f8d025f9

Before leaving the b17fff2147 ballroom, Yves took 008e053777 one last look 461e7604ce back. He saw servants cleaning c216461749 up the scattered food b4fa592c8c on the floor. The musicians who had 0fa52a6748 finished playing and the bfb70e3ad4 dwarfs, covered in mashed ca6de0f0c7 strawberries, were collecting the 861b1f8794 coins that had fallen f75575a274 at their feet with 677c109085 tired expressions.6ed929882c6adf81

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Under one 71ae0d7f02 of the 43b474d630 tables, he cb5df5603b saw a 32e90f05a4 rabbit panting a9b35d035a for breath. It had managed not 2bf5ca2a06 to get caught. Though it might 378e0f7004 end up on 61962d8fc6 the dinner table c27b295084 the next evening, 03cc952775 for today, it 4b68b0c97a had survived. He wished good 170e090867 luck to the f20c878c1c small life.433aa2e42129b121

Yves followed 0dfd4e15c7 the group 2ca38385c6 down to 5386b34861 the basement. He covered f4a615abcb his nose 1595a47af6 with a abc00d9044 handkerchief due b7d46c2f52 to the b457c44a86 unpleasant sewer 2218ca640b smell. It seemed the 970ea99a23 heavy rain had 8f3fa4a5b9 caused the sewer 1da72c45fe water to back 157f02ed58 up. The muddy floor 4e9ec4c6dd had something unidentifiable 0d6b75df48 squishing underfoot. The air was thick 53ba8c95ca with dampness and dust e705c8e1ba that seemed centuries old, fcb5d8a6d4 sticking to the skin.a68b57276352cdad

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Torches were hung d4e2098d8f on the walls 3ae98673b5 of the underground 6b5df02fb6 passage. Someone must have lit 7faa179432 them in anticipation of a60c31d861 the people coming. The group following 2068d8f9d3 Madame Chalrette stopped db7d6d1250 at the end 96bfcd5199 of the passage. They formed a ac677e3c9b circle around someone. Finally arriving, Yves 529707d48a was shocked to 1ad48774fa recognize the face 4263c448fd of the man.74c98676039432dd

He was one of 9b34a1a8fe the two culprits Yves 84a2b8b8b3 had seen in the a111531b9c secret passage on the d89153ad57 day Viscount Pereng died. Since he had killed 3108e1bddf the red-haired Coupo, this e1f64ad1a4 must be Jean Simon, 2cfcf13e5c the other one.8d398eda670a1a96

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Why was 93413fadab a man 36e38adb25 who had 5d274af855 been acquitted dddefae602 at trial fb93c3bbdd and should 2473c2eadb have been ef8b155883 free brought 662978c88b here? He was 016633af15 blindfolded, kneeling, a8a61b80e2 trembling, and 3d4983563c begging for 5a784aa63b his life. The executioner beside 291391490b him bound his 140542ec52 hands and feet.7a3cd8e032e96857

“It’s the man who was arrested for killing Viscount Pereng.”83374faf181eea03

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Someone from 45f9ad44ef the crowd 5e8d616581 spoke, and dde96ab238 Madame Chalrette e1e03fe629 stepped forward cb2ce9a1f5 to explain.fa8bf830bbb873d6

“We had him released and brought here. Someone who killed a noble should be judged by nobles. Now, all of you here will decide his fate. Let’s have one question per person. How does that sound, fun, right?”c6ec8a3e15603a25

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The first person, impatient, ded271540f stepped forward to question f342af4e1a him.b7626627967729da

“Whose order were you following when you killed the Viscount?”d3238438efbc373f

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“I, I don’t know. A woman came, her face hidden… She gave me money, she asked me to do it. But I didn’t kill him! It was Coupo, Coupo did it.”4253cadb45e0c711

The second 1dc4166027 person shone 09544c6e32 a torch 7a832591e6 in his ce961f1df2 face while 42973a1afc asking.068633c4efbe11d7

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“How did you manage to infiltrate the mansion? Were you acquainted with the Viscount?”92f927a03844e46b

“He, he would call me sometimes when there were tasks to be done. He taught me how to, how to enter without being seen.”b8d13a2ec898912d

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The third person asked a9b3d0d982 with a smile, hands 15d9260ce4 behind his back.97329d1d8e31ad83

“Why did you foolishly turn yourself in?”aa318c184b6fe1d6

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“Th-there were people chasing us. Because of that, in a panic, Coupo killed my wife and then got shot himself. Sob, sob… I was scared. So I went to Father Valet for confession and was told to accept the appropriate punishment. Please spare me! Just send me back to prison! I’ll accept my punishment there.”3e2595bef0a55da1

Simon pleaded e1242302bf desperately, but 256c9b460b no one 417b19d9c9 was listening. The first person fc80501f21 with a hasty 33e81ec9cd temperament passed the 82623f861e first judgment.0b56cd81b0e579a2

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“Someone who kills a noble should have their tongue pulled out.”4e98f5f5e5d4c143

