Chapter 2300: Comparison and the Raven’s Nest

Chapter 2300: Chapter 2300: Comparison and the Raven’s Nest

And Tifa only saw Miss Eles for the first time when she came to ask Shard about his preferences for the bed covers.

When two well-built young women stood together, Angelina noticed that the people present seemed to be comparing which one was more "impressive".

Even the black-haired Miss Maid and the girl with blue eyes realized the thoughts of those around them. They exchanged glances but ultimately, it was the ordinary human Tifa Servet who had a slight edge.

So, before resting that night, Angelina pulled Emilia, who was feeling shy, along the corridor to find Tifa, who was pushing meal carts with the maids, preparing to send supper to Shard’s room. Naturally, this included Mia’s portion.

"Miss Servit, could we chat alone?"

"Certainly, Your Highness."

The Head Maid softly greeted and then signaled the others to go ahead.

Only after the meal cart was confirmed to have gone far, did Angelina ask awkwardly:

"Um... Miss Servit, what is the secret to having a good figure?"

Emilia was also listening intently, so the gentle Head Maid smiled and replied:

"Of course, it’s plenty of sleep. Your Highness and Miss Sianod, it’s so late, you should rest in bed."

Angelina was evidently unsatisfied with this answer:

"Sufficient sleep, drinking milk, paying attention to exercise... My sister told me the same, but this clearly isn’t enough."

She shook her head with a bit of disappointment and pulled the shy Emilia to prepare to rest. Their rooms were quite close. Emilia politely thanked Tifa, and the Little Unicorn that ran from around the corner looking for Emilia also noticed Tifa.

The gentle Miss Maid smiled kindly and waved to it, so the confused little beast actually walked towards her and allowed itself to be stroked, showing no intention to dodge.

Not only is Mia friendly, but Tifa’s affinity seems to work on Unicorns too. Angelina was envious of this skill, but according to Lecia:

"This probably can’t be learned."

The Little Unicorn quickly left with Emilia and Angelina. Tifa originally intended to catch up with the meal cart but had only just turned the corridor corner when she saw someone still waiting for her.

Similarly dressed in black and white maid attire, but actually, Northern Country maids’ outfits differed slightly from those of the Southern Nation’s maids. Although Shard referred to the estate’s Blonde Head Maid as "Miss Matilda," it was clear he did not quite understand the naming conventions of the Southern Nation, as "Matilda" is a given name rather than a surname.

Neither Miss Belindel nor Matilda ever corrected him, but Tifa knew the girl’s full name waiting for her was actually Matilda Ellington.

"Good evening, Miss Arlington."

The black-haired Miss Maid proactively greeted, while the latter stood at the corner, right hand clasping her left arm, biting her lip:

"Good evening... You are guests. Some minor chores can be left to us."

Tifa tilted her head and blinked:

"We are indeed guests, but he is staying here tonight, and will definitely marry Duke Galina in the future, so we are her maids. You define your maid duties by the house, I define mine by the position of the master."

Both Head Maids looked at each other, the black-haired maid slightly lowered her head:

"Of course, we are indeed guests here. I will pay attention to this aspect later; unless absolutely necessary, we will no longer interfere with the maids’ work."

Seeing her say this, the Blonde Maid also lowered her head and said:

"I’m not blaming you; you are guests. I cannot make you do these tasks."

"I understand. So goodnight, Miss Arlington."

"Goodnight, Miss Servit."

And just as they were about to step aside, Tifa suddenly said:

"Speaking of which, Earl Belindel’s intention towards Shard seems similar to my master’s. So in the future, if Shard becomes the male master of Belindel Family, Miss Arlington, how would you then consider your responsibilities?"

Having said that, she left, leaving only the black-haired Miss Maid surprised, watching her back for a while before continuing towards her destination.

(Mia running...)

Wednesday morning started in a faint drizzle, with Mr. Armand Bernhardt walking alone on the streets of the North Factory District of Moon Bay City, eventually stopping in front of the "Chandler Textile Factory Third Branch".

The "riot" last night set the second branch ablaze, so this place was unharmed. Mr. Bernhardt wore a pair of black gloves, carefully scrutinized the sign at the entrance before entering the factory. There were guards at the entrance checking, but with a wave of the black gloves, the ordinary man fell in the rain.

The sound of rain drowned out Mr. Bernhardt’s footsteps, also drowning out the strange noises emerging inside the factory.

Shortly after Mr. Benhart entered the factory, more than twenty streams of blood mist surged into the factory. It seemed as if there were roars of massive beasts, and perhaps sounds of explosions and heavy objects falling.

