I was in Seclusion for so long that everyone forgot about me

The cool air of a warm summer night filled the city. Even as the districts began to settle, the streets remained alive. Laughter spilled from taverns, the scent of roasted meat and spiced, honey mead lingering in the air. Merchants packed away their stalls while a few alchemists set up in their place, their green lanterns flickering against the darkened cobblestones. Shops along the main roads were shutting their doors, while inns and gambling dens were only just getting started.

The city pulsed with a rhythm that was both familiar and distant. It stirred up memories I’d rather not recall, but I still hadn’t found the time to properly inspect my seals. Since entering the gates, the influence had only worsened.

‘Sooo,’ Asche started, hovering above me, her wings spread wide as she floated just over the streets to take in the view. ‘Didn’t know you were part vampire.’

I shook my head. ‘Not a vampire. Those kids only started showing up around the second cycle, I think? So yeah, I’m much, much older.’

‘But you drink blood?’

‘Yes.’

‘And you need to drink blood?’

‘Most of the time, I just ignore it. But blood just tastes so gooood~’ I enthused.

‘Sounds a lot like a vampire, though…’

‘Counter-question. Humans eat meat, yeah?’

‘Uh, yeah?’

‘Can they live without it?’

‘Uh, I dunno, actually, but I knew a peasant who never touched meat. So I guess, yes?’

‘So… are humans wolves?’

‘That’s a weird analogy…’

‘Why? Just because I drink blood and like it doesn’t mean I need it. Humans can live without meat; they just choose not to. That doesn’t make them wolves—at least not in a species-like sense.’

‘Okay, now I have to ask. What exactly are you?” Asche pressed. ‘You have too many races mixed inside your body. It feels like you’re some kind of chimera. But you don’t look like them, or like those newer mana-beasts that Eternal had created.’

I laughed. “She never really got the hang of that. Sure, she created some real monsters, though. That was always her thing. Makes me wonder what she could create if she were inside the System…”

Asche growled, ‘You’re dodging the question!’

‘Well,’ I mused, ‘you could call me the Original.’

Her ears flicked. 'Original what?'

I smirked. ‘Original pain in your ass, apparently.’

Even from down here I could feel how she narrowed her eyes. ‘That’s not an answer.’

‘Figure it out. If you survive long enough, maybe I’ll tell you. But don’t forget about the warnings I gave about you being too curious~.’

A slow sigh escaped her. ‘Alright, alright. But we’re stuck with each other, so sooner or later, I’ll hear things. Especially with your little mind slip-ups.’

Her tone struck something in me, an unwelcome prickle that I pushed aside.

‘Don’t worry. I’m going to do something about that soon,’ I replied curtly.

The conversation died after that. I understood Asche’s curiosity, but some things were better left untold and locked away. Or, in my case, sealed.

I knew she could listen in on my thoughts, but most of the time, one could tune it out. Like I did with hers. I wouldn’t want to hear that mess of thoughts anyway. When we entered The Dancing Tails for a second, I had—and regretted it instantly.

So no, if she had something to say, she could say it directly. Keeps the magic and is far less intrusive.

Besides, I never cared to use soul magic to pry into memories. Most people broke before I could get anything useful anyway. Sure, I could just rip memories straight from their souls and destroy them entirely, but… barely anyone deserved that.

Barely.

There were some people—so vile, so irredeemable—that even I would need to take extra lessons just to match a fraction of their cruelty. But the cruelest ones were always the most arrogant. The way they smiled as I ripped their soul apart, watching themselves unravel… it tasted—delicious.

I mean, yeah, there were other methods, of course but I simply didn’t care for them. Charm magic, like Kazari’s, was one thing. But then there were the others—the crude, mind-breaking spells used by nobles and dark mages.

Taking away someone’s freedom was one thing. But taking away their will—their choice? No. That was a violation I would never stoop low enough to commit.

Soooo, I really thought the information Kazari gave and my earlier walk would be enough to help me navigate the city. It wasn’t. I wasn’t lost or anything—I just didn’t know where to go first.

…Okay, fine, that was a lie.

Damn these alleys that all look the same. At least put up some signs so people actually know where they are. How hard could it be to find the red-light district?

One may ask: why didn’t I just go back to the main road? One word—boooring! I was hoping for some thugs lurking in the shadows, trying to rob me or do something worse. But these back alleys? Empty. And way too clean. Who the hell cares about cleanliness in a place like this...?

I should have gone to the slums. Who would’ve thought the area between the eastern and royal districts was actually safe? I, for one, had assumed at least someone would be lurking, snatching up women to serve as playthings for their noble masters. Maybe that was outdated… Ahh, my first time being kidnapped. One of my favorite memories.

‘Say, is your little skit over? Were you always like... this?’ Asche asked, her voice laced with concern.

I pouted. ‘If you lived as long as me, you’d understand that sometimes acting out of character is a good way to keep your sanity!’

Asche cringed. ‘Please don’t pout while using my form. It looks so… wrong. Also, sure, you may be keeping your sanity, but do you see that black vortex swirling around you? If you keep acting like this, it’ll rob everyone else of theirs. And besides, you could have just asked me where the district is. I can see it from up here, it’s—'

I ignored her and continued my singsong stroll through the alleys. One of the little joys of being as powerful as I was, was indulging in small adventures—acting utterly shameless, snooty, and spoiled just for the fun of it. Being serious all the time was exhausting.

Also, we—

Oh.

This presence.

‘You feel that?’ I asked Asche.

