It was about five minutes later, in the luxurious hotel.
Under the soft, tranquil night sky, a shadowy figure gracefully passed through the moonlight.
A swath of silky white hair shimmered with the glow of a crescent moon.
This phantom hid in the shadows unseen, swift as a cat, quiet as a ghost. People were oblivious to her arrival, yet once she made her appearance, they couldn't help but be utterly captivated by her beauty.
Her name was Carmilla (Rider), also known as Mistress C, a mysterious female phantom thief who frequented hotels and casinos.
(The text refers to her First Ascension form, but due to well-known constraints, it cannot be displayed.)
This phantom was clad in a sensual and alluring deep red phantom thief costume. The overly revealing outfit perfectly accentuated her captivating contours, her supermodel figure, perfectly conforming to the golden ratio, practically threatening to burst through the fabric. Her long, straight legs were encased in deep red high-heeled boots, intentionally or unintentionally hinting at her torture-loving nature.
While Ei and his companions were at the mixer next door, this phantom thief had already infiltrated the luxury hotel and sent out her calling card. She planned to steal a valuable, priceless painting preserved in the hotel the following day. As a notorious, sexy female phantom thief operating in high-society circles, this was neither her first nor her last theft.
As a famous high-society phantom thief, she excelled at manipulating people. Her greatest joy was taking people's precious possessions; anything others valued as a treasure, she desired to obtain.
"The phantom thief's calling card has been sent. Next, I must confirm the escape route..." the phantom thief Carmilla whispered softly.
Just as she was preparing to check the escape route one last time, she suddenly heard the sound of multiple footsteps.
Phantom Thief Carmilla was well-accustomed to such sudden situations. Without a flicker of panic, she silently deciphered the lock on a nearby hotel room door, then swiftly slipped inside and hid.
A moment later, to her surprise, the footsteps not only failed to retreat but an electronic key card was used to open the very room she was in.
What an unfortunate coincidence; they were coming directly into this room.
Phantom Thief Carmilla hastily concealed herself in a nearby closet.
Through the crack in the closet door, she could see three Round Table Knights carrying a young man who was completely passed out from drink, placing him onto the bed.
It was Gawain, Tristan, and Mordred. They intended to let Ei rest in this room for the night.
"Let Ei stay here for the night," Gawain said. "We can't carry him, drunk as he is, back to the school dorms. The school authorities would definitely question us."
Tristan silently placed a glass of Water of Life on his bedside table.
Mordred noticed his small action.
"Hey, Tristan, what are you doing?"
"I was worried he might get thirsty in the middle of the night."
"Thirsty my foot! If he drinks that, he'll never wake up!"
"Is that so? I thought he seemed to enjoy drinking it."
"Did eating Gawain's mashed potatoes finally turn your brain into mush, too, so much so that it's fermented, swollen, and started sprouting potato flowers?" Mordred unleashed a torrent of abuse on Tristan.
"Did someone want to eat my mashed potatoes?" Gawain asked.
"Absolutely no one wants to!" the two replied in unison.
"Shh, stop arguing. Just let him rest." Gawain lowered his voice, and the other two cooperated, quietly turning off the light and tiptoeing out of the room.
Only after confirming their footsteps had faded did Phantom Thief Carmilla cautiously push open the closet door and silently step out.
Although the room was pitch black, her vampiric night-vision and high-tech phantom thief auxiliary devices allowed her to clearly locate and analyze key figures in the environment. Her gaze immediately locked onto the unconscious Ei lying on the bed.
Ei's face was flushed, and his breathing was heavy, clearly due to excessive drinking.
If one could ignore the heavy scent of alcohol, the young man was quite handsome and charming, with a slender build, fair skin, and somewhat androgynous looks. A faint melancholic air emanated from his brows, as if something were troubling him. As a vampire, the beautiful curve of his collarbone was particularly eye-catching.
The young man appeared to be the "silent," "honest," "introverted," and "serious" type of quiet boy. Through the eyes of a phantom thief, Carmilla judged him to possess high aesthetic value.
Although Phantom Thief Carmilla had no connection to this person, seeing such a beautiful and handsome boy lying defenseless on the bed was like a carefully wrapped gift placed before her.
"..."
The boy's sleeping appearance stirred Carmilla's inner sadist. She bit her pink lip with a touch of hunger, suddenly wanting to do something exciting and naughty to him, such as... mercilessly whipping him, or fiercely stepping on his face with the heel of her high-heeled boot.
But she quickly suppressed the impulse.
"No, there's no need to mind a little brat like this. The phantom thief's mission is more important."
If she had to choose to torment someone, tormenting a young girl was slightly more interesting.
However, she couldn't help but turn back, her heart still itching.
"...But, since the opportunity is rare, a little bit of mischief won't hurt, will it?"
Carmilla leaned down slightly, her pink lips close to the boy's neck, where she left a deep kiss, leaving a conspicuous hickey.
If the boy were to wake up the next day and see the hickey on his body, he would be shocked, wondering what sort of passionate, one-night mistake had occurred while he was drunk, and would frantically search for the hickey's owner. By then, Phantom Thief Carmilla, who had stolen the boy's innocent heart, would have vanished without a trace.
What kind of commotion would this hickey cause if his crush saw it?
Phantom Thief Carmilla, Mistress C, was eagerly anticipating the chemical reaction of that moment.
She reveled in her phantom thief's dark sense of humor, then looked at the cup of "water" resting on his bedside table.
Should she go all the way, take a sip of the water by his bed, and leave a woman's lipstick mark on it, making him even more certain that something had truly happened in the room last night?
This was certainly not something a high-society lady should do, but it was what Mistress C desired to do. With just a small trick, she could manipulate hearts and make people spin in circles. Once people fell into her trap, they could never get out.
Besides, the water in the cup didn't look like it had been touched, so it wouldn't compromise her elegance.
I'm sorry, boy, but you happened to cross paths with the famous female phantom thief.
Carmilla thought wickedly, lifted the cup, and took a sip. Her deep red lips intentionally pressed against the rim, leaving a pronounced lipstick mark.
But the very next second,
"Pah...!"
She unceremoniously spat out the liquid.
This... this isn't water at all!!!!!!!!
What kind of liquid is this? Is it alcohol? Why is it so savage? Why is it so spicy and intense? Why does it hit so hard?!
She could barely stand just from a single sip.
Oh no! Just one drink, and my consciousness is already fading...
Just how terrifying is the alcohol content? Does this boy drink this regularly? It completely contradicts his appearance! What a terrifying difference between appearance and reality!
Damn it, I can't stay on my feet!
Thud...
Phantom Thief Carmilla felt both light-headed and incredibly heavy, falling backward unexpectedly onto the boy's large bed.
Her consciousness completely blacked out.
Like a certain King of the Lostbelt, her Endurance was a pathetic E. Just one cup of the Water of Life was enough to take her out.