"Is that big black bear very strong?"

Undoubtedly, it was likely the bear that had grievously wounded Lily and forced the mage Severus to resort to stealth and theft.

"What are his motives then?"

Most likely to retrieve something he lost.

"How did he find his way here?"

He probably followed Severus... No, that's not right. More likely he tailed Lily.

The three nightingales were immediately on guard when they saw him, and he was also wary of them on first sight.

So when the man went upstairs, the first one he likely sought out was Lily.

As for whether Lily survived, or if Severus got exposed, or if he himself got implicated...

Rosen had no idea.

The only thing he could ascertain was that the second floor of the Green Nightingale Inn was very dangerous at present, and he absolutely could not go up there to get involved.

'Or maybe I should just leave the inn now?'

But this thought was quickly rejected.

The snowstorm outside was fierce, with nowhere to go, and he had been staying inside the inn without leaving for the past half month.

Because neither Lily nor Severus liked him going out and being seen.

Leaving so suddenly now, contrary to his past actions, would be too conspicuous.

'I look plain, and am physically weak. At most I can paint, no threat to anyone.'

'That big black bear only knocked the nightingale guards unconscious, so he can't be some vicious monster.'

'As long as I avoid the eye of the storm, chances of getting killed by mistake should be low.'

After weighing things, Rosen decided to just stay in the first floor lobby, slowly eat, and observe what happens.

Of course, if anything untoward occurred, he would still fight desperately.

Thinking this, Rosen reached into his pocket where two walnut-sized glass spheres were stored, little toys he had gotten from Lily, claiming he was bored cooped up here.

'Hopefully won't need to use them.'

At the same time, on the second floor of the inn.

The short fat swordsman walked stealthily down the wooden corridor, right hand on the hilt of his blade. He paused every few steps, carefully surveying the hall.

The footprints on the floor, bloodstains on the walls, faint bloody aroma in the air, and sounds from the rooms, all helped him track.

Soon he stopped in front of Lily's room, the corners of his large mouth curling up slightly, a hint of smugness.

"The little miss ran quick but crudely, leaving a clear trail."

'Clang~~'

Gently unsheathing the blade at his waist, its body reflected the corridor candles, shining an azure brilliance like crystalline water, extraordinarily beautiful.

'Click!'

The swordsman inserted the tip into the door seam, twisted slightly, and the wooden lock inside snapped.

'Creak~'

The door was slowly pushed open, and a thick bloody stench immediately assailed the nose.

Still holding the azure blade, the swordsman strode into the room.

After just two steps, a swoosh of wind reached his ears, and a black shadow rapidly pounced towards him.

'A desperate struggle?'

The swordsman smiled, standing stock still where he was, lightly thrusting the sword forward to land precisely on the shadow's neck.

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"Kneel before me~"

At the same time exerting downward force, tremendous might erupted, pressing the shadow's body down with a 'thud' as it knelt on the ground.

'Clack~'

The swordsman shut the door, isolating inside and outside again.

Looking up and down at his ambusher, he couldn't help clucking in amazement.

"Previously with so many opponents, I was flustered and didn't get a good look. Now examining closely, you spider apostle are quite handsome."

The black shadow was naturally Lily in spider form. Without the blood to obscure, her whole appearance was visible.

The silhouette was similar to a human, retaining a woman's curves, but no clothes, the entire body covered in fine dark chitinous scales, even the back of the head, neck and chin densely overlayed, only the upper face and eyes still human-like, though the skin was iron cyan.

Confronted by the vast disparity in strength, despair showed in Lily's eyes as she spoke dispiritedly: "Shabolai, enough nonsense. If you want to kill me then hurry up and do it!"

Unexpectedly, this Shabolai did not take out his sword, but put it away.

"Miss, if you had investigated me properly, you would know that I, Shabolai, never kill beautiful women!"

Lily was incredulous. "I thought that was just a joke. Didn't expect it to be true?"

Shabolai sat down on a chair, which creaked loudly under his massive weight, seemingly about to collapse at any moment.

Settling down, the stocky swordsman's big round face showed profound emotion.

"There are many women in the world, but truly beautiful ones are rare. Every beauty is a delightful scenic line. Killing them would be too great a waste."

Lily was even more surprised. "But I'm no longer human. I was imprinted by the Spider Mother at birth, and became an apostle. Looking like this, I'm far from beautiful."

"No no no~"

Shabolai shook his finger vigorously in refusal.

