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Mio's hand had held a throwing knife, ready to be used at any time.

Praanngg!!!

Traanngg!!!

In the darkness of the hallways of Earl Timoti's residence, I saw several flashes of sharp weapons reflecting the moonlight in this darkness. A reflection showed they had bad intentions to do something to me and Mio.

"Momo..." By saying my call, which was connected to Momo, I could feel an explosion of magical energy filling the grip of my hand.

Momo immediately answered my call and appeared in the form of a cursed Odachi in the grip of my hand. By placing herself in the grip of my hand, I began to feel relieved by Momo's presence, that I was ready to use at any time.

Prraangg!!

Traanngg!!

Tiiiinngg!!

Several sparks began to appear from the battle between the stealth slime herd and the mysterious people who had been waiting for my arrival.

I don't know what they're doing, but that makes Sirius a little overwhelmed in facing the defense they're doing in dark like this.

"It seems like they want to give a surprise that makes Lily-sama the scapegoat," said Mio while looking deep into the darkness in front of her eyes.

"Hmm? Isn't that the same as what that old man did?" I replied while continuing my steps in the place that were deliberately darkened like this.

If only Noel were beside me right now, maybe she would be happy with a battlefield that suited her abilities as someone who focuses on working in the Black Maid Division, who specializes in cleaning in the dark.

I don't want to make the Earl Timoti's residence dirty like this, but... I also can't ignore the rats who dare to dirty my path in this way.

Tapp...

Tapp...

While stepping into these darkness, I smelled some fishy smells from freshly dripped blood. A battle that occurs in the darkness of the night will depend on each individual's abilities.

As my footsteps approached my room that had been provided by Earl Timoti's family, I saw several groups of stealth slimes hiding their murder tracks like a professional Black Maid Division.

In addition to their abilities that developed rapidly with the circumstances around them, it seemed that they also developed rapidly in utilizing their abilities as the top of the food chain, which were able to decompose anything with their slime bodies.

Tapp...

Tapp...

With slow footsteps and getting tight guard from Mio, we had arrived at a door that was connected to the room that had become my temporary private room as a guest at Earl Timoti's residence.

Right next to my tightly closed door, I could see Sirius standing as if she wanted to welcome my arrival.

"Looking at the situation that has occurred, it seems that the human inside here wants to talk to you, Lily-sama," she said in a whisper that was audible to me.

"I guess so too, can you clean up the mess you made earlier, Sirius?" I replied by giving another order that made me have to take care of this by myself.

"Mio, can you guard the entrance of my room for a while?" I continued my words by giving orders to Mio.

"Is that okay with you, Lily-sama?" Mio replied by giving her a look full of worry.

"I don't think this one has that much bad intention towards me. If it wanted to attack me, at least it wouldn't hire weak Assassins like them," I replied to calm her worries about this.

"Besides, I also brought my cursed Odachi," I continued my words by showing the cursed Odachi that was currently in my hand.

"I-I understand, please don't talk with them too long. Especially if the human inside is a woman, Lily-sama."

"You don't have to worry about that, Mio."

By giving me a worried look, I felt that Mio was worried that I would meet another woman who was currently waiting in my room.

I kissed Mio on the cheek to reduce her worry about me.

Chuupp...

With that small kiss full of affection, I tried to convince Mio not to worry too much about me. At times like this, I felt Mio's gentle heart that didn't want to see me in danger alone.

I break that kiss and turned the doorknob to enter the room.

Klaapp...

Kraaakk...

With a relaxed and non-hostile step, I was immediately greeted by a magic lantern that suddenly lit up brightly.

When the magic lantern lit up brightly and showed the figure waiting for me, I could see an adult woman who was currently sitting relaxed in a luxurious chair that did not seem to be property owned by the Earl Timoti family.

"Good evening, Lily. Or should I call you Lily Schwartz De Rommel?" she greeted me while brushing aside the hand fan that covered her face.

She, who had been waiting for my arrival, immediately gave a small pat, which made one of the people who were guarding her pull a chair for me to sit in.

Draakk...

Traakk...

By providing a seat for myself, I walked while holding my cursed Odachi.

When I walked while holding the cursed Odachi in my hand, it made some of her guards prepare to draw their swords if I started attacking.

I also put my cursed Odachi beside the chair and take my sit.

"Good evening too, have you been waiting so long that you're sweating like that?" I said to reply to her greeting, which sounded friendly.

