Iris alighted her carriage and lifted her head. Ominous crimson glares, which filled Donhalgen’s sky, reflected in her clear eyes. This terrible air tainted her black and white uniform with a blood-like shade and irritated her breathing. The world, as if descending into a hellscape, pressed down the dreary hearts and stirred the sins inside them.

Despite the pervasive evilness, Vindette’s silky dress remained pure. She raised her right hand and swiped to her side. Her cloud-like Corruption Power rippled outwards, touching every Monster Girl and attendant, enveloping all, shielding them with a lustrous mist. Suppressed by the soothing aura, the emerging dark thoughts subsided, and everyone regained their clarity.

“These cultists never cease to surprise me,” Vindette said. “The source of this appalling change is transcendental. Not even Evil Punisher Grand Formation can purify it.”

Iris looked at the lone golden pillar of light at the centre of the city. “Is that the Goddess of Seven Virtues?”

“If she were to descend, the world would be made aware.”

“Could the Evil Deities descend?”

“We would be out of Garcient Kingdom if such an event were to pass.”

Iris nodded while feeling the Curse of the Eye’s aura wiggling within her body. Its heartbeat-like rhythm rose and fell, excited by its creator’s trace. Though suppressed, its influence on Iris remained. She, surrounded by blood mist, felt invisible gazes peering at her back.

She smirked. This little trick merely inconvenienced her. She turned around to the Monster Girls and their attendants, including Secain and Lorient. They positioned behind Iris and Vindette like knights protecting their princesses. If their princesses wanted them to charge forward, they’d charge forward.

And if their princesses wanted their bodies, they’d gladly offer them up.

“Remember: our goal is to save our kind. Do not engage with the students unless necessary. Aim to disarm but not kill,” Iris said. “And if you fancy a beauty, give her a gentle invitation. We always welcome new members.”

“What if . . . we fancy you?” a Monster Girl said.

“Extend me your gentle invitation.” Iris smiled. “The Court will reward all contributions. So long as the price is met, everything’s possible.”

Everyone cheered. Vindette clapped, restoring the silence. She turned to Iris, smiled, and walked forwards, towards one of Royal Magic Academy’s entrances. Iris followed her, and the rest followed Iris.

Under the crimson sky, Royal Magic Academy grew silent. The professors and guards and students, realising the gravity of the situation, rushed into the buildings and watched through the windows for any anomalies. Only a few bound by duty stayed at their locations, ready to respond to any threat. Influenced by the unholy atmosphere, they fell into paranoia and listlessness.

A group of hooded figures appeared before an entrance. The guards and students at the reception building peeked at them, but their cloaks obscured their features, revealing only their pale tattooed arms and their wicked smiles.

The guards shouted for identification and took out their swords, while the students, most of them Mage Apprentices, prepared their staffs or wands. The intruders sprinted forwards. Their hoods fell from their heads, and their crazed expressions overflowed their faces.

Flaming Evil Powers spread from their tattoos. Their blazes stirred the mist, which screamed and swirled around the cultists, amplifying their powers. Tens of rusty chains materialised and flung at the guards, accompanied by many more spells.

A chaotic battle commenced. Though lesser in number, the enhanced cultists gradually gained an advantage against the suppressed guards. The Mages behind the guards cast their supporting spells, but their panic reduced their effectiveness. As the first guard, impelled by a bone spear, collapsed on the ground, the morale fell, and the next guard followed.

Despite the commotion, no reinforcement or curious passerby arrived. Divided and muffled by the evil presence, the cries of despair and anger travelled nowhere, echoing only to the victims themselves.

Amidst the savage roars and insults, a crisp giggle broke the tension. A group of Monster Girls, dressed in ravish clothes, came out of the mist. They sauntered to the academy’s entrance, unbothered and untainted by the red mists.

Everyone else diverted their attention to unexpected guests, especially the two ladies standing at the front, Iris and Vindette.

Iris swept her gaze across the battlement. Her aloof eyes, concealing within them her unreadable thoughts, radiated pressures which dulled all senses and paralysed all thoughts. She was in control; everything was a mere puppet directed by her strings.

