155 - 24 Hearts

# The Mansion of the Neyubae Family An unprecedented event occurred in the history of Urun. A daring thief not only infiltrated the mansion of a grand noble, but also boldly stole away three elf slaves. The magical barrier meant to protect the mansion failed utterly, and even a security guard and a mage were murdered. Thieves are not unusual in Urun. However, none have dared to break into the residence of a powerful noble and undertake theft. No thief was bold enough to provoke the ruling elite, who possessed formidable power. Who, in their right mind, would enter a mansion, risking the wrath and pursuit of mages? If one had the skills to easily scale a three-meter wall, dismantle a magical barrier, and overcome guards, they certainly wouldn’t squander their abilities on petty theft. Yet, an audacious and skilled thief emerged, targeting the high nobility. Stealing gold, jewels, or assorted valuables might have been understandable. But to vanish with three elves without leaving a magical trace was astonishing. Even the mages stationed at the mansion lost track of the trail. To maintain the façade, the nobles refrained from publicly inquiring about the incident. Should this scandal leak, the Neyubae family would inevitably become a laughingstock among the nobility, a subject of endless gossip. The earl, engaged in his own indiscretions on the mansion's third floor, hurriedly dressed and descended upon receiving the belated report. The scent of blood lingered like a faint perfume. Descending toward the room where the stairs to the basement were located, the scent intensified. The Earl of Neyubae, dragging his corpulent body, grimaced upon discovering a dead guard leaning against the corridor wall. At this point, he didn’t need to go further to understand. Clenching his teeth, he turned to the flustered mage and security guards trailing behind him, yelling furiously. “What were you doing? I hired you at great expense to prevent things like this! What have you been doing?” “……” “You idiots! Useless trash! What are you waiting for? Go capture that thief immediately! Do you intend to use your magic to make stew?” The earl’s voice boomed, reverberating painfully through the hallway. His rage and murderous intent were palpable, causing the mages and guards to shiver. One of the mages, donning a robe with the N mark of the Neyubae magical brigade, cautiously spoke up. “My apologies, my lord. We have dispatched a tracking party, but they lost the trail nearby. Additionally, even with our magic, we cannot recall any memories from this place…” “The point!” “We cannot identify the perpetrator. As of now, tracking is impossible.” “Idiots.” The earl conjured his magic with disdain. Though physically corpulent, he was a masterful mage. Magic took shape under his will and unfolded. The memory recall spell completed in an instant, replaying the events. The surroundings took on an ashen hue, and even the nearby guards instinctively stepped aside in surprise. The mages, seemingly anticipating the sequence, watched indifferently as the guards passed by. A guard, previously leaning lifeless against the wall, suddenly surged forward without a sound, attempting to enter the room. Yet, in that moment, something swished from inside, sending the guard crashing back into the opposite wall. Lifeless, the guard twitched before collapsing, with something indistinguishable wedged in his heart, distorting the space around it. The phenomenon intensified when the presumed thief emerged from within. “……” The earl frowned deeply. Now, he understood why the mages couldn’t perform a memory recall with their magic. The adversary wasn’t an ordinary thief. Undoubtedly, they possessed immense skill, potentially wielding powerful anti-magic capabilities or an equivalent artifact. “Damn it.” If he issued a public warrant, they’d become the butt of jokes among the nobility. Yet, doing nothing rankled his pride, knowing the value of the stolen elves. He decided on the latter option. Becoming the subject of ridicule among the nobles was manageable; he vowed to locate and destroy the one who had insulted him so grievously. Clenching his fist, the earl cast a scornful glance at the idle guards and mages. “What are you standing there for? Scour the streets for them! Three elves should be conspicuous! Inform the city gate’s defenses—you have work to do! Move now!” “Yes!” The mages and guards within the mansion sprang into action. Despite the late hour, with few present in the mansion, the earl believed that by daylight, more would join the hunt. By tomorrow, the city’s defenses of Urun would also be enlisted, and the perpetrator would soon be caught. “Is this where the trail ends?” “Yes, senior.” Two mages, both affiliated with the Neyubae magical brigade, stood still. The one addressed as senior clicked his tongue, releasing a deep sigh. To his surprise, the trail ended a mere 15 meters outside the mansion wall. Following a witness’s testimonial of the thief entering an alleyway, hopes were somewhat high. Yet, astonishingly, the trail vanished shortly after the alley was entered. "This is crazy." The alley seemed like a hidden passageway, but in reality, it was a straight path leading to another street. Those who passed by claimed to have seen nothing, suggesting the thief either vanished here or... 