[Content Warning: violence and mention of sexual assault.]

***

“YOUR GRACE, please save Nata! At this rate, she might get sold to those vermin!”

Sonata couldn’t help but laugh and clap her hands while watching Lili, the nineteen-year-old theatre actress, perform in front of her and Madam Margo.

Right now, the three of them were in the Madam’s dressing room.

It was because Sonata had to doll up in order to blend in as a ‘flower.’

[Aka a prostitute.]

The courtesans of the Marigold Pavilion, the group that Madam Margo led in the Red-light District, were known for wearing expensive silk robes.

[Marigold Pavilion is the richest among the five pavilions, after all.]

In fact, Madam Margo was currently wearing some luxurious red feather robe tulle. Thanks to the tulle fabric, the sexy lingerie the Madam had inside was visible– exposing her ample breasts and creamy legs.

[That’s the Red-light District’s number one courtesan for you.]

But Sonata was wearing a cheap white robe.

[After all, I’m going to pose as a ‘flower’ in Carnation Pavilion– the poorest and the most dangerous pavilion in the Red-light District.]

She dyed her hair black and tied it in a neat bun. Since she was going for the ‘pure and innocent look,’ she didn’t apply any make-up at all. Thanks to her bare face, she looked younger than her real age.

Moreover, she also used a binder to make her chest look flat.

[The clients of the Carnation Pavilion like their ‘flowers’ young and fresh. Just by that, you already know what kind of hell that place is.]

Sonata’s thoughts were interrupted when Lili fell on her knees, crying.

“Please help us, Grand Duke!” Lili cried, reaching out her hands to nothingness. “Please save our Nata.”

Once again, Sonata burst out laughing. “How much did Grand Duke Hexford offer you, Lili?”

Lili suddenly stopped crying, her face as bright as the sun outside. “Three gold bars.”

Sonata whistled approvingly. “Ohh. That’s generous even for the Grand Duke.”

“I know,” Lili agreed energetically. “That’s why I’m going to give His Grace a grand performance!”

“His Grace is that desperate to make you his daughter-in-law, Nata,” Madam Margo teased her. “He’s willing to pay three gold bars just to guilt-trip his own son into “saving” you.”

Pfft.

That was funny, but not fascinating.

[His Grace already knows about my mission today. But why would he send his son here? Is there a reason why Lord Diether has to see my work?]

The Grand Duke and the king were starting to annoy her now.

[Should I just commit treason and kill them? But is it treason if I’m not from the kingdom anyway?]

“Is this okay with you, Nata?” Madam Margo asked worriedly. “What if Commander Hexford really showed up here to “save” you? You’re already taking a huge risk by going undercover alone. Won’t the commander just get in the way?”

“Probably. But we’re not sure if the commander will even show up,” Sonata said, shrugging. “But if ever he does, I hope the commander shows me something fascinating.”

***

[INSTEAD of committing treason, I should just commit mass murder.]

Sonata’s violent thoughts weren’t reflected in her (fake) kind smile as she poured alcohol into the cup of Mr. Simon– the procurer (aka pimp) that she had to entertain.

Today she was posing as ‘Nana’– the oldest ‘flower’ in the Carnation Pavilion.

She had to entertain the seven old geezers that Mr. Simon brought to the VIP room. Those nasty old men were the biggest patrons of Carnation Pavilion.

[Mr. Simon brought them here to check the new batch of ‘flowers’ that he ‘harvested.’]

Stolen novel; please report.

It was crazy how Mr. Simon, who was only two years older than Sonata, had already made a name for himself as a pimp. Moreover, he looked confident as if he didn’t care that he was selling children to a brothel.

[The way his eyes turn into little crescent moons every time he sneers is annoying in particular.]

But she had to set her personal feelings aside.

Sonata, currently acting as ‘Nana,’ was here to negotiate with the pimp.

“Fifty gold coins for each ‘flower,’” Mr. Simon said, smiling slyly at Sonata. “The ‘flowers’ I ‘harvested’ this time are all fresh and young– the youngest you’ll see after a long while.”

Sonata maintained a smile even though she already stabbed Mr. Simon in her head ten times.

Ever since she became the ‘Nata’ of the Red-light District, the security in the entire district had been very strict and efficient.

That meant children were no longer trafficked in there.

However, the Carnation Pavilion got involved with weird and dangerous pimps again.

[Hence, I’m here to stop this nonsense.]

“Don’t worry about the price, Nana,” one of the old men, obviously drunk already, said while grinning. “We, the patrons, are gathered here to invest in your pavilion. It’s been a long time since fresh and young ‘flowers’ have entered our paradise.”

“That’s right– I can’t wait to smell the ‘flowers.’”

“Let’s wrap this up, Nana.”

[These damned old men…]

Sonata smiled anyway, then she turned to Mr. Simon. “Fifty gold coins for each ‘flower’ is still a little too much.”

It didn’t reflect her personal feelings, of course.

[Lives of innocent children are priceless.]

