Lilia rubbed her face vigorously.
It felt like that disgusting, greasy stench from Varian was still clinging to her skin.
She walked to the window and pushed it open with a bang.
A cold wind rushed in, whipping her silver hair into a frenzy.
Below, the night view of the Magic City of Yasra spread out.
Lights were densely packed, dazzlingly bright.
“Lilith.”
She didn’t turn around, and a hint of coldness crept into her voice.
“Tell me, is Mistress watching me right now? Meow?”
Lilith stood a few steps behind her.
Quiet as a shadow.
“Her Majesty should be watching you constantly, Miss.”
“Watching constantly…”
Lilia repeated the words.
Her tail swished back and forth behind her, the motion growing more forceful.
Of course she knew.
The eyes from the Evernight Palace had never left her.
Playing the fool and acting crazy at the banquet tonight.
Jumping around, Lucia must have found it very amusing.
Lilia gritted her teeth, her nails nearly digging into her palms.
‘Someday, I’ll make her get on stage and play the clown too! Meow!’
She whirled around, fire burning in her heterochromatic eyes.
Lilith didn’t respond, merely giving a slight bow.
Lilia took a deep breath, forcing her emotions down.
She walked to the desk, picked up the dossier on Viscount Dracul, and flipped through it again.
Smuggling, trafficking banned substances, colluding with remnants of the old era…
It was practically a gift sent right to her doorstep.
“Are the people ready? Meow?”
She closed the dossier and looked up.
Lilith answered immediately:
“The First Elite Assault Team of the City Guard is assembled downstairs.”
“Commander ‘Skullcrusher’ Gromm is awaiting your orders.”
Skullcrusher Gromm.
Fourth Tier.
The sharpest blade in the Yasra City Guard, who only obeyed the Demon King’s commands.
To have him transferred here…
The authority Lucia had given her was even greater than she imagined.
“Good!”
Lilia slapped the dossier onto the table.
“It’s time to let these parasites see what an imperial envoy really is! Meow!”
She turned and rushed into the inner chamber, emerging a few minutes later.
The intricate gothic dress was gone, replaced by a form-fitting black combat outfit.
Practical for movement, it made her small frame look exceptionally sharp.
She walked to the door and waved a small hand.
“Target, Viscount Dracul’s estate! Move out! Meow!”
—
Viscount Dracul’s Estate.
Dracul sat in the great hall with a foul expression.
He roughly tore off the decorative ring tied to the large beard on his chest and flung it to the floor.
“Damn it! That little beast dared to pull my beard!”
The more he thought about it, the angrier he got.
He picked up the wine glass on the table and drained it in one gulp.
Several trusted aides beside him also wore looks of indignation.
“Lord Viscount, that little girl is too arrogant! She doesn’t take us seriously at all!”
“Exactly! Daring to cause such a scene at Duke Varian’s banquet, it’s lawless!”
Dracul snorted coldly, his face full of contempt.
“Lawless? Would she dare?”
He toyed with his wine glass.
“She’s just a pet, can she really turn the world upside down?”
In his view, Lilia tonight was just a spoiled child throwing a tantrum.
Her Majesty sending her was probably just for show, to knock them down a peg.
Once this storm blew over, things would go back to how they were.
“Duke Varian has already sent word, telling us to lay low for a few days and not clash head-on with that little lunatic.”
Dracul poured himself another glass.
“Once she gets bored playing, she’ll scurry back to the Evernight Palace on her own.”
As soon as the words left his mouth, the main door was violently slammed open from the outside.
The steward stumbled in, his face as white as paper.
“M-master! It’s terrible!”
Dracul, already irritated, saw his state and his temper flared instantly.
“What’s all the panic! Has the sky fallen?”
“Worse than the sky falling!”
The steward knelt on the floor, his voice trembling uncontrollably.
“The C-city Guard! The City Guard has surrounded us!”
Dracul’s movements halted, his brow furrowed:
“The City Guard? What are they doing here?”
“I… I don’t know! All in heavy armor! They’ve sealed off the entire estate, not a drop of water could leak through!”
Dracul’s heart skipped a beat, a sense of foreboding surging up.
