“Sakura Road is different.” Nicole slowed her pace slightly, organizing her thoughts, trying to deliver the most accurate and crucial information in the shortest time.

  “Right next to that area is the abandoned city botanical garden. Lately, a rare mutated zombie showed up there. Its presence indirectly made the soil in that zone produce a certain… pretty important alchemical material.”

  “It’s a special kind of worm. Use that worm, add a few other common-ish materials, and you can brew a precious third-rank potion. That potion has a lot of uses. Very popular with third-rank Corpse-Plague Acolytes.”

  Nicole’s words were measured, showing her professional confidence.

  “So right now, quite a few third-ranks have their eyes on it. Big names like ‘The Blood Tonic’ Aldrich, ’Tigerclaw’ Armand… heavyweights across the whole Ruined City are watching that place.”

  “Because of that, the situation around Sakura Road changes daily. There used to be a capable trio of second-ranks living there, but now… they moved out. I think they went to… anyway, not important. They’re definitely gone.”

  “Sakura Road has no fixed ‘master’ right now, but… that area’s dangerous now. Chaotic. I don’t recommend going there, whatever you’re planning.”

  “As for Tsukimidaira…”

  Nicole paused, her expression turning hesitant.

  “Can I… ask what you want to do?” she probed carefully. “If you tell me, I might give you more precise, more valuable info.”

  “No need. Continue, like before.”

  Pandora’s face gave nothing away. Her deep eyes held no trace of anything readable.

  This unsettled Nicole more. She couldn’t get a single clue from that calm exterior.

  Fine then…

  Nicole sighed inside.

  Tsukimidaira… this place, she didn’t want to detail. In fact, she instinctively wanted to avoid it.

  But as a broker—one who called herself “the Corpse Hall’s finest, most dedicated broker”—she couldn’t break her own professional code. She couldn’t give clients false or badly misleading intel.

  But…

  language could be an art sometimes.

  “That place is as dangerous as Sakura Road. Maybe worse…”

  She weighed her words, trying to convey the “danger” right without giving up core secrets.

  “There’s a suspected third-rank zombie hanging around there long-term. No one knows what keeps such a powerful zombie staying there indefinitely.”

  “The environmental conditions are actually mediocre. No special resources either, so most third-ranks have zero interest. Once, a pretty strong third-rank went in out of curiosity… but… never came back out. Might be dead in there.”

  “So it’s a ‘forbidden zone’ for a lot of people. No one wants to go.”

  She looked at Pandora with serious intensity.

  “Whatever you want to do in those three places, I have to warn you: Tsukimidaira is bad news. I strongly advise against it. Also, I should mention… about Tsukimidaira, this area, there is some… intel I can’t sell. So… your choice.”

  “Oh? You have intel you won’t sell?”

  For the first time, Pandora’s tone wasn’t flat. It held a trace of real, pure curiosity.

  “Of course.”

  Nicole straightened up, even though it tugged her wound and made her wince.

  “Even as an information broker, I have principles!”

  Right as they were talking—

  BOOM—!!!!

  The Rot-Spider’s huge, grotesque body, without any warning, suddenly slammed down right toward where they stood! Pitch-black shadows swallowed them instantly!

  “Danger!”

  Nicole cried out on instinct.

  Her body moved before her mind—her arm shot out, trying to shield the seemingly helpless girl in front of her.

  This tale has been unlawfully lifted from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

  But then she immediately realized the girl beside her didn’t need her protection. Her strength was unknown, but it wasn’t weak; the vibe she gave was even… more dangerous than the Rot-Spider!

  So her outstretched arm pulled back awkwardly, embarrassingly, in mid-motion.

  Still, in that back-and-forth, the instinctive flash of goodwill was completely caught by Pandora’s calm eyes.

  Crash—!!

  The sickening body crashed down from above, smashing into the ground!

  This was totally different from when the Rot-Spider attacked Nicole earlier. This time, Nicole didn’t feel that targeted, undisguised malice from the shadow.

  Instead, she felt like this Rot-Spider… was violently slammed down from the air by something even more brutal.

  The bizarre idea formed in her head.

  The next moment, a maid in a somewhat classical-style uniform, wielding a crimson thorn-patterned greatsword, followed the Rot-Spider down gracefully!

  Both landed, but the maid’s movement was pure elegance.

  Clearly, it was this sword-maid who had wrecked the Rot-Spider.

  Before Nicole could process it, she saw the crimson greatsword flash, its blade thrusting with perfect aim into the Rot-Spider’s exposed, violently throbbing core!

  Squelch!

  The Rot-Spider’s huge body shuddered hard, then let out a feeble, dying gasp.

  It seemed almost dead.

  Yet…

  “Danger!”

  Nicole’s pupils shrank!

  She was a broker, but she had sharp combat instincts too! The moment she saw the spider core’s gelatinous corpse-fluid soften weirdly and swell slightly, she issued a sharp warning!

  “It’s not dead yet!”

  Nicole’s warning came a split-second late.

  Before her words fully landed, the spider’s core, that gel-fluid, exploded outward violently, just like she predicted!

