"Sir, please hurry up."

Sensing Baron’s hesitation, the Knight at Wilder’s side urged him on curtly.

He was the Lion Knight whom Gold had pushed aside earlier. He must have been the one who brought Wilder here.

And Wilder was clearly the type to protect his own.

’The old saying goes, "What goes around comes around; heaven spares no one." But my turn on the karmic wheel is just rotten luck.’

Baron sighed inwardly. He put a hand to his mask, but secretly, a small knife dropped from his cuff, ready to pierce his palm and summon the Blood Shackles at any moment.

But at that moment, gasps of surprise erupted from the crowd, drawing the attention of the Knights, the Demon Hunters, and even Wilder himself.

The music stopped. The guests’ eyes went wide. On the black-and-gold floor, still littered with gold and silver foil from the engagement celebration, stood a lone figure in red.

Her dance partner, Jill, had ripped off her mask, revealing a face of otherworldly beauty. Words could not describe it; the shock was perhaps no less than what Faust felt when he first laid eyes on the legendary Hel.

But no one was more shocked than Baron.

The moment her face was revealed, her ocean of black hair was suffused with a vibrant rose-red. A dignity as inviolable as a towering mountain blazed from her pupils, which were red with a hint of gold.

"Carmen..."

He unconsciously breathed her name.

Although she looked completely different from when they first met, a thrumming in his blood told him it was her—Carmen.

The Dragon Witch, the true culprit behind the Fall of the Red Dragon, and the very person who’d made him a Dragon Knight and a fugitive.

The guests retreated step by step, holding their breath. This woman was so beautiful that she needed neither words nor glances; the arch of her brow alone was enough to stun the heart.

The Silver Lion Knight led his men, drawing their swords on the Dragon Witch. A chorus of roars erupted from beyond the dance floor. ’Lions,’ Baron thought.

Gold and Andy clenched their fists, raising them in a silent signal. The Demon Hunters gathered around them, poised for battle.

Even Jill was ready. He snapped his fingers. With a hiss of dense steam, the brick-red dome above the ballroom split apart, revealing Griffin Knights armed with spears, lying in wait.

"Witch, confess," Wilder said, drawing his sword. "The Law will judge your sins and grant you forgiveness."

The Dragon Witch—KK, or rather, Carmen—regarded him with eyes as cold as an iceberg.

But upon hearing the Silver Lion Knight’s words, the iceberg of her expression shattered, replaced by a simple smile. In that instant, it was as if the snows had melted, and a spring tide was surging beneath the ice.

Baron heard men—and even some women—swallowing hard.

The Witch scoffed, "Save it. You think I’d believe your bullshit? I have no sins to begin with. What gives you the right to forgive them?"

"Then why were you so openly collecting Red Dragon Scales?" Jill asked. "Only the Dragon Eater Association is interested in the Dragon Race, and their followers worship you as their Saintess."

"Who they choose to worship as a Saintess is their business. My desire to collect Dragon Scales is mine," the Witch said. "In any case, thank you for the Red Dragon Scale, Mr. Jill Hestia."

"And, of course, Baron Constantin’s former fiancée, Miss Freyja Lancelot."

As Freyja’s expression faltered, the Witch raised a rose-red ring—the very one from Jill’s proposal.

Freyja frantically glanced down at her ring finger. Sure enough, the ring was gone!

Somehow, using some unknown method, the Witch had actually stolen the ring right under everyone’s noses!

In response to his fiancée’s panic, Jill merely smiled. He gave a slight flick of his eyes, and the Dragon Demon Hunter, Andy, suddenly stepped forward and began chanting a Spell. 𝙧𝙚𝙚𝔀𝒆𝓫𝓷𝙤𝓿𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝙤𝓶

Carmen reacted immediately, dropping the ring, but it was too late.

A radiance flowed from the ring, and seven golden rings of light materialized to lock onto Carmen. Runes flickered across the golden rings, forming a transparent barrier with her at its center.

Everyone only saw the Witch suddenly look up at them, her lips moved as if she said something.

Then, a series of dense explosions obscured her slender figure within the barrier, and smoke billowed out to envelop the entire hall.

