"Miss Witch?"
At those words, Angel's heart nearly stopped. Her hand shot to the magic pocket watch, eyes sharp as blades as they fixed on the woman before her. She was ready to activate the Frenzy Ring's ability, to disrupt her opponent's mind and create an opening for escape.
"Don't be afraid. I mean you no harm."
Laura's smile carried genuine warmth, her words flowing with such sincerity that Angel almost let her guard down.
Is this an Extraordinary ability? Charm, or Persuasion?
She instantly thought of various abilities from the Assassin pathway, but clearly, this woman wasn't relying on simple verbal manipulation alone.
Has she already reached Sequence 6?
While her mind raced, Angel's finger had already found the crown of the pocket watch. One gentle press would grant her the Magician's three Extraordinary abilities, and her spirituality had already flowed into the Frenzy Ring, ready to unleash Frenzy at a moment's notice.
Only after these preparations did she allow herself to assess the woman's true intentions.
"I'm not from the Witch Sect, nor am I an official Beyonder. Like you, I belong to no organization."
Seeing Angel make no further moves, Laura covered her mouth with a soft laugh, her lake-blue eyes revealing a trace of allure.
"To show my sincerity, let me introduce myself. I'm Laura Swan, though you may also call me the 'Lady of Pleasure.'"
Pleasure... So Laura is indeed a Sequence 6 Beyonder, and specifically a Pleasure Witch of the Assassin pathway...
Drawn in by Laura's deliberately seductive yet somehow natural demeanor, Angel felt the masculine instincts of her former self stirring within. She forcefully suppressed the impulse, her face tightening as she demanded:
"How did you identify me as a Beyonder?"
She didn't let her guard down just because Laura claimed not to belong to the Witch Sect. After all, what cult member would openly admit their affiliation?
Well, except for those lunatics in the Aurora Order...
"It's quite simple. Your divination methods, certain small habits, even the name you chose at the divination club—'Divination Witch,' really..."
Laura laughed again, the sound making Angel's heart race with alarm. She almost removed the Frenzy Ring to avoid losing control of her own mind.
"Besides, I attempted to divine information about you and, unsurprisingly, failed. This confirmed you're a Beyonder of at least mid-sequence."
I see. Because I'm protected against divination, and an Instigator doesn't have anti-divination abilities, she concluded I'm at least Sequence 7...
"But why not Sequence 6, or even higher?"
"When you truly reach Sequence 6 and become a Pleasure Witch, you'll understand." Laura's answer was cryptic. Her gaze shifted, taking on an inquisitive quality. "What puzzles me is why the Sequence 7 potion didn't dramatically alter your appearance. Even women who become Witches should gain striking beauty, not something so... forgettable. May I ask—before becoming a Witch, were you male or female?"
Reaching Sequence 6 will make me understand... Does the Pleasure Witch transformation cause changes as dramatic as changing from male to female?
At least this Sequence 6 Lady of Pleasure can't see through the Frenzy Ring's psychological suggestion, and divination is disrupted by the hidden emblem. Such a combination could probably only be broken by high-sequence Beyonders...
Under Laura's curious gaze, Angel felt a strange sense that disappointing her would be sinful. She quickly halted her analysis and responded with the cover story she'd prepared for infiltrating the Witch Sect:
"Before becoming a Beyonder, I was indeed male. In fact, I'm rather curious—how many women would actually choose to become Assassins?"
This had been one of her persistent questions. Cole Granger and Tris were both male Assassins, and while Mrs. Sharon had never mentioned her past in Angel's memory, certain mannerisms and thoughts suggested she'd likely undergone the transformation at the Witch stage.
Could the Witch Sect have some perverse preference when selecting Assassin candidates?
She looked at Laura searchingly.
Could this woman also have once been...
"Perhaps there are more female Assassins than you imagine."
Seeming to perceive Angel's thoughts, the Lady of Pleasure's lips curved into an enchanting smile.
