The only explanation for Astrid's unique traits—golden hair and jewel-like blue eyes that shimmered despite her disheveled state—was the possibility of her being related to royalty.
However, her attire puzzled him. She wore a loose navy-blue skirt that fell just above her knees, paired with a white top that accentuated her waist, revealing her long legs, now marred by bruises from her escape through the forest.
Victor, unsure how to react to this unexpected guest, recognized his duty to comply with his master's commands. Approaching her, he extended a hand to assist her in rising from the cold, unforgiving floor.
Astrid gradually regained her footing, her legs trembling. She teetered on the brink of stumbling, but Victor skillfully supported her, ensuring she remained upright.
"Miss, I'll guide you to your room," he offered, his voice now calm and reassuring, a stark contrast to his earlier suggestion of ending her life.
Upon their arrival, Astrid paused and turned to Victor with a question, her eyes curious and cautious. "Where are we right now?" she inquired.
Victor's brow furrowed briefly. He had expected inquiries about the incident earlier or the secrets she had glimpsed, but her question seemed unrelated. "We are currently in the old mansion of Grand Duke Lucifer Azazel, located in the Arcanthal Empire," he replied, providing her with the straightforward information she sought.
Astrid offered a tentative smile before posing another question, her words laced with innocence. "So, the man who killed them is Lucifer Azazel?" she asked, seeking confirmation.
Victor's eyes widened slightly in astonishment. Addressing the Grand Duke of the Arcanthal Empire by his first name within his own territory was an audacious move, even the emperor wouldn't. Now, this piqued his curiosity about her identity. Without altering his demeanor, he replied politely, "You are correct," watching her reaction closely.
She simply nodded, as though contemplating something deeper. "Thank you for answering, Victor. Can you tell..."
Before she could finish her words, Victor interjected, his tone remained polite despite the rudeness, "Miss, I don't recall introducing myself to you, which makes me curious about how you know my name." His smile concealed underlying doubts.
Astrid's expression tensed, and she scrambled for an explanation. "Oh! Earlier, Lucifer mentioned your name, so I remembered it from then. My name is Astrid. I apologize for not introducing myself earlier; that's rather basic." Her smile carried a touch of awkwardness, betraying the fear lurking beneath the surface.
"Ah, thank you for the introduction, Lady Astrid, and for the clarification," Victor responded politely. "Just a small note, my master is the Grand Duke, and he is already engaged, so I hope you'll correct the way you address him to avoid any misunderstandings that might arise in the future." Again, despite his courteous tone, an underlying warning didn't go unnoticed.
Though he maintained politeness, her familiarity with their names had not escaped his notice. It was as if she was conversing with people she had known for a long time, which added to the peculiarity surrounding her.
"Oh, I understand. Thank you for letting me know," Astrid acknowledged, recognizing her error. She attempted to steer the conversation back to her earlier question. "So, getting back to our topic..."
Once again, Victor interrupted her, skillfully diverting the discussion. "Miss Astrid, it's already quite late. Why don't we postpone our questions for another time? I'll prepare a bath for you now and bring suitable clothes to your room shortly. But first, let me tend to your wounds." His smooth transition prevented further strain on her injured neck.
With getting a little clarity about the situation she was thrown in, Astrid chose not to press further. She understood that Victor, ever vigilant, would notice any probing questions.
She smiled uneasily and expressed her gratitude, "Thank you, and I apologize for inconveniencing you at this late hour."
"It is my duty," Victor replied, his tone resolute. "Now, please, sit on the bed. We need to attend to your injured neck."
He went to fetch some medicine for her.
Well, what could she even do in this situation? If she didn't get treated now, then she might really die of heavy blood loss, so she obediently waited for Victor's return with medicine.
Astrid acknowledged her circumstances, understanding she could use her knowledge of the story to avoid impending death, both from insiders and outsiders, and especially from the formidable Lucifer.
