Rita wasn't worried that Kayden might try to scheme against her. First, Kayden didn't have the means to outmaneuver her. Second, for Kayden, the most important person in her life was Apache. Since Rita wasn't on opposing terms with Apache, Kayden had no motivation to betray her.

Kayden's rented house was located in the slums of Dark City. The two small figures made their way through the city's twisting alleys and shadowy corners.

Truthfully, Apache treated Kayden quite well. All her meals were provided at the alchemy shop, she received three custom-made robes each quarter, and if she wanted, she could have just lived in one of the upstairs rooms above the shop, saving the money she spent on rent.@@novelbin@@

But it seemed Kayden had her heart set on owning a small house of her own. Despite having a room at the shop, she insisted on renting elsewhere. Besides, Kayden already knew how to make a fair amount of potions herself—she could easily sell them and save up even more money.

Rita asked, "That little house you've had your eye on—does it happen to be nearby?"

Kayden replied cheerfully, "That house? Someone already bought it! I'm looking for another one now."

Rita sighed. "You said the same thing last time... How much are you still short? Do you want to work part-time for me? Help me process potions, and I'll pay you."

Kayden was always talking about saving up for a small house in Dark City, but all the homes she liked were in the slums. From what Rita had calculated, based on how much money Kayden had earned since they'd known each other, she should have had more than enough by now. But for some reason, she still hadn't bought one.

The little undead girl skipped through the damp, shadowy alleyways, hopping over puddles and dodging water dripping from rooftops. Her voice was lighthearted as she said, "That'd be great! I'm almost there—probably next year."

Nivalis immediately chimed in, "You can't say that. If you say 'next year,' then you definitely won't buy it by next year."

Kayden's eyes widened in surprise. "There's a reason for that? Why?"

Nivalis launched into an explanation about what a flag was.

As they walked through the alleys, Kayden's exclamations of astonishment echoed. Rita watched her closely, noting that her smile never faded and her chatter became more lively. It was a stark contrast to how she had been earlier, silently facing Mistblade. And yet, Rita could tell Kayden was more nervous now than she had been in the alchemy shop.

Apache's alchemy shop was in Dark City's central district, but from there, the two had to take a city teleportation platform and then walk for over an hour before they finally reached Kayden's home.

The area was predominantly inhabited by undead. The residents didn't appear to live lavishly, but their clothing was clean, and their demeanor was spirited. They looked much like Kayden. After all, anyone who could afford to live in Dark City, no matter how poor, was better off than those undead living outside the city walls.

Many of the undead clearly recognized Kayden. They also knew she was Apache's apprentice, and they greeted her with respect as she passed.

Eventually, they stopped in front of a small house. Kayden raised her right hand and cast a spell on the door lock. It clicked open slowly. She pushed the door open and looked back at Rita, her tone growing timid again. "This is my home."

Rita had already used her skills—[Hunter's Eye], [Jungle Precognition], and [Beast Instinct]—to check the area. Neither her map nor her senses indicated any danger. The latter two skills, both B-level abilities she had acquired in High Tower, would have caused her heart to race or her skin to prickle at the slightest sign of traps or threats. Even her [Malicious Intent Detector] wasn't vibrating.

Feigning exasperation, she said, "What are you so nervous about?" Then, in a playful motion, she gently nudged Kayden inside, following a second later after wiping her shoes at the door.

Kayden's home was cozy, decorated in warm yellows, though the space was small, and most of the furniture was old. From the entrance, Rita could already see Kayden's bedroom and bed. Kayden led her to a tiny dining table and nervously poured water for both Rita and Nivalis.

Rita pretended to take a small sip, playing along graciously. But her curiosity only deepened. What is she up to? Her time was precious, so she decided to cut straight to the point. "Do you need my help with something?"

Kayden sat down, pressing her hands under her thighs. She looked nervously at Rita before finally speaking. "I want to make a deal with you."

It seemed lately everyone wanted to make deals with her. Rita didn't react with surprise or disdain—despite Kayden being a poor undead living in the slums. After all, just earlier, she had struck a deal with Mistblade, someone hundreds of times more powerful than herself. She had offered Mistblade something that even she couldn't resist. How could she possibly look down on Kayden now?

Her expression even carried a trace of anticipation. "What do you want to trade?"

Kayden leaned in, her voice dropping to a whisper. "A piece of what you took from Mistblade Moon Sovereign."

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Rita's heart skipped a beat—not from fear, but from a mix of excitement and relief.

She raised a hand, gesturing for Kayden to relax, signaling her harmless intentions. As Kayden watched, Rita activated one of her skills—[Silent Hill].

Among the six A-grade or higher skills she had obtained in High Tower, [Silent Hill] was one of her best. Though she had temporarily downgraded it using an Upgrade Cup, reducing it to an A-level ability, it was still incredibly useful.

[Silent Hill] (A-grade, Upgradeable):

Summons an alternate dimension where you are the absolute ruler. Within this dimension, nothing can be seen, heard, or divined by outsiders. All beings inside are fully under your awareness. The size and duration of the dimension depend on your Intelligence stat. Activation costs 2,000 Mana Points, has a 5-second cast time, and a 2-hour cooldown.

With Rita's current Intelligence stat and the skill's temporary downgrade, her Silent Hill could only cover a 3-square-meter area and last no longer than 5 minutes. But for this conversation, it was enough.

In an instant, white mist enveloped the room. Rita and Kayden could still see each other, but everything within the mist's boundary was now hidden from the outside world—undetectable by any means, even divination.

"You can talk freely now," Rita said calmly. "But don't take it out yet."

Kayden visibly relaxed. She finally said, "It's a Death Suit piece. Seven thousand."

No matter what kind of piece it was, Rita wasn't about to pass up the opportunity. "What do you want for it?"

Hearing that question, Kayden's whole body seemed to finally relax, as if the weight of the world had been lifted off her small shoulders.

Rita chuckled. "So that's what had you so nervous? You were afraid I'd just rob you? Or steal it and then force you to drink Forgetfulness Potion?"

Kayden nodded without any embarrassment. "Of course. One day, you're going to be someone truly powerful—someone important. Big shots don't bother with petty rules. Big shots can be ruthless, unfair, and willing to do anything to win. You all follow a completely different set of rules."

Rita couldn't help but laugh at Kayden's tone. The little undead girl, sitting stiffly on her chair, looked so serious and solemn, as if she had uncovered some grand truth of the world. She clearly thought of herself as wise and experienced, like Gota, someone who had seen the harsh realities of life. And yet, her bright, innocent eyes betrayed her childlike naivety.