He sprang to his feet, strode quickly to the floor-to-ceiling window, and yanked the curtains open.
Outside, torches lit up the night.
Row upon row of City Guard soldiers clad in pitch-black heavy armor.
Holding magic energy halberds, standing solemnly, blocking all exits.
Their cold armor reflected a chilling light in the firelight.
And at the very front of that army.
A demon race general over two meters tall, burly as a small mountain.
Carrying a massive warhammer on his shoulder, grotesquely disproportionate to his height.
Skullcrusher Gromm!
Dracul’s pupils contracted sharply.
Why was he here?!
Wasn’t this unit only mobilizable by Her Majesty?!
Immediately after, he saw the small figure standing in front of Gromm.
Silver long hair, black combat outfit.
Who else could it be but that “little beast” he had just been cursing!
Why was she with Gromm?!
Dracul’s mind went blank.
Boom!
Boom!
Boom!
Heavy knocking sounded on the door, each thud hammering on his heart.
Dracul’s face turned ashen.
He waved a hand at the private soldiers behind him.
The door slowly opened.
Lilia walked in slowly, hands clasped behind her back.
Behind her followed the expressionless Lilith.
And behind them, the mountain-like Gromm and a squad of murderous elite soldiers.
Lilia entered the great hall, looked around, and her gaze finally settled on Dracul.
“Viscount Dracul.”
She spoke, her childish, milky voice unusually clear in the hall.
“By Her Majesty’s decree, I am here to thoroughly investigate your… entire assets. Meow.”
The blood rushed to Dracul’s head.
He practically roared.
“You… you dare! I am an Imperial Viscount! You have no evidence, what right do you have to seal my assets!”
“Evidence? Meow?”
Lilia tilted her head.
She pulled out that pitch-black token from her bosom and held it up.
“This, is the evidence!”
On the token, that ancient magic script representing the Demon King Lucia’s true name.
Emitted a dim, ghostly light in the firelight.
Dracul’s roar caught in his throat.
He stared fixedly at the token, the color visibly draining from his face.
Gromm, standing behind Lilia.
The moment he saw the token.
Without a word, his massive frame clanged as he dropped to one knee, shaking the entire hall.
His deep voice echoed throughout the room.
“By Her Majesty’s command!”
Behind him, all the City Guard soldiers knelt on one knee in unison, the clatter of armor forming a continuous sound.
“By Her Majesty’s command!”
The thunderous, roaring sound.
Utterly shattered Dracul’s last shred of hope.
It’s over.
All over.
His mind was a complete blank, his whole body felt drained of strength.
He swayed unsteadily, almost losing his footing.
Lilia looked at Dracul’s deathly pale face with satisfaction and waved her small hand.
“Search!”
Gromm immediately stood up, hefted his warhammer, and prepared to charge inside.
“Yes!”
“Who dares!”
Dracul suddenly let out a piercing scream.
He had completely lost his mind.
He pulled a sharp whistle from his chest.
Put it to his lips, and blew with all his might!
Shriiiiek!
The ear-piercing whistle tore through the night sky.
From the hidden doors around the hall and the corridors on the second floor.
Over a hundred private soldiers armed with weapons immediately poured out, surrounding Lilia and the others.
Dracul’s eyes were bloodshot as he pointed at Lilia, looking utterly deranged.
“Stop them!”
“Kill her! All of you, attack!”
“Whoever kills that little beast gets a fortune they could never spend in a lifetime!”
Under the lure of a heavy reward, the private soldiers’ eyes instantly turned greedy and frenzied.
They raised their weapons and charged at Lilia with roars.
Gromm’s expression changed.
He hefted his warhammer, ready to step forward and protect her.
But a slender hand blocked his path.
It was Lilith.
She had, at some unknown time, already stepped in front of Lilia.
Blocking Gromm’s way.
The Head Maid didn’t even glance at the charging private soldiers.
She simply spoke to Gromm calmly.
“Commander, please carry out your task.”
Her gaze turned toward the desperadoes already blinded by greed.
Her voice held not a single ripple.
“As for here…”
She paused briefly, a flash of icy killing intent flickering in her silver eyes.
“Let the young lady personally teach them what it means to seek death.”