14 A way in

(They're not that strong, but there is two of them. In addition, they seem like partners.)

They stood there silently, and Celes watched them from the top of the gate walls.

(But where are the girls?) Celes thought, unable to find her objective.

(As expected, they're not going to return them back. Since they want me to serve them, having no hostage to bound me under them is foolish, and I'm not giving them a slave's vow.)

The two stood there waiting, and so did Celes. Soon then came the 11th bell telling both parties it's about time.

Celes jumped down without revealing herself and attempted to take down one of the two as she created two daggers with her :Magic Creation: and swung it with an unfollowable speed. Celes didn't forget to raise her barrier in case something goes wrong.

"Gah!?" A groan then came out, as Celes landed a slice through her back and landed, not giving them time to react, Celes threw her second dagger quickly to the other.

She managed to block it with a short sword; however, Celes didn't gave her time to breath as she quickly jumped onto her a few milliseconds after the dagger was blocked, leaving the woman defenseless and overwhelmed.

The two both fell down in an instant from Celes' assault, she then wore off her :Stealth: and walked towards one of the women.

"You people told me that the exchange will happen here, yet I don't see the girls. Care to explain?" Celes then asked the girl, terrifying her with Celeste's eyes glowing due to magic flowing through it.

But she didn't waver, she and her partner both released a barrage of hidden weapons controlled with magic from under their cloaks, but to their despair, their last struggle was effortlessly blocked by Celes' powerful barrier. This pitiful act continued for a couple of minutes, soon running out of Magic Power.

They thought that if they focused the weapons onto one spot, then they'll be able to penetrate through, which was futile.

"Are you finally done? Now that you're done, I'll ask again. Explain, where are the girls?" Celes brought their faces together as she grabbed onto both their collars.

The two grinned at Celes before one of them started talking, "At the master's mansion, probably suffering as his play toys." is what she said before Celes heard a small crack sound from the two.

"Hm?"

The two then lost all signs of life soon after what she heard.

(Appraisal)

:Name:Rosenthal (Deceased)

:Name:Rose (Deceased)

(They committed suicide, huh… you weren't that much of an enemy, but atleast your loyalty was commendable.)

She thought as she looted what was left in them, she found some sort of folder and a collar which she immediately recognized and stored into her veins.

(Hmmm, I still haven't had my daily blood supply because Orto went somewhere.) She thought as she stared at the dead bodies in front of her.

"Guess they'll do for now." She said as her fangs slowly approached it's prey's nape, piercing through their skin effortlessly.

Celes drained the bloods out of the bodies of the two, leaving behind their lifeless dark-brown skinny corpses.

(I'll need blood to perform blood magic in case my magic power runs out. Better take as much as I can.)

"Blood Stream… I can't leave any evidence." She muttered to herself before the corpses were covered in her blood and then sucked into her veins, she then manipulated the blood scattered around and threw them as far as her Blood Manipulation allowed.

(Now then, let's track down the smell of these two and find the right mansion.) She thought before leaving and leaped above the walls and ran on the roofs silently and swiftly.

(A vampire's 5 senses sure is convenient. Though I can barely track their scents, as expected of experts they don't even need to rely on skills unlike me… But that's their shortcoming, a combination of skills and techniques is great in several ways, but since I am dependent on skills I'm not one to talk.)

Celes reached where the scent was the strongest and arrived on the roof of a huge mansion.

(Quite fancy, not gonna lie. He has good tastes, I'll give him that.) She praised in awe of the mansion.

(Now then, time to break in.)

She spotted several knights around the mansion, which she guessed to be guards. She followed the one walking around, the guard seemed satisfied and went into the garden filled with tall grasses and trees carefully trimmed.

He pulled down his pants and started… m*sturbating?

(This guy sure lives the life however he likes…) Celes thought.

She approached the guy binded him with, "Blood Bind… now then, if you want your member to stay attached you'll answer my questions." before threatening him and placed her dagger next to the guard's precious rod.

The guard quickly spilled everything scared that he will be unable to have children.

"Thank you." Celes said.

After that, she slitted his throat. Celes quickly stored the body and headed to the underground basement door next to the garden.

(If what that guy said is true, then prison should be in one of these corridors. Magic Release, followed by Magic Eye.) Magic Release, basically spreading one's magic power into the surrounding.

(And with my convenient hearing.)

Celes heard breathing and all sorts of sounds from every direction, including the sounds the insects made.

She focused on the breathing, and then the voices, and heard the faint familiar girly voices. Rushing through the corridors with her :Stealth: worn, with her speed she passed through each guard and personel with ease.

"Are you okay? You look so worn out…" Celes heard the voice of which she was the most familiar with, Cess' voice.

Celes paid them no mind and spent no time killing the two guards in front of Cess' cells and quickly stored their bodies.

They didn't seem to notice as Celes moved too fast. Celes sliced through the locks, and quietly opened the Cell.

"W-who's there!?" Cess reacted, shivering, and her voice, shaking.

"It's me." Celes took off her Stealth and put on the nicest smile the drama club taught her.

"C-Cele-!?" Cess wanted to hug and cry on her, but Celes immediately covered her mouth and hugged her.

"We can't afford to be found out here, you can cry once we're back " She said with the same smile.

*****