AN: I'm giving 120% of my full potential!!
...Enjoy
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Backlund, Hillston Borough. In a building with a horse stable and garden.
Qilangos, who had a distinctive wide chin and dark green eyes, looked at the unconscious man before him. He removed the man's clothes and put them on himself.
He then leisurely walked to the dressing mirror and saw the black glove on his left hand twitch. Many contorted lines appeared on its surface.
A few seconds later, Qilangos saw a thin veil of light envelop his figure. His muscles, skin, and bones began undergoing a strange transformation.
Some time later, he had transformed into the unconscious man, identical in height, appearance, and demeanor.
After rehearsing a few of the man's gestures, he bent down, dragged the man across the floor, and shoved him into a wardrobe.
Then he extended his right hand. With an audible snap, he broke the man's neck.
Qilangos took out a handkerchief and wiped his hands before closing the wardrobe door.
He slowly walked back to the mirror, put on a black double-breasted frock coat, tied a bowtie, and picked up a bottle of amber-colored cologne. He dripped a few drops onto his wrist before dabbing them over himself.
He looked at his new face in the mirror. A scowl was etched across it, making the man in the mirror appear cold and sinister.
Qilangos had not planned to act so early on. His original plan was to hide in backlund for a month and observe the movements of the official Beyonders, and investigate Pallas Negan's schedule.
But the moment news of his arrival leaked, the entire city became dangerous. The churches, the military hyenas, and the Nighthawks all begin searching for traces of him. Even the Aurora Order lunatics had somehow learned about his presence.
He took a deep breath and let the tension drain from his body. The scowl softened as he looked at his reflection, and a small confident smile formed on his lips.
He had no choice but to assassinate Pallas Negan before the official Beyonders locked onto his trail. Staying passive only made the situation worse.
In truth, he had accepted this commission because the price had been attractive enough. More than that, he enjoyed this kind of work. The risk, the planning, the uncertainty of a well-guarded target all of it felt like a difficult challenge to him.
He looked at himself once more in the mirror and adjusted his expression into something a noble would naturally wear.
Qilangos tidied his hair in front of the glass, then walked out of the room. He clasped his hands and spoke to the butler waiting outside.
"Don't let anyone enter my room. I'm keeping something very important in there."
"Yes, Baron." The balding butler pressed a hand against his chest and bowed. "Your carriage and personal servant are waiting downstairs. Duke Negan's invitation card is there as well."
Qilangos gave a small nod while keeping the baron's mannerisms intact. He walked toward the stairs with controlled arrogance, the butler following close behind.
...
After getting off the carriage, a valet of Pallas Negan came forward and led him toward the ballroom.
As a man who had spent most of his life at sea, Qilangos could tell he had never seen this level of extravagance before.
The mansion was split into two main areas. The ground floor held the dance hall, its floor made of polished stone slabs carved with detailed patterns. A duke's orchestra played in one corner, filling the space with music. Above it, a winding corridor wrapped around the hall on the second floor.
Nobles leaned against the railing with drinks in hand, watching the dancers below like spectators at a performance.
On the far side of the corridor were rows of guest rooms prepared as resting quarters.
At the end of that corridor was another hall overlooking the ballroom. Long tables were filled with food and wine, and another orchestra played softer music for the people gathered there.
Some people sat in groups, others stood and talked. A few stepped out onto the balconies to escape the noise and look at the garden under the crimson moon.
Qilangos glanced over it all and thought it was a pointless waste of money. If he wasn't here for a mission, he would have robbed the entire place blind.
It did not take much for him to get into the mannerisms of the nobles around him. They all acted like curly haired baboons looking for mates.
He shook his head as he walked up the stairs to reach the second-floor dance floor, where he could get a clear view of Pallas Negan.
As he went up, someone spoke.
"Good day, Baron Gramir," the young lady greeted him with a noble's smile and proper etiquette.
Qilangos, in Baron Gramir's disguise, hid his distaste for the useless noble in front of him and searched through Baron Gramir's memories to identify her. After recalling who she was, he smiled lightly and bowed.
"Nice to meet you again, Miss Hall. You are the brightest and most dazzling jewel at this ball."
After exchanging a few more useless words, Baron Gramir headed for the dance hall while Audrey continued toward the dining hall.
Unbeknownst to him, Qilangos did not notice the puzzled stare Audrey gave him from behind.
Audrey, who had just greeted the Baron, furrowed her brows.
