Spring was well underway in this city nestled deep within human lands. Though not vast, it far surpassed Vidona in prosperity. The Adventurers’ Guild here had even produced several seventh-tier Sages, making its vibrancy second only to the great cities of certain domains.
Even after dawn, the copper streetlights still glowed, casting their light upon ordinary folk bundled in thick clothing. Outside a beverage shop on North Street, a black carriage emblazoned with the Viscount Joiy’s crest stood parked.
Most passersby paused to gaze at it for a while, then, with eyes full of envy, continued on their way.
Viscount Joiy was undeniably one of Saint Ciel’s most powerful aristocrats. At a young age, he had defeated countless rivals, gaining control over numerous industries within the city. Even the Saint Ciel Governor and the Adventurers’ Guild dared not easily offend him.
That this carriage bore the beloved family crest of Viscount Joiy clearly indicated a deep connection between its owner and the Viscount’s retainers. Naturally, it drew the admiration of innumerable onlookers.
Perhaps due to the early hour, only a few people were scattered within the shop. Two young women, seated in a corner, drew what little attention there was.
One was a blonde girl in a maid’s uniform, while the other was a noble young lady adorned in a black lace dress, her hair cascading like a waterfall.
Their presence was utterly distinct from that of commoners. Even simply sitting there, their noble and elegant aura captivated everyone else in the shop, making it impossible for them to look away.
Indeed, the moment they saw the two, the identity of the carriage owner outside the door became immediately clear.
Not only that, but they had also heard rumors of a noble young lady recently visiting Saint Ciel to call upon Viscount Joiy. If no unforeseen events occurred, this noble lady must surely be her.
At this very moment, the young woman, who was the focus of all attention, seemed to recall something. After taking a sip of milk tea, she let out a sigh.
“Miss, is something troubling you?”
The young woman’s actions prompted a question from her maid. Setting down her own milk tea, she asked with genuine concern.
The young woman remained silent, her gaze fixed through the glass at the bustling crowd outside the shop. A hint of helplessness flickered across her exquisite face.
After a long while, she propped her chin in her hand, asking absently, “Aelin, how long have we been in Saint Ciel?”
“About seven or eight days, I suppose.”
“Seven or eight days, and we haven’t received a single piece of news about those traitors. If Mother hadn’t said they were hiding in this city, I would have thought they’d long since flown the coop.”
The young woman, named Lilith, was a princess of the Demon Race, though at present, she was quite vexed.
Her mother, Demon Queen Sophia, had been betrayed. Traitors had stolen a crucial treasure from the royal palace and fled all the way to human territory.
Seeing her mother’s sorrow, Lilith decided to personally pursue and apprehend the traitors, bringing them back to face the consequences of their betrayal and theft.
After much arduous persuasion of her mother, she had left the Demon Race and journeyed here.
She had expected to quickly find clues about the traitors, yet after seven or eight days, she had found absolutely nothing.
“Miss, this is deep within human territory. Even we find it difficult to extend our reach here, so it’s not at all strange to have no news these past few days. You shouldn’t fret over this matter.”
Aelin offered reassurance. “Moreover, as long as they remain in Saint Ciel, no matter how well they hide, there will come a day when they reveal themselves. We will surely find them.”
‘No matter how strong the Demon Race is, we can’t completely infiltrate all of humanity. Therefore, in human territories far from the Demon Race, there are very few demons hiding among humans.’
‘This means we have much less help, and being unfamiliar with the place, it’s quite normal not to have found any leads on the traitors.’
However, Aelin’s comfort did not alleviate Lilith’s distress; instead, it made her even more downcast. ‘Wait for them to show their tails? After catching the traitors, I’ll have to visit Hunterston.’
What Aelin didn’t know was that Lilith’s purpose for this journey wasn’t solely to pursue the traitors.
Seizing a rare opportunity to leave the Demon Race, her plans were meticulously laid out. After spending some time capturing the traitors and reclaiming the treasure, she intended to travel to Hunterston to see her mother.
Having not seen her for so many years, Lilith missed her terribly. She wondered if her mother’s appearance would have changed over the years. If it had, would she look more mature or younger? Lilith worried she might not even recognize her.
Propping her chin with both hands, the young woman recalled something, a hint of sadness in her expression. Regardless of whether she recognized her mother, her mother certainly wouldn’t recognize her. From childhood to now, Lilith’s appearance had undergone a radical transformation.
Noticing the disappointment on her face, Aelin grew somewhat curious.
“Forgive my presumption, but I wish to know why you are so set on going to Hunterston? Hunterston Academy is located there, and it would be far too dangerous for you to go.”
Ding-a-ling—
The shop’s wind chime tinkled as a woman in a white lace dress entered. Lilith, looking at Aelin, asked in a hushed, deliberately mysterious tone, “Do you really want to know?”