‘Why am I not surprised we found one of them here… But there’s a second one, isn’t there?’

I nodded. ‘We don’t just have a succubus walking around. There’s another kind of demon with them.’

’I don’t recognize this aura,’ Asche muttered.

’Yeah, something’s… different.’ I grinned. The first day in the capital just kept getting better.

’Let’s check it out~’ I chimed, happily hopping in the direction of the demons.

I swear, I could feel Asche rolling her eyes.

Tehe~

╭══◞ ??? POV ◟══╮

"This freaking bitch." I shouted in frustration. She’d done it again—I couldn’t believe it!

I sprinted through the red-light district, trying to track her down. She was ruining my whole plan. How could someone be this obvious? You didn’t kill anyone—and if you did, you didn’t just dump the husk somewhere obvious! Because of this mess, I’d have the guards and that damn information guild sniffing around my turf.

It was way too early for me to fight them again. The last conflict had drained me, and I’d spent an entire month recovering part of my strength.

It wasn’t that being a prostitute was unpleasant, but my power had yet to fully return. Until then, I was stuck working in these run-down bawdy houses—since the high-class brothels had wards capable of detecting my demonic aura. And their clientele? A problem. Too many people who could see through my weakened glamour. Too risky.

I’d considered moving to the western district, but the beast-kin there would sniff me out in no time.

The situation wasn’t terrible, but this—this I couldn’t tolerate.

Some idiot was flaunting their presence, making sure everyone knew something was wrong. Because of her, people had started avoiding the back alleys or any place with fewer eyes. How the hell was I supposed to hunt in the shadows when nobody dared to step near them? Sure, I could lure them away, but people were getting cautious. They would notice if a friend walked into a dark alley and never returned. And I was nowhere near strong enough to charm more than one at a time and erase their memories.

Otherwise, none of this would have been a problem.

So yes, this ended today.

The plan was simple: track this bitch down, catch her red-handed, and ensure she never entered my hunting grounds again. Either she ran, or she died by my hand.

Then, I’d lay low. Let people assume the culprit had moved on. Let the tension die down. And once everything settled, I’d start the process over again—until I was finally strong enough to gain real political influence.

I knew where she was. Catching her, however, was another matter. I crept through the dark alleys, following the faint trace of soul magic lingering in the air. Then, a shift.

"I must be close…" I murmured.

Left. Right. Left again.

The moons hung high above, their light breaking through the rooftops in fragmented beams, casting an eerie glow over the streets. The scene carried a quiet mix of mystery and danger. Ooh, what a beautiful night for a hunt~!

Then, a wail. A plea.

A woman’s voice, begging. She pleaded to be spared, claiming she had only wanted to try something—wanted to know if a woman could truly love another woman, emotionally as well as physically.

Her pleas had likely gone unheard. I had to move—now—before she left behind yet another husk.

Barreling forward, I slammed into the attacker, knocking her off balance. The woman she had pinned against the wall collapsed to the ground, gasping for air—only to scramble to her feet and flee as fast as she could. Shit, not good.

The harlot, on the other side, looked up at me, stunned—she’d probably been so consumed by greed that she hadn’t even noticed me approaching.

I pressed my hand against her throat, fury burning in my eyes. She grinned. That victorious smirk made my blood boil.

Oh, how I wanted to kill her.

But before I could make a move—

I froze.

My body wouldn’t move.

The intruder looked at me in horror, clearly just as clueless as I was.

Then—

Clack. Clack. Clack.

Footsteps. Coming closer.

Clack. Clack. Clack.

With all my strength, I forced my head up toward the alley’s entrance.

And there, illuminated by the moons, stood a figure.

She wore a luxurious militia uniform—one I had never seen before. A cold dread seeped into my bones. Could she be from the High Guards’ ‘secret’ special unit? Or worse… a demon hunter?

Clack. Clack. Clack.

She stepped forward, each movement slow, deliberate.

Then, she passed through another patch of moonlight, revealing herself.

Her hair—like her eyes—was ashen.

And then I saw something far worse.

A witch’s hat. Not one I recognized. Me, not recognizing it. Fuck, that wasn’t good.

Why the hell was a Titled Witch in the capital?

I activated my high-level skill [Appraise].

[Target Invalid]

W-what?

I tried again.

[Target Impermissible]

Again!

[Error]

…

[ERROR]

…

[eRrOr]

...

"Whatever you’re trying to do, please stop. It’s annoying."

“Gosh, yeah. This feels like someone trying to peek under my skirt—if I wore one,” a second voice chimed, coming from a strange, bird-like creature as it landed on the woman’s arm.

I stared at them in disbelief.

The woman gave me an assessing look and spoke again.

"Now, what exactly do we have here?"

╭══◞ MC POV ◟══╮

I looked at the two women lying on the ground in front of me. How had they even survived this long in a city where demons were hunted simply for existing—especially when they behaved like this? Their scent was everywhere.

The one on top looked scared. Then she did something. I wasn’t sure what, but a tingling sensation brushed the edge of my soul. Her eyes widened in shock and confusion.

The sensation came again. And again. And again.

"Whatever you're trying to do, please stop. It's annoying."

Asche added her own comment, which only made them react more strongly.

The succubus stared at me in disbelief. Ah. Whatever she had done wasn’t supposed to be traceable. Or rather, it shouldn’t have been detectable in the first place. Well, whatever. I wasn’t interested in what she had attempted to do anyway.

What did interest me, however, was their species.

