Chapter 37: Night hunt
The days passed rather quickly for someone who was stuck indoors.
Ronan had spent almost a week in the Duke’s Mansion, yet he still couldn’t get used to it.
His wardrobe was stocked with female dresses, a lifestyle he had no choice but to get accustomed to at this point.
Meanwhile, he and Yen spent most of their time in his room. Because of his boredom, Ronan had begun interacting with Yen quite frequently, telling her stories about Earth and the life he had once lived there.
The stories sounded completely foreign to Yen, but at the same time, they further reinforced the claim that Ronan was a Maiden from a distant foreign kingdom.
Before long, the two of them grew closer.
At least close enough for Yen to hide her killing intent better.
Just as Ronan had ordered, she spent her days eating the food meant for him.
The amazing thing was that, despite not eating any of it himself, Ronan never seemed to lose weight or grow weaker.
He remained as strong as ever.
But only Ronan knew what he was truly going through.
He craved human flesh.
Yet where was he supposed to get it?
If this continued for much longer, he would eventually become weaker and weaker.
Ronan knew he had to eat.
And to eat...
He needed to complete the ritual.
But one of the biggest changes that had occurred during that week wasn’t related to him.
It was the Duke’s Mansion itself.
The atmosphere had become increasingly heavy.
Even without anyone telling him anything, Ronan could tell that the matter involving the Royal Family still hadn’t been resolved.
Bama hadn’t been seen since that day either.
Instead, Ronan frequently saw guards and members of the Duke’s family rushing in and out of the mansion.
Where were they going?
Ronan had no idea.
But he could tell that whatever was happening was far more serious than they realized.
With the impending changes drawing closer, Ronan finally decided to take the risk.
At this point, if something happened to the Duke’s family, he and his tiny five-star Transcendent Realm strength would be nothing more than cannon fodder.
He had to become stronger.
It was nighttime when Ronan called for Yen.
His expression was solemn.
"What I’m about to tell you must remain a secret. No one can know about it."
He paused.
"For your own safety."
Yen felt slightly uncomfortable.
Over the past few days, she had grown a little closer to Ronan, especially because he had been feeding her and telling her stories about another world—a world with a far more advanced society.
She couldn’t help but wonder...
If she and her sister had lived in such a place, perhaps the so-called "government" Ronan always talked about might have protected them.
Slowly, she found herself longing for that kind of life.
But tonight, the Maiden had suddenly summoned her and spoken with such seriousness.
Yen immediately realized that whatever Ronan wanted to tell her was important.
She listened carefully.
"I need you to kill five humans tonight and bring their bodies back to this room."
Yen stared at him.
For a moment, she wondered if she had heard him correctly.
She had expected Ronan to ask her many things.
But killing people?
"Why are you acting surprised?" Ronan asked. "Aren’t you an assassin?"
"But, Master..."
Yen hesitated.
"Are you sure? Besides, we’re in the Duke’s Mansion. How am I supposed to kill five people and bring their corpses back without alerting anyone?"
Ronan sighed.
"That’s for you to figure out."
He paused before continuing.
"Also, make sure their blood doesn’t leak out before you bring them into this room."
"I don’t have any specific requirements. You can choose people who seem like the worst kind of criminals or scum in society."
Ronan glanced toward the window.
"It’s ten o’clock. From now until midnight, most of the guards will be stationed on the other side of the Duke’s Mansion, leaving only two at the main entrance."
"As long as you get over the outer wall, you should be fine."
He looked at her seriously.
"And tell me you have something that can mask the smell of the corpses, especially the smell of blood."
Ronan finished speaking.
Yen stared at him in silence.
This...
Was incredibly detailed.
Could it be that the Maiden hadn’t simply been staying inside the Duke’s Mansion all this time?
Had she actually been studying the entire place?
All for this moment?
Yen remained silent for a while as Ronan watched her.
At this moment, Ronan was actually the most nervous person in the room.
He had no idea whether this would work.
But lately, he had constantly felt uncomfortable, as though something terrible was about to happen.
And just as his grandfather had once told him:
"A chick only lives to adulthood because it learns to follow its instincts and escape into the grass when the eagle takes to the sky."
—Grandpa Cedric
Another golden piece of wisdom from his grandfather.
The more Ronan grew, the more he realized that the things his grandfather had taught him were true.
No wonder that old hermit had managed to live for so long.
Ronan trusted his instincts.
And he had decided to do it tonight.
It was now or never.
Besides, this was another major step toward achieving his future goals.
Just as Ronan was lost in his thoughts, Yen finally spoke.
"Yes, Master. I’ll leave now."
She glanced toward the window.
"Leave it open."
Ronan nodded.
He walked over and opened the window.
Yen climbed through it and then leapt into the darkness in a single swift movement.
Ronan looked around.
Just as he had predicted, there were no guards nearby.
But when he looked back toward the spot where Yen had been...
She was already gone.
Only now did Ronan realize how she had managed to move around for so long without being caught.
She was incredibly skilled.
And her Trait complemented her abilities perfectly.
Suddenly—
Grrrrr...
Ronan’s stomach growled.
His expression distorted as an intense hunger for flesh and the taste of blood overwhelmed him.
His crimson eyes seemed to brighten.
His fangs slowly protruded.
Ronan gritted his teeth and forced himself to endure the hunger before eventually collapsing weakly onto the bed.
"Just a little longer..."
He clutched his stomach.
"Hold on, you bastard."
His body trembled as he desperately fought against his hunger.
**********
Meanwhile, Yen successfully climbed over the wall.
For a moment, she realized that she was free.
She could run.
She could put as much distance as possible between herself and the Duke’s Mansion.
But alas...
She slowly touched her neck, feeling the slave collar wrapped around it.
That was merely a dream.
With this collar around her neck, no matter how far she ran, the moment Ronan decided her life was over, she would die instantly.
So, clenching her fists, Yen disappeared into the night, heading toward the streets to find the unlucky prey Ronan had requested.
Of course, she knew the Maiden had her secrets.
Especially after spending an entire week without eating or drinking yet remaining perfectly healthy.
But now that Ronan had asked her to kill humans, Yen couldn’t help but wonder if she was finally about to discover the reason behind the Maiden’s strange behavior.
The more she thought about it, the more curious she became.
The crimson-eyed Maiden had always been a mystery.
No one knew anything about her.
And now...
Now, Yen might be the first person to discover who she truly was.
Crack!
The ground beneath Yen’s feet brole apart as she suddenly accelerated.
She leapt onto a nearby rooftop and lightly landed on the roof beam.
Her sharp eyes swept across the capital like those of an eagle searching for prey.
Tonight...
She had five people to find.