Chapter 82: The Beauty Trap That Almost Failed

“….Eh?”

The blonde, one-eyed female mercenary clearly hadn’t expected such a soft response.

She froze for a moment, then burst into even louder laughter, her chest shaking with a resounding “Duang Duang”.

“Hahaha! Can’t drink? Kid, you can’t even drink and still dared to come here? Are you looking for some flesh business or something?”

She slapped Wendy’s shoulder with such force that he nearly toppled under the table.

Astreia’s hand pressed on her sword hilt, her gaze growing sharper.

“Big sister, please don’t be like this. I’m… I’m really scared.”

Wendy’s performance continued, his face full of panic and helplessness, utterly pitiable.

This look of his greatly satisfied the female mercenary’s heart, one steeped for years in alcohol and violence.

“Scared of what? With big sis here, no one in Berwick City would dare lay a finger on you!”

She proudly thumped her chest, then fished out a roughly-made metal token from her chest and waved it in front of Wendy.

“Do you know where I’m making money now? Lord’s Manor! See? I’m the newly hired Captain of the Guard!”

Lord’s Manor?

Captain of the Guard?

Wendy’s eyes lit up, as if he’d spotted a big shot, and he instantly responded with a beaming smile.

“Wow, big sis, you’re amazing! The pay there must be huge, right?”

“Of course!”

When it came to money, the female mercenary grew even more boastful, drunkenly bragging:

“The Count is super generous! She said… as long as we keep an eye on the Lord’s Manor and don’t let the Northern Army in, there’s plenty of gold!”

Wendy and Astreia, beneath her hood, exchanged a discreet glance.

Got it.

But in the next second, His Highness the Prince did something that made Astreia’s heart skip a beat.

He stood up on his own, as if lured by the mention of gold, or perhaps overwhelmed by the woman’s “might”, his body went limp and he half-fell, half-collapsed into the mercenary’s arms.

“Big sister, there are too many people here… Let’s go somewhere quiet and have a proper drink, okay?”

At that moment, Wendy’s gaze was alluring, full of seductive charm.

At the same time, he secretly gave the Princess a meaningful look.

–Follow me.

“Okay, okay, okay!”

The female mercenary was thrown into a daze by this sudden embrace, all rational thought scattered.

She wrapped an arm around Wendy’s waist and half-dragged, half-carried him toward the tavern’s exit, mumbling about enjoying herself at the fanciest inn in the city.

Astreia watched the two leave with an expressionless face, tossed a few copper coins on the table, and silently followed after them…

***

Night in Berwick City.

The alleys were narrow and dark, piled with garbage reeking of rot.

“My dear boy, let big sis spoil you~”

The female mercenary, having never seen such a beautiful man, was unable to hold back any longer. She pinned Wendy against the wall and began to get handsy.

At that moment, a figure blocked the path.

“Hand over the token!”

The female mercenary sobered up instantly, shoving Wendy behind her with one arm while drawing her longsword with the other.

“Hmph, I knew something was off about you two! How could there be such prime goods in a dump of a tavern like that?”

She grinned, a savage smile twisting her lips.

“But you dared to come after me alone—should I call you brave, or just plain stupid? Listen, the name One-Eyed Lioness was earned atop a mountain of corpses—ugh!!!”

Before she could finish.

A cold blade slipped from Wendy’s sleeve.

But someone was even faster.

A shadow flashed through the darkness like lightning.

Astreia moved instantly, using her fist in the most brutal way to smash through the air.

“Bam!!!”

A dull, bone-rattling crash.

The massive head of the “One-Eyed Lioness” exploded before a scream could leave her lips.

Red and white matter splattered across the wall.

The headless body remained upright for a heartbeat, still locked in its defiant stance, then crumpled to the ground, silent.

A few drops of warm blood landed on the Prince’s cheek.

He didn’t wipe them away.

The alley fell silent as death.

Astreia slowly retracted her fist, lowered her head, and stared at her unscathed hand, her body trembling.

“I…”

She spoke, her voice hoarse.

“Well done, my Knight.”

Wendy stepped forward and gently wiped the bloodstain from the Princess’s face, instantly soothing her inner turmoil.

“But… just now, I…”

Astreia raised her head, her emerald eyes full of regret and self-blame, like a child who’d done something wrong.

“I could have just subdued her, but when I thought of how she treated you… I… I couldn’t control myself…”

“No! It was my lack of foresight that almost caused you to turn into a witch.”

Wendy cupped the Princess’s face apologetically and pressed a gentle kiss to her lips.

Astreia froze, her cheeks flushing crimson, all her anxiety and guilt swept away by overwhelming happiness.

After a tender moment, the Prince released her and resumed his role as “Chief Military Advisor,” his gaze sharpening.

“Alright, Your Highness. Now for the second phase.”

He retrieved the token, Mercenary Badge, and the signature Black Eye Patch from the “One-Eyed Lioness’s” corpse.

“Put it on.”

Wendy reached out and undid the Princess’s pale golden hair, then tousled it into a wild, untamed mess like the female mercenary’s.

He then pulled her hood up to conceal most of her face.

Their figures were both tall and similar in build; under the dim light, they looked nearly identical.

“Remember, you are now the ‘One-Eyed Lioness.’ Walk with a swagger—yes, that heartless strut. Talk rough, with plenty of curse words. And I…”

Wendy adjusted his cloak, letting his face take on a frightened, clingy expression again.

“…I am just the teammate you just snagged~”

Astreia stared at the “seductive” Wendy, torn between laughter and admiration, but finally nodded.

Thus, a strange pair was born.

The “One-Eyed Lioness” swaggered in front, trailed by a beautiful “male pet” whose face screamed “I’m being coerced”.

They quickly arrived before the brightly-lit Lord’s Manor.

“Stop! Who goes there!”

The gate guard barked sharply.

“Are you blind, mutt?!”

“Astreia” mimicked the mercenary’s tone, cursing loudly while tossing over the token and badge.

“I’m on patrol by order! What, got a problem?”