The Villainess Returns with a System Chapter 71: Oracle

"We were just here!"

"Yep."

"Just 10 minutes ago."

"Yep."

"And that happened!"

"Yep."

"... Fuck!"

"Pretty much summarizes the whole scene!"

"He won’t be happy."

"No, he won’t."

"Tell you found sothing."

"It’s your turf, you do the honors. I will just stand by and watch you take care of it with your... capable hands."

The scene at the Overseer’s office left both Ian and Edmond in wild shock. Ian more than Edmond in fact, as the latter was already helping himself to so grapes from the fruit platter.

"Tsk, too warm." And he didn’t even like how it tasted.

"Just help out. I don’t know what I am looking at." Ian stated, admitting that even with his big pride on the line, he can’t co close to seeing what Edmond sees in this place.

"Well, since you are putting it that way. The coins are gone..."

"Obviously."

"The Overseer is slaughtered."

"Mhm."

"And the whole account books were burnt to ash."

Seeing how nonchalant Edmond is while pointing things out, Ian spoke with his teeth gnashing and clenching.

"Please, don’t strain yourself with all that thinking. Just bask in your own brilliance and kindly let know when you get to the part I DON’T KNOW!"

Seeing Ian going nuts, Edmond stood up from the table he was leaning on and walked behind the corpse of the Overseer whose head was dangling forward and blood was dripping from the behind of his neck where he was stabbed.

"No signs of struggle anywhere in the room or on the body except for two red markings around the wrist, he was cuffed. Whoever did this either managed to sneak through the door right in front of the Overseer or walked in and he didn’t have his guard up, he either knew them or didn’t recognize them as a threat. The keys were taken from the Overseer, you know he’d die before letting those keys get taken knowing how much he was keeping in the safe and the consequences of losing it... you’re still sending people to get rid of his family, right?"

Seeing how smug Edmond was acting, Ian rolled his eyes and didn’t reply.

"They must have got to him psychologically. Magic doesn’t seem to be the case since the forks aren’t ringing. Soone quick and smart, that’s all it took to crack your Overseer. Then... there is this stab wound." Edmond lowered his posture and couldn’t help but wonder, "The weapon is most likely the sa one that murdered the Son of Baron Hewes."

"So the Moores are after this?" Ian Grayson imdiately stepped up.

"Moores? Doubt it at this point. During the past month, we put eyes everywhere in their mansion, in their businesses, and between their Knights even. Not a single clue."

"You said it yourself, that killer can walk through walls."

"Well, whoever he is, the most likely relationship he had with the Moores is that he was hired by them. Count Moore is one of the most transparent people in the Kingdom, he is not good at hiding such secrets from us. Plus, we know his biggest secret already, why do you think he can’t act wild, and why did his eldest son banish himself?"

"Focus on the killer."

"The killer ca after the Mithril coins, if we relate the Mithril to the Moores, it is most likely soone from the Insurgents is looking out for Vivian Moore. I believe the Count has realized that by now."

"The eldest son?"

"No. He’s confird to be at Avalon. We assu that he is an active insurgent but no evidence so far."

"It keeps returning to the damn Moores every damn ti."

Ian was upset his business was disturbed by either the Moores or the Insurgents this ti around. It is painful how their enemy counter-attacked when their guard was at its lowest.

"What doesn’t make sense is why they destroyed the records. Also, there was no prior incident before for the insurgents to attack for the sake of retrieving the Mithril tokens. They abandon them once they are taken since they hold no value anymore."

Edmond looked at the situation and sighed but his sigh turned into a yawn as he stretched his limbs and back. At that mont, a Blackguard officer walked into the room bowing to the two noblen.

"Sirs, we have interrogated the survivors. One man and seven won." He said.

"Anyone can recognize the killers?" Ian asked.

"No, sadly. The man they spared seed to have been left out of rcy since he couldn’t see the face of the one that killed his unit but the prostitutes left us with so... odd description."

"Go on!" Edmond’s eyes got peeled in an instant and as he stared intensively at the officer.

"Yes, Sir. We have confird that one of the attackers was a woman who can... I’m not sure how to make it sound possible... but she transford."

Edmond and Ian frowned.

