Chapter 64: The Key and the Chaos

“Miss Rona, I know you don’t trust me.”

Shadow’s voice rose, and they simultaneously retreated a few steps, widening the distance. They wished to avoid another sword swing from Rona before their words were even finished.

“It’s perfectly fine if you don’t trust me. We can let the facts speak for themselves.”

Shadow appeared to pull something from their cloak. After shaking it at Rona through the dense mist, they tossed the item onto the ground.

“Of these two items, Miss Rona should already know how to use one. The other, consider it a gift from me to you.”

“Trust me, in a critical moment, it will prove invaluable.”

Rona furrowed her brow and charged forward.

“What rubbish are you spouting? If you truly have something to say, why not return to the Lord’s Mansion with me and speak it there?”

The mist seemed to thin slightly, allowing Rona to clearly perceive the scene before her.

Shadow’s figure appeared to dissipate along with the thinning fog. By the time Rona reached the spot where Shadow had stood, the individual had vanished without a trace.

‘Tsk, what a peculiar person.’

Rona didn’t dwell on Shadow’s whereabouts. Her gaze fell to the ground, where two items Shadow had left lay quietly.

One was a small box, the contents of which Rona couldn’t yet discern. The other, however, was a brass key.

Rona’s expression instantly darkened.

The size of that key was something she had only seen in one place.

The hidden door in the Lord’s Mansion garden, which she had only recently discovered.

Picking up the two items from the ground, Rona stood in silent contemplation, seemingly lost in thought.

After a moment, Rona tucked both items into her embrace, as if having made a firm decision. She strode purposefully out of the alley, quickening her pace toward the Lord’s Mansion.

Tonight, Serol was still recovering in the hospital.

Regardless of anything else, tonight presented a rare and opportune moment.

The cloud of suspicion that had long weighed on Rona’s heart had finally gained the upper hand.

****

Hiding in the shadows, watching Rona depart, Shadow let out a sigh of relief.

This stubborn knight was incredibly rigid; Shadow had almost thought the negotiation would fall apart.

‘How strange. I’ve presented so much evidence, yet Rona still clings to me… as if I’ve done something that warrants her relentless pursuit.’

‘No, it’s still not safe. It’s better if I keep an eye on things.’

The Cult’s plan had been in preparation for a long time. Shadow absolutely could not allow any mistakes to occur now.

Having made up their mind, Shadow concealed their presence and quietly headed towards the Lord’s Mansion.

****

The sudden turn of events did not faze Xiluo’er. Gazing at Red, who was charging at her with a distorted, ferocious expression, Xiluo’er merely frowned, preparing to evade his attack.

Though she wasn’t certain of Red’s strength, Xiluo’er estimated he wouldn’t be too formidable.

However, just as Xiluo’er prepared to act, she suddenly noticed a strange light flash in Red’s eyes as he rushed towards her.

It was a violet glow. The moment Xiluo’er saw it, she sensed something was amiss.

‘Not good, I underestimated him!’

Yet, realizing this now seemed too late. Xiluo’er was astonished to find her body movements had become sluggish.

‘I can’t move!’

The attack she could have easily dodged was now a deadly blow. Xiluo’er could only watch helplessly as he lunged at her like a jackal pouncing on its prey.

“Die!”

Red, his face contorted in a sneer, raised his switchblade, his right hand held high. The blade cut a chilling arc through the dark night.

‘Damn it!’

Xiluo’er gritted her teeth, but her body had only just begun to recover a fraction of its mobility. Her stiff limbs were utterly incapable of helping her escape Red’s attack range.

However, Red did not plunge the switchblade from his right hand. Instead, his left hand, which had been hidden in the shadows, suddenly struck, seizing Xiluo’er’s wrist.

Xiluo’er froze for a moment, then lifted her gaze to meet Red’s triumphant expression.

“Those who guess my involvement in the disappearances… I never leave them a chance to live.”

His words were practically squeezed through his teeth. Red whispered into Xiluo’er’s ear, his voice like a venomous snake hissing.

Red was indeed cunning and treacherous. Even after paralyzing his opponent, he added an extra layer of insurance, saving his true killing blow for the very end.

‘Yes, hiding his true capabilities. Hasn’t Red always protected himself using this method?’

There was no time to ponder what kind of person Red was. Xiluo’er’s attention was entirely focused on her wrist—Red was clearly not grabbing her wrist for an indecent purpose.

She could distinctly feel something entering her body through her wrist. The sensation carried a chilling, sinister aura, and then…

Then… then… then it just vanished?

After a moment of bewilderment, Xiluo’er realized that the chilling aura had gone still the instant it entered her body.

Blinking, Xiluo’er noticed that Red, who was still gripping her wrist, looked just as bewildered as she did.

“How is this possible? How can you be completely unharmed…?”

Red’s words were cut short by another voice screaming in Xiluo’er’s head, so loud it immediately drowned out Red’s own.

“Xi, Luo, Er!”

“Where did you find this source of magic for this lord?! This is the aura of [Chaos]! It’s disgusting this lord to death!”

“This lord knew you were secretly up to no good, always plotting revenge against me! But you wouldn’t go as far as to find the aura of an evil god, would you? Bah, bah, bah, I knew I shouldn’t have absorbed it…”

Feeling no unusual sensations within her body, Xiluo’er immediately understood. She didn’t care what Red had done; seizing the moment she regained control of her body, she fiercely swung the dagger in her hand straight at Red’s face!

A cold glint flashed. Red, wincing in pain, no longer cared about holding Xiluo’er. He cried out and crouched down, clutching his eyes.

Xiluo’er had seen clearly that Red had used a similar trick to immobilize her earlier. Although she still didn’t know exactly what he did, for an excellent assassin, she wouldn’t fall for the same ploy twice.

Red trembled as he stood up, seemingly still attempting to resist. However, with both eyes slashed and his vision blurred, he could only shakily thrust his switchblade in Xiluo’er’s general direction.

Such an attack, of course, missed its mark. The next second, Red felt the cold dagger once again pressed against his throat.

“You have another chance to answer my previous question.”

“Why, why are you completely fine? I clearly… Ah!”

Red’s words were again cut short as he instantly contorted, clutching his hand. Blood seeped from between his fingers.

Xiluo’er had just severed one of Red’s fingers without hesitation.

“I said, *re-answer* my previous question.”