Sefina knew there was someone inside because she had already meticulously placed numerous magic stones engraved with spell formations throughout the house.
Even the slightest fluctuation of magical energy would be relayed to the door lock.
The moment Sefina inserted her key into the lock, she felt a faint pulse of magical energy. The magic stone detection network could never be wrong.
That meant—someone was definitely waiting for her inside!
Without a hint of hesitation, Sefina flipped her wrist, and her staff was firmly in hand. Complex Attack Spells instantly condensed at the tip, emitting a faint glow.
Location!
As the key turned, followed by a soft “click,” the door cracked open.
At the instant the door creaked ajar, Sefina’s figure slipped inside like a phantom. Her staff, sharp and cold as ice, pointed precisely at the sofa in the living room.
However, the expected counterattack or scream never came.
A cold voice with a slight metallic timbre leisurely came from the sofa’s direction:
“Truly deserving of the Ninth Seat, Miss Sefina. Your vigilance remains as impressive as ever.”
Sefina’s movements abruptly halted. Her sharp gaze locked onto the source of the voice.
There sat a man in a sleek, pitch-black suit, wearing a high-top hat, his face hidden behind a pure white mask. He leaned back casually on her sofa, as if he had been waiting for quite some time.
Sefina was silent for a moment. The magical glow at the tip of her staff slowly dissipated, and she lowered her weapon to her side.
Her wariness remained, but the fierce aura of impending attack had vanished.
Without expression, Sefina walked to another single-seater sofa and sat down naturally, crossing her legs. Her tone was as cold as ice:
“You should address me as ‘Ninth Seat,’ Deputy.”
The man behind the mask seemed to chuckle lightly, the sound muffled and distorted by the mask:
“Heh… Since it’s just the two of us here, wouldn’t it be more cordial to use names, Miss Sefina?”
The man was the Deputy of Black Utopia, always wearing that white mask. Except for the leader, no one knew his real name or appearance.
Sefina didn’t bother getting caught up in such pointless formalities and cut straight to the point, her voice devoid of warmth:
“Cut to the chase. What’s the matter? The Deputy personally sneaking into Oselenka can’t be just to catch up with me.”
The man called Deputy adjusted his posture. Though his expression was hidden behind the mask, Sefina could feel his scrutinizing gaze.
“I heard you’ve been doing quite well in Oselenka, Ninth Seat,” he said evenly, his tone unreadable—neither clearly praise nor probe.
“Not only did you infiltrate successfully, but you’ve also established a foothold and even earned considerable prestige. As a newly promoted Cadre, your abilities and efficiency are indeed impressive.”
Sefina listened quietly. Her wine-red eyes appeared deep and inscrutable in the dim room, showing no reaction to his ambiguous compliment.
“You, as the Deputy responsible for liaison and coordination among all Cadres, should be extremely busy,” she said coolly, her fingers tapping lightly on the sofa’s armrest.
“I suppose you’re not here merely to verify my covert status or to deliver some compliments?”
“Heh, sharp as ever,” the Deputy sneered, seeming to appreciate her straightforward style.
He slowly stood, pulling a photograph from his suit’s inner pocket and casually tossing it onto the coffee table before Sefina.
“There’s a mission for you.”
His voice turned cold and businesslike again. “Kill someone.”
Sefina’s eyes fell on the photo. It showed a rare white-haired girl with pale skin and crimson eyes like the finest rubies. Her delicate features were accentuated by two small, sharp fangs peeking from her lips.
At that instant, Sefina’s pupils contracted slightly, but her voice remained absolutely calm, even laced with a trace of doubt:
“Blood Clan? I’ve never heard of any Blood Clan students or staff within Oselenka.”
“She’s a failed Experimental Subject from our organization,” the Deputy’s voice came through the mask, cold as usual.
“According to recent intelligence, she’s likely hiding somewhere within this academy. Your task is to find her and eliminate her.”
Sefina picked up the photo, fingertips tracing the edges of the paper, her tone still indifferent:
“Killing someone inside Oselenka? Murder might be easy, but to evade the mentors and patrols here? Not so simple. For a so-called ‘failed Experimental Subject,’ is such a risk worth it? Isn’t this mission’s cost too high?”
“No choice. If the Experimental Subject isn’t cleared out, it’ll cause trouble if discovered,” the Deputy said firmly.
“For absolute security, all potential risks must be eliminated. To be safe, she must disappear. Don’t worry, someone will assist you. I believe, with your skills, Ninth Seat, you will complete this mission cleanly and efficiently.”
After speaking, the Deputy adjusted his high-top hat. The next moment, his figure blurred without warning, as if melting into the shadows, instantly vanishing from beside the sofa and reappearing by the front door.
This was the sophisticated spatial magic Sefina was familiar with:
[Teleportation]
***
Before leaving, the Deputy turned his head. The white mask seemed especially eerie in the shadowed porch as he added:
“Oh, right, be especially careful of that woman, Rofilia, during the mission. She… is troublesome. Don’t get exposed.”
Sefina gave no response. Her gaze remained fixed on the photo on the coffee table, as if pondering.
In the next moment, the Deputy’s figure was completely wiped away like it had been erased—leaving no trace, as if he had never appeared at all.
To infiltrate the core of Oselenka so silently, come and go at will, and master [Teleportation] with such skill… this Deputy’s strength undoubtedly reached Rank Eight or even higher.
On paper, he was definitely a cut above Sefina.
After all, the Deputy was second only to the leader.
Compared to Ophidoro, it was hard to say who was stronger.
But he certainly wasn’t as powerful as Rofilia, the principal of Oselenka Magic Academy—otherwise, he wouldn’t be so wary of her.
Finding that Blood Clan girl silently and eliminating her without exposing one’s identity… would be very troublesome.
Sefina slowly leaned back against the sofa, her fingertips unconsciously tapping on the girl’s crimson eyes in the photo.
“He said someone will assist me?” she murmured, a cold sharpness flashing in her wine-red eyes.
Perhaps, she wasn’t the only Cadre lurking within Oselenka Magic Academy.