Mystery: The Witch of Desire

The coachman answered with a touch of pride:

“In our line of work, it’s all about being well-informed. Besides, Baron Hoy’s party has invited half of Tingen’s most prominent figures, and a newspaper has already reported on it.”

Upon hearing this, Liviel couldn't help but feel somewhat helpless, realizing that the information she had gathered wasn't particularly valuable. However, at least she had obtained the invitation and had some time to prepare, so she decided to leave it at that.

Upon arriving at 43 Orsner Street, Livre gave Fors and Hugh each a small mirror:

"Keep it with you. In case of any emergency, I can use the mirror image to get to your side."

The two women put away the mirrors, feeling more confident. The three of them got out of the car. Hugh quietly disappeared into the shadows of the streets, while Livre and Fors tidied their appearance and headed straight for the banquet.

"We could go and investigate Mrs. Sharon's house, but be careful not to go too deep, in case she has any traps."

Before parting, Livre carefully reminded Hugh.

Hugh nodded and looked at the impressive villa at 38 Olsna Street.

Livre and Fors, arm in arm like close sisters, arrived at the entrance to the banquet hall, where Baron Hoy and his new wife stood side by side, welcoming the guests.

"Greetings, Baron Hoy. We are the daughters of the Knight family, and our father has asked us to give you his regards."

Fors, the older sister, presented the perfume as a gift. Although Baron Hoy had never heard of this Mr. Knight, since the two young ladies were so beautiful and had invitations, he still greeted them warmly and welcomed them in.

Passing through the ornate, heavy oak door, the two entered the main banquet hall. The hall had a soaring dome, adorned with magnificent chandeliers, and the walls were painted with beautiful religious murals. The floor was covered with a dense, fine red carpet, on which footsteps made only a very soft sound.

Two long tables stood in the center of the hall, with delicate pastries and fresh fruit arranged on silver trays. Crystal goblets were filled with clear, bright liquor. Servants in uniform, impeccably dressed, moved about, carrying trays to refill drinks and clear away empty plates. Elegantly dressed guests gathered in small groups, chatting casually and occasionally letting out a quiet, restrained laugh.

Upon entering the hall, Livre spotted Mrs. Sharon at a glance:

She wore a flowing, dark satin evening gown, its elegant low neckline highlighting her fair shoulders and collarbones, making her full, voluptuous figure even more captivating. She stood like a vibrant flower among several impeccably dressed gentlemen, chatting and laughing with them with ease. Her eyes, brimming with natural charm, exuded a captivating maturity that had only grown stronger than two years prior.

Livre leaned close to Fors's ear, glancing at Mrs. Sharon, and whispered:

"That is Mrs. Sharon."

Fors nodded slightly:

"Even if you don't say it, I can probably guess. She's so beautiful, and she has that same alluring charm as you, the kind that makes people want to make mistakes..."

After hearing this, Livre gave her a reproachful sidelong glance:

"Is this your excuse for making mistakes against me?"

Chapter 142 The Imprisoned Woman

Fors stuck out her tongue. The two women didn't approach Mrs. Sharon rashly, but stood aside and observed quietly. Before long, gentlemen noticed the two beautiful ladies and warmly approached them to chat. At this moment, Fors finally realized the disadvantage of being the older sister. She had no choice but to step behind Livre and let her eloquent 'younger sister' act as the diplomat.

A short while later, Baron Hoy and his wife gave the opening remarks at the party. His steps were unsteady, and heavy bags under his eyes, even with makeup, were clearly visible, leading one to suspect he had indulged in excessive desires. Combined with the rumors surrounding his relationship with his stepmother…

Baron Hoy announced the start of the evening, and the guests offered their praises to their respective deities. Both Livre and Fors, who worshipped the Mechanical Heart, drew triangular emblems on their chests.

This scene reminded Livre of the party at Mr. Teyvat's house two years ago, where a beautiful woman with a triangular holy symbol seemed to be standing beside her...

Who is that woman? Is she Emily Garcia? What is her relationship with me?

As I pondered silently, the opening dance began. The first song was surprisingly "Love at Midnight" by Dorothy, a popular singer from Backlund.

Such gaudy dance music is usually inappropriate for formal social occasions, but at the party hosted by Baron Hoy, Livre found it quite normal.

Livre and Fors, the two beautiful ladies, naturally had no shortage of dance partners, and gentlemen soon extended invitations to them. Several distinguished gentlemen were also hurrying over from Livre's side, intending to be the first to make an invitation, but they were ultimately a step too late. The men looked slightly embarrassed and could only turn around and walk around to find suitable dance partners elsewhere.

As the first dance began, Livre watched the scene unfold. Baron Hoy was dancing with his wife, while Lady Sharon was dancing with a distinguished middle-aged man. Based on the intelligence she had gathered earlier, Livre recognized the man as Maynard, a councilor in the city council who was very influential in Tingen.

