Chapter 50: Chapter: 48

"Urgh"

Emma groaned in pain when Grizel grab her short brown hair, staring at the cold eyes that weren't something normally owned by a mere 10 years old noble's daughter.

It was the gaze of someone who sees humans on no different level than dirt if it wasn't useful, just like how she is looking down at the maid who has no use anymore.

"Ha!"

Scoffing like given up on living, Emma started to blurt out of whatever she wants.

"If something happened to me, your family will be the most suspicious ones! hahaha you don't know who stands behind his back, the little Villainess won't stand a chance to fight them alone"

She seems out of her mind as she sneering at Grizel, she knew her master was backed up by the 3 main powers of the Western continent, even if she died here right now in the hands of the Villainess, the results were never changed, ever.

The winner has been decided.

Bang!

The sound of the floor cracking echoed through the room followed by Emma's miserable cry, as Grizel mercilessly crushes Emma's head on the floor, blood flown out of her forehead down to her eyes and cheeks covering most of her face with red.

Still grabbing her hair, Grizel leaned over the half-dead maid's right ear and whispers.

"I'll make sure your Master and those Westerners won't know until the day it was too late to realize, and..."

Smiling at Emma's surprised expression, she added.

"Who said I'll fight them alone?"

Though still far from becoming a threat to the powerful alliance of the Westerners, Grizel is slowly building her legions in the shadow to fight against them.

Slowly but surely.

And now, is not the time to reveal herself yet.

Flop!

A piece of paper landed on the floor right in front of Emma as she glances and reads it with her blurry vision.

[Someone who was planning on your assassination, is now trying to tarnish yours and Belial's name, this is the most we can do as we were ordered to, please be careful with the spies planted in the mansion, Farewell.

- Emma]

"This letter will come along with you and your colleagues' disappearance tomorrow, do you know what it means?"

Grizel said while getting up, looking down at the maid who is reading the letter with her trembling hands, as Angela Samael who is familiar with the work of forgery in her past life, it was easy to imitate her personal maid's handwriting.

Emma is frowning upon the fake letter that appears to show that she is here to protect Grizel instead of harming her.

'This letter is nothing but bullshit, ridiculous! my only master never give an order like that, and I have never betrayed or had another master to serv-'

Gasp!

"Y-you, YOU WANT TO MAKE ME US LOOK LIKE THE TRAITORS?!!"

Emma said angrily gritting her teeth in frustration, she seems to understand Grizel's intention to twist the fact and make her look like the one who betrayed her master, this fake letter is showing that she was intentionally saving Grizel from the assassination attempt in the past and the plan to tarnish Grizel's name tonight.

"Quick-witted as always, it's a shame that you are working for the wrong person, such a waste"

For all these years, Grizel had given those Empire's traitors false information about her and the Belial family, but if they were to meet at the party and found out that she wasn't anything like the information, the first thing that will be suspicious is the Belial family and Grizel herself, but...

If this letter was sent along with Emma and her comrades' disappearance, they will think that their spies were the ones who gave them the false information and protected Grizel under someone else's orders.

In summary, Emma and her comrades are the perfect scapegoats for all Grizel's doing and escape the suspicion.

"Aren't you happy? You will become my Savior once again, I'll make sure to shed tears for you and playing dumb while reading the letter tomorrow"

Emma flinched, if Grizel is acting like someone who has no idea about the matter of the spies while reading that fake letter, her master and his allies won't spare time to suspect the 10-year-old Grizel and the indifferent Belial family, they will definitely more focus on chasing over the spies who betrayed them, and more likely suspect that Emma and her colleagues are related to the mysterious third party that appeared at the slums 2 years ago.

As long as they don't suspect Grizel as the mastermind, the truth will never be revealed.

"Y-YOU!! HOW COULD YOU..."

Emma's veins that popped out on her face shows how great her anger is.

Spit!

Emma is spitting on the floor as Grizel moved backward when she felt that maid is about to do something unpleasant to her out of frustration.

"Do you know how many times I need to bathe for the preparation of this annoying party?"

Bang!

Another crack was made on the floor followed by a bright white light of healing magic.

Bang!

Bang!

Bang!

Emma's face seems unrecognizable anymore as she is barely conscious because of her foolish action of trying to spit on Grizel.

"Hhhmm, seems like my magic only heal the wounds, not replace the blood loss"

Grizel said while casting another healing magic to fix Emma.

Bang!

"I think I need another bang to understand my healing magic completely, or should I try a huge one?"

Grizel is mumbling while drilling her heel on Emma's head stepping on it like mere dirt.

"Rest assured, I'll heal you whenever you are on the brink of deat-"

Knock! Knock!

"Miss, may I come in?"

It was the voice of the unfortunate young shadow guard who becomes an errand boy between Grizel and the Prince.

"Yes"

As Grizel's short reply was heard by Nine, he opened the door and abruptly closed it again.

'God! Why?! Why?! Why do I always end up witnessing the Miss' vicious mode?'

'I wanna go home'

'Should I escape? But the party is starting this evening...'