During my little journey through the back alleys, I had overheard whispers—hushed conversations from the second-floor windows I passed. People were talking about husks being found. That would certainly explain why these alleys were so empty at night.

I already had a good idea of what they might be. Even before sensing their auras. As I had assumed, one was a succubus. That much had been obvious. Still, I had hoped for a fellow blood enthusiast.

But what I got instead was, in fact, a high succubus. The other one, though…

Well, meeting a vetala deep inside human territory definitely hadn’t been on my checklist.

All three of these demon types—vampires, succubi, and vetala—had one thing in common: they all drained others in some way. Each had their own method, and while they didn’t need to, it was the fastest way to sustain themselves and gain power. I had a deep appreciation for all of them.

…In a platonic way, of course.

Vampires, like succubi, could feed on the life force of other creatures. Succubi, however, nourished themselves through sexual energy or the emotions it stirred. Even something as small as a kiss provided a minor boost—a mere snack compared to the full meal. Strong emotions radiated by others could also sustain them, but those were less satisfying.

Asche puffed disapprovingly.

Vetala were a bit trickier. Some said they were like vampires, but I disagreed. These creatures haunted battlefields, seeking new hosts. Unlike vampires, they didn’t consume their victims—they inhabited them. If their current body was destroyed, they would simply jump to another. Essentially, they were ghosts that fed on souls and their energy. Once inside a body, they no longer needed to sustain it with food.

But just like the others, they could still gain power through feeding. The problem? Eating souls always left husks behind. And I don’t mean just lifeless shells.

There were husks and ‘husks’.

The difference? One was merely the empty remains of what used to be a living being. The other was a flesh puppet—one piece of a greater hive mind, connected to both its creator and every other victim in its network.

A hive mind, if you will.

That was what made vetala so dangerous. Each individual husk was part of a larger whole, even if only one stood before you. The same logic applied to their creators—their singular was also their plural.

This hive mind bullshit made vetala excellent for warfare. On battlefields, they simply hopped from body to body, turning soldiers into mindless puppets and forcing them to slaughter their own comrades.

‘Yeah, I remember those fuckers now. Luckily, my ash magic countered their shit. Others were less fortunate,’ added Aska.

I had to agree. Asche was probably the worst possible enemy a vetala could face. Sheer numbers meant nothing to her when she could simply poison the battlefield, rendering the husks completely useless.

Still, if this one’s goal was stealth…

Then this what she was doing here right now was probably the worst possible way to hide in a city.

Husks had to be activated, meaning you either hid the bodies or destroyed them completely. I had also noticed they were sometimes used for sleeper cells, but that only worked if they were well-hidden.

And the one in front of me? She had just left them to rot.

A necromancer, a mage, a priest—hell, anyone with basic magical knowledge could tell when a corpse was connected to something demonic. And in most cases, that meant a vetala.

Leaving the bodies lying around like breadcrumbs was basically shouting: ‘Hey, I’m here! Please come search for me and kill me!’

‘Yeah, really a fatal flaw,’ Asche deadpanned.

‘Mhm.’ I sighed. ‘Only newborns are stupid enough to—'

Oh, Goddess. Why?

‘Wait… this is a demon child?! What the fuck is it doing here?’ Asche blurted.

"Calling her a child is a bit harsh, age-wise. She must be around twenty-six. But by vetala standards, she’d still be considered a newborn. So, I’m not sure why she’s here, but let’s get some more information first."

I turned back to the still-petrified women.

"Now, what exactly do we have here?"

The succubus opened her mouth like she wanted to say something, but somehow… she couldn’t.

Mhm? Oh, right.

When I first stepped into the alley, I had emitted a fragment of my true soul—just a teeny, tiny bit—to keep them from doing anything stupid.

It wasn’t supposed to have this effect, though. Had it gotten stronger? Nah, must have been my imagination.

The vetala, on the other hand, looked seconds away from wetting herself.

Goddess, sorry. That wasn’t quite what I had in mind.

But still—these two were demons. One of the strongest war races. So why the hell were they so weak?

‘Did you forget what we talked about earlier today?’ Asche reminded me.

‘Yes, yes.’ I waved my hand dismissively.

I really needed to lower my expectations. Every being I had encountered since arriving here had been unbelievably fragile compared to me or Aska.

Another sigh left me as I clapped my hands. Instantly, both women were freed.

The succubus, too weak to keep herself upright, collapsed onto the vetala with a soft thump. The latter squeaked briefly but remained still, breathing heavily.

Though, given her nature, I wasn’t sure if that was just a lingering reflex from the body she inhabited.

"Now, we can talk," I said curtly.

╭══◞ !!! POV ◟══╮

I looked at my rival, who lay sprawled on top of me. Not in a sexy way—more like an I-am-a-sack-of-sand way. How could someone with such a slim body be this heavy? Not that I couldn’t understand it—I had nearly wet myself. Damn this immortal mortal’s body!

My mind still struggled to grasp the situation, but I doubted it would get us anywhere. Everything was just so absurd.

I had a perfect plan: get stronger, attract the succubus’s attention, lure her in, subdue her, and seize her turf.

She had totally thought I hadn’t noticed her demonic aura. Yeah, the sudden attack and throat-grabbing had been unexpected, but everything had been under control.

…What do you mean, it wasn’t? Will you be quiet? I’m thinking!

Everything was going fine until she entered the back alley.

The moment I sensed her, I froze.

She had released something—a kind of eldritch energy, so dark and destructive that, for a second, I thought she was the abyss itself.

