Bright and open alleyways, magnifit and brand new windows, freshly-painted walls, and floor made with the fi ae. It was a grand building, several dozen people ing in and out the rge entryways with smiles on their faces.

  It erfume shop, small gss bottles and tiny isters holding several colorful liquids and different sorts of sts and fragrances. A small whiff and one could feel at ease, their favorite fragrances wafting through their noses.

  It ce frequented by dies, both from the gentry, the nobility, ahy mertries. Only soft giggles and busy chatters could be heard, the dies, both young and old, chatting cheerfully with one another about their favorite sts.

  "Lady Leia, have you heard already? A new pastry shop had opened up in the east."

  "My, I did hear about it. 'Marchissier', correct? I've been waiting si month."

  "As expected of Lady Leia. Should we head there together some time? I heard their products are really delightful, especially their lemon tarts."

  "Oh dear, I would be much obliged. I've been wanting to try it myself as well."

  It wasn't just perfumes and sts they were talking about, but also the ret rumors and happenings which have reached their ears, cheerfully spreading all sorts of news and informatiardless be it true or false.

  After all, gossip and rumors is also an important part of high society culture. It not only allows two parties to be closer to one another, but also for them to gather all sorts of information about different manners of subjects.

  And whilst the dies gossiped about such topics, a single figure made her entranside the shop. Her steps were silent and so were her breaths. She strode by the ter, yet not a single oiced her presence, tinuing on as they do.

  "Hm?"

  "Is something the matter, Lady Leia?"

  "No, it just felt like I bumped into something just now."

  Even when she actally bumped with someohey didn't notice even a speck of her presehey only felt a cold chill and nothing else. All she leaves was doubt to oneself, passing by like a phantom not belonging to the world.

  She tinued down the aisle, and with a little leap, she crossed the ters whily employees are supposed to be in. There was o open the door. Like a ghost, she simply passed through it without much difficulty.

  One... Two... Three... And more...

  The silent figure passed through one door after antiehr and even used entrances which aren't obvious to the naked eye. It didn't matter whi it was, as long as she could pass through it, she did so without aation.

  A couple mier, she finally found the basement where all the materials for perfume making aing were stored. The room was cold and chilly to preserve the materials, but the silent figure remained unfazed.

  She tio wander around the basement, toug the walls to see if there were any spaces she could pass through and also cheg the floor while she was at it. It didn't take long before she found a hidden trapdoor, delving in as soon as she did.

  What greeted her was a dark and narrow staircase, only a couple magic mps lighting up the pake sure no light escapes outside the trapdoor. It was silent and eerie, not even the whispers of the wind to be heard.

  "So there really is a secret passage... Grey was right..." ［Yuna］

  The secret figure was her than Yuna, and after accepting the King's request along with Grey, they have been doing a thh ing up around the Royal Capital, crushing one criminal anization after another.

  At first, there were only a couple dozen that the Kingdom knew of, but after Grey used his eyes to scour the whole capital, such a number rose by several folds, both small and rge criminal anizations included in the list.

  "Seriously, though... Why do criminals always use dark pces... At least light it up a little... It feels so icky and eerie here..." ［Yuna］

  And now, Yuna is ih criminal anization. It was still the first day, but she had already crushed 6 of them in a matter of hours. Though most weren't reted to the Duke, she did mao crush one which was, and had the knights hahe rest.

  As it stands, all High-Rankers along with them are raiding the criminal anizations all by themselves, and the Knights will hahe rest, including the ones specializing with imitations, handling everything ever so skillfully.

  Of course, as it would be suspicious if the General and h-Rankers suddenly went missing, Grey and Yuna tasked Sirius to create illusions of them, other knights supp them to make it seem less suspicious.

  Sirius, how's it going over there? Has aiced yet? ［Yuna］

  ive, Mistress. Rather, it seems like the enemy rarely is without allies. I haven't seen them approach my illusions even once. ［Sirius］

  That makes better for us. tihe good work. ［Yuna］

  Uood, Mistress. ［Sirius］

  Without a sirace of worry in mind, Yuna tinued on with her steps and soon enough, she found herself in much open and bigger corridors buried a couple dozeers underground, barely aion to be seen.

  Rather, there were only magic tools around which circute the air ae the temperature of the air and also magic mps which provide dim lighting. There was also basic furniture here and there, a couple rooms to the side.

  Ihose rooms were nothing too great, only some materials and equipment used by the criminal anization to proceed with their daily operations. There were a lot of illegal items, but they were the least of Yuna's s.

  "Kuhahaha! The boss really is a sucker, isn't he?! He's even giving us so much money just because we plimented his intelligence!"

