​"Your task today is very simple," Ethan said, breaking the morning silence. "Bloodfire Elixir. The forbidden potion Kurt drank in the arena that time. Find the bastard who sold or gave it to him."

Ethan’s eyes narrowed coldly. "And bring him to me alive."

Valera grinned widely, baring her fangs. "Is that all, My Master?"

"That is all," Ethan answered flatly.

Kaelia took a step forward, bowing respectfully. "I understand, My Master. Leave it to us."

Hearing their readiness, Ethan gave a slow nod. However, as Miya tried to slowly inch out from under the blanket to get ready to leave, Ethan placed his left palm over the mound of the blanket. Holding her back.

"You are staying here, Miya," Ethan said without looking back. "I have no outside agenda today... and you are going to keep me company in this room all day."

Miya’s eyes widened. "K-keep you company...?!"

Her already flushed cheeks now burned as red as a boiled crab. Being alone all day in a room with the Demon Lord was a humiliating sentence that nearly made her heart drop out of her chest.

Hearing the petite healer’s panicked reaction, Valera chuckled hoarsely from the corner of the room.

Kaelia merely scoffed, holding back her envy. "I shall take my leave, My Master," she said, turning and walking out with firm steps.

In the quiet corridor of the North Tower, Valera matched Kaelia’s pace.

"So, how exactly do we find this rat, Madam President?" Valera mocked dismissively. "Do you know his name?"

Kaelia glanced at the executioner from the corner of her eye. "Just wait. I need to gather some data. Go back inside. I’ll meet you there once I have something."

Valera scoffed. Her steps halted. "In that case, my skills aren’t needed at all in this boring phase."

Without further ado, the black knight casually spun around on her heel, heading straight back to Ethan’s room.

Watching Valera effortlessly waltz back into their Master’s lair, Kaelia could only let out a long sigh to suppress her annoyance. She straightened her collar, then strode quickly toward the Student Council room.

The moment the door closed behind her, Valera immediately dropped into the chair near the window. Her eyes stared toward the bed, where Ethan was still leaning back with Miya by his side. Miya was no longer hiding beneath the blanket, but her cheeks were still as red as apples.

"You aren’t leaving?" Miya asked softly, glancing at Valera.

"The Council President is busy with her papers. I’m not needed there." Valera smirked, then gestured with her chin toward Ethan. "Besides, it’s much more interesting in here. I’m curious how long you can last without fainting."

Miya immediately buried her face in the pillow. "I-I’m not going to faint...!"

Ethan chuckled softly from the bed. His arm was still wrapped around Miya’s waist. "Valera, don’t tease Miya too much. She is still in training."

Valera let out a small laugh, then unsheathed the Zweihander from her back and began oiling the blade with a cloth. "Very slow training, My Master." She glanced at Miya from the corner of her eye. "Take your time, Little Healer. I don’t mind watching."

Miya merely let out a muffled groan into the pillow.

The moment the double doors of the Student Council room swung open, a bustling atmosphere immediately greeted Kaelia. Several council members were already present, handling piles of administration.

Seeing the President walk in with a cold face, all activity abruptly stopped.

"President? Is there anything we can help you with?" greeted a member holding a parchment.

"No need. Resume your work and do not disturb me," Kaelia cut in as cold as ice.

The member swallowed hard and hurriedly scrambled out of the way.

The Fire Queen sat in the president’s chair. She opened her magical drawer, and the strategic brain of the Southern Faction kicked into high gear.

First, she pulled up all high-class attendance records and medical histories from the past month. Her eagle-sharp eyes scanned thousands of names, looking for anyone who had suddenly vanished, skipped class, or taken leave exactly on the night after the bloody duel between Kurt and Ethan.

Finding a dozen suspicious names, Kaelia shifted to the tournament’s committee and volunteer list. She searched for anyone who had access to the VIP area, where Kurt was stationed before entering the arena.

It only took ten minutes before Kaelia’s eyes caught the perfect anomaly.

One name intersected across both data sets: Rolf Haiteler.

The son of a Count and a loyal lackey who always tailed Kurt. Rolf was listed as a VIP area assistant on the day of the tournament. And strangely enough, he had vanished from the academy’s attendance records ever since Kurt’s defeat.

Kaelia tapped her fingers on the desk. This deduction was incredibly strong, but not one hundred percent absolute. She needed the academy’s security gate data to lock it in.

The problem was, the gate logs could only be accessed by the academy’s top brass. In her capacity as Student Council President, she had no authority to open them. She could force it, but that would take time and draw unnecessary attention.

Then she remembered a name. The only person who could help her without asking too many questions.

Isolde von Rosenberg.

Ten minutes later, Kaelia stood inside the Vice Principal’s office.

The aroma of herbal tea immediately greeted her senses as she closed the door. Behind her large mahogany desk, Isolde von Rosenberg sat gracefully in her navy-blue gown and gold-rimmed glasses.

"Is there something I can help you with this morning, Lady Ashford?" Isolde asked without pausing the strokes of her quill.

