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Lilith’s expression abruptly changed to a frown.

As she threw her fist forward, it appeared to pass through empty space without making contact. The forceful gust of wind that followed only caused the surrounding white fog to swirl.

Based on the enemy’s aura and his unwavering gaze on her, Lilith’s perception told her that the enemy should be motionless and well within the range of her fist. Even if the fog was not obscuring his vision, he should not have been able to dodge Lilith’s lightning-fast attack at such close proximity.

Did… she see a ghost?

Impossible.

As someone who believed the theory of materialism, Lilith was skeptical of the existence of ghosts. She boldly pushed through the fog obstructing her view and kept her fist close to her tummy, ready to strike at a moment’s notice. As soon as the enemy showed himself, she would aim her fist at his vulnerable face with her lightning-fast reflexes.

In the event that her punch failed to land, she had a backup plan. She would shift the center of gravity by putting all her weight on one leg, so that she could seamlessly follow up with a powerful kick.

Now that she was armed with the knowledge that her enemy had a d̲i̲c̲k̲, Lilith knew the most effective area to strike in order to swiftly incapacitate him in close combat.

No matter how many tricks her enemy had up his sleeve, none could compare to the impact of her simple yet effective attack that would strike him where it hurt the most.

Lilith walked through the smoke and finally caught sight of a black shadow. As soon as it appeared, it vanished, leaving no opportunity for either her fist or leg to strike. Even its aura disappeared completely, as if it had never been there at all.

Lilith’s pupils contracted as she recalled a similar encounter she had just experienced. The shadow she saw was more realistic than the silhouette she saw from earlier, causing her to overlook the possibility of it being another deception.

“Ah, you’ve realized what’s going on huh? No matter, it’s already too late for you.” A familiar voice rang in her ears. At the same time, she felt a sharp pain in her back and her abdomen.

Lilith shuddered uncontrollably like she had just been struck by lightning. As she looked down in disbelief, she caught sight of the tip of a dagger, protruding from her abdomen. It was gleaming coldly and stained by her own blood.

“Kieran, you…” Lilith whispered incredulously.

The only person who could succeed in launching a surprise attack on Lilith while she was fully alert was Kieran, who was behind her and she had full trust in him.

Lilith never expected Kieran would have the guts to ambush her. Was he not afraid of Lacey? Was that merely a pretense? Did he already team up with the wolf before she arrived? Was that why they put on such a convincing act in front of her?

“Did that feel good?” Kieran leaned in close to Lilith’s ear, his breath tickling her skin as he let out a playful laugh.

“It feels pretty good to get stabbed by someone you never expect, right?”

“You…” Before Lilith could utter another word, Kieran mercilessly pulled out the dagger that had impaled her, causing blood to gush out of the gaping wound.

Lilith’s body convulsed again, causing her to drop to one knee while clutching her wound. She turned her head to look at the familiar figure dressed in a black and white servant outfit, who was grinning wickedly at her.

“You’re not Kieran. Who are you?”

“As expected of the Dragon Princess. You actually saw through it at a glance. I thought we could play a little longer,” Kieran said regretfully.

Lilith grinned. Talking with a slightly heavier tone was enough to cause a sharp pain to shoot through her wound.

“Actually, I was just guessing.”
“Oh? Is that so?”
“It was nice of you to admit it.”
“Perhaps.”

He was skeptical that the Dragon Princess, who had a reputation for causing chaos wherever she went according to the intelligence he had received, was simply guessing her way out.

“When did you take control of Kieran?” Lilith suddenly asked.

“Just now. If you hadn’t come out of nowhere and interrupted us, I would have been able to gain complete control over him instead of just being able to control him on a superficial level,” Kieran said, with a regretful expression as he looked over his own body.

Lilith sneered. “I thought you like Kieran?”

“Yes, I do. True love is all about having complete control over your lover, so you can adore and admire them like a precious treasure every day.” Kieran blushed and hugged himself, squirming as he spoke, looking clearly excited to discuss the subject.

Lilith’s face twisted in disgust as she muttered, “That’s not love.”

“It’s not up to Your Highness to decide if it is love or not.”

Kieran nonchalantly tossed the bloodstained dagger aside and dusted her skirt, then bowed like a gentleman instead of curtsying like a noble lady.

“Allow me to introduce myself, Your Highness. I am Lacey, the person whom you’ve been looking for. Our first encounter was graced by your generous gesture, and thus, I am humbled and compelled to reciprocate. Please accept this small token of appreciation as a gesture of my utmost respect.”

Lilith struggled to turn her entire body around to face Kieran, who was under Lacey’s control. She narrowed her eyes and said, “If you already know my identity, then you must be related to the mastermind behind the black card.”

“Black card?” It was Kieran’s turn to look surprised.
“That guy who is always late to the party actually made the first move?”
“You guys know each other well?”
“Yes, quite. Don’t worry though, we are nothing more than colleagues who work under the same boss. We don’t hang out with each other, let alone assist each other in work.” Kieran waved his hand and laughed.

“Then why have you guys suddenly started targeting me and those close to me? Is it for money? Social status? Or are you seeking something from me?”

The mysterious purpose of the mastermind had been haunting Lilith’s thoughts.

Without knowing the organization’s purpose, it was impossible for her to devise any countermeasures. No matter how hard Lilith racked her brain, she could not recall when she had offended this mysterious organization ever since she was reincarnated a few years back.

If their intention was not to seek revenge, it was likely that they were after something she possessed or had some goal they wished to achieve through her help.

There was one thing Lilith could not figure out no matter how hard she thought about it. How did they come to know of the words from her previous life?

“Purpose?” Kieran shook his head and continued, “There is no grand purpose behind this. Our boss simply instructed us to eliminate you. Some of my colleagues with eighth grade syndrome may feel a sense of duty to rid the world of what they perceive as filth and evil, but for me, I’m simply trying to carry out the task so that I can spend the rest of my life with my beloved.”

“No grand purpose other than just killing me?” Lilith echoed.

She took a deep breath and asked, “Then… Which one are you?”

In an instant, a frightening murderous intent emanated from Kieran, causing the surrounding temperature to plummet several degrees.

Kieran fixed his gaze on Lilith, his expression fierce as if he were confronting his father’s murderer.

“How… did you know about that?!”