Miyuki raised an eyebrow: "Did the church provide them with support?"

"Well, I heard it's the wealth they've accumulated over the years. Apart from the most precious auspicious treasures, like the Holy Sword and the Golden Grail, they could choose anything else at will, so that group of people took away a whole bunch of things... It's just a pity I don't know the more detailed details."

Alice, who was standing nearby, gave a subtle "Oh dear."

"You just said they can use strange methods like magicians, right?" Miyuki probed cautiously. "What exactly?" She thought for a moment, "Are they ice-related?"

The little guy answered quickly: "It seems there's more than that, right? I remember there was also one that could summon flames and crescent moons. Oh! A long time ago there was also a big guy who would release dark gas when he raised his hand, but I haven't seen that person in a long time."

“He left the city, didn’t he?” Alice suddenly interrupted.

"...I don't know, maybe they have other things to do?"

The conversation abruptly ended there.

The little guy walking at the front suddenly stopped, turned to the side, and secretly retreated a few steps. Without saying a word, he frantically winked at the two of them.

Miyuki and Alice, being experienced and not fools, clearly understood his meaning. They then quickly moved with the boy to a nearby stall selling decorations, using their position to observe secretly.

The detached two-story building was ornately decorated, with exquisite pillars and two distinguished swordsmen standing at the entrance, holding large cleavers at their waists. Their imposing expressions glared at the surroundings, deterring ordinary residents from approaching easily.

Through the half-open doors of the building, inside the opulent and warm lobby, a bright and dazzling crystal chandelier shines, while a man with his feet propped up on a long table is fast asleep, his face hidden behind a book.

It was a scene that stood out starkly against the dilapidated shacks a hundred meters away.

"He is indeed a mage."

The teacher whispered quietly from the side: "Although he's nowhere near as good as our Yumi, he's already quite good here, hmm."

Miyuki couldn't help but frown.

I can only speak politely; it's just that I can't get used to this about teachers.

His beautiful face wore a frivolous smile, showing no sign of seriousness or coldness, giving him a rather unconventional impression. Yet, he displayed perfect swordsmanship, revealing a chilling killing intent honed through years of experience.

It's really hard to tell what her true personality really is.

I heard it was someone who had been there for a very long time, and somehow managed to hide among them disguised as a rabbit doll. Did their personality become distorted during that time?

Miyuki quickly gathered her scattered thoughts: "More specifically?"

She had only recently learned her own investigative techniques and used them very rudimentarily. She could use them casually under normal circumstances, but when there were experts in this field, that is, sorcerers, her methods were insufficient and would only arouse suspicion.

If action is necessary in this current operation, it would be best to strike decisively and end the battle in one fell swoop, rather than prolonging the conflict and allowing the situation to develop in an unpredictable manner.

She can only work on one person at a time; when there are many people, her efforts are easily diluted.

Giving a mage a chance to retaliate is tantamount to handing over one's own head.

Thinking of this, the memory of my first encounter with the monk came to mind.

I happened to be wandering around the Mercenary Guild, looking for suitable missions or challenges of similar strength, when I unexpectedly stumbled upon such a scene. Seeing the other party suddenly flee after being surrounded, I decided to give it a try and search the area near the city's teleportation array, only to find the two sitting down in a shop.

At that time, because I intuitively sensed the spying from the mage's perception, and was also harassed by those annoying defeated people around me, I subconsciously slashed back, and I never expected that this would lead to our connection.

I think the feelings I had when I was investigating others were similar to those I had back then.

"More specific..."

The woman with long, snow-white hair tied up and red eyes lightly touched her lower lip, then raised her right hand, making a gesture of slightly spreading her thumb and forefinger: "About... that's all?"

Miyuki couldn't help but frown.

The two fingers could only be spread wide enough to fit a few thin sheets of paper, almost to the point of being empty. Could someone like that really be called a mage? He always walked around the city with an arrogant air about him, and I thought he was some kind of amazing guy, but it turned out I was overthinking it.

They were just some bedbugs that could be crushed with one foot.

Alice's next words brought her back to her gradually rising rationality: "Besides the one you can see from the main entrance on the first floor, there are four mages gathered together in the corners that you can't see. Then there are two more mages near the window on the second floor. They are a bit stronger than the one below, but still not as powerful as our Yumi, so don't worry."

"However, it should be noted that they also have underground spaces. There are no fewer than a dozen living individuals inside, five of whom are ordinary people, while four others with weaker reactions are placed in one place, completely separated from another person who seems to have been frightened."

"It seems that the one among them who was frightened is our target."

Her right hand touched the familiar wooden handle, and the cold, hard feeling came from her fingertips, like blood flowing through her veins, gradually becoming one with her.

My dear reader, there's more to this chapter! Please click the next page to continue reading—even more exciting content awaits!