Several strands of black hair fell across the table, and her pale face was adorned with bewitching thin lips. At this moment, Lilith exuded a subtle, natural allure, making Aelin’s heart pound.
However, for Aelin, who had always been by Lilith’s side, such occurrences were commonplace. Her Royal Highness simply didn’t realize the extent of her own charm, always stirring hearts with a mere glance or smile.
Aelin truly wished to remind Lilith to temper her allure when out in public, but alas, she was merely an ordinary maid, lacking the authority to do so.
“Yes, Miss, will you tell me?”
Aelin nodded, eager for Lilith to reveal the truth. The latter merely smiled sweetly, crooked a finger, and whispered, “Come a little closer.”
Aelin leaned in curiously, catching a delicate fragrance from the young woman. At the same time, a warm breath brushed her ear, causing a slight tickle.
Lilith’s thin lips parted, and Aelin’s anticipation reached its peak. Many conjectures about why Her Royal Highness wished to visit Hunterston flashed through her mind. Now, all that remained was to discover the truth…
However, Lilith merely said softly, with a hint of mischief, “No.”
“…What? What no?”
“I won’t tell you why I want to go to Hunterston, of course.”
Aelin’s hopes were mercilessly played with and shattered. The intense feeling of disappointment made her mouth twitch. She turned to look at Lilith, who was covering her mouth and snickering, as if seeing the shadow of a little devil in her.
“I knew it! Miss only ever teases people!”
Just as Lilith was about to speak, attempting to salvage her image in Aelin’s eyes, a gentle voice suddenly rang out beside her ear:
“Excuse me, is this seat taken?”
The newcomer was dressed in a long white lace dress, her long hair tied at the ends. Her elegant neck and subtly exposed collarbones were captivating, and a faint, elusive fragrance emanated from her. Her eyes sparkled, and her features were as exquisite as a painting.
Aelin was momentarily stunned by the woman. She had never seen such a gentle, serene, and graceful woman before. She seemed to be made of water, exuding a delicate fragility.
Moreover, the woman’s face struck her as familiar, yet she couldn’t recall where she had seen it.
“Excuse me, may I sit here?”
Seeing Aelin in a daze, the woman asked again, softly.
“Yes, you may.”
Aelin snapped back to reality and replied softly.
“Thank you.”
The woman said softly, then took her seat opposite Lilith and Aelin.
“I’m a bit thirsty. Could you order me some afternoon tea?”
Lilith, seeing Aelin’s dazed expression, deliberately spoke up, then pointed to the service counter with her chin.
“…”
Aelin rolled her eyes at Lilith before finally getting up and walking towards the service counter.
“Thank you.”
The woman said softly.
Lilith looked at the woman, then said softly, “You’re welcome. If you want to thank someone, thank the maid beside me.”
The woman listened to Lilith’s words, smiled gently, and said nothing.
Aelin returned after ordering afternoon tea, and the woman was also looking at Lilith, a trace of curiosity in her eyes.
“Are you both from around here?”
The woman asked softly.
“Yes, we are both from here.”
Lilith replied with a smile.
The woman nodded, then suddenly asked softly, “Are you sisters?”
Lilith was taken aback by the woman’s words, then asked, “We’re not sisters. Why do you ask?”
“You look very alike, especially your eyes.”
The woman said softly.
Her floral scent seemed extremely pure and beautiful. Beside Lilith’s seat, there was an empty chair, and the woman wished to sit there. Although there were many empty seats in the shop, she didn’t know why she specifically wanted to sit next to Lilith, but Lilith didn’t refuse.
“No one is sitting here,” she replied.
“Thank you.”
Upon learning the seat was empty, the woman elegantly sat down. A waiter quickly approached her, offering a menu. The menu listed many drinks, but their names were somewhat incomprehensible to the woman; she didn’t even know what ingredients they contained. In her helplessness, she simply ordered a blackberry milk tea, which looked rather appealing.
After the waiter departed, Lilith looked at her and remarked, “Blackberry milk tea is quite unpalatable. People who live in Saint Ciel rarely drink it, though travelers visiting Saint Ciel for the first time often order it.”
The woman’s movements paused. She, too, looked at Lilith, a hint of surprise in her eyes. “Oh, is that so? I’ve never tasted it. But for you to guess immediately that I’m new to Saint Ciel, you are truly clever.”
The woman was Lena. After Celia had gone to the Demon King’s City, Lena had bid a proper farewell to Isha and Aurora, then immediately set off for Saint Ciel. However, Saint Ciel was deep within human territory, requiring passage through various lordships and empires. Thus, it took her nearly half a month to reach her destination.
Lilith’s expression remained unchanged despite Lena’s compliment, though Aelin, standing beside her, narrowed her eyes, her thoughts unknown to anyone. Finally, after a silence of over ten seconds, she addressed Lena, “Madam, if you have no other business, please find another place to sit. There’s no need to sit beside us.”
