Nearly an hour ago.
The mysterious Madam Lis watches as Arthur leaps from the rooftop, disappearing into the forest beside the mansion like a shadow. Her sharp, curious eyes turn toward the mansion's roof, and she hears the wind slicing through the air. *Whoosh.*
She shifts her attention toward the lake, scanning her surroundings to make sure no one is spying on her, before she walks further behind the property.
The Whittlee family's soldiers are running in every direction, resembling leaderless ants, while the more perceptive guests of Eliza begin to grasp that something major is unfolding.
Lis walks calmly until she reaches a set of storage buildings. When she's certain no one is watching, she slips inside one of the structures. Inside, crates of food and drink are stacked high, and as soon as she snaps her fingers, three hooded figures emerge from behind the shelves.
"Master!" they say in unison, kneeling down respectfully.
"Report," Lis commands, her voice clear and authoritative, but there's a trace of anxiety beneath the surface.
"The Drummond troops are nearly ready to bombard the mansion," one of the men reports quickly.
The second man immediately follows, "The Whittlee siblings have sent the captain to call for reinforcements from Lakeview, but the forces are disorganized. They won't respond in time."
"Hmm..." Lis strokes her chin, her expression contemplative. "The Whittlees' arrogance will be their downfall... but today, it seems luck is on their side."
The two men remain still, but the third figure—a young woman who has been spying on Josephine's household for the past few weeks—shifts uneasily.
"Are we going to get involved, Master?" the young woman asks, her voice tinged with curiosity and apprehension.
"You know our rules, don't you?" Lis replies with a pointed question, turning her sharp gaze toward the girl.
"Y-yes, Master... of course." The girl looks uncertain. "But... what about the boy?"
Lis's eyes glint with interest. "I saw him heading into the forest, likely to join the main conflict."
"The Drummonds' side?" the girl asks quickly, and the two men glance at Lis, curiosity written on their faces.
Lis smiles. "I'm not sure yet."
The girl's unease deepens. "Master... if he gets involved..."
"I'll handle it," Lis interrupts, her gaze stern. "Your role is to obey, not to question."
The girl nods quickly, as do the two men. Lis's smile returns. "Good. One of you will stay here. The others, go and check the situation by the lake."
She pauses, her expression growing serious. "Be cautious—*she* is there, and we don't know what she's capable of. Just observe and report," she says, handing two glowing blue stones from her storage bag to one man and the young woman.
"These communication stones will let you report anything of importance. Don't hesitate to use them; now is not the time to conserve resources," Lis instructs, and the hooded figures bow their heads. "Yes, Master!"
"Go now. I'll be checking the main conflict in the forest," Lis says as she steps out of the building, her servants melting into the night's shadows.
The cunning lady pulls a hidden ribbon from the hem of her dress, transforming it into a more practical skirt. Then, with incredible agility and subtlety, she dashes into the forest, blending seamlessly into the dark wilderness.
In just a few minutes, Lis begins to hear agitated voices up ahead. The darkness of the forest makes it difficult for most people to see anything, but there's a faint layer of light in front of her eyes—a spell allowing her to see as clearly as if it were day.
Aria gives her a cold, piercing look. "A demon? Where?"
Lis gets the message, swallowing her pride and fear. 'This is a test... from the beginning, she's been testing me... but for what purpose?' The cunning lady no longer feels like the clever predator but a prey in front of a real hunter.
Aria shifts her attention back to Arthur, watching him slay Marcus's men in the forest with Nyx, who is learning to wield her abilities more effectively alongside him.
Lis keeps her eye spell active, observing every kill clearly. Aria knows this, and after a moment of silence, she breaks it with a question. "What do you think?"
"Exceptional," Lis responds quickly, her tone sincere. "They make a fine team, a natural synergy... Both are quite young, and she seems inexperienced, but somehow he knows exactly what he's doing..."
"He does," Aria says with pride.
"Who trained him in the art of assassination?" Lis asks, genuinely curious.
"No one."
"What?" Lis is incredulous.
"Is his technique any good?" Aria asks, feigning curiosity.
"Well..." Lis focuses on Arthur just as he reveals himself to the giant Silas, suffering a severe blow. "Huh?!" Lis grows worried, but Aria remains still, even though watching Arthur take such a hit clearly affects her.
"Is he alright?" Lis asks, concerned.
"He's fine, just wait," Aria responds confidently. Both women watch as Arthur gets back up and finishes Silas.
"Poison?" Lis mutters aloud. "He has excellent technique..."
"But?" Aria raises an eyebrow, her gaze challenging.
"Hmm..." Lis can't help but feel a primal fear of Aria, an instinctive response to their power difference. Still, she holds her ground. "His technique is still rough. He's reckless and overly arrogant—both are flaws that impact any good assassin."
Aria remains silent for a moment, and Lis grows more apprehensive. After a minute, Aria speaks calmly. "I agree. He's becoming more arrogant..." She sighs, allowing a thought to slip. "Just like his father..."
Lis restrains her curiosity, focusing on Arthur instead. "But he's very young. There's plenty of room for him to grow and learn to control those traits."
"Yeah," Aria nods, her gaze softening as she watches Arthur from afar with a look full of love. "But there are things I can't teach him... In fact, he needs a good..."
"Master?" Lis can't help but finish the sentence with her own thoughts.
Aria turns her gaze back to Lis with an air of superiority, and even hostility. "Teacher, I would say."
"Oh, sure," Lis smiles warmly, but inside, her emotions are a storm. 'Who are they? She's testing me... to train her son into a better assassin? Is that girl a real demon???'
Aria doesn't hide a slight smirk at Lis's reactions. "But I wouldn't know where to find a good teacher for him... and of course, it's up to him to choose what kind of teacher pleases him most..."
Lis returns her gaze to Arthur as he kills another one of Marcus's Champions with swift, poisoned strikes. Even though his tools are excellent, she can't deny his technique is extraordinary for someone so young.
It's impossible to avoid the comparison in her mind, and she thinks about how her current apprentices seem like foolish children compared to Arthur. Naturally, the desire to have such a talented young man as her apprentice grows rapidly in her heart.
As her eyes linger on Arthur's handsome face, smeared with the blood of his enemies, her lips curl into an expectant and confident smile.