“My god…has that girl gone mad?”
“That’s…her brother, isn’t it?”
“Blood…a demon…”
The faces of the onlookers were all filled with utter horror.
The more timid among them had already turned and fled.
Of course, most people were still forcing themselves to watch, stomachs churning.
After all, witnessing someone’s head smashed open in the middle of the street was not something you’d normally see— let alone a younger sister executing her older brother.
“Huff…huff…huff…”
When Jenny came back to her senses, blood had already dyed almost the entire street crimson.
Baruch was utterly lifeless.
He lay sprawled on the ground, his head—and even part of his neck—completely smashed in, leaving only a grotesque puddle of red and white.
Wisps of blue smoke still rose from the severed area.
“Ah?!”
Clang!
Jenny instinctively dropped the iron rod in her hand, her eyes dazed and filled with fear as she looked at the scene before her.
She had…really done it?
Originally, she had only meant to teach this beast a slight lesson…
But once her emotions exploded, she had lost all control.
As for Bija, who lay on the ground nearby and had witnessed everything from start to finish— she, who had been weeping and cursing just moments ago, was now completely terrified.
Seeing her “son all over the ground,” the woman was utterly stupefied, only able to let out hoarse, gargling noises.
“Mm~ nicely done. When someone wants to destroy you, the simplest method is to destroy them first…”
Huff!
Jenny felt a hand pat her shoulder.
She turned her head— and saw the young lady, wearing a faint smile, had unknowingly appeared by her side.
“Of course, you didn’t have the chance to destroy him first~ But you did know how to seize another opportunity—and that, I appreciate.”
“Ah…yes! Thank you, my lady, for your praise…and for giving me this chance.”
Yes…he absolutely wanted to destroy her.
So why couldn’t she kill him?
Even if he was her brother—so what?
His actions were already nothing short of bestial.
Such a person…had no right to exist in this world at all!
This bloody “farce” thus ended in such a manner.
In just a single day, the name of Jenny, who “killed her brother in broad daylight,” spread throughout Crystal Capital and even much of the Eastern Duchy.
But an even louder name was that of the girl who appeared before everyone’s eyes during this incident.
A noble, radiant figure—like the most dazzling gem, utterly untouchable.
The Jewel of the Eastern Duchy, the Blood-Flower Demon—Ireya Bartios.
If, before this, people still spoke of the young lady with merely a reputation of infamy, then now…that had evolved into notorious dread.
Because if you provoked her—or harmed someone under her protection—this Blood-Flower Demon might truly come to your house, drag you from your soft, cozy bed, tear down your warm home, and flay you alive in the street.
A warning.
Beyond this terrible reputation, nearly all the heads of families in Crystal Capital instructed their heirs, wives, and servants: Don’t provoke Ireya!
Absolutely, under no circumstances, provoke her!
Even if it displeases the Marquis, you must never, ever cross this Blood-Flower Demon!
Even some knights, baronets, and barons added Jenny’s name to their lists of people not to offend.
Even the renowned five-star critic McArthur declared: “If the Supreme God commanded me to make an enemy of the Blood-Flower Demon, I’d choose to stop the Supreme God.”
In short—
Jenny = a close confidante of the Blood-Flower Demon— this fact was now nearly common knowledge among the noble youth of Crystal Capital.
Jenny’s identity as “second daughter of a knight’s second wife” also served as a perfect precedent.
There would never be a shortage of clever people in this world.
While some shivered in fear, even more saw opportunity.
Especially those minor nobles who had wanted to curry favor with Ireya but were too terrified by her dreadful reputation— or nobles like Jenny herself, with small status and somewhat awkward positions.
They all seemed to see hope.
One after another, they seized the excuse of “expressing concern over what happened to the Bes household” to visit.
Among them were many from the Blue Crow Mercenary Group.
But tagging along with these minor second sons and daughters were often the family’s primary heirs.
When they saw Jenny, all put away their arrogance, becoming remarkably polite and cautious— as if seeing someone equal to themselves.
Jenny did not wallow in any other emotions.
She quickly collected her state of mind.
At this moment, she was already completely Ireya’s person.
Ireya had saved her, given her a future— so Jenny would use the rest of her life to serve, respect, and love…yes, love this lady.
Though her family mansion had been destroyed, she spent money to rent a villa, and there held a dinner party to entertain these nobles who came to “offer concern.”
As for other matters…
The madam Bija, after losing her hands and her son in this incident, went insane.
Jenny didn’t kill her—she simply had her wounds treated, then threw her back into the woodshed where Jenny herself had once been imprisoned.
This affair caused enough of a stir that even Knight Bes, far away in the territory of Baron Ross, heard of it.
But he did not return in person.
Instead, he wrote a letter to Jenny, telling her the household matters were for her to handle entirely, and expressing his care and concern for Jenny.
Throughout the entire letter, he didn’t even mention his dead son or his mad wife— only showed concern for Jenny.
He was a man who truly understood how to judge the situation.
It was obvious that Jenny’s quick thinking and sharp mind were inherited from this Knight Bes.
Perhaps…he was even colder and more ruthless than the young Jenny.
Such a person, if used well…could be an extremely sharp sword.
“Not bad at all.”
Ireya put down the parchment in her hands.
She could already imagine the scene two days later—
Jenny rallying a whole crowd within the Blue Crow Mercenary Group at her beck and call.
A mercenary captain who’d be completely sidelined before even his first run-in— how funny…
She was quite looking forward to seeing the faces of that Mr. Blue Crow and her cheap cousin in two days.
At this thought, Ireya couldn’t help showing a slightly wicked smile.
“Mm…I wonder what Blue Crow and Nolan have been up to these past two days…”
The young lady slowly leaned back, her small feet clad in white stockings resting on the little round table in front of her.
Her fair toes idly tapped at the rim of a teacup, causing the liquid inside to sway back and forth.
She had a bit of her own power now— but it wasn’t enough to be called a true network yet.
It needed more cultivation.
This trip to Mine No. 13 was actually the perfect opportunity.
Once these minor nobles were under Jenny’s complete control, she would basically have an invisible intelligence and resource network.
But then—what could she offer these people in return?
Knock knock knock…
As she was pondering this, someone suddenly knocked on Ireya’s door.
“Hm!”
Ireya paused in surprise.
Her toes, still “playing with” the teacup, dipped slightly into the tea, getting wet.
A bit embarrassed, she quickly pulled her legs off the table, then turned slightly and spoke.
“Come in.”
“Yes…my lady.”
A somewhat familiar voice came from outside.
Then the door opened, and in stepped a maid with crystal glasses, a faint swelling on the left side of her face.
Her head was lowered as she slowly walked in.
—Oh…it was her?
After how she had treated this maid, Ireya was actually surprised that her mother hadn’t reassigned the girl elsewhere.
She blinked for a moment, then regained her usual calm composure and slowly stood up.
“What is it?”
“Reporting to my lady—the madam has asked you to come over. She says there is something…she wants to hand to you.”