Maruti endured Kailith and Alice through all the lectures, finally managing to slip away from them when class ended. She made sure no one was following her and headed to the backside of the academy, where she met Esdeath as planned.
They walked around the outskirts of the forest, taking in the scenery. Maruti considered going inside to meet Penetrator but remembered he had gone towards the Kingdom of Awakeneds. She turned to Esdeath and asked, "Do you want that Golden Veins essence stone? I can give it to you, but I need something equal in return."
Esdeath immediately stopped walking and looked into Maruti's eyes without blinking for a few seconds. With a soft sigh, she turned her gaze towards the forest and raised her right palm. Suddenly, a huge flame burst forth like a beam, engulfing every tree in its path. Esdeath did this casually, without breaking a sweat.
"Wow, that amount of output!" Maruti realized what Esdeath was trying to convey. "You already got the Golden Veins essence stone and used it, didn't you?" Maruti asked.
Esdeath smiled and nodded. "I got it this morning from Igret. It's a pity she won't be able to give the Dragon Heart!"
Esdeath had already used Silver Veins, Steel Tendons, and even purified her blood with Lortell, along with many other things to increase her ESR talent. With her system, she could refine Rank B essence stones in an instant, so it only took her a few seconds to use the Golden Veins essence stone without any worry.
If Maruti were to refine her Golden Veins essence stone, it would take her a few days to completely absorb it. Of course, she could ask Kailith for help to absorb it within a few hours. But this was the great benefit of having a constellation, or more precisely, a system.
Maruti could only kick the dirt and sigh, "My useless constellation!"
She looked at Esdeath again and asked, "By the way, where is the auction?"
"Not too far away, but we better do some disguising before going there!" Esdeath replied. The moment she said it, her hair color turned reddish-brown, and her eyes changed to match, though the multiple ring patterns remained.
"Holy shit, Makima!" Maruti took a step back, acting shocked.
Esdeath's expression didn't change. Since Maruti hadn't learned these small magic tricks, they had to go to a shop and buy a wig and change of clothes. Esdeath also brought a monocle and wore it over her left eye to further disguise herself, while Maruti wore a long blonde wig with pink highlights on the lower side of her hair.
To enhance the disguise, She bought a black choker with heart shaped locket to give an bold look. Maruti, who usually didn't bother with such things, was now wearing fishnet stockings, had her nails done, and was wearing perfume she never usually used. She looked completely different yet very similar
Before she looked like an combination of a gal and mature tomboy while right now, Her tomboy vibe had stepped back, Letting her feminity take over completely.
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Meanwhile at the same time, Cassandra was in the royal palace, cassandra had talked to princess Ravenna about meeting the king and luckily there wasn't much work for king, Thus having some free time to meet her.
Although Ravenna was thinking of reporting this matter to maruti but yesterday was so mess that she forgot about it and when she remebered back, She thought it wouldnt be much of a problem thus gave up the idea.
The only thing indicating their identity was the badge of the Awakeneds Academy on their white shirts, so they changed into another white shirt instead.
"All done, let's go. Also, I'm Miss Red, and you are Lady Blonde. This will be our names every time we attend any secret auction or gathering!" Esdeath said calmly.
"Lady Blonde? What a weird nickname!" Maruti's face twisted as if she had eaten something sour.
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At the same time, Cassandra entered the royal palace to meet the king. She had requested Princess Ravenna to arrange this meeting a some time ago, and luckily, the king had agreed to see her today.
Ravenna had planned to tell Maruti about it yesterday, but after everything that happened, she completely forgot. Now, she was leading Cassandra through the long palace hallway toward a small open garden—a peaceful spot the king often used for private meetings.
The garden looked beautiful, like a piece of nature brought inside the palace itself. The sun's light filtered through the glass ceiling, making the flowers and trimmed grass shine with soft golden hues. Birds chirped from the nearby trees, and a gentle breeze carried the sweet scent of roses and jasmine. It was hard to believe such a place existed inside the palace walls.
Ravenna and Cassandra walked further in, followed closely by a royal guard. At the center stood a large rectangular table surrounded by elegant chairs, but one seat stood out the most—it was taller, decorated with gold patterns and red silk cushions. The king sat there, resting his chin on his hand as if lost in thought.
Cassandra immediately bowed gracefully, lifting the edge of her skirt in perfect etiquette.
"I greet Your Grace," she said softly.
Ravenna also bowed, her voice respectful and clear. "I greet Your Grace."
The king looked at her and frowned slightly. "Strengthen your back a little more. Lower your knees. And there should be a hint of a smile—joy, not fear."
Ravenna stiffened and quickly adjusted her posture, her back straight and her face forming a forced smile.
The king's eyes narrowed. "As the sole princess, You should be perfect in every way. Do you even know how many resources were wasted to raise your ESR talent?"
Ravenna's heart sank at those words.
"The royal family has never had anyone below 70% aptitude," he continued, his tone sharp. "If people find out the truth, they'll realize who you really are."
Each word hit her like needles piercing her chest. She clenched her fists tightly and bit her lip, holding back the words that burned inside her.
"I know it. I clearly know it. You don't have to remind me every time," she thought bitterly but didn't dare say it aloud.
"Now leave," the king said coldly.
Ravenna quickly stood up, bowed once more, and left with a polite smile that hid her pain. The guard bowed and followed her out, leaving Cassandra alone with the king.
The king finally turned his attention to Cassandra. "Sit down. Have some tea."
Cassandra nodded and sat gracefully, taking a small sip of the warm tea placed in front of her. The faint floral flavor helped calm her thoughts.
