Chapter 4: “Shadow Princess”
Bai thought for a moment. She didn’t really have any specific questions.
She couldn’t just ask for a detailed map of the Abyss, or the location of the Place of Divine Advent…
An ordinary map would be useless. She needed a detailed one, with information on the various demon races and their territories.
But such a map would be a strategic asset. And even if the owneress had one, she wouldn’t just give it to her.
So, after a moment of thought, she decided to ask about…
“The Ice Demon race…” she said, hesitating slightly.
But before she could finish, the owneress snapped her fingers, a look of “I knew it” on her face. “As I thought. You’re here for them too… So, what are you willing to pay?”
“What’s the price?” Bai asked.
The owneress flipped her hand open, her voice a low, lazy purr. “You’ll get what you pay for. And if…”
Her fingers brushed against Bai’s chin, a strange glint in her seductive eyes. “If you’re willing to pay with everything, hehe~”
Bai subtly moved away, then placed a bag of Abyssal coins on the bar. “How much will this get me?”
Before entering the Abyss, she had made some preparations.
She had acquired a considerable amount of Abyssal currency from the North Empire and the Bewildering Forest, spoils of war.
It was useless on Solor, but here…
But to her surprise, the owneress barely glanced at the coins, wagging a finger at her. “No, no, no. In the Frigid Lands, this is useless.”
“Useless? Wait, then what do they pay with?” Bai asked, looking at the boisterous crowd.
“That’s a different matter,” the owneress said, pushing the coins back towards Bai. “I mean, for something truly valuable in the Frigid Lands, this is useless.”
“And what you want to know is the only thing of value here, the only thing that would attract a high-level demon.”
She looked at Bai, her pupils seeming to overlap. “You’ve come back to the Frigid Lands for the ‘Snow Maiden,’ haven’t you?”
Bai felt a sense of unease, and she looked away. “Well… something like that.”
Snow Maiden?
It must be related to the Ice Demon race…
Seeing that her eye technique had no effect on Bai, the owneress’s expression turned serious. “Heh, little sister, it seems you’re stronger than I thought. Alright, I’ll tell you about the ‘Snow Maiden,’ but you have to do something for me.”
“…What is it?” Bai asked, wary.
This owneress was clearly intelligent, cunning.
And although she wasn’t at the Calamity Class level, some things couldn’t be determined by strength alone.
So, she didn’t agree immediately. She didn’t want to get involved in any unnecessary trouble.
As for breaking the deal… a deal between demons was bound by a “soul contract.”
And she didn’t know if her [Word of Command] Authority could break such a contract.
“Don’t be so tense, little sister.”
The owneress pulled out a small, ornate booklet. On each page was a strange, coin-like object.
“These are the contracts of my former clients,” she said, pushing the booklet towards Bai. “Have a look.”
Bai took it, her brow furrowed. “These coins… are they made of souls?”
She activated her soul vision, and the coins transformed into the ethereal forms of their former owners, a variety of demons.
Just then, the owneress gasped, snatching the booklet back, her voice low. “Little sister, that’s not a power a Shadow Demon should have… the soul vision of a Heart Demon?”
When Bai had used her [Word of Command] to kill Azakana, she had acquired his “soul vision” ability, but not his bloodline.
She had used it many times, but no one had ever noticed. This was the first.
“You… are not a Heart Demon, are you?” Bai asked, looking at her.
The owneress shrugged. “And you are not.”
They both had their secrets. They both knew to let it go.
“Since you can use a Heart Demon’s abilities, a soul contract is useless against you,” the owneress said, putting the booklet away. “But… a deal is a deal. I’m willing to trust you, little sister.”
She had made a concession, accepting Bai’s verbal promise.
“I need to know a lot,” Bai said, her voice low.
“And I can tell you a lot—let’s be frank. I don’t know your status among the Shadow Demons, but it must be high.”
She raised an eyebrow. “With your status, you should have access to the Shadow Demons’ most advanced techniques. So, you’re not here for the ‘Snow Maiden’s’ Ice Demon heritage, but for the ‘Snow Maiden’ herself, right?”
Bai had no idea who this “Snow Maiden” was.
But the owneress’s assumptions, though completely wrong, were a convenient cover.
So, she played along. “Yes. I’m not interested in her heritage, but in her.”
“Excellent,” the owneress’s smile was radiant. “See? Cooperation is so simple. You are strong, even stronger than me, and I know the Frigid Lands like the back of my hand. Our interests don’t conflict. We are natural allies, little sister—oh, how should I address you?”
Bai glanced at Ara, who was rubbing her eyes behind her. “You don’t need to know my real name. Just call me ‘Shadow Princess.'”
She had to get rid of the color-based naming scheme…