  "That's right! Where could we find a better idiot than the Duke?! Just how did a foolish moron like him survive the Civil War?"

  "Hey! Watouth! Do you want your neck cut off?!"

  "Hah? Who cares?! There's only us here to listen anyway! Even if I curse the Duke, nothing will happen to me! Don't be such a coward."

  "This bastard... You really don't know your limits..."

  And of course, what secret hideout is plete without a couple of useless thugs who are drinking to their heart's tent all the while pying some sort of game with their daggers. They were all loud and boisterous, mouths reeking of alcohol.

  As it seems, there weren't just the three of them before her. From the instrus Grey had givehere should be a few more corridors and over 40 thugs all in all. It was quite a rge pce, especially sidering that it's underground.

  "Really, Duke Schemer is a worthless man. I even think he'llー"

  "So this one is reted to that worthless Duke, huh..." ［Yuna］

  "Hahaha! Now we're talking! Curse the Duke more!"

  It may be because they were so drunk, but even when Yuna suddenly appeared in front of them, they didn't even raise any wariness and tinued on drinking. Well, they noticed after a couple seds that something was off.

  "Wait! Who are you?! How did you getー Kuaakkkk!!"

  However, it was far too te. Before one of them could even finish his words, Yuna's daggers already came rushing towards him and his neck was sent flying. Blood dyed the dark floors red, one piece of trash now ed up.

  One of the remaining two quickly reacted after seeing his colleague die, immediately pulling a dagger of his own as fast as he could. Unfortunately for him, he was still far too slow, his arms cut off without warning and his head following soon after.

  "H-Help! There's anー"

  ??Silence??［Yuna］

  The st one remaining tried to run for the bells and call out the others, however, it was all futile efforts. With just a single word from Yuna, the whole surrounding was quickly swallowed by silenot a single sound ringing in the air.

  He tried to run, however it was just as useless. A silver glimmer streaked across the dark corridors and he came crashing towards the ground after his legs were cut off. It was extremely painful, but he couldn't even voice out his agony.

  Yuna couldn't see the true nature of people like Grey could, but the very fact that they joined su anizatio that they weren't all . If they were prepared to kill, then they must also be prepared to be killed. There was no need for mercy.

  "We 't have that, you know?" ［Yuna］

  A cold glimmer shone in her eyes and Yuna brandished her daggers one more. Yet another head came flying and rolling towards the floor. Three people died in a matter of seds yet Yuna's expressions remained unged.

  "Hey, why did you suddenly bee quiet? Did something happen?"

  And it may be because of the sudden ge in atmosphere, but after Yuna killed off the three, another small group of evil minions and thugs came p out to che them. They looked just as evil and worthless as the first bunch.

  However, rather than their boisterous colleagues, what they were greeted with was a bloodbath. All three of their colleagues were dead and a single slender figure stood in the middle of it, her blue eyes peering at her.

  "Q-Quickly! Call the othersー !!!"

  "Hey now, didn't I just say we 't be having this?" ［Yuna］

  And just like their rades, they all suffered the same fate. Before they could even realize it, Yuna had already appeared before them and her daggers came for their necks, yet another faint silver glimmer in the air.

  Yuna brandished her daggers and three heads came flying at onao take a step away, but unfortunately for him, before he even had the ce to run, the young dy had already throwher dagger, pierg his head soon after.

  Four lives vanished once more, their bodies making subtle thuds as they fell towards the ground oer ahere were no more people in sight, only a dark and narrow corridreeting the young dy from both sides.

  "That's 7 down... 30 something more to go..." ［Yuna］

  Just like that, Yuna tinued her killing spree and killed off the bandits oer another as if she was swatting some flies. And it may be because it has been some time since Grey gave her instrus, but there were more of them than anticipated.

  Well, not that it made any differeowards her anyway. All she needed was to do was brandish her daggers a couple more times, and was quickly over. It was all quiet during the first half, but the same couldn't be said for the sed half...

  "Get her! Make sure she doesn't escape!"

  "Be careful, she's a dangerous one! Don't let yuards down!"

  "You're my prey, b*tch! Don't ever think of getting out of this pce alive!"

  For some reason, they were all huddled up in the same room, and they all witnessed her kill one of them. They were quickly enraged and alerted, rushing towards Yuna with their bdes and arrows poiowards her.

  However, Yuna couldn't be anymore unfazed. She simply looked at them and started ting how many of them there were. She had the opportunity to interrogate one of them beforehand, and he answered perfectly with a dagger poi his throat.

