Vile Evil Hides Under The Veil

"So you need more time. That's what you want to say, right?"

A harsh, aged voice came through the communication channel Kayara had opened to update her senior in the Helenbora Coven about her situation.

"Yes," Kayara replied patiently.

"Eren is a lot more crafty than I had initially given him credit for. It seems he's not as interested in me anymore. I have to build rapport with him, make him drop his guard. Only then can I proceed with the plan," she explained, knowing the conversation was audio-only.

"Alright," the callous voice responded after a moment of consideration. "Do you need us to send you extra hands?" the senior asked.

Kayara quickly declined, "No. That won't be necessary. In fact, it might raise his suspicion and put him on guard against me."

"Hmm. That… kinda makes sense," the voice agreed.

"Handle this on your own for now then, Kayara. But remember, we need him to join our cause by hook or crook. If your controlling technique fails, I'll have to find other ways to make use of him. Hex magic maybe.

Give me a heads-up when you decide to proceed further with the plan," the voice instructed before ending the communication.

"Haaash!" Kayara sighed in relief after finishing her conversation with her senior. "I think she bought it for now," she said while glancing at Eren, seated beside her in the carriage. They were en route to the headquarters of the Kaaysaayan's Demon Slayer Corps, having entered Aksar kingdom and being only a few hours away from their destination.

"That's all I need, my dear witch," Eren said, resting his head on her shoulder, his left arm across her shoulders, half-hugging her. It seemed he appreciated the warmth Kayara radiated in the chilly winter evening.

"But it won't work forever, Eren," Kayara spoke seriously, accommodating Eren's body weight on her right side. "The witches from Helenbora Coven are relentless. If they want to use you, they'll do everything in their power to get to you," she warned.

"Hmm. But they're not here, are they?" Eren responded. "It's not easy for them to enter the Onianum continent. That's why your senior needed a heads-up before you went ahead with your naughty plan.

Besides, I'm not someone who'd shy away from battling against a bunch of witches. They'll soon realize there's more for them to learn about the realities of the world if they think I'm easy to bully," Eren narrowed his eyes as he spoke, briefly picturing Eliza Samael in his mind.

"That reminds me… the Witch of the Enderflames. Heard she's been very active in Labh Salem for the last decade, making a name for herself," Eren mumbled. "She had many years of a head start over me. I guess she has put that advantage to good use," he said with a smirk.

Eren had gained extensive knowledge about witches, courtesy of the Helenbora Coven's members, both deceased and living. He acknowledged that the Conjurer's Path was as intricate as that of a Ranker.

Within the Path of a Conjurer, practitioners could harness a mana core within them, progressing from F to S Rank and even beyond as they advanced on their path. The term "witches" specifically applied to female conjurers, while their male counterparts were known as warlocks.

In the hierarchy, F-Rank witches were called Hexen, with the title of Grand Hexen reserved for those at the E-Rank. D-Rank witches were Enchantresses, while C-Rank witches were known as Grand Enchantresses.

B-Ranked and A-Ranked witches earned the titles of Sorceress and Arcane Sorceress, respectively. The highest rank, Siren, was reserved for an S-Ranked witch. Labh Salem even recognized a rank beyond S-Rank, termed S-Plus Rank, with witches achieving this status being known as Arcane Sirens.

Male conjurers, or Warlocks, had comparable titles associated with their mana core-based status. For instance, an A-Ranked Warlock was referred to as an Arcane Sorcerer, an S-Ranked Warlock was an Evoker, and the highest rank, S-Plus Rank, carried the title of Void Evoker.

***

"Eliza Samael!" Kayara exclaimed in surprise at the mention of the term 'Witch of the Enderflames.'

"You... Do you know her?" she asked him, her voice tinged with shock. It seemed Kayara had heard many things about Eren's former arch-nemesis from his time in Anfang.

"Yeah, kinda," Eren nodded as a few images from his past flashed in his mind like a motion picture. He opened his mouth to say something but then decided not to speak about his past with Eliza.

"Let's just say she owes me one. But this is not the right time for me to make her repay that favor," he said, inhaling Kayara's scent from her neck. He stretched his tongue abnormally, licking along her neckline, making her feel ticklish and aroused at the same time.

Eren liked Kayara's perfume notes that had a hint of rosemary oil. So much so that he couldn't get enough of her even after having so many intimate sessions with her.

"Um... what are you doing? This is not…" Kayara asked with a shaky and sultry voice. The more time she spent with him, the more attached she grew. For the first time in a long while, she felt out of reach of both the powers that had been dictating her life—the Helenbora Coven and Ishgaar's Temple.

"Kekeke. Let me show you what I am doing," Eren was about to take their intimate session to the next level inside the carriage when the magic colts stopped galloping, bringing the carriage to an abrupt halt.

"Apologies for the interruption, sir. We've arrived at our destination," announced the carriage driver with a clear, respectful tone, not directly disturbing Eren. His words prompted Eren to cease his actions with Kayara and shift his attention to the outside scenery.

Though Kayara seemed dissatisfied with the journey's end just when things were getting heated up, she followed Eren's lead and gazed out of the window.

"Quite a bustling city."

The auburn-haired witch remarked softly, observing a lengthy line of carriages awaiting entry at the colossal gates of the City of Demondeath, home to the headquarters of the Kaaysaayan's Demon Slayer Corps.