After becoming a Telepathist, her perception of others had greatly sharpened. She could now sense changes in a person's aura and emotional state more clearly than before.
From the mysticism books she had studied, she knew that the colors seen through Spirit Vision were manifestations of the Ether Body. Thickness, brightness, and color could reflect a person's physical condition and emotional state.
The Baron's Ether Body did not resemble that of an ordinary person. It was a deep blue, heavy and turbulent, like a tidal storm.
Her thoughts connected the clues in an instant. This could very likely be Qilangos in disguise, since Creeping Hunger had the ability to change a person's appearance.
The more Audrey thought about it, the more possible it seemed. She felt tense, and a wave of panic rose in her mind.
'If he really was Vice Admiral Hurricane, what was he trying to do? Should I try to investigate? No, I have to warn Father.' Amid her frantic thoughts, Audrey quickened her pace and entered the dining hall. She found Earl Hall speaking with the Chief Cabinet Secretary and others.
Audrey took Earl Hall by the arm and led him to the nearest balcony. They found a quiet, unoccupied corner, and she did not explain that she had seen his Ether Body. Instead, she described the other things that felt wrong, such as his cologne and his behavior.
After she finished explaining what she had noticed, she weighed her words and added, "I heard from Viscount Glaint that Vice Admiral Hurricane Qilangos has the ability to take on other people's appearance. Hasn't he been in Backlund recently?"
Earl Hall listened carefully, and his expression grew unusually grave.
He soon forced a smile and tried to calm his anxious daughter.
"I'll take care of this. Go find your mother and stay with her. She's in the lounge in this hall."
"Okay." Audrey nodded obediently.
On the way back to the lounge, She couldn't help but feel anxious. She felt that she needed to do something to make sure that her father and mother didn't get hurt.
She surveyed the area and changed the direction in which she was heading in. She left the dining hall and found Duke Negan's small prayer room.
She pushed the door closed and locked it behind her. She looked at the symbol of the Lord of Storms before her and subconsciously found a remote and dark corner.
Audrey sat down, leaning forward slightly. She clasped her hands together in a prayer-like position and supported her forehead.
"The Fool that does not belong to this era,"
"You are the mysterious ruler above the gray fog;"
"You are the King of Yellow and Black who wields good luck."
"I pray for your attention."
"I pray for you to listen."
…
"I am at a ball held by Duke Negan and have encountered someone suspected to be Qilangos."
"He is disguising himself as Baron Gramir, and his motives are unclear."
"I noticed that the Ether Body of Baron Gramir is different from that of an ordinary person. It is a deep blue, like a tidal storm. This reminded me of the appearance-altering Beyonder power that Qilangos's mystical item possesses."
...
Audrey repeated her prayers a few times before finally stopping. She tidied her clothes and walked quickly to the door.
She knew that she couldn't be gone for too long because her parents would worry about her and thus misjudge the situation. It would cause them to react in the wrong way.
Standing behind the door, Audrey took a deep breath, extended her right hand which was covered in a white veiled glove, and released the lock with a wary heart, when her vision suddenly turned blurry. She realized that an illusory fog was spreading into the surroundings.
In the middle of the thick wide fog was an ancient chair, and atop the chair was a mysterious presence, a mysterious presence that seemed to overlook everything.
'Mr. Fool!' Audrey almost shouted in pleasant surprise.
She then heard a deep, familiar voice: "I'm aware."
The voice reverberated around the space as the fog vanished.
The worry and unease in her heart vanished as she subconsciously straightened her back and entered the dining hall with light steps. She walked toward the recreation room in the dining hall.
After walking for a few moments, Audrey arrived at the lounge where her mother was resting.
The lounge was quieter than the ballroom outside. Soft music drifted faintly through the walls while noble ladies sat together with cups of tea and glasses of wine in hand, discussing fashion, marriages, politics, and the latest rumors circulating through Backlund's upper class.
Audrey quickly spotted her mother among them.
Caitlyn Hall looked like an older version of Audrey. She had long blonde hair, emerald-green eyes, and a mature beauty that carried the elegance of a noble lady who had spent years within high society. Her graceful demeanor naturally drew attention wherever she sat.
At that moment, she was conversing with Duchess Della Negan.
Audrey slowed her steps and adjusted her expression before entering the gathering. She lifted the sides of her dress slightly and performed a proper curtsy toward the noble ladies present.
"Good evening, ladies."
The women smiled and greeted her in return. "My, little Audrey has become even more beautiful."