As a vetala, I could perceive souls at all times without using mana. I saw them inside every soul-bearing being. It was one of my unique racial skills.

What do you mean I don’t have to repeat things we already know? It’s for the audience!  …Well, obviously.

So yeah, when we looked at her, we saw a gigantic black mass—utterly broken. This soul wasn’t complete. Bits and pieces had been torn away. How could anybody survive with that?

Maybe the same way we do? Yeah, probably. No… that’s not the point. Yeah, yeah, I agree, that witch looks hot.

"Oh my goddess, could you please stand up already? I don’t have all... uhh... night," the monster said.

"Don’t push those younglings like that. Can’t you see how scared they are?" screeched that weird bird familiar.

Yeah, I’ve never seen something like that either.

We tried to turn our head toward her, but our body still refused to obey. Can you please help me out already? What do you mean, it’s my fault—?!

"Sorry, still can’t move…" I said, hoping those wouldn’t be my last words.

We heard an annoyed murmur, then a click of the tongue. But nothing else happened.

Was she playing with us? Oh my god, don’t think about that! Yeah, I really hoped not.

"Very well. Too bad I still can’t teleport multiple people around; otherwise, I’d just take you two with me to a much more comfortable place."

"No, we will not order one to our room later," the bird complained.

The witch… pouted?

Yeah, okay. This time, I have to agree with you—that is adorable. But can we concentrate on the weird thing she just said?

Yes. Teleport. What the hell was she talking about?

Everyone knew teleportation wasn’t possible in this city. That was the whole reason the human empire hadn’t been destroyed.

Yet.

…Yes, and those heroes.

For fuck’s sake, can you stop for a bit? Thank you!

"Oh, by the way, did you like my little illusion?" she asked.

"W-What do you mean?"

I really didn’t like where this was going.

"…I was right about you being a newborn. Ahhh, bullying babies. This is not going to look good on my résumé," the girl muttered, her voice carrying a hint of panic.

Ugh. I hated being called a newborn.

Sorry we weren’t as exceptional as our sister. "Sorry, hun, but only your sister goes to the academy. We don’t think you have talent. Just try to do something else or wait for a husband. Blah, blah, blah—"

More shit-talk about how useless we were compared to her. Blah, blah, blah.

Of course, I was worse than her—they gave that bitch everything she needed to thrive whilst completely neglecting me.

Books, lessons, pocket money, clothes, friends—she got everything.

And me? Nothing, that’s right. Yeah, soo super fair. Also, thank you for agreeing with me.

Imagine what we could have been. Just… ugh.

That was why we had run away from that shithole of a family. It didn’t matter that we were nobles.

I had overheard them talking about marrying me off to the highest bidder—since when were we falling to human standards? All because of that shitty queen.

So yes, they had no one to blame but themselves.

"For fuck’s sake, you broke another one," the bird screeched angrily.

"Did I break you?" a voice pulled me back to reality.

"N-No, still here..."

"Good, good. Now, lemme tell you something funny, and listen closely—maybe you’ll learn something from it."

"O-Okay," I answered.

…Please, if you keep thinking about how hot she is, I will stop doing anything.

No, I’m not mean. I’m reasonable.

I do not care that we are twenty-six in human years and can do whatever we want—don’t you think we have bigger problems?!

Like surviving?!

"Is she… okay?" the familiar asked, sounding genuinely concerned.

"I really might have broken her…" the witch said regretfully.

"Nou! I’m good!" I answered, panicked.

"Good, then I can do some explaining~" the witch smiled dangerously before continuing, "I know that vetala have a racial perk that lets you perceive souls in their purest form. Unfortunately for you, I can cloak my soul, hide it, or create an illusion so that anyone who tries to take a peek sees exactly what I want them to see. Until now—to my knowledge—nobody has ever seen the true form of my soul."

We gulped.

"Usually, I’d kill you for your insolence. Looking at someone’s soul without permission is incredibly rude. But lucky for you, I had an utterly gleeful game of tails just before coming here… aaand I don’t kill babies."

She grinned.

WHY WOULD YOU GRIN WHILE SAYING THAT?! THAT’S NOT REASSURING AT ALL!

"Sooo, don’t be scared, okay, little one? I’m not going to harm you or your friend here."

THEN DON’T GRIN LIKE THIS! …Yes, I know. Yes, I’ll stop shouting. Sorry.

Then her words actually sank in. Our mouth fell open.

I wasn’t sure if it was from shock or the realization that I had just learned something I had never heard before. Even my parents had told me that nobody could completely hide their soul.

Not from us.

Maybe…

Maybe this was my chance.

A gift from the goddess—no, not like that—to finally achieve something. To prove to my disgusting parents that I was far better than our stuck-up sister.

"Can you—" I started, our voice carrying the weight of a plea, but I was interrupted.

"No. I’m no tutor—at least, not a good one. I can help—both of you—but it comes with a price. Or more like a favor. Quid pro quo. I hope you understand what that means."

"Quid pro quo? N-No… sorry, never heard of it."

"To their defense… I also never heard of it…" the weird bird muttered.

Wait. Doesn’t it look a tad like a phoenix?

"Whaaaat?! Really? Well, that’s a newborn for ya. But even you, Asche? I’m shocked!

"It means I do you a favor in return for something. In this case, information."

"Deal!" I shouted.

"Hehehe~"

Oh, goddess.

╭══◞ ??? POV ◟══╮

Why? Why would you agree to these terms? Newborns were so… ugh. Seriously, I didn’t trust her to only want information. I couldn’t even appraise her.

