Standing before the mansion's front gate, Laila hesitated for a long, painful moment before pulling Shion through the open entrance.
Leaving in a fiery huff only to crawl back a few hours later was deeply humiliating. She knew it was a super lame retreat—one that would undoubtedly become gossip among the household and earn her endless verbal teasing from Regulus. But she had forced herself to accept the shame. No matter what, she couldn't let Shion sleep on the cold streets, nor could she risk the rumors if two elven trade ambassadors were spotted sleeping in an alley.
As the two elves moved down the cobblestone path, Ninja Girl Zero emerged silently from a dark corner. She closed the gate she had left unlatched for them, her dark eyes tracking their retreating figures.
'Making them return wasn't difficult, but it certainly took long enough,' Zero thought, slipping into the shadows. She sped past Laila and Shion, heading directly toward the inner quarters to report her mission complete—and to claim the private reward that was rightfully hers. She was already far behind her other sisters tonight.
Meanwhile, Laila and Shion walked through the central courtyard, feeling an uncanny sense of emptiness. Although it was late, it wasn't so late that every single soul should be asleep. With over a hundred women residing in the estate, it was practically impossible for the corridors to be this completely deserted.
They searched until they reached the inner residential wing, where warm, bright light spilled from the large paper screens of the main hall.
"They must all be in there," Shion murmured.
"Probably," Laila grunted, her brow twitching. "After all, that insufferable guy just returned today. The girls are likely throwing him a welcome party."
Laila felt a wave of internal depression. Seeing Shion's curious gaze toward the room, she secretly regretted not listening to Sphinx's advice earlier. She felt she had acted far too emotionally, doing things completely out of character.
Yet, as she thought about Regulus, a strange realization struck her. Although she still felt annoyed, the burning, sickening disgust that had made her want to vomit whenever she thought of him... seemed to have vanished.
'Could it be... that after spending time around him, I'm actually just getting used to his presence?' Laila wondered, oblivious to the mark's subtle assimilation.
"Laila, what did you just whisper?" Shion asked.
"Nothing! Let's just go see what kind of party they're holding," Laila changed the subject quickly, tugging Shion forward.
"Wait, wouldn't it be intrusive if we just burst in?"
"It's fine. That thick-skinned fellow won't turn us away," Laila scoffed. "Besides, every other day he actively approaches you with endless excuses. If we walk in ourselves, he'll probably be thrilled."
As they closed the distance, a series of muffled, delicate sounds filtered out through the heavy doors.
Their steps halted instantly.
Although the noise was somewhat obscured by the thick wood, the familiar, breathless whimpers were something they had heard multiple times during their journey. But what made Laila's eyes widen in sheer shock was the scale—it wasn't a single voice, but a grand, overlapping choir of dozens upon dozens of women gasping in unison.
"L-Let's go back!" a bright red Shion whispered, desperately pulling at Laila's sleeve.
"No... something is very wrong here," Laila muttered, her curiosity overcoming her judgment. "I need to confirm what's happening."
Releasing Shion's hand, Laila cautiously stepped up to the sliding door and pushed it open a tiny crack.
The scene inside left her jaw dropping.
In the vast, softly lit hall, Regulus was the only man present. He was casually seated on a velvet divan, simply conversing with a single girl sitting in his lap. Yet, every single one of the hundred-plus women surrounding the room was trembling, flushed, and clutching their chests—acting as though they were being intimately touched at the exact same moment.
'A hundred people at once?! How is that physically possible?!' Laila's mind short-circuited.
"Ah... ugh..." A soft, helpless whimper suddenly escaped from Shion beside her.
Laila turned in shock. "Shion, what's wrong with—Nngh!"
Before Laila could finish her sentence, an abrupt, surging wave of phantom heat flared low in her own abdomen. An overwhelming, sweet sensation shattered her breath, forcing an uncontrollable, trembling whimper from her own lips as the mark's resonance locked onto them both.
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Give me powerstones.
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