Just a short distance after stepping out of the villa’s gate, Floria heard the faint but rapidly approaching sound of hurried footsteps coming from within the manor behind her.
Her steps faltered, and out of caution, she quickly used Short-Range Teleportation Magic to slip behind a corner.
“Where did that little girl just go?”
“Did any of you see which way she headed?”
“Strange, she moved so fast, where could she be?”
Sure enough, several of Sophia’s female knights burst out of the manor gates, glancing left and right along the Avenue.
“She definitely hasn’t gone far. Search everywhere—alleys, corners, everything! This is an order from the Captain!”
A group of young female knights split into several squads, beginning to patrol both sides of the street.
“…Is it really necessary to be this serious? I’m just out to buy something, for heaven’s sake—”
Floria pressed her back tightly against the alley wall, peeking cautiously from around the corner.
She saw the knight previously called “Little Mei” by Sophia, accompanied by two other companions, searching in her direction.
“Hiss…”
Floria drew in a sharp breath, nervously flicking the strands of hair sticking to her cheek behind her ear with her fingertips, then took a deep breath to calm herself.
She pulled back her gaze and turned toward a manhole cover lurking in the darkness behind her.
“…Sorry, Sylvie. I’ll help you do laundry tomorrow.”
Floria muttered an apology, then lifted the manhole cover and descended the stairs inside, making sure to put the cover back in place afterward.
Beneath the Kingdom Capital, there were actually many secret Underground Passages connected to the sewers, twisting and turning in complex networks.
From what Floria knew, these passages were originally dug by the Kingdom to fend off Demon invasions, functioning somewhat like air-raid shelters or underground labyrinths.
Since the Human-Demon Peace Treaty signed over a hundred years ago, these passages had gradually fallen into neglect and abandonment, later occupied by many shady organizations and shops, and became commonly used “shortcuts” by thieves and black market smugglers.
Floria knew deep down that places like this were definitely off-limits for righteous paladins like Sophia.
Moreover, anyone unfamiliar with the layout who descended here would only end up wandering aimlessly in the maze like a headless fly.
She cast Lighting Magic, illuminating the dim underground path as she weaved left and right, soon arriving at another exit.
“Getting this far should be enough distance.”
Floria propped the manhole cover up with the back of her hand and poked her head out below ground level, cautiously surveying the surroundings.
This spot was a dead-end corner of a narrow alley, shrouded in darkness, with not a single person in sight.
“Good. Time to visit an old friend…”
[Forget-Worry General Store]
Although the sign said “store,” this was actually a large private trading hall open mainly for commoners and Adventurers.
Besides offering black market goods and serving as a pawnshop, it also supported bounty quests, treasure hunting, and barter trades.
While many noble families officially ran Magic Potion Shops or Magical Tool Shops affiliated with the church, their prices were notoriously exorbitant.
By comparison, items purchased here were more than half the price, often just a slight markup over cost, and sometimes, if lucky, one could find rare treasures at bargain prices.
Floria stepped through the store’s front door, greeted by a smiling young woman behind the counter dressed in a Maid Outfit.
“Welcome~ Little miss, what are you looking to buy today? The Trading Hall is just next door, entrance fee is 1 Gold Coin~”
As she spoke, Floria heard the lively clamor coming from the adjacent trading hall, bustling like a busy market.
She pursed her lips, recalling the passphrase from memory, hesitating slightly before uncertainly murmuring:
“Do you have any long-term vegetarian food for sale?”
For a moment, Floria sensed the maid’s cheerful smile subtly shift.
“You mean, ready-to-eat rations in a bag?”
The clerk tilted her head in confusion at Floria’s odd question, responding with an even more baffling answer, her face innocent.
“That’s instant food.”
“A term describing the secular or worldly concept?”
“That’s the secular world…”
After this exchange of seemingly nonsensical passphrases, the maid’s expression turned serious as she stepped out from behind the counter and approached Floria respectfully.
“…Understood, guest, please follow me.”
Following the maid dressed in the Maid Outfit to the back of the trading hall, the maid tiptoed to a wall sconce and slightly rotated it, revealing a secret door right before Floria’s eyes.
“Please, this way. Go down the stairs, and you’ll find the person you wish to see.”
Floria nodded with measured composure.
Shortly after descending the stairs, the secret door slammed shut behind her.
Lighting a glow from her fingertips, Floria continued downward step by step until she reached a spacious underground compartment.
“Oh my, such a cute little sister~ How did you find your way here—”
Seated on a sofa was a mature woman wearing a wide-brimmed Witch Hat, looking surprised as she gazed at Floria.
As she stood, her tight purple V-neck oversized bustier heaved dramatically, the pale, rounded curves of her ample bosom nearly bursting forth.
She wore barely enough cloth to cover, strands resembling thin ribbons barely holding her provocative figure in place, her voice dripping with teasing seduction.
“Julian, I came to buy some rare things from you.”
“Oh?”
The woman called Julian narrowed her eyes, her gaze suddenly sharpening with interest.
“Little sister, where did you hear my name? These aren’t things for a child to know about~”
Her originally playful tone now carried a hint of caution as she twisted her enticing waist and stepped closer, lightly hooking a finger under Floria’s chin.
“Well, up close, you’re even cuter—little sister, do you know who you’re talking to right now?”
“Of course I know. You’re the Witch of the Shadows’ Second Leader and the Shopkeeper of the general store.”
Floria shrugged off the hand Julian had slid over her, pouting unhappily.
“That should be my question to you—do you know who you’re talking to?”
“Oh? You little brat, so young and yet so cheeky, daring to speak to me like this…”
Julian’s eyes suddenly caught sight of the round pendant necklace Floria pulled from her collar.
Wait, that necklace… why did it look so familiar…
“Little sister, where did you get that necklace around your neck?”
“Still don’t get it? Then you should recognize this.”
Floria thought for a moment, then pulled the Broken Holy Sword from beneath her skirt and contemptuously tossed it onto the floor.
Clang—
The metallic clash against the floor sounded crisp and clear at her feet.
“…”
Julian stared at the short sword with a complex expression, as if suddenly realizing something.
Her breathing quickened, cheeks flushed, and with a thud, she dropped to her knees.
“P-please forgive me, Witch Lady! I didn’t recognize you just now…!”