Chapter 32: It’s really not common

Where did you learn your technique?

The answer was simple: no technique at all, just pure instinct.

It was precisely because Rita’s own physical strength was somewhat high, and as a high-class demon, her speed, power, and reflexes allowed her to do things in battle that ordinary people couldn’t.

That was why she appeared stronger.

But putting that aside, Rita was just a weak woman who could barely snap a demon dog’s neck with her bare hands.

Of course, she couldn’t just tell others the truth.

So, Rita started making things up: “Actually… it was taught to me by a master who calls himself Dong Xuelian. The style focuses on precise target searching and striking before quickly retreating.”

“I haven’t heard of that name before. Sounds uncommon. Not someone from our kingdom, right?” Momoka said seriously, analyzing.

“Probably not. I met her back when I was still in Peropero Village. She was kind of my first teacher, so that’s why my fighting style is like this,” Rita said, then quickly shifted the topic. “By the way, where are you all from?”

Johnson was the first to answer: “I’m a local from Solus City.”

“The royal capital,” Promi followed.

Rita had no idea where Momoka and Albert were from, but that topic was conveniently swept under the rug.

The group continued eating and chatting, making Rita realize that these so-called outstanding young people weren’t as unapproachable as she thought.

Momoka and Rita found many common topics thanks to their previous duel and were having a good time talking.

“Honestly, if you hadn’t dropped your gun, I probably wouldn’t have beaten you.”

“Winning and losing happen all the time. I just didn’t realize you’re actually a brawler—that’s on me. Come on, cheers!”

“Then what are we waiting for? Cheers.”

Albert and Johnson’s situation was similar to theirs—they didn’t know each other well before, but after some sparring, they had become close and were now chatting warmly.

Only Promi spoke little, but every word was on point, so no one found her presence awkward.

The conversation drifted farther and farther from their hometowns and reasons for becoming holy knights, eventually devolving into all kinds of gossip.

The calmest-looking Albert turned out to be the biggest gossip.

Slightly tipsy, he leaned on the table with a dazed look and asked Momoka, “Momoka, there’s something I want you to clear up for me. When you saw Rita and Johnson together, you just went straight up to greet them. Aren’t you afraid there might be some secret between those two?”

Momoka leaned back in her chair, her face flushed with some drunkenness: “Afraid of what? Which of those two looks like they’d be interested in romance with the opposite sex?”

Rita wasn’t very familiar with Johnson, but he did seem like the “I prefer muscles over women” type.

And Johnson treated her with great respect, which made Rita like him even more.

Those boundaries only made her more certain he had no improper intentions toward her.

As for Rita herself, even though she was now a girl, her sexual orientation hadn’t changed with her gender.

Girls were good—she would always like girls.

So in a way, Momoka wasn’t wrong.

“Who said anything about romance?” Albert waved his hand dismissively. “I meant, aren’t you afraid they have some secret deal? The place where you met them isn’t somewhere ordinary people usually go, right?”

Albert dared to say this in front of Rita and Johnson because, in a way, he had already gauged their character was trustworthy and was joking around.

This gathering had brought everyone much closer.

“I ran into Johnson by chance. I was wandering around and got lost. Brother Johnson happened to find me and then led me out. Later, Momoka found us,” Rita replied honestly but purposely left out the black market part, planning to steer the topic back if it came up.

“I see. I was wondering why you two were together anyway. Ha, honestly, I wasn’t thinking that hard at the time!” Momoka said, raising her glass again.

Rita was happily enjoying the party, but on the other side, some people were far less pleased.

“What’s going on!” Mel slammed the intelligence report on the ground with a heavy thud, veins bulging on her forehead. “Isn’t this Rita a useless piece of trash? How did she win? How did she win so openly and aboveboard? How is this supposed to ruin the princess’s reputation? How can we create an opportunity now?”

“P-Please don’t be angry! I-I-I don’t know either!” The servant next to her was so frightened his legs went weak.

He nervously tried to calm the tigeress’s mood, but to no avail.

“How can I not be angry? That lord told me to keep an eye on this little attendant, so I did. And then what happened? And then what?”

Mel paced repeatedly in the dark room.

The heavy stomping mixed with the crackling of the torchlight only made her more restless.

“That just means your method was wrong. You should’ve let her taste enough pleasure first, then cut it off just before the peak… quite the art. But if you lose control, then—splat-splat—she’ll just end up loving it.”

A tingling voice came from behind Mel, as a pink mist silently drifted into the room.

Though the naked eye could not penetrate the pink fog’s secrets, just the silhouette’s curves made the trembling servant gulp audibly.

But these seductive words only made Mel frown.

Though displeased, this demon friend was not someone she wanted to make an enemy of. S

he forced her tone to soften a bit. “Why are you here?”

“I’ve been hungry for two days. How much longer do you want me to wait?”

“You don’t understand. If I succeed, the princess’s assassination will be exposed as self-staged, even as a family feud. Once the princess is dead, Angest will be dismissed, and that position will be mine. Then I can exploit the situation to my advantage. Isn’t that killing multiple birds with one stone? So…”

“Explaining it to me won’t help. Whatever your goal is, did you do what you were supposed to?” The sultry voice grew a little impatient, cutting Mel off before she could say more. “Enough. Tonight, I’m going out to find a cute little snack to try.”

“Don’t—” Mel tried to stop her but ended with a heavy sigh. “Fine! My shop’s people are yours to choose from, just don’t go causing trouble… Deal? We can’t afford setbacks now; we have to be careful.”

“Anyone from your shop? I can choose?”

“That’s right!”

“Well then, I’ll reluctantly agree.”

Hearing Mel’s consent, the succubus hidden in the mist revealed a sly smile.

I only said anyone from the shop, but I never said it had to be employees, right?

Several hours later, Cecilia received a report from her maid, frowning deeply.

Rita… had gone to a brothel?