Dementlieuse people have welcomed the recent intiative of monsieur Edmond Montte with a double-folded reaction. "The Lily of the Spring" has attracted indeed many tourists from abroad, as some few local celebrities -rich bachellor Etienne de Jarjays, of the "Jarjays Chateaufaux Watches" was there, like reknown writer and physician Arthur Sedgewick-, yet most of the local audience withdrew the meeting. People attending it were mostly amused, nevertheless it was clear also that travellers having come from Barovia were not used at Dementlieuse customs and attitude. Etienne de Jarjays, as his usual, flirted for long moments with one of the Barovian tourists.
As a matter of fact a turmoil in the central square in front of the Grand Hotel has been suppressed before it got worse by a dozen Gendarmes trying to have some people evacuating the spot where, apparently, they were planning a form of abusive and non-authorized entertainment. Some local bystanders spoke clearly of "people in costumes of freaks with very lively moving tails and wings", others of "possible seditious political dissenters". As a matter of fact, proudly la Gendarmerie managed to get rid of the little group, driving it off town. One of these creatures had been seen, earlier in the morning, dealing with a big and fat man who yelled he was "the real Jarjays" and that handsome Etienne had just stolen his fortune, treasure he wanted back. This rumour just adds to the possibility of the scandal of any unauthorized show performed by any of those people.
But more than scandal, that night there has been the shocking news of a murder. Baroneasa Armont-Jalabert and her husband Pierre had not been seen at the ball. Luciana was eventually met at the end of it, for the ceremony of the fireworks, the climax of the event. As her usual she was busy speaking about new hirings, Dementlieuse people already aware of her love for what is peculiar, eccentric and creepily artistic. Nevertheless during one of these transactions, the body of her husband Pierre was found in the backroom of the Théatre de la Cathédrale, his throat slit. Baroneasa Luciana was shocked, she even fainted, witnesses report. Among her first words, someone claims she acted more than shocked, paranoidly, stating that she was aware she was the first suspected because a Borcan, but that she could provide an alibi. As a matter of fact widow Jalabert seems following the steps of her good friend Sefeasa Ivana Boritsi, not-so-gently nick-named "The Black Widow of Borca": "Blue Widow" is what more nasty mouths call her now. Some not confirmed rumours state that at a first talk with local authorities she provided a will, formally and legally signed by Pierre Jalabert, in which all the posessions of the dead man are passing to the hands of the Blue Widow. The Council of Brilliance has decided not to allow Luciana Armont any travel beyond Port-à-Lucine until her role in this has been cleared completely.
Maybe this is a new case for the mystery detective Alanik Ray and his personal story-teller Arthur Sedgewick. De facto, some of the people around le Théatre at the time of the discovery of the corpse went to look for them, receiving the answer they were both away, busy.