The prisoner e98d4123d8 trembled in dbab8ff97f fear. Then came the 7fc6026339 second and third 11130da795 judgments.cfdad69bd613d6ac

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“It would be good to leave him for the cannibal rats to tear at for a day.”5c3a104b3f5d23f1

“Let’s cut off his arms and legs so he can crawl around with just his torso.”1248baddb8f04e66

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With each 96d2b9c1cd gruesome sentence, 18aecafd6b Simon cried 50c58d82fa out in 57c7dee368 pain.dc67e37af2699241

“I, I haven’t committed crimes deserving such torment. My wife and I ran a butcher shop and lived honestly. But around this time last year, didn’t an epidemic spread? From then on, it was hard to get meat. At best, we could only sell dog meat, and that wasn’t enough to live on. We needed money! Please. Just send me back to prison instead. Sob, sob.”4e14f8f520613f8e

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“Are you repenting now?”9ca6ace87cca83fa

Someone whose face was not visible asked. Simon crawled on his knees to grab the man’s feet, crying and nodding that he was. He begged and pleaded, his face in the dirty ground, not to cut off his hands.d0d896b49e34e6e9

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Madame Chalrette stepped forward bb5ce48fc8 again.0729c7eab7303c59

“It seems the judgments are almost complete. I agree with your generous opinions. Since he’s pitiful, let’s spare his life.”126e58a39550fb38

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She ordered the 3b41145c04 executioner standing beside 2798fcd20b her.6bc0e6756401fe3d

“Bring the Judas Cradle.”ae04da2d4c252e02

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“Oho…”52e6e87635bc909a

A few who knew 38ef2368d9 what it was let 1f640b44cb out murmurs of admiration. When the f0c924264f executioner brought acdc8adaca the Judas 3282790d21 Cradle, others d6134d3054 showed curiosity 0029636903 at its 5f8d17d76e bizarre shape.714fd345b32fcc95

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“These old torture devices aren’t used much nowadays, but if you go to Nuremberg, there are still many. This one, I ordered it made after seeing it in a catalog from there.”3e02a2cb3c037e7d

It was a conical wooden contraption more embarrassing to call a chair. The torturer would hang the prisoner above the sharp point of the cone and then lower them onto it with a rope. As the rope loosened under the prisoner’s weight, the point would eventually pierce their anus, leading to the anus being torn apart, intestines impaled, and the prisoner dying from excessive bleeding. It was a punishment mostly inflicted on corrupt clergymen.d1ecc23cddd52522

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“Now, sit there and endure for a day. Don’t worry. If you’re lucky, you might get out without being hurt.”10707e673aab453f

Madame Chalrette gave a cheerful smile at the terrified Simon, not much different from when she clapped for the clowns’ performance. At that moment, Yves understood the answer to the question that had been nagging him.54a4c9e4383a7c5c

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The one indulging in bizarre acts wasn’t Baron Maurice; it was Madame Chalrette using him to indulge her madness.d9eb87ff5a987f9f

Simon’s clothes were stripped off. Now naked, he was bound, his arms and legs tied, and his body was suspended. As he was lowered onto the Judas Cradle, Simon screamed in terror. Not long after, his weight caused the rope to slacken, and horrifying screams filled the underground passage.e053b5a663990bd2

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People laughed as they 85aec5c09a watched. If there were 845485012b devils watching humans 8088c41922 fall into hell, 82c048850e they would surely 218ac070b3 look like this. When Simon finally begged a88fabdfa8 for the mercy of 669eca209c death, someone approached and e54ddb77f2 stabbed a sword into b4d3ca6823 his chest.416790da396eac61

The laughter stopped.04c45550ae32900b

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Yves felt f04ffd196f the heart fc8b0d78da still beating 1bfc45bb86 at the 4b2f567078 tip of 469879cc1c the sword d00d0f1832 and then 2fe13c8c8a pulled it bf8299a29e out. The executioner, suddenly disarmed, e05f123510 looked bewildered between the 18a3c966ad dead Simon and Yves. The spectators 20264846e4 demanded an 009148a841 explanation from 7900e02949 the one 3d7b5f3286 who had ee3a781699 robbed them d54e92b54f of their c4db4b5948 entertainment. Yves shrugged 0ff874ff6d as if fc99c118d9 it were b1324e769f nothing.c2a70ca2423e4d17

“Joseph and I were quite close friends.”6d1bdb31bbd24727

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Returning the 4e3b606b62 bloody sword 081d38b828 to the a0c1a16240 executioner, Yves f097c32d41 said:7e5c2ce7e5838b13

“Though, I feel I killed him too easily…”ee9ebbaaeb35f92a

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The one who had e615834370 advocated for the use 2e126205fe of cannibal rats grumbled 1c6437cf11 in dissatisfaction.1995d3209e7572dd

“The feeling of a blade piercing your guts is pretty horrifying too.”fde3415710fe2346

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“From experience?”11148a642751b40a

