Not long after, Ham led his men out of the banquet hall. He waved for the others to leave and walked alone towards a carriage.
"What's the matter?" Dana from the Police Department lifted the carriage curtain, revealing her exquisitely beautiful face. "You didn't bring her out?"
"I ran into Baron Carl," Ham said, bowing his head. "With the Baron vouching for her, and since she wasn't under much suspicion to begin with, I didn't insist on taking her away. We just found a place inside and asked a few questions."
"Carl?" Dana looked puzzled.
"A friend of the Baron passed the audition for the Barro Choir, and he was invited to the banquet," Ham explained.
"Hmm." Dana nodded, not pursuing it further. Instead, she asked, "Did you find out anything?"
"Nothing." Ham looked regretful. "The choir members didn't even know one of their own had died. That girl, Chino, wasn't well-regarded in the choir to begin with."
"Hmm..." Dana stroked her smooth chin. "What do the Nightwatchers say?"
"They say it wasn't the work of a vampire. Vampires suck blood, but the deceased lost her life force." Ham's eyes flickered with curiosity as he asked, "Chief, are there really vampires?"
"I don't know." Dana was also unclear on the matter. She leaned back and sighed, "So, still no clues!"
"Not exactly." Ham shook his head lightly. "All the victims were female, and all of them virgins. The key is... their backgrounds are very particular. They weren't from noble or wealthy merchant families, yet they qualified for high-society banquets—like choir members, advanced gardeners..."
Dana slowly sat up straight, her expression serious.
"I suspect," Ham continued, "the culprit has a certain social standing, or at least frequents high-end banquets. They have a peculiar fetish for virgins, and it's not limited to their appearance." One of the victims had been quite ugly, in fact.
"Exactly." Dana smiled. "Ham, you truly live up to your reputation as the finest officer in South City. It seems I made the right choice in selecting you for this investigation."
"Chief." Ham looked up. "I heard that Earl Rekton is about to host a dinner party. I wonder if I am eligible to attend."
"A dinner party..." Dana frowned. "Ham, you are very talented, but attending an Earl's dinner party requires more than just talent." One needs a certain status and position.
"Yes," Ham said. "I just suspect the murderer might attend too."
"Is that so?" Dana pondered for a moment, then said, "I'll get you an invitation."
"Thank you, Chief!" Ham's face lit up with joy.
Dana shook her head gently. She was well aware that Ham had always wanted to enter the so-called upper class, but his humble origins severely limited his advancement. Average-looking, of low birth, and with no practice in Breathing Techniques—even if such people were exceptionally talented in one area, they were merely advanced laborers, never truly able to enter the upper echelons of society. Some things, you were either born with or you weren't. Effort, in the eyes of others, was merely a joke. Take Carl, for instance. Though lacking any particular talent and inferior to Ham in many respects, he was, nonetheless, a noble. The title of Baron surpassed all acquired effort.
* * *
"Thank you, Baron Carl." Percy was deeply grateful. If Carl hadn't spoken up, she would have been forcibly taken by the police, with unpredictable consequences. Even if it turned out to be nothing, it would have caused more gossip and rumors within the choir.
Now, she had merely been pulled aside to a room and asked a few questions, which wouldn't affect her reputation.
"Of course." Carl shook his head. "You don't have to be so polite." Her warmth made him a little restless.
Percy's gown was tight and cinched at the waist; the bodice was daringly low-cut, and when she bent over, her ample bosom was clearly visible. Carl, towering in stature, couldn't help but let his gaze linger on certain areas, especially since Percy made no attempt to conceal her assets, even deliberately flaunting them. This was a mature woman who understood men, he mused.
"Hard to believe that Chino is actually dead."
"Yeah!"
"It's terrifying. I heard she was drained of all her blood by a vampire. I wonder if it's true."
"..."
The hushed whispers among the crowd snapped Carl back to reality. After a brief pause, he made an excuse and left. Staying any longer served no purpose.
「Night.」
Jenny, her face flushed with excitement, sat before the dressing mirror, her agitated heart taking a long time to calm. Her experience at the banquet was unprecedented; Percy and the other seniors had also treated her with great warmth, all thanks to Carl. They even promised her a chance to officially perform on stage soon—this was the kind of treatment newcomers could only dream of. What she had anticipated to be a difficult apprenticeship had suddenly become simple.
Carl... Touching her cheek, Jenny's eyes revealed a hint of shyness. She bit her lip and stood up.
At this moment, aside from her undergarments, she wore only a thin gauze nightgown, her youthful, vibrant figure on full display.
Slowly pushing open her door, dim moonlight filtering through the window, she quietly made her way to Carl's door.
Taking a deep breath as if she had made a momentous decision, Jenny raised her hand and knocked.
TAP TAP... TAP!
There was no response from inside the room.
Jenny frowned slightly, hesitated for a moment, then finally gritted her teeth and pushed forcefully against the door.
SQUEAK...
The door shook.
Moments later, the sturdy bolt left her no choice but to lower her head in resignation.
HMPH!
Stomping her foot with a hint of bashful frustration, Jenny turned and returned to her room, slamming the door heavily behind her.
In the darkness, the landlady, Mary, watched the scene through a crack in her door and couldn't help but sigh quietly in relief. There was relief in her eyes, but also a hint of regret.
A mother knows her daughter best, as the saying goes. When Jenny returned, she was visibly excited, chattering endlessly about the banquet, her eyes sparkling. When she mentioned Carl, her expression became even more peculiar. As an experienced woman, how could Mary not see it? She had clearly fallen for him! Yet, facing Jenny's bold actions, Mary didn't know what to do. Should she intervene or let things be? If her daughter could marry a nobleman, Mary would be overjoyed. But would he be willing to marry her? Or would he just be playing around? If he was unwilling... She had worked so hard to get into the Barro Choir. If Jenny got involved with a man, she wouldn't be able to perform anymore. Her whole life could be ruined because of it! Fortunately, Carl was a sound sleeper and probably hadn't heard the commotion outside. Otherwise, it would have been a huge mess.
「In a mysterious place.」
Carl, who was practicing his Breathing Technique, was unaware of the situation outside. Even if he had known, he would have remained unmoved. The events of the banquet were trivial to him; he had put them out of his mind the moment he left. Besides, in his eyes, Jenny was too young; he couldn't bring himself to make a move on her. Percy, on the other hand, was more like it.
EXHALE... INHALE!
With orderly breathing, the potion's efficacy seeped into his bone marrow and Bloodline. As his vitality grew stronger, his Constitution also slowly improved.
The cultivation process of a Knight Attendant is about condensing a Life Seed. Once the Life Seed is formed, one can advance to Knight. During the process of condensing the Life Seed, one's vitality increases, and naturally, their Constitution also improves. I inquired today and learned that certain Breathing Techniques could indeed grant abilities beyond the ordinary. The Poison Wolf Breathing Technique must be what gives me this sense of impending danger.
Women were being killed one after another in the city, and the circumstances of their deaths were quite bizarre. This made Carl realize that Sigerno City was not as safe as he had imagined.
Moreover, exploring the Black City also required strength, so he definitely couldn't slack off on his cultivation.