The Shadow of Great Britain

For Arthur, transforming Schneider's unspeakable dark history into a tale of a life-and-death struggle with foreign spies wasn't particularly difficult. After all, even before beautifying the experience of this 'pure' British gentleman, he had already done the same for Eld.

And for a fictional story, firearms, bullets, love, misunderstandings, blood, the separation of life and death, all these elements that can arouse human interest, can be cleverly woven into the plot.

After vividly depicting a spy case between a man and a woman reminiscent of a classic Ancient Greek tragedy, Emily's impression of Schneider quickly changed dramatically.

"Two people in love, due to different standpoints, can only become enemies who take each other's lives, yet in her dying moments she left her last tenderness to you, asking you to live on in her stead."

Emily pressed her hands to her chest, the young girl couldn't stop shaking her head: "If I hadn't heard it with my own ears, I would have thought such stories only appeared in novels."

"Naïve silly woman! Indeed, such plots can only appear in novels!" Agares sprawled on the fireplace threw a banana peel at Emily's head: "What kind of madness have you taken that makes you believe the words of two diplomats?"

Schneider, with an unchanged face and steady heart, showed a sad expression: "Just like Arthur said, she was a master of the whip. She could have used the whip to knock down my handgun, and I thought she would. But in the end, she intentionally missed, allowing my bullet to pierce her heart."

If it were any other field, Arthur might not have much say, but when it comes to a bullet through the heart, there should be no one present more knowledgeable than him.

He pretended to comfort Schneider: "August, I understand your feelings. I thought that after such a long time, you would have moved on from the sad past, but..."

Upon hearing this, Schneider used the opportunity to cover his forehead and said: "Arthur, you don't understand, this love is too etched in my bones and heart."

Emily, upon hearing this, tried to lure the two heavy smokers out with drinks: "Perhaps a little absinthe would cheer you up. Mr. Schneider, I must apologize to you, I didn't know you were such a deeply affectionate person before."

"Not at all." Schneider, 'Hesse's most affectionate,' respectfully doffed his hat: "Misunderstandings between people are unavoidable, I am glad you now see other things beyond just my German bloodline in me. By the way, thank you for the suggestion, I think I indeed need a bit of drink to numb myself right now."

Emily's plan succeeded, and she couldn't help but clench her fist in silent triumph before feigning calmness and saying to Arthur: "Then please accompany Mr. Schneider for a drink, I need to invite my uncle over. I remember he mentioned some business with you."

"Much obliged."

Arthur supported the emotionally overwhelmed Schneider towards the liquor stand. However, as soon as Emily left their line of sight, Schneider, who had been inconsolable a moment ago, immediately restored his smiling face.

He poured a glass of wine for Arthur and handed it over: "What do you think of Miss DelaSalle?"

"Miss DelaSalle?" Arthur pondered for a moment: "Her words and actions are elegant and appropriate, quite in line with her educational background."

Hearing Arthur's words, Schneider merely wrapped an arm around his shoulder and laughed heartily: "Brother, are you teasing me? Don't tell me that since coming to Paris, you've only attended such salon gatherings and met only guests like Miss DelaSalle."

Arthur leaned on the bar table and pondered for a long time before raising an eyebrow and asking: "Ha? August, are you saying Miss DelaSalle is atypical?"

"My God!" Schneider pounded a fist on Arthur's chest: "Arthur, you really haven't infiltrated Paris's social circle yet! Don't you have many friends in the literary circle? Haven't they shown you the other side of Paris yet?"

Arthur recalled the hobbies and interests of those friends in the literary circle and immediately understood what Schneider meant: "Although they haven't actively shown me, I have still passively seen a bit."

Schneider nodded slightly and said: "That's not too bad. Since that's the case, you should understand, at banquets, especially public balls, most of those decent ladies mostly behave in certain ways. For many women of high society, the ball is the most convenient, and the only opportunity to truly indulge themselves.

Only then can they completely yield to their inner passions, allow others to kiss them affectionately for a while. The freedom of the ball allows them to do all this. In this respect, the masquerade balls and charity balls of Munich, a series of entertainment evenings in Berlin, and the balls hosted by the artists of Paris are notorious exemplars."

Saying this, Schneider felt inspired to show Arthur the world: "Have you paid a visit to our Ambassador to France, Earl Granville, since you arrived in Paris?"

Arthur truthfully reported: "I previously met him once at the Charlotte residence where the embassy is located, but Earl Granville went out for business that afternoon, so I spent most of the afternoon accompanying Lady Granville for tea. She is a very gentle and dignified lady, though she prefers talking to me about rural life and her few children she is proud of more than Paris social gatherings. If things progress smoothly, her eldest son, young Lord Granville, is about to graduate from Christ Church, Oxford University, and she is fretting over how to arrange her son's future."