Chapter 100: Taste of a Demoness

Early the next morning, the headline of the Daily News used huge bold letters to declare the annihilation of the Zmanger Gang. From how the incident began, to the commotion heard by nearby residents, to interviews with a few passersby—everything was documented in detail.

But at the end of the article...

"The Aurora Order has claimed responsibility?"

Why is it always you guys? As expected from the number one terror organisation (chaos instigator) in the world of mysticism.

"Hmm?"

His gaze paused on an advertisement on page five—Ernst Trading Firm's goods acquisition notice. This meant that tomorrow night, the detective nicknamed "Eye of Wisdom" would be hosting another Beyonder gathering.

"Perfect timing to promote a new batch of Seamless Extension Charm items. Maybe I'll even find some useful mystical materials."

In truth, at their current sequence level, there were only a handful of Beyonder gatherings in all of Backlund where one could actually buy anything useful. And the most reliable of those was the one organized by Mr. A.

But Edward absolutely preferred to keep his distance from that mad, dangerously beautiful man—despite the fact that the last time, he had saved his life.

———

At 6 p.m., a carriage carrying Audrey and Annie arrived at Viscount Glaint's villa. Glaint personally welcomed them and led the mistress and servant into the salon venue.

Today's salon theme revolved around music and painting, so most of the guests were women and young ladies. By the time Audrey arrived, the group was already deep in conversation about the latest fashion trends in Backlund.

After a warm greeting, Viscount Glaint escorted Audrey and Annie through the parlour and up to a guest room on the second floor.

As soon as they entered the room, Audrey took Annie's hand and gave it a gentle shake.

"Annie~"

Before she could say more, the maid gave a knowing nod and replied, "Understood, Miss. But you must promise to return before eight o'clock."

"Don't worry, I'm not going anywhere tonight. I'll stay right here." 

"I certainly hope so."

Leaving behind a Muggle-Repelling Charm, Audrey stepped out of the guest room. As she walked down the long hallway, a figure gradually materialised at her side—it was Edward, disguised as Annie.

Edward held a green crystal pendulum in his hand, slowly rotating it clockwise. The two exchanged a glance, and Edward furrowed his brow.

"There's a degree of danger…but not a serious one."

"But where is the danger coming from? I trust Glaint! Even if he's hiding something, he would never mean me harm."

———

They returned to the parlour where the salon was being held. From afar, they could see Viscount Glaint speaking in hushed tones with a girl in a green dress and white lace bonnet. Laughter rang out now and then between them.

The girl looked a little younger than Audrey, with delicate, beautiful features and long, shoulder-length silver hair. Though her posture was casual, she exuded an air of nobility. In terms of appearance, she was only slightly less stunning than Audrey—likely because she hadn't fully matured yet.

"Helena, it's been a long time."

Audrey seamlessly switched to her usual social persona and stepped forward, calling out sweetly.

The girl immediately returned a warm hug.

"Ugh, it's so hard to see you these days! You've become so unsociable. I haven't seen you at any of the recent balls!"

"Blame my father. He says Backlund hasn't been safe lately and won't let me go out freely. I sneaked out today just to see you."

"Ah, I'm sorry. If Earl Hall scolds you, just say…it was me who forced you to come."

The two girls now looked like a pair of intimate, close-knit friends.

Viscount Glaint smiled politely beside them. When his gaze fell on Edward (as Annie), who stood a step behind, he momentarily froze—then quickly understood. He nodded slightly in greeting before walking away, leaving the three girls a more private space.

After a few more pleasantries, Audrey got to the point.

"Helena, I heard from Glaint that you wanted to talk to me today about something...mm, unusual. Should we find a private room?"

The young princess shook her head.

"Here is fine. Just keep your voice down. That way, we'll draw less attention."

As she spoke, she lifted her glass of juice and toasted a passing lady with a graceful smile. From the way she raised the glass to the arc of her lips and even her gaze—it was like following a royal etiquette manual, every movement exuding nobility.

Once the lady had walked away, Helena immediately deflated like a balloon, pouting and sighing.

"Sometimes, I really hate my status."

Audrey returned a sympathetic smile.

"There's nothing we can do. Since we enjoy the privileges of our status, we must also follow the rules it brings."

Helena drained her juice in one gulp and straightened up, her expression becoming serious.

"Glaint told you why I asked to see you today, right?"

"Something about…a few maids going missing recently at the Third Prince's manor?"

Helena nodded vigorously. 

"Exactly! So far, eleven have gone missing. Most of them vanished overnight without a trace. A few left to visit family and never returned. I suspect all of it is related to the mystical world."

"Why do you think that?"