"I heard many young gentlemen were looking for you tonight."
Audrey maintained a reserved smile as she exchanged a few polite words before walking toward her mother.
"Mother."
Caitlyn's expression softened immediately.
Audrey bent slightly and kissed her mother on the cheek according to noble etiquette before lightly embracing her.
"You returned so quickly?" Caitlyn asked gently.
"Yes. I came to see you first." Beside Caitlyn stood Susie, remaining unusually obedient with her head raised proudly like a well-trained aristocrat herself.
When Susie saw Audrey, her tail wagged slightly.
Audrey's smile became more genuine. She crouched down beside the golden retriever and gently scratched behind her ears. "Did you behave properly tonight, Susie?"
"Woof." Just as Audrey continued petting her, Duchess Della's amused voice sounded nearby.
"My, my. Little Audrey, you only greeted your mother properly and immediately ignored the rest of us." Audrey looked up at the speaker.
Duchess Della appeared to be in her thirties. She carried a refined elegance, with delicate facial features and a composed posture befitting the wife of Duke Negan.
Audrey stood up gracefully and smiled apologetically. "My apologies, Duchess Della. It is simply because Mother and Susie are too difficult to resist."
Duchess Della covered her lips with a fan and chuckled lightly. "You truly know how to speak. Come, sit beside us. Why are you in such a hurry tonight?"
Audrey sat down beside her mother, but the relaxed smile on her face faded slightly. Seeing her expression, several noble ladies gradually stopped chatting.
Audrey lowered her voice appropriately before speaking. "Father warned me earlier that a dangerous criminal may have entered tonight's ball." She paused and then continued carefully, "Father suspects it may be Vice Admiral Hurricane Qilangos."
Duchess Della's expression stiffened slightly. Everyone in Backlund's upper class had heard of Vice Admiral Hurricane's reputation. A cruel pirate admiral with a bounty high enough to terrify ordinary people.
Caitlyn immediately held Audrey's hand tighter and asked, "Did your father say anything else?"
Audrey nodded lightly. "He told me to remain here with all of you for the time being and avoid moving around carelessly."
...
Throughout the conversation, Audrey gradually noticed that something seemed wrong with Duchess Della.
Audrey observed her quietly while maintaining a polite expression. She did not activate Spirit Vision and only paid attention to physical behavior and subtle movements.
At first glance, Duchess Della's composure appeared flawless, but small details gradually revealed cracks beneath the surface. There was a faint heaviness beneath her eyelids. Her breathing remained carefully controlled, yet it did not fully match the calmness in her voice. Occasionally, her posture loosened slightly before she corrected it almost immediately.
Audrey narrowed her eyes slightly.
She was about to activate her Telepathist Spirit Vision to confirm her suspicions when her thoughts were abruptly interrupted.
Crash!
A deafening sound suddenly rang out from outside, startling everyone in the lounge.
The noble ladies cried out in alarm.
Through the open balcony connected to the lounge, Audrey could clearly see portions of the ballroom below.
The enormous crystal chandeliers hanging above the dance floor had collapsed one after another, crashing onto the ground amidst screams and chaos.
A violent gust of wind surged upward from below and swept through the lounge.
The three-layered dessert rack toppled over instantly. Muffins, cakes, cream pastries, and expensive wine scattered across the floor.
Susie immediately lowered her head and tried to rush toward the fallen food.
"Susie!" Audrey hurriedly grabbed the golden retriever before she could eat anything from the floor.
At the same time, Audrey instinctively activated her Spirit Vision.
The ballroom below had already descended into darkness, but through Spirit Vision, she could still vaguely make out the silhouettes fighting amidst the chaos.
Screams continuously rang out from the crowd.
Near Duke Negan, one of the Ether Bodies suddenly let out a scream and collapsed onto the floor as though struck by something invisible. The colors of the Ether Body rapidly dimmed and distorted from the damage.
Then Audrey saw a deep blue Ether Body suddenly leaped from the second-floor balcony directly toward Duke Negan on the dance floor below.
Qilangos!
The moment the suspected Qilangos jumped, fierce winds exploded outward and swept through the hall.
Tables overturned and glass shattered. Followed by curtains fluttered violently as though caught within a storm.
Then a heavy and ancient voice suddenly rang throughout the ballroom in Hermes:
"Imprison!"
The deep blue Ether Body abruptly froze in midair as though trapped inside invisible mud.
A moment later, the ancient voice rang out again.
"Flog!"
Pa! Pa!
