The Author's POV

The room was beautifully illuminated by a glittering chandelier placed in the middle of the ceiling.

Click―!

The handle on the door to the room clicked as it was opened, and a moment later, a tall, graceful figure dressed in black clothing that were rather revealing entered the room, casting about.

Priscilla Pertinol didn't look around as she quietly walked toward the far end of the room, where a large window stood.

Arriving at the window, by her side, was a massive, 10-foot-tall glass pane that was gently tilted toward the side of the wall.

Reflected in the mirror was a graceful figure with long pink hair that reached the ends of her back, stopping right above her waistline. Two thin horns protruded from the top of her forehead, separating her hair and leaving her unable to hide her pristine looks that seemed to make any man drool.

Her face was carefully composed in an almost-statuesque placidity, absent even of the slightest emotion as her red eyes gazed past through the window.

"How many people have decided to sign up for the task?"

In the moment that she opened her mouth, the area behind her warped, and a black figure appeared out of thin air, with one knee to the ground and a respectful expression.

"We've received several applicants so far."

"A rough estimate."

"About a hundred or so."

Priscilla's delicate brows furrowed ever so slightly, unable to disguise her annoyance.

"This little?"

"Yes...it appears as though the other houses have put up similar quests."

"I see."

Priscilla gave a curt nod, the hint of a frown on her lips indicating that she did not appreciate having her hand forced in this manner.

"Looks like they caught on to my intentions."

"It appears so..."

The servant answered, his head lowering and his voice becoming quieter.

"What do you plan on doing? Will you still proceed?"

"..."

Silence filled the room as Priscilla contemplated. Originally, she had anticipated having more than a thousand different participants join her on this quest.

It wasn't just about her fame and good looks that attracted people to join her mission; it was also the fact that the monetary reward was high.

was definitely high enough to attract the attention of the

for her to beat. Her goal was to recruit as many talented people to her side in order to aid

would've thought that the other demons would see through her intentions and perform similar mass

as though there is a spy

was no change in Priscilla's facial features as she peered at her

kneeling on one knee, suddenly felt a powerful pressure bear down on his body for a split second before finding it disappear into thin air, and what followed was

"Disappear from my sight."

"Understood."

quietly melted into the background

Tak. Tak.

of Priscilla's heels reverberated throughout the room as she walked toward the chair of her desk and donned a fur-trimmed

hooking it around her shoulders and flapping it open with a light swing of her arm, the cape followed her as she walked toward the far end of the room, where she opened

with what I

***

sure that they won't

environment, his eyes darting toward his right and

was holding his hands at the edges of his hood, trying to pull it down as far

energy has also

"Haa..."

placing my hand over his shoulder, and shook my

the only group wearing hoods. If you look carefully, apart from a few, most people here

surrounding us as we stood in the middle of a large plaza. One look was enough to tell that the vast majority of

I was only referring to the people I could

to Jin, there were quite a few other people who had the same plan as us and were concealing their identities by donning hoods that were very similar to

less as we perfectly blended with the

"You're right..."

aware of the other

"Has everyone gathered?"

through the room, reaching the minds of

it effortlessly made its way into the heads of everyone present, and there was a slight alteration in the expression on my

fine control

on the level of my

Tak.

to the plaza, and with the tap of her heel, she drew the attention of those who were

of many people present changed, unable to hide

'This is dangerous.'

Suriol, an individual who had been close to achieving the rank of prince and was the same individual who

fight, I might be able to win...but

that she wasn't even one of the strongest demons in this city made me aware of just how dangerous the place

notch as I took a small step

"Hm..."

a second figure that was erecting itself behind her. He was also a demon, and he

her while maintaining a calm and