Damn my body for collapsing the moment that eerie energy released me.

But at least we had survived—for now.

Still, what kind of information did she even want from us? Someone with that level of power had to be at least Rank B—maybe even A. Couldn’t she just go anywhere and get access to whatever she wanted?

Why would she need two demons like us?

This whole situation was too strange for me to grasp.

And what the hell was that weird bird, anyway? A phoenix? Some kind of oversized eagle? A mana-beast?! I’d expect a Titled Witch to have something like that.

But then there was her hair. That was natural. Not magically altered, not dyed, and definitely not the result of an accident. The only ones I could think of were the Asche family, but they had been extinct since long before my time—despite many attempts to recreate their lineage.

I only knew about them thanks to my old position, but even if one of their descendants had survived, they would never be a witch.

And yet—she called her bird Asche.

Nothing made sense. I cursed how I had become both powerful and weak at the same time. But what if—

What if she was a secret child? A Jaeger and a witch, breaking their own taboos? If that were the case, she had to be well-hidden—probably by the High Council.

Or…

She was really, really fucking old.

Even then… something still felt off.

The energy she had radiated before to stun us wasn’t something a witch should be capable of. Neither should a Jaeger.

Maybe her mother had a unique origin? Who knew?

Either way, there was too much at stake to back out now.

Even if I couldn’t trust her, she seemed to be the best solution for now—especially since she would probably kill me if I didn’t accept her offer.

Whatever her true background was, one thing was certain—she was powerful. And she could offer us protection—something the vetala and I desperately needed.

Especially since the newborn had already drawn too much attention. It wouldn’t be long before adventurers started sniffing around again. Not the mention the guards will probably soon arrive.

Also, with some lunatic crippling the count’s son, the High Guards would be swarming the district like vultures too.

Those noble dogs wouldn’t ask questions. They would kill anyone just for looking at them the wrong way. Disgusting humans.

But maybe, just maybe… If I played this right, I could finally achieve my goal.

Maybe—

I could get my revenge and take back what was mine.

But first, I needed to stand up. Bit by bit, my body recovered from the shock of her energy. After another moment, I managed to move—just a little. But it was enough.

On shaky legs, I turned to face our negotiating partner. She stared back at me, expressionless. Her ashen eyes bore into my soul. Her familiar looked ready to tear me apart.

I took a deep breath and declared—

"Okay, let’s talk business!"

╭══◞ MC POV ◟══╮

Clap. Clap. Clap. I only clapped mentally—I didn’t want to appear rude.

‘I can still hear it,’ Asche remarked, clearly annoyed.

She wasn’t happy. She would have rather killed the demons than formed a contract with them.

The idea of killing demons made her strangely happy. Now, she was sulking.

‘I’m not sulking,’ she muttered while glaring death-rays at the poor succubus before us.

It had taken far too long for her to regain control of herself. At least now, I could do what I came here for—intel.

The question was, where should I start?

Obviously, I needed to ask about the Gilded Maw, but gods, now that I had a demon in front of me—especially one of her kind—there were so many questions.

‘Focus, please,’ Asche reminded me.

Okay, alright. Auction house first. Then the fun stuff.

"Well, could we not call it business?" I started. “It sounds way too stuck up. Yeah, why don’t we call it a friendly trade between new acquaintances? That sounds better, no~?"

"Uhh… right. Fine with me," the succubus answered.

"Wonderful~" I exclaimed, grinning.

She shot me an irritated look. "Don’t mind me, just happy about the situation," I said.

"She really is," Asche added unhelpfully. I flicked her beak.

"Anyway, I’m here for a reason, as you’ve probably figured out already." I leaned forward slightly. "I recently got acquainted with some moon elves. Are you familiar with the name ‘Marika’?"

The succubus’s eye twitched.

"Wonderful, so you are. You see," I continued, "I was traveling with them for a bit, and it seems some people in this city misinterpreted my little exploration as an invitation to do whatever they wanted with them.

“Some people got lost, and apparently, you are one of the few who knows where they are—and how we can get inside."

The succubus hesitated. She probably wasn’t expecting this to come back and bite her.

"Fuck, I knew this shit would bite me back. Should have sold that damn information about the Gilded Maw earlier."

The succubus sighed, rubbing her temples before continuing. "Okay, listen. The one behind that auction house is the Dark Trade Guild.

"As far as I know, they don’t ask questions about wares. If you have something interesting to sell, you can even offload it in advance. So the people who actually captured the elves? They’re probably long gone. But their client? They’re still waiting and will probably be there at the auction.”

Her voice lowered slightly. "The Guild doesn’t pay the full price upfront—only a portion. They take the risk. If the item doesn’t sell for as much as they expected, the auction house takes the loss. If it sells for more, they charge a fee, but you still profit.

“Basically, it’s a win-win for anyone dealing in goods that can’t be traded legally. That is—if they’re interested in what you have to sell. Unfortunately, that doesn’t happen often, since the illegal guild has excellent connections across many races."

I absorbed the information quickly. "And how do we get inside?" I inquired.

She pondered for a moment before answering. "The entrance is built in the heart of the eastern district, close to the inner walls. It’s Dark Trade Guild territory. I could bring you there right now, but—"

"But?"

She hesitated before sighing. “The auction won’t be open for a few more days. Anyone trying to get in early will be turned away. And from what I’ve heard, they have dwarven tech that allows access only from inside. You’d need someone already down there to activate it.