"It all started after that woman moved into the Rose Manor. That woman…from the first moment I saw her, she gave me chills. She's definitely not ordinary." Her expression shifted, fear creeping into her eyes. 

"And the way Edessak is obsessed with her—it's just not normal. Audrey, he used to like you so much, and then suddenly…"

Cough, cough, cough.

Audrey quickly masked her embarrassment with a cough. 

"That's all in the past." 

"Anyway, I'm afraid she'll harm Edessak. I want your help." 

"Mmm…but wouldn't a private detective be better suited for this sort of thing?"

"Actually, I already hired one in secret—a somewhat well-known detective in Backlund…Zreal Viktor Lee. But he went missing not long ago too."

Edward froze. That name sounded familiar—wasn't that the detective Ian had mentioned when he sought out Klein?

At that moment, Princess Helena clenched her teeth. 

"I want to use your knowledge of mysticism to find those missing maids—and expose her in front of my brother! Rip off her mask and kick her out of Rose Manor!"

"Kick who out of Rose Manor?"

A cheerful voice suddenly interrupted from the side. Helena flinched and turned around in surprise. 

"Edessak? What are you doing here?"

The newcomer was tall and handsome, with a round face and narrow eyes. A warm smile lit up his youthful face. He wore a deep navy coat adorned with gold ribbons and decorations that shimmered like medals—his whole appearance exuded nobility.

Audrey lifted her skirt slightly and curtsied. 

"Your Highness."

Prince Edessak gently took her hand and gave a mock kiss on the back of it. 

"Miss Hall, it's been far too long. You're still as beautiful as ever." 

"Thank you."

Just then, a girl in a black dress and sheer veil walked over. She looked around eighteen or nineteen, with a slightly rounded face and slender eyes. Though she wasn't as stunning as Audrey or Helena, she had a gentle, refined aura—and an oddly captivating presence.

Her expression carried a trace of confusion, like a startled fawn not yet used to her surroundings, evoking an involuntary sense of protectiveness.

The moment Edward laid eyes on her, his heart dropped. 

—That's got to be Trissy!

But wait—wasn't Prince Edessak supposed to be restricting her movements in the original story? Why would he bring her to a public salon?

Tch. So this is what the divination meant by "a certain danger, but not serious"?

Right then, the girl's uncertain and timid expression transformed into a sweet smile. She stared straight at Edward, blinking as delight flickered in her gaze.

Trouble.

In that brief exchange of glances, she must've picked up on the anomaly in his gaze!

Trissy tilted her head back and looked up at Prince Edessak. 

"I'd like to visit the washroom. I'm wearing too many layers—it's getting uncomfortable."

The prince frowned slightly and gestured subtly to one of his men nearby.

Trissy tilted her head again, her expression innocent and puzzled. 

"You're going to have a man escort me to the washroom? You know I can't handle this gown on my own. Or...would you rather help me yourself?"

"…"

Prince Edessak fell silent for a few seconds, then instinctively turned to glance at Edward, who stood behind Audrey. He smiled faintly. 

"Miss Hall, could I trouble your maid to assist?"

"Huh?"

Audrey froze. Her mind momentarily stalled, before she muttered, "An-Annie, you…go with her."

Shit, Edward cursed inwardly, but outwardly, he maintained a submissive, obedient demeanor. 

"Yes, Miss."

With several of the prince's guards in tow, Edward followed Trissy out. Audrey, meanwhile, clenched her fists in frustration.

"Ugh! She's going to change in front of Edward? Won't he see everything? Wait—hold on, she's the witch? So…she's actually a man? That's…not so bad then? But her body is clearly female!"

"What's wrong, Audrey?" Helena whispered.

"N-Nothing…"

She quickly composed herself and snuck a glance toward Prince Edessak, now surrounded by a group of noble ladies. She murmured, "That was…"

"That's right! Audrey, you mustn't be fooled by her disguise!" Princess Helena said indignantly. 

"It's all a facade! It has to be!"

"…"

———

Creak—

Inside the washroom, as soon as Edward shut the door, the girl began undressing—one piece, then another, and another.

The whole time, her eyes remained fixed on Edward, and her smile grew more playful with each layer that dropped.

Edward had to admit—even though he knew she was a witch, he couldn't stop his heart from pounding faster and faster. At that moment, he finally understood why Emperor Roselle once uttered those infamous words after 'ascending' as a man—

"The taste of a demoness...ain't bad."

When Trissy was down to nothing but her undergarments, her figure perfectly outlined in soft curves, her fingers suddenly paused.

And in that exact moment…Edward, shamefully, felt a flicker of disappointment.

———

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