"Everyone's rooms have been arranged, and it's getting late, so you should all rest early."
"Tomorrow, I'll take you to the academy for the assessment. Even if you fail, don't be discouraged. All of you are exceptional talents who opened your first soul pact before the age of twenty. I'm sure the military will open its doors to you."
The noblewoman named Anlina spoke in a gentle voice, which eased the worries of the young people who had been uneasy.
Suddenly, someone stood up, his face flushed with excitement. "Excuse me for my boldness, Miss Anlina ! Are you perhaps in need of servants at your residence?"
Anlina paused for a moment, then quickly regained her composure and smiled, covering her mouth with a fair hand. "At the moment, I don't need any servants, but if you're willing, I could use a personal bodyguard."
"It would be an honor to serve as your bodyguard!"
The young man said loudly, his face red with pride, drawing envious glances from the others around him.
They all came from poor rural villages along the border. Having been identified as possessing exceptional soul talent with the potential to become Beastmasters, they were sent to the city of Reza by their clans for better opportunities.
Whether it was passing the academy's assessment to become students of the Beastmaster Academy or joining the military to receive training, these were their goals.
Of course, joining a noble household and being put to good use would also be an excellent option.
Many of the young men couldn't help but look at Anlina's graceful figure with longing, swallowing their saliva as they secretly envied and resented the fortunate person who had spoken first.
Being a personal bodyguard meant that they could be close to Miss Anlina day and night. If luck were on their side, even winning her heart wasn't an impossible dream.
Unfortunately, the position had already been taken by someone else, and these eager young men had to suppress their desires.
Anlina seemed unfazed by the hot stares directed at her. With a smile, she looked around the room and gently raised her glass.
"Then, let me offer the final toast to everyone."
Her words were soft and pleasant, almost magical, calming the heat in the hearts of those around her. They all followed her lead and raised their glasses.
"I can almost see a bunch of bright, lively crops, waiting to be harvested by the scythe," thought Xaya, watching the hot gazes directed at Anlina . He looked at them with a hint of sympathy.
Although there were beasts and magic technology in this world, the level of enlightenment here was still stuck in medieval times. It was clear that these people had never encountered serious hardships or been taken advantage of—such an obvious scam and they hadn't even noticed.
Thinking about it this way, developing an anti-fraud app in this world might be a lucrative venture.
As these thoughts wandered, Xaya's attention shifted.
The next moment, a petite silver-white figure silently appeared on his shoulder.
The small silver-white figure blended seamlessly with the night outside the window, unnoticed by anyone.
After finishing this, Xaya too raised his glass, the crimson liquid pouring into it.
Although over the years, he had used his mind as a time traveler to scam and swindle his way to wealth—through copying books and successful marketing schemes, among other things—most of the money had been spent on the research to uncover the remnants of the fallen Cangting Duchy. He had even hired several archaeological expeditions. This had left him perpetually short on funds.
For this reason, though it wasn't his primary goal, he certainly wouldn't miss out on the bounty on Anlina's head.
There was no way around it—once you stepped into the archaeological pit, even the landlord had no extra grain left.
"It's getting late, I'll take everyone to their rooms now," Anlina said gently after everyone had finished their drinks.
Her voice still calm, but her form didn't move. There was a hint of suppressed heat in her tone.
A few breaths later.
Boom—
Boom—
The dull sounds of flesh hitting the ground echoed.
It wasn't a single case; in an instant, the sounds of overturned tables and scattered chairs reverberated through the hall.
"There's a paralyzing toxin in the wine, Miss Anlina! Someone is plotting against you!"
A hoarse voice came from the young man who had first spoken up for the bodyguard position. He was now immobile, collapsed on the floor, but still managed to warn everyone, his voice carrying a sense of urgency.
In response, he received only cold, indifferent eyes.
And a steel dagger that slit his throat, freezing his expression.
Flesh and blood splattered, and Anlina's once-beautiful face now had an unnatural red hue.
She drew the dagger from the corpse, looking down at the fallen figures around the hall, her eyes gleaming with unmasked madness.
"You all opened your first soul pact at such a young age and were considered the geniuses and elites of your hometown."
"It's truly enviable. You're all just a bunch of lowly peasants, yet you possess such talents that others can only envy."
Behind her, black smoke began to gather, coalescing into a butterfly-like shape.
The wings of the black smoke bore horrifying skeletal patterns, entirely different from the delicate butterflies people usually envisioned.
"But the more talented you are, the more delicious your struggles and despair will be when you're close to death, don't you think?"
The entire hall fell into silence. The paralyzing toxin had spread, and at this moment, the victims could no longer even control their vocal cords.
They could only watch in fear and despair as the once-kind noblewoman, who they had believed to be benevolent, walked toward them with a steel dagger in hand.
The black butterfly behind her fluttered its wings, absorbing the negative emotions, fear, and despair from those who lay dead on the floor. The essence of their souls fed her, and Anlina's face displayed a trace of intoxication.
The Nightmare Butterfly fed on others' souls and negative emotions.
Such an evil beast was naturally not tolerated in society.
But in the face of the pleasure of gaining power, Anlina had long discarded the constraints of worldly laws or noble honor.
If it weren't for this, she wouldn't have gone to such lengths to disguise herself as a kind person, taking in a group of outstanding yet backgroundless young apprentices with pure souls, perfect for feeding her beast.
She had been suppressing her true nature, putting on a façade of kindness. But now, the moment of harvest had finally arrived.
They were just a bunch of lowly peasants from remote villages. No one would care if they went missing in Reza.
Thinking this, Anlina no longer restrained her nature. Her steps became colder and more ruthless.
She moved to the next fallen figure, the raised dagger ready to strike.
However, in the corner of her eye, something made her stop.
Anlina silently turned her head and looked toward the young man sitting by the table in the corner, calmly eating sunflower seeds.
"Who are you?"
Among her victims, this young man hadn't stood out. She had only vaguely remembered him as a quiet, indifferent figure.
Yet, he had definitely drunk the wine earlier, something Anlina had personally confirmed.
Even a high-level Beastmaster wouldn't be able to resist the effects of the drug without calling forth a beast to assist them.
But at this moment, the young man was leisurely eating sunflower seeds, seemingly unfazed by the chaos.
"You look like someone who's drunk a lot but hasn't touched a drop of alcohol. This is a basic skill for nobles. I can tell you've never been through the trials of a drinking party."
"It's a skill you had to master, or else you'd end up as a 'little candy man' before you turn thirty."
It seemed Xaya had seen through Anlina's thoughts. He stopped eating, adjusted his
clothes, and attached a badge to his chest.
"Sorry, I'm the police."