"A woman?"

"Transforms?"

"Yes, sirs. It is... the strangest story I have heard. The woman entered the reception hall looking like the hookers and one of the won didn’t recognize her so she asked who she was. Once cornered, that... witch woman suddenly killed the hooker and a guard near her before transforming into black and taking out a magic sword that cut those who attacked her and washed herself with their blood.

The n tried to stop her but after the fight broke out, she cut them down. After that, a de... a devil man showed up shooting arrows and attacking the n, then he made one man catch on fire with his magic and the two escaped." The Officer retold the story he heard while being unsure if it was wise or unwise to tell such nonsense to the noblen.

"A woman transforming into black? A magic sword? Washed in blood? And a devil man?" Edmond asked, on the verge of laughter.

"I know it sounds absurd but that’s what I could gather from the won." The officer said.

"That’s like the Bloody Swan tale, right?" Ian frowned.

"It’s a classic Bloody Swan?" Edmond said and shook his head wryly, "So of those hookers have a sense for theatrics. Can’t say I hate it."

Even though he was amused, he couldn’t help but not take this information seriously. He stretched his body and decided to walk away from this waste of ti.

"I don’t think His Highness will let rest for a couple of days while I investigate this. I’ll take a nap on our way back so don’t wake until he tells you to."

Ian wanted to follow Edmond but he halted and turned to the Officer.

"Listen, I want the security doubled from now on, not just here, but in all the secret warehouses and the stashes. If anyone dares to be drunk while on duty, flay them. I’ll put you temporarily in charge so you answer to ." Ian instructed the officer.

"Yes, sir!"

"Lastly, the shipnts coming from the Dockyard tonight are crucial. So of our slaves will arrive here but the important thing is the new weapons from Vigonza. Distribute half of them to the n and send the other half to our associates in the streets."

"As you command, sir. I’ll oversee these shipnts myself."

"Lastly, there is a secret tunnel from the cellar underneath this tower. The third largest barrel has a doorway behind it and it leads to a new enterprise the Overseer and I were working on. If the world itself goes to hell, this place stays secure."

"Understood."

Ian Grayson displayed his authority to the new acting overseer of the Blackguard’s market, stepping in as the acting leader of the shadiest operation happening in Archester.

***

In a tranquil village by a picturesque lake lived a gaggle of majestic white swans. Among them was a lone black swan, who envied the beauty of her companions’ white feathers. Seeking a way to outshine them, she struck a deal with the Devil Man who offered her a path to silver feathers. However, the cunning Black Swan tricked the Devil Man into getting the feathers for free, leaving him smitten with love for her cunning and making her transform into a Devil Woman as long as she is touched by the light of the moon. Accepting his offer and embracing each other in their twisted love, the Swan beca the Devil Woman by night but as the next day arrived, she remained so even under the light of the sun, as the light of the moon is the light of the sun too. Consud by rage, she unleashed her power as the Devil Woman, destroying her family and bathing in their blood to block out the light of the sun and moon. Cursed by the remaining swans, she beca the Bloody Swan, bound to the lake by her bloody bath.

Such as the folk tale of the Bloody Swan and the Devil Man, famously told by Saint Amadeus the Bard. The full version of it is a story of many emotions and symbols and it is one of the most popular tales in this world for its clear warnings against negative human traits like envy, hate, vanity, and anger.

But just like that, sothing popped up in my Profile Screen that I couldn’t explain.

————————————[ Profile ]————————————

— Na: Vivian Moore

— Race: Human

— Level: 1-star Bronze Aura (Apprentice Knight)

ATK: 1 CTRL: 2 DEF: 1 SPD: 2 STL: 2

— Age: 18

— SP: 2542

— Social:-

—— Daughter of House Moore (Noble)

—— General Director of ViTech (Business)

—— The Bloody Swan (Criminal) NEW!

—————————————[ Traits ]—————————————

— Common Mithridatism

— Novice Assassin?

— Novice Swashbuckler

— Novice Thief?

— Apprentice Gunslinger?

— Adept Diplomat

— Adept Scholar

— Adept Vocalist

— Expert Pianist

— [Combat Mode]

— [Dormant Records]

— [Karma Sensor]

—————————————————————————————————

Alright, let’s do this one last ti.