The king's voice was calm but sharp. "I know you and your father were close and had many conversations. So I doubt you came here today just to talk about him."
Cassandra met his gaze with an emotionless face. "You're right, Your Grace. I know you are wary of my sister—and I think I can help you with that."
The king smiled faintly, clearly interested. "I like people who get to the point without wasting my time. Continue."
Cassandra took a slow breath. "What I believe is that Maruti Vanara, Esdeath Mariette, and my sister Lortell are working together to overthrow the throne."
The king raised an eyebrow but didn't look surprised. "That, I already know. I'm not foolish."
Cassandra frowned. "Then why not expose her? Reveal to the world that she's a vampire. Other kingdoms would help you defeat her, and their alliance would break apart."
The king was silent for a few seconds. Then he sighed quietly and leaned back in his chair. "You might have already guessed the reason… We can't afford to lose her. Lortell is the only S-rank in our kingdom. Without her, we would be weak—and once that happens, other kingdoms will invade without hesitation."
He looked toward the shining flowers and continued, his tone heavy. "That's why we're trying so hard to hide this truth. If the world learns that Lortell is a vampire, using it as an excuse every nation will unite. They'll call her a threat, a monster—and when they come to kill her, they'll destroy everything connected to her, including me."
Cassandra listened silently, her fingers tightening around the teacup.
The king's voice turned bitter. "Even my own people would turn against us for protecting her. The kingdom of Ingrassia would collapse from within and end up colonized by others."
He looked up at the sky through the glass roof. "The presence of an S-rank is necessary… no matter what price we must pay."
Cassandra took another sip of her tea and looked straight at the king. "And what if I can give you several other S-ranks?"
The king's eyes widened slightly, a flicker of interest shining through. "Several?" he repeated, his tone doubtful. He leaned back in his chair, studying Cassandra's calm face. Deep down, he knew how impossible that sounded.
Having thousands of D and C ranks was normal—anyone with a bit of talent could reach that level. A-ranks were rare and precious, people who combined talent, training, and opportunity. But an S-rank… that was something beyond human effort. Even he, the king, couldn't reach that level despite all the resources and techniques he had access to.
Even the mighty Kingdom of Awakeneds only had two S-rank awakeneds—and they were treated like gods.
But Cassandra didn't look like she was bluffing. Her expression was too calm, her tone too confident. "More precisely," she continued, "I have candidates. People who have the full potential to become S-rank awakeneds."
The king chuckled, shaking his head slightly. "If you're talking about yourself, that I can understand," he said with a half-smile.
But Cassandra didn't even flinch. Her serious look didn't fade.
The king sighed. "Alright, let's say they do have the potential. Even then, it would take years before they grow strong enough to reach that level."
Cassandra placed her cup down and said firmly, "Ethan Rothslayer. He's at the top of my list. I want you to arrange an all-out duel between the First Division Commander and him. After that, you'll see it for yourself."
The king's smile faded. His expression turned grim. "Ethan Rothslayer? The first-year student who fought against Elara?" He frowned deeply. "His record is indeed impressive, but you're not understanding the situation."
He stood up and walked toward the garden's edge, gazing at the sunlight shining through the glass. "The First Division Commander—Caesar—is a genuine Rank A awakened, and one of the elites among elites. He's not someone an genius student can handle."
"I understand that very well," Cassandra replied without hesitation. Her eyes held a sharp, confident glint. "But I hope you'll put some faith in me, Your Grace."
The king looked back at her for a few long seconds before sighing. "Very well," he said finally. "The duel will take place in two hours. Tell him to prepare."
Cassandra stood up, bowed politely, and left the garden with quiet steps, her face unreadable.
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At the same time, Esdeath and Maruti had reached the location of the secret auction. It wasn't far from the black market where Kailith often went to get her medicines.
The moment they stepped inside, Maruti's eyes widened slightly. The place looked nothing like a dark underground deal spot—it was more like a high-class banquet mixed with a party. Elegant lights shimmered from the ceiling, people in expensive clothes chatted behind decorative masks or monocles, and soft music played in the background.
Esdeath wore a stunning red dress with a monocle covering her left eye, while Maruti stood beside her in her disguise—no mask, just her blonde wig with pink highlights flowing over her shoulders. Her look was so different from her usual self that even Esdeath almost didn't recognize her for a moment.
Waiters in neat uniforms moved around the room, serving drinks and snacks. Some quietly offered help to the guests. And why would not they?, Entry fees alone was ten silver coins after all.
Maruti took a glass of sparkling juice from a passing tray and smirked playfully. "Miss Red, this feels no different from a normal party. We didn't need to do all that disguise work!"
Esdeath raised an eyebrow, glancing at her outfit. "Then why did you roll up your sleeves, open your front buttons, and choose a crop shirt instead of a proper one?"
Maruti grinned and twirled a strand of her wig. "If I'm pretending to be Blonde gal, I have to look and act like one. Don't you think?" She winked and started walking ahead with confident steps.
Esdeath didn't reply and simply followed her, her calm red eyes scanning every corner. After a while, she quietly took the lead again, since Maruti clearly had no idea where to go.
They approached an elevator guarded by two servants. Esdeath stopped in front of it and said, "To the third floor."
The servant bowed slightly and pressed a button. But instead of moving up, the elevator started going down. The lights inside dimmed as the metallic doors closed behind them.
Maruti blinked in surprise, feeling the faint downward pull in her stomach. "Down?" she muttered under her breath. Then a small smile crossed her lips. "I guess all the illegal stuff happens in the basement."