The leader of the cultist, a Master-Tier Sorcerer, frowned. The newcomers halted his momentum and seized the initiative. His subordinates were losing their morale.

He slid his left palm and swung it at Iris. His black blood congregated into a swarm of bloodthirsty bats. They rushed at Iris. A guard standing in the way raised his shield and channelled his physique-enhancing power. The frenzied swarm enveloped him. He never got a chance to scream before being reduced into a blood mist.

Iris knocked her black cane on the ground, creating a complex formation beneath her feet. Its components erratically revolved and spewed out glowing symbols, which burst into myriad matters: bubbles, fireballs, snowflakes, clouds, and other natural phenomena. The chaotic field spread before her, covering every member of The Court.

The bats crashed against the field and screamed, their bodies shattered into countless frozen pieces, burned into piles of ashes, crushed by thorny vines, and drowned within water-filled bubbles. The swarm dispersed like dust against a gale.

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Iris stepped through the colourful firework and gestured her right hand at the Master-Tier Sorcerer. Her shadow extended beyond her body, reaching her enemy, and rose from the ground. Its feminine, ghostly hands went through his cloak, cut through his body, and gripped his heart.

As Iris clenched her right hand, the cultist vomited blood and knelt on the ground. His tattoos squirmed, growing out of the dying vessel. Black hands emerged from his shadow, constrained his body, and dragged him into the puddle of darkness. His corpse screamed before getting submerged into nothingness.

With a warm smile on her face, Iris strolled to the academy’s entrance, the centre of the battlefield. Everyone held back their powers; they stared and stared until they realised they unconsciously followed her rhythm, retreating with her every advancing step.

“These filthy things,” Iris said. “They deserve no place in our world.”

The Monster Girls behind her shouted their war cry. Their human disguises unravelled, revealing their exotic true forms. Their seductive voices pervaded the battleground, their arresting appearances imprinting themselves in all gazes. They rushed in. Their innate talents flashed across the surroundings, with siren music reverberating throughout, bewitching flowers growing through the cracks in the street, and water vapours forming ghostly vestiges.

Crackling, cultists sacrificed their blood and body parts to cast forbidden spells. Demonic silhouettes and mutated monsters crawled out of their chests. They exchanged moves with The Court’s members. Despite their suicidal methods, they failed to defeat their enemies.

When some of them broke away from their groups, a figure draped in a tight purple outfit emerged from the crimson mist and finished them off. Secain’s purple-tinted dagger slit open their throats. Her silhouette appeared and vanished before they could scream, fall on the ground, and dissolve into a pool of poison. After a few deaths, no cultist dared to escape alone.

Unlike the cultists, the academy guards and students lost their motivation. They retreated inside the academy, but a few Transformation Phase Monster Girls blocked off their paths. Those who stepped forth to disrupt the encirclement got struck down, though the Monster Girls sparred them.

The Monster Girls swiftly ended the battle. They killed all cultists but only captured the innocent, gathering them in one big group.

Iris sauntered to the kneeling captive students and guards. Pools of blood and corpses behind her exuded metallic stenches which darkened the atmosphere, though it failed to soil Iris’s sterile imagery.

The academy members lowered their heads, trembling. Some of the ladies hugged each other, their faces pale. Some of the men clutched their daggers or staffs despite knowing their futility.

Iris stood in silence while other Monster Girls whispered among themselves, eyeing their prey. Their chuckles suffocated the atmosphere.

Two senior students, a black-haired man and a pink-haired woman, stood up from the group. They exchanged eye contact, surprised at the other’s resolution before they turned to Iris, who calmly looked at them.

They slowly placed their wands and emergency dagger, potions, and other magical items on the ground. Seeing that Iris neither said nor acted, they trod to her. Though rigid and shaky, their mannerism contained their bravery.

When they arrived before her, the man saluted her by crossing his right arm on his chest, and the woman curtseyed, bowing her head exceptionally low.

“Madam, is there anything you want?” the man said. “As long as you let them go, I’ll help with your request.”

Iris faintly smiled. Only her eyes shifted between the two brave souls. As stillness extended its grasp and confined the group of survivors, the man opened his mouth, but the woman raised her hand, stopping him.

