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IBP 72
Chloe came to a sudden halt inside the balcony.
Behind her, she could hear the sound of pursuing footsteps and ragged breathing.
‘Just as I thought.’
Chloe felt that, for the first time in a while, she was quite lucky.
Under normal circumstances, Dahlia would have merely observed her and wouldn't have approached her in such a blind, enraged state.
It seemed Coco had helped Chloe once again.
Stepping into the balcony room, she saw Dahlia entering through the open door.
“Why? Did you follow me?”
“Yes. I was curious about what on earth is going on. I naturally assumed you were going to go berserk.”
Once she confirmed that no one else was around, Dahlia revealed her true colors.
Chloe recalled the note Grand Duke Rivera had sent.
[There is a balcony room on the upper floor of the detached palace where the ball is being held.
I will order the servants to leave the door open, so lure Lady Dahlia there.
That balcony is where the sealed vessel of the ancient evil dragon was once kept.
Therefore, the atmosphere of the place is inherently unpleasant and repulsive. If you cast your ‘detection’ supernatural ability there, there is a high probability that Dahlia will not notice.
But please, be careful.]
Using a detection ability on a human means verifying the human's soul through darkness.
As a deep darkness penetrates deep into the body, one can check whether there are scars on the soul.
If there are deep scars on the soul, it means they have killed a spirit beast or a human.
Since such a heinous act cannot be committed without leaving a scar on the soul.
However, unless it is used on an inanimate object, the target will inevitably realize that the other person is using a supernatural ability.
The most important thing was...
‘The timing.’
Chloe glared at Dahlia.
The point where she would fail to regain her reason and maintain her irritation.
“Dahlia, you know. I’ve been thinking about it. The reason why you act like this toward me.”
“...What?”
“It’s an inferiority complex, isn't it?”
Chloe hit the mark.
It was only a single phrase, but it possessed enough power to drive Dahlia insane.
“...What?”
In that moment, Dahlia raised her hand, and...
“How dare you.”
Chloe roughly seized her wrist.
Right now.
Her dark magic secretly searched Dahlia's soul.
Soon, a brief vision appeared of a deep scar on Dahlia's soul.
A damaged soul.
Judging by the shape and size of the scar, it was clearly a trace of killing a spirit beast.
And the next deduction was simple.
Most spirit beasts lived in the outskirts.
The only spirit beast that Dahlia, who had stayed exclusively in her mansion in the capital, could have personally moved to kill was...
“Let... go of me...”
...only one.
If Coco had truly been a spirit beast, it meant there was a very high probability that Dahlia had played a part in killing her.
Glaring at the struggling Dahlia, Chloe lightly twisted her wrist.
“Dahlia, be careful from now on. You can look forward to how the end of your life will be.”
If it were up to her, she wouldn't be satisfied even if she tore her to pieces right now, but Chloe forced herself to calm down.
That foolish former friend didn't have the capacity to kill a spirit beast, a human, or a dog on her own.
There must be an accomplice, so she couldn't let her die just yet.
The moment she cast a look of contempt and turned to leave, Dahlia shouted.
“Lord Gillen will return soon.”
“...”
“Then everything will change. The mana crystal mine? I don't care. I'll just tighten my belt a bit.”
Her whole body was trembling.
“...He loves me. He said he hates wooden women like you.”
“Ah, the Naval Admiral, Marquis Gillen Amadeus.”
Chloe whispered coldly.
“I hope he returns soon.”
Because there was a high probability that that bastard had also played a part in killing Coco.
As soon as she left the balcony, she contacted Grand Duke Rivera again.
And a reply came.
[Marquis Gillen Amadeus is certainly a suspicious individual.
Let us meet at the upcoming hunting competition.]
Chloe returned to the ball.
Numerous people spoke to her, but Chloe had only one thought.
How to take revenge.
Then, another letter from Grand Duke Rivera arrived.
[The hunting competition, <Kapple Carnival>.
I suspect something will happen that day.
Prepare yourself sufficiently so that you are not in danger.]
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