Chapter 60 Shadow's Edge: The Dark Night Guild will never take your money...
Late at night, Aurora's carriage drove toward an inconspicuous street corner near Gracia.
The carriage only stopped briefly on the street, enough for Ancia to quietly board and continue on her way, as if she had just happened to be passing by.
Aurora leaned back in her seat, lazily toying with the delicate cane in her hand. "Why did you suddenly ask me to invite Mrs. Jenny out?"
Ancia: "She may be having an affair with Moreno."
Aurora sat up straight with interest. "Oh? That's quite interesting news. Lady Jenny has had many lovers, and her affairs are known throughout the aristocratic circles, but I've never heard of her having any casual affair with Moreno. After all, he's quite the romantic; he hasn't looked for a second wife since his wife passed away."
Ancia: "This information wasn't even included in her frequent dating and lover reports, but it's particularly evident in Moreno's intelligence records that Lady Jenny visited late at night and left the next day. As for affection, wasn't your affection for your late husband Seidel also widely recognized among the nobility?"
This greatly pleased Aurora, who covered her mouth and giggled.
“He’s an interesting person, but he just happens to be my political enemy.” Aurora’s smile gradually faded. “Resources are limited. No matter how interesting he is, he shouldn’t be blocking my path to advancement.”
The carriage stopped at the entrance of the Nightingale Salon. Ancia entered the salon again after a year, but she keenly sensed a subtle difference.
There didn't seem to be this many closed doors when I came last time?
The Nightingale Salon was not just a place for pleasure; it was also a secret place for nobles to exchange information. Every closed door represented a place where interests were being tested and exchanged.
Ancia asked softly, "Has the Eternal City been rather unsettled lately?"
Aurora: "It's always been like this, but lately it's become even more restless. Nobody can figure out what the old king is thinking."
The waiter led them directly down a more secluded corridor, stopping in front of a heavy wooden door. He opened the door for them, saying, "I wish you two beautiful ladies a pleasant evening." With that, he bowed and retreated into the shadows.
Ancia and Aurora entered the room, and the door closed automatically. The room was smaller, more private, and more luxurious than the salon room where the party was held.
The thick carpet swallowed their footsteps as they silently walked to the armchair by the fireplace and sat down. Mrs. Jenny was already seated in an armchair on the other side.
She wore a long purple dress, which made her skin look fair, but also made the dark circles under her eyes more noticeable. Even her exquisite makeup couldn't hide her weariness.
"You've arrived." Mrs. Jenny said casually, gently swirling her wine glass. "Aurora, what made you decide to invite me alone? It's more fun with more people."
Aurora chuckled lazily, leaning forward slightly, an invisible pressure spreading outwards. "It's certainly more fun with lots of people, but some secrets can only be spoken at times like this, right?"
Her gaze swept over Mrs. Jenny's slightly tired expression, and she said meaningfully, "Besides, I don't see you have much energy to deal with crowds lately. Even the finest pearl powder can't hide your haggard appearance. Is something bothering you?"
Mrs. Jenny paused slightly as she swirled her wine glass, then resumed her usual demeanor. "It's just a little squabble between lovers that's making me a bit tired."
Aurora's smile remained unchanged, her gentle tone like a feather brushing against Mrs. Jenny's sensitive nerves, "Which lover? Viscount Borett, or Baron Soros, or..."
"What about the Marquis Moreno, who has recently risen to fame?"
As soon as the Marquis Moreno's name was mentioned, Lady Jenny's brow twitched involuntarily.
She subconsciously took a sip of wine, trying to hide her inner turmoil. "I only met Marquis Moreno by chance, we chatted for a bit, and that's all. How could I dare to offend such a big shot like him?"
Ancia sat quietly to the side, taking in Mrs. Jenny's momentary stiffness.
She is lying.
"On [date], Mrs. Jenny went to the Sanchez residence late at night and left the next morning." Ancia accurately reported the time of their meeting. "Mrs. Jenny, you two got along very well, even though it was just a brief chat.
Mrs. Jenny fell silent, and Aurora didn't speak either. For a moment, only the faint sound of music came through the crack in the door.
Aurora didn't press further, but sighed, "Indeed, following a suddenly rising marquis can bring considerable benefits. But Jenny, we've known each other for so many years, and you're a smart woman, so I have to remind you... some benefits may be tempting, but the price can be beyond your imagination."
She paused, lowering her voice even further, as if she were truly confiding in her, "I've recently heard rumors that Marquis Moreno's power is growing at an alarming rate, and the way he gained the old king's favor is also mysterious and unknown. I don't know if it's a blessing or a curse. Have you noticed anything amiss?"