Everything was hidden within the rain, but not long after, swarms of bats flew away from the top of the factory. Mr. Benhart, holding an umbrella in one hand and dragging the almost blood-soaked Baron Chandler with the other, emerged from the factory.

The blood from the Vampire Kind left a clear trail on the rain-soaked ground. At this point, the carriage was already parked at the factory entrance, with Shard and the coroner awaiting his arrival.

"You came anyway."

Mr. Benhart said helplessly to Shard, who smiled:

"One always needs to find something to do early in the morning, but I went to the wrong place first, went to his house."

Saying this, Shard and Mr. Albert, who was cloaked, reached out together, letting the incomplete "corpse" rise from the ground and enter the carriage.

"Mr. Watson was just asking me about those bodies that died of heart attacks."

The coroner explained quietly, then inquired:

"It seems the operation went smoothly."

"It was alright, there was a batch of vampire beasts lying in wait inside the factory, but they clearly didn’t expect our attack to come so quickly."

Mr. Benhart said, then explained to Shard, who was holding a cat:

"We didn’t encounter any cultists from the Dragon Feast Cult; it’s unclear if they too didn’t react in time or if there are other reasons."

"I’m sure Baron Chandler knows something, I’ll leave him to you guys."

Shard said to him, and the Vampire Viscount nodded:

"I and Ptolemy will take him back to the morgue; we have our ways of making him talk. Oh, please don’t visit there in the next day or two, in case you lose your appetite afterwards. I’ll write you about the results of the interrogation before next Monday; this time, it’s impossible not to gain something."

Shard nodded, jumped off the carriage, and watched as Mr. Benhart and Mr. Albert boarded the seats at the front of the carriage, then drove the carriage into the rainy morning.

"Do you seem a bit doubtful?"

"She" whispered in Shard’s ear, and Shard nodded, putting the restless cat into his pocket:

"It went too smoothly; this Baron Chandler seems like a deliberately thrown smoke screen."

He turned and left, heading in a different direction:

"It’s time for Megan and Audrey to get in touch with their cousin."

"Are you so sure Nadia Folan is willing to betray the Dragon Feast Cult to help you?"

Shard chuckled:

"I’m not asking for her help; I just want to ask a few questions. Besides, although Laplace Howard is dead, the Edwards Family is still around, as are Green Lake and ’Paradise Island’.

Trust me; although I’m not clear what influence that transcendence over the Thirteen Rings diviner had, Edwards’s emphasis on family is stronger than we think."

"Are you considering yourself the new head of the Edwards Family?"

"She" asked lightly.

"Of course not, Megan and Audrey are."

Today, Miss Eles entered the Council with the three Grand Witches to meet Miss Isabella, and with nothing else to do, Shard didn’t want to stay in the manor reading documents, so he decided to go out and look for the Raven’s Lair that Dr. Schneider had mentioned.

The black feather given to Shard by Dr. Schneider was already burned in the brazier before Shard left the manor. In the next 12 hours, a distant black light pillar would guide Shard to the location of the Raven’s Lair continuously.

So, after parting with the two Vampire Kind, Shard took a carriage and set out. The coachman, though puzzled by Shard’s request to "keep heading northwest," didn’t question further since Shard didn’t seem to be joking.

Thus, as expected, Shard arrived at the city’s edge. After paying the fare, he continued on foot toward the countryside. Luckily, by the time he reached outside the city, the rain had nearly ended; though there was no need for an umbrella, the rural dirt roads were quite muddy.

There’s a unique earthy smell in the countryside after rain, but it’s not particularly unpleasant. Shard walked until it was twelve thirty in the afternoon, and fortunately encountered a kind person who gave him and little Mia a ride on an empty cart returning to the city with grain.

The black light pillar was ultimately revealed at the top of Raven Hill in the "Black Forest." Shard had grown tired of mocking the naming conventions in the Moon Bay Region; in any case, he and little Mia had a simple lunch in the woodland before climbing the low hill.

Using the [Night Watchman] he carried, Shard pierced the mountain body, disrupting the illusion techniques set by the Demon Feather, and successfully reached the top level of the ruined stone castle, where the Raven’s Lair was located.

A stone castle appearing on such a secluded forest hill is likely tied to past stories, but that wasn’t Shard’s goal this trip. As the illusion shattered and the spirit’s fluctuations twisted the air, a huge raven’s nest made of straw and branches appeared on top of the gray stone-built castle.