CHAPTER 10: ORDER OF THE SHADOW

That’s how my villainous adventures began.

The next morning, I locked myself in my room, putting on my outdoor clothes. It was good that at least this function still worked. Otherwise, it would have been difficult for me to get to the capital on my own. And even more difficult to come up with a plausible reason for doing so.

Now, thanks to the system, my journey would remain a secret from prying eyes.

As soon as I thought about it, a triangle with the system popped up before my eyes.

System: Quest "Order of the Shadow." Do you want to continue?

[Yes\ No]

— Yes.

System: Accepted! You will be transported to the location [Thorn Alley].

Then, just like in the real game, the loading percentage began. When everything was ready, I was jolted, and in the next moment I opened my eyes on the right street. Surprisingly, I felt completely normal after that, and my head wasn’t even spinning.

However, the place I was now in looked suspicious. It was crowded and dark. The perfect playground for criminals. So, there was an old building opposite me. Apparently, that’s where I needed to go.

I looked around again before going inside.

Without hesitation, I pulled the door handle and entered the so-called hideout of a criminal organization. At first glance, everything looked quite ordinary. Apparently, the owner had disguised the building as a gun shop. There was no one behind the main counter.

"Excuse me?"

I tried to get the owner’s attention. Maybe he had stepped away? I waited a few minutes before I heard a rustle and the creak of a door opening.

"Miss?"

I turned around and saw a young man behind me. His silver hair was tied back in a ponytail. His violet eyes and scarlet lips contrasted with his white skin. He was a truly handsome man, more like an angel.

But that’s not what struck me.

"Lionel?!"

My lips trembled as I uttered his name. The womanizer that all the young girls of the empire pined for. The imperial tutor assigned to the heroine to teach her etiquette and the rules of behavior in the palace. And also... one of her love interests.

I decided that the game was playing tricks on me.

"What are you doing here?" I couldn’t help but cry out.

The man stared at me in surprise.

"I don’t understand what you’re talking about."

"Don’t pretend!" I shouted, pointing my finger at him. "I’m asking what you’re doing here!"

He was even more surprised and looked at me as if I had gone mad. But it seemed to me that the whole world was mocking me. How else could such nonsense have happened?! Not only did this guy look exactly like the heroine’s love interest, but his age didn’t match what was stated.

In the game, Lionel was twenty-two years old. But in the current time frame, he should only be twelve. So why did he look so grown up now?

Meanwhile, the man reacted to my outburst with extreme indifference. But the name I called him seemed to annoy him.

"You’re confusing me with someone else," he said confidently.

"What...?"

"I’m not Lionel," he said insinuatingly. "My name is Serpens Strange."

I was stunned.

"I must look very similar to someone you know, since you’re reacting this way."

I blinked.

"You’re not joking, are you?"

Sigh.

"Miss, let’s get down to business, please," the man turned to the counter. "You see, I’m busy. I don’t have much free time. Did you want to buy a weapon?"

This man was really different from the Lionel I knew in the game. The "real" Nell was extremely loose and never missed a skirt. It was all because of childhood trauma: his mother worked as a prostitute in a brothel. Because of this, the man did not believe in serious relationships and only used women. At least, that was until he met Angela Stone. This kind girl with a compassionate heart won him over and made him rethink his attitude toward love and marriage.

But this young man was completely different. He didn’t even glance at Grace Weinstein’s pretty face. It was really strange.

Could I really be wrong?

"What did you want?" the man repeated his question.

"I..."

I finally remembered why I had come here.

"I’m here to meet the owner of this place."

I showed him the token of the head of the Order of the Shadow left by my father. At the sight of it, Serpens’s expression changed. He looked back and forth between me and the relic several times, then bowed respectfully.

"I apologize for not recognizing you immediately, Lady Weinstein."

"Ah...?"

"Master, it’s me."

Another unexpected discovery this evening.

"But..." I hesitated.

"You must be surprised that I am so young," Serpens smiled, "but have no doubt. I was personally acquainted with the previous master."

I swallowed. However, I had no choice: to trust this man or not. The quest had already begun. All I could do was hope that at least this time the system wouldn’t screw me over.

— ...

— Follow me.

Serpens turned toward the door to the utility room. Then he pressed a single brick. The door opened with a loud bang, and the secret passageway appeared in all its glory.

The man and I went inside.

Behind the wall was a wide, dark corridor that was impossible to guess at first glance. At that moment, I felt like the heroine of a movie I often watched on TV as a child.

Serpens and I continued on our way for a while until I finally saw the light at the end of the tunnel.

Almost immediately, voices followed.

A large room the size of a stadium came into view. Several hundred men in dark clothes were training there. I felt a little awkward standing there and staring at them stupidly.

"So this is my army...?"

Serpens called out to them.

"Show respect to the new mistress."

The guy showed them the token of the head of the organization that I had brought with me. The men recognized it immediately.

Realizing who was standing before them, the warriors dropped their swords and knelt before me.

"Welcome, Lady Weinstein!"

I cleared my throat.

"From now on, our people will obey you," Serpens announced. "Let me know if you have any instructions."

"..."

"My lady?"

"I do have something."

I saw a flashing message about the successful completion of the quest. But I didn’t pay any attention to it right now.

I smiled, thinking that I already had a plan.

"Your first task," my voice echoed throughout the arena, "The Diamond of the Empire, Duke William Dickens."