Wednesday evening, Angel took a hired carriage to the West District.
She had originally thought that an evil and secretive organization like the Witch Sect would hide in places like the South District or Chorwood District. She hadn't expected that, like Mr. A of the "Aurora Order," they preferred to choose areas where the wealthy congregated and police forces were abundant, like the Queen's District and West District.
The carriage traveled to Palm Avenue. After Angel paid the fare and got out, she discovered this was a sparsely populated wealthy area. The streets were lined with large residences with gardens. Luxurious four-wheeled carriages bearing various emblems raced along the road, with hardly any pedestrians visible.
Far more ostentatious than I imagined...
Angel withdrew her exploring gaze and walked along the street to the location written on the note—a three-story villa set amid exquisite landscaped gardens.
Though night had fallen, a dutiful guard still stood at the gate. He seemed to already know Angel would come today, asking her to wait briefly while he went inside to report.
After a few minutes, a young woman dressed in a black and white maid's uniform came to the entrance with the guard and brought Angel inside.
"Madam is waiting for you in the reception room."
This maid was well-trained, saying only this one sentence to Angel the entire time. They passed through the open hall where many servants were busy, through luxuriously decorated corridors carpeted thickly, and she brought Angel to a reception room on the east side of the first floor.
Entering the reception room alone, Angel discovered the maid had closed the door behind her.
"Welcome, lost 'Witch.' Your punctual arrival pleases me."
A voice that didn't sound very young but was full of appeal came from behind the screen in the reception room. Footsteps sounded, and a woman wearing a black silk robe with black hair tied back walked out from behind the screen and sat by the tea table in the center of the reception room.
Her face was rather round but not fat. Below her fine eyebrows were a pair of gray eyes that currently revealed girlish curiosity as she looked at Angel, though seemingly without malice.
Angel hadn't worn a hood to disguise her appearance today, but she wore the "Ring of Madness," so in others' eyes she still appeared as a black-haired woman with a round face and forgettable features.
Upon seeing this lady's appearance, Angel immediately guessed she was also a Pleasure Witch—well, at least a Pleasure Witch.
Because the feeling she gave was similar to Miss Lola. Her face couldn't be called absolutely beautiful, but combined with subtle body movements and every smile, she captured others' attention.
"Hello, madam."
Not knowing how to address her, Angel could only offer a brief greeting.
"Come, sit across from me," the black-haired lady pointed to another armchair across the tea table. "No need to be nervous. Just call me Servilia."
"All right, Miss Servilia. I'm Erin Watson, a Sequence 7 'Witch.'"
Since the other party had stated her sequence, Angel had no need to hide it. As for the false name, quite a few people in Backlund already knew it.
After Angel sat down, the lady calling herself Servilia shook a small bell. Two maids entered through the side door of the reception room, placed a pot of fragrant tea and various refreshments on the tea table, poured tea for both of them, then silently departed. Their movements were so practiced and swift that Angel was dumbfounded.
I never imagined wealthy people's lives were so... so luxurious. I thought having a dedicated cook and personal maid would be enough. I never expected that just shaking a bell would bring people up to serve refreshments...
Seeming to enjoy Angel's surprise, Miss Servilia smiled faintly as she lifted her teacup and took a sip. Only then did she speak softly:
"Originally, someone of dubious identity like you should be examined directly by the 'Lady of Despair,' but she has more important matters recently and isn't temporarily in Backlund. I'm responsible for the West District and Queen's District, which is how we came to have this meeting."
Lady of Despair?
This was the first time Angel heard this title. It sounded like this Servilia's superior, undoubtedly possessing a higher sequence—perhaps Sequence 5, or possibly even reaching high sequence.
Could the Witch pathway's Sequence 5 be called "Witch of Despair"? That would correspond with "Pleasure Witch"—quite possible.
"First, tell me about your experiences before coming to Backlund. This is the first step of the examination."
Servilia's slightly euphonious and seductive voice pulled Angel back from her thoughts.
As expected, first is background investigation...
Angel had long been prepared for this, even having drafted her story when discussing with Arianna before coming to Backlund.
"I originally lived in Tingen City, should have worked and lived like an ordinary person, growing old like an ordinary person..."
She described an "Assassin's" past, seven parts truth and three parts fiction.
"After meeting Madam Sharon, I embarked on the Beyonder path under her guidance, punishing evil and promoting good, killing criminal organization leaders and those whom the law couldn't punish. I continuously advanced until becoming a 'Witch.' Honestly, at the time I never imagined that advancing to Sequence 7 would turn me into a woman..."