  It wasn't long before Yuna finished ting, and after adding their o the ones she's killed already, they added up just perfectly. A sweet smile soon bloomed on her face, which couldn't be any more terrifying with blood c her.

  "So these are all of you, huh... Fufufu! Great! I finish you all at once..." ［Yuna］

  "Quit yapping, b*tch! Say hello to the devil for meー !!!"

  The arrogant and skeleton-looking thug couldn't even finish his words when he was suddenly stopped on his tracks. It wasn't just him, but the others as well, thin yers of frost and ice getting ahold of them.

  The ice seemed thin and brittle, but iy, they were so tough aant, not even diamonds could pare to them. The moment their feet were bound to the floor by such deathly frost was the moment their fates had been decided.

  It wasn't just pin ice as well. After they were all rooted to the floor, frozen flora then started appearing oer another. Some in the form of flytraps, some like grass, and some like sharp spikes. However, each was equally terrifying.

  "Fufufu! Why don't you greet him yourself?" ［Yuna］

  Cold words drifted in the air, and at the same time, the frozen flora raic. They all grew at a rapid pace, the spikes pierg the ehe virangling them, the flytraps dev them, and the bdes of grass cutting them up.

  The dark floor had turned blue, and just a couple seds after, it had now been painted red. Not a single one of the criminals left alive, their corpses swallowed up by frost and their eyes white and cold as snow.

  With that, the extermination of the 7th hideout had been pleted fwlessly, not even a single wound, not even a scratch, on Yuna's body. It was all too easy, the young dy feeling relieved and satisfied to have ed up some trash.

  "Ah... I should have asked first if they had any prisoners..." ［Yuna］

  Well, nobody is perfed our young heroine was the same. It wasn't the first time she raided a hideout, yet she always goes overboard and doesn't ask the important questions until everything is over. She was too impulsive.

  "... No... I should fix myself first..." ［Yuna］

  There was no use thinking too much about it. With nothing else to do, Yuna simply decided to herself up and tidy up her appearance a little bit. She's extremely beautiful, but what use is such beauty if she's drenched in blood,

  After all, in the ce that there are imprisoned victims in the hideout, she doesn't want to scare them because she was soaked in blood. Well, she doesn't want to be covered in blood as well. Blood from filthy people is just as filthy.

  ??Wash!?? ??Dry!?? ［Yuna］

  Yuna didn't think anymore and just ed herself. She then unthawed the id looked around the room for anything resembling a key or a base youtー or at least she was going to. However, it seems such things were also destroyed by her frost.

  There were no other choices left. The young dy decided to brute force her way through the hideout and headed in all the rooms ihe hideout, ing across over a dozen of them, most of them just their sleeping quarters.

  "Hic... Hic... Mommy... Hic... Mommy... Hic..."

  It wasn't long before the search was over, the sound of a child g eg from the deepest corridors. Yuna quickly followed it, and soon found herself along the many prison cells, dozens of prisoners hidden within.

  Yuna followed the child's voice, and soon found a heavily locked room, with only a heavy metal door to be seen. As soon as she arrived, she immediately took a deep breath and broke down the door with her frost.

  When she did, what greeted her were frightened and cautious eyes, people of all races and ages huddling around as if afraid to be dragged away. There were visible traces of abuse and mistreatment all over their bodies, even little children riddled with scars.

  Yuna was angryー no, she was extremely angry. Yet all she could do was rein in her emotions and keep herself in check. Ag out will only frighten them even more. The first thing she must prioritize was their safety. Time was of the essence.

  ??Perfect Heal!?? ??Perfect Cure!????Rejuvenate!?? ??Recuperate!?? ??Purity!?? ??Dispel!?? ??Serenity!?? ［Yuna］

  As were far better than words. So rather than trying to vihem, Yuna just reached her hands out and casted a few holy magic spells towards them, ridding their bodies with diseases, siess, traumas, curses, impurities, and so much more.

  Golden light shone amidst the eerie darkness, seeping deep into everyone's bodies and filling their hearts with warmth. Some which had already lost their sense of pain aions were gradually healed, their sensations ing back to them.

  "My... My wounds... They don't hurt anymore..."

  "What just happened... Am I dreaming..."

  Everyone was astonished and puzzled about what just happeheir eyes uo believe what they're seeing and their hands uo uand what they were sensing. It was nothing short of a miracle, their eyes soon swimming towards Yuna.

  "It's okay now. You're all free." ［Yuna］

  There were Yuna's words, and then there was silence. Silence which was soon broken by a cacophony of cries, tears trig down towards the floor and pained voices ringing out in the air as they expressed their sorrow and gratitude.