'It could be magic.' Given the thief's ability to bypass the mansion’s magical barrier and swiftly break the seals around the elves’ necks, it wouldn’t be difficult for them to cast an invisibility spell on three elves. "Hmm..." “What should we do? The earl seems furious, so we should probably remain out here at least until tomorrow night before returning to the mansion.” He nodded in agreement with his junior. The angry earl would not tolerate seeing them comfortably snoring in the mansion. Moreover, considering that a colleague from their magical brigade had died, they couldn’t afford to be lax. “Let’s investigate. Perhaps there’s some kind of trace left behind.” “Yes.” They quietly stepped into the barely visible alleyway, casting light from magical orbs they conjured. The glowing orbs shed light in the darkness, revealing a clean alley devoid of garbage—hardly surprising, given it was in a district where noble families like the Neyubaes resided. Tap-tap-tap-tap— Their steps came to an abrupt halt at the sound. Momentarily questioning if they heard wrongly, the persistent rhythm indicated otherwise. Someone—specifically a woman—was approached from the opposite direction. The clicking of heels softly echoed through the night. "Hmm." The two men exchanged a glance. The senior gestured towards the wall, and they pressed against it, allowing space for the passerby. Despite the alley being wide enough for two to walk side by side, it was still narrow for three. Stepping aside for the woman imbued the darkened ambiance with an odd sense of anticipatory excitement. "Ahem." The woman's steps remained steady despite the lack of a light source, and soon, her silhouette became visible in the glow of their magical orbs. Instinctively, the two mages were almost tempted to express their admiration with a whistle. 'Oh my!' Although they kept silent, the dim outline revealed a stunningly beautiful woman. Her attire was equally dazzling. Approaching with the grace befitting a noble, the woman wore high heels, form-fitting pants that accentuated her legs, and a top clinging to her curves beneath an undefined furry cardigan that hinted at luxury. 'Quite remarkable!' Amazed by her beauty, they couldn’t help but stare, their feet subconsciously still as they watched her approach. With waves of purple hair, she walked steadily closer, glancing sideways, her golden eyes glinting mischievously. “What’s got you staring?” “Eh?” “Two men leering in a dark alley… It’s quite unnerving for me.” She smirked, crossing her arms and emphasizing her ample chest. They swallowed in response, stealing wary glances at each other. “Pardon us. We meant no offense; there’s no need to worry.” “That’s right. We were simply entranced by your beauty; we meant no discomfort at all.” She slightly parted her lips, appearing to suppress a laugh, covering them with her hand as if amused. “Oh, I see. Thank you for the compliment. By the way… I noticed other mages rushing about earlier as well. Is something going on?” “Ah, well…” “Yes! There is! A brazen thief stole away with the earl's elf slaves!” “You, watch what you say—” The senior startled, redirecting his junior's candid admission. The impending revelation to other noble families would soon be inevitable, but it wasn’t something to broadcast publicly. As members of the earl’s magical brigade, they were there to preserve his honor and authority. A responsibility well understood by his junior, supposedly. As he turned to scold the junior for his indiscretion, he froze. The junior’s eyes gleamed with desire. 'Seduction magic?' Realization struck as he hurriedly summoned his magic. Energy coursed through his once-lethargic body, expelling the enchantment influencing him—but the woman’s actions were faster. Her hands unwrapped from her embrace, lunging at him with startling speed, pinning him against the wall by his throat. “Urk!” Simultaneously, a loud thud echoed. Despite his assault, the junior mage continued to gaze foolishly at the woman with a bemused smile. Urging him to react, he struggled against the sheer strength clenched around his neck, a force unbelievable coming from a woman. “Gah! Ugh…” Damn, he had to cast a spell—! But his magic was stifled, the arrangement disrupted. Recognition dawned as he realized the cause: the very woman who’d seized him. “Oh my, this is inconvenient. Please stay still. I need to conserve my strength… Should you resist, it may end quite harshly, I fear.” She chuckled softly. Asmodeus, her name now clear, gently pressed a finger to her lips. “You understand?” Gripping her wrist, the man could only nod. ---------= Epilogue of the Story ---------= Turns out, I'm a bit late. And no, she's not actually a woman. It's a robust man! Men can get sick too, you know—like catching a cold or coming down with the flu. Reflecting on it, I never quite understood why authors would talk about being unwell in the past. But now that I've found myself in their shoes, I completely sympathize. Haha.