“My apology for the breach of etiquette, Madam.” The woman lowered her head while glaring at the man, who followed her movement, embarrassed and also annoyed by her accusing gaze. “My name is Wandrina Lallae. I am currently a senior undergraduate of Royal Magic Academy.”

Iris’s smile widened, and the Monster Girls surrounding her nodded. They, in a hushed tone, praised Wandrina, even teasing, flirting with her. She kept her strange emotions deep beneath her calm, noble façade.

“Unfortunately, the circumstance disallows mentioning my real name,” Iris said. “Call me Black Rose of Court of Indulgence. Wandrina, your feature is a masterpiece, sculptured by an artisan of high calibre.”

“Your praise is taken with humility, Madam Black Rose.” Wandrina straightened her posture. She gawked at the male student, who exhaled but didn’t let loose his foul mood.

“My name is Ramantis Hylifa, a senior undergrad,” Ramantis said. “Madam Black Rose, if you promise to let other students go, we’ll do our best to satisfy your demand.”

“What if I desire her?” Iris held out her right hand for Wandrina. “Her beauty’s struck my heart blind. If you hand her to us, we’ll gladly let you and your young friends go.”

The surrounding Monster Girls grinned. They pointed at a few other captives, whose appearances or personalities they fancied, whose panicking countenance aroused their desires. Iris listened to their lively conversation, her eyes fixed on the two brave seniors.

Wandrina shivered. Her eyes alternated between herself, Iris, Ramantis, and other students, and finally landed on the Monster Girls, who eyed her as if she were the luckiest lady to ever exist.

Madam Black Rose had taken fancy of her; she wouldn’t be in any real danger. She was born to lead these commoners, to guide them to the light. This was her calling.

Her eyes glimmering, she deeply inhaled. “Madam Black Rose, please—”

“I refuse!” Ramantis walked to stand between Iris and Wandrina. “We’re not sacrificing anyone. Madam, I’m willing to satisfy your other requests, but we won’t agree to your taking away one of us.”

“You fool,” Wandrina said. “I didn’t request your help. This is my choice, mine alone.”

“You were hesitating. You didn’t immediately accept the offer. I won’t allow you to sacrifice yourself.”

Wandrina hissed, suppressing her fury, which cloaked her other emotions. She shouldn’t have hesitated. Was she not virtuous enough?

With an amused smile, Iris observed the two bickering. She just wanted to tease Wandrina to see her reaction, but she didn’t expect Ramantis to gather his courage to rescue the damsel. She almost couldn’t suppress her villainy tendency.

“Your answer, Wandrina?” Iris said. “Will you leave with me? I’ll treat you well such that there will be no regret, even if others might think otherwise.”

“I . . . I’m willing!” Wandrina averted her eyes as she walked to Iris and reached out for Iris’s hand. Countless thoughts swirled beneath her pale complexion, but she dispelled them by reminding herself of her responsibility.

Ramantis widened his eyes. He bit his tongue and drew a symbol in the air. Orange bright light manifested from his fingertip. He aimed his spell at Iris, who, smirking, coyly tilted her head like a defenceless maiden.

“Stop right this instant!” Wandrina retracted her hand, jumped between Ramantis and Iris, and raised her right hand.

A thin layer of snow and ice congregated in front of her. Its chilly temperature clashed against the flowing flames, rapidly melting, evaporating. A blazing glare reflected in her sapphire eyes, enlarging with every passing moment.

As she instinctively covered her face, a pair of gentle, delicate hands grasped her shoulders. Iris leaned her face beside Wandrina’s and blew. A wisp of Corruption Power flew toward the wall of Ice Element, dissolved it, and headed for the flame and extinguished it.

“Don’t be too harsh on him, Purple Shadow,” Iris said.

Ramantis’s eyes contracted. His body stiffened as his lungs suffocated A purple dagger hovered before his neck, its blade grazing his flesh. Emerged from his shadow, Secain pouted. She retrieved her dagger and glanced at Ramantis’s shaking body before vanishing into his shadow.

Ramantis’s legs gave up. He fell to the ground, uncontrollably trembling.

Iris let go of Wandrina’s shoulders. “Wandrina, what should we do with him?”