Who Did It?

Selene stirred slightly and was immediately awakened by the pain in her lower body. Raising her weak arm, she was startled to find herself completely naked. Her voluptuous and perfectly rounded body was fully exposed to the air. Suddenly, fragments of memory from after the ball began to surface in her mind. She recalled taking a wine glass from Delta, toasting with Prince Alvin, and then leaving. On her way back, she started feeling an unbearable heat and an impulse spreading through her body. By the time she reached her residence, she had lost consciousness, feeling as if her entire body was burning, tearing at her clothes, and calling out for servants, yet not seeing a single one. Then, vaguely, she remembered seeing Alvin's lecherous smile, and after that, nothing.Selene's hands and feet went cold as she suddenly realized the cause of her pain: she had been betrayed by her own husband and violated by Alvin!Overwhelming humiliation surged through her, and Selene almost couldn't bear it. Her dry throat could only emit a hoarse, low roar. Instinctively, she reached for a fruit knife by the bedside and aimed it at her throat.Powerful hands reached from behind, grasping the knife gently and removing it. Silver-furred arms encircled Selene's body, and a voice that stunned her sounded softly in her ear, "Don't do anything foolish. That bastard didn't defile you."Baroque's voice? Selene turned abruptly and saw Baroque's handsome, smiling face. "Baroque, what's going on? How are you here? Didn't you escape with the clan?" Selene cried out, and Baroque gently covered her mouth.He pointed to a corner of the bed's floor and whispered, "Look, but don't shout. There are guards outside."Selene looked over and saw a velvet blanket covering someone, soaked with blood. "Baroque... who is dead there? Could it be... Alvin?" Selene stammered, suddenly less concerned about what had happened to her."It seems to be that so-called prince," Baroque shrugged, still holding Selene's voluptuous body. "He tried to assault you, and I couldn't stand it. I was ready to die by his hand. Who knew he couldn't take my punch? Probably because of this thing," he said, picking up a blue metal belt and handing it to Selene.Selene didn't recognize it. Information about phantom beasts and phantoms was known only to the highest echelons; she had only heard rumors. But that wasn't her main concern. Alvin was dead, the prince of the Aldria Empire was dead in Paddington. My God!Selene realized a catastrophe was imminent. No one, not even the entire Kingdom of Paddington, could withstand the wrath of the Aldria Emperor. They would be crushed to dust."Baroque, you shouldn't have killed him! You've brought disaster! When the Aldria Emperor finds out his son died in Paddington, the whole kingdom will be destroyed by his rage. We are just a small country. Aldria could send an army to wipe us out. Even if he spares the commoners, the royal family, the Delta family, and our Gean family will all face annihilation! It's over; you shouldn't have killed him!""Should I have let him assault you and then walked away without a word?" Baroque replied, displeased."For my family and the kingdom, yes, you should have!" Selene panicked, crying uncontrollably, "I'd rather endure humiliation, rather die, than bring such disaster upon my family and kingdom!""Then hand me over. I killed him; let me pay for it. A beastman's life isn't worth much, right?" Baroque's voice was cold and mocking. He had risked everything to save her, only to be blamed.Selene, sobbing, began to calm down from her initial panic. Turning to Baroque, she said, "You know I won't do that. I don't know how you knew I was being set up by Delta, but you risked your life to save me, and for that, I'm grateful. Baroque, go back to your homeland, the Desert Wasteland. Paddington is about to fall into chaos, and no one will care about you.""Aren't you coming with me?" Baroque asked, then found the notion laughable. A pampered noblewoman wouldn't elope with a beastman and couldn't endure such hardship."No, I can't leave. Alvin died because of me. I can't let Paddington and my family bear the brunt of Aldria's wrath. I'll say I killed him to escape his assault.""Selene, are you planning to die?" Baroque's eyes were complex, "This is pointless.""I can only do this much for my family. Baroque, go quickly. If Alvin's guards find you, you won't escape." Selene urged Baroque, pushing his naked, strong body off the bed."Don't worry. We made such a ruckus, and the guard didn't check. Maybe he thinks the prince is just having fun with a charming lady…" Baroque laughed suddenly, pulling Selene into his arms, their bodies pressed together, and he felt a reaction.Selene was startled, blushing furiously. She wasn't stupid; a quick recollection revealed what happened. Delta had drugged her wine, intending for Alvin to violate her. Baroque had intervened, killing Alvin. When the drug took effect, she must have clung to Baroque, allowing him to take advantage.Although she lost her twenty-year chastity, it was to someone she liked. Selene felt a twisted joy, but the current situation was too dire to celebrate. Leaning into Baroque's chest, she urged him to leave, "Go, quickly. If I don't speak, no one will know you killed Alvin."Baroque sighed deeply, feeling much better. He stood, put on a hooded magic robe from his ring, and took Alvin's blue belt, unable to store it in the ring. He also took Alvin's storage ring from his finger.Ready to leave, he approached Selene, who was curled up under a blanket, staring at him. Ignoring her resistance, he squeezed her full, round breast and whispered in her ear, "Remember, you only saw a figure. Nothing else." He squeezed hard, making Selene scream in pain."Damn northern bull, die!" Baroque shouted in a high-pitched voice, threw Alvin's blood-stained blanket over Selene, and leaped out of the rear window.The guard outside, half-asleep on a tree branch, was alarmed by Selene's scream and the angry shout. Sensing something wrong, he rushed into Selene's room. "Prince, are you okay—"The guard's words choked in his throat. The scene before him made his blood run cold: the woman on the bed clutching a blood-soaked blanket, terrified, while Prince Alvin lay in a pool of blood, his chest gaping open, dead."Ah—!" The guard erupted in a blaze of silver Douqi, eyes red with rage and despair. He howled to vent and summon his distant companions. The prince was dead, and no one could bear the Aldria Emperor's wrath!"Who killed the prince?!" he roared at Selene.Selene woodenly pointed to a window (not the one Baroque escaped from), "I saw a figure jump out there."A woman used by Alvin wasn't suspicious. The guard roared again, summoning his companions and leaping out the window, scanning from the highest rooftop, ready to pursue.In a state of extreme emotion, people often make grave mistakes, and this guard made an unforgivable one, costing him his life.Cunning Baroque had not fled far but hid in the shadows below the highest rooftop. The guard, preoccupied with his search, didn't expect the killer to be so close.Baroque chose his hiding spot well, just inches from the guard's feet. Exhausted after killing Alvin, Baroque had no Shaman power left. Little Wolf was also weak, barely responding to Baroque's calls. With desperate pleas, Little Wolf mustered the last of its strength. As the guard lifted his foot, Little Wolf, a bright beam, shot out, shattering the guard's legs.A Sky Knight's instinctive response, even severely wounded, was to strike down with his fists, hitting the light beam and getting flung away, avoiding death but losing mobility.Baroque had another plan. Knowing he couldn't match a Sky Knight in a fair fight, he crazily hacked at the guard with an axe, cursing, "Die, northern bull…"The guard, left with only upper body strength, initially blocked with Douqi, but it faded quickly. Under Baroque's relentless assault, his arms grew weaker. Finally, with a crack, an arm was severed.Distant shouts signaled the other guards' approach. Baroque knew he couldn't stay. He cursed, "Damn northern bull, you got lucky!" grabbed the exhausted Little Wolf, and fled into the night.The guard's silver Douqi faded as he screamed again, despairing. The other guards arrived to find their prince dead and a comrade maimed. The night was filled with their cries of grief and rage.