Chapter 68: Smiling with a hidden blade

“The food at this banquet is poisoned?!”

Hearing this, Ilien’s pupils shrank as she cautiously scanned the surrounding guests.

“Poisoned? How do you know?”

“Don’t you think the aroma of the food is a bit too rich?” Peretti replied.

Ilien froze for a moment and instinctively took a breath. The smoky scent of roasted meat, the sweetness of desserts, and the mellow fragrance of fruit wine blended together into an intoxicating richness that lifted the mood. To her, this simply proved the chef’s exceptional skill.

But to Peretti and Feiye—both witches—it was completely different.

As a witch, human food should have held no appeal to Peretti—if anything, it should have repulsed her. Yet from the moment she entered this so-called Imaginary Garden, she had been drawn in by an oddly refreshing fragrance. At first, she thought it was just some kind of spice.

Only after entering the banquet hall and clearly smelling the roasted meat did she realize—something was wrong.

She couldn’t pinpoint exactly what the issue was, but she knew one thing for certain:

This food must not be eaten.

“If you were an experienced chef, you’d notice something off about it,” Peretti said lightly.

Ilien instinctively retorted, “A chef? Do you think a noble like me would bother understanding that kind of profession?”

Raised in luxury, she had always been served meals without question, never caring about how they were made.

Peretti chuckled softly and didn’t pursue the point further. “How long will this banquet last?”

“At least four hours,” Ilien lowered her voice. “That’s the standard duration for noble banquets. Unless something major happens, it won’t end early.”

She glanced at the chatting guests, unease creeping into her heart. “If the food really is poisoned, then they…”

“That’s the minimum duration to avoid causing suspicion,” Peretti said calmly. “Right now, the priority is to find whoever poisoned it and get the antidote from them.”

In truth, Peretti’s test with light magic had shown the food to be non-lethal. But she was certain it had a subtle effect—it dulled awareness.

She had already tested that herself.

A substance that numbs the mind… makes people crave more… undetectable by magic… and introduced at a moment like this…

“…Alright, I’ll go with you,” Ilien agreed after a pause. “As for your little sister, I’ll put her somewhere safe.”

“No need. She can protect herself.”

Send Feiye away?

What a joke. Removing the strongest member before anything even begins would be idiotic.

Only by staying near Feiye did Peretti feel safe—even if that sense of safety was a double-edged sword.

The three of them quietly slipped into the kitchen, shutting the door behind them. Immediately, they were met by the familiar fox-eared demi-human girl.

“M-my ladies? Why are you here…?”

“Quiet!” Ilien covered her mouth. “Take us inside.”

Terrified, the fox girl nodded frantically.

“You seem to trust beastfolk quite a bit,” Peretti remarked.

“Do I?” Ilien glanced at her, only now noticing the constant wariness in Peretti’s gaze toward the fox girl.

Given Peretti’s past encounter with beastfolk, such caution made perfect sense.

“These ones are relatively safe,” Ilien explained. “There are runes embedded at their collarbones. If they harbor ill intent, the rune will detonate their heart and lungs. Of course, the runes can be controlled—but only by a few.”

Then Peretti asked another question, “Are there any twins among them? Or anyone who looks very similar?”

Ilien thought carefully but shook her head. Even among humans, adult twins were rare in this era—let alone among beastfolk.

Peretti nodded but didn’t relax her guard. She turned to Feiye and whispered:

“Feiye, roughly how many people are in there?”

“Mm… eighteen.”

Eighteen. Not many. Ilien alone could handle them if needed.

“Alright. If something happens, try not to interfere.”

“Yes.”

“My ladies… we’re here.”

The fox girl tremblingly opened the door.

Inside was a completely different scene from the chaos outside. The kitchen was spotless and orderly. Over a dozen chefs worked busily—meat sizzling on grills, soup bubbling in pots. The aroma was even richer than in the main hall, almost dizzying.

Hearing the noise, the head chef frowned and turned around.

Dressed in a pristine white uniform and apron, his expression quickly shifted into a flattering smile upon seeing their noble attire. He hurried forward.

“My ladies, what brings you to the kitchen? The smoke and grease here might soil your garments.”

Ilien didn’t waste time. She took out a metal badge engraved with intricate patterns and held it up.

“I’m from the Empire’s Regulation Bureau. We’ve received a report that there’s an issue with the food here. We’ll be conducting an investigation.”

The Regulation Bureau specialized in handling supernatural incidents and major crimes—its authority was immense.

The head chef’s face changed instantly. His eyes flickered, but he forced a smile.

“My lady, you must be joking! Our food is strictly inspected—fresh and safe! How could it possibly be poisoned? This must be a misunderstanding!”

“Whether it is or not, we’ll find out after inspection,” Ilien said coldly.

She signaled Peretti, who picked up some ingredients and brought them to her nose.

The head chef was stunned.

What is she—a human bloodhound?!

If something were poisoned, could she really smell it?

“Honestly… you’re acting like a dog,” Ilien muttered, then waved it off. “Never mind. Anything wrong?”

Peretti casually tossed a piece of beef into the trash and picked up a raw piece instead. After examining it, she looked at the chef calmly.

“The problem is with the ingredients. Something went wrong in storage.”

Hearing this, the head chef and the surrounding cooks visibly relaxed.

“See? I told you!” the chef quickly stepped closer, smiling obsequiously. “It must be improper storage! Don’t worry, we’ll replace everything immediately!”

“When will your backup arrive?” Peretti ignored him and asked Ilien instead.

“I’ve already sent a message. It’ll take some time. Do we need a lot of manpower?”

“My ladies, if needed, I can guide you to the storage area,” the chef eagerly added, his smile widening.

“No need. You’ve done enough.”

Peretti patted his shoulder with a satisfied smile—pure and holy like an angel.

The chef stared at her, entranced, completely oblivious to the faint glow gathering in her palm.

With a gentle motion—

His smile froze.

His eyes widened.

His body collapsed limply to the ground.

Blood gushed from his seven orifices, staining the cutting board before him and splattering onto Peretti’s pale face.

Crimson blood and her saintly smile intertwined— forming a beauty that was both eerie… and terrifying.