Hate me, Miss Witch!

Shiayar's figure appeared in the lower levels of the gambling den.

With Shiayar's arrival, the originally noisy and chaotic gambling den suddenly fell into a deep silence.

Everyone stared, their silence filled with awe, even reverence, at the mysterious, half-masked figure before them.

In a corner of the gambling hall, a blond girl had stood up at some point, quietly following behind Shiayar without a word.

"Now, do you understand why His Highness chose him as the leader?"

A slight smile appeared on Dyres's lips as she spoke to Nightingale and Dark Raven beside her, and with light steps, she followed in Shiayar's footsteps.

Nightingale nodded, also following with the ghostlike agility of an assassin.

However, as she was about to leave, she looked at her older sister in surprise.

Dark Raven was still sitting in the corner, taking her time before awkwardly standing up.

Her long legs pressed together slightly, and her pale fingers continuously pulled down on the hem of her skirt, as if trying to hide something.

On Dark Raven's usually pale face, a faint blush had appeared.

Nightingale, seeing the flush on her sister's face, asked with a hint of confusion, "Sister, what's wrong with you?"

But then her question was cut off by Dark Raven's forcefully serious voice.

"Nothing, it's nothing."

"Right, I'm going to the washroom first. Tell the leader I'll be there in a bit."

「...」

The group weaved through the vast gambling hall, with onlookers wisely making way.

Shortly after, Shiayar paused at the edge of the gambling hall, in front of a metallic wall.

Shiayar reached out and tapped a few times on the metallic wall that appeared to have no seams.

The next moment, accompanied by the sound of moving mechanisms, the seemingly seamless metallic wall quietly opened, revealing a hidden door.

Behind the hidden door was a passageway leading downward, straight to the underground.

"Esteemed guest, although you have won the wager, this area is for staff only and closed to outsiders," an urgent voice sounded beside Shiayar.

It belonged to a uniformed strongman, enveloped in a formidable aura.

He was the number two man of the Thorns of Sin, from the Borgia family.

Nominally Viscount Lori's right-hand man, he was, in reality, a watchdog from the Borgia family, assigned to monitor Lori, their 'glove puppet.' This man was far more powerful than Lori, who was a mere gambler.

Therefore, despite his surprise at Lori's defeat and suicide, he hurried forward to intercept Shiayar upon seeing his actions.

The passageway concealed the darkest secrets of the City of Eternal Night.

If they were exposed without any preparation, even the Borgia family would suffer a significant shock.

The strongman rushed to Shiayar's side, reaching out to stop him. Although his words were polite, his movements were ruthless, even carrying a hint of murderous intent.

The other party had directly targeted the hidden door, making a beeline for the secrets beneath the City of Eternal Night. This left no doubt they were enemies of the Borgia family.

In the City of Eternal Night, even killing was not an issue; he had plenty of ways to deal with the aftermath.

But the next moment, a chilling aura, along with a scorching silver brilliance, suddenly flared before the strongman.

BOOM—

The gleaming silver spear sent the strongman flying dozens of meters, smashing into a wall before he finally stopped.

COUGH—

He coughed up blood mixed with fragments of his internal organs, his eyes widening as he stared at Shiayar's distant, unmoved group.

"Who are you people? How dare you attack someone on a noble's property?" the strongman exclaimed in horror.

He had been occupied with other matters and wasn't clear on the specifics of the gambling match. He had only rushed to the scene after Lori's death.

He had assumed the other party was simply a reckless gambler and that Lori had made a fatal misstep. But now it was clear: this was no ordinary gambler.

From the very beginning, they had targeted the City of Eternal Night, and by extension, the Borgia family behind it.

"Don't go spreading rumors," Shiayar's calm voice responded. "This place indeed used to be the property of Viscount Lori."

"But Viscount Lori is dead now. He committed suicide, honoring the terms of the bet, and left behind no will or transfer agreements."

"Therefore, Club Thorns of Sin is now ownerless property."

"And according to Imperial law, official bodies of law enforcement have the right to search ownerless property."

"During this process, anyone who interferes or endangers the safety of law enforcers grants them the unlimited right to self-defense."

Shiayar paused, then pinned a shield badge to his chest.

Seeing the silver-white shield badge, emblazoned with the intertwined symbols of the World Tree and a silver sword, the strongman's pupils contracted sharply.

As a trusted member of the Borgia family sent to watch over Lori, he, of course, recognized what the badge symbolized.

That was the ominous shadow that had once hung over every noble family harboring its own secret ambitions.

That was why any slight activity from this organization would provoke a thunderous response from the Great Nobles. The shadow it had cast was so profound that, even after its name had vanished for centuries, the fear it instilled remained unforgettable.

"Of course, all that is just meaningless formality. In reality..."

"The Swordbearers—act first, report later. Imperial authority grants it."

"If you disagree, you can go and file a complaint with Her Royal Highness herself."

The strongman opened his mouth, wanting to say more.

But the next moment, a flash of spear light tore through the air, obliterating both his body and consciousness.