The floating mass of blood slowly descended into the final container as the cultist completed the sealing formation across its surface.
A soft crimson glow pulsed once—
then faded into silence.
For a brief moment, the hidden illusion layer became completely still.
Five filled containers now rested safely within her grasp.
Enough for Lucifer.
Enough for Elenya.
Enough for Lyriana as well.
The cultist exhaled quietly before storing the containers away one by one inside her storage ring.
Aldric rolled his shoulder lazily.
"…Finally."
His gaze drifted toward the corpses scattered throughout the hidden alley.
Three dried remains lay collapsed on the ground.
Another body hung half-slumped against the outer wall.
The cultist noticed his attention immediately.
"…Move aside."
Aldric raised a brow.
"What now?"
Instead of answering, the cultist stepped forward and lowered one hand toward the stone beneath her feet.
Mana spread outward in complete silence.
Unlike the illusion spell from earlier, this magic felt different.
Colder.
Cleaner.
Thin pale symbols formed beneath the corpses before spreading across them like creeping frost.
The dried bodies began to fall apart almost instantly.
Not violently.
Quietly.
Skin crumbled first.
Then bone.
Then cloth.
Everything collapsed inward into fine gray ash before dissolving completely into drifting particles of mana.
Even the bloodstains vanished without a trace.
The final corpse outside the illusion layer deteriorated as well, breaking apart against the alley wall until nothing remained except faint scorch-like marks burned into the stone.
Several seconds later—
the alley stood empty once again.
No bodies.
No blood.
No evidence.
Only silence remained.
Aldric observed the cleanup with mild interest.
"…That's useful."
The cultist straightened calmly.
"It prevents unnecessary attention."
Aldric smirked faintly.
"See? You *do* think like a criminal."
The cultist's eye twitched slightly.
"I am thinking like someone trying not to get caught."
"Exactly."
"…Those are not the same thing."
"To normal people, they are."
The cultist suddenly looked deeply exhausted again.
Without replying further, she raised one hand.
The illusion circle beneath their feet flickered softly—
then collapsed.
The hidden layer dissolved instantly.
Noise crashed back into existence.
Market voices.
Footsteps.
Steam vents hissing overhead.
The sharp smell of oil and smoke flooded the alley once more as Blackwater's lower district swallowed them again like nothing had happened at all.
Passersby continued moving nearby without even glancing toward the alley.
Completely unaware.
Draven stepped forward first beneath the dark cloak.
Nia followed quietly at his side.
The black cat remained perched motionlessly on his shoulder, its purple eyes calmly scanning the crowded streets ahead.
Aldric stretched lazily as he walked out behind them.
"…Alright."
A brief pause followed.
"Now the children won't starve."
He tilted the bottle slightly in his hand.
"And I'm richer than before."
The cultist exited the alley last.
"…You stole three cards."
Aldric looked genuinely confused.
"Yeah."
He stared at the cultist for several seconds after the accusation before casually pointing at her with the bottle.
"You should make that four."
The cultist frowned faintly.
"…What?"
"The last guy."
Aldric reached into his coat and pulled out another dark metallic card between two fingers.
"That Third-Star bastard only had this on him."
His grin widened slightly.
"But judging by the way he dressed?"
He flipped the card once through the air before catching it effortlessly.
"There's probably a few gold sitting inside."
The cultist looked genuinely disturbed now.
"…You robbed him while draining him dry."
Aldric shrugged.
"Efficient multitasking."
Only then did everyone notice the sword resting casually against his shoulder.
A long steel blade with faint mana lines etched along the fuller.
Nothing extraordinary—
but expensive enough to matter.
Aldric glanced down at it briefly.
"…Not bad either."
He gave the blade a light swing through the air.
The steel hummed softly.
"This'll sell for something."
The cultist stared at him flatly.
"You stole his weapon too."
Aldric looked back at her with complete sincerity.
"He wasn't using it anymore."
Nia blinked once.
Then quietly looked away again.
Honestly understandable.
The group stepped back into the crowded market flow afterward while Blackwater swallowed them once more beneath smoke, lantern light, and industrial noise.
For several moments—
nobody spoke.
Then Aldric lazily glanced sideways.
"So."
A brief pause.
"Where are we going next?"
Silence lingered for a moment before the cultist answered first.
"…A restaurant."
Aldric raised a brow.
"Oh?"
The cultist folded her arms quietly while continuing through the crowded streets.
"I need actual food."
A brief pause followed.
"Something good."
Her expression darkened slightly afterward.
"I'm tired of eating whatever we had on that ship."
Honestly fair.
Aldric let out a soft laugh.
"Nice."
He rolled the stolen sword once in his hand before resting it back against his shoulder.
"I don't mind getting something too."
The cultist glanced sideways at him.
"…You literally just drank three people."
"Yeah."
Aldric sounded completely unbothered.
"That's different."
"It should not be."
"It is."
Draven continued walking calmly ahead beneath the dark cloak while Nia remained quietly beside him.
The black cat's glowing purple eyes lazily scanned the streets ahead.
Around them—
Blackwater roared endlessly.
Crowded taverns overflowed with smoke and noise.
Forge heat spilled from open workshops.
Steam pipes rattled overhead while glowing signs flickered in strange colors against rusted steel walls.
And somewhere deeper within the city—
their next problem was already waiting for them.