After

Three months later, Ariadne's friends again requested an emergency meeting to discuss another "fun plan", but this time in a location of their choice.

- Ariadne, finally, you are difficult to approach. They exclaimed, serious, after the usual greetings.

- If you say so, but let me point out to you, girls, that I am a serious worker.

- And we still don't understand why.

Ariadne shook her head, resigning herself to this involuntary misunderstanding. The word work was as incomprehensible to her friends as the rain was unknown to the sun.

- Please don't waste our time debating trivial matters again and tell me the reason for this other meeting as soon as possible.

Once again, jostled by the irrevocable nature of their friend, the two women calmed down and settled nonchalantly at their table. Their meeting took place in a sumptuous room of their private club where only the rich nobles could be admitted.

Ariadne ironically admired the decor of the sublime room. The walls were covered with gold and blue paper.

The high vault showed a living painting of countless colourful creatures. Each as mythical as the other.

The furniture was a masterpiece of sculpture, and added to the sublimity of the place.

This time, Ariadne was wearing a simple, dark red dress embroidered with silver threads. She picked up her long hair in a wonderful bun.

- You look beautiful as always, Ariadne. But this time, we feel that something huge has changed in you.

- Which one?

- You are no longer so detached, devoid of any passion. But maybe also that, in a way, your condition has gotten worse.

- How can you say that? She cried out, altered.

- You are sad Ariadne, her friends insisted, so sad that you seem broken. As if your whole inner world had frozen.

Ariadne kept quiet for a moment, acknowledged this remark.

She understood her friends, their way of seeing things, their way of looking at life. Despite their bad sides, that everyone else had them, they were authentic people, and this worrying remark confirmed a new proof of their affection. That day, the sky was bluer than usual, and people were enjoying the good weather as much as possible. But Ariadne, who looked at this sweet light with a vague eye, was lost in a night of dreams. Irresistibly.

- I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'm just a little tired. There's nothing to worry about. But more importantly, you still haven't told me why you asked me to come. And I would like to point out with a new and suspicious eagerness.

- If you really have a serious problem, you know perfectly well that we will always be there for you.

Ariadne made an eloquent gesture.

- All right. Then what?

- All right, forget everything else for now. And they hurried to get a magazine out of their bags.

- Look at this article, darling!

Ariadne frowned.

- Friends, don't tell me this important conversation is about discussing a magazine.

Her voice was deceptively sweet.

- You know very well that I'm busy and.....

- Ariadne, shut up a little and read.

- But I read! Yes, come, as always, the lost empire and all its terrible secrets. Come on, there's an article about this every month. What's the problem?

- Yes! That's right!

Ariadne looked suspiciously at her friends and quickly felt uncomfortable.

- Don't tell me you intend to do what I think you intend to do?

- Would you like that, Ariadne? And the happy duo looked at the princess with wide and radiant eyes that the young sovereign had never seen before.

Ariadne narrowed her eyes by reading a second time the page her friends were showing her, always afraid to understand the meaning of their words.

- To go, you mean, don't you?

- Yes, to this empire.

- Yes, it's very funny, being so serious about such a thing. Why don't we drink so much poison to end our lives?

But they kept their serious faces.

- Let's go, Ariadne. We will do it.

- But why? Why? Why are you both so serious about this? Do you have any idea what you're going to do? Our last madness at the masked ball in Aclon was dangerous enough. I don't think you have a mortality warning. Desiring something unreal, a moment out of our daily lives, like visiting this infamous place, is stupidity.

- A stupidity that we prefer to caution.

- But if we really have to go, it's like we're going to die. It's better for you to drop this stupid plan.

- And do you really think we're that stupid? We have thought long and hard about this daring journey, maybe as countless as the pearls on our necklaces may be. We are aware of the reality, the danger and all its vile tentacles. We will probably also receive the eventual punishment we deserve for doing so, perhaps even confined and broken, even if we are still alive. But we want to go there. So please, Ariadne, don't try to stop us.

- More than that, they added, confident, you must accompany us in this adventure.

Ariadne was surprised, shook her head, unable to think.

- But why is that right? I don't understand you! What are you trying to prove? Prove yourself and others? Why exactly there?

- Isn't the reason obvious? We want to prove that this life is worth living, and this is our last chance to do so.

But when they noticed the skepticism displayed on the princess' perfect face, they became angry.

- Oh, please Ariadne! Look at us, that's it! Look how we can often be pitiful. We are the cream of the jet set as they say. We are nobles. And to end our days, we just drink tea, buy luxurious clothes and be touched by weak men. Our world is so boring, sparkling and dry.

The young sovereign openly mocked the falsely cynical description of the life of her two best friends.