Chapter 72: Is it funny that my sworn enemy got drained dry?

“So, the mastermind specifically collected so much magical power for this purpose?” “Then, the only person who fits this description is that person.”

Elsa, who had been flipping through documents in the library for half a day, finally found the definitive piece of evidence at sunset.

With this information, she could rightfully apprehend the person and bring her to justice.

“Sorry, Charlotte, it looks like I’ve won this bet! Get ready to obediently become my maid!”

After stuffing the books into her dimensional space, Elsa happily walked out of the library, intending to go find Charlotte and show off.

However, just as she was about to go downstairs, a white armor figure suddenly smashed through the window, launching a surprise attack on Elsa.

Elsa, unable to react in time, her eyes widened in shock.

The next second, blood splattered onto the wall, illuminated by the sunset.

****

“Finally, the pool is clean! I’m exhausted!”

In the evening, Charlotte, aching all over from a full day’s labor, limped back to the Night-Glow Tower.

“Lady Charlotte, you’re finally back!” Lillian, who had already prepared dinner, rushed out to greet her mistress.

“I’m back!” Charlotte walked into the living room and collapsed onto the soft sofa, lying motionless as if giving her last will and testament.

“Lady Charlotte must be exhausted after working all day. Let me give you a massage!”

Lillian came to Charlotte’s side and placed her hands on Charlotte’s shoulders.

However, before she could even apply pressure, Charlotte cried out in agony.

“Lillian… be gentle… using so much force… you’ll kill me!”

“I’m sorry, Lady Charlotte! I’ll be more gentle. However, if Lady Charlotte is in so much pain, why don’t you have a cup of my secret sleeping black tea? You won’t feel any pain if you fall asleep!”

“No, that’s not necessary. Every time I drink your sleeping black tea, my butt inexplicably hurts afterward. The side effects are quite severe. I can’t take it.”

“It’s much better than being in pain all over, though!”

“Ngh…” Charlotte was momentarily speechless.

“If you don’t say anything, I’ll assume Lady Charlotte agrees!”

Saying this, Lillian went to prepare the black tea.

“Lillian!” Charlotte called out, “Add two sugar cubes to the black tea!”

“Yes, Lady Charlotte!”

Lillian replied and happily went to brew the tea.

Charlotte quietly lay on the sofa, enjoying a moment of comfort.

With her brain finally quiet after a long day, she could resume thinking.

‘That white armor… I clearly destroyed it. Why were students still being drained of magic afterward?’

‘Does that white armor have some kind of Edo Tensei ability?’

‘Or, is someone supplying it with a constant stream of magical power? Did they manage to completely repair it in one hour, allowing it to attack the students again?’

If that were the case, then the white armor was essentially a familiar.

‘Next time I encounter it, I should try to follow the contract thread and find the person who signed the contract with this white armor.’

But she was extremely tired today. That could wait until tomorrow.

Thinking this, Charlotte gave up and prepared to take a short nap on the sofa.

She could faintly hear Lillian preparing tea nearby.

And… the sound of someone running quickly toward the Night-Glow Tower.

“Hmm?” Charlotte opened her eyes.

‘Who would come here so late and interrupt my rest?’

Lillian nearby also seemed to hear the noise and looked outside in confusion.

“Mi-Mi-Miss Charlotte!” A familiar voice came from outside.

It sounded like the exclusive maid of Elsa.

‘What is she doing here?’

“Something terrible has happened! Please… quickly save my young lady!”

After saying this, Nicole, carrying a completely bloodied Elsa on her back, appeared at the entrance of the Night-Glow Tower.

Seeing this, Lillian’s mouth dropped open in shock. She immediately rushed to the door, helping Nicole support Elsa.

Charlotte, ignoring her aching body, also quickly climbed up from the sofa and ran to Nicole, staring blankly at the severely injured Elsa.

But she quickly recovered, leaning down and gently touching Elsa’s body.

“She’s still alive!” Feeling Elsa’s heart still beating normally, Charlotte immediately used Holy Magic, instantly healing all of Elsa’s injuries.

“Thank goodness!” Seeing Elsa’s injuries recover, Nicole sighed with relief.

“How did she end up like this? She was perfectly fine at noon!” Charlotte asked Nicole.

“After Miss Elsa left you at noon, she went to the academy’s grand library to look up information. By evening, Miss Elsa suddenly fell from the second floor, covered in blood. Afterward, someone in white armor vanished from the upper floor. That’s who attacked Miss Elsa!”

“White armor?” Charlotte looked astonished.

She had fought that thing yesterday. It was incredibly weak, and she had destroyed it effortlessly. Logically, Elsa, who was evenly matched with her, shouldn’t have been beaten this badly, right?

‘Was Elsa overestimating her own strength?’

“By the way, Nicole, how long has your young lady been neglecting her magic practice?”

Charlotte was about to ask Nicole when Elsa, lying on the ground, coughed.

“Miss Elsa! Are you alright!” Nicole cried out in alarm.

Elsa merely stared at Charlotte and spoke weakly.

“Hehe, I won that bet!”

“You’ve been beaten this badly, and you’re still worried about winning or losing!” Charlotte scoffed.

“That guy suddenly smashed through the window and launched a surprise attack when I wasn’t ready. That’s why I panicked and was heavily wounded! If it were a head-on fight, I wouldn’t have lost to that guy, cough, cough!”

‘That’s what Quan Zhong thought too.’

“Alright, alright, stop trying to act tough. Losing is losing. No one will blame you. You should rest now.”

“Then at least hang me on the bed!”

The two of them lifted Elsa and laid her on a soft bed. Following that, Nicole brought a cup of warm black tea and had Elsa drink it.

“Miss Elsa, please have some black tea to warm up.”

Under Nicole’s careful attention, Elsa’s complexion gradually improved.

“So, you must have found a critical clue, which is why that guy ambushed you!” Charlotte began to interrogate her.

“Of course! Not only did I find a clue, but I also narrowed down the identity of the mastermind.” Even though she was severely wounded and lying on the bed, Elsa had a look of smug triumph.

“Who is it?”

“Hehe, it’s…”

Before she could finish, the entire room suddenly fell into a silence.

“Hmm? Why did you suddenly stop talking?”

After a long pause with no name forthcoming, Charlotte turned her head in confusion and saw that Elsa had fallen asleep, snoring on the bed.

“Eh?” Charlotte looked utterly astonished.

‘How did this person suddenly fall asleep mid-sentence? How can you possibly fall asleep at this moment?’

As she wondered, Charlotte suddenly noticed the empty teacup Nicole was holding.

Nicole had just given Elsa a cup of hot black tea to drink.

“Wait a minute, black tea?”

Realizing something was wrong, Charlotte quickly questioned Nicole, who was tending to Elsa.

“Nicole, did you pour that black tea from the pot in the living room?”

“Hmm? Yes, Miss Charlotte. I saw there was a kettle of good black tea ready in the living room, so I poured a cup and brought it to my young lady.”

Hearing this, Charlotte slapped her forehead with her hand, a look of “this girl is hopeless” on her face.

“Hmph, that black tea wouldn’t happen to have something wrong with it, would it?” Seeing Charlotte’s reaction, Nicole started to panic.

“No, it’s probably just a simple sleeping black tea.”