The ritual dagger, stained with a layer of dried blood, shimmered with a faint silver light under the lamps of the moonless night. Li Yue had stolen this dagger from Dmitry’s corpse. After examining the marks upon it, she discovered it was indeed Dmitry’s blood, carrying the distinct aura of a Specter.
“I thought there might be some other trick to fool his own father, but has he really burned his bridges this thoroughly?” Li Yue looked up at the darkening sky and collected the blood from the dagger into a small vial. Now in possession of a clean ritual dagger, she gave the mithril blade a casual flourish. Although she wasn't particularly fond of the material, the craftsmanship of these fine blades made them feel excellent in her hand.
Li Yue swung the blade through the air a few times, then reached out to pinch the cheek of the recently sleeping Clo. She was debating whether to find Mordred for a chat; after all, there were many things she wanted to discuss with him. While she was often regarded as the true lord of the Royal Court, this King was clearly far more adept at actually ruling it.
She worried that if she didn't seek him out now, she might lose the chance entirely. If he truly had no lingering attachments and chose to walk straight into the River of the Dead, there might never be another opportunity to talk.
Li Yue let out a soft sigh and tucked the covers around Clo. A fragment of blood crystal condensed at her fingertip, and she sent it circling around the castle once. This faint ripple of energy could only be sensed by those possessing the highest level of blood magic; it was Li Yue’s way of announcing her visit in advance.
“There we go...” Li Yue pushed the door open and stepped out. She looked down the quiet corridor, where a funeral elegy echoed through the air as if mourning Dmitry’s passing. Phantoms of blindfolded maids recited the verses over and over. Li Yue found it somewhat comical, yet it carried an indescribable sense of eeriness. She remained silent, sensing no trace of life within these illusions.
“I thought there would be real people reciting them... Heh... I suppose no one actually feels any regret over his death...” Li Yue fell silent for a moment. She couldn't be bothered to search for the prince in the Underworld; the outcome held no meaning for her, and she doubted she could find him there anyway.
“Hmm?” Li Yue’s nose twitched. She sniffed the air carefully, detecting a scent that was slightly strange yet carried a hint of familiarity. She opened her hand and then slowly relaxed it, feeling the sensations in the air. Her pupils gradually narrowed into slits.
“Blood crystals... Hmm... Interesting.” Li Yue smiled faintly. She had reached the halfway point, a plaza on the first floor with a fountain in the center. She cupped a small amount of water in her hand and took a sip; there was nothing unusual about it.
The guards were sparse tonight. Perhaps it was because so many personnel were stationed at the castle exits, leaving the interior understaffed, or perhaps most of the defensive force was concentrated around the remaining members of the royal family. This was likely the most frantic time; the nobles who had no way out wouldn't be saddened by Dmitry’s death. Li Yue even suspected they might... resort to hysterical retaliation.
They were dead men walking either way. If they died on the path of assassination, Li Yue might actually respect them. She wasn't sure how many sacrificial soldiers they had, but creating them by binding souls probably wasn't too difficult.
As Li Yue mused, a faint scent of blood wafted through the air. She extinguished her lantern, sensing that something was becoming increasingly wrong. Her eyes shifted into vertical pupils, and everything in the air became crystal clear.
“Ah... Ah...” A faint growl echoed from nearby. Li Yue drew the mithril ritual dagger and performed a stylish flourish, the silver blade seeming to carry its own light in the dim space.
“I was just wondering how the followers of Death would create their sacrificial soldiers, and now I see they’ve learned from my methods... But... why choose this moment to create a blood demon?” Li Yue smiled thinly. “Why is everyone in such a hurry? Well, this is fine too.”
Li Yue sensed the surrounding space; a faint magical aura permeated the area, as if magic runes were carved into every corner.
These were monitoring formations created by magic. They had all failed when Dmitry was killed, but now they had somehow repaired themselves. Since they were watching... why wasn't anyone coming to save this 'weak' girl?
Li Yue sighed softly. In the air, a flesh monster whose facial features were nearly indistinguishable drew closer. This blood demon, draped in a thin layer of human skin, possessed the aura of a Great Mage, yet it seemed to lack any self-awareness, as if it had been manufactured through some specialized process.
“A blood demon created through the path of Death, with its soul extracted via the path of the Specter?” Li Yue smiled shallowly. “This method is quite the blend of styles... But why would these two factions cooperate and use such a complex trick?”
“Ah!” The blood demon lunged at Li Yue, its roar vibrating through the air. Li Yue continued to toy with the silver dagger, unhurriedly shifting into a stance with the blade held behind her.
“The basic magic Mr. Roland taught me for dealing with blood demons... how did it go again?” Li Yue murmured softly.
With a sharp, tearing sound, a powerful strike ripped the blood demon in two. The mithril dagger, flickering with blue flames, scorched the monster's wounds, reducing it entirely to a pile of ash.
“I remember now.” Li Yue smiled faintly. “If you want me to use forbidden magic, at least send a few Calamity-class blood demons...”
Li Yue looked toward the monitoring formation in the corner and gave a slight smile.
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