A few days later, at dusk, Sefina used the cover of “finishing her routine prayers” to quietly slip back into the now-empty Archive.
She moved the flowerpot with practiced ease and activated the array. The moment the hidden door began to open, she floated up like a nimble night bird and retrieved the black cube-shaped demon tool that had been clinging to the corner of the ceiling.
The demon tool was slightly heavy in her hand, its surface cold to the touch, and the recording indicator had shifted to a steady, faint green glow.
That meant it had completed its scheduled recording duration.
Sefina quickly restored the scene, carefully tucked the demon tool into an inner pocket, and melted into the deepening twilight, vanishing into the church’s labyrinthine corridors.
She didn’t return to the villa. Instead, she headed straight to a secluded, rundown warehouse in the Capital City Southeast District.
This was one of the secret drop points arranged with [Black Utopia].
The warehouse was piled with dust-covered crates, the air thick with the smell of rust and rotting wood.
Sefina left the demon tool and a briefly explanatory encrypted note at the designated spot, then left without a moment’s pause. The entire process was ghostlike, drawing no attention whatsoever.
Late that night, silence filled the villa’s room. Sefina, as usual, lay fully clothed on the soft, large bed.
She raised her left hand, and the antique-style mana ring on her index finger gleamed faintly in the pale moonlight filtering through the window.
Sefina took a deep breath, slowly closed her wine-red eyes, and focused her mind. Her consciousness began to sink and detach along the ring’s invisible connection.
In its place came a weightless, boundless darkness… like plunging into a deep pool, the sensation of physical surroundings rapidly fading away.
When she “opened her eyes” again, she was already in that familiar Consciousness Space.
Beneath her feet was an illusory floor, surrounded by endless pitch-black void. Only the massive dark round table ahead radiated a faint sense of presence. The numbers representing seats on the table’s surface glowed softly.
Sefina walked to the round table and sat down in the high-backed chair engraved with “Nine.”
Almost simultaneously, on the seats of “Seven” and “Eight,” vague outlines of consciousness began to coalesce. Feliel gave her an almost imperceptible nod, while the Eighth Seat remained shrouded in obscurity.
Above the round table, light and shadow twisted as the Deputy’s majestic, towering consciousness descended slowly, settling beside the main seat.
“The meeting begins.”
The Deputy’s deep voice echoed directly in everyone’s minds, skipping all pleasantries.
“Ninth Seat, the ‘lead’ you submitted—I’ve reviewed it.”
His “gaze” seemed to land on Sefina, and the invisible pressure was palpable even in the Consciousness Space.
“Well done. The footage captured by the demon tool… is very clear and quite striking.”
The Deputy’s voice betrayed little emotion, but the gravity was unmistakable.
“Regarding those creatures in the footage… humanoid yet decidedly not human—do you have any further understanding of them? Such as their weaknesses, habits, or possible origins?”
Sefina’s consciousness maintained its usual composure as she replied in a cool, clear voice:
“No.”
Sefina’s tone was blunt, with no hint of hesitation or elaboration.
“They move swiftly, possess astonishing strength, and display clear aggression and… cannibalistic tendencies. But beyond that, I know nothing about their nature.
“The Church seems to have some force shielding or controlling them, but that’s merely speculation based on observable phenomena.”
Sefina concealed a crucial part of the truth.
Of the knowledge she’d gained from her Mentor’s ancient records and personal encounters, she said nothing.
Information about “demons of another world,” “possession,” and “High-Ranking Individuals”—she revealed not a single word.
The demon tool footage she’d submitted to the Deputy was also carefully curated.
It contained only those ordinary “Monsters” prowling near the Hidden Passage—hideous in form but obviously low-intelligence. As for the footage involving the Pope, Sefina deliberately avoided it.
The evidence she submitted was real, but it was one-sided.
When the Deputy heard Sefina’s curt “No,” his consciousness didn’t show any significant surprise or displeasure. It seemed to be within his expectations.
“As expected.” The Deputy’s low voice resonated.
“Even I, who have pored over the Organization’s collected ancient texts, have never encountered such creatures in any orthodox or forbidden records.
“Ninth Seat, acquiring these images while ensuring your own safety is no small feat.”
But the Deputy shifted gears and asked the most critical question:
“Then, have you confirmed the location where these Monsters are hiding?”
Sefina nodded, her consciousness’ “voice” clear and firm:
“Confirmed. It’s inside the Royal Capital Cathedral, specifically in the Archive. Inside is an oak bookshelf against the wall, behind which lies a rotating Hidden Passage controlled by a dark red magic circle.
“Beyond the door is a downward corridor. Based on the occasional deep sounds and ambient echoes captured by the demon tool, the space is considerable, and multiple active individuals are present. That should be their main nest.”
She paused briefly, as if recalling details, then added the crucial information:
“Additionally, that Hidden Passage isn’t entirely sealed underground. At one section inside, the Rock Wall above is thin, and the corresponding surface location happens to be the relatively secluded Cathedral Garden in the church’s central courtyard.
“If using [Teleportation] magic, with calculated coordinates and depth, one could theoretically teleport directly from the garden to inside the passage, and vice versa.
“This might be a more concealed entry route—and one with more flexible retreat—than going through the Archive’s hidden door.”
The specific location information about the Hidden Passage was carefully probed by Feliel using summoning magic with summoned creatures.
And as for why Sefina’s account was so detailed, even offering an alternative entry plan, the reason was actually quite simple—guidance and temptation.
Sefina deliberately avoided all information about the “Pope,” the greatest hidden threat, so that the risk level of the intelligence the Deputy received seemed concentrated solely on the low-tier Monsters.
At the same time, she emphasized the convenience of entry and exit and the high escape probability offered by [Teleportation] magic.
This undoubtedly lowered the psychological threshold for “personally investigating.”
Silence fell around the round table. Feliel remained quiet, as if merely observing. The Eighth Seat’s outline stayed hazy, unresponsive.
The Deputy’s consciousness remained wordless for a long while, as if lost in deep deliberation.
Invisible pressure permeated the Consciousness Space.
He was weighing: whether to continue dispatching cadres for more peripheral investigations, or to personally venture into the tiger’s den to uncover the core intelligence.
Sefina waited quietly, her wine-red eyes deep and calm within the illusory outline of her consciousness.
She knew the fish had already seen the bait. Now, all that remained was to wait and see whether this cautious and powerful “fish” would choose to take the hook.
What would the Deputy choose?
Hold position and keep observing… or personally head down that Hidden Passage leading to the unknown and danger?