Chapter 4: The Vanishing Slayer

Eileen quickly conceived a plausible explanation: an assassin had come for Lady Faltis.

Yet, she swiftly dismissed the notion. How could anyone possibly infiltrate the Golden Dragon Hall, much less hide within it, without Lady Faltis’s knowledge?

“Who exactly are you?” Eileen demanded again.

The figure offered no reply, merely standing motionless.

Peculiarly, whenever Eileen moved, the figure mirrored her actions, as if she were staring into a looking glass.

Eileen extended her hand, touching the water’s surface. In the same instant, the swordswoman clad in black armor also reached out, their hands meeting.

Then, Eileen instantly froze the entire lake surface and called out Faltis’s name.

Faltis swiftly returned to the bathroom. Gazing at Eileen’s masterpiece, she couldn’t help but exclaim, “Eileen, you truly are remarkable, to freeze the lake in an instant.”

“Lady Faltis, that’s not the point right now!” Eileen unfroze the lake, her delicate finger pointing to the water. “Look…?”

Strangely, the shadowy figure had now vanished. “That’s impossible…”

Eileen was certain she hadn’t been mistaken. After the freezing, she hadn’t seen any resistance, nor had she witnessed anyone leaving the area. Moreover, Faltis had appeared almost instantaneously.

“What is it, Eileen?” Faltis inquired.

“There was a Dragon Slayer in the water just now, but… they’ve vanished…?” Eileen voiced her disbelief, even to herself.

“Oh? Are you saying that Dragon Slayer disappeared right under my nose?” Faltis gazed at the crystal-clear water, seeing no other presence.

“I didn’t mean it like that…”

“Eileen, are you perhaps overtired?” Faltis took Eileen’s hand. “Why don’t you rest a little?”

Eileen shook her head. Could it truly have been her imagination?

But what about that palpable sense of reality?

“Leave the clothes to Setia. Today, just get some good rest. Come over after your bath; I’ll be waiting in my room.” Faltis gently stroked Eileen’s cheek, then extended her tongue to lick it.

It was cool and delicious.

“Yes, I understand.” Eileen touched her own head. She wasn’t sick, so was she truly just too tired?

Upon returning to her room, Eileen first shed her soaked maid uniform, then proceeded to wash Faltis’s clothes.

She turned on the shower, and several streams of water cascaded down.

The icy water struck Eileen’s body, quickly bringing her back to a state of calm.

She loved cold water, or rather, she loved all things cold. Yet, she utterly detested the flames that every dragon kin inherently wielded.

She preferred the cold to fire. In truth, she feared flames, the very fire that dragons were born with.

She herself wasn’t entirely sure why.

Cold water flowed down Eileen’s skin. She patted her cheeks, then looked at the various essential oils arranged on the shelf.

These were precious items refined by alchemists, highly favored by human nobles. It was no exaggeration to say that the single shelf of essential oils before Eileen could purchase a house in the human empire.

Eileen’s fingers glided over the essential oils, her nails tapping against the glass bottles, producing a soft ‘clink, clink, clink’.

“Lady Faltis mentioned jasmine scent today…” Eileen held a small bottle. Opening it, the rich fragrance of jasmine wafted out.

She dripped a few drops into the bathtub. After soaking for about ten minutes, she emerged and applied a few more drops to her hands, using them to massage her tail.

This process, however, was the most agonizing. A dragon’s tail was incredibly sensitive. Each stroke Eileen made caused her body to tremble slightly, her pretty face to flush pink, and soft gasps to escape her lips intermittently.

By the time Eileen had finished, she felt utterly weak, needing to lean on the bathtub to stand.

Eileen gazed at her reflection in the mirror, clad in a slip nightgown. The fullness of her chest was subtly revealed, stirring vivid imaginings.

Her damp silver hair cascaded over her shoulders, and droplets of water slid down Eileen’s slender thighs.

“Perhaps I was mistaken,” Eileen murmured, patting her cheeks to rouse herself a little. After all, she was about to attend to Lady Faltis.

Eileen stood before Faltis’s room, taking a deep breath. She raised a hand to knock, and upon receiving Faltis’s affirmative reply, she pushed the door open.

Faltis’s room was arranged quite ordinarily, bearing no resemblance to the chambers of a Dragon Queen.

It was simple and unadorned, devoid of any lavish decorations, containing only essential furnishings.

Beyond the living room was only the master bedroom; there wasn’t even a kitchen.

After all, with Eileen present, there was no need for Faltis to cook personally.

The living room contained a sofa, an office desk, and a dining table.

Aside from these, there were only a few potted plants.

Faltis was nowhere to be seen in the living room.

“Lady Faltis.” Eileen proceeded into the bedroom.

“Why are you standing there?” Faltis, dressed in loose sleepwear, lay on the bed and beckoned Eileen closer with an outstretched hand.

Eileen sat on Faltis’s soft bed, accustomed to such intimacy.

“What? A month apart, and you’re shy?” Faltis embraced Eileen from behind, burying her face in Eileen’s elegant hair and taking a deep breath.

“Jasmine scent,” Faltis noted, then leaned back, pulling Eileen down onto the bed with her.

“Mm,” Eileen affirmed with a nod.

Observing Eileen’s docile obedience in her arms, Faltis couldn’t resist the urge to tease her relentlessly. She held Eileen’s silver tail, her hands exploring restlessly over its surface.

Indeed, Faltis was entirely responsible for why Eileen’s tail was more sensitive than any other dragon’s.

Eileen covered her mouth with her hand, striving to suppress any sound.

But Faltis’s hand pried Eileen’s fingers open, slipping a digit into Eileen’s mouth.

Eileen was very obedient, but this diminished some of the fun, some of the conquest dragons so enjoyed. Faltis wished Eileen would resist a little, but clearly, Eileen couldn’t right now. So…

“Tomorrow, let’s ask that nun in the dungeon. Perhaps she knows something about the Empire,” Faltis mused, watching Eileen pant heavily, a silver thread of saliva still clinging to the corner of her lips.

“Ye… yes.”