When she mentioned "punishing evil and promoting good," she saw a trace of mockery flash in Servilia's eyes across from her, instantly replaced by curiosity in listening to the story.
"This kind of disguise and self-elevation will make people believe your past more..."
She thought of Arianna's reminder.
"Although Madam Sharon mentioned the 'Witch Sect' to me, she always said I wasn't ready to join. With her death, I lost the path to continue advancing, so I came to Backlund, hoping to gain more opportunities."
Miss Servilia nodded slightly, her expression becoming serious as she asked:
"I've heard about the death of Tingen City's Madam Sharon. Do you know the specific circumstances?"
"To deal with a deserter, she attacked the 'Nighthawks' base of the Evernight Church. I never saw her again after that."
"Consistent with what we know. Sharon Hoey's death nearly cost us an important chess piece, but fortunately Mitris retrieved her. However, Mitris also died in Tingen a month ago... Strange to say, we lost two members there in succession. Hehe, perhaps after you advance, you'll be sent there too."
Servilia said jokingly.
I'd rather not—I don't want to go back and face those old teammates...
Thinking of the Nighthawks in Tingen City, Angel's heart ached.
She forcibly shifted her attention to analyzing Servilia's words.
Mitris was very likely that gray-white-haired "Pleasure Witch," and the important chess piece she "retrieved" was what? It sounded like also a woman...
"Last question: do you know Tris?"
Tris? That "Instigator"—no, that newly advanced "Witch"?
The interrupted train of thought caused Angel brief confusion, but she quickly realized that Tris most likely was another subordinate of Madam Sharon. Servilia was asking this question to judge whether she was lying.
"I know him. He was also Madam Sharon's subordinate, an 'Instigator.' But I haven't seen him since he went to sea and created the 'Clover Incident.'"
"Very good. It seems you haven't concealed anything or lied," Servilia showed a satisfied expression and nodded slightly. "According to the rules, you still need to accept a task. Your ability to join the Witch Sect will be evaluated based on completion. This will be a long process. Before then, you can only contact me alone and cannot and will not have contact with others."
Angel secretly breathed a sigh of relief and nodded in response:
"As it should be. This is consistent with my time in Tingen City."
"I'm glad you understand. I'll find a chance this week to bring you to a viscount's salon. Originally, I planned to have you approach that viscount, but after meeting you, I don't think you can handle this task..."
Servilia looked at Angel's face with some regret, reminding her of Miss Lola's strange expression earlier.
"However, I'll help you select another target. Through Viscount Glaint's salon, you can approach one of his good friends—an earl's daughter. She seems to have extraordinary interest in mysticism and supernatural powers. You might use this point to become her friend."
"You don't need any extra thoughts. Just approach her with a normal mindset—this way it's less likely to be detected. Become her friend and interact with her normally. This is your only task."
Smiling, Servilia added.
"If you can complete the task, I'll provide you with the 'Pleasure' potion formula and corresponding potion materials."
Both formula and materials as reward? Doesn't that mean completing this task would give me a chance to advance to Sequence 6?
Angel was somewhat surprised. She had originally thought that coming to Servilia's place was just to accept the test for joining the "Witch Sect," to complete some simple or complex tasks to prove her ability.
She hadn't expected the other party to offer such generous compensation.
"Who is this Viscount Glaint?"
Why is it worth such a great cost for the Witch Sect to approach him—she didn't ask the second half of the question.
"Him? Just someone who inherited his title at a young age. He's not the focus."
Servilia picked up a delicate refreshment, took a small bite then set it aside, only then continuing.
"Your target is Earl Hall's daughter, Audrey Hall."
"She's only 17 this year, but her beauty has already spread throughout Backlund's upper class. She's been called 'Backlund's Most Dazzling Gem' and owns properties, land, stocks, and bonds worth hundreds of thousands of pounds in her name."
Hundreds of thousands of pounds... The largest amount of pounds I've seen before was on that fellow Lanevus's wanted poster—that 10,000 pounds was just the total amount he defrauded...
Before Angel could express her surprise, Servilia's next words made her jaw drop.
"And her father, Earl Hall, is one of Loen's top bankers and an influential cabinet member. His publicly known assets exceed ten million pounds, and as a banker and investor in numerous industries, the stocks and bonds he secretly controls, if converted to pounds, would likely be no less than thirty million pounds."
Such numbers already sound as worthless as pennies...
Angel had lost the capacity for surprise at the amount "tens of millions."