“Not to mention the wards protecting the area. If you try breaking in before the auction, they’ll evacuate everything before you even get close."

I exhaled sharply. "So what do you suggest?"

A slow, knowing smile spread across her lips. "I know the secret password. Got it before the… unfortunate demise of the person who had it."

She leaned back, watching my reaction. "The codes change every time an auction ends. So we’ve got one shot at this."

I nodded, processing the information. "So we still have time. That means we can actually prepare for the auction. That’s… good to know."

‘How about we just use your power and do it in one swoop tonight?’ Asche’s voice echoed in my head.

I rolled my eyes. ‘Yes, we totally could. But that would create a lot of problems. Like me announcing my presence to the entire city in a really stupid way. Also, we don’t know what kind of wards they’re using. I’d rather not screw everything up because I got too eager. There are too many unknowns—we should tread carefully this time.’

‘That’s… surprisingly reasonable coming from you,’ Asche admitted. ‘But I see your point.’

A smirk curled at my lips. ‘Besides, they might expect the Asche Matriarch to show up… But not a witch with ash-colored hair.’

Asche went silent for a moment. ‘Wait. Is that why you’ve kept it like that since we left Dancing Tails?’

‘Mhm. Didn’t you notice? People wouldn’t stop staring at me.’

‘I did, but—‘ she hesitated. ‘So that’s why the demons were acting so weird? They were trying to make sense of you?’

I chuckled. ‘Exactly. Watching them struggle was rather amusing.’

Asche didn’t respond, she only gave a small nod. I returned my attention to the two demonesses.

"Well, if that’s how it is, then you two are coming with me for now. I don’t want anyone snatching this information out of you. And you might just run away—and I’m really not in the mood for chasing you down and dragging you back alive."

I tilted my head slightly, giving them a pointed look. "We understand each other?"

They both nodded.

I smiled. "Good, good."

Then I turned to the succubus, my gaze settling on her. "I’m sure you’ll like Dancing Tails. Should help you feed a lot. And don’t worry about them attacking or opposing my decision—they won’t."

I waved a hand dismissively. "Besides, I’d rather discuss the other things I want to know in a more comfortable setting than a back alley.

“Oh, and you know what?” My lips curled into a smirk. "I’ll reward you two splendidly later."

My eyes flicked toward the vetala, still quiet. "Even though our newborn hasn’t contributed any information yet… but I believe she will soon."

I was about to turn around when Asche interrupted.

"And what are your names? Your real names. And don’t try to give me some cover bullshit—I’d know," her voice came sharp and demanding, her eyes piercing.

The vetala stiffened before hesitantly speaking, "I-I’m called… Tulsi."

I turned to the succubus, who looked annoyed but didn’t protest.

"My name is Deidre."

"I’m Aska," the harpyja-phoenix on my arm announced.

Now, all three of them looked at me expectantly.

I sighed, ‘What exactly are you trying to do, Asche?’

‘Teaching you some freaking basic manners,’ she replied simply.

I exhaled through my nose. Fine.

"My name is…"

—Near Midnight at the Adventurers’ Headquarters of the Human Empire—

The guild master sat impatiently in his office, tapping his toes and drumming his fingers against the desk.

It was late, sure. But that was no excuse for being actually late. The emergency call had gone out hours ago via the magic transmitter crystal, and so far, only the third royal princess had deemed it necessary to show up.

The real reason she was here, however, went much deeper than anyone could see at first glance.

"They’re late," the guild master muttered, irritation clear in his voice.

The princess looked at him but said nothing. The others had grown too laid-back—they’d gotten lazy over time. There were reasons more and more people were betraying the empire. And they were one of them.

A knock on the door broke the silence.

The door swung open, revealing a middle-aged elf—at least, that was how he appeared. How old he truly was, no one could say.

The princess especially detested him. He was one of those ‘lower-elves-can-be-sold’ supporters. Neither she nor the guild master liked him. Yet, he was an A-Rank adventurer, close to S—which meant they had to tolerate him.

The elf greeted them curtly and took a seat on the unoccupied couch.

And so they waited again.

After what felt like an agonizing ten minutes, four more individuals arrived.

Like the other two guests, they each sat down—except for one, who deliberately remained standing near the door. The person seated next to the princess was the metropolitan, the archbishop of the King's Garden.

Normally, he wouldn’t set foot in this part of the city—such places were beneath him. However, upon hearing that the third royal princess had responded to the call, he’d made his way over.

Even though, in his opinion, she would soon be married off to a rival family, he still had to maintain a certain image as a representative of his church.

Next to the elf sat the vice-captain of the town guard. He had been enjoying the seductive company of a high-class courtesan when a messenger knocked on the door, relaying the captain’s orders.

He snorted in annoyance.

It wasn’t really his job to be here, but disobeying wasn’t an option. Still, he couldn’t help but bemoan the gold he had wasted. High-class courtesans were expensive—only nobles or people like him who had saved up for weeks could afford their company.

And even then, he had to wait for his favorite to be available, since they were usually booked weeks in advance.

Accordingly, his mood tonight was sour. He had heard about the incident hours ago and had thought nothing of it.

The only other woman in the room sat in the last available seat—between the two couches. She was well-trained, muscular, and radiated vitality. Her fiery red hair only enhanced her wild appearance. But looks could be deceiving. Her fighting style was magic-based. She was one of the few high-ranking battlemages in the empire.

Most who chose that path died quickly—overestimating themselves. The class was easy to learn, hard to master.

