Rita had no clue what effect the dream demon’s bodily fluids were supposed to have.
If her toxin resistance wasn’t a full hundred percent, she might have been able to deduce something from her reaction. But now, she could only rely entirely on luck.
At this point, better to just pretend to be unconscious.
But Sumire wouldn’t be unaware of how Rita was supposed to react.
This was way too abnormal.
After ingesting her bodily fluids, the normal response would be a flushed face, rubbing her body while seeking satisfaction—yearning for the pleasure Rita’s essence was supposed to grant.
So why was she asleep?
Could it be that Rita took too large a dose and was poisoned to death before the effect even started?
Or maybe, like that princess, she had some unknown secret on her, which was why they ended up together?
Sumire felt it necessary to check a little.
She placed her hands on Rita’s shoulders and flipped her over, face up.
But seeing Rita’s even breathing and the gentle rise and fall of her chest only made Sumire more puzzled.
Driven by her Knowledge-seeking Spirit, Sumire slid her fingers toward the collar of Rita’s shirt—a move Rita clearly felt.
“Hands all over me, huh? No more pretending! What’s with this little storage play?”
It was one thing for Rita to fake being out cold to gather intel, but being pawed at was absolutely unacceptable!
Rita’s eyes snapped open, and she swung her hand toward Sumire’s head.
As Rita’s hand rapidly closed in on Sumire’s face, her slender fingers transformed into jet-black Claws.
Though Sumire dodged at the last moment, her face was still grazed by a clawed wound.
She stepped back several paces, her eyes wide with shock as she stared at Rita.
Then, seeing a pair of black wings unfurl at Rita’s waist and a heart-shaped tail curling nearby, disbelief only deepened.
When Rita’s long silver-white hair was completely dyed pink by the alluring spiritual energy, those emotions surged into a storm of rage.
“It’s you!”
“Oh? Missed me?” Rita flexed her Claws a few times, feigning surprise.
If Sumire hadn’t been wounded, and if she hadn’t said the warehouse was undiscovered and undisturbed, Rita would never have exposed her identity at such a moment.
She had no intention of holding back against such an enemy.
The opponent was strong, and with unknown dangers outside, subduing Sumire quickly was the best option.
But if she could dodge an attack from a wounded enemy, at least it meant she wasn’t much weaker than Rita.
Besides, Rita’s hope that Sumire was weaker was wishful thinking.
In terms of reflexes alone, Sumire was not inferior.
Though Sumire’s arm was already pierced through by Rita, meaning a frontal fight still favored Rita.
But having the upper hand didn’t mean a sure victory.
A quick battle it had to be.
Rita flapped her wings twice, launching herself into the air, accelerating to full speed.
Her Claws lunged toward Sumire’s throat.
This wasn’t a game—no reason to hold back!
Sumire clenched her teeth, lifting her only functional hand to block.
“Why! Why do you want to attack me! Yesterday too! Today again!”
Seeing the attack miss, Rita switched hands and pressed forward. “And you have the nerve to say that? What have you done to me?”
“I didn’t even know you were my kin! We’re both dream demons! We could have talked things through!” Sumire retreated, hastily explaining.
“Talk about what?”
“If I’d known you were my kin, I wouldn’t have agreed to Mel’s plan to pin everything on you! How could I know you’d already infiltrated so deeply? It’s my fault! Stop fighting! Mel’s already dead! We dream demons don’t have to kill each other!”
So that was her thinking?
The logic made sense.
If Sumire really had infiltrated Cecilia’s side with ulterior motives, becoming her trusted subordinate, and then some unknown kin suddenly tried to frame her with evidence that might expose her identity, it wouldn’t be wrong for her to kill such a troublemaker.
As for Mel—Rita knew Sumire meant Lady Mel.
That big woman was truly the mastermind.
Cross had not lied to her.
So what now?
Stop fighting and have the other lay out her plans?
Or eliminate the one who now knew her true identity?
Weighing the pros and cons, Rita stopped her attack and stood aside.
“So, what happened last night?”
“I planned to attack the princess last night, but our powers didn’t affect her at all. Just as I was about to press further, I sensed an even more dangerous aura from her. If I hadn’t stopped, who knows what would’ve happened.”
Sumire glanced at Rita. “Did you do that?”
“No.” Rita shook her head.
“Did you find anything?”
“No.”
“Then…” Sumire dragged the word out, dragging her nearly useless arm as she stepped toward Rita. “Actually, I have one more question for you.”
“…”
Before Rita could answer, Sumire’s almost crippled arm, enveloped in pink mist, suddenly stabbed toward her face.
Fortunately, though Rita sometimes lacked foresight, her escape from the Demonic Territory had sharpened her vigilance.
Even while talking, she was focused on Sumire’s movements, wary of any tricks.
Sure enough, Sumire’s tensed muscles gave away her intention to attack.
Despite being on guard, the sudden strike startled Rita.
Who starts attacking mid-conversation?!
Well, at least this made Rita’s choice easier.
“Blocked?”
“Or else?”
Their Claws clashed again.
Though Sumire’s injured hand reacted slower under the influence of the alluring mist, it leveled the playing field, making Rita’s countering harder.
“We were having such a nice chat. Why attack me again?”
“Who attacked who first?! When I realized the one I want revenge on is you, do you know how happy I was? I get to take revenge with my own hands! Nothing’s luckier than this!”
“Honestly, I thought we dream demons could get along.”
“Right back at you. You’re just as eager to kill me to satisfy the princess and maintain your position! That’s what we dream demons are like.”
Sumire’s words weren’t wrong.
Rita did think that way.
She didn’t want this indiscriminate attacker roaming the city.
Both dream demons, she knew Sumire’s strange attack frequency wasn’t normal hunting—it was playing with humans.
She wasn’t a righteous crusader, but letting Sumire run wild could stir up trouble.
Even if Sumire wanted to cooperate, Rita had to think it through.
“Tch.”
Seeing Rita’s expression that didn’t even bother to deny, Sumire clicked her tongue and stepped back for now.
“Not fighting anymore?” Rita didn’t rush an attack, knowing it wouldn’t guarantee victory.
Besides, she sensed a dangerous aura from Sumire.
“Fight! Why not? I’m taking revenge with my own hands! Why wouldn’t I fight?”
With a flick of her hand, the pink mist around Sumire took shape in her palm, solidifying into a Giant Scythe over two meters long, pointed straight at Rita like a challenge as it twirled.
“Listen, kin. If you want to kill me, you’d better show some real skill!”