Is that supposed to answer my question? Wait—she could also be from the Witch Sect, revealing her identity to test me. Everything she's said might be fabricated lies!
Nearly lost in Laura's smile, Angel shivered and snapped back to awareness.
This is even more terrifying than Mrs. Sharon in my memories. Every word and smile makes people believe her, makes them reluctant to deceive her... Though that's not quite right—Cole was literally tricked into Mrs. Sharon's bed. Hard to say who's more formidable...
Her thoughts in disarray, Angel found herself saying:
"You claim you're not from the Witch Sect, but as far as I know, they control nearly all the potions of this pathway."
"That's true. Lower-sequence potions are manageable, but once you enter mid-sequence, advancing inevitably requires contact with them."
Laura's smile faded, her expression growing serious as she nodded.
"I was once a member of the Witch Sect. My 'mentor' assigned me tasks, helped me advance through sequences, and then I became a similar figure myself... For some reason, they prefer Beyonders who advanced from male Assassins. Perhaps because of this, I was constantly assigned tasks that weren't particularly important, but required...献身."
"This created a conflict between my actions and my heart, pushing me to the brink of losing control. It gave me the desire to leave."
Conflict between actions and heart can risk losing control? And by '献身,' she surely means what I think she means...
Angel raised an eyebrow and continued listening.
"In any case, I left them and came to Backlund, hiding my identity and starting a new life. As long as I don't seek advancement, everything is simple and easy."
Angel didn't entirely trust this woman who shifted between serious expressions and smiles. After all, from their previous encounter, Laura had shown considerable acting talent—everything she displayed might be a disguise to mislead others.
But if she were sent by the Witch Sect to test me, this approach seemed far too casual.
"I once had a mentor too. She made me a Beyonder and helped me advance," Angel said, pulling out the cover story she'd prepared for dealing with the Witch Sect. "Unfortunately, she died at the hands of official Beyonders. I came to Backlund to find the Witch Sect and see if I could join them."
"Join the Witch Sect? You don't actually think that after becoming a Witch, they'll still have you assassinating insignificant people or stirring up conflicts between gangs, do you?"
Laura's tone dripped with contempt for Angel's naivety.
"Of course, they're short-handed in the big cities, so they'll probably accept you quickly. Then they'll make you their pawn—getting close to certain important figures, controlling them. Though..." Her gaze swept across Angel's face. "You might not even be good at that."
From her tone, Angel could easily guess what methods would be used to "control important figures."
"Of course, if you're truly set on this path, finding them isn't difficult. Just let them know you have Assassin pathway formulas, especially mid-sequence ones. Someone will come knocking soon enough. Their strict control over potion formulas is one of the few good things the Witch Sect does."
Indeed, the very day I revealed a potion formula at Mr. A's gathering, someone came looking for me...
Angel recalled the man who had followed her that night, growing increasingly certain that someone from the Witch Sect was monitoring Mr. A's gathering. Perhaps her next appearance there would allow her to make contact with them.
"Sorry for interrupting your business. I should be going—I have a viscount's salon to attend in Queens later." The Lady of Pleasure, who seemed to have enjoyed their conversation, pulled out an elegant pocket watch to check the time. She picked up her hat from the table, using it to conceal her features, and rose from her chair. "If you don't return to the Witch Sect, perhaps we'll meet again."
As Laura moved to leave, Angel couldn't help asking the question that had been bothering her:
"How can you be so certain I'm not from the Witch Sect, seeking advancement here?"
Limited by her oath, Angel couldn't mention "acting" to someone unfamiliar with the acting method, so she used vague terminology instead.
"You mean 'acting'?"
Laura turned back, smiling radiantly.
"I've never seen a Witch Sect member slowly acting their role at a divination club. They just need to trigger a disaster affecting multiple people to digest most of their potion. There's no need to go about it your way."
Looking at Angel as if she were a naive child, the lake-blue eyes beneath her black veil showed an expression that might have been mockery or envy. Then she turned and left the divination room.