Chapter 163: Aftermath

*** A Few Hours Later

Fiona stayed in the mansion for hours longer than necessary, wandering its empty halls after dismissing the kill squad for a job well done.

She wasn’t sure how she felt after everything. Sure, she was raised by the Whitestrakes, but she had never been particularly close to any of them—an inevitable result of being sent to manage the Cold Iron District at a young age.

But at the same time, she had just killed her family.

Happy? Sad? Guilty? Or excited?

She couldn’t exactly explain herself, but, like always, Fiona dealt with it the way she dealt with everything else.

She just brushed it off.

“Eh, the original me’s already dead anyway.”

She sighed, and then, like a switch being flipped—

Flip!

“Took you long enough.”

Evelina returned, this time far more attuned to the personalities inside her after thinking about her situation while Fiona was in control.

Everything was definitely confusing, but she had come to a conclusion.

It was still her, despite everything.

And… that was enough, at least.

Even she wasn’t crazy enough to blame Cael for what he did. She knew full well how something like that could affect a person. Just because he revived two other girls didn’t mean she would immediately freak out.

Besides, Trish was someone who had arrived before her. As for Fiona, he had never really seemed to reciprocate her love, beyond a simple disciple–master relationship.

As far as she knew—and she knew she was correct—

She was still the only one in his heart right now.

And that was enough for her.

“The mind is a person’s greatest weapon and weakness,” she laughed. “I’ll just let bygones be bygones, but… I really need to pay more attention to him.”

Evelina leaned over a railing on the second floor that overlooked the brutal massacre that had happened, feeling no hard feelings over the entire thing.

In fact, she was satisfied that one loose end was fixed.

Besides, she was also Fiona now, and while Fiona’s main personality was a bit troubled, she herself wasn’t.

“Yeah, maybe I could buy a tracker and place it on him? Probably with a magic lens if possible.”

Evelina began whistling to herself, trying to find ways to keep an eye on Cael if she was busy. While things were fine for now, she definitely didn’t want more weird things to happen while he was out doing his own thing.

“You’re lucky I love you so much.”

Evelina shrugged, walking down the stairs and giving one last look at the carnage before promptly leaving.

No point in dwelling on lost souls anymore.

***

The night air outside the mansion was cold as Evelina stepped out through the shattered front doors, the wind tugging gently at her hair while she descended the cracked marble steps.

The estate grounds were silent now. The kill squad had already vanished into the darkness, leaving nothing behind except the bodies and the slowly spreading rumors that would follow.

The moon hung high above the estate as Evelina stretched her arms lazily.

“Ahh… that felt productive.”

Behind her, the Whitestrake mansion stood like a hollow shell—windows shattered, walls cracked. The proud noble estate that had ruled from the shadows for decades now looked more like the aftermath of a battlefield.

A quiet sense of satisfaction stirred in the depths of her mind—bright, amused, a little too eager for the violence that had just unfolded. Another part of her sighed at that reaction, as if mildly exasperated by her own enthusiasm.

Evelina chuckled under her breath.

“Alright, alright. Maybe it was a little fun.”

The disagreement faded almost immediately, dissolving back into the steady rhythm of her thoughts.

She stepped off the last stair and onto the gravel path leading toward the estate gates, the iron bars blown open after an attempted escape during the assault and now hanging crookedly from their hinges.

“Besides…” Evelina added thoughtfully. “It’s already done.”

The kingdom wouldn’t ignore something like this.

An entire noble house—an earl’s house, no less—had just been wiped out in a single day. Even if the D’Arclights quietly smoothed things over, the political shockwaves would ripple through the capital for weeks: investigations, interrogations, power grabs.

Evelina smiled slightly. “Honestly… that sounds like a headache.”

Fortunately, it wasn’t her headache. She had people in charge who handled those for her.

She stepped out through the ruined gates and onto the empty road, the city lights glowing faintly in the distance. Evelina tilted her head toward them.

“Now then…” Her crimson eyes shimmered faintly. “Should we go see Cael again?”

The thought immediately brightened her mood.

Yes. That sounded nice.

Then another, cooler part of her mind pushed back almost instantly. They had just left him.

Evelina laughed quietly. “Which means it’s the perfect time for a surprise visit.”

But after a moment, she stopped walking, her expression shifting slightly as she stared toward the horizon.

“…Actually.” She tapped her chin. “No.”

Her earlier excitement faded slightly as reason settled in. If she showed up too often, he might start to grow used to her presence—and maybe even start looking for other women.

And while it was definitely unlikely…

It was still possible.

It was better for her to reappear in an eye-catching way, instead of just coming back from a mission.

Evelina’s smile slowly turned mischievous.

“If I appear everywhere he goes, he’ll become more careful once I leave him alone again.”

She began walking again, hands clasped behind her back. “And besides…” Her eyes gleamed.

“Anticipation makes things more exciting. He might grow restless the more I make him wait~.”

The thought pleased her far more than the impulse to visit him right away; it was Fiona’s obsession and Evelina’s possessiveness blending together.

Evelina reached into her pocket and pulled out a small silver coin, its surface shimmering faintly with enchantment markings—a communication token. She flipped it once between her fingers.

Unlike a transceiver, it was a one-time-use device and far less reliable. Still, for non‑important contacts, it was more than enough.

“Let’s see…”

Her magic flickered lightly across the coin. A few seconds later, a voice answered from the other side.

“Yes, Lady D’Arclight?”

Evelina smiled sweetly. “I need you to find something for me.”

“Of course.”

“A tracker,” she said casually. “Preferably something subtle. Magical if possible.”

The voice hesitated for half a second. “…Understood.”

“Oh, and make sure it’s discreet,” Evelina added lightly. “I don’t want the person noticing.”

“May I ask who the target is, my lady?”

Evelina looked toward the distant academy towers rising above the city skyline, her smile softening slightly.

“No need.”

She flipped the coin back into her pocket. “I’ll handle that part myself.”

The communication cut.

Evelina stretched again before continuing down the quiet road. The night felt peaceful now.

The Whitestrakes were gone—old problems solved, new ones waiting.

And somewhere in the city, Cael Arden was probably still resting in a hospital bed.

Evelina giggled quietly to herself. “Sweet dreams, Cael.”

Her voice drifted softly into the night.

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