Chapter 77: Farewell, Madame Pualis (First Chapter, Requesting Monthly Tickets)

Outside the administrative officer’s residence, a building converted from a castle.

Lu Mi passed through the garden and arrived at the door, saying to the male servant standing there:

“I need to see Madame Pualis.”

The male servant, dressed in a red jacket and white trousers, sized him up several times, then asked cautiously:

“What for?”

Could this kid be pulling a prank, using me as the target?

Lu Mi let out a “huh.”

“It’s not something you’re meant to know.”

Why are you meddling so much? What’s your surname? Your name? How many children have you had?

The servant hesitated a moment, then decided to report to the lady and let her decide whether to see this boy.

Lu Mi stood at the door, waiting a few minutes, until the servant returned and said:

“The lady asks you to go to the small parlor.”

Lu Mi was no stranger to that small parlor—he had been received there several times when visiting the castle with his sister—so without guidance, he walked straight to the correct room, leaving the servant trailing behind like his attendant.

After sitting on the long sofa in the small parlor, sipping black tea for a while, Lu Mi saw Madame Pualis appear at the door.

Today, the lady wore an elegant black corseted dress, a matching shawl draped over her shoulders, a slightly tilted lady’s round hat atop her head, and a diamond necklace set with gold around her chest.

Lu Mi found it familiar—he suddenly remembered this was the outfit Madame Pualis had worn during her last visit to his home, when she had “seduced” him.

Is she doing this on purpose? Lu Mi muttered to himself, then smiled and greeted:

“Good morning, Madame Pualis.”

No sooner had he spoken than he noticed the woman beside Madame Pualis was not her personal maid Cassie, but the “midwife” who had died at Ryan’s hands yesterday.

The “midwife” wore a gray-white long dress, her eyes blank, her face expressionless, her skin slightly bluish—exactly as Lu Mi had seen her in the garden the previous evening, except she no longer held her pruning shears.

No personal maid, but the “midwife”? Again, on purpose? Lu Mi muttered inwardly again.

Madame Pualis offered a faint smile:

“It’s already noon now.”

She sat down on the single armchair reserved for the host, while the “midwife” stood motionless beside her.

“You haven’t had lunch yet—you can’t call it noon,” Lu Mi insisted.

At the same time, his heartbeat quickened—he suspected Madame Pualis had brought the “midwife” to question him about yesterday’s events.

If he failed to handle this well, and Lyra and the other three outsiders didn’t restart the loop in time, Lu Mi feared he’d have to play “father” for several minutes—or even ten or more.

Madame Pualis glanced at him; her bright eyes shimmered like rippling water, filled with an indescribable smile.

The lady asked casually:

“What do you want?”

Lu Mi decided to be direct. He said seriously:

“Madam, you must have realized we’re trapped in a time loop.”

As he spoke, he kept his gaze fixed on Madame Pualis’s face, watching her expression closely.

If she showed surprise, shock, or confusion, he’d immediately follow up with “Haha, just joking,” then probe for anomalies to gauge her attitude and intentions before deciding whether to reveal the time loop at all.

But if she wore the expression of “You’ve figured it out” or “My secret’s been exposed,” he’d have to flee immediately.

Even if escape seemed unlikely, how could he know without trying?

Madame Pualis studied Lu Mi for several seconds, then smiled:

“So you’ve found yourself a boss.”

She showed no surprise at the mention of the time loop, nor any confusion or doubt—effectively acknowledging she understood the current situation.

Boss? That’s a term Aurora liked to use—does it mean the entity granting grace? Lu Mi interpreted her words inwardly.

He believed she had a “boss,” received protection, and thus retained some memory across loops.

Lu Mi immediately laughed, feigning relief:

“Looks like I won’t need to spend a lot of time explaining.”

“What exactly do you want to say?” Madame Pualis asked with a smile.

The “midwife” stood motionless beside her, like a statue.

Lu Mi had prepared his speech in advance and launched into it:

People outside already know about Cordu's anomalies. If we don't break the loop in time, this place will be utterly destroyed, and everyone will die.

“We’re all on the same boat. Only by combining all our strength can we prevent it from sinking—and have any hope of finding the loop’s key and returning to normal life.

“Madam, time is running out. Let’s cooperate.”

Madame Pualis listened throughout with a faint smile, never interrupting.

Then she let out a light laugh:

“Who told you we’re on the same boat?”

Huh? Are you the one trying to sink it? Lu Mi’s heart jolted.

Madame Pualis kept her smile and continued:

“Why should I cooperate with you? At a certain time, I can simply leave this place.”

This… Lu Mi was stunned, then felt a surge of wild joy:

“You mean you have a way to escape this time loop?

“Just wait for a specific time point and do something?”

Madame Pualis gave a slight nod, lifted her white-glazed porcelain teacup, took a sip, and offered no further reply.

