"I knew this would happen."
Tilia looked indifferently at the man twitching on the floor.
It's good that she quickly changed the cups while he went to draw the curtain.
Even though she had taken the antidote that Judy had given her, it would still be dangerous since the potion was so strong that it would incapacitate a man his size.
“Men are all the same. They have only one thing in their heads.”
Tilia poured tea on his lower body - the same one that was in the cup she pretended to drink.
“It would be a shame to leave everything as it is...”
With a carefree expression on her face, Tilia rummaged through her bag and pulled out a red pen she had prepared. Then, in thick letters, she wrote words on his forehead - words he might have secretly desired.
[Whore for men]
Tilia grinned and put her pen away.
“It will be a good experience for you.”
According to her research two days ago, this secret club was known for attracting people with particularly unusual sexual desires.
If she had left him like this, men who liked such games would probably have gathered around.
An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.
Having finished her work, Tilia calmly packed her bag and left the room.
Of course, she left the door wide open so the perverts could get inside.
***
This was definitely a members only place. Although security at the entrance was strict, it was relatively free inside. Because of this, she lowered her vigilance and now tried to find a way out in this labyrinthine space.
"Where should I go?"
Tilia sighed, staring at another door at the end of the long corridor. This was the fifth one she had encountered.
“I want to go home soon.”
This place was crawling with strange people. Just the thought of running into another pervert made her head hurt as she walked, her nerves on edge.
"If that's not an option, maybe I should find a waiter or something..."
Tilia opened the elegantly engraved door with a tired face. She felt that someone was standing in the corner, in the darkness.
Startled, she tried to retreat, but it was too late.
- Mmm!
A strong hand covered her mouth and her body was quickly grabbed.
She struggled in fear, but the man did not move. It felt like she was fighting against solid rock.
The huge difference in power filled her with fear.
- Stay where you are.
A familiar voice whispered in her ear, and Tilia turned pale with fear.
- I'll let you go if you promise not to scream.
As that deep voice reached her ears, Tilia finally began to recognize the man standing behind her.
Familiar smell. A solid body that she had already touched. And this unusually high temperature...
Slowly turning her head, she saw a man she knew well. It was Ilex Davenport.
"Why is he here...?"
Tilia looked at him in shock, then narrowed her eyes. Either he was running or something else had happened, but there was an inexplicable urgency on his face.
Tilia looked at him suspiciously, then nodded her head, signaling him to let her go.
- Be quiet. Can you promise?
Meeting his gaze, Tilia nodded slowly.
After a moment's hesitation, a warm hand released her mouth, and the hand that had been holding her also finally let go.
- What are you doing?
As soon as he let her go, Tilia pulled back as quickly as an animal escaping from a trap and looked at him warily.
- How did you know I was here?
- Let's leave first.
Ilex grabbed Tilia's wrist and tried to head towards the opposite door.
But Tilia was not going to follow him obediently. She roughly shook off Ilex's hand and said sharply:
- Why should I follow you?
In contrast to the harshness in his voice, Ilex's expression was worried.
- I'll explain as we go. There is no time.
- No. Explain now.
- There's a dangerous man here. I'll explain the rest on the way...
- That's right. A dangerous man is standing right in front of me.
At her cold tone, Ilex, who was looking at the door, turned his head. Tilia met his gaze directly, refusing to back down.
- How can I trust you?
He is just like all the other men here - he only cares about her body and makes ridiculous demands.
Ha.
Ilex let out an empty laugh, as if he understood how she saw him. He glanced away for a moment before turning back to her.
- Gregory Myers escaped.
-...Gregory?
- Yes. By the time the holy knights got there, the window had already been broken. The problem is that the bastard took the jewelry with him. And in a place like this, money can buy anything.
- Wait.
Tilia frowned, trying to follow the story, and looked at Ilex.
- What does Gregory's escape have to do with me?
Ilex looked at her with a complicated expression.
“That bastard probably thinks you ratted on him.”
- What? Why do I need this?
- Does this explain everything? We don't have time to waste.
- Explains what?!
Despite her protests, Tilia allowed herself to be carried away by him.
- Why does he think that I snitched on him? It's pointless. I didn't do anything!
Of course, she continued to ask questions, trying to understand the situation.
- How did Gregory even know that I was here?
- Damn Brad Reynolds spread the rumor that he's meeting you here. Gregory must have heard it too.
- So you're saying that Gregory is here and trying to kill me?
Ilex didn’t answer, he just quickened his pace. Tilia tried to keep up, trying to comprehend what he said.
Is Gregory really here? To take revenge on her? But why? She's not the one who complained about him.
Tilia looked at Ilex, who was holding her wrist, her eyes filled with confusion.
He seemed to know this place from the inside. As he opened another door that revealed a hidden room, without hesitation, he pushed aside the bookshelf in the corner, revealing the hidden door.
- If we go a little further, we will reach the exit. A carriage is waiting outside. You can take it and leave.
-……
Watching Ilex find a way out so quickly, Tilia felt a surge of suspicion.
Where exactly was this prepared carriage headed?
Tilia watched as Ilex moved forward without hesitation, and then spoke abruptly.
- Ilex, how do you know all this?
And again there was no answer. He simply moved down another corridor towards another hidden exit.
Tilia's eyes narrowed.
"Can I trust him?"
Ilex Davenport was one of the most suspicious people she knew. And judging by what he told her, the rumors about him were most likely true.
- Ilex Davenport.
Suddenly Tilia dug in her heels, refusing to move.
- Why don’t you answer me?
In response to resistance, he finally turned his head and looked at her.
His gaze met hers, those determined green eyes demanding an answer, and he sighed softly.
- Three days ago, when George Ambrose was chatting in the bookstore.
-……
“Ever since then, I had a feeling that something might happen, so I investigated.” I was already keeping an eye on Gregory Myers, just in case.
Ilex's expression was calm as he spoke, but Tilia's doubts remained.
- Why do you need to investigate this?
Her tone was icy, almost emotionless.
- Why do you suddenly care so much about me?
-……
Ilex stopped, still holding onto the door leading to the exit with one hand, and hesitated, as if unsure.
His thumb unconsciously stroked the soft inside of Tilia's wrist. She glanced down, noticing his hand on her wrist.
The feeling of his fingers on her skin was strangely unfamiliar. It felt like a small insect was crawling under her skin, and she couldn't shake the feeling that it might burrow deeper.
Feeling a sudden, inexplicable anxiety, Tilia abruptly pulled her hand away.
As she looked up to demand an answer, she noticed something unusual. Behind the door something was rushing towards them.
At first she thought it was a scarecrow. But as it approached, she realized that this was not a simple stuffed animal stuffed with straw. He had eyes - brown eyes, full of murderous intent, staring at them from under the torn fabric.
“Somewhere I’ve already seen these eyes...”
Ah. An all too familiar name flashed through Tilia's head.
Yes, Gregory Myers. This is him.
The moment she recognized him, she also noticed the object in his hand.
A sword that glows blue.
Gregory, looking much worse than at the academy, ran towards them with a sword in his hand.