Chapter 153 153 – The Dress
“Is it okay to leave that bee alone in the middle of town?” Yua’s voice came from my magic pond.
I chuckled. “It turns out that you care about that bug too.”
“Well, she is Elise’s partner now.”
“She asked for it herself. She wants to do something for us.” Elise answered. She and the others were sitting in a tent. “And her name is Ciel.”
“Ciel, huh? A good name.” I nodded, looking at the other side of my pond. Besides displaying my servants, that thing shows the town of Silkdale at night. That sight came from Ciel’s eyes. The bee is doing surveillance.
“Why hasn’t she found the location of that clothes yet?” Kilev, the dress goddess, sighed in frustration. This time she was wearing a giant egg-shaped outfit. Something hilariously epic, and it made me hold back a laugh so she wouldn’t be offended. “I know this bee is close to that thing, but I can’t pinpoint it.”
Ciel entered a house whose interior was lit by candles. After finding only a few people inside asleep, she came out. It was the umpteenth house she checked. Homes that have life inside were scattered throughout the town.
“Maybe we should stop the search for a while,” I muttered. “Ciel has been lurking around long enough. She might be tired.”
“I can sense that she still wants to continue, sir.” Elise chimed in again. “However, I agree with you.”.
“A moment.” My eyes narrowed as Ciel stopped a few feet from a house that was no different from any other. What distinguishes it is that a group of people was entering it.
“Ah.” Kilev opened her mouth. She was now dressed like a mage, making me sigh with relief. I didn’t have to hold back my laughter anymore. “There seems to be more of them than in the previous houses. Looks like there is something here.”
“Don’t go in there just yet, Ciel.” I gave the order to the bee. “Look for an open window, and you snoop from there. It’s too dangerous for you to enter that place with so many people awake.”
Ciel circled the house, then stopped at an open window on the second floor. Kilev immediately gasped when she saw what was in there.
“Finally.” I flashed a faint smile.
Inside one of the house rooms, there was a purple dress floating in the air, emitting dim light.
However, it wasn’t that feathered dress that caught my attention, but the people around it. They all knelt on the floor, staring at the dress with eyes dotted with black bags, and their faces were so pale.
Then, one of them collapsed, and several people came to take him away. The others were unaffected and remained in their positions.
“Looks like that thing sucked up those people’s life force.” Kilev bit her thumb nail. “What an evil way to use an outfit.”
Not long after, a short man with shoulder-length white hair entered. “Your time is up. Your sacrifices will not be in vain because this is for the salvation of mankind. As I said so many times, Lady Scarlet will use this outfit to fight the ultimate evil. An evil that could destroy all of humanity.”
My smile is getting wider. Finally, I found a clue that was so close to the Scarlet Wizard. It made my heart rate crawl up.
The kneeling people breathed a sigh of relief. Some were crying and even collapsed. They were asked to leave the room.
“Next batch….” The white-haired man caught his breath and looked outside, causing Ciel to shift from the window. “Don’t let them in just yet! Wait outside!”
“Stay away, Ciel.” I gave instructions again.
The bee moved away but was still around the house.
“Ah, looks like it’s the Scarlet Wizard.” Kilev hissed with a disgusted face. “A servant from previous Raymund who rebelled. I still know her face very well. The dress she’s wearing right now was made by me.”
The intervals of my heartbeat were getting more intense.
A woman with a youthful face floated up to the window, making her dress and long red hair flutter. Her face looked so radiant as if carved by a skilled sculptor. If she wasn’t my enemy, I wanted to bring her as a servant.
“How is it?” The woman spoke after entering the room.
“I still need a lot of human life energy to perfect this outfit, My Lady.” The man answered.
I spoke to Ciel, “Come closer, but don’t be seen.”
The bee then perched behind the window frame.
“Are you really sure this will work?” The Scarlet wizard continued. “I don’t know, Mattias. Your progress looks slower than the others. And are you really sure that this outfit will be able to take me to the realm of God?”
“Making masterpieces takes time, My Lady.” The man named Mattias responded again. There was a hint of irritation in the way he spoke.
“Well, we’ll see.”
“I, Mattias Laitinen, will do my best for you.”
I instantly widened my eyes. Did I hear wrong? A Laitinen?
“A moment.” Scarlet hissed, then her footsteps approached the window. “I feel something.”
“Ciel, get out of there.” I hissed. “Now.”
The bee left the place at full speed. Now, what is visible in part of my pond is a nearly dark view of the town.
“Please wake up, Kimi.” My mouth trembled when I said that.
Yua and Elise shook the petite elf’s body. She only woke up moments later.
“Is it morning?” She yawned. “Why is it still dark?”
“Kimi, I want to ask you something.” I gulped hard, taking a deep breath. “Do you have any connection with the man named Mattias Laitinen?”
The petite elf was silent. This time she showed a change of expression. Her eyes widened, and her mouth agape.
“Kimi?” I called her again because I didn’t get an answer after a while.
“Sorry, My Lord.” She massaged her forehead. “He is my father, the wizarding scientist who invented that ritual method.”
“That ritual to gain near-divine power?”
She nodded. “Yes.”