Henny got into trouble.
After returning to the residence, Henny kept bowing deeply to Liya over and over, apologizing nonstop.
Liya couldn't help but hold her head in frustration.
"Henny, you really did surprise me."
Liya truly hadn't expected that Henny, who looked soft and gentle like a little lamb, could actually send the Second Prince flying with a single punch.
According to the injury report, several of the Second Prince's ribs had been broken, and he had passed out directly into the pool.
She looked Henny up and down, her mind a little dazed as well.
Henny didn't look like someone with any real strength. How could she have beaten the Second Prince into that state?
If it weren't for the fact that the Second Prince was injured inside the academy, and Director Rashel's familiar, the natural sparrow, happened to notice in time and used magic to remotely pull the unconscious Second Prince out of the water pit, then the Second Prince, having fallen into that deep hole, might have lost his life there.
Henny lowered her head and didn't dare make a sound.
Although the one who struck was Safiros, Henny didn't want to expose her.
She knew very well that Safiros had done it to help her.
So she chose to bear the responsibility herself.
Henny closed her eyes, lowered her head, and hurriedly said, "I'll accept any punishment!"
"I won't bring trouble to the Clavenna family!"
"Even going to prison is fine!"
"Sigh."
Liya let out a helpless sigh, placed one hand on her waist, and shook her head.
"The issue isn't really about prison."
For now, the matter had been temporarily suppressed, and not many people knew that the Second Prince was injured.
And the key issue was that the Second Prince was currently unconscious.
Before returning to the royal capital, he had already been seriously injured and had spent nearly half a month recuperating at the Delin family's estate before recovering.
Yet not long after recovering, he took another hit from Henny.
The fact that no arrest warrant had been issued immediately could already be considered the emperor showing mercy for Viktor's sake.
After all, no matter how useless he was, the emperor's son was still his son.
"It mainly depends on whether the Second Prince will pursue this matter, and also…"
"For the next few days, don't go out. Wait until Viktor comes back."
After saying this, Liya turned and left the room, leaving Henny alone inside to calm down.
Once she stepped out of the room, Liya's expression instantly returned to calm.
If this had truly been done by Henny, she naturally didn't believe it.
How weak would the Second Prince have to be to be knocked flying by a single punch from such a frail girl like Henny?
Most likely, someone else had injured the Second Prince, and Henny was just taking the blame for them.
But no matter what, she still had to deal with this matter.
After all, Henny was family.
Liya took out the crystal at her waist and held it in front of her.
After a faint light swept across Liya's face, the white glow deep inside the crystal gradually began to flicker.
"Hello, Gwen?"
"It's like this, I need you to come over… mm, to protect someone."
———
On another mountain peak, more than a dozen men wearing different masks stood there.
They were all draped in identical cloaks, looking down at the royal capital.
It was the attire of demon hunters.
One masked woman slowly stepped out from among them, crossed her arms, and said calmly, "The Calencia Empire… it's been a long time since I've returned here."
"Lady Kefra has provided clues. The Empire's Second Prince is very likely involved with demons, possibly even an 'Original Demon'."
A demon hunter beside her relayed the information. After listening, the woman nodded.
"And there's also an imperial count, Viktor Clavenna, who is suspected of having connections to demons as well."
"But we have to take the council into account, so…"
"We can only send one team to investigate for now."
Beneath her mask, a dense killing intent surged in her eyes.
"Then let's begin."
"Verify it, and then…"
"Purge it."
———
The sun gradually sank beyond the western mountains, and pale blue hues dotted with stars climbed into the sky.
The cloaked demon hunters moved swiftly through the royal capital with agile bodies.
Before long, they arrived at the Clavenna family's residence.
They were the first reconnaissance team, and their primary goal was investigation, to determine whether demons were truly hidden within the Clavenna household.
Another team was the combat unit, which would infiltrate the royal capital to search for the Second Prince.
"Where is Lady Kefra?"
"There's been no news at all."
One demon hunter spoke as he lowered his head.
"Forget it. Don't worry about her for now."
"Viktor Clavenna isn't here, and the residence's defenses are weak. We can infiltrate."
"Remember, our target is demons only. Do not harm anyone else."
Demon hunters would never attack ordinary people.
Several demon hunters around him nodded.
"Yes."