However, she couldn't believe she was contemplating hiding from her favorite character. The encounter was far from what she had ever imagined—a sad twist to their meeting.
She never anticipated he would be chasing after her life like a maniac.
Before she could delve further into her thoughts, Victor returned to treat her wound. Gently, he cleaned it, applied a soothing ointment, and secured it with a bandage.
"All done," he declared. "Be cautious not to let water into the wound; infection could be quite dangerous. Use this cream regularly if you don't want your neck to remain scarred. Also, limit your speech. And remember to take a bath before resting," he reiterated all the instructions he had in mind and showed her the direction of the bathroom.
Astrid left her concerns behind as she moved toward the bathroom. Stepping inside, she was greeted by a wave of steam and the delightful aroma of bath oils.
She inhaled deeply, allowing relaxation to wash over her. As she glanced at the full-length mirror, she exclaimed, shocked by her wretched appearance.
"Damn it," she muttered, her mouth dropping in shock. "No wonder Victor insisted that I take a bath."
"Wait..." Her brows furrowed, remembering Lucifer's words.
"Look so delicious?!" His words echoed inside her head, stunning her.
He actually finds her horrendous look delicious?
Astrid was in shock by his peculiar taste...In fact, she felt like dying, witnessing her terrible appearance.
Her pristine visage was now marred by the forest's dirt and grime. Mud and leaves clung to her clothing; her hair was a tangled mess of knots and foliage; her cheeks bore smudges of dirt, and her hands and arms were scratched from the forest's underbrush. Her clothes, torn from thorns and brambles, contrasted starkly with the bandages around her neck.
Until now, she hadn't felt the pain from these injuries, but their realization now sent waves of discomfort through her body.
She lacked the strength to scrutinize her woeful appearance any longer and opted instead for the awaiting bathtub. The water felt silky and warm against her skin as she immersed herself, relishing a moment of solace, albeit briefly due to her injuries.
After a mere five minutes, she emerged, wrapping herself in a bathrobe, and discovered a set of clothes laid out on the bed in the bedroom.
Her eyes frantically searched her surroundings and found no one.
This was the moment she had awaited—a moment of solitude to strategize her next steps.
She closed the door behind her, immediately slipping into the clothes provided.
In her previous life, she had been a resilient businesswoman, clawing her way to secure her family's business among conniving relatives.
The struggles of her past were the reason she could connect herself with Lucifer. Fighting, tearing each other apart, and attacking in various ways to secure a winning hand, she not only had to endure it all but also had to counterattack to protect what was hers.
She had lived that tough life, aiming for one thing, and she actually achieved it. Yet, here she was, unable to reap the fruits of success, now stuck in a new world.
Life sucks!!!
Beginning her analysis, she believes everything had a purpose behind it. So her immediate task was to comprehend the reason behind her presence here.
She immediately searched for a pen and a piece of paper.
She needed to figure out a way to survive as long as she is inside this book, where killing a human is as easy as killing a bug to the people in this world.
Survival seemed even less certain with the dominant and wary young Duke, Lucifer Azazel, who had shown a peculiar interest in her, delaying her impending death.
As far as she understood Lucifer, he must have had a strong reason to spare her life for a few more days, resulting in her death being postponed. However, it would be the end that'll come her way if he loses interest in her.
So, she needs to think of a way to deal with Lucifer. She has only one option: to make Lucifer spare her life, as escaping him has already left the chat. In fact, she can't dare the latter, at least not after witnessing how he killed everyone who tried to escape, got caught and became a sad story.
This realization compelled her to organize her knowledge of the novel. She was fortunate to have a few resources at her disposal.
In the vast room stood a luxurious bookshelf and a desk. She wasted no time in approaching it, dipping a quill into the ink.
"Let's start with the characters."
The novel featured four male characters and four foundational families within the Avalon Empire.
The young Duke, and his cousin, then the second prince, and the archmage.
She started to write down everything she remembered, on the blank sheet of paper.
First, Lucifer Lysander.