"I knew it," her voice was low, laced with absolute venom. "I knew there was something foul hiding behind those innocent little eyes. Who the hell are you talking to, you little rat?"

Aria’s entire body went rigid, all the color draining from her face as she backed away. Her trembling hands pulled her cloak tighter around herself, looking exactly like a cornered rabbit caught between two deadly predators.

The cloaked entity slowly turned its hooded head toward Lydia.

"Ughh," A calm sigh escaped from beneath the hood as she muttered under her breath, "How tedious... it seems my workload has unnecessarily increased."

Lydia didn’t even flinch at the entity’s dense aura. Her piercing eyes remained locked onto the cowering blonde girl.

"Hey, rat," she hissed. "I asked you a question. Who the hell is this? Answer me right now, or I swear I will cut your tongue out right here."

Aria whimpered, dropping to her knees and burying her face in her hands as tears streamed down her cheeks. She was completely paralyzed by fear, unable to form a single word.

Seeing the girl cry, the cloaked entity casually stepped forward.

"There is no need to bark at her, She may be a somewhat defective piece, but she is still mine. A lowly guard dog has no right to discipline the property which belongs to me.

"Property?" Lydia’s eyes narrowed, her pervy demeanor entirely replaced by the murderous intent of a seasoned assassin. Deep blue mana surged around her hands, forming a pair of sharp, glowing ethereal daggers.

"The only property on this estate belongs to the Valemonts. And I will not let filthy intruders pollute my Young Master’s air!"

In a flash, Lydia moved.

She crossed the terrace in a fraction of a second, her speed blinding for a normal human. She swung her dagger directly at the entity’s neck, aiming for a clean, silent decapitation.

Clang!

Aria let out a muffled scream.

Lydia’s eyes widened in sheer disbelief. The cloaked entity hadn’t even drawn a weapon. It had simply raised one pale, slender hand and caught the ethereal blade with two fingers. The dense mana blade shattered like fragile glass.

"How loathsome," the entity whispered.

Before Lydia could even process the counterattack, the entity’s other hand shot forward like a viper. Her fingers clamped down on Lydia’s throat With the casual strength, the entity lifted the struggling maid completely off the ground.

"Gah—! Khh...!" she gagged, her hands frantically clawing at the entity’s iron grip while legs kicking uselessly in the air.

Seeing the bloodthirsty maid who usually terrified her now hanging helplessly by her neck, Aria stumbled forward, collapsing near the entity’s feet. Her trembling hands weakly grasped at the hem of the dark cloak.

"H-hey... I-I will do my best! Please, let her go!" Aria begged.

"I will erase her memories also! I can do it! P-please, just give me one last chance!"

Creaaak.

The wooden door to the terrace swung open a second time. The entity shifted her gaze, yet the doorway was completely empty.

Before she could even narrow her eyes, four highly compressed wind cutters shot out from the dark corners of the balcony. Swish! Swish! They lashed across the entity, leaving shallow, bleeding scratches across her leg, the back of her hand, and the side of her cheek.

From the shadows, young Lucian stepped into the moonlight. His face remained chillingly calm.

"Let my maid go. Now."

The entity paused, wiping the small drop of blood from her cheek. Her eyes curved into a faint, amused smile beneath the hood. She casually tossed Lydia aside like a broken doll. Lydia hit the stone floor, coughing violently as she clutched her bruised throat.

"How convenient, You came directly to me. It seems my job just became much easier." She glanced down at the shivering Aria. "I suppose I won’t be needing this slave anymore."

Then, she moved.

Lucian’s mind could even process the shift in the air, the space between them vanished. A devastatingly fast kick buried itself deep into his small stomach.

Gah—!

The air was forced from his lungs as his eyes rolled back into his head, crumpled to the stone floor, instantly knocking him unconscious.

"Y-Young Master!"

Seeing her beloved master hit the ground completely broke whatever restraint Lydia had left.

"You fucking whore!" she snarled and propelled herself off the floor, launching at the entity with raw, animalistic fury.

The entity didn’t even look at her. Without shifting her posture, she delivered a swift kick directly to the side of her neck.

Thud.

Lydia also collapsed beside Lucian, completely out cold.

Aria stared at the two unconscious bodies lying on the cold stone. Her breath came in short, broken gasps. The innocence in her eyes fractured into pure despair.

"No... no... I just wanted to survive... I didn’t mean to destroy everything..."

Ignoring the broken girl, the entity knelt gracefully beside the unconscious Lucian. Gently, almost tenderly, she placed her pale palm flat against his small chest, right above his heart.

"Such beautiful mana."

"Though, What a pity."

For a split second, the dark purple veins on his neck bulged. A faint glow flared under his skin—and then snapped.

The raw mana that always surrounded him vanished instantly sealing 99% of the boy’s raw talent.

"Live as a nobody," she whispered.

"Stay in the shadows where they won’t look."

She pulled her hand away, hiding it back under the dark fabric.

"Just survive the world without being extraordinary... my son."

The cloaked entity turned away from the unconscious boy and approached cowering Aria.

placing a hand on top of Aria’s head. The entity did something.

An instant a faint green spark crackled in the air. The invisible chain that had bound Aria’s soul since she was sent here — a death curse — shattered without a sound.

"Child," You are free now. My purpose here is fulfilled. Live your life however you see fit. Wipe the boy’s memories or don’t... it is no longer my concern."

With a soft rustle of fabric, she stepped back into the shadows. In the blink of an eye, she dissolved into the night wind, leaving no trace behind.

Aria stared at the empty space for a long time. Her breathing was shallow. Slowly, she raised her trembling hand, curling and uncurling her fingers. She could feel it. The suffocating weight on her heart was gone.

Tears of overwhelming relief spilled down her dirty cheeks.

"F-Finally..." she sobbed into the quiet night. "That death curse... it’s gone."

Three days had passed that night.