"Yes, you made me wait for a long time, Lily. I even seemed to get the wrong information given by my previous informant. But that makes me relieved because my informant was not wrong in giving me information. I almost executed her," she replied while glancing at one of the cupboards in this room.

Following her glance, the cupboard door opened wide and revealed a Maid who worked at Earl Timoti's residence, who was tied up with her mouth tightly covered by a cloth.

I watched the adult woman in front of me carefully without causing hostility towards her.

Without wasting any more time, I asked her something important.

"You've met me now, is there something you want to tell me directly?" I asked without wasting any more time because my instincts told me that she was busy too.

"Oh, my, the conversation went straight to the point, huh. No need to formally introduce each other as fellow noblewomen?" she replied with a tone that was too casual, as if she wanted to joke with me.

"I feel like that can be done at another time. You're also busy with tight schedule, right?" I gave a calm reply even though her guards were busy holding the hilts of their swords.

"We can get to know each other at a more formal event, that is... if we still remember each other," I continued my words in a tone that sounded impolite.

While giving her my casual and impolite attitude, I also noticed her facial expression, which was still covered by her hand fan.

Prraakk!!

The adult woman in front of me immediately closed her hand fan and smiled at me.

"As Victoria said, you are really an interesting girl, Lily. I like this personality of yours. Want to be my son's fiancée?" she replied with a joking tone to me.

"No, thank you," I replied quickly.

"Pfftt..." Listening to my quick reply, I could see the adult woman trying to hold back her laughter.

"This is the first time I've gotten a quick rejection from a girl who got an offer to marry my son. I prefer a girl like this. However, it seems like Victoria's words are true. You prefer being with a girl than a man?"

I don't know what the young woman was saying, it seemed like she had a strange sense of humor that I didn't understand.

"Since I'm single like this, do you want to marry me instead of my son?" she continued her little joke in between her busy time.

When the question given by the adult woman was off track from her main purpose for meeting me, I could hear a small whisper from one of her personal guards.

"Duchess, this isn't the time to joke around like that," whispered one of her guards with a soft pat on her shoulder.

Sraakk...

The fan in her hand opened wide again and covered every expression that appeared on her face.

"Let's forget the jokes and warm greetings earlier, I need to make sure whether you are the real Lily Schwartz De Rommel or not, besides your light brown skin color like that," she said elegantly and slowly showing an intimidating aura towards me.

"It's okay, I also had a little fun after being tired of doing something in Earl Timoti's territory like this," I replied with an elegant attitude as well.

"I'm sure you must need something from me that is related to you. At least one of the things that makes you have to meet directly with me, who often invites a lot of trouble after becoming a neutral noble family."

"I have indeed often heard about the problems that have occurred lately in the Marquess Rommel family, besides the hunt for the famous Golden King Bear herd. However, my purpose in meeting you now is another important matter that concerns the future of the Aurora Kingdom itself."

The answer given by the adult woman made me interested.

A Duchess who worries about the Aurora Kingdom more than the royal family itself?

This is very interesting...

"Sorry about the bad rumors. I'm sure it's embarrassing to make a big Quest to the Adventurer's Guild to hunt for such a rare Golden King Bear. In the eyes of the Duchess' family, it must be a stupid and wasteful act because it narrows the profits from the sale of the Golden King Bear's raw materials."

"Yes, that's true. However, without such a big Quest, there's a risk that public trust in the Golden King Bear's raw materials will also be considered fake. Your actions have made some monster experts excited when they realized that rare monsters can still be found in the wild. Although at this time, the Golden King Bear has been wiped out thanks to the hunt."

"Let's just say they were unlucky after breeding in Marquess Rommel's territory."

"Right, by the way, I want to make a pact with Lily about something else related to the Duchess's power during the war between nobles that will occur in a few months."

It seems this conversation will enter the purpose of this adult woman who holds the title of Duchess meeting me here. With the second-highest noble title after the royal family, it seems like this will bring up a discussion concerning her pride as a Duchess.

"A pact, huh?" I replied with a small smile towards her.

By giving my small smile, it seemed like it was enough to shake the Duchess, who was sitting in front of me at this time.

"A pact to ally between neutral nobles and nobles who choose to join the royal family faction. Are you interested, Lily?"

"This is interesting... please explain..."

It seems I got a lucky break that happened out of the blue.