Bayard Was Starting to Get Confused

Miss Bayard, Child of the Moon, stared at the Shadow Fiend for a long time, her gaze occasionally drifting to Iver.

"...never mind."

Finally, Bayard sighed.

It was as if I had given up on something, or as if I had come to terms with something. While feeling regret, I also felt relaxed.

Is there anything I can do for you?

Bayard stopped looking at No. 14 and said coldly, "Speak."

She tidied her slightly disheveled hair and picked up her glasses from the floor to put them back on.

Just as Shadow Fiend had previously commented on Iver —despite being Child of the Moon on the Path of Love, Bayard possessed an exceptionally strong sense of reason and humanity.

That was not mere conjecture, nor was it simply a blind confidence stemming from the personality shaped by one's past experiences.

Rather, it's because Shadow Fiend had already encountered her in another version of history.

—Shadow Fiend may have met "No. 14" back then. They may have fought fiercely, or they may have eventually reconciled, or they may even have briefly become friends or comrades-in-arms. That's why Shadow Fiend knows her so well.

But in the end, the Shadow Demon devoured her, reclaiming the appearance that had once belonged to him but had been taken away by death.

Hundreds of years have passed in the blink of an eye, and Shadow Demon has let go of her hatred. She has completely moved on from her past, letting go—or has already settled—the resentment she felt when she became a demon.

If Beads, as the Child of the Moon, represents the "past," then Shadow Fiend, who has let go of everything, represents the "future."

Using time as a mirror, the two gaze at each other, forever out of reach.

This is a miracle that can only happen in the Dream Realm.

When faced with Bayard's question, Shadow Fiend simply chuckled, his entire body collapsing and dissolving into a black snake.

She followed Iver's fingers, wrapping them around and around, slipping inside the cuff and out the collar.

The Shadow Fiend gently circled Iver's neck—like a collar, or perhaps a noose. She rose high from Iver's shoulder, her crimson snake eyes fixed on Bayard.

"Then you'll have to ask my master. After all, I'm just his shadow."

Shadow Fiend replied.

Iver simply looked up and asked, "Let me ask you a question first... What level are the Child of the Moon responsible for guarding the manor?"

"You want to make a move?"

Bayard was incredibly astute. With just a single sentence from Iver, she immediately guessed what they were planning.

But she wasn't panicked or surprised. She didn't stop them, but seriously considered their seemingly unreasonable demands. "Even if the person you want to kill is at the Crescent Moon Manor, I strongly advise against taking action now."

"It's not just because they're strong—there are double-digit Fifth Level in the Crescent Moon Manor right now, possibly more than in the Imperial Palace. And only half of them are Child of the Moon; the rest are guests they invited... The entire upper echelon of the empire is having fun somewhere in this manor. They might even be right next door right now."

Bayard crossed his arms and said sarcastically, "Some are with Blood Slave, some with the Child of the Moon... it's part of the service, and some people just happen to like each other. Of course, there are also people who come here to discuss serious matters. In short, once someone discovers that something has happened here, things will immediately become troublesome."

"My personal suggestion is to wait until late at night. It's only just gotten dark now, and the humans won't stay here for long; they probably have their own things to do tomorrow. Most of them will leave before 10 PM, and the rest will likely leave around 1 or 2 AM. By 4 or 5 AM, when this chaotic feast is completely over and you go out for a late-night snack after work, most of the Child of the Moon who came to play will have left. At that time, those remaining will basically be people from the Crescent Moon Manor."

"By then, there will probably be only one or two Fifth Level beings left in the manor, or even none at all. The rest will be newborns below the Fourth Level... No matter who you want to attack, as long as I occupy the Ritual Room used for calling for help and issuing alarms, there won't be any commotion."

She glanced at Shadow Fiend: "And the rest of you... you should be able to handle them yourselves, right?"

"Then I'll have to trouble you."

Iver flashed a lovely smile.

Bayard just scoffed.

Now that she's calmed down and looks back, she doesn't know why she lost her composure so much... It really is this little girl who can contract a Shadow Demon at the First Level who has problems. But now it seems she's just a little girl after all. "Let me remind you, no matter who you plan to attack, you'd better know when to stop."

"The Shadow Fiend is not invincible, not to mention you can't unleash its full power. You'll be in a very difficult situation if you encounter a Fifth Level. I can't protect you forever... unless you're willing to come with me."

As if possessed, she added this last sentence.

Iver reached out and slowly toyed with the black snake, a gesture that seemed to possess a mysterious allure.

She raised her head, smiling charmingly. A cunning, Fox- like smile appeared on her face.

"—What if I wanted to kill everyone here, big sister?"

"...What?"

"If I wanted to kill everyone here, would you help me?"

