Increasing the city’s security, imposing a curfew, strengthening safety education for residents, and raising awareness about the characteristics and dangers of the Incubi—all these measures were the solutions Cecilia and Angus had come up with.
It all sounded like they were preparing for some kind of interview question…
As their discussion ended, the breakfast came to a close as well.
On the way back, Cecilia told the maid to go ahead while she stayed behind to quietly instruct Rita, “From what I see, Angus is genuinely discussing countermeasures. It seems he’s uninvolved in this matter, but don’t let your guard down.”
“Understood.” Rita replied. “But why do you suspect him, Lady Cecilia? Didn’t he provide us shelter and a place to stay?”
“Exactly because of that. If he betrays us, it would be especially dangerous. Have you considered that this morning Angus might have deliberately let us overhear those things with some ulterior motive?”
“Uh, does he have some ulterior motive?”
“No. Today was purely accidental. Still, it never hurts to stay vigilant.”
“What about Lady Dolores?”
“No need to worry about her for now. You can’t keep an eye on her, and she won’t make a move at the moment.”
Rita didn’t quite catch the undertone in Cecilia’s words but nodded anyway.
It seemed Cecilia never trusted anyone fully.
What about herself? Was she that special person?
Probably not.
Cecilia might have tested her in many ways without her knowledge, but since she hadn’t done anything suspicious, she had passed safely.
“Earlier, you wanted to say something?” Cecilia suddenly asked.
“Earlier?”
“Yes, during the meal. Now that it’s just the two of us, feel free to speak your mind.”
Rita showed a hint of confusion but didn’t hide anything: “There were definitely more than two victims attacked by the Incubi last night.”
That answer made Cecilia slow her pace slightly.
“How do you know?”
“Because I saw it with my own eyes.” Rita began to recount how she had mistakenly wandered into the black market last night, met Johnson, and was eventually dragged to the tavern.
Last night, the tavern.
Incubi were highly resistant to poison; otherwise, when they released their enchanting aura, she would have been reduced to a fool first.
Alcohol, therefore, couldn’t get Rita drunk, which took away a lot of the fun.
But others were different.
Promi’s face was flushed as he clutched his cup silently, while Albert and Johnson’s voices had grown louder.
Momoka was already unsteady, wobbling like a roly-poly in her chair and slurring, “By the way! The place I saw you today was close to the black market! Were you up to no good?”
Johnson’s face, as red as a boiled shrimp, instantly softened.
His brows knitted tightly as if his throat suddenly closed up, and he went silent.
Rita glanced at the unusual Johnson and quickly waved her hands, “I can’t even find the black market, how could I go there?”
“Fair enough.” Momoka leaned back in her chair. “Don’t be shy. I was planning to go to the black market today too, but… in the end, I didn’t need to.”
“What were you planning to do?” Albert asked.
“You’ll know soon enough.”
They chatted and drank, Johnson’s expression gradually returning to normal.
Not long after, the tavern door was pushed open.
A girl with long emerald green hair walked in slowly, looking around before her eyes landed on Rita inside.
“Sis, what a coincidence!”
“Valfis, you’re here too?”
Momoka, still swaying, got up and stood beside Valfis. “This here is a very skilled information broker.”
Seeing the others’ puzzled looks, Momoka explained, “There’s an Incubus in Solus City that’s way too arrogant! It even tainted the Holy Knights’ trials! So, I gathered everyone for one more purpose—to take down this Incubus!”
Drunkenly, Momoka patted Valfis’s head, though her original target was her shoulder. “She says she can provide us with valuable information.”
Huh?
You’re trusting Valfis to provide useful information?
You might as well believe I’m a magical girl.
Well, you probably don’t even know what a magical girl is.
Seeing Rita’s hopeless gaze, Valfis patted her chest confidently: “Sis, don’t worry! I won’t reveal anything that would hurt our unity! Our sisterhood runs deep!”
Rita neither knew what kind of damaging info Valfis might reveal nor when they had become such close sisters.
But the others clearly weren’t focused on Valfis’s pleasantries; hunting an Incubus was still a shocking prospect.
Momoka was drunk, but Valfis was sober.
Their standing here made it clear that the plan to hunt the Incubus was Momoka’s sober idea, not drunken boasting.
“I think we’re all outstanding individuals! We want to become Holy Knights, and demons must be eradicated! Otherwise, just imagine us drinking and singing, then suddenly being attacked by an Incubus…” Momoka raised her glass, rallying everyone.
“But now no one’s sober, and this is a public place. We should discuss this more carefully.” Albert stroked the rim of his cup; his drunkenness seemed to fade as he thought.
“I agree,” Promi rarely concurred.
“That’s right, that’s right, so let’s… discuss more thoroughly! Drink up!” Momoka nodded thoughtfully, then emptied her glass. “Barkeep, two more rounds!”
The matter of hunting the Incubus wasn’t brought up again that night.
The group continued drinking.
Momoka was the first to collapse unconscious in her chair; Albert slumped over the table and stopped moving.
After bidding farewell, Promi and Johnson left, leaving only Rita and Valfis.
“Sis, your tolerance is impressive.” Valfis teased. “Everyone else is wasted, and you’re fine. Don’t you feel out of place?”
“Mind your own business. I just have a strong tolerance.” Rita pouted. Though sober, she had caught the mood.
“Alright, alright, sis, you have the best tolerance.” Valfis soothed. “So, what now? Should we find a place for them to rest?”
“Good idea.”
Rita and Valfis together laid the two drunkards on the couch.
Momoka had already paid for the drinks, so there was nothing for them to worry about.
Afterward, the two left the tavern together.
Looking at Valfis’s face, Rita suddenly remembered something. “Valfis, since your information work is so good, could you do me a favor? And if anyone asks, you have to cover for me.”
“Don’t worry, sis, our sisterhood is unbreakable!”
Rita exhaled in relief and lowered her voice: “Is there a brothel in this city?”