Kuina the only spectator gasped and was unable to close her eyes for a while.
From this fight she understood that she was the white-haired beauty with the red eyes opponent, she couldn't win, the current her at least. Alice was far stronger than her.
However, instead of feeling frustrated, Kuina was genuinely happy about this discovery as it an they have a powerful ally and soone against whom she could fight to increase her strength. Alice had turned into a rival she had to surpass.
''Well done,'' Kuina said as soon as she got closer to the panting Alice.
''Hah! Thank you. Let rest for a mont before we will continue.''
''Okay.'' Kuina nodded before offering Alice a chair she summoned to sit, she even offered her water.
''I wonder how that elf is doing?"
''Pandora?"
''Yeah, I have seen her in a while so I'm wondering how she is doing.''
''Probably on a mission as she didn't join us on this expedition,'' Alice explained.
''I see, no wonder. Hopefully, she would be having fun.'' Kuina mumbled.
°°°
In the anti, in the outside world, in a certain city on the human continent.
The city of Sunhold was surrounded by forest and mountains and is truly a fully modernized phenonon. Its grace is matched by the backdrop of green, fertile fields which have helped shape the city into what it is today.
The climate these fields brought were of great importance, but they were also influential when it ca to architectural designs as the vast majority of buildings have been built with a lot of open elents to mimic the openness and vastness of the fields around them.
The skyline is spreading with peculiar houses and a lot of them seem to have evolved throughout the ages. Business is booming in Sunhold and it has attracted a lot of attention. Many new cultures have left their mark not just on the city's developnt, but also on the city's identity.
What historically was a city of little diversity has grown into a new culture of variety and it's this that unites the 500 thousand people to this day.
It's this multicultural identity that has truly left its mark. Hundreds of bistros, coffeehouses, and food carts offer a plethora of culinary choices and those who feel hungry for sothing else can enjoy sports activities, art galleries, arcades, or one of the many other recreational venues.
The serene sky, the rowdy city, anwhile, a seemingly average female walked through the busy streets without attracting anyone's attention.
She didn't look too beautiful or ugly, just a girl with a plain face and this girl is none other than Pandora whom Kuina was talking about, she ca to this city because she was chasing a black light which escaped from its host she killed during a mission. As Pandora continued moving along the busy streets, she swept her gaze everywhere. It looked like she was a tourist taking in the scenery.
However, she wasn't focused on the environnt as she was waiting for her body to co up with a response.
She frowned while looking at the buildings around her. Pandora silently cursed in frustration.
"Where is that damned thing? Is it really in this city? Stop making this hard and just pop out already..."
"The discomfort when my blood reacted and this uneasy calmness."
Pandora's shoulder sagged as she scanned her surrounding once more. This ti too, her blood didn't react. She started grumbling again.
"Ugh, when is this going to end..."
Pandora cald down as she exhaled slowly. Moving onwards, she decided that giving up now would be worse than just following through with her pursuit to the end. She also wasn't cool with letting the black light go, that vibe it gave her, she needed to extinguish that black light.
To complete this mission Pandora had to disguise herself. The disguise gave her the cover she needed to investigate the black light's trail. Any unwanted attention would hamper her investigation efforts.
After stumbling around in the city for half an hour, Pandora found nothing. When she was about to moan and go grab sothing to eat, she noticed a commotion in front of her.
Looking in that direction, she saw pedestrians running for their lives as if they just saw sothing terrifying.
Pandora felt curious when she saw this, she exerted so strength in her legs and she easily slipped through the crowd.
She used the guise of a puzzled pedestrian to keep unwanted attention away.
Soon, the crowd was parted to the sides, squeezing each other for space while a squad of knights in luxurious armor marched by. They were well-trained and organized as can be seen from their footsteps.
The crowd looked on with admiration and awe when the knight squad marched by. Looks like the pedestrians are impressed by the knight's capability to handle everyone's glare and attention.
Pandora who hid among the pedestrians mused to herself.
"Hmm, such a grand display, looks like these knights are from a respectable background..."
"Huh?"
The closest citizen heard her and he showed Pandora a weird look. She raised an eyebrow at the strange words this stranger uttered.
"You don't know who they are?"
To this question, Pandora blinked in surprise. She looked at this template citizen guy and she wasn't sure if she should continue talking to the woman or not.
Pandora's awkward response was taken to be an act where she wanted to avoid being seen as an ignorant buffoon.
The stranger gave her an understanding look that said: "I understood sister."
The stranger slapped her shoulder and she chortled.
"It's okay, you're young, I get it..."
Pandora laughed dryly and he chose to let the guy's assumption run its course.
"Alright, brother, may I know where this knight squad ca from? They look pretty cool..."
"Haha, you ca to the right person."
The stranger coughed as he confidently continued to explain. Pandora resisted the urge to punch this person.
''That's the Crystal Family's knight squad..."
"Harh?"
Pandora cocked her head to the side.
"The Crystal family?"
"No way..."
The stranger flinched.
"You don't even know this is the town where the Crystal Family operates?"
Pandora chuckled much to the stranger's disbelief.
The stranger explained briefly about this family working for another family, a powerful family from the capital, the Crystal family is working for that big family in this town.
Upon learning this Pandora chuckled.
"With the third most influential noble family behind them, I can understand why they are so cocky.''
"Please, they don't deserve the attention they are getting..."
The stranger pursed her lips in disdain.
"So what if they are the lackey of the third most influential noble power of the strongest empire, they still ate dust and ca back dishonored."
"Oh?"
Pandora asked, curious.
"What happened?"
"Sister, it seems you have much to learn..."
"You think they are here to show off? No, they ca back as reinforcents!"
Pandora flinched but inwardly cursed the lady to hurry up and spill everything.
"Reinforcents? Did sothing happen in the Crystal family?"
"Yeah, and it's huge..."
The stranger looked around warily as if she didn't want anyone to listen in on them. She furtively told Pandora.
"There's a ghost haunting Crystal's family!"
"Ghost haunting?"
Pandora narrowed her eyes. She donned her poker face.
This was the hint she needed, she knew for sure, the black light was here.
"Please, give the details."
"Well, I heard it from soone else..."
The lady scratched the back of her head.
"Word on the street is that soone heard ghostly wails and shrieks in the deep of night yesterday."
"That's what you ant by a haunting?"
Pandora looked at the knight squad in puzzlent.
"If that's the case, why do they need to recall their forces from elsewhere?"
The stranger recalled the version of the story she heard and she started explaining while rubbing her palms in apprehension.
"You see, whenever the scary voices ca, the patrols would find one or two corpses that looked like a monster ate them entirely, leaving only bones here!"
Pandora knitted her brows.
"You said the bodies were licked clean?..."
She looked in the direction where the knight squad left and her eyes flashed with various theories.
"That does sound like sothing's awry..."
"Yeah yeah! I know right!"
The stranger stuck her flat chest out with pride.
"I know a friend who works as a sentry for Crystal's family, he told the guards found bodies without fail every ti they heard the inhuman shrieks. Victims range from guards to patrols, and servants. The modus operandi looks to be the sa, each lost significant body mass as if so beast mauled them. It's the stuff of nightmares, I am telling you!"
"In just one short night..."
The lady stuck out two fingers.
"Over fifteen victims were found dead. That scared the crap out of the corrupt nobles who called the knights back to bolster defenses and investigate the root cause..."
"I am not too shocked though..."
The lady sneered in disgust.
"So, that's why they are on high alert..."
Pandora didn't listen to the stranger's elaborate explanation any longer. Without minding the stranger's ramblings, she walked away.
'Finally, I found you.'
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