Free Web NovelElizabeth’s smile did not waver.
She withdrew her soft hand, leaving the mysterious patterned key in Vieya’s palm.
With a faint nod, she said nothing more and turned away, walking back toward the ranks of vampires who stood bowing in reverence.
The scent of pomegranate slowly dispersed into the air.
That smile she gave before leaving—yes, she’d achieved her goal.
She had confirmed Vieya’s identity.
But she hadn’t exposed it.
Vieya, of course, understood. The Queen had almost certainly sensed something off about her.
If she had truly been just an unsuspecting human investigator, the moment she felt that key in her hand she wouldn’t have stayed this calm.
As for the dumb cat—her “disguise” had probably already been peeled off layer by layer by that woman, yet she still sat there with the same clueless look, convinced no one had noticed.
With the Queen’s power, it wasn’t hard to see what her underlings saw, to share their vision ❖ Nоvеl𝚒ght ❖ (Exclusive on Nоvеl𝚒ght) at will.
But until the instant the key was handed over, Elizabeth hadn’t dared to confirm Vieya’s true identity or purpose. She’d hovered on the edge of suspicion and testing.
That was why she’d sent her bootlicking lackey over earlier—to harass her again and again, to draw out a reaction, to collect clues and verify her suspicions—until she was certain.
There was no way that little brat had gone over just because her skin was itching for a beating, right?
Vieya shook her head. Something must have gone wrong outside. The decoy she’d left out there to draw attention—the illusion doll—was probably reaching its limit.
Sigh... that mirage demon really isn’t trained enough. Barely lasted this long before slipping up.
“Cat. Come here.”
Vieya glanced toward Helcat, her tone flat.
Helcat didn’t move a muscle. Eyes on nose, nose on heart—she sat perfectly straight, the picture of an obedient student listening to a lecture.
This stupid cat... does she really think her disguise is flawless?
Then came a sudden, rhythmic drumbeat.
Vieya’s attention shifted. The crowd of vampires stirred like boiling water, standing up and raising their arms toward the source of the sound.
“Hero! Hero!”
“Hero! Hero!”
The chant grew louder and louder, rolling like waves. For a moment, Vieya almost thought she’d wandered not into a vampire castle, but into a human city awaiting its Hero’s triumphant return.
“What’s happening?”
Helcat froze—then remembered their mission.
Tonight, the vampires were going to execute the young Hero!
That was why she’d snuck in—to see if there was a chance to save her.
In a flash, she forgot all caution about the Demon King’s gaze or her own cover being blown. She took two quick steps, shoes clicking, and hid behind Vieya’s back—
Despite being nearly one meter sixty-five, she now clutched the small girl’s shoulders and cowered behind her like a frightened chick hiding from an eagle.
“V–Vieya, are we going to fight?!”
The thought of turning against the entire vampire race—right under the Queen’s nose—made her whole body tense. Her face flickered between fear and excitement. freёwebnoѵel.com
“Now? Here?!”
“......”
In silence, Vieya began pushing her way forward through the packed crowd of vampires. Forward. And forward again.
She had to see her student with her own eyes before making any decision.
She could not afford a single mistake.
“Quiet, quiet! The Hero’s here!”
“I heard this one’s the youngest of all the Heroes! Just came of age this year—”
“Her blood must taste exquisite!”
“Hey! Who’s stepping on my toes?!”
“Quit shoving—ouch, you brat!”
“Ah, the human brat’s hitting ghosts again!”
The vampires chattered noisily but none dared actually attack. They only gnashed their fangs and stared at the golden-haired girl like starved dogs, licking their lips but not daring to bite.
Slowly pushing through, Vieya reached the outermost edge of the crowd—
and saw it.
The black iron cage.
Inside, a familiar pale-violet figure knelt chained in the center.
Iron shackles bound her wrists and ankles.
Her white dress and lavender hair were stained with blood. Her fair face was splattered with red, and the killing intent burning in her violet eyes made even the vampires shiver.
Rania.
She was still wearing the same outfit from that night. Her very presence clashed violently with the darkness of the prison.
The vampires behind Vieya collectively drew in a breath—then erupted into even louder cheers.
Vieya took a deep breath. Rage flooded her gut, threatening to drown every thought of strategy. She wanted to throw all plans aside, to hell with the mission, to hell with the lives of those children—
Yes, those children she’d promised to protect. They were strangers, really. If they died, that would be the vampires’ fault, not hers. She’d still try to save them...
But war never spares everyone, does it?
Her hand began to rise—then was suddenly seized.
“Hehe, are you angry?”
The little vampire girl caught her by the arm. Her pale face leaned close—so close Vieya could feel her warm breath.
“Look at your Hero now. Just another prisoner in chains...”
“......”
“Not talking? I can feel your anger, you know—from your breathing, from your eyes. You’d love to kill me, wouldn’t you?”
“......”
“But you won’t. You’re afraid of me, aren’t you? Hehe... but you’re stronger than I am, right?”
As she taunted, Laisa’s eyes darkened with greedy hunger. She leaned in, yearning to sink her fangs into that pale throat, to taste her.
“There’s only one human here. If you really want to save the Hero, then offer up your own future. Share her fear. Her pain. Hehe...”
Laisa inched closer, tongue ready to lick her skin—
But then her throat constricted.
A choking pressure crushed her breath.
Vieya’s hand was around her neck, lifting her effortlessly off the ground.
“—ngh!” Laisa gasped, clawing weakly at Vieya’s arm. Her small fingers stroked the skin as if touching a lover, not her executioner.
She whispered faintly,
“So soft... Little Wei’s skin is so soft. Her fingers—so warm, so strong. If she were in grade school, she’d be the perfect sweetheart...”
Goosebumps crawled up Vieya’s back. She snapped—flinging the vampire like a cockroach into the crowd of hundreds.
“Cat. Move!”
“Meow!”
...
Fengxiang Town.
The ground beneath the residential district began to tremble in waves. freeweɓnovēl.coɱ
Inside a noodle shop, chaos reigned—blood splattered the white walls, corpses sprawled across the floor.
The mirage demon fled, desperately weaving illusions to mislead the red-eyed man chasing her.
Dead, I’m dead, I’m dead!
She hadn’t expected him to be this strong. A whole squad of human knights had fallen before him like grass cut by a scythe.
And she’d never been good at direct combat. Worse, after being used as that evil slime’s “battery” for half a month, her mana had plummeted—from seventh rank down to fifth!
As she ran, a wild idea struck her.
If she couldn’t beat him, then maybe... she could lead him toward the human sector.
As for that slime’s order not to harm humans—she just laughed to herself.
The one causing havoc here was the red-eyed man chasing her. What did that have to do with her, the mirage demon?
Rumble!
Just as she was about to act, the building ahead of her collapsed in an instant!
A blade flashing with cold light pierced her throat. The red-eyed man twisted his wrist, driving a second dagger into her heart, her brain, her abdomen—three precise strikes!
Shhk!
Shhk!
Shhk!
A perfect kill—
But then the man froze. Something was wrong.
The sensation wasn’t right at all.
It didn’t feel like piercing flesh—more like stabbing into a dense lump of gel.
And worse—
Not a single drop of blood came from the wounds.