'I'll be annihilated by the Prince if I don't deliver the dress'

'No, I need to stay strong'

He took a long breath and exhaled before opening the door for the second time.

Gulp!

As a shadow guard who upholds the cleanliness of the assassination, he is witnessing the opposite of his principles, the unnecessary torture.

A bloody mess.

A cold little girl who is wearing a sexy dress.

A High Heel piercing on the maid's head as she stepped on it.

She is undoubtedly the Villainess.

"M-miss?"

He called to ensure that Grizel is safe enough to communicate with, he doesn't want to be the next victim of the drilling heels.

"Ah, did you bring my dress?"

Grizel responded normally as if she is not stepping on someone's head right now.

'It's okay, Nine. That maid is an enemy, she is one of the infamous spies who tried to deceive the Miss for years just like the Prince said, she deserved it. You are on the same side as the Miss, she won't lay a finger on a faithful servant'

'Remember, she is a mirror. A Devil for evildoers and An Angel for righteousness'

'I am a good person'

'I live my life to serve the empire'

'I am righteous'

Nine closed his eyes as he focused on encouraging himself, believing that he is a good man.

Tap!

"Kyaaaaa!!!"

Nine accidentally let out a womanly high-pitched scream as he got surprised by the sudden tap on his arm.

"M-miss?"

"I called you for many times but you didn't respond"

"Ah! I am terribly sorry Miss, these are the dresses sent by His Highness"

Nine couldn't blame Grizel for tapping on his arm as he was too engrossed in his mind that he didn't hear her calls.

"The dresses were tailored especially for the young Miss, the matching ones for all His Highness' formal Imperial clothing"

He said as he took the fancy boxes contain all the pairs of Rex's Imperial clothing from his storage ring means that from now on she has to attend the formal occasions with him as his fiancee with the paired-look.

"As for tonight..."

He handed over one of the boxes to Grizel as he reciting the message from the Prince to Grizel.

"This is the most suitable one for your first public appearance, is what Hiss Highness said"

Grizel smirked looking at the glimpse of the dress inside the box.

'This boy seems to get better in reading your intention lately, he doesn't even need your words anymore, Master'

Athena added as if admiring the rapid growth of the young Prince in understanding the thought of the devil who just nearly killed someone a moment ago.

'Yeah, this dress perfectly suits the theme of my performance tonight, hahaha what a cunning Prince'

Grizel laughed inwardly as her plan and Rex's thoughts entwined perfectly, having a fiance who can not only read but also support her schemes seems to be a good thing, even though just a little bit, she is grateful that Rex is her partner.

Tap!

Tap!

Tap!

She walked towards Emma who lay down on the floor half dead, the room once again shines in bright white as Grizel cast another healing spell for the maid.

The wounded face slowly regained the shape back and completely healed when Grizel stopped her magic.

"Nine, catch it"

Clack!

He catches a beautiful silver-chain pendant decorated with a crystal blue gemstone shaped like the emblem of the Azure Empire, the majestic blue Dragon.

"It's an engagement gift for your master and..."

Dion glanced at the pendant once again, as an awakener, he could feel the mana warped around it, the blue gemstone is made of a high-quality mana stone which is the rarest thing sold in the market, he was sure that the pendant is a magic item and not a simple one at that.

"...Don't forget to get rid of this spy from here"

Grizel added to order the errand boy while glancing at Emma nonchalantly.

"What should I do with her?"

The confused young shadow guard asked as he saw the Miss healing the spy means that she has no plans to kill her.

"Throw her and her comrades into the Palace's dungeon"

"As you wish, Miss. Do you want me to interrogate her?"

"No need, I've squeezed all of the information from her"

"Then why are you keeping them alive?"

Nine innocently replied, though, he will be the one who regrets his stupid question as he looks at Grizel smirking.

"I need guinea pigs for my upcoming experiments, they seem to be useful"

Gulp!

He didn't answer back as Grizel nonchalantly added.

"And... seemingly, my precious Lucifer and Leviathan are also looking forward to playing with them"

Like a mother, she said as if giving her children a new toy.

Yes, Nine never felt this regret to ask a sheer question, now he is like hearing the fate which awaits Emma and her comrades.

To be continued...

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Author's Corner:

Hi everyone,

I just want to apologize for the late update,

My province got severe flash floods about 2 weeks ago, I can't forget that day at 3 in the morning when we were trapped and almost starved for 2 days on the second floor of my house if it ain't for my little sister saving her treasure box full of snacks.

(Ｔ▽Ｔ)

No electricity or Internet access to ask for help, fortunately, my mother's colleagues realized that we couldn't be found anywhere at the nearest temporary shelter provided by the government, thus, they reported to the searching team and we were safely evacuated from almost 7-feet-height floods.

Okay, this is our greatest regret not to learn how to swim...

(ಥ﹏ಥ)

You guys better not skip the swimming classes ever again.

Sorry for the bad chapter as I don't have much time to edit it since I need to help mom cleaning our house that left with 5cm-thick mud thanks for the remnants of the landslide that was swept along with the floods to our beloved small town.