Mystery: The Last Shepherd

Chapter 206 My Shadow Betrayed Me
"Yes."

Surrounded by so many people, Audrey did not snuggle up to her mother and call her "Mom" affectionately. Instead, she said respectfully, "This lady is very powerful. I believe she is capable enough to be my bodyguard."

"Is that so? Then I'll have to look forward to it."

The countess looked with great interest at the black-haired, masked woman, who appeared to be a young girl.

She was far too young compared to the extraordinary individuals who had visited before.

Why is she covering her face?

"The countess asked."

"Because her appearance is quite distinctive, she doesn't want others to see it."

Audrey replied.

Lu Ze had considered changing his sister's face directly, but the thought of using flesh magic on her face made him somewhat uncomfortable. In the end, he decided to just have her wear a mask for some concealment.

"Alright, she applied for the job as your bodyguard after all, if you have no objections."

The Countess did not pursue the matter further.

She smiled and shifted her gaze to the person beside her. "Olivia, what do you think of this person's abilities?"

Across the round table, outside the parasol, stood a brown-haired adult woman. She appeared calm and indifferent, her dark eyes fixed on the masked girl opposite her.

She did not answer the countess's question immediately, as if she was thinking.

Everyone looked at her, waiting for her answer.

after a while.

"Olivia?"

The Countess asked again.

"Hmm? Oh! I'm sorry, madam, I was lost in thought."

The serene woman's body trembled slightly, as if she had just woken from a dream, and she looked around. "What did you just ask me?"

Ok?
Hiding in the shadows, Lu Ze muttered to himself that the other party's eccentric behavior felt strangely familiar.

Is this going to be a nightmare?

The Earl of Hall and his family are devout followers of