When the smoke cleared, all eyes fixed on the spot. The golden rings clattered to the ground, a sign that the Witch had escaped just a moment before the explosions.

Freyja looked at her fiancé, but he simply said, "Don’t worry. The Templar Order and the Demon Hunter Association have the entire area surrounded. It’s an ironclad dragnet. There’s no way the Witch can escape."

But Freyja punched him in the gut. "Why didn’t you tell me the ring was a trap?" she demanded petulantly. "And where’s the real one?"

Jill chuckled and pulled another mahogany box from his pocket.

Freyja opened the mahogany box, and her expression froze.

Jill waited a long moment for her cry of delight, but when none came, he looked over in confusion. His expression froze too.

The ring that should have been nestled in the box was gone. In its place was a gnawed-clean chicken bone!

...

「Ten kilometers outside Hyde Manor, in an abandoned sewer.」

The tunnel was pitch-black, save for a faint light coming from the far end, where figures moved in the gloom.

Baron lit a small Dragon Flame in his palm to read a copy of the *Birmingham Times*.

It featured a wanted poster. The person being sought: Baron.

The report claimed that although Baron had been shot during his prison escape and wasn’t expected to live long, it still urged local residents to watch out for suspicious individuals on the streets, et cetera, et cetera...

Another flame flared to life as the newspaper was set alight. A woman leaned forward, using the burning paper to light a cigarette.

A Sobranie. The brand of choice for the British royal family.

"Want one?"

The bewitching, red-haired woman offered one to Baron. He refused. "The smoke is too strong. The Silver Lion might be able to track the scent here."

Carmen didn’t reply. She just took a drag from her cigarette and looked Baron up and down. Her teasing smile made her look like a down-on-her-luck courtesan, completely devoid of the queenly aura she’d had on the dance floor—though a beautiful courtesan, nonetheless.

"When did you become a Dragon Knight? I thought the Inquisition had you killed after that day. I never expected a Bloodless to escape, let alone successfully use their Spiritual Sense to complete the contract..."

She flicked her ash. "How interesting."

A sardonic smile touched Baron’s lips. "If it weren’t for you, Miss Carmen, I’d probably still be just an ordinary office worker."

His tone was cold and stiff. "Why did you kill that family of three and frame me for it?"

Carmen said, "If I said I didn’t kill that family of three, would you believe me?"

Before Baron could answer, she took another drag. As the cherry of the cigarette glowed and dimmed, her expression was lost in the smoke.

"I believe you."

To her surprise, Baron’s unhesitating reply made Carmen pause. "Why?" she asked, her curiosity piqued.

Baron said, "Your micro-expressions and movements. It would be easy to tell if you were lying. But your expression was just... sad."

"Sad?" The Witch froze for a second. With the cigarette still dangling from her lips, she rubbed her enchanting face. "Do I really look that pathetic?"

"Yes. Very," Baron said. "Like a runaway girl with an empty stomach."

Carmen was silent for a long time before she finally spoke. "Mr. Constantine, you really are different from when we first met."

"Life changes a person. So does being a fugitive," Baron said. "I can’t say I’m grateful to you, Miss Carmen, but at the very least... you allowed this once-blind man to see the real world again."

"Don’t mention it," the Witch hummed, taking a drag from her cigarette. She looked for all the world like a girl who’d never grown up.

"So this is your real face, Miss Carmen."

Baron studied her delicate, beautiful face. It simultaneously held the pure, otherworldly beauty of a young maiden and the bewitching charm of a witch. If it weren’t for her signature red hair, her red-gold eyes, and her own admission...

...it would be hard to connect the captivating creature before him with the demure young lady he had seen at the villa.

"Don’t call me Miss Carmen. Just Carmen. The way you say it makes me sound like some old crone who’s lived for centuries," she said, glancing at him. "In reality, I’m probably only a few dozen or a hundred years older than you, that’s all."

’A few dozen or a hundred years... Right, I shouldn’t be calling her Miss Carmen. More like Granny Carmen,’ Baron thought.

"I have a feeling you’re thinking something very rude," Carmen said.

Suddenly, the sound of numerous footsteps echoed from above.

