Chapter 2240: "Hunt" Preparations

Chapter 2240: Chapter 2240: "Hunt" Preparations

Shard picked up the bead and looked at it through the sunlight outside the window. It felt as if there were crimson flames inside it, and as if eyes were staring back at him. The cat standing on the windowsill also cast a very interested look:

"Doctor, are you sure it can deliver a killing blow?"

"Of course, well...."

The doctor didn’t give a definitive answer this time:

"No one has ever done this before, and luck is also a decisive factor. So all I can tell you is that, even if it can’t deliver a killing blow, as long as it hits, the opponent definitely won’t be able to escape. I possess the power of the Maze Demon, and severely injured, it won’t have the ability to escape from my hands."

Shard was satisfied with this answer:

"So what’s the plan? How do we lure that thing out? Do we need a suitable venue, or a specific scenario?"

"That’s precisely why I came today. You go to Moon Bay for preparations first, and Old Man John’s relic for spatial movement will probably be delivered by the weekend; either Saturday or Sunday, I prefer Sunday. Once I arrive at Moon Bay, we act immediately. As I said: there’s only one chance."

Shard spent the entire Thursday morning discussing plans and making preparations at home with the doctor. However, Dr. Schneider did not stay for lunch at Shard’s place, as he had patients to attend to in the afternoon and needed to return promptly. Even when hunting demons, the daily care of patients was still necessary, so Bill Schneider was a modern-style Demon Hunter.

As for Shard, he was too lazy to cook for himself or go out to find a restaurant, so he took the cat to Moon Bay again. He reached Belindel Estate just in time for lunch; the Witch’s mother and sisters still hadn’t returned, so the only ones at the table were Shard, the Countess, and Emilia.

Of course, Mia and Little Unicorn were also there.

"Princess Margaret will arrive on Sunday."

Miss Belindel informed Shard of this news at the outset, and Shard nodded, not surprised at all:

"Margaret has truly been busy this year. Ever since her visit to Tobesk City at the turn of last autumn and winter, she’s been involved in almost everything. But I’m quite curious, how do the people of Moon Bay view this princess?"

"Previously, they thought she was not much different from other members of the Royal Family. But since those beautiful stockings appeared in the stores of Velindale, and our shops also started selling them, at least the noble ladies of Velindale have begun to like this princess. Now they are really sought-after items, and even with gold, they’re not easy to buy."

She spoke, a light smile appearing on her face.

"What stockings?"

The sharp-eared Elf Girl, who was eating fruit salad with a fork, raised her head in curiosity, prompting the Countess to cover her mouth and laugh, then instruct her maid:

"Matilda, after lunch, have someone take two... one unopened pair from the upper drawer on the left side of my wardrobe and send them to Emilia’s room as a gift."

She then explained:

"It’s a new product made in the factory with new technology. I don’t think even in the city of Saint Byrons Integrated Academy, there are such items. When you return, you could help promote it at Saint Byrons; though the chances are slim, you never know when there might be an opportunity to collaborate."

Emilia nodded in bewilderment, filled with curiosity. Shard wasn’t too keen on discussing the fabric on ladies’ legs at the lunch table. He considered mentioning that Tifa’s group was setting off later that afternoon, but then realized he could still speak on these matters:

"Just as my friend is investigating the Vampire Kind and hasn’t made any progress, other leads in our investigation are unclear too. I was thinking of handling Emilia’s issues in the coming days."

The Elf Girl immediately looked at him, and the Witch seemed worried; the earlier smile had disappeared:

"Are you sure you can handle it?"

"It should be fine."

Shard stroked the cat obediently squatting beside his hand, which gently rubbed his hand in turn:

"Don’t worry, when I say there’s no problem, there truly isn’t."

He didn’t look into their eyes.

After lunch, the trio headed to the study together. Shard asked Emilia to roll up the sleeve on her right side, and he took out a small bottle of black viscous liquid resembling caviar that the doctor had given him in the morning, brushing it onto the Elf’s fair skin with a small brush.

During this process, Emilia kept laughing because it tickled her, but when Shard finished his work she stopped laughing. Once the black liquid was washed off, a tattoo resembling the shape of a crow abruptly appeared on her right arm.

"What is this?"

She reached out to touch it but was held back by Shard grabbing her left hand:

"Don’t touch it, the pattern will disappear in ten minutes. It’s a curse; you guessed right, you have other Misfortune Curses on your body. Now I’m revealing it to confirm that I haven’t misidentified the source of the curse. If I’ve guessed wrong, it could be quite embarrassing... If you touch this pattern, the Source of the Curse will know."

The Witch looked seriously at the ’crow’ on the side:

"It seems indeed to be that thing, quite unexpected... When are you going to act? Do you need my help?"

"Probably Sunday, I’d like to borrow Belindel Big Bell, hoping the Bell Tower will be empty then."

