Night, the Demon Clan Capital.
The capital was perpetually shrouded in pitch-black night, making life convenient for the demons.
On both sides of the street, the lamps burned with eternal flames that never went out, illuminating the bustling city.
At this moment, on the main commercial street, noise erupted from a clothing store catering exclusively to demons, with the sounds of shattering glass and curses mingling in the air.
The passing demonfolk were all drawn in by the commotion, gathering outside the shop to watch the excitement.
These demons and non-human creatures, ghosts and the like, whispered among themselves in deep voices:
“This is already the third store tonight…”
“Yeah, what’s going on? The tavern on the east side of the city got smashed too. I heard that one’s also run by the Drago Family.”
“Who did the Drago Family offend? Why is everything suddenly targeting them?”
“Aren’t their big shots from the Tepes Family? Why aren’t they stepping in to help?”
“Sigh… did the two families fall out? Maybe there’s some big news brewing.”
Amidst the chatter, the destruction inside the shop continued.
Several mummies, their bodies tightly bound in bandages, moved stiffly as they toppled display racks and tossed clothes carelessly to the ground, stomping on them for good measure.
The half-blood clerk had been wrapped into a cocoon by their bandages, squatting in a corner, glaring at the troublemakers with a face full of resentment.
*****
Not far away, on the rooftop of a tall building.
Lia sat elegantly in a carved, hollow-backed chair, one leg crossed over the other.
The night breeze gently stirred her golden hair, and her crimson eyes watched the street below.
With the shop windows shattered and merchandise in disarray, not a single demon dared step foot into any store run by the Drago Family tonight.
Lia curled her lips, satisfied as she gazed at the chaos.
Although this method of revenge wasn’t exactly honorable—nor was it her usual style—it was the fastest way to vent her anger.
She would thoroughly cast aside the Drago, and then trample them beneath her feet.
Only then would Lin Shu understand that staying by her side was the wisest and best choice.
She was, after all, the best master for her.
Thinking of this, Lia couldn’t help but let out a light chuckle.
Her “familiar”—what kind of expression would she show then?
Surely she’d be filled with regret and helplessness, and then follow Lia with unwavering loyalty.
At the front of the shop, the leader of the troublemakers—the head mummy—stepped out.
It was even taller than the other mummies inside, with a large golden chain draped around its neck, and bracelets and anklets glittering brilliantly.
Every movement made its jewelry clatter exaggeratedly.
“Everyone, listen up!”
Its throat, seemingly ravaged by years, rasped out hoarse, wind-leaking words.
“A few days ago, I custom-ordered bandages from this shop, but who knows what weird stuff they mixed into the cloth! After wearing them, my arms soon turned into bloody pulp!”
The watching demons gasped in surprise:
“Is that for real… I bought a cloak here just last week.”
“Good thing I didn’t. My newly trained red muscles would’ve been ruined.”
“But… would the Drago Family really do something like that?”
“Wait, you thousand-year-old dried corpse, shouldn’t you have dried out by now? Why would you rot?”
“Yeah, are you just making up some excuse to put on a show here?”
“Cut the crap!” The head mummy roared in anger at the doubters, silencing the crowd.
“Anyway, this shop is a scam. If any of you dare defend them, I guarantee you’ll be drinking nothing but fruit juice!”
As it spoke, it turned and caught sight of the shop’s dazzling signboard, still perfectly intact.
“A shop that harms demons doesn’t deserve to have a sign!”
It shot out a hand, the loose bandages around its arm suddenly writhing to life and whipping toward the sign with a whoosh, wrapping tightly around its edges.
With a sharp pull, the metal frame of the sign groaned and snapped, the huge sign beginning to tilt and fall…
“Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!!”
Just as the sign was about to crash to the ground, several slender vines shot down from above, twining around the falling signboard.
“Bang!”
The sign was abruptly yanked to a stop, hovering a short distance from the ground.
The head mummy’s bandage, caught off guard by the sudden force, snapped apart.
“What?!” It staggered back a few steps, looking up in shock.
All the onlooking demons simultaneously looked up as well.
There, on the shop rooftop, stood two figures.
Sefina was holding a lacy parasol, dressed in an elegant white gown, her pure white stockings making her legs look especially long.
Her purple hair fluttered in the rooftop breeze, and her red eyes, half-hidden in the parasol’s shadow, regarded the crowd with a half-smile.
In front of her, a human girl was half-crouched.
She knelt on one knee at the edge of the roof, one hand pressing down her wind-blown maid skirt, the other arm stretched forward.
Long black hair draped over her shoulders, a few strands clinging to her cheek in the breeze. She lowered her head slightly, moonlight outlining her delicate profile.
Around her coiled several vines, all bristling with the signature thorns of roses.
Clearly, the vines that caught the sign just now had been summoned by her.
Lin Shu exhaled softly.
Made it in time—thank goodness she didn’t let that bandaged guy smash the sign.
This was her first time using the skill granted by her contract with Sefina. The feeling was unique.
She could manipulate the thorny vines with her thoughts, even sense how tightly they were stretched.
The crowd of watching demons exploded in excitement.
“A human! That’s Miss Lia’s human familiar, isn’t it!”
“That’s her! Who else but her could show up in the demon capital without a scratch?”
“But why is she with Sefina?”
“And she’s wearing a maid dress! Gotta say, she looks pretty cute. Makes me want to catch a human as a pet too…”
Uh?
As Lin Shu carefully lowered the sign to the ground with her vines, she heard the demons’ comments.
Instinctively, she pulled the hem of her skirt down, feeling a little embarrassed.
See? Fighting in a maid dress really is too weird!
At this moment, not far away on the rooftop, Lia’s face flushed red with anger as she watched everything unfold.
Lin Shu had actually stepped in to help Sefina, standing on her side.
And—what was with that outfit?! That was totally against the rules, the skirt was so short, and she was even wearing garter tights.
Although… it was rather easy on the eyes—no, that wasn’t the point!
The point was, Lin Shu had just used a skill she had never seen before.
Apparently, she could no longer use Hemomancy. Perhaps this was a new contract, granting her new powers.
A sudden panic washed over Lia. That once-so-familiar person was now showing a side that felt strange and unfamiliar to her.