The sharp sound of invisible whips echoed through the hall.
The Ether Body of Duke Negan leaned forward and held his right hand first. He declared in an imposing manner, "Death!"
At that instant, Audrey heard the sound of glass shattering.
The deep blue Ether Body suddenly turned illusory, like a reflection breaking apart within a dream.
In the next moment, he appeared directly beside Duke Negan's Ether Body and thrust forward his hand violently.
But Duke Negan's Ether Body suddenly distorted and disappeared from its original location, reappearing several meters away.
For a brief moment, both sides fell into a strange stalemate.
The deep blue Ether Body seemed to pause, as though evaluating the situation. Then suddenly, the blue Ether Body turned partially transparent. Small illusory scales rapidly spread across its right hand.
Before Audrey could understand what was happening, her mind was suddenly bombarded by violent emotions.
Countless negative emotions exploded within her mind at once. Her ears rang sharply. Audrey's face instantly paled as she tightly covered her ears. Her thoughts became chaotic and disordered for a moment.
At the same time, Qilangos seized the opportunity, Violent hurricanes erupted around him as he rushed forward at terrifying speed.
He smashed directly through one of the resting room doors. A moment later, the sound of shattering glass echoed through the mansion as he crashed through an oriel window and escaped outside.
"Catch him!" Pallas Negan's furious voice rang throughout the ballroom.
Several Beyonders and armed guards immediately pursued Qilangos under the duke's orders.
Only after the commotion outside gradually calmed down did Duchess Della suddenly stand up.
The noble ladies around her were still shaken by the chaos below, but Duchess Della no longer seemed concerned about maintaining appearances. Her expression turned tense as she hurriedly walked toward the lounge exit.
Her first instinct seemed to be checking on Duke Negan.
At that moment, Audrey's Spirit Vision finally landed on Duchess Della.
Her breathing abruptly stopped.
Something was clearly wrong. On Duchess Della's Ether Body, directly where her heart should have been, Audrey saw a dark and vile mass.
It was small, yet it gave off an indescribably sinister feeling.
The surrounding colors of the Ether Body appeared distorted around it, as though the darkness was contaminating everything nearby.
Audrey's pupils contracted violently.
At that instant, she suddenly understood something. The reason she had unconsciously avoided looking directly at Duchess Della through Spirit Vision earlier was because her spirituality had already sensed unimaginable danger beforehand.
If she had directly noticed that thing earlier, it might have immediately reacted. And if it reacted here, it could kill everyone nearby.
Before Audrey could stop them, most of the noble ladies hurriedly followed after Duchess Della in panic, clearly worried about the safety of their families as the lounge instantly descended into chaos once more.
Audrey immediately grabbed her mother's hand tightly. "Mother."
Caitlyn turned toward her daughter in surprise.
"Father is at the back of the mansion. He went there after warning me." Audrey forced herself to remain calm. "Please go there and stay with them. I'll remain here for now."
Caitlyn hesitated briefly, but after seeing Audrey's unusually serious expression, she finally nodded.
"Be careful."
"I will."
After watching her mother leave, Audrey's thoughts rapidly spun.
'What should I do? I have to warn someone somehow. Something is terribly wrong with Duchess Della.' Audrey lightly bit her lip before quickly leaving the lounge together with Susie, hoping to find an opportunity to warn the official Beyonders nearby.
…
Duke Pallas Negan, one of the wealthiest and most powerful nobles in the Loen Kingdom, breathed heavily as blood and dust filled the ballroom.
"Catch him!" he roared furiously. "Make sure to capture him alive, or at least recover his Spirit Body!
"I want to know who sent him!" Pallas Negan was certain he had not formed any irreconcilable grudges recently. That was precisely why he felt such fury and resentment.
Someone had dared to assassinate him in the middle of his own mansion during a noble gathering.
Once he found the mastermind behind this, he would mobilize every resource under his control to destroy them completely.
The prerequisite for all of that was finding clues from the assassin.
Several seconds later, most of the duke's remaining guards rushed back toward the ballroom. The surviving guards quickly formed layers of protection around Duke Negan as they gathered in the center of the dance hall.
Only then did Pallas Negan finally notice Duchess Della hurriedly running toward him.
The worry and fear on her face looked completely genuine.
For the first time in a long while, Duke Negan felt a sincere sense of warmth and affection for his wife.
He gestured for the guards to allow her through. The moment she reached him, he wrapped his arms around her.
Then suddenly, a sharp pain pierced through his chest.