This request would be nearly impossible for others but extremely simple for Bella Belindel:

"No problem, a few days ago, during a divination about the weather, I found out that from Saturday afternoon to Monday, Moon Bay will have stormy weather, which can be used to temporarily close the bell tower... Will I not be able to be present then?"

Shard glanced at her, offering a gentle shake of the head:

"It’s best not to."

The Great Witch of Destiny just pressed her red lips together and did not argue with Shard about this matter:

"Alright, but at least you have to take what I prepared for you. Ever since I heard you talk about this the last time, I’ve also made some preparations."

Shard then smiled and nodded, while Emilia asked:

"Something more dangerous than the cultists of Bitobesk, right... When you came to the Academy to find me in the middle of the night last time, asking me to take you to find that passage, you had such a serious expression."

She wanted to say "sorry" or "thank you," but in the end simply said:

"I’ll listen to you on everything, what preparations should I do in advance? Will Little Liana follow me at that time?"

"Ang~"

The pure white little beast gently rubbed Emilia’s hand with its unicorn, a unicorn’s way of blessing.

"It will follow you at that time. As for these days, you don’t need to make too many preparations, just keep a calm mind."

Emilia nodded, feeling that for the first time in her over fifty years as an elf, she had been so unmotivated in the past, feeling like she couldn’t accomplish anything. She looked down at the crow "tattoo" on her arm, watching the color of the pattern fade.

In a trance, she actually saw the crow wink at her. At that moment, she felt a peculiar sense of paralysis spreading from her arm towards her heart. But at the same time, seeing Shard not paying attention to it for a while, Mia leapt from Emilia’s shoulder to Shard’s chest.

The cat’s little paws pressing on her shoulder didn’t hurt at all, and the heart-paralyzing illusion vanished. Emilia suspiciously looked at the "crow" on her arm, which was now much fainter in color, but found no abnormality.

"Can you give me some of your hair?"

Shard asked Emilia again, and the somewhat absent-minded elf girl raised her head to look at him in surprise:

"What? Oh, I mean of course."

"Such a pure girl, hair, such an important thing, shouldn’t be given so easily."

The witch beside them laughed, but Emilia firmly tugged three strands from her hair. She handed the hair to Shard and watched as he produced a white steel ring, seemingly made from factory-crafted steel.

The ring’s outer surface was quite smooth, with no marks, but the inner surface had a circle of extremely fine wave-shaped grooves. Shard embedded Emilia’s hair into the grooves, then placed the ring on his left hand and gently twisted it twice to ensure the hair wouldn’t slip out:

"I’ll wear this ring throughout these days, Emilia, and return the hair to you after the weekend. Miss Belindel is right, hair isn’t something you can easily give to others."

"But you’re not just anyone."

She whispered, Shard smiled, while the witch continued to watch Shard with a peculiar expression, very doubtful about the relationship between the two. She decided to inquire specifically with Miss Benanis and Miss Sylvia when they arrived on Sunday. According to ancient elf tradition, the elf before her was still a minor, and she couldn’t let Shard make a mistake.

Having temporarily arranged Emilia’s matters, the Countess also talked about her own affairs:

"A few weeks ago, I had almost pinpointed the location of the two people who attacked us from the Light Worshipper Training Association in Whisper Hills. But now is not the time to take action, we’ll wait for our reinforcements to arrive from out of town before we act together. The opponent indeed has a Thirteen Ring Sorcerer, I am very aware of that."

She’s truly prudent in her actions:

"As for that black dragon scale we found deep in the sewers, I have made new research progress, come with me."

She led Shard to the basement, knowing there were things Emilia shouldn’t be privy to, so she didn’t follow along. She was genuinely curious about what the witch and Shard were discussing over lunch, so she took the little unicorn who clearly wanted to roam around the estate, back to her room.

Coincidentally, Miss Matilda was bringing that pair of textiles along, so she handed it directly to Emilia.

This was truly a high-end item, the textile was stored in a slim hard paper box, which also bore the advertising slogan and trademark "Make the girls more beautiful."

Emilia curiously opened it, finding white plants inside:

"Oh, is this silk fabric? Oh! So thin? Oh, it’s so light."

Once she took the textile out and unfolded it, she finally realized where this garment was supposed to be worn. Then her fair little face turned red immediately, but fortunately, only Miss Matilda was smiling and present:

"Go try it in front of the floor mirror."

Emilia asked softly:

"This... it’s quite expensive, right?"

"It doesn’t matter, this is also a gift someone gave to Miss."

She didn’t mention it was a token of thanks and hush money for "taking care of" Shard, so Emilia put it on and spent a good while in front of the mirror, her face blushing:

"Humans are truly amazing."

She whispered, very satisfied with the gift, even thinking about how to return the favor. The blonde maid looked at the pretty elf in the mirror, smiled with her lips pursed, and reminded:

"It’s not humans that are amazing, but civilization."