They both held their breath. For a long while, neither spoke, simply leaning shoulder-to-shoulder against the damp rock wall. Pressed together, they could feel each other’s warmth and breath.

Seeing that all was quiet, Carmen subconsciously went to take another drag from her cigarette. But Baron moved in a flash, pressing her against the rock wall. He snatched the cigarette, crushed it out, and clamped a hand over her mouth, his Golden Eyes locking with her red ones.

Pinned against the wall, Carmen was caught off guard. The Witch’s temper flared, and she bit down on Baron’s palm.

Her two small canine teeth pierced the Dragon Knight’s skin. Blood welled at the wound, but it didn’t drip down.

Baron was expressionless. "They’re still there," he whispered.

Carmen, whose hands were pressed against Baron’s back, stopped struggling. She just glared at the Dragon Knight, her gaze silent but feigning fierceness.

Her two small canine teeth were faintly visible as her red lips were slightly parted.

They stared at each other for a long time. At last, after a long period of silence, the footsteps above resumed, accompanied by the low growls of lions and the harsh screeches of griffins, all fading into the distance.

It seemed the danger had passed.

Baron released the hand covering Carmen’s mouth, and the suppressed blood finally trickled down.

But he ignored it. While the Blood Faction could control their own blood, he worried the Witch might see through his abilities.

Baron Camberra had once said that dual-classing was impossible in the Old Descendant World. Baron had a gut feeling it was best to keep his own dual-class nature a secret.

The Witch watched the blood drip from Baron’s palm, pursed her lips, tore her red dress into long strips of cloth, and pulled Baron’s hand over to bandage it for him.

She then adjusted her tattered dress, the remaining strips of silk barely enough to cover her skin.

Baron sensed the goodwill in her gesture. After a moment of slight awkwardness, he said:

"Your bandaging technique is all wrong. This will stop the bleeding, yes, but the pressure is too tight and will impede circulation. The correct way is..."

"Give it back here! I’m not helping you then."

The Witch had been nonchalant at first, but when Baron continued his earnest lecture, she huffed in annoyance and started tugging at the red cloth on his hand. She paid no mind to how the movement pressed her body even closer to his, so close that if he looked down, all he could see was her hair, a red more vibrant than flames.

Clearly, the Witch was starting to let her guard down around him.

The Dragon Knight sighed. "So, why me?"

"Why you what?" the Witch asked, pausing.

"Choosing me. The Knight’s Lawbook. The only Dragon Knight. The Inquisition. Getting framed with illusions and thrown in prison..."

"Whoa, whoa, hold on," the Witch cut him off. "The first part of that is a secret I can’t tell you. As for the second part, I was about to ask you the same thing."

"I thought I was the reason you got thrown in prison. How did a Bloodless like you suddenly turn into the Law Judge who assassinated the Knight Order Leader?"

Baron stared blankly at the Witch, a look of understanding slowly dawning in his eyes. "That’s what I’ve been wondering this whole time, too. So you really didn’t know... In that case, let’s part ways here."

"Consider this my repayment for the favor at the ballroom. I saved you, so we’re even. For both our sakes, we shouldn’t see each other again. And if we do, we pretend we don’t know each other."

With that, Baron turned and walked away.

The Witch remained squatting where she was, not caring that her red dress was dragging on the filthy ground. She rested her elbows on her knees, cupped her face in her hands, and leisurely watched his retreating figure.

After a long moment, she called out, "I didn’t kill those three people. Their souls were incomplete, but their blood was fresh and different."

"In other words, the spirit, which represents consciousness, was already gone. Only the soul that maintains life was left."

Baron’s footsteps paused for a moment.

After a long time, a "Thank you" came from the other end of the tunnel.

Carmen smiled silently, got up, dusted off her dress, and left the sewer in the opposite direction.

...

As soon as she exited the sewer, a voice came from behind.

"So, that’s the new retainer you’ve chosen? He doesn’t look like much."

The Witch turned around. A figure walked out of the shadows.

The Dragon Demon Hunter, Andy.

The Dragon Witch’s expression reverted to one of cool, untouchable arrogance:

"It’s just an old bargain. I have no idea who the Red Dragon will ultimately choose."