107 Secret

Not long after Flor succeeded in winning over the steward, two unexpected guests arrived once again on Karen’s territory.

One of them was the masked woman currently residing in Karen’s home. Truthfully, Karen wasn’t surprised by her visit—after all, she acted as the intermediary between him and Old Jack, relaying messages whenever they had matters to discuss. What truly left Karen bewildered was the arrival of Neve.

Given Neve’s unusual identity, and considering the peculiar environment of Karen’s lands, it was astonishing that Old Jack—who was always so protective of Neve—would actually allow her to come. Karen was genuinely taken aback.

But Neve cared little for his surprise. The moment she saw Karen, her bright eyes lit up, and she scampered over on her short legs, seized his hand, and with a cry, sank her teeth into it. While biting him, her little feet didn’t forget to kick his shins, making it abundantly clear how furious she was at Karen’s several-day disappearance.

Neve’s antics, however, also incited the wrath of Alice, who had been following Karen around like a little tail. The moment she saw Neve biting Karen, Alice, visibly displeased, materialized directly in front of Neve and let out a series of fierce, childish growls, baring her teeth and brandishing her claws.

The instant Alice appeared, Neve’s attention was immediately drawn to her. She stared in a daze at Alice, whose golden hair and delicate, doll-like features seemed almost unreal. After a long moment, Neve suddenly burst into tears with a wail.

She accused Karen of not coming home for days because he’d found another child outside and no longer wanted her. Thinking of how she’d been diligently training and completing her assignments every day, eagerly awaiting Karen’s return and his praise, Neve’s sobs grew even more sorrowful.

While Neve wept inconsolably, Alice, still baring her teeth and claws, froze in place. Apparently believing her fierce appearance had frightened Neve, Alice was at a loss for what to do. After a hesitant pause, she reached out, scooped Neve into her arms, and, imitating Karen, gently patted Neve’s head.

“There, don’t cry. Alice will give you something tasty!”

As she spoke, Alice produced a gruesome skull-shaped trinket from who-knows-where and offered it to Neve. This, combined with the sudden embrace, left Neve even more bewildered, and after her tears had begun to subside, she broke into another round of wailing.

In the end, it took Karen the better part of a day, repeated assurances that he hadn’t abandoned Neve, and the acceptance of several highly unequal terms before she was finally pacified.

Throughout the entire ordeal, the masked woman watched from the sidelines. Though she never uttered a word, her eyes betrayed an overwhelming fondness and affection for Neve.

Once Karen had soothed Neve and had a moment to himself, the masked woman finally turned to her true purpose for the visit. In truth, she had two main reasons for coming: the first was to check on the Wraith and deliver a restorative potion; the second was to bring Karen some less-than-pleasant news.

Regarding the Wraith’s supply channels, Ryan had taken a very hard-line stance—he refused to hand them over, insisting Karen name a different condition. Clearly, Ryan did not wish to see Karen grow any stronger, and even less so to allow him to establish a border trade.

Yet for Karen, who now had Flor, this was of little consequence. Still, when the masked woman relayed the news, Karen dutifully expressed his dissatisfaction. After some feigned hesitation, he offered another set of terms: one hundred thousand units of [Whisper of the Dead] of the lowest quality, one thousand tier-two corpses, and one hundred tier-three corpses.

Finally, Karen added one more demand—he wanted a person from Ryan’s side: none other than Ogoren, the one who had recently taken on the Dole Village project.

As always, the masked woman remained indifferent, showing no reaction to Karen’s exorbitant demands. After all, it wasn’t her resources being expended, so she couldn’t care less.

Having finished their business, Karen, now used to the masked woman’s ways, instinctively waited for her to turn and leave. Surprisingly, she didn’t depart right away. Instead, she gazed quietly at Neve, who was chasing Alice across the room.

In that moment, the masked woman’s eyes were filled with tenderness and affection, tinged with a trace of reluctance.

Sensing something was amiss, Karen asked, “Is something wrong?”

“In a while, I’ll have to leave. I’m entrusting Neve to you. Now that you’ve taken Goblin Forest, the One-Armed Society will help you negotiate with the Silver Hand. As long as the talks succeed, you won’t face any major troubles for the time being. Let Neve stay here for a while.”

Karen frowned instinctively. “Let her live here? Is that wise?”

The masked woman paused, turning to Karen, only to see his gaze resting fondly on Neve as well. “This is a necromancer’s territory—surrounded by the dead, shrouded in darkness. I’m worried that too much time here will harm her health. Growing up among the undead might also affect her temperament.”

Hearing his concern, a faint smile seemed to play on the masked woman’s lips. Love begets love, and given her own deep affection for Neve, she was clearly pleased that Karen cared so much for her.

“Don’t worry. Her constitution is unique—dark energy won’t harm her. In fact, it’ll hasten her growth. As for growing up among the undead affecting her temperament—”

She paused, locking eyes with Karen. “I’m surprised to hear you say that. As a necromancer, shouldn’t you find the undead far more endearing than humans?”

The masked woman’s words left Karen momentarily stunned. After a long pause, he rubbed his nose and smiled. “You’re right. The undead are indeed much more lovable than humans.”

That day, the masked woman and Neve stayed in the territory until nightfall. Only then, with great reluctance, did she finally take Neve away.

Watching the masked woman’s departing figure, Karen’s gaze sharpened slightly.

He could sense that the masked woman’s identity was likely far more complicated than merely that of a “Warden.” Though their interactions had been limited, Karen was keenly aware that she felt little allegiance to the Bourbon Kingdom—indeed, there was even a faint undercurrent of hatred.

If his intuition was correct, then behind the masked woman, Old Jack, and Neve, there was a secret waiting to be uncovered…