“However, since the patrons are willing to invest that much money, I don’t see any reason for this negotiation to fall through,” Sonata said, still smiling. “But can I check the ‘flowers’ first? It’s not that I don’t trust you, Mr. Simon. I just need to make sure that the patrons’ money will not be wasted. No offense meant.”

“None taken,” Mr. Simon said, then he stood up and offered his hand to her. “Let me guide you to the carriage where the ‘flowers’ are waiting, Miss Nana.”

She didn’t really want to hold the vermin’s hand, but she had no choice but to do it.

Sonata’s skin crawled as soon as she touched Mr. Simon’s hand, but fortunately, she was able to maintain her smile and allowed him to help her stand up. “Thank you, Mr. Simo–”

She wasn’t able to finish what she was about to say because the door suddenly burst open.

No invited individual should be allowed to enter the VIP room that was heavily guarded by mercenaries hired by Mr. Simon and the patrons.

But, obviously, those mercenaries were no match against their single opponent.

[He really showed up, huh?]

Commander Diether Hexford– in his pristine white knight uniform– entered the room.

Sonata briefly saw the unconscious men behind the commander before the door closed. It seemed like her ex-fiancé didn’t kill the mercenaries since his uniform remained white.

[And would the commander of the Avari Holy Knights kill people easily?]

“I-Isn’t that young man Commander Hexford?”

“That Holy Sword looks like the real deal…”

“But what is the commander doing in a place like this?”

Sonata frowned.

[I didn’t know the commander could be this careless!]

She really wanted to scold Diether, but she was surprised when he suddenly grabbed her wrist while glaring at the pimp.

“How dare you touch my fiancée?”

Sonata was pleasantly surprised.

[I’m his fiancée again, huh?]

Moreover, she was fascinated that the commander immediately recognized her despite her dyed hair and bare face.

Mr. Simon immediately let go of Sonata’s hand, then he raised his hands in surrender. “Commander Hexford, I don’t know why you’re here. But aren’t you going to get in trouble if people find out that the commander of the Avari Holy Knights stepped foot in the Red-light District?”

Ah, right.

There was a stupid and nonsensical rule like that within the Holy Knights.

Diether seemed to have remembered it because he flinched.

Sonata gently nudged the commander. “My lord, did anyone else see you on your way here?”

Diether shook his head. “This place is practically empty. If your friend didn't tell me where you are, I wouldn't even think about looking for you here."

[Ah, he must be talking about Lili.]

“Very well,” Sonata said, then her eyes wandered around the room. “I guess we just have to get rid of the witnesses here.”

The old men obviously shuddered in fear.

Even Mr. Simon looked nervous despite his smile.

“Lady Florin, is there a way to shut them up?”

Sonata smiled at her ex-fiancé’s silly question. “Commander, the dead can’t talk. To be honest, I was planning to commit mass murder tonight anyway.”

“Do these people deserve to die without a proper trial?”

“Mr. Simon and those nasty old men have sexually assaulted at least two children, the youngest being only seven years old. I have solid proof, but these bastards are being protected by higher nobles. Hence, I thought it would be faster to just kill them instead of bringing them to the court.”

Diether’s sky-blue eyes glowed menacingly. “Alright, let’s just kill them all.”

Sonata was surprised, but maybe she should have expected this.

[After all, someone who killed the previous commander of the Avari Holy Knights to steal his position couldn’t be a kind person.]

“You can’t be serious, commander,” Mr. Simon said, laughing nervously. “You’re the commander of the Avari Holy Knights. How could you speak about killing people lightly–”

The pimp bastard was forced to stop talking when his head got cut off from his neck, then his severed head rolled down the floor.

Of course, blood splattered on Sonata and Diether as Mr. Simon's body fell to the ground, unmoving.

Which wasn’t a good thing, since they were both wearing white.

“Ah, I’m sorry,” Diether said when he turned to her. “I’ll pay for your clothes.”

Pfft.

Sonata was fascinated by Diether’s quick action.

Nobody saw how the commander beheaded Mr. Simon using the obviously sharp dagger in his hand– nobody except for her.

The old men, who were shocked at first by the brutality, finally snapped out of their trance and began to panic.

But none of them was brave enough to run towards the door.

“Lady Florin, how do we get rid of the bodies?” Diether asked curiously. “I have a bad habit of dismembering my targets since that’s what I do to the monsters I catch, so…”

“Let’s burn the corpses to ashes later,” Sonata said while walking towards the old men who were yelling, crying, and begging while pressed against the wall. “You see, Commander, I’m into pottery. I can add their ashes to a glaze mix as a dry ingredient.”

“Your hobby is quite fascinating, Lady Florin.”

Was that amusement she heard in the commander's voice?

Sonata laughed softly, then she turned around to see if Diether’s face would match the smile that she heard in his voice earlier…

… but her smile disappeared when she felt a sharp and cold object pierce through her throat from the back of her neck.

Diether’s eyes widened in shock. “Lady Florin!”

Ah, what a shame.

[I didn’t get to see Lord Diether’s smile.]