  After the first cell, Yuna then headed off towards the other ones and like she just did, she also rescued them and healed them of their wounds, casting several spells in rapid succession as if there was no tomorrow.

  However, she it wasn't all just good things. After a few cells, she arrived within one's swallowed by the st of death. There was not a single one alive anymore, and there were only cold and lifeless corpses on the simirly cold ground.

  She knows it wasn't her fault, nor was it the fault of the Kingdom. Yet she couldn't help but bme herself and feel guilty. If only they arrived a little sooner, maybe, just maybe she could have saved them. A flood of emotions swayed her heart once more.

  "Miss Dame... It's not your fault... Please don't be too hard on yourself... If it wasn't for you, we would have suffered the same fate..."

  "That's right... It's just that it was their time to go... Even if you couldn't save them, they would never resent you..."

  "Ah... Un... I know... Sorry about that... I was a little emotional there... Umm... you please bring everyone a little further away? Especially the children. Please wait until everything's over. Help will soon arrive." ［Yuna］

  "... Yes... Uood..."

  There was no use bming herself. After she got herself together, she then asked the adults to take everyone away where they wouldn't be able to see the corpses. She is still upset, but she o move on and steel herself even further.

  "I'm sorry I couldn't save you... Please rest in peace... ??Perfect Heal??!" ［Yuna］

  Healing them ointless, but it could at least restore their bodies to how it was before they started their suffering. It was the least she could do for them, freezing their corpses so that she could hand them over to their families ter.

  For those who don't have them. There was also o worry. The King had already volunteered to shoulder all the responsibility and give them a proper burial. It was the least they could do as proper people.

  "O a time, please. O a time. Please avoid pushing yourselves."

  Before long, the rescue team had finally arrived. Among them was Grey who had just also finished up ing his 9th hideout. He was also in charge of resg all the victims and taking them to an inspicuous location.

  At the same time, the other knights had also arrived to up the mess, he bodies of the thugs and search for some evidehihey quickly got to work and didn't waste any more time.

  "Are you alright? You look a little pale." ［Grey］

  "Un... I'm just... A little upset, I guess?" ［Yuna］

  As for Yuna, she was still dwelling on the deaths of the victims and couldn't help but think to herself about a couple of what-ifs. She doesn't know them, but she still felt distressed and crestfallen for their deaths.

  "You know... I thought after seeing it a couple of times, I thought I would get used to it. I'feve even killed people myself as well and made a pile of cold corpses with them. Yet it still feels upsetting... Is that strange, Grey?" ［Yuna］

  "No, not at all... Rather, I think that's just a part of being a person. Even I, myself, have yet to get used to it." ［Grey］

  "Ehh? That's ued... I thought you got yourself all together better than me... So you also feel things like these, huh..." ［Yuna］

  "Hahaha. You just think too highly of me, My Dear." ［Grey］

  Thankfully, Grey was there to cheer her up. Though he knows just how strong and powerful Yuna was, he also knows all her weaknesses and her vulnerable side. She may seem cold whilst wielding her daggers, but she's the warmest person there is.

  "You did well, Yuna... I'm proud of you..." ［Grey］

  Grey muttered under his breath as he patted the young dy in the head. However, there were respoo be heard, the tter simply nodding her head in silend wallowing iurmoil of emotions in her heart g out all her frustrations.

  It took quite a while, but after Yuna bawled out silently like a little child, she was quickly back to her usual self and Grey was now spoiling her once again, wiping away her tears and ag like a father again rather than a fiancé.

  "Mou... Grey, I do it myself, you know?" ［Yuna］

  Mumbled the young dy, but Grey didn't listen to her. He simply tinued wiping away her tears and fixing up her hair while he's at it. He also took out a couple of snacks for her to enjoy and distract herself with.

  While it's very important to raid the hideouts as soon as possible, it is also just as important to take a break and aheir thoughts. Otherwise, they might end up causing more troubles than they could fix up.

  "ht... Yuna, have you already ied every room here?" ［Grey］

  "Almost all of them. There are still some rooms which I haven't opened up. Though, I'm sure the knights will ihem anyway." ［Yuna］

  "I see... I just hope they don't find anything too troubleー" ［Grey］

  BANG CLOP CLOP CLOP HUFF HUFF

  Grey couldn't even finish his words, when suddenly a loud bang echoed in the air. It was a knight who just tripped himself from hurry, soon standing up and then rushing towards the two of them despite being out of breath.

  There was o ask any further...

  "D-De-Demonic Beasts! We have found Demonic Beasts, Yhnesses!"

  ... They have jihemselves yet again...

  CHAPTER 423 END