My na is Vivian Moore, I took my own life at the end of my destruction route and a djay called Nadia transmigrated into my body and rged with , mind and soul. Together, we beca the one and only Vivian Moore, and I guess you know the rest: Professional Villainess, Count’s daughter, ViTech Director, and now...

The Bloody Swan!

Neat, right?

Well, I was feeling conflicted and I had no idea what was going on. My social status tells that this is my criminal title.

Funny how things turned out, huh?

NIIIIIGH

CLIP CLOP CLIP CLOP

RUMBLLLLLLLE

"Voros, slow down. You’ll get us killed, dammit!"

"Right... slower... slower!"

As my support for the night, Voros has done a splendid job as both a getaway driver and in cover fire. Only the two of us managed to take down 13 guards in combat.

In truth, I was a bit tired and bruised but I was uninjured. As for Voros, he suffered so superficial wounds when he was charged by two Blackguards yet he was okay.

"Nice work with the crossbow, Voros. Can I have sothing like it for single-hand use?"

"Simple."

"Thanks in advance, cheers!"

"The ledgers?"

"I’d love to tell you that I can look through them right away but we won’t know anything until we spend so hours reviewing them. I have the right ledger from fourteen years ago though. We’ll find sothing, don’t you be worried."

"Thank you... Chief."

"You’re always welco, Voros."

There was a lot to unpack from today’s action. Starting with the situation with Ian Grayson being the de facto leader of the Blackguards in Archester, the involvent of the other capture targets with this shady bit of business, the system update, the Aura level I just gained, and the new functions and abilities I can have now.

I had no ti to think about all that, though. I wanted to find clues on Voros’ wife first and as Voros dropped near the mansion, I showed him sothing on the ledger.

"Look here. This ledger has nas, dates, places of origin, original supplier, the value, and the skills of each slave." I said as I showed him the ledger, "Any of those details can help narrow down the search?"

I said as I showed him how the ledger has so many pages with so many nas.

"Anastasia Oldstone..." Voros said.

"That’s the na. I know that she is blind and has so skills with tarot, right?" I asked, trying to get more information.

"Mhm!" Voros nodded but then said, "She hides skill like Voros."

"Understandable."

I knew this would be the case since Voros’ pride made him hide his skill and not speak to anyone for fourteen years straight. If that’s the husband, how about the wife then?

"Oracle!"

But just at that ti, Voros uttered a word that made my head blank out for a second.

"Co again?" I asked as the word I heard may have been misheard due to the chariot’s noises.

"Anastasia... Oracle."

"So... the husband is a Master tallurgist and the wife is an Oracle?"

"More or less."

"More or less? You’re telling now?"

Shake my head, I couldn’t help but.

So what’s an Oracle, one may ask.

The answer to that can’t be simple but it is said that only one among ten thousand is born to be a tallurgist, one among a hundred thousand is born to be a Runesmith, and one in a million is born to be an Oracle.

Oracles are also known as Prophets if they were recognized by the Temple of Saints and if they were not, they would be executed by the Inquisition of Saint Heimdall, no questions asked. They are the backbone of the Temple and in this day and age, they are in contact with the Saints through visions and calls. A few famous figures are the Grand Hierophant and the Pythia of Scyla who are said to be able to turn the tides of war by the visions and guidance they receive from the Saints. They are also one of the major reasons Albion has conquered the remaining continents in the span of a few short decades.

So if an Oracle that is not a human shows up, that would be the most troubling news for everyone involved. The Temple of the Saints wouldn’t sit still before purging any rogue Oracles to centralize the power in their hands and prevent others from beating them to the knowledge of the future. The way I see it is that it is another war of information.

One thing to note is that there is a difference between an actual Oracle and soone who can do simple augury with tarot, dice, or whatever. In my case, my tarot skills may be a bit overpowered because of the System but an actual tarot reader won’t be much.

There are also so magic spells with the sa effect but their range and accuracy are very limited compared to an Oracle.

The question is, if I find Voros’ wife, can I keep them together without so headache situations popping up?

« New Quest: Find the Oracle! »

I had to jinx it, hadn’t I?