As Katharina muttered under her breath, clearly irritated, Rosseline sighed and shifted her gaze to Alexa, who wore a crooked smile on her face, as though enjoying watching the discomfort of the other.
"I thought youâd go straight after him," Rosseline commented casually while sizing up Alexa with experienced eyes.
"I would have liked to," Alexa replied in a tone of false resignation. "But it seems heâs... occupied. Heâs started looking for some Deep Web friends with connections to the Demon World. He seems to want to find this Demon King, even though he doesnât know he already met a Demon King."
Rosseline raised an eyebrow, intrigued but not surprised. "I donât think thatâs an immediate problem. Itâll take him a long time to piece things together."
"Yes, which will give me time to stop him from doing something stupid," Alexa said, crossing her arms and leaning against the wall. Her eyes, however, briefly darted toward Katharina, almost as if she wanted to provoke her even more.
Rosseline nodded, but before she could continue, her gaze returned to Katharina, who was visibly boiling with irritation. The tension was palpable, and Rosseline, as always, couldnât resist exploring the drama.
"Now, back to our matter..." Rosseline began, but paused to observe Katharina with a curious smile. "Whatâs going on?"
Katharina turned, her look sharp, almost growling. "Nothing. She was just too close to someone I know."
Alexa furrowed her brow, confused but still maintaining her confident posture. "Huh? Someone you know? Who?"
Katharina clenched her fists, clearly trying to keep her composure. "Doesnât matter," she responded curtly, turning her face away.
"Oh, donât do that," Alexa insisted, leaning forward slightly as if trying to fish out a response. "Youâre so tense... I bet itâs something good."
"Youâre just as irritating as I remembered," Katharina retorted, crossing her arms and rolling her eyes.
Rosseline laughed quietly, enjoying the show. "Do you two know each other? This is getting interesting..."
"Unfortunately, yes," Katharina replied, throwing a murderous glance at Alexa.
"Oh, donât be so cold, even to women asking you to stay away from Vergil? Though itâs been a while since Iâve seen him..." Alexa teased, her smile widening. "I remember you had a special talent for dramatizing everything. Are you still in that phase, Katharina? Or have you gotten over it?"
"Iâd get over it faster if you disappeared," Katharina shot back with sarcasm.
Rosseline sighed and rested her head on one hand, watching the two trade barbs like a duel of swords. "Well, looks like Iâll have to be the responsible adult here," she said, tapping lightly on the table to get their attention. Continue reading at empire
Alexa shrugged, while Katharina looked away, clearly unwilling to give in.
"Katharina, focus on the contract. Alexa, stop provoking her. We have bigger problems than personal rivalries," Rosseline declared in a firm voice.
Alexa smiled but couldnât resist casting one last provocative glance at Katharina. "Sure, boss. I wonât play anymore... for now."
Katharina huffed but chose not to respond. Rosseline, on the other hand, was already picking up another envelope from the table, ready to finally focus on the task at hand.
As Katharina started her new venture...
[Palace of the Baal Clan]
The ornate doors of the palace opened with a soft creak, revealing the majestic interior illuminated by crystal chandeliers. Ada entered the grand hall, her footsteps echoing across the vast marble floor. Her eyes calmly surveyed the familiar surroundings, but her expression remained neutral, as always.
Soon, a hurried figure appeared in the hallway ahead. Ei, one of the most reliable servants of her family, seemed visibly flustered. Her usually calm and composed expression now displayed concern.
"Ei?" Ada called, narrowing her eyes as she noticed the unusual behavior.
"A-Ada-sama!" Ei replied, stumbling slightly in her voice as she hurried over to her. She quickly bowed, but her hands were restless, clutching her apron.
"Something happened?" Ada asked directly, crossing her arms. Her relaxed posture masked a growing curiosity.
Ei hesitated, her eyes briefly drifting away. "Well... Itâs that... your mother..."
Ada raised an eyebrow, now truly intrigued. "My mother? What happened to her?"
The servant took a deep breath, trying to organize her thoughts. "She... is... in her room... crying..." Ei commented... she didnât even seem like the calm woman she usually was, showing how worried she was about her mistress.
Ada stopped in the middle of the hallway, blinking several times as though she had heard something completely absurd. "C-Crying?? My mother? The woman who only thinks about swords and more swords?! Are you sure about that, Ei?"
Ei nodded seriously, which only made Ada more unsettled. "Yes, Ada-sama. I saw her... she was in her room, alone, with the lights off, and... I could hear sobs. I didnât have the courage to enter, but I thought I should warn you."
Ada crossed her arms again, trying to process the information. "My mother... crying. This doesnât make sense. Did she break one of her swords and get sentimental?"
Ei tried to hide a nervous smile at Adaâs attempt at humor. "I donât know, but this is very... unusual. Sheâs never shown anything like this before."
Ada sighed, running a hand through her hair. "Alright, alright. Iâll handle it. Iâll find out whatâs going on."
She began walking toward her motherâs room, muttering to herself: "Crying? The next thing theyâll tell me is that sheâs writing poetry. What the hell is going on here?"
When she reached the door, she paused for a moment to listen. The muffled sound of sobs truly came from within. Ada hesitated, feeling a bit nervous. It wasnât like she knew how to deal with something so... emotional.
Taking a deep breath, she lightly knocked on the door. "Mother? Is everything alright?"
The sound stopped abruptly. After a few seconds, a firm and determined voice replied, "Iâm busy."
Ada rolled her eyes. "Mother, I know youâre in there. Ei told me. Whatâs going on? Iâm not leaving until you open this door."
Silence. Then, finally, the door opened, revealing her mother, her eyes slightly reddened but still carrying the same serious expression as always.
"Iâm fine," she said, trying to compose herself.n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
"No, youâre not," Ada retorted, entering the room without invitation. "Now, are you going to tell me whatâs going on, or should I guess?"
Her mother sighed deeply, closing the door behind her. "Itâs nothing. Just... a moment of weakness."
"Weakness?" Ada crossed her arms again. "You, the woman who would sell her own daughter for a sword? This, I have to hear."
Hesitating, her mother finally murmured, her voice barely audible, "He didnât even look at me... Didnât say anything... or do anything..."
Ada blinked, completely confused. "He who?"
Her mother remained silent, looking away. For a moment, Ada thought she wouldnât get an answer, but then she noticed something strange: her motherâs face was... flushed?
"Mother?" Ada asked, leaning forward. "I didnât hear that right. Who?"
"V-V-Vergil..." she finally stammered, her voice low, as if each syllable was a monumental effort.
Ada froze, blinking slowly as her mind tried to process what she had just heard. "Vergil...? My husband?!"
Her mother covered her face with her hands, clearly mortified, but still whispered, "H-he said I was his... But... but he hasnât even looked at me since then... or... or done anything..."
The Novel will be updated first on this website. Come back and continue reading tomorrow, everyone!