Initially, battlemages were incredibly strong, but as they progressed, defeating equally powerful foes became exponentially harder. Only at higher levels did that balance shift back in their favor.

And getting there? That took time, resilience, and sheer willpower. This woman had all three. She was one of the few S-Ranks currently in town.

The other S-Rank? The man who stood by the door. He was someone who thought he was more important than most of the people he faced.

His arrogance wasn’t that unfounded, though. He was one of the top twenty adventurers in the guild. His weapon of choice—a greatsword—was currently at the best blacksmith in town for repairs after his last quest.

Many assumed that, without it, he’d be significantly weaker. They were wrong. Some of his secondary classes were almost as strong as his primary. Few knew this. Even fewer had seen all of them. And those who had? Well, most were no longer alive.

That power—and the arrogance that came with it—made him resent being summoned. To him, this was a waste of time. He had better things to do than handle petty deaths.

Now that almost everyone was gathered—those who weren’t here weren’t coming anyway—the guild master finally spoke.

"It took a while for you to arrive, but I’m glad you made it anyway."

His eyes swept over the group. "I can see from your expressions that you think this is nothing more than a small, unimportant matter."

His voice hardened, "I assure you, the situation is much worse than it appears."

After those words, the room seemed to shift. Everyone became a little more attentive. Even if they didn’t want to be here, it was rare for the old man to describe a situation as bad.

Especially since he was once one of the strongest in the empire—before, as he claimed, he took an arrow to the knee and became the guild master.

At least, that’s what he said happened…

Somewhat pleased with himself, he continued, “But first, I must briefly address Your Excellency and the Vice-Captain.”

His gaze flickered to them. “Our demonologists have confirmed that the shells found in the city are, in fact, husks. We now have undeniable proof that a vetala is in the capital. And when demons send one of them inside the city walls, we cannot ignore the possibility that something far greater is at play.

“What troubles me even more is the question of how a vetala managed to enter the city in the first place. This directly calls into question the competence of the town guard in properly controlling the gates.

“I won’t rule out the possibility that some of the guards may have been bribed to let her in.”

The vice-captain tensed, his teeth grinding together.

“And before the vice-captain interrupts me—” The guild master raised a hand. “I want to formally address the church and request that the bodies be purified, so they may at least experience a sliver of the goddess’ grace.”

The metropolitan only nodded in agreement. However, the vice-captain was seething. He forced himself to remain still, suppressing his rage so he wouldn’t jump up and start shouting in anger.

As much as he despised the implication, he couldn’t ignore the facts. Some guards would do anything for extra gold. But to willingly let demons inside the city? Nah, something about this didn’t add up.

He would get to the bottom of it.

The others remained silent. There was no real reason to get involved. A vetala in the city was concerning, yes—but not enough to warrant their personal intervention.

The husks were a problem, sure. But only the archbishop possessed holy magic—besides that damned Alicia, thought the guild master. And that was an entirely different matter entirely.

No, they weren’t summoned here because of some vetala. There had to be something more.

The guild master spoke again. "That situation was troubling, but it was not the reason for the signal." His voice carried more weight now, "As you all have likely gathered by now, there was an incident in the guild today.

“That, in itself, was nothing unusual. Scuffles and fights happen regularly. Deaths, on occasion. But when they do, we usually arrest the perpetrator afterward—thanks to the countless protection spells and wards embedded in this building."

The battlemage narrowed her eyes. "And the perpetrator of today’s incident… knew something that worries you this much?"

"Yes and no." The guild master exhaled. "It’s because it was a fucking Matriarch."

The room stiffened. "She nearly killed the son of that damned count who leads the High Guards. And she didn’t give a shit about the consequences. Then, she took the girls that were with him and left.

“The worst part? She came with Marika. Which means something is going on—something that could become a major problem for us."

The elf’s eyes widened in utter disbelief. "What do you mean with Marika?! She’s alive?!"

His expression darkened. "Fuck! I thought I paid those goddamn bastards enough to enslave her whole group and kill that sub-elf. Are you telling me a fucking Matriarch protected her?! How in Her Grace’s Light did she manage that?!"

The guild master sighed, "That’s what we’re trying to figure out. That—and the fact that none of our wards or protection spells activated. Even when one of your more inexperienced receptionists triggered them manually. It was as if there had never been a target inside the guild."

The battlemage frowned. "Is that even possible? Even for a Matriarch?"

The guild master shook his head. "As everyone here knows, the protection spells were cast by none other than the royal court mage. She fought against a Matriarch not that long ago. And her spells worked against her. “So the real question is…

“What kind of monster are we dealing with?"

Silence. Then he added, “And it gets worse. She belongs to a branch family that was long thought to be extinct."

He let that sink in. "Bensin checked it himself. She used war magic. The kind that could wipe out half the city in minutes."

The two S-Rankers exchanged glances. Then, without hesitation, they stood up.

"We’ll take care of it. Don’t worry." And they walked out.

The guild master blinked after them, momentarily baffled. What do they mean by ‘taking care of it’? Are they nuts? Fucking battle maniacs. Ugh, let’s just hope they don’t make things worse…

The reason for their sudden determination was simple. The royal court mage was ranked fourth among the strongest people in the empire. Her magic was not to be taken lightly.

And whoever had the power to ignore her spells or match her ability was someone far too dangerous to be left roaming the city unsupervised—even if she was a Matriarch.

The guild master turned to those who remained. "I ask you to keep this to yourselves and, if possible, try not to aggravate her until we get hold of an official representative of the Jaegers. You can get the details from my secretary outside.