They leapt lightly into the Clavenna residence. The moment they drew close, they sensed an extremely dense demonic aura.
Their hearts raced, instantly leaping to their throats.
All of the demon hunters grew serious at the same time.
This kind of filthy demonic presence couldn't be faked.
"So there really is a demon in Clavenna."
They exchanged glances, then moved forward under the cover of night, hiding within the darkness.
They made no sound at all, not even their footsteps on the grass produced the slightest rustle.
Very quickly, they infiltrated the residence.
"It feels like we got in way too easily."
One of the demon hunters suddenly whispered.
Along the way, they hadn't even seen any guards.
The vast residence felt as if it had been deliberately left completely open for them.
The leading man's expression turned grave.
But suddenly, his eyes widened in alarm.
"Damn it, retreat..."
The rest of his words got stuck in his throat like a stone, and not a single syllable came out.
Immediately after, a sharp, playful voice rang out with laughter.
"Since you're already here, don't rush to leave."
A black, crow-like shadow spread outward from the floor, completely engulfing the demon hunters.
They could only watch helplessly as everything around them began to change.
The building seemed to twist and distort, the surrounding walls becoming incredibly soft, while waves of darkness flooded the surroundings.
Even the moonlight disappeared at some point.
Then, that playful voice sounded again, "Let's play a game."
"Since you came here looking for demons, then…"
"Come challenge a demon."
In the boundless darkness reflected in the demon hunters' eyes, a mysterious figure, like a giant, continuously expanded its body deep within the darkness.
The crow's voice rang out once more, "Wrath."
"Don't kill them."
The instant the words fell, a storm of crimson metal shards erupted out of thin air within the surrounding darkness, spinning wildly.
A massive red crocodile, towering like a giant, lifted its head toward the sky. Its long tongue extended outward, saliva dripping between its sharp teeth, its eyes glowing red.
It stared at the group of demon hunters before it as if looking down on a swarm of insects.
A hollow yet thunderous voice slowly echoed, "Welcome, calamity!"
———
Another combat team moved through the skies above the royal capital, black silhouettes flitting like ghosts over rooftops and streets without making a sound.
As they hurried forward, they exchanged information with one another.
"Boss, the team that infiltrated the Clavenna residence has lost contact."
"It's like they vanished into thin air."
Among demon hunters, there existed an extremely special item.
It was an accessory called the 'Soul of the Hunt'.
Also forged from black crystal, it took the form of eye-like earrings.
This was the tool demon hunters used for communication during missions.
The earrings existed in pairs, so demon hunters usually operated in two teams at once, pairing up through the earrings to communicate with their matched counterparts.
"Boss, what do we do?"
A demon hunter wearing an earring asked the masked woman at the front of the group.
Upon hearing that a team had disappeared, everyone was stunned for a moment.
Even their pace noticeably slowed.
The woman's speed also decreased.
She was considering whether to return to provide support or continue toward their original destination.
Late at night, the palace was at its weakest in terms of security.
At this hour, the old emperor was already fast asleep.
And demon hunters, with their exceptional concealment abilities, could infiltrate the palace without being detected.
The original plan was that if they discovered the Second Prince truly carried a demon, they would immediately fully awaken it and draw it out.
That way, even if a battle broke out, they would have a way to lure the demon away from the royal capital.
All the demon hunters waited for their leader to give the order.
Their gazes all turned toward the masked woman at the front of the group.
She stopped on a rooftop, standing atop a chimney. Narrowing her eyes, she lowered her head and looked toward the distant palace.
"You go back and support them."
"I'll infiltrate the palace alone."
After receiving the order, the demon hunters all nodded heavily.
No one worried about her, because demon hunters never doubted this woman's strength.
After all, she was one of the seven strongest commanders among the demon hunters.
The team members exchanged glances, then leapt away in different directions, their figures instantly dispersing.
Only the woman remained, gazing toward the palace ahead.
Infiltrating the palace alone was actually safer.
Even if she were discovered, she could leave the palace on her own.
Aside from that old bastard Aubrey, no one could stop her.
She took a deep breath and pulled down the hood over her head.
The dark clouds gradually drifted away with the breeze, and the pure moonlight poured down slowly, like a corner of a lake shattered open.
It reflected off her silver-white long hair, as if it had been washed by a quiet river.
"I'm back."
"Aubrey."