  Like splashed, toxic pus, it completely enveloped Elsa, who stood too close to dodge.

  Seeing it, Nicole cursed inwardly. Ignoring her own injuries, she lunged forward. She wanted to help, to pull the maid—who’d clearly been fighting the Rot-Spider—free from that lethal gel-cocoon.

  Yet…

  “Stop.”

  A flat voice came from behind her.

  Nicole’s body froze instinctively!

  Then, before she could fully process it…

  Pfft! Pfft! Pfft-pt!

  The gelatinous corpse-fluid encasing the sword-maid suddenly erupted like a cocoon blasted from within! Several crimson, sharp blades—seemingly from nowhere—violently pierced outward!

  Then, in an impossible, eerie motion, they shifted direction mid-air before retracting sharply, plunging deep into the Rot-Spider’s violently pulsating, defenseless human-head core—

  SQUEEEE————!!!!

  The dying shriek hit its shrill peak, then cut off dead.

  The Rot-Spider… went still.

  The gel-fluid encasing the maid tore apart like cloth under blades, no longer holding its “contents.” Elsa stepped out with effortless ease.

  Her maid uniform was intact. Perfectly clean. As if she hadn’t just survived a near-fatal fight, but had enjoyed a quiet afternoon tea…

  Nicole stared dumbstruck at the maid standing there with her sword, completely stunned.

  Graceful.

  So graceful…

  The thought rose uncontrollably from deep in her mind.

  These two girls, mistress and maid—one terrifyingly strong, one profoundly mysterious. Who were they? Since when were they in the Mokuhaku Ward? Why were people like this inside her intel zone, yet she knew nothing? What were they after…?

  Nicole snapped back, jolted by the still-burning, agonizing pain from her waist and chest wounds. It dragged her out of the psychological shock.

  She realized: no matter who they were or what they wanted, two things were undeniable facts.

  One: They had saved her.

  Two: Her injuries were bad. Very bad. She needed treatment now, or she would die here.

  Her thoughts crystalized.

  Without another moment’s hesitation, Nicole turned to the mysterious pair and spoke her most sincere thanks.

  “Lady Pandora, and you, Miss Maid, thank you for saving me. Whether you meant to or not, you factually did. If you ever need information later, find me anytime. I’m the best broker in this area, hands down.”

  Nicole’s tone held real seriousness. If not for keeping a broker’s professional face, she’d have called herself “the Corpse Hall’s finest, most dedicated broker.” In her heart, her service really was the best.

  “Anything you want to know, I’ll do my absolute best to get it! Of course, my services cost… but at least the first three times, whatever you want to know, I’ll help for free. This time… call it a ‘meeting gift.’ Doesn’t count toward the three. Acceptable?”

  Nicole knew her state wasn’t good, but she kept her posture poised and respectful. She had principles. Three freebies was her limit. More would hurt her intel quality; her sources weren’t free either.

  Pandora watched Nicole’s earnest look. She hadn’t planned to demand anything; she was already happy with the unexpected district intel. But since the other insisted… well, no reason to refuse.

  “Acceptable.”

  Hearing it, Nicole’s eyes lit up. She sighed inwardly in relief. Agreeing to her terms meant avoiding the worst-case scenario… “that scenario” was way too common in the Ruined City.

  “Great. Here’s my Palmfiend contact…”

  “Added? Good!”

  “Please excuse me, but my injuries need attention now. I’ll take my leave.”

  With that, Nicole stuffed her Palmfiend back into her pack. Without another second’s delay, she turned decisively and walked briskly toward her original destination.

  The moment she turned, Elsa slightly raised her crimson greatsword. Her beautiful eyes flicked almost imperceptibly to the other’s neck, then sought confirmation from Pandora with a glance.

  To her, no promise mattered more than her Lady’s word.

  She could do nothing, or make the other “leave” painlessly in an instant. Everything followed Pandora’s will alone.

  And Pandora’s will right then was, of course, “do nothing.” She gave a slight shake of her head toward Elsa, who understood immediately and silently lowered her sword, letting all killing intent vanish.

  Nicole’s appearance was unexpected, but she wasn’t a bad person, and her intel skills were solid. Without exposing any critical secrets about herself, and not being truly bloodthirsty, there was no need for random killing.

  Besides… hadn’t Nicole said it herself?

  She wasn’t an “enemy.” She was a “friend.”

  ………………

  Only when the figure of the broker named Nicole had completely vanished around the underground arcade corner did Pandora finally turn her gaze to the alchemy maid beside her—the one who’d just stepped out of a bloody fight, uniform still perfect.

  The spotlessness was because the maid uniform was basically part of Elsa’s body. Shifting to sword form and back easily shed any gunk.

  “How did it go?”

  A faint curve touched the corner of Pandora’s lips, her deep eyes holding a hint of barely-there amusement.

  Hearing her Lady’s question, Elsa slowly raised her head.

  The ice-cold, expressionless mask she wore for outsiders was gone.

  In its place was pure, undiluted excitement. Delight. Even… a slight tremor of exhilaration.

  Like someone who’d starved a long time finally tasting the most exquisite, dreamed-of feast.