“We don’t know much about Asche, but let’s hope she isn’t the reason demons are suddenly appearing in our city… because if she is, then we might have a real problem."

The metropolitan gave a small nod in agreement. He didn’t think she needed to be stopped. If anything, the church would want someone so powerful under their control. Like the Holy Kingdom, they had already hired Jaeger families. Having their own Jaeger would make it even easier to expand his influence and ensure all heretics received their righteous punishment. For now, he stayed silent. His time would come.

The vice-captain and the elf said nothing either—their silence was agreement enough. After a few more uncomfortable minutes, the other men took their leave.

"This time… I’ll kill that bitch with my own hands,” the elf muttered under his breath.

Finally, only the princess and the guild master remained in the room. She stared at him, expectant—waiting for him to say what he had concealed.

"So?" she prompted.

The guild master exhaled, rubbing his temples. "We questioned the bandit leader who attacked Marika’s caravan… and it seems the moon elves weren’t saved by the Matriarch."

The princess narrowed her eyes. "And?"

"I don’t want to jump to conclusions, but from what he said…" He hesitated, then sighed. "It might have been some kind of eldritch being."

Her fingers clenched against the armrest of her chair.

"Too many tails for a vixen or kitsune. Reign over shadows and darkness. Faster than anything he had ever seen. To him, it wasn’t even a demon. Even a demon would look pure beside that thing."

The princess stared at the old man in shock. They couldn’t take the words of a bandit at face value, but…

If the guild master was bringing it up, there had to be some truth to it.

"A-And you think this Asche is… an imposter or something?"

The guild master frowned. "Honestly, I don’t know. But it’s been confirmed that she used the signature ash magic. So whatever is going on here… it’s big."

The princess groaned, rubbing her temples. "Ugh, why does everything have to happen at once? It’s bad enough that I can’t get hold of Richard anymore— and now there are even more and more Wendigos roaming around!"

The princess gritted her teeth. "The timing of all this happening at once… it’s unfortunate. And—"

She stopped mid-sentence. A soft glow pulsed from the magic orb on the desk. The guild master stepped forward, tapping it three times with his index finger.

A woman’s face flickered into view—her features sharp, her expression unreadable. She looked to be in her early twenties, but the two large corkscrew-shaped horns on her head betrayed her true nature.

"You requested me? What do you want?" came a dainty voice from the orb.

"Yes, it’s about an incident that happened today at our guild. I need your opinion on this case. We have magical footage of the person involved. I’ll send the recordings over to you—I hope you can tell us something about her."

The guild master was grateful for this kind of magical technology, even if it wasn’t always accurate and didn’t last long. Still better than nothing.

The woman smirked. "Should you really be asking a demoness about such internal matters?" she teased.

Neither the princess nor the guild master responded. "Ugh, you guys are no fun. Fine. Send it over, and I’ll take a quick look."

He complied, transferring the footage.

Then, silence.

Neither of them dared breathe, afraid to disturb her. Their caution wasn’t unfounded. This demoness was the headmistress of the royal magic academy in the Kingdom of Origins.

Despite the kingdom being small compared to its neighbors, its military strength was on par with the greatest empires.

And she?

She was among the strongest demons outside the Ashen Realm. When she finally spoke again, her voice was noticeably concerned.

"Whatever you’re planning… don’t. Do not do anything that might anger this person. It is of utmost importance that you do not make an enemy of her."

The princess and guild master stared at the orb in horror. Their mouths fell open.

"W-Why?" the princess finally asked.

The demoness hesitated. "I’ve never met her directly… but I’ve seen pictures."

She took a deep breath. "This is Aska von Asche. Last Matriarch of the Asche Family. The strongest known battlemage in recorded human history. And supposedly dead for over ten thousand years."

The guild master’s blood ran cold.

"Did you get any proof that she is who she claims to be?"

"Yes," he said stiffly. "She used a tiny bit of her magic and—"

"Not good. Absolutely not good. I—wait." The demoness leaned closer to the footage, studying the image.

"Now that I look at her… she seems younger. Her child? No… Or maybe? Maybe she has the same name? Maybe a Grand Witch? They might be able to pull something like this off. Tell me—did she wear a witch’s hat at any point?"

The guild master frowned. "As far as we know, no."

The demoness exhaled sharply. "Okay… okay. You’re not going to like what I’m about to say, but there are a few possibilities.

“One: Some long-hidden descendant of the Asche family has surfaced. Two: A Grand Witch is having the time of her life playing pretend.

“Or three…" She looked directly at them. "The strongest battlemage in recorded history—the one who supposedly died fighting Eternal—is alive. And she’s in your city, nonetheless."

The orb flickered. "So whatever you do right now. Do. Not. Aggravate. Her. You hear me? Tail her. Find out more. If she has a witch’s hat, send me the details—I might be able to tell you more.

“Fuck. I have to go. This isn’t good. This really isn’t good. Just what are the families planning again?"

The orb connection cut off. The princess and guild master looked at each other.

Then, internally, they both swore—they were suddenly reminded of what the S-Ranks had said earlier.

In the Depths of the Ashen Realm. Unbeknownst to them, someone had been listening. The being sat on a throne—a twisted, magnificent thing of darkened bone and smoldering embers.

At the words spoken by her old rival, a slow smile crept across her face. A smile mixed with bewilderment. "Aska dear… just how did you survive? I was sure you were dead. But if you somehow lived. Then maybe, just maybe I’ve finally found a worthy opponent again."