NOVPUBLady Windsor's palm trembled, and the light of the Messenger Stone flickered in and out of visibility.
Another Messenger Stone.
Undoubtedly, apart from the broadcast she had open for Kalal, this lady was also making a live broadcast to her own people.
Crack!
The two Hands of Void worked together effortlessly, seizing the Messenger Stone and handing it over to Arthur.
"A friend of mine, 'the Doctor,' once said—"
A good trick should never be used just once."
Arthur inspected the Messenger Stone in his hand, his lips curving into a kindly smile.
Lady Windsor, however, wasn't listening to a word Arthur was saying.
But as soon as the Messenger Stone was taken from her, she stood there, dumbfounded.
Shock, surprise, and then resignation flitted across her eyes.
The sort of resignation that people often describe as a third mocking, a third disdainful, and a remainder carelessly indifferent.
The expressions were intensely vivid.
The kind that's impossible to conceal even if one tries.
Yet there was no fear present.
'Perhaps...
this is how it's meant to end for me.'
Lady Windsor looked at the kindness in Arthur's face, without the slightest doubt that she was about to face death—the result she had indeed considered during her years of planning.
And she was not averse to failure.
After all, the likelihood of her plans succeeding had never been high.
As for resistance?
If it were someone else, this lady would surely resist.
But facing Arthur, she simply couldn't muster the will to resist.
The difference was too vast!
Such a difference that despair had long since taken root.
Yet to her surprise, Arthur did not act immediately; instead, he continued to observe the Messenger Stone, as if it was something out of the ordinary.
Still, Windsor could confirm that it was just an ordinary Messenger Stone.
After a good ten seconds or so, Arthur finally spoke.
"Can you tell me why you're doing this—apart from ambition, I don't sense that emotion in you, but there's a stubborn, strong feeling?
Can you satisfy my curiosity?"
"If I satisfy your curiosity, will I live?"
Lady Windsor counter-questioned with an undertone of impoliteness in her voice.
When a person is unafraid of death, oftentimes, they truly fear nothing.
Just like Lady Windsor at this moment, she just wanted to die quickly.
Because she was acutely aware that if she wanted to live, she would have to become a plaything for powerful figures.
What would follow?
Death was still inevitable.
Rather than dying a humiliating death after being toyed with,
she would prefer to meet her end with dignity.
That was Lady Windsor's thought.
Arthur guessed her mindset, so the Southern Lost Spirit Medium nodded quite seriously—
"Yes!
Pendragon just expressed his curiosity about you to me.
But as you know, curiosity can kill a cat!
And as everyone knows, cats have nine lives!
So, if you can satisfy my curiosity, it'll be like saving my cat nine times!
With that in mind, I can let you live."
Arthur spoke earnestly.
Lady Windsor, however, frowned.
She thought Arthur was insane—who ever heard of a cat being curious…
Huh?!
Pondering this, she glanced over at Pendragon, who was crouching on the deck.
Then, the lady saw a face full of curiosity, one of a cat.
Indeed, it was a cat face brimming with curiosity!
"Is it an Arcane Creature?"
Lady Windsor inquired.
"Mm."
Arthur nodded in affirmation.
"My aim was to prove that even as a woman, one can achieve what men can do... no, to surpass the achievements and strength of the vast majority of men."
Lady Windsor accepted the notion that an 'Arcane Creature' could possess curiosity.
As the heir to a Great Noble, Lady Windsor's knowledge far exceeded that of ordinary people.
Therefore, she modified her original intention of saying 'surpassing the achievements and strength of any man' to 'the vast majority of men' because she lacked the confidence to surpass Arthur, who stood before her.
And the young Southern Lost Spirit Medium nodded again—
"So that's the way it is."
Arthur's voice was gentle, his expression unchanging, while he swiftly organized his thoughts internally.
"Then...
I shall give you a chance to prove it,"
he said.
Lady Windsor looked astonished.
'What does he mean?
Prove it?
How to prove it?
Kill the Marquess of Ainhars?
This guy can't seriously be a madman, can he?'
Realizing that she was unable to follow the train of thought of the Spirit Medium before her, she involuntarily thought of those who had been distorted by their 'quest for power'—people who were inscrutable, just like the Spirit Medium from South Los.
Especially some of the individuals with pinnacle strength who, unlike ordinary people's perception of madness, kept eerily calm.
But in essence, they were far more insane than one could imagine.
Although Lady Windsor tried her best to conceal her inner thoughts, Arthur saw right through her.
To this, Arthur was indifferent.
Merely the relationship with Kalal was enough for Arthur not to choose to kill her directly.
Moreover, the power she possessed at the moment to control the Ainhars Territory was exactly what Arthur most needed.
Of course, aside from these two reasons.
Arthur had not anticipated that such an event would occur—
At evening time, Count Bernaken had his butler prepare a carriage to visit Viscount Windsor's estate.
This visit was extremely abrupt.
It was not in keeping with the etiquette of the nobility.
What's more, the Viscount Windsor, known for his reclusiveness, had long since stopped seeing anyone.
After all, who would live in a graveyard?
Even if that graveyard were fashioned like an estate.
After Viscount Windsor decided to seclude himself here with his old butler's son, Lady Windsor had the entire graveyard renovated.
The refurbishment of tombstones and crypts was naturally included in the process.
Most importantly, a building for her father to "rest" in peace was created, not sparing any expense.
Aside from various fountains being replaced with flower beds and the lack of many servants, it included all features such as stables, a vineyard, a cigar room, a smoking lounge, and a library.
One could say that apart from encompassing a graveyard, it very much matched most people's concept of an estate.
The messenger sent by Count Bernaken had braced himself for a reprimand from his master, but to his surprise, the pale-faced Viscount Windsor who smelled quite pleasant readily agreed to the meeting after reading the letter and even instructed the messenger to be cautious on his way back.
This took the footman by surprise.
He had never encountered such a benevolent noble.
Of course, he would never understand to his dying day why, after successfully completing his task without receiving any reward, the old butler would stab him through the heart with a knife.
"Pier was a good young man,"
sighed Count Bernaken, his hair graying and his face gaunt.
"No matter how good they are, those who have been charmed are unsafe." 𝑛𝑜𝑣𝑝𝑢𝘣.𝘤𝑜𝘮
The butler Lynn, slightly younger than The Old Earl but also middle-aged, reminded his master with a stern face, and took care not to forget to prompt his lord—
"Have you prepared how to convince that lord?"
