Half-Legged Lamb Tavern
Even in the dead of night, the tavern was as rowdy as ever. You could never guess who was sitting there drinking—mere gamblers and drunks, or sinister information brokers and fearsome outlaws.
Naturally, no one would expect an out-of-place figure to barge in.
The green-haired girl pushed open the door, instantly drawing the attention of most of the men in the room. Ignoring their ravenous gazes, she strode directly to the tavern owner.
"One-Eyed Owl," she said, addressing him by name. "Name your price."
She pressed two purple-black crystals onto the counter and slid them toward him.
The tavern owner hesitated, glancing at her before picking up the crystals to inspect them closely.
"Two… Shadow Assassin Duty Crystals," One-Eyed Owl said, squinting. "Little lady, where'd you get these? To be honest, you shouldn't be so quick to sell them, and you definitely shouldn't have come to a place like this."
He paused, giving her a pointed look.
"You don't belong here."
"No worries," the girl replied, catching his hint but brushing it off with a smile. "At least I trust selling to you."
As they spoke, a hooded man drinking nearby stood up. Without hesitation, he approached the bar, whispered something in the owner's ear, and casually took a few silver coins from One-Eyed Owl's hand before returning to his seat to resume drinking.
After this brief interruption, One-Eyed Owl's demeanor shifted. He seemed to have learned something significant. Giving the girl a deep, meaningful look, he said gruffly, "You know my name, so someone must've recommended me. Let's be friends. I'll offer a hundred and eleven gold for these two 'gems.'"
"I'm Night Star," the girl said with a smile, extending her hand. She leisurely collected the stack of over a hundred gold coins, slipping them into her bag before calmly heading back to the tavern's entrance and stepping outside.
Bang!
The tavern door slammed shut.
Immediately, two men exchanged glances and rose from their seats.
Other patrons who had considered moving froze, sitting back down, wary of catching the attention of these two.
For a moment, only hushed whispers filled the air.
"The David brothers are making their move."
"Careful, don't get noticed. The last guy who tried to steal their prey got chopped into five pieces."
"Such a shame about that pretty face. Wonder where she'll end up."
"Why would a fine girl like that come to a place like this? If the David brothers didn't target her, someone else would."
"People these days are too naive. Naive kids need to learn their lesson."
The David brothers ignored the chatter. They had more pressing matters—a prize like this girl wouldn't be easy to find again if she got away.
They moved leisurely on the surface, but inside, they were burning with urgency.
"David," One-Eyed Owl called out suddenly as they headed for the door, still polishing a glass. "Come buy a glass of Goldleaf Wine. I've got something to tell you."
Goldleaf Wine—the tavern's most expensive drink, yet bitterly unpalatable.
Few patrons ever ordered it, and only a select few knew its true significance.
The David brothers, clearly not among them, were too focused on the beautiful girl to heed the owner's words. They hurried toward the door, eager to track her down.
"No thanks, boss!" the younger David brother said with a wave. "We've got urgent business. Next time!"
One-Eyed Owl didn't press further, silently resuming his glass-polishing.
Ten minutes later, the tavern returned to its usual clamor. Many had already forgotten the brief incident, occasionally lamenting the girl's likely fate—or envying the David brothers' night ahead.
Then, the tavern door swung open again. The green-haired girl strode back in, casually tossing two dark green "gems" in her hand. The gems were smeared with blood and flesh, as if freshly pried from someone's body.
She walked straight to One-Eyed Owl.
"Boss, you buying these?"
One-Eyed Owl didn't bat an eye. Squinting, he took the two gems and examined them closely.
The tavern fell deathly silent…
"Lucille, I agree," Sudiya said softly, huddled in the carriage, half-hidden behind the curtain.
"But how can I trust you? Do you really have a way to save this world?"
"Don't worry," Lucille said, driving the carriage through the streets. "The contract will make that clear. If I didn't have the confidence to save the world, it wouldn't take effect."
"Do you have a contract?" Sudiya asked in a hushed voice. "Those aren't something ordinary people can get. I have two, but they're back in the palace…"
"No need to worry about that either," Lucille said, pulling the reins with a "whoa" to slow the horses. The carriage stopped in front of a grand estate. "We're here."
"Where's this?" Sudiya poked her head out, then shivered. "It feels… eerie…"
The estate was imposing, but its neglected, weathered walls gave it a dilapidated air, as if no one had visited in years.
"On the surface, it's a haunted house," Lucille explained. "But in reality, it's one of the Shadow Cult's strongholds."
Sudiya's eyes widened in confusion, unsure why he'd brought her here.
Lucille didn't keep her guessing. "Right now, the entire city is searching for you—not just Duke Campbell's Royalists, but most of the Shadow Cult's higher-ups as well."
"But the cult's lower and mid ranks operate on a single-line contact system. They recognize tokens, not faces. If we pose as cult higher-ups and hide here, no one would ever suspect the Little Princess is hiding in the cult's own territory."
Lucille tossed a pitch-black key in his hand.
Clearly, this was the "token" he meant.
"Don't call me… Little Princess…" Sudiya said timidly, then froze. "Wait, how do you know so much about the Shadow Cult?"
Lucille knew she still doubted his identity, but he didn't mind. He just smiled. "The Shadow Cult… isn't a monolith."
"The Shadow Cult isn't a monolith!"
In the Duke's mansion, Duke Campbell had already gathered his trusted allies. Ever since news of the Little Princess's assassination attempt broke, a peaceful night was out of the question.
"Ahem," the Duke cleared his throat, reiterating, "Things aren't as bad as they seem. I have eyes within the cult. They've informed me the cult's operation failed."
"The Little Princess was rescued by a mysterious figure. They couldn't identify her, only that she has green hair."
"Our mission now is to find them before the Shadow Cult does and protect the Little Princess!"