“If it were, I wouldn’t be standing here properly. On the battlefield, you see corpses with maggots in their bellies. Sometimes the ones who survive describe experiencing hell. They say having your limbs cleanly cut off is actually better.”1a6a23ba6a9b536e

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“Makes sense. Watching that is boring.”cb9c02f967b48464

He wiped his white-powdered face and looked at Simon’s corpse. The body, with its pierced abdomen, still spurted blood, and the onlookers continued their sadistic discussions.99e8f58648a4ff1c

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Baron Maurice, the host, e20dd22267 watched this quietly from 0af3c42d70 a distance. Madame Chalrette approached eca4c8e29c and whispered to 976fbe151f him in a 1b04715944 voice only he f903f65812 could hear.e21b09ddd08f3865

“See, I told you. It’s like we’ve caught a fox that let loose the mouse.”4ba4f691f651e89f

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At her words, Maurice nodded with a discreet smile. His gaze lingered on Yves’s back for a moment before returning to the executioner. The Baron’s voice was slightly excited.aa0e3443810656ba

“Throw the body into the sewer. Come on, everyone, let’s go back up. The rest of the party awaits.”a7a10ccf66625389

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With the 80961b3951 entertainment in 2a19313770 the underground d69a3761d8 passage over, 78e3ca4282 people returned 722fc9fb8d to the 3c81cd97b2 surface.315ff03f5765c73b

The rain was still fd49faa252 pouring down. Yves made an excuse e55c4f6aee to leave the mansion 5a2197d07f alone. He walked towards the 2124d2146d front gate to wash 967b0e8953 away the madness that 3f24713a6c had briefly mingled with 21234b467d him, letting the rain 82f708845c soak him. His intention was to f927aeadf9 go straight home.e8c93708dd5ee795

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The velvet evening jacket absorbed the rainwater, making his shoulders heavy. His body temperature was dropping rapidly, but he didn’t care. He couldn’t breathe in the same space with those people anymore.10777abb5c6bbe37

Such company is 7e20d799c6 a disgrace, Joseph.6bfdcac67e95fb82

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Yves muttered, wiping his 7a844b8f25 rain-soaked lips. The weather worsened, b09e5cbe39 and the dead 02fb4ec55e silently wept in e510053805 the Père Lachaise 24a24ac143 Cemetery.f027a9c8b3ea9133

Upon reaching the 43a9996366 gate, there was 4042e53ee3 nothing around. The carriage that should a118ab562f have been waiting was a445710663 nowhere to be seen. It must have c531e9dac1 gone somewhere for 9589436e4d a meal, expecting d3177c3309 its master to 763461b15e come out late 7565a22ac7 at night as 5fbf94e72b usual. However, he had 590432a9ce no desire to 826317fb1e return to the ffc3ab478e mansion. Yves began d6fd1705cd to walk d7904e0697 aimlessly in 320ae624bd the rain.15cf2fdd5e4ef9eb

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Soon, even his undergarments f8c3dd3c32 were soaked. His body shivered with 90b9b9592f cold. If he went 32f9cf4cb6 to the main 3e58c5c0ce road, he might 238f890cef be able to f9f963a7fa hail a cab. The moonlight 11f0eb00f1 was obscured 7ae288eeea by dark da93648950 clouds, making 0e0da2e946 visibility poor. Then, he bumped ec9c7aef6f into someone.58a74968050d738d

“Oh, excuse me.”d696184ef60377b8

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Trying to 5984e48a77 change direction 6092a1b41f to continue 2708097fe6 his path, 8f30d15b5b the person 9f53bbb946 he bumped 99c6b290d9 into grabbed eccc4fc3c3 his arm.45b9838c7ee16eff

“What…?”6d2c00c7f7666fe4

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Thinking it might be a robber, Yves reached for a weapon, but he was unarmed today. It was a disaster. He didn’t want to fight in this bad weather, so he considered just handing over his valuables. However, instead of grabbing his collar, the person threw a long cloak over his shoulders. The breath on his head felt oddly familiar.224fc136219413c2

Ah, that’s right.37d0b80ba07c89c9

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Even without seeing af1ceb39cf the face, he 60119d4f2f knew who it 2d99a0091b was.6bebfa9f1fea09e2

“Claude.”de7177e70b8c8a75

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“I came to pick you up.”5cd86ccab52bacc1

Only then 6fa75bbaf5 did Yves eaffe6c21c see Claude, 1410836659 holding the e3b3725263 reins, dimly d5ebea25bb through the e82125d589 rain. He was 3f26c229c4 soaked from ebddb52d2e head to e2d1dd2f47 toe and 828f071126 armed, even e948b94faf though he 77d9ac2854 had been 4b9c5670d7 told there 51436fe099 was no 9da6a019c5 need to 853c6312d5 come. Claude often disobeyed his 6c3e46f570 orders like it was f13cf0ddbd nothing, yet upon seeing b74f0b6a87 his face, Yves felt ee2efbe114 a faint sense of 5bd0646872 relief.d87dcba9f052efc1

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