Mrs. Jenny's knuckles turned white as she gripped the wine glass. Ancia had broken down her defenses, and Aurora's words had struck a nerve with her deepest anxieties.
After a moment of silence, she downed the drink in one gulp, took a few deep breaths, and could no longer hide the lingering fear on her face.
“It’s more than just something being wrong…” Mrs. Jenny’s voice was a little dry, even trembling slightly. “Aurora, you know, I never play around with men of high status and power; they’re too hard to get rid of. Moreno was just an outsider with a marquisate title, and I dated him a few times because he was my type. But two weeks ago, our relationship ended, and it was my decision.”
Aurora raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
“Because he has changed!” Mrs. Jenny’s voice became excited.
Fear showed on her face. "When we first met, his pale purple eyes were very melancholy, which I liked. But later, his eyes gradually turned cold, which made me feel uncomfortable."
"Also, he used to be able to meet me every day, but later he would disappear one day every week. If we happened to meet the next day, I would feel that his aura had become gloomy and gloomy..."
“I was scared. I didn’t know what had changed about him, but I knew it was definitely not normal.”
Ancia: "Do you know where he went?"
Mrs. Jenny hesitated for a moment, but then gritted her teeth and said, "I followed him once; he went into the Black Pine Forest."
Black pine forest... I feel like I've heard that name somewhere before...
Ancia fell into deep thought, and suddenly remembered that it was the place Skark had mentioned.
"Wait until I join the upcoming Black Pine Forest Ruins adventure..."
Explore the ruins of the Black Pine Forest!
She wanted to ask something more, but the light from the wall lamp suddenly distorted, and familiar dark energy appeared in the shadows.
Ancia suddenly stood up, not even having time to warn anyone, and thrust her dagger straight at the point of sharpness that appeared out of nowhere in the air.
clang.
A crisp metallic clang rang out in the quiet room, sparks flying everywhere.
The shadows beside the bookshelf stretched and twisted, converging into a human shape.
Without any warning, Murtrie appeared there, dagger in hand, his dark red eyes fixed on the pale-faced Mrs. Jenny.
“Someone is willing to buy your life, madam,” he announced in a low, calm voice, simply stating the facts.
Aurora's cane was already pointed at Mortley, its tip radiating magical energy. She didn't attack, but instead asked softly, "Is this a request from Moreno?"
Merriel didn't answer, but turned to Ancia, his eyes softening. "You've improved, much faster than in assassination class."
Ancia smiled. "You taught me well. According to the rules of the Dark Night Guild, I'll pay double to keep Lady Jenny alive."
Merri put away his dagger, and after a brief silence, he said something that shocked everyone.
"The Night Guild will never take your money, and you'll get more in return."
Anciya was taken aback. What did this mean?
Aurora frowned, her mind filled with doubt.
Merri offered no explanation, gave Ancia a deep look, took a step back, and vanished into the shadows.
Ancia released her senses and confirmed that the dark energy had completely disappeared. "He's gone."
Murtrie arrived suddenly and left even more abruptly, leaving only three terrified people in the room.
Ancia couldn't believe that Murtrie had given up so easily. With his strength, if he insisted on killing Mrs. Jenny, she wouldn't be able to stop him now. And what exactly did he mean by his last words?
Mrs. Jenny slumped in her chair, drenched in cold sweat, clutching Aurora's hand tightly. "It's Moreno! It must be him! He knows I followed him that day! Help me!"
She has completely sided with Ancia and Aurora.
Aurora gently patted Mrs. Jenny's hand. "Calm down, Jenny. Now that Nightwalker Mortley has failed, Moreno is even less likely to touch you. You are safe. We will speed up our operation."
Ancia pulled her thoughts away from Merri's words; her immediate priority was information about the ruins. "Madam, do you remember which day Moreno regularly went to the ruins?"
Mrs. Jenny: "Friday."
Ancia finally remembered what the Black Pine Forest Ruins represented: it was the main storyline of the second academic year—the Royal Ruins Exploration, a three-day event where outstanding students would be favored by the royal family and recruited into the Royal Magicians' Guild, the Royal Guard, or other important departments.
If you want to get into Verion's personal storyline, this ruins exploration would be a great stepping stone. It's just that the game quests aren't named after locations, so she didn't think of it at first.
According to the game's main storyline, the Royal Ruins Exploration begins after the Harvest Festival, lasting three days from Friday to Sunday, coinciding with Marquis Moreno's visit to the ruins. The Black Pine Forest Ruins are normally off-limits to outsiders, only opening during the year as a venue for the royal family to recruit talent.
This is her best chance to enter the ruins legally, with a month to go before the Harvest Festival.
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