Having a hidden patron is indeed advantageous… Wait—if this isn’t the first loop, why is she still here? Could it be that in previous loops, they never reached this specific time point before restarting? Hmm… That explains why she hasn’t pursued us for sneaking into the castle and killing the “midwife”—she fears confronting the three official Extranormal Investigators might trigger one of them to forcibly activate the key and restart the loop… Lu Mi instantly understood several previous mysteries.

He suspected Madame Pualis was also waiting for the Twelfth Night.

Amid swirling thoughts, Lu Mi smiled:

“Madam, could you possibly take me and Aurora out of this loop too?”

I don’t know any official investigators!

Madame Pualis looked him up and down with a faintly amused expression:

“Why should I help you?”

“You said you loved—” Lu Mi cut himself off.

He had intended to cite her earlier words about love, hoping she’d soften and save Aurora and himself—but since her target was likely his sister, he simply couldn’t say it.

If Madame Pualis had fallen for him, Lu Mi—a man without shame—would have already played the love card, offering his body, even becoming the father to her child.

Yes, even if he had to give birth himself, he’d grit his teeth and endure—as long as Madame Pualis took him and Aurora out of this loop.

Madame Pualis’s expression shifted slightly; after a few seconds of silence, she said:

“Are you trying to say love is incomprehensible—that even though you want her dead for her sins, you still can’t help saving her?”

Lu Mi didn’t answer. He realized Madame Pualis had used the pronoun “she.”

Madame Pualis didn’t expect a reply; she sighed softly:

“But what if you can’t save her?”

Can’t save her… Lu Mi’s heart sank slowly, as if plunged directly into an ice lake in early spring.

He adjusted his breathing and asked, confirming:

“You mean, at that time point, you can only leave yourself—or take a few specific people—but not me or Aurora?”

Madame Pualis gave a slight nod:

“You can understand it that way.”

Looks like I’ll have to rely on myself… Lu Mi sighed inwardly, forcing himself to compose his emotions.

The experience of hope appearing and vanishing instantly was indeed painful.

He thought for a moment, curled his lips into a smile, and said:

“Madam, my three outsiders and I are about to explore beneath the church. If something goes wrong, or something happens, the loop might restart prematurely—before we even reach Lent.”

Not to mention the Twelfth Night.

Madame Pualis narrowed her eyes slightly and slowly lifted her chin:

“Are you threatening me?”

“No, I’m just reminding you,” Lu Mi said with a sincere, relaxed smile.

On the surface, yes—but inside, he was filled with unease, fearing Madame Pualis might be enraged enough to keep him trapped in the castle to give birth, and that only after fifteen minutes would the three official investigators, unable to find him, restart the loop.

Madame Pualis stared into Lu Mi’s eyes for several seconds; seeing he never flinched or looked away, she suddenly smiled:

“You’re a fascinating man. Both you and your sister becoming my lovers would be quite delightful.”

Before Lu Mi could respond, she turned her head to glance at the “midwife”:

“You destroyed one of my ‘sorcerers,’ and I didn’t hold you accountable—that’s already merciful. Yet you still expect my help?”

“Sorcerer”? Lu Mi noted the term, then said sincerely:

“Not help—something beneficial to us all.”

Madame Pualis fell silent for a few seconds, then smiled again:

“I won’t join you in exploring beneath the church. But for Aurora’s sake—and your courage—if something unexpected happens, I’ll offer assistance as circumstances allow.”

Lu Mi was already deeply satisfied. He rose, mimicking the posture of gentlemen in his sister’s books, placing his hand over his chest and bowing:

“Praise be to you, my lady.”

Madame Pualis chuckled softly:

“Shouldn’t it be ‘My Sun’?”

She was referring to the line Lumian had said in the second-to-last cycle: “Madam, you are my Sun.”

Lumian felt momentarily embarrassed, but he had always been shameless; he pretended not to hear and walked straight out of the parlor.

…………

After descending the hill where the castle stood and entering Cordu Village, Lumian saw Lyra, Ryan Cos, and Valentine approaching.

“How did it go?” Lyra asked with a smile.

Lumian summarized the key points of his conversation with Mrs. Pualis, then added:

“This is already the best outcome.”

“Good,” Ryan Cos nodded. “Even at the most dangerous moments, it’s reassuring to know someone might come to your aid.”

Lumian turned and asked:

“Did you receive a reply?”

Before going to the castle, Ryan Cos had reported to higher authorities that Mrs. Pualis was not a true member of the Rochefort family and that photos of Prit were found in the room.

Lyra exhaled and answered for Ryan Cos:

“Above has reminded us to consider the possibility that Prit transformed into a woman through some magical potion or force.”

“As expected,” Lumian grunted. “When do we go to the church’s underground?”

Ryan Cos had already decided. He spoke in a low voice:

“Now.”

ps: First chapter done—requesting monthly tickets~

(End of chapter)