Pallas Negan's eyes widened violently as he coughed out blood. He slowly lowered his head. A sword formed from molten lava had pierced through his chest.
His gaze instinctively rose toward Duchess Della's face.
Her eyes had already lost all focus and her expression was frozen in madness and terror, as though she herself no longer understood what she was doing.
At that moment, Duke Negan finally understood that there was another assassin all along. But now it was too late.
Duke Negan's body twitched several times before gradually going limp.
Within only a few seconds, Pallas Negan, leader of the Conservative Party, elder brother of the current Prime Minister, owner of vast lands second only to the royal family, a Sequence 6 Beyonder, and one of the kingdom's truly important figures, died in the middle of his own ballroom.
Before the surrounding Beyonders could react, thick black liquid suddenly flowed out from Duchess Della's eyes, ears, mouth, and nose.
The dark substance rapidly gathered together and collapsed inward, forming a distorted humanoid figure.
The figure was completely covered in thick black liquid. It looked like the manifestation of every ugly desire and intense emotion hidden deep within humanity. The Greed that would sell even one's own soul, hunger that would devour its own kind, lust without restraint or limit.
This was a Devil walking upon the earth!
The Devil suddenly moved, Its body rapidly expanded as enormous bat-like wings unfolded behind it, pale blue flames dancing across them, It raised its claws and released a terrifying roar that shook the entire ballroom.
(Image)
Many people instantly covered their ears in agony.
Then the Devil spoke a command filled with horror and malice and Immediately, invisible winds sharper than blades appeared out of nowhere.
The throats of multiple guards surrounding the devil were instantly torn apart.
The guards desperately clutched at their necks before collapsing one after another into pools of blood.
A little far from there, Audrey, who was trying to warn the official Beyonders, stood motionless.
The moment she saw the Devil completely emerge, her mind abruptly went blank.
Blood slowly flowed from her eyes, Then from her nose and ears.
Her body stiffened as though her thoughts had completely frozen, At that moment, a familiar barking sound suddenly reached her ears.
"Woof! Woof!"
The sound abruptly pulled Audrey back to her senses. She blinked blankly and instinctively touched her face.
Her fingers became stained with blood.
Then she turned her head. Beside her, Susie was barking furiously toward the Devil.
Before Audrey could react, the golden retriever suddenly rushed forward.
"Susie!"
Audrey's expression instantly changed.
The Devil was already beginning to leave the ballroom amidst the chaos, but Susie continued chasing after it without hesitation.
Fear instantly overwhelmed Audrey's heart.
She hurriedly wiped the blood from her face and forced herself to stand despite the dizziness and ringing in her ears.
Then she ran after Susie as quickly as she could.
"Susie, no!" Her breathing became increasingly hurried. But she still continued running.
"Don't die."
…
It didn't take much time for Audrey to catch up to Susie… When she finally reached the balcony, she stopped abruptly.
Someone had already caught Susie.
The first thing Audrey noticed through her Telepathist instincts was just how relaxed the gentleman appeared.
He stood directly over the creature. His right foot rested right on top of the devil's head, pressing the monster firmly into the floor with seemingly no effort at all.
The man wore a dark mauve double-breasted coat paired with spotless white trousers and a tall silk top hat. He had neatly combed grayish-black hair beneath the hat, and his calm blue eyes gave him a deeply composed air.
The devil beneath his boot let out loud, muffled growls, but it could not fight back.
The horrifying monster from earlier was pinned beneath him, yet the man carried himself as though he were merely dealing with a troublesome insect.
The gentleman held Susie calmly in one arm. He shifted his gaze toward Audrey and offered a polite nod.
"Hello. Is she your dog?" he asked, a faint smile touching his lips.
Audrey was briefly stunned by the surreal scene. "Um... yes," she replied, her voice trembling slightly.
"She is really brave," the man noted gently. As he spoke, he leaned down and placed Susie safely onto the ground.
Audrey hurriedly gestured for her dog to come over. The golden retriever immediately ran toward her.
Audrey crouched down and hugged the dog tightly. Only then did she finally manage to calm down a little.
At the same time, the older gentleman slowly lowered his gaze back to the shadowy figure beneath his foot.
Then, without any warning, he abruptly slammed his heel directly into the Devil's face.
The violent impact made Audrey flinch and pull Susie closer.
The thick shadows covering the figure suddenly dispersed like black liquid flowing down a drain.
