### Chapter 77: No Crows
When I woke up in the morning, the beauty beside my pillow was nowhere to be seen.
I yawned, stretched like a cat, rubbed my eyes, sat up, and gave my messy black hair a wild tussle. I pulled the collar of my nightgown back up to my shoulders and just sat there, lost in thought.
My feet were kicking nervously, and my gaze fixated on the flat bedside table in front of me, where a neatly stacked set of dresses and slips lay.
…My b*tt feels a little itchy.
I reached to scratch it, only to find the soft, smooth skin beneath my fingers—suddenly shocked, my brain kicked into gear.
Did I… go commando last night?
Please tell me Victoria didn’t do anything while I was asleep!
I immediately began groping myself haphazardly, slipping my hand under my nightgown to check—everything seemed intact, no strange or unsettling pain anywhere.
But some things can’t just be confirmed with a quick pat…
So, in a panic, I crawled off the large bed, my bare feet touching the carpet. After a moment’s hesitation, I took cautious steps forward, one, two…
…Everything’s fine.
Feeling braver, I opened my stride a little wider, pacing around the bedroom, lifting my skirt and bouncing a bit as I went.
All’s normal.
I’m still a total stud, no doubt about it.
“Ahh—”
I let out a gentle sigh of relief.
But then, out of nowhere, a very peculiar, odd emotion started creeping into my heart. I suddenly looked down on that woman with a hint of disdain.
Such a tease…
Last night, you had me under the covers and didn’t dare do a thing…
Are you some sort of harem novel’s male protagonist?
Or am I just not cute enough? I mean, I’m absolutely adorable… How could you resist?
Feeling embarrassed here… You could have at least tried…
…Why do I even care about this? I should be terrified of that sort of thing…
My feelings were a jumbled mess.
But at this moment, I felt a strange sense of liberation.
After a quick wash, a young maid brought me a new dress, which, of course, included a slip—complete with lace-trimmed pumpkin pants. I couldn’t tell if that was Victoria’s taste or not.
“Where is she?” I asked the maid.
“Her Majesty went to the southern wall to keep watch,” she replied respectfully.
“Oh…”
I declined the maid’s offer to help me change, letting her leave first before I slipped into my clothes, put on my shoes, and headed downstairs. The dining hall was all set with a piping hot breakfast that looked exquisite but somehow didn’t whet my appetite—just a bland soup full of veggies. Only Victoria could enjoy such a meal.
Nevertheless, I cleared my plate.
After eating, I didn’t linger. Stepping out of Mansion No. 2, I suddenly stopped at the massive iron gate, turning back in confusion.
Did I forget something?
I tilted my head, pondering for a long time but couldn’t recall.
Oh well…
I scratched my face and furrowed my brow as I made my way back home.
Since I didn’t have my keys last night, I had no choice but to climb the wall today. I crept over to the side wall, glanced around for patrolling guards, and jumped down into the courtyard, jogging a few steps before activating my Moon Step ability, soaring up to the terrace in a flash.
I shook out my wrists and ankles, twisted my neck, and let out a breath.
My body control is getting sharper. My speed and strength have improved significantly… I can’t tell if it’s practice or because I devoured the Teresa Monster…
It’s probably because I ate that monster.
Though I’d faced some nail-biting nights since then, it seems that the results from devouring have been good so far. The chaotic power from the Abyss is growing stronger, but as long as I keep feeding it, it stays obedient, and I’m just the same as I was—no changes.
So, should I eat more monsters then?
Whether it’s the Abyss or the Gate of Truth, I could wipe them out, consume them, stabilize my state, gain more power, and then eat even more monsters…
I could just eat them all.
That way, I wouldn’t have to hold back and feel so awful about it—it’d be unnecessary.
Lost in this train of thought, I tiptoed into the mansion.
I glanced around. Compared to yesterday, neither the terrace nor the second floor showed any obvious changes. The corridor candles were still burning brightly, though getting low as they had been on for a whole night. Everything else seemed fine.
I stood on the edge of the corridor railing, peeking over to glance downstairs.
It was silent below.
Closing my eyes, I listened intently for a moment, but heard no noises. Turning, I went back to my room, checked everything, rifled through the drawers of my vanity, and searched back and forth in my wardrobe. After rummaging for a while, I found nothing missing.
I sat down on the bedside, resting my chin on my hand, frowning deeply and thinking for a long time.
…Last night, I must’ve stood on the terrace, eaten a little bird, and then fell asleep.
After I dozed off, I had a nightmare, entering a strange dream that seemed to be trying to convey some message.
A hospital bed, a syringe, an operating table, strange meat placed in a vessel.
A blank book of poetry and a black cloak adorned with thorny flowers.
And in that final moment, a fear and sorrow sprung from the depths of my heart… What does it all mean?
I don’t know.
No memories at all.
But somehow, it feels like someone was telling me it was related to my past.
Maybe I need to take some time to think it through and sort things out…
…But first, shall I go eat?
I barely had a bite at Victoria’s place, so I didn’t feel satisfied. Thankfully, there was some food at home that Aili and I bought together yesterday—
I was just getting ready to stand up when I suddenly spotted the black leather case carrying Captain Gray that I had left by my feet, and froze.