The dance ended quickly, and Baron Hoy and his wife began to greet the guests individually. Because the party was very large, the hosts did not have enough time to greet all the guests one by one. Livre thought that Baron Hoy would not notice her and Fors, two relatively unknown young women, but after chatting with several nobles and government officials, Baron Hoy still walked over with unsteady steps, his eyes full of lust for beauty.

"Greetings, Miss Knights. It is an honor to have you two at tonight's ball. Your dancing has captivated the entire Tingen."

Baron Hoy praised him politely, appearing debonair and respectful, but Livre, who was extremely sensitive to emotions, easily detected his lustful greed.

Livre suppressed her disgust and smiled:

"You flatter me. Compared to Mrs. Sharon, my sisters and I are no more than toddlers learning to walk."

Baron Hoy's expression shifted, and he said with considerable emotion:

"The stepmother's dance indeed exuded an elegant charm, like the gentle flow of the Tasok River, graceful and agile, with every gesture revealing a beautiful and mature demeanor."

It's clear that Baron Hoy enjoys talking about Lady Sharon and makes no attempt to hide the rumors circulating about him and his stepmother. Also, is it really appropriate to describe the turbulent Tasok River as gentle and flowing? Don't use metaphors if you can't think of them.

Livre inwardly grumbled, but following Baron Hoy's words, she used a bit of her persuasive power and asked with a smile:

"Yes, Mrs. Sharon is the epitome of a noblewoman in Tingen. I'm really curious, how can one become a woman as perfect as her?"

Baron Hoy's eyes lit up, and he began to speak:

"Even when my father was still alive, my stepmother was such a perfect woman. She was born bright and beautiful, and as she grew older, she only became more and more alluring with her mature beauty. She was very knowledgeable about human relationships and knew all the tricks of social circles. She moved among all kinds of powerful and famous people, and she knew how to display her charm and win people's hearts. Her words were reassuring, and people would unconsciously want to listen to her, as if they were bathed in the warm spring breeze in the countryside... This was precisely what made her so fascinating."

Fors, listening from the side, felt somewhat awkward. Clearly, Baron Hoy's words were no longer appropriate for a stepson's evaluation of his stepmother. But Livre sensed something else entirely. Lady Sharon's extraordinary charm and unusual social skills perfectly matched the image of a witch.

Just as Livre was trying to extract more information, Mrs. Sharon, surrounded by a group of gentlemen, walked over. She walked with a calm and elegant gait, exuding the air of a queen in a social setting.

“Sancher, it’s not good for you to spend too much time with beautiful ladies. You’re not a child anymore.”

Mrs. Sharon was only joking, but it left Baron Hoy extremely embarrassed, standing there like a child who had done something wrong, unable to utter a word.

She looked at Livia and Fors with a smile, her gentle voice carrying a hint of inquiry:

"And who are these two young ladies?"

Baron Hoy quickly introduced:

"They are Mr. Knight's daughters, Mary Knight and Tess Knight."

Livre and Fors bowed to the most renowned socialite in Tingen, and Mrs. Sharon returned the bow with a slight bow, still smiling, and said:

"You two are truly beautiful ladies."

As she spoke, her eyes remained fixed on Livre, clearly noticing her unusual charm.

Livre blushed slightly at the opportune moment, and lowered her head, seemingly unable to look directly at Mrs. Sharon.

Mrs. Sharon looked satisfied, seemingly pleased that her charm had outshone that of a potentially competitive woman. She then changed the subject and continued:

"Miss Knight seems to have been avoiding social events for a long time. What has she been up to lately?"

Livre knew that Mrs. Sharon was using this method to subtly express her question: Why had she never heard of Miss Knight before?

She said with a smile:

“Since I joined the Tingen City Girls’ School, I have been busy with education, so I have neglected socializing.”

Mrs. Sharon raised an eyebrow:

"Oh? Miss Knight is a teacher?"

Livre nodded and said casually:

"Yes, since the Tingen City Women Teachers' Mutual Aid Association was disbanded, our lives as female teachers have become much harder."

Mrs. Sharon smiled upon hearing this, her tone clearly carrying a hint of inquiry:

"Did Miss Knight also participate in that support group before?"

Seeing that Mrs. Sharon had taken the bait, Livre's smile widened:

"Yes, Mr. Ronan Keane has helped me a lot, and Miss Cynthia and I are also good friends."

“Cynthia…”

Mrs. Sharon repeated the name, then sighed and shook her head:

"It's a pity you'll never see Miss Cynthia again."

Livre paused, then asked with some curiosity:

"why?"

"She's dead."

Mrs. Sharon spoke in a flat tone, as if she were just talking about a trivial matter.

