The Beauty Lute: Bewitching Yet Lethal

My mother was a famous lute player in the capital. One day, she was summoned to the palace to perform for Thalia Campbell, the Noble Consort.

However, due to getting praised by Alcott Shulman, the Emperor, she was stripped naked and beaten to death by Thalia.

Her naked body was hung at the palace gate, all covered in marks from the beating, looking downright tragic and horrifying.

Yet Thalia just smiled and said, "Lowly people deserve such treatment."

Later, I became a lowly lute player in her palace, too.

The only thing I brought with me was the Beauty Lute made from my mother's bones, as it was designed for killing.

1

On the seventh day after my mother's death, Erick Mosley, Thalia's eunuch, came to the House of the Arts again.

With his eyebrows raised high and a smug look on his face, he called out in a sharp voice, "Today, Noble Consort Thalia wants to hear a tune today. The most skilled lute player now comes with me."

The lute players were all kneeling on the floor, heads down, trembling in silence. No one dared to respond.

The reason was that my mom's body had been hanging at the palace gate for three whole days.

The once renowned beautiful lute player was disfigured and stripped naked, her body swaying around like a rag caught in the wind.

Thalia even ordered that my mom's body shouldn't be collected.

Later, I didn't manage to find my mom's body until I spent an entire night digging through the mass grave.

Today, it was clear that Thalia wanted to find another lute player for her to torture.

Since nobody replied, Erick sneered.

"Serving Consort Thalia is a blessing for you. How dare you let her wait? I'll count to three, and if there are still no volunteers, you'll all end up hanging at the palace gate too.

"Three.

"Two.

"One..."

As soon as he finished speaking, someone in the crowd raised her head.

It was me.

I stood at the back, clutching my sleeves nervously, ignoring the confused and shocked looks from the other girls.

"Sir, I'll go."

Erick looked me up and down.

"What is your name?" he asked, his voice squeaky.

I lowered my head to hide my red eyes, feigning innocence. Then I replied nervously, "Rosina Deere."

Erick nodded casually and waved his hand, gesturing for me to follow him.

I took my lute and followed his footsteps out of the House of the Arts.

I could vaguely hear crying behind me.

They perhaps thought that I was bound to die.

No one noticed the cold smirk creeping across my lips.

No one realized that I was holding a new lute, either.

It was called Beauty Lute, which was made from human bones.

2

The Glory Palace where Thalia resided was extremely luxurious.

The priceless tribute, Moon Shadow Silk, was used as a window screen in the Glory Palace.

When I followed Erick into the main hall of Glory Palace, Thalia was leaning on a stool with her eyes closed, resting.

Her brows were furrowed slightly. Four or five maids surrounded her, giving her a massage. The entire hall was silent.

Erick walked silently, and I followed suit.

Un...