As soon as the door shut behind her, a soft click filled the room and Cleora didn’t waste ti turning.
Cleora walked over, her strides were asured, almost lazy if one decided to nickpick her mannerism, as she crossed the floor and ca to a stop in front of the bed, then she perched herself on the edge of the mattress, raising an expectant eyebrow as she turned to face the shadowed figure.
The corners of her mouth curled faintly. "Can you tell what you found during your investigation now?"
Her voice was soft and expectant, her gaze never leaving the figure as the person took a slow step closer to her and suddenly dropped to one knee in front of her.
Leo’s head bowed low, a show of submission and respect.
"Baroness Hughes disowned Coco Hughes." He began, his voice low and steady. "But only after the Baroness frad her."
Cleora leaned forward slightly, her fingers drumming absently against the edge of the bed— the rhythm was slow, deliberate, showing none of the thoughts that might have been racing through her head at the unexpected revelation.
Well, actually.. She wasn’t expecting anything grand, so she wasn’t that surprised.
"Interesting." She murmured after a mont of silence. "And what exactly was Coco Hughes frad for? Isn’t she just an alcoholic?"
Leo kept his head lowered, but he nodded.
is voice steady but laced with sothing akin to disgust as he continued,*
"Coco had consud an abnormal amount of crushed, unfiltered magic stone, continuously, for the next three years since she got thrown into the village." The king beast’s voice was laced with sothing skin to disgust as he spoke, but he continued, his fingers twitching slightly against his thigh— the only outward sign of his anger.
"Then, under the Baroness’ direct orders, the villagers of Yogusho Village were instructed to keep watch over her, reporting her every move back to the Baroness." Leo stated bluntly, eyebrows furrowing.
A slow, icy silence filled the room after his words and Cleora’s fingers stopped drumming.
" ..I see." She said at last, after a couple of seconds passed, her voice was soft— too soft for soone who asked the Baroness to be investigated. "And I assu the Baroness had her reasons?"
Leo didn’t answer imdiately, but his silence was enough.
Cleora’s features twisted into a scowl almost imdiately, the cold indifference in her gaze replaced by rage that was sohow worse.
She leaned forward, eyes narrowing as she spoke, her voice sharp as a knife. "So, she frad her daughter for a damn addiction? And if I’m not wrong, unfiltered magic stones are essentially drug use in this world, correct?"
Leo gave a slow nod, his expression grim.
"You’re correct, master." He confird solemnly. "An unfiltered magic stone is a drug, one that keeps any human who consus it hooked indefinitely."
Cleora exhaled, a sharp, controlled sound, as she leaned back against the bedfra, her fingers curled against the sheets beneath her. "And she died from consuming an amount that her body can’t handle?"
Leo hesitated before answering. "Yes, I believe so."
Cleora turned away from Leo, her gaze returning to the night sky that lay beyond the open window.
".. What about the villagers?" She asked, forcing her gaze to flicker back to the king beast. "Have you got anyone monitoring them as well?"
Leo shifted his weight slightly, a change in position, but one that indicated his unease at her tone and even though he knew that she wouldn’t hurt him just like before, he still felt guarded.
He shook his head. "We haven’t received word of anything suspicious.. Yet."
Cleora turned back to Leo, one eyebrow arched sharply—her voice cool, edged with quiet reprimand.
"But why?" She asked, eyes widening slightly as a crazed look creeped into beautiful green irises. "That’s where my Coco ca from first, isn’t she?"
Her fingers tapped once against her thigh, the sound was loud enough to make Leo flinch. "The very place the Baroness discarded her daughter— my daughter like trash.. It should’ve been your first priority."
Leo flinched at the weight in her tone.
"I-I.. Understand, master." He murmured as quietly as he could. "I will send watchers tonight. No one will move without our knowledge."
Cleora studied him a mont longer, then nodded. "Good."
She stood up, walking over to the open window to look out at the building below.
"Also, I heard the main branch of the rcenary guild is here." Cleora stated, eyes skimming across the buildings. "As well as that the guildmaster gets along with my daughter."
Her tone turned to almost musing before she finally turned to face Leo, a faint frown on her face. "But before that.. Sinclair told there was another hybrid in Yogusho Village."
Leo didn’t move from his kneeling position, but his body went rigid, muscles coiling like a drawn bowstring as his eyes flicked up to Cleora’s face, searching for any hint of her intent.
"Are.. Are you giving an order to gather information about this hybrid, master?" He asked with a careful tone, the words were asured, as if testing the water before speaking them.
Cleora turned toward him fully, moonlight catching the sharp edge of her smile.
"Not just any information." She humd softly, stepping forward towards him. "I want to know everything— where they are, who they are.. And how much they know about my daughter."
Leo nodded, a short movent in the darkness, then his red eyes suddenly glowed like two pinpricks of hellfire.
"Understood, master." He muttered, almost sounding like a purr. "My underlings will gather information about the hybrid, and I will report to you personally when they have sothing to share."
Cleora smiled at that, her own eyes glinting with satisfaction at how efficient her king beast is.
Then, Leo rose slowly, his movents looking quite clumsy at the way he stumbled backward slightly, but he was quiet, like he didn’t just almost kiss the floor.
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