The horrifying Devil form rapidly collapsed. It revealed a man with curly brown hair and cold brown eyes. He was bleeding from his eyes and ears, and he gritted his teeth in obvious agony.
His expression was twisted in pure frustration and hatred.
Audrey immediately realized this was the true body hidden beneath the monstrous Devil transformation.
"Wh-who is that?" Audrey gathered her courage and asked, looking from the bleeding man up to the composed gentleman.
Seeing her confusion, the gentleman smiled lightly. He adjusted his cuffs and explained calmly, "He is a Sequence 5 Desire Apostle of the Criminal Pathway, or as it is often called, the Devil Pathway."
"Recently, Beyonders of the Devil Pathway seem to have started working as assassins for some mysterious organization." His tone remained perfectly relaxed, as if discussing the weather. "I wanted to know why."
Audrey swallowed hard, feeling a sudden chill.
The older man pressed the assassin tighter into the stone floor. The person who could turn into a devil only let out low growls, acting as if he had completely forgotten how to talk or move his own body.
The gentleman turned his attention back to Audrey. "Miss, could you please use your Mind Reading ability on your lovely dog for a moment?"
Audrey blinked in total confusion, but she still followed his instructions instinctively.
She placed a hand on Susie's head and activated Mind Reading.
Moments later, Audrey felt something suddenly leave her body.
It was an extremely strange and hollow sensation.
Her Mind Reading ability had simply vanished.
Wait. That was not quite right. More accurately, it felt as though someone had stolen the ability right out of her head.
Audrey's eyes widened in shock. She immediately looked toward the gentleman, but the older man remained entirely focused on the Devil Beyonder beneath his foot.
A few moments passed in silence. Then, a faint frown finally broke his calm expression. Before Audrey could ask out of curiosity, the gentleman started to explain.
"Beyonders of the Devil Pathway are separated into different families," he stated thoughtfully. "The Nois Family. The Andariel Family. The Beria Family."
"The Devil right here is from the Beria Family. He was given the task to assassinate Duke Negan by a mysterious existence I cannot see in his mind."
"The only thing on his mind from the deal that remains clear is the reward. It is a Card of Blasphemy of the Devil Pathway."
He looked down at the bleeding man with total indifference. "He committed many horrific acts."
The gentleman's tone remained calm and measured. Then, in a sudden flash of light, a sword formed entirely from brilliant radiance appeared right in his hand.
Before Audrey could even react, the gentleman thrust the weapon downward.
The sword pierced directly through the Devil Beyonder's heart.
The man let out a brief, agonizing scream of pain before going completely limp.
Audrey instinctively stepped backward in shock.
The gentleman calmly withdrew the sword of light. He watched it dissipate into the air before speaking again. "Do not feel pity for him."
He then looked at her shocked form and offered another gentle smile. "Was today your first time seeing a Beyonder battle?"
Audrey could only manage a stiff nod.
"I can see you need time to gather everything that just happened into your mind." His expression then became slightly more serious. "But remember one thing very closely, Miss. I can clearly see the curiosity in your eyes, but you must learn to control it."
Audrey swallowed hard again and silently nodded, unable to tear her eyes away from the corpse on the floor.
She then watched as the gentleman bent down. He reached toward the dead body and picked up a strange, black fog-like item.
A metallic cigar case suddenly appeared in his free hand as though summoned right from thin air. He threw the black fog-like item inside before snapping the case shut.
Audrey forced down her burning urge to ask what that thing was.
Only then did he finally turn toward Audrey properly, giving her his full attention.
"Dwayne Dantès," he introduced himself politely. "At your service."
Audrey hurriedly straightened her posture and performed an elegant curtsy. "Audrey Hall. It is a pleasure to meet you."
Dwayne Dantès turned his head and looked towards the lake visible in the distance, "It seems I have another appointment." He smiled faintly as he checked the time. "It was very nice meeting you, Miss Audrey."
As he spoke, he lifted his top hat slightly and gave her a polite bow.
He turned to leave, then suddenly paused.
"Also, I have a suggestion for you."
Audrey blinked in surprise, leaning in slightly. "What is it?"
Dwayne glanced down toward Susie. The dog was still standing right beside Audrey, cautiously staring at the dead body.
"You should make her a Beyonder," he suggested with a small smile. "The dog has potential."
Before Audrey could even open her mouth to respond, Dwayne Dantès took a single step backward.
His figure instantly vanished right into thin air, leaving Audrey and Susie completely alone on the balcony with a corpse.
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