"I need access to the security gate logs, Madam Vice Principal," Kaelia stated bluntly. "Specifically: anyone who left the academy on the night following Kurt and Ethan’s duel."

Isolde raised an eyebrow. "That is highly classified data. For what purpose does the Student Council need it?"

Kaelia stared straight into those icy blue eyes. She opted for honesty. "My Master... ordered me to find the seller of the Bloodfire Elixir. The potion that left your son dying."

The movement of Isolde’s hand froze.

The golden quill slipped from her fingers, rolling across the parchment. Behind the frames of her glasses, an incredibly fragile emotion radiated.

"My Master... ordered you to search for the potion seller?" Isolde asked. Her voice trembled slightly.

Last night, Ethan demanded she trade her pride for her son’s recovery. And this morning, the Demon Lord moved immediately to fulfill his promise without any deception.

"Yes," Kaelia answered firmly. "I’ve already locked down one name, but I need the gate data to confirm it before we hunt him down."

Isolde’s hand seemed to tremble slightly. She pulled open a drawer, then slid an ancient copper key across the desk.

"Take whatever you need," Isolde whispered. "The archive room is behind the wooden door behind me. Third drawer."

"Thank you for your cooperation, Madam."

Kaelia walked briskly into the cramped and dusty archive room. She opened the designated drawer and pulled out the magical gate logs from the night of the duel.

Her fingers traced down hundreds of names. Until finally, she stopped on the fifth page.

[02:14 AM – Rolf Haiteler – Status: Exited – Permission: None – Returned: No]

The young man had fled secretly past midnight. Alone. Without permission. And had never returned to this day.

A lethal smirk etched itself onto Kaelia’s lips. "Got you, Rat."

She copied the data down, relocked the drawer, then placed the copper key back on Isolde’s desk.

"I am finished. His name is Rolf Haiteler. I am certain he is the middleman," Kaelia reported.

Isolde’s eyes quivered. "Rolf... Kurt’s lackey?" She clenched her fists on the table. "I hope you succeed in bringing him back alive, Lady Ashford."

As soon as the door closed behind Kaelia, Isolde didn’t immediately return to her documents. She stood up and walked to the window, gazing at the expanse of snow in the academy courtyard. Her hand unconsciously touched her upper stomach.

Rolf Haiteler. The name was familiar. She remembered the youth always trailing Kurt everywhere, always laughing the loudest when Kurt demeaned others. And now, he was the key.

Isolde hadn’t expected Ethan to move this fast. Last night she prostrated herself at the Demon Lord’s feet, and this morning two bloodhounds were already dispatched to hunt down the mastermind behind Kurt’s suffering.

Ethan was indeed a devil. But he was a devil who kept his promises.

Isolde closed her eyes. "Thank you, My Master..."

Kaelia pushed open the door to the Main Tower’s VIP Room once again.

A sight that made her eyes burn greeted her. On the bed, Ethan leaned back relaxed against a pile of pillows. In his lap, Miya sat sideways. The Elf’s posture, leaning against Ethan’s chest, radiated a thick intimacy. Miya’s pointed ears were flush red.

Meanwhile, Valera was busy maintaining the blade of her Zweihander in the chair near the window.

Kaelia scoffed loudly. "My Master. I’ve been running back and forth racking my brain to investigate, and here you are just relaxing..."

"You found something, Kaelia?" Ethan cut in with a faint smile. His fingers stroked Miya’s back, making her flinch from being tickled.

Kaelia crossed her arms, suppressing her envy. "Rolf Haiteler. Son of Count Haiteler and Kurt’s lackey. Stationed in the VIP area during the tournament, and fled the night after the duel without permission. I am one hundred percent certain he is the middleman."

Hearing the target’s name, Valera immediately stood up and sheathed her sword.

"Rolf Haiteler," Valera murmured with a predatory smirk. "Leave him to me. I will track the scent of his blood."

"I’m coming too," Kaelia interjected quickly.

Valera looked Kaelia up and down, scoffing. "You can tag along, Princess. But make sure that expensive uniform of yours doesn’t get in my way when we play dirty out there."

Kaelia’s golden eyes glinted sharply. "My brain is what found his name, Valera. Just make sure those big muscles of yours don’t mess up my plan."

On the bed, Ethan smirked, watching the productive rivalry between his two bloodhounds.

"Go," Ethan commanded absolutely. "And don’t even think about coming back without results."

"At your command, My Master." They bowed in unison. Both turned and walked out, leaving Ethan and Miya alone once again.

In the North Tower corridor, the auras radiating from Valera and Kaelia made other students automatically scramble out of the way for safety.

"Got any informants outside the academy?" Kaelia asked without looking back.

"A few acquaintances in the Underworld," Valera answered, loosening her shoulders.

"Then we’re going to ambush him directly," Kaelia decided.

Valera glanced at the student council president, then smirked. "You seem terribly eager, Madam President?"

Kaelia scoffed harshly, looking away. "I just don’t like wasting my Master’s time."

The two immediately marched out of the academy, heading toward the dark recesses of the capital to pay Rolf Haiteler a visit.

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