Liyakade thought for a moment.
A wanted criminal like Manuel—if you capture or kill him, you can claim a reward.
That’s worth much more than the yellow jade from earlier.
In an instant, Liyakade felt their faces weren’t so detestable anymore.
Because in her eyes, their heads had all turned into glittering coins.
“Alice, walk ahead with Sister Field.”
Liyakade spoke as she handed the Magic Detector to Alice, gesturing for her to move forward with Field.
Liyakade didn’t want Alice to have any contact with this group—not even a conversation.
Alice frowned, tilting her head in confusion as she glanced at Liyakade, then took the Magic Detector and walked to the front of the group.
Alice’s puzzled expression wasn’t because Liyakade told her to walk ahead.
Rather, she didn’t understand why Liyakade suddenly called Field ‘sister.’
Calling Field ‘sister’ but not herself—this made Alice a bit annoyed.
Once this was over, she would have to question Liyakade thoroughly.
In truth, Liyakade simply felt that calling Field by name in front of Manuel and his group seemed too intimate.
Calling her ‘Her Highness’ was too distant.
So ‘sister’ struck a balance—close, yet maintaining a persona of youthful innocence, making Manuel and his group lower their guard.
In fact, when Liyakade agreed to their terms, they had already let down their guard.
Though they thought Liyakade seemed pure, in that respect, she must already be corrupted.
After all, what kind of Noble lady would wear a Collar to explore the Underground Labyrinth?
Perhaps exploring the Underground Labyrinth was just a task assigned by her Mistress.
To be honest, Manuel and the others weren’t entirely wrong.
Field did indeed think that way.
However, how they played was their own business.
Since Manuel harbored such delusions and wicked thoughts, his death was inevitable.
“Little sister, what’s your name? Are you a Noble too?”
Seeing Field and Alice’s cold attitudes up front, Manuel decided to try talking to Liyakade, putting on a friendly older brother act.
“I’m called Liyakade. I used to be a Noble, but now I’m not.”
Liyakade smiled calmly, answering with indifference.
“I see. I heard you all are students from the Royal Magic Academy. To think you’d come to the dungeon with just three people. That’s impressive.”
Manuel feigned praise, though in truth he considered the Royal Magic Academy worthless.
“It’s not that amazing. Not as great as you say, big brother.”
Manuel silently thought he was right.
In his mind, Liyakade was most likely the daughter of some ruined Noble house, her family destroyed, ultimately reduced to the plaything of other Nobles.
Even while wearing a Collar, she remained so calm—surely she’d grown accustomed to life as a Collar-wearer.
Who knows how many times she’d been toyed with by Nobles in private.
Moreover, Liyakade was so agreeable—it must be because she’d been trained by those Nobles to be obedient.
At that thought, desire burned within Manuel.
He couldn’t wait to experience a Noble’s plaything for himself.
“Liyakade, little sister, what’s that around your neck? Is it some kind of protective tool? It doesn’t really look like it.”
Manuel feigned ignorance, teasing Liyakade, as if asking such questions gave him excitement.
Though Alice and Field walked ahead, they kept their ears tuned to the conversation between Liyakade and Manuel.
Hearing such an offensive question from Manuel, Field clenched her fist, barely restraining herself.
She wanted to smash Manuel’s yellow teeth, then scorch his tongue so he’d never speak again.
“This?”
Liyakade fiddled with the bell on the Collar, answering a bit shyly.
“It’s…it’s something my Mistress made me wear.”
W-wait?
Since Field was the one who put the Collar on her, and Liyakade said it was her Mistress who made her wear it—
Didn’t that mean Liyakade just admitted…Field was her Mistress?
“F-forget it. Let’s see what Liyakade says next.”
Field’s expression nearly broke.
She quietly signaled Alice beside her not to act yet.
“Mistress?”
Hearing Liyakade’s direct reply, Manuel thought to himself that he hadn’t been wrong.
“Yes. I have two Mistresses.”
Liyakade nodded firmly.
At this, even Alice’s composure slipped.
“T-two Mistresses…Does she mean me too?”
“What else?”
Field rolled her eyes.
“Hehehe, we can’t just pretend we didn’t hear that. When we get back, she must call us both Mistress and undergo a thorough lesson.”
