The night breeze swept across the front courtyard.
Watching Lady Elsa and the holy see’s entourage hurriedly enter the main building, Ailiya unhurriedly gathered the broom and dustpan, putting them away in the storage room.
With the cleaning work completely finished, a faint system notification sound popped up at the edge of her vision.
Ailiya patted the dust off her hands and casually summoned the system panel she hadn’t really examined closely.
[Total Level: 18]
[Main Class: Assassin Lv.4]
[Sub-Classes: Maid Lv.8, Warlock Lv.3, Blacksmith Lv.1]
[Professional Abilities: Basic Combat Lv.7, Danger Sense Lv.4, Stealth Lv.3, Handicraft Lv.6, Chores Lv.7…… Shadow Affinity (MAX), Magic Gun Shooting Lv.1, Mana Infusion (MAX)]
[Skills: Weak Point Insight, Sprint, Shadow Stealth, Flash Spell, Appraisal, Phantom Clone, Cleaning Spell, Eagle Eye Art……]
[Contract/Subordinate: Shadow Gunner “Graves” (Lv.35/Seriously Injured/Loyalty 60%)]
‘The panel is just so-so, barely adequate.’
Ailiya casually closed the panel, straightened the collar of her maid uniform, and walked with light steps toward the guest room.
During this period, she had practically been an inexhaustible leveling machine.
After all, as the head maid of Kastian Manor, she had taken on almost all the chores that could earn experience, plus freeloading knowledge in the library.
And then there was the earlier battle against a higher-level opponent and the “generous instruction” from the black-robed man.
Looking at the total level of 18 on her panel, Ailiya felt no ripple of emotion in her heart, even thinking this progress was only natural.
As for why someone in her teens could pin a professional assassin in his thirties against the wall?
In her previous life as a top-tier professional player-for-hire and hardcore gamer, her mind was filled with all the skill data, attack animations, and hitbox information for every class in this world.
That assassin named Graves, his main class was “Shadow Gunner.” The characteristics of this class were high burst damage, long-range sniping, and extremely strong stealth capabilities.
But precisely because of this, his close-quarters combat ability and defense were very obvious weaknesses.
Once his position was pinpointed and the distance closed, all his flashy traps and magic were, in Ailiya’s eyes, like slow-motion tutorials with red warning boxes.
Secondly, as a professional player-for-hire who had cleared many high-difficulty dungeons countless times and fought innumerable tough battles, Ailiya had long since memorized the skill mechanics, attack wind-ups, and damage hitboxes of various monsters in the game to the point of rote memorization.
This battle was a combination of information disparity and tactical counterplay.
***
Inside the guest room.
When Ailiya pushed a service cart carrying hot tea and clean towels into the room, the atmosphere was extremely tense.
By the bedside, the bishop in white robes had already opened the heavy holy scripture in his hands.
“May the holy light dispel the gloom.”
The bishop chanted an ancient prayer in a low, solemn voice.
As his words fell, a pure and dazzling golden light rose from the holy scripture, slowly enveloping Garick’s wound, which was being eroded by poison.
Sizzle!
The moment the holy light touched the wound, the toxins originally clinging to the flesh, presenting a purplish-black color, reacted like snow meeting boiling water, emitting an intense hissing sound.
Thick black smoke rose from the wound, but under the suppression of the holy light, it was completely purified into nothingness before it could even disperse.
Garick groaned in pain, his body tensing violently before slumping heavily back onto the bed.
The entire process lasted about five minutes.
When the bishop closed the holy scripture and the holy light at his fingertips gradually faded, the strange, withered aura on Garick’s wound had completely disappeared, and his breathing had become steady and strong.
“Thank goodness…” Elsa let out a long sigh of relief, her eyes filled with gratitude. “Thank you for your intervention, Bishop. I owe the holy see a favor.”
“You are too kind, Lady Elsa. Healing the sick and saving the dying is the duty of clergy.”
The bishop shook his head slightly, but he did not relax because the treatment was successful. Instead, his brow furrowed even more deeply.
He took the warm towel Ailiya offered, wiped his hands, and said gravely, “Lady Elsa, the poison your captain of the guard was afflicted with is called ‘Withering Kiss.’ This is not something ordinary bandits or thieves could get their hands on.”
Elsa’s expression turned stern. “You mean…”
“It is a highly purified magical extract.” The bishop’s gaze was heavy as he glanced at the night outside the window.
“Combined with the mana crystal explosion traces left in the front courtyard earlier… I can almost say with certainty that the claws of the shadow cult, or an assassin organization proficient in such arts, have already quietly infiltrated this city.”
In the corner, Ian, hearing these words, adjusted his glasses and nodded deeply in agreement.
The bishop’s tone gradually grew more severe. “Those cults and assassins lurking in the shadows often stop at nothing in their pursuit of power and money.”
“Their methods are vicious, utterly without bottom lines. Allowing such people to slip in is absolutely a dangerous sign.”
“The holy see’s knights will patrol the perimeter of the estate tonight to ensure your safety. We will depart tomorrow morning.” The bishop nodded and then left to rest, accompanied by several guards.
“I understand. Thank you very much, Bishop.” Lady Elsa bowed her head slightly in gratitude.
Only family remained in the room.
However, Ailiya, standing in the corner, still maintained that standard maid posture of eyes lowered, expressionless.
She knew perfectly well.
That assassin who made the bishop so wary and put Lady Elsa on high alert…
Was probably hiding in some damp sewer or abandoned cellar in the city right now, shivering as he applied healing potions to himself.
And, if she simply gave a mental order for a forced summon right now, that unlucky fellow would have to come to Kastian Manor immediately, injured and helpless.
‘I hope he recovers well and doesn’t delay working for me later…’