“Aelin?”
Lilith turned her head, a little confused, but Aelin gripped her hand and explained, “Miss, you are currently a distant relative of Viscount Joiy, a noble young lady. There are many who wish to curry favor, and they employ all sorts of strange methods. It’s best to always be on guard.”
As she spoke, she occasionally glanced at Lena, the implication of her words about ‘currying favor’ clear. After all, with so many available seats in the shop, why would someone deliberately sit next to Lilith if they didn’t have an ulterior motive?
Lena understood Aelin’s thoughts. She waved her hand, unconcerned. “Currying favor? I think Miss Aelin is overthinking it.”
“Is that so? Which of those who previously bothered Miss didn’t say the same thing? Yet within a few days, their true intentions were exposed.”
Recalling past experiences, Aelin shook her head in dissatisfaction. “Who in this city doesn’t know that Lord Joiy controls most of Saint Ciel’s industries? Just by forming a slight connection with his relatives, one could secure wealth for the rest of their lives.”
Lilith had come to Saint Ciel as a distant relative of Viscount Joiy. With her charm, she naturally attracted a large number of suitors, not to mention her already excellent family background. Aelin had witnessed all of this. They would constantly create various ‘accidents’ to approach Lilith, claiming to be indifferent to fame and fortune, but secretly plotting how to cling to Viscount Joiy’s power. ‘Truly vile and ugly humans.’
“But I have no interest in such things at all.”
‘Indeed, it’s always the same answer.’ Aelin had grown tired of hearing these words over the past few days. She was about to speak, to urge Lena to quickly move to another seat and not disturb Lilith, but the next second, she heard a truth from Lena’s lips that startled her.
“After all, Viscount Joiy is a demon, isn’t he?”
A single soft sentence plunged the surroundings into a deathly silence. Not only did Aelin’s eyes widen in disbelief, but even Lilith showed a hint of panic.
In all of Saint Ciel, only they and a few servants in the Viscount’s household knew this fact.
After a brief moment of thought, Lilith adjusted her panicked expression, a touch of helplessness appearing on her face. “Who told you such things? Those are merely slanders against Joiy; after all, he has offended quite a few people over the years.”
Beneath the table, Aelin’s hands subtly flexed, revealing the tiny tip of a silver sleeve-sword. The woman before them showed no magical power, appearing no different from an ordinary person. If Aelin wished to kill her now, it would take less than a second.
‘Viscount Joiy is a demon. The fewer people who know this truth, the better.’
Sensing the killing intent from Aelin, Lena calmly brushed a strand of hair from her ear while retrieving a letter from her bosom and handing it across the table to Lilith.
“Don’t be nervous. I was actually recommended by Meli. My purpose is to help you capture the traitors who fled to Saint Ciel.”
Her gentle voice dispelled the tense atmosphere. Upon hearing her origin, Lilith unconsciously let out a breath of relief and reached out to take the letter, while Aelin froze.
“Meli? The Vice-Commander?”
She covered her mouth, her pupils wider and more shocked than before. The Vice-Commander’s name was, of course, well-known among the Demon Race, as was the Vice-Commander herself. She had never imagined that the woman before her would be Meli’s helper. She appeared to have no magical power, entirely unlike a demon. Unless, of course, it was all a disguise.
Lilith tore open the envelope and found Meli’s token inside, bearing her unique aura and demonic runes. After confirmation, Aelin fidgeted, then apologized with a blush, “I’m sorry, Madam, I was disrespectful to you just now…”
She felt both fortunate and terrified. ‘It’s a good thing I didn’t act just now, otherwise, I would have been the one subdued.’ The Vice-Commander was an eighth-tier powerhouse; her helper would certainly not be weak. But regardless of the helper’s identity, Aelin’s previous actions were wrong. If this incident caused the helper to feel animosity towards Lilith, her mistake would be enormous.
“It’s alright. Given Viscount Joiy’s influence in Saint Ciel, there’s nothing wrong with being cautious.”
Lena smiled and waved her hand, not taking the matter to heart. Her usual generous and gentle demeanor caused Aelin’s heart to flutter slightly as she bowed her head, feeling even more ashamed but also increasingly grateful for her presence.
“Thank you for understanding…”
Lilith’s gaze flickered between the woman before her and Aelin. She knew that her maid’s favorability towards this woman had greatly increased.
Indeed, it wasn’t just Aelin; her own favorability towards her had also risen. She had always been fond of gentle women.
“Let’s discuss this in the carriage.”
With that, she rose and led Aelin out of the shop. Lena, without waiting for her blackberry milk tea to be prepared, left a few copper coins and followed them into the black carriage parked outside the shop.