Chapter 143: The Intruder

“Not bad.”

Following the attendant into the room, Muen casually glanced around.

A sweet, slightly cloying fragrance hung in the air.

Despite being in the lower city, this inn was undeniably luxurious. The bedding and sheets on the bed were clearly made of high-end silk, and the pink gauzy canopy cascading from the bedframe resembled a maiden’s wedding veil, exuding a dreamy elegance.

Even the floor was covered in soft, pure wool carpeting—clearly meant to provide ample “battlefield” for the couples staying here.

Only... the red candles, the whip, and the “rich lady’s pleasure orb” hanging from one wall were a little jarring.

Muen’s eyelid twitched.

After brushing off the attendant—who, oddly enough, seemed a little nervous—he walked around the room once before stepping into the bathroom.

Inside, the oversized bathtub and the massive full-length mirror positioned directly across from it made the corner of his mouth twitch again.

No doubt about it—this was a deluxe couple’s suite. The richer you are, the kinkier it gets.

Still, Muen didn’t think too much of it. After all, even if it was a couple’s suite, for a lone wolf like him, it just meant a bigger bed and a more spacious bath.

Wasn’t that even better? He could toss and turn all he wanted in bed tonight.

With that thought, Muen stripped off his clothes and slipped into the hot bathwater with a pleased sigh.

“Ahh... that’s the stuff.”

He couldn’t help but let out a groan of comfort.

After a long day of accumulated exhaustion, what could possibly beat a hot bath to soothe the body and mind?

Especially when that bath was in a luxurious two-person tub.

Muen leaned back against the tub’s edge, enjoying the way the fatigue gradually drained from his limbs, all while mentally planning out his actions for tomorrow.

Honestly, tomorrow’s agenda was simple: prepare the so-called Ancient Dragon Heartblood that Professor Mela had mentioned.

But now that he had time to think about it—he hadn’t paid much attention earlier in his rush to the meeting—that “Ancient Dragon Heartblood” sounded like a big deal.

“If I remember right, that stuff’s a banned item.”

Ever since dragons had collectively migrated to the hidden Dragon Isles deep beneath the sea, anything dragon-related had become increasingly rare across the continent.

Even a literal scale or claw fragment could sell for astronomical prices.

So by now, pretty much anything involving dragons was already forbidden from being sold on the market.

For instance, that Evil Dragon Blood he’d heard about before—just a single drop in a potion could push its price past a hundred thousand.

And those so-called evil dragons? Most of them were just demi-dragons or offshoots with impure bloodlines, tainted by all sorts of elemental corruption.

Nowhere near the level of a true Ancient Dragon.

And yet... Mela had asked for Ancient Dragon Heartblood—which meant it had to come from a genuine ancient dragon.

Muen immediately felt a headache coming on.

With the Duke’s estate's connections, getting such contraband wasn’t impossible—but it would definitely take time.

Yet Professor Mela had seemed really pressed for it.

“So... looks like I’ll have to try my luck at the black market?”

If he remembered right, the black market should’ve reopened by now.

And {N•o•v•e•l•i•g•h•t} speaking of the black market...

“I still have a certain debt that needs settling, don’t I?”

...

...

As his body relaxed, a wave of drowsiness crept in.

The soundproofing in this couple’s suite was apparently top-tier, too—he couldn’t hear a single moan or groan from the rooms around him.

But in that hazy in-between state of near sleep, his senses—sharpened by the refinement from the Mercury Well—picked up a faint sound.

A door opening.

...Room service?

Wait, room service?

He hadn’t ordered anything. And this was a couple’s suite. Anyone barging in here uninvited would be lucky to avoid getting their face punched in.

Muen jolted awake in an instant.

He held his breath and strained to listen for any sound beyond the bathroom.

It was too quiet.

And that silence only made the hairs on his neck rise.

—He was sure he hadn’t imagined it. Which meant...

Whoever had slipped in had been able to completely bypass his detection.

That meant they weren’t weak.

Who was it?

A cultist of the Evil Gods? Or one of those thugs he’d pissed off earlier today?

He was leaning toward the former.

Those bastards had been after him for a while now. It wasn’t surprising they’d try a nighttime ambush.

Muen reached over and turned off the bathroom’s magical light source, preventing any shadows from giving away his position.

Then, silently, he got up, threw on some basic clothes, and secured his spatial gear.

But he didn’t immediately draw his twin short blades.

Their pure white edges, inlaid with golden filigree, were too conspicuous in the dark.

Fortunately, his eyes were already adjusting to the darkness.

Step by silent step, he crept to the bathroom door and cracked it open just slightly.

With a single glance, he confirmed it: someone else was in the room.

The pink gauzy curtains that had been tied up earlier were now untethered, swaying gently in the breeze from the open window—like the hem of a teasing skirt.

Muen’s eyes narrowed.

Knowing someone was there but being unable to pinpoint them only confirmed his suspicion.

No low-rank thug had this level of skill.

These damn cultists were relentless. How had they tracked him here?

Were they posting lookouts at the Academy gates?

But there was no time to dwell on that now.

Slowly, Muen pushed the bathroom door open and stepped out into the room.

As the cool draft brushed his back, he felt like prey walking into a hunter’s snare.

Somewhere in the shadows, that hunter was grinning with bared teeth.

“You think I’m some helpless little lamb? Careful you don’t break your fangs trying to bite me.”

He kept to the edges of the room, pressing close to the wall to avoid a sneak attack.

There weren’t many hiding spots here. Moving slowly, he scanned each shadowed corner.

The sofa...

The curtains...

Behind the flower vase...

Nothing.

It was as if the intruder had vanished into thin air. The only sound in the room was his own quiet breathing.

That left only one place—

The large, pink-canopied bed at the center of the room, veiled in fluttering gauze.

Was this... a challenge?

Muen let out a humorless laugh.

He wasn’t the same guy from a month ago. Whatever this cultist was after, if they dared underestimate him...

He’d grind their face into the ground until they regretted being born.

Lowering his breath, Muen crept forward.

One hand reached behind his back, pulling out the hilt of a dagger from his spatial gear.

He hunched low, like a panther preparing to strike, muscles coiled.

With his other hand, he slowly lifted the curtain.

The gauze fluttered.

And then—he saw it. A shadow shifting on the bed, barely perceptible.

Before he could react, it lunged at him.

The chill down his spine spiked.

Without hesitation, Muen drew his blade.

The pure white edge shimmered slightly, as if disrupting some unknown influence.

A sharp arc of light slashed through the darkness like a falling crescent moon.

“...Huh?”

A small sound of surprise echoed through the room.

The shadow seemed... confused. Like it hadn’t expected this turn of events.

But it didn’t stop. It surged toward the blade—like a moth diving into flame.

And just as the blade’s brilliance illuminated the shadow’s face—

—it suddenly veered off course.

Like a sports car swerving at 200 mph to avoid hitting an old lady crossing the street.

Muen lost his balance.

In the same instant, the shadow’s pale, elegant hand grabbed the collar of his still-unfastened shirt.

His body flipped.

The world spun.

The next thing he knew, the shadow was on top of him, pinning him down on the bed in one smooth motion.

The way she moved—effortless, practiced—like she’d rehearsed it a thousand times.

A familiar floral scent flooded his nose.

The shadow lowered her face, and in the faint light, revealed a now-reddened, elegant face—flushed with excitement.

“Long time no see... Young Master~”