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In the eerie darkness, Sophia’s eyes could see through the gloom as if it were daylight. The mansion reflected in her vision was truly a sight to behold, a blend of grandeur and antiquity that exuded a peculiar charm. The overall structure, the decorative elements scattered throughout, and the subtle details all contributed to a scene that would leave anyone in awe.

It truly felt like a mansion befitting a prince. Having once scaled the walls of the Seventh Prince’s residence, Sophia could appreciate the architectural value of this prince’s mansion as well.

The corridor lamps in the mansion were all extinguished. Even a prince couldn’t possibly keep all the corridor lamps lit throughout the night.

Recalling the rough layout and routes of the mansion based on the map Joseph Hilman had provided, Sophia moved cautiously and deliberately. Then, in the midst of her careful advance, she heard it.

“Ah, really. Night duty is such a drag…”

A faint grumbling accompanied by the sound of footsteps echoed from the other end of the corridor. The light of a lantern cast a glow around the corner, catching Sophia’s attention.

The footsteps and lantern light grew closer. Finally, rounding the corner, a maid of the mansion appeared.

“Must be nice for the high and mighty. They don’t have to do night shifts in the dead of night. If only I were born into a noble family, I could’ve been a lady-in-waiting or a housekeeper instead of a maid.”

Though the maid grumbled as she passed, she didn’t notice Sophia. Using her stealth technique, Sophia clung to the ceiling, invisible to the maid. As the maid’s footsteps faded away, Sophia felt a twinge of guilt.

Tonight, something big was bound to happen in the prince’s mansion, and the maid on night duty would likely bear the brunt of the responsibility.

But that didn’t mean Sophia could shirk her duty. Clicking her tongue, she hastened her steps.

There were a few more night patrols along the way. Given the size of the mansion, it seemed multiple people were assigned to night duty.

The prince’s concubines resided on the second floor. Locating the third room from the east end, Sophia made her way there without hesitation.

Standing before the door, Sophia quietly heightened her Qi Sense to detect any presence inside.

Only one presence was felt within. It seemed the attendants had already been sent back to their quarters.

The presence felt like that of an ordinary Alb woman.

The Alb people, known for their seafaring prowess, were once notorious pirates in the Mediterranean and North Sea during their tribal days. Though they gradually integrated into human civilization after the Church’s expansion, their presence still carried a distinct maritime aura.

Yet, Sophia sensed something off about this presence.

‘It feels too… artificial.’

It was as if the presence was a stereotypical caricature of an Alb.

The Alb’s presence, though reminiscent of the sea breeze, was never uniform. After all, the winds of the Mediterranean and the North Sea were different, and the terrain and weather further altered their character.

Moreover, each Alb had their own individuality. How could there be such a rigid stereotype?

But the presence Sophia felt was precisely that—unnatural and stereotypical.

‘Let’s test it out.’

Confident in her assumption, Sophia decided to proceed with her verification. For her, verification was synonymous with an unannounced attack.

As the door swung open, a golden light tinged with jade erupted from Sophia. The light extended from her outstretched hand, striking the presence like a beam.

“Kyaaaah!”

The initial scream turned into a psychic wave, and Sophia grinned, baring her fangs.

“Reveal yourself!”

The figure, which had appeared as an ordinary Alb woman, transformed into a grotesque demon, exuding an impure aura. Sophia could also sense a meticulously crafted instrument enveloping the demon’s impure energy.

It was this instrument that had been shattered by Sophia’s Immovable King Wisdom Technique, revealing the demon’s true form.

‘So, this is how they’ve been hiding from the Church’s gaze.’

Making a mental note to inform the Cardinals later, Sophia charged at the demon, radiating a halo of light.

By combining the techniques of Infiltration Strike and Mountain-Shattering Strike, and extending her Qi Sense beyond her body, Sophia could strike distant targets through the void. This was known as Void Strike, or Harmonized Discipline, a technique that balanced the laws of two similar yet different energies.

When Void Strikes overlapped, they could not only strike lines and surfaces but also dominate a certain region of space. This was called the Aerial Domain or Controlled Cosmos, akin to the art of cosmic manipulation in esoteric practices.

The attack, which seemed to compress and tear apart space itself, seized the demon that had just revealed its form.

Caught in the Controlled Cosmos, the demon writhed in mid-air, its grotesque form horrifying as ever. With four arms, two heads, a humanoid upper body, and a cobra-like lower body, its head and back were covered in sharp, spiked armor.

Sophia’s hands moved without hesitation. Before the demon could react, her Long Sword, drawn from its sheath, pierced through the demon’s chest.

The delayed sound of flesh being torn echoed. The demon, not even realizing what had struck it, perished as its Blood Core was destroyed.

This sword technique, which seemed to skip the process and deliver the result directly, was the essence of the Heart Sword. Unless the opponent could perceive Sophia’s intent and react accordingly, they stood no chance against her spatial sword art.

Confirming the demon’s death, Sophia reached out into the void and grabbed something.

“Kyaah! Let go, you monster!”

In her hand was the demon’s soul, now shrunk to a tiny form. Though its Blood Core was destroyed, unlike ordinary witches or demon followers, a demon’s soul could resurrect over time. Or worse, it could possess a recently deceased body or a fetus in a mother’s womb.

Thus, Sophia had no intention of releasing the soul. Of course, she would first extract some information through interrogation.

“First, quiet down a bit.”

A flash of Five Thunder Seals erupted from Sophia’s hand. With a crackling sound, the demon’s soul’s screams turned into a whimpering cry. Sophia adjusted the intensity of the thunder just enough to prevent the soul from dissipating, calmly inflicting pain.

Once the demon’s soul had completely submitted and fell silent, Sophia broached the subject.

“Answer my questions truthfully, and I’ll let you dissipate without pain.”

“Even so, I am a proud member of the demon race! You won’t get any confessions from me!”

The demon’s soul immediately rebelled against Sophia’s words. After all, the promise wasn’t to spare its life but to let it dissipate. But…

“Torture me into submission!?”

What awaited was the relentless and emotionless Five Thunder Seals. Soon, the demon’s soul had no choice but to spill everything it knew.

 

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