Manuel?
Wanted criminal?
This group was merely a part of Liyakade and her friends’ play.
Let them indulge in their fantasies for now.
Soon, they wouldn’t even be able to think about such things.
“Liyakade, little sister, to think someone as innocent-looking as you plays so wildly in private.”
The Monkey beside them couldn’t help but join in, provoking Liyakade with shameless words.
“How do you usually play?”
“That’s a secret.”
Liyakade wagged her finger.
“Tch, boring.”
Still, even if Liyakade refused to answer, it didn’t matter.
They figured they’d soon find out for themselves.
Guided by the Magic Detector, the group arrived at a dead end.
Alice was puzzled—she’d followed the Magic Detector the whole way, yet it had led them to a dead end.
Moreover, the Magic Detector’s light was especially bright, indicating that the Storage Ring was just behind the wall.
“Let me handle this.”
Liyakade stepped forward.
She felt along the stone wall at the end, then pressed into a groove.
As she did, a hidden door in the stone slowly opened.
Inside was a small room, with several treasure chests and, on a central stone pedestal, a single Ring.
It looked like a Hidden Room within the labyrinth.
“Miss Liyakade, amazing! You found this mechanism too.”
Watching Liyakade’s actions, Alice couldn’t help but admire her.
“I just noticed something odd about the wall.”
Liyakade answered offhandedly, then glanced at Manuel.
“Big brother, I’m worried there might be traps in the Hidden Room. Could you go in first and check for us?”
“Of course.”
Manuel nodded.
He’d seen plenty of such rooms in the dungeon.
Even if there were traps, he and his men could handle them easily.
They formed up and slowly moved into the Sealed Chamber, checking nearly every corner.
After a thorough sweep, Manuel waved to Liyakade and the others.
“All clear. No traps. It’s safe.”
“Good.”
Liyakade nodded and entered with Alice and Field.
To be honest, Liyakade hadn’t opened the Sealed Chamber because she’d noticed anything unusual about the wall.
It was because, before crossing over, she’d explored this dungeon and already knew how to access the Hidden Room.
When she saw the Magic Detector pointing to this Sealed Chamber, her suspicions about Darkness grew even deeper.
Because, while this Sealed Chamber had no other traps, once everyone entered from outside, it would immediately begin to fall, dropping straight to the lowest level of the maze.
Normally, monsters couldn’t even open this room.
Thus, it was impossible for a monster to have brought the Ring here.
The only possibility was that Darkness herself placed the Ring here.
Liyakade picked up the Ring hanging on the small stone pedestal.
The Magic Detector was pointing precisely to this Ring.
“Liyakade, little sister.”
Manuel looked around.
This was a dead end, a Sealed Chamber—the perfect place.
After walking all this way, he’d been watching Liyakade’s swan-like neck adorned with a Collar, her petite frame, and slender, pale legs.
He could barely contain himself.
“Playing with those Nobles is meaningless. They’re all a bunch of weak men.”
“Let me be your Mistress. I guarantee I can satisfy you more than any Noble.”
“And Her Highness the Princess—surely you haven’t experienced anything like this. Let us help you feel pleasure, too.”
“Tch. Disgusting.”
Field looked down on them with contempt as their eyes filled with unhidden lust and they spouted filth.
“So you’ve finally dropped the act?”
“By the way, Field, it seems they’re wanted criminals.”
At this point, Liyakade saw no need to keep pretending.
She reminded Field—her implication clear: it’s time to kill.
“Oh? So Liyakade, little sister, knew we were wanted criminals.”
“Then this is easy. If you don’t want to die, come here and beg. You must have plenty of skill after being used for so long. From today on, I’m your new Mistress.”
“Big brother.”
Liyakade smiled devilishly, crimson light flaring in her scarlet eyes.
“Of course you can be my Mistress…if you survive.”
As Liyakade finished speaking, the hidden door collapsed with a thunderous crash.
The ground began to quake violently.
Within the Sealed Chamber, everyone lost their balance and stumbled about.
“W-what’s happening!? We checked for traps just now!”
“Alice, Field, hold on to me!”
In an instant, a powerful sensation of weightlessness hit.
Liyakade spread her black wings, taking hold of Alice and Field’s arms.