As soon as she finished speaking, she gestured to Baron Hoy, who immediately followed her and left to chat with several wealthy merchants.

Livre was still in shock: Miss Cynthia, Ms. B is dead?

She covered her chest with her hand, pretending to be unwell due to the shock of the news, and winked at Fors. Fors immediately understood and helped her to the guest room area at the back, where they went to a guest room to rest.

With the door locked, Fors breathed a sigh of relief and said with a touch of感慨:

“Miss Monroe, I really admire you. Mrs. Sharon’s words had an aura that made people want to obey her. I was so nervous that I was sweating.

Liviel, however, was not happy. With a grave expression, she said:

"Now I am certain that Mrs. Sharon is indeed a witch, and she has some connection with the Mutual Aid Society. There are three ladies in the Mutual Aid Society: A, B, and C. According to her, Miss Cynthia, who was codenamed Lady B, is dead. Although I don't know if this information is credible, something must have happened between her and Lady B... She is very likely to be Lady A or Lady C."

Fors nodded slightly and asked:

"What should we do next?"

Liviel thought for a moment and said:

“We’ll use feeling unwell as an excuse to stay inside. I’ll sneak out and meet up with Hugh to go to Mrs. Sharon’s house to investigate. You stay here and keep an eye on Mrs. Sharon’s movements. If anything seems amiss, use your door-opening ability to escape.”

Fors nodded in agreement. She opened the door, checked that no one was outside, and then gestured to Livre.

Livre performed a divination using the magic mirror and confirmed that infiltrating Mrs. Sharon's house was not very dangerous. She sprinkled some spiritual powder around herself, wiped it on her face, activated her invisibility ability, jumped out of the corridor window into the yard, and headed out of the villa.

Stepping out of the villa and onto the outskirts of number 38, Livre saw Hugh sitting on a bench with a newspaper in her hand. She pretended to be reading the newspaper, but her eyes kept darting towards Mrs. Sharon's villa.

"Madam, have you seen enough?"

Livre hid to Hugh's side and whispered.

Hugh's golden hair was practically standing on end. Just as he was about to draw his gun, Livre's laughter rang in his ears again:

"Shu, don't be nervous, it's me."

"Miss Marilyn Monroe?"

Xiu breathed a sigh of relief and complained:

"You really startled me."

Livre explained somewhat embarrassedly:

"I apologize, but I developed a scary habit while digesting witch potions... Is there anything unusual at Mrs. Sharon's house?"

Hugh glanced around, and seeing that no one was watching, he covered his mouth with the newspaper and whispered:

"Nothing unusual. She must have lived alone. There's been no sign of anyone moving around in the villa since she left. It's strange, really, such a big villa, and there isn't even a single servant..."

Livre sneered:

“A witch’s dwelling naturally holds many secrets; it would be abnormal for her to have servants.”

Xiu was taken aback by these words, his expression showing some surprise:

"It's already confirmed that she's a witch?"

Livre's tone was certain:

“Yes, Hugh. I’ll infiltrate her mansion to investigate. If Mrs. Sharon returns early, smash this mirror.”

As she spoke, a mirror appeared beside Hugh. Hugh accepted the mirror, nodded, and then, as if suddenly remembering something, asked with some concern:

"What about Fors? Will she be alright staying there alone?"

Liviel pondered for a moment, then said thoughtfully:

“She’s already a master magician and has the ability to open doors, so she should be fine. If anything happens over there, you can go and help.”

Hugh was slightly relieved. Then, she felt the spiritual fluctuations beside her disappear. She took a few steps into the distance, and after that, she could no longer sense Livre's presence.

After saying goodbye to Hugh, Livre, in stealth mode, silently scaled the wall of Mrs. Sharon's house.

Crossing the garden, she arrived at the front of the house, where, unsurprisingly, the main entrance was locked. Instead of resorting to easily detectable methods like picking the lock, Livre went to the side, identified a house with a balcony, and climbed along the water pipes to successfully access the second-floor balcony.

The balcony door wasn't securely secured; there was a gap about two fingers wide at the bottom. Livre let Little White out, and Little White squeezed through the gap, climbed onto the doorknob, and pulled it down to open the door.

"The number of pork chops I need to enjoy has increased again."

Little White said smugly as it crawled back under Livre's skirt.

Livre moved quietly down the corridor, carefully avoiding every mirror. Before long, she found an exceptionally spacious room, presumably Mrs. Sharon's bedroom. She turned the handle and slipped inside.

As she carefully closed the door, she suddenly smelled a faint, alluring fragrance that made her blood boil.

Livre was momentarily dazed, even feeling a slight physical reaction, but as a sex addict, she had a strong ability to control herself in this regard and immediately forced herself to calm down.