Iver repeated.

"... Including those Blood Slave?"

"Of course. I'm talking about everyone—we can wait until dawn to make our move, but I hope to leave no one alive. Oh, maybe one or two... but I'll choose them myself later."

Iver spoke with a smile, but there was a chilling Blood Energy about her pure and lovely face that made Bayard hold his breath.

—Is she insane?

This was the first thought in Bayard's mind.

... Or is she inherently evil? But if that's the case...

She looked hesitantly at the Shadow Demon, which had transformed into a black snake.

Doesn't she think there's a problem...?

Bayard thought to himself.

She didn't know what No. 14 was going to do, but she believed in "herself." The Shadow Demon, possessing the same skills and even a true fragment of the soul, was closer to the real Beard than she, the "actor." Now, apart from her improved job level in the Path of Love, the resonance of her other paths had been suppressed to the lowest level, and even her Ritualist job had regressed by two whole energy levels.

She has lost the transcendent spirit that belonged to Bayard.

But "Beard" would never do something crazy without a reason. So there must be some reason behind it.

"... Then what will I get in return?"

Suppressing his astonishment, Bayard asked the dangerous yet strangely charming girl in a cold voice.

She had already agreed in her heart. It was just that she subconsciously wanted to try and see if she could gain a little more benefit.

Now, it's ingrained in her bones and has become her instinct.

The girl with black hair and blue eyes, who was as thin as a doll, simply tilted her head and showed an innocent and harmless smile.

She shuffled her knees and slowly shuffled to the edge of the bed.

She spread her arms out generously, as if she were about to give a speech or asking for a hug.

"Can you be my master?"

Her voice was extremely soft, like a seductive whisper, "You can have me..."

Bayard felt his heart pound again.

Her pupils turned crimson again in an instant— the Path Urge from the Path of Love nearly drove Bayard to madness.

—Be rational, Bayard!

We must never succumb to the Path Urge—

Bayard clenched her right hand tightly, her sharp nails piercing her palm. Only then did she barely regain consciousness.

"Is it fun for you to incite me to lose control?!"

"Are you really human? I think you're a succubus!" Bayard demanded in a loud voice, his tone trembling.

She wasn't like this before on the No. 14 —it was only because Shadow Fiend was watching her that she suddenly became so aggressive.

She did this on purpose, letting herself lose control.

That way, the Shadow Fiend can laugh at me!

If no one sees it, Bayard can occasionally succumb to his vices.

If the Child of the Moon completely succumb to their desires, they will "fall." With each fall, they drift further from their "original form" and retain less of their humanity. Bayard always considered falling as shameful, but sometimes he truly couldn't resist—it was a call from the very source of his path.

But this time, the one who gets to see everything isn't even "someone else," but her true self—a true "self" that is more orthodox and more powerful than herself! She is extremely proud. She would never lose face in front of "herself."

"Who knows?"

Iver smiled and leaned over, reaching out to grasp Bayard's hands, interlocking their fingers.

She leaned close to Bayard's ear and chuckled mischievously, "It's still a long way from five o'clock, big sister... but nails that long won't do."

She then withdrew her right hand and cupped Bayard's right hand in both of hers. She gently licked the blood from her palm, then sucked on it.

"—The blood of the Child of the Moon tastes no different from that of humans."

Bayard gasped sharply and pulled away from Iver's hands as if he had been electrocuted.

Whether it was her imagination or not, she even saw a raised corner of the black snake's mouth and a disdainful sneer on its face.

"... What are you planning to do now?"

Even Bayard's voice softened a little. "Just tell me straight, you little succubus..."

No. 14 said in a coquettish tone, "Come with me to find the Secret Passage, my master. I've heard that there's a Secret Passage in the Crescent Moon Manor that leads directly outside."

"...I do know about that Secret Passage, but you don't need to leave through Secret Passage, do you? If you want to leave, I can just take you with me." Bayard frowned.

"We'll just go out through the Secret Passage once to make sure it's passable. Then we'll come back and seal Secret Passage up."

Iver regained his composure, his tone cold and malicious. "We're going to kill more people when it's light, Miss Bayard. I don't want anyone escaping from inside."

Bayard felt a moment of disorientation.

This girl... she's a complete liar. She's so young, she's practically a born bad woman... her emotions and tone are constantly shifting.

She prided herself on her ability to read people, but even now she couldn't figure out what No. 14 was up to. She had completely baffled Miss Bayard.

Which of her statements was actually a lie? Which statement was actually an act?

What exactly is her true purpose?... And, was she sincere when she said she wanted me to be her master? Even knowing it was most likely just a joke, Miss Bayard couldn't help but have these thoughts in her mind.

Update complete!

Extra chapters starting on the 5th!