"You're mistaken. Beauty transcends race in my eyes."

"Just look at you - slender waist, beautifully curved legs, neat orderly scales, flat yet supple belly..."

"Tsk tsk, simply brimming with indescribable allure~"

As he spoke, the stocky swordsman unconsciously wiped a strand of glistening drool from the corner of his mouth.

Lily instinctively curled up, hugging herself tightly.

She felt a wave of intense unease, despite being in the ugly spider apostle form.

'He won't force himself on me right? He's so powerful and huge, my severely wounded body couldn't withstand it.'

Seemingly noticing his loss of composure, Shabolai lightly coughed and restrained his lustful gaze.

"Got carried away, my mistake. Back to the main issue. Miss, can you return my belonging now?"

Lily slowly shook her head. "I don't have that item."

Shabolai's expression chilled. "Impossible. You clearly stole my package."

Lily sighed. "I did take your package, but aside from some spare clothes and an empty purse, there was nothing else inside."

She pointed to the corner. "Your package is right there, just take it back."

Shabolai immediately rushed to the package, examining it closely, and indeed nothing else was missing.

After thinking for a few seconds, he suddenly turned and said, "You nightingales had so many people, you must have passed it off secretly. Tell me, where did you hide my treasure?!"

Unexpectedly, Lily immediately raised a sharp spine, solemnly swearing:

"I swear by the Spider Mother Rose's divine name, if I lie, may my soul fall into the abyss of agony and suffer eternal torment!"

Shabolai was surprised. "That little trinket is worth such a vicious oath?"

Lily gave a wry smile. "To you powerful warriors it's trivial, but to us small fries, the fallen feathers of the Ashbird are priceless treasures."

Shabolai was quite flattered by the buttering up, unable to restrain a smug chuckle.

"Well, the feathers are still quite precious, I wouldn't carelessly discard them either. Since you dare to swear such an oath, I'll believe you don't have it. However....."

"However what?"

Shabolai grinned. "The feathers were still lost because of you all. You have to get it back for me!"

"If one nightingale can't do it, then the whole Order must help me search."

"And if you can't find it?"

"Then compensate money! At least 1000 crowns!"

Lily was speechless, shaking her head. "The feathers are something the baron wants, we can't help you retrieve them. But compensating money is possible, just not 1000 crowns, that's too much."

Shabolai widely grinned, reaching into his clothes to take out a glass vial, pouring out a silvery white pellet.

Just as Lily wondered what he was up to, he abruptly strode next to her, raised his hand to grip her chin, and forcibly shoved the pellet into her mouth.

Lily only felt a tremendous bitterness in her mouth, hurriedly asking: "What did you feed me?!"

"A secret medicine from my Silver Moon Castle, called Condensed Moon Essence, for healing wounds. I fed it to you to avoid you dying from the torment."

Lily paled in fright. "What do you mean?!"

After swallowing the pellet, she immediately felt a warmth spreading through her body, rapidly flowing to her limbs and hundreds of joints, alleviating injuries wherever it passed.

Circulating several times, her wounds were already halfway healed, even having spare energy to resume her transformation.

Considering her opponent was a lustful man, Lily promptly restrained her spider form and reverted to an ordinary woman.

The moment her shapeshifting finished, gleams of interest sparked in Shabolai's beady eyes as he repeatedly applauded.

"Excellent, I knew I wasn't mistaken! You really are a fine beauty, wah~~"

"Oh, something's not right. You look a bit familiar, I feel like I've seen you somewhere!"

Lily's mind stirred. "Rumor says Shabolai of Silver Moon Castle is an incorrigible womanizer who values beauty over life itself. Looks like the rumors are true."

Shabolai's voice sounded again from outside the changing room.

"Hmm~ The painted version is even lovelier than the real thing, possessing an ineffable charm rarely seen in living women."

"Let me tell you missy, not a pence less than 1000 crowns for compensation, I'm going to use that money to buy the painting!"

Having finished dressing, Lily was about to exit the changing room when she heard this. Her mind stirred once more, and she immediately said: "Sir Shabolai, you really just want the money to buy paintings of beauties?"

"Eh, to be more precise, it's to acquire beauties. If no living beauty can be found, a painted one will do."

As he spoke, his gaze roved up and down Lily's body. Those eyes seemed to peer right through her clothes.

Lily shivered, involuntarily retreating several steps.

"Then....can I substitute directly with a beauty portrait to repay the debt?"