Could that be…
Curious, I walked over, knelt in front of the case, and reached out to touch it.
The case was flat against the corner, black as if it absorbed all surrounding light, made from Shanter Castle’s special leather—sturdy and resistant to scratches. I opened the box, revealing Captain Gray, neatly folded into three parts, his sharp scythe reflecting a cold glimmer in the dim light.
Strange…
Wasn’t it propped against the wall before? How did it end up like this… and in this position?
Could it be… someone moved it last night?
!
Did someone break in trying to take the case but couldn’t move it, ending up just shoving it over here before fleeing in frustration?!
With that thought, I immediately dashed out of my bedroom, racing to the terrace, jumped up onto the roof in one graceful leap, and once perched, scanned my surroundings. I cupped my hands around my mouth like a trumpet: “Forgiveness Head!”
“Rect—!”
No response.
I tilted my head, then shouted again, “Sword of Kanli!”
“Is anyone there?!”
“I need something—I’m looking for you!”
Clunk.
A slight sound came from the back of the mansion, near the alley. I quickly turned to follow the sound and saw a figure stepping out from the bushes below, a man bearing the symbol of a sword on his shoulder.
“Miss Silvya, what’s the matter?” he called out, standing on the other side of the high wall in the backyard and looking up at me.
I instinctively smoothed my skirt.
A stranger…
But since he knew my name, he must be aware of my identity, so I skipped the pleasantries and got straight to the point: “Did you happen to be here last night?”
“I was,” the man replied.
“Did you see… anyone suspicious?”
He paused at my words and then shook his head: “No.”
“Really?” I raised an eyebrow.
My apparent doubt seemed to irk him.
“Miss Silvya, I spent the night here on watch, and there were five others with me. We are all close by. Not even a mouse could escape the Sword of Kanli’s attention. Mansions No. 2 and 3 are within our surveillance range. I know you were with Her Majesty last night, and if you suspect someone sneaked into Mansion No. 3, I assure you, apart from our captain, no one else could do it—even someone as powerful as you.”
He wasn’t just boasting.
Because the first time I snuck into Mansion No. 2, they spotted me immediately.
…But what on earth happened?
Did I actually misremember? Was the case always positioned like that?
The man waited for a while, seeing I stayed silent, and continued, “I say this not out of disrespect. I just want you to trust the Sword of Kanli’s abilities. Miss Silvya, what’s going on?”
“Nothing. Thank you,” I replied, shaking my head gently.
Hearing me, he bowed slightly: “If you need our help for anything, please sound the bugle; the captain has given it to you, right? If you blow the bugle, we’ll be there in a flash… I know you’re powerful, but protecting you is also Her Majesty’s command to us.”
The bugle…
Rect did give me one when we went to Cataloma, but I think it got burned…
Still, I nodded at him: “Hmm, thanks.”
If the Sword of Kanli didn’t notice anything, I must have been overly sensitive… Maybe the case was always there, and I just never paid attention.
Ah, let’s return…
Just as the man was about to vanish back into the shadows, suddenly I remembered something, my scalp prickling, and I hurriedly called out: “Wait!”
He turned back.
“Last night…”
I hesitated for a moment, my mind racing, and quietly asked, “Did you happen to see me… on the terrace?”
My body tensed, staring straight at him, fists clenched, my heart racing.
Regretting won’t help. I had overlooked this detail, thinking the distance between the mansions would make me safe at night, and I acted foolishly… I used Dead Smoke but forgot the Sword of Kanli was still around.
What would happen if he saw me…?
Should I k*ll him? But he mentioned five others… are they all there?
My eyes began darting around, searching for signs of the other members.
At that moment, however, I noticed a flicker of anger flash in the man’s eyes. He seemed to be struggling to contain his emotions: “Miss Silvya, are you questioning my integrity as a warrior? Or my honor as a member of the Sword of Kanli? Our duty is to protect! The Sword of Kanli would never pry into the privacy of our targets. I don’t know what you were doing on the terrace; we only focus on movements outside the mansion. Please don’t make jokes like this.”
I stared into his eyes, and after a moment, I relaxed, offering an apologetic smile.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean it like that…”
I lifted my skirt slightly, giving him a distant curtsy.
“I just had a question. Last night, before I left, did you see any crows fly by?”
He frowned, “Crows?”
“Yeah. Because I… have a pet crow. But it hasn’t returned for several days, and I think I saw one last night on the terrace… did you see it?”
I subconsciously lied.
Hearing my words, the Sword of Kanli lowered his head, pondering.
But he quickly raised his head again: “From dusk until night, before you suddenly left for Her Majesty, a total of nine birds circled the mansion. None of them were crows, so you must have seen wrong.”
My heart plummeted.
“Right before I left, you…”
I thought it over, but didn’t dare voice my doubts by asking, “Did you make a mistake?”
“Before you left, only two white sparrows flew past, and they quickly disappeared. If you were on the terrace, you should have seen them.”
The man said, “Miss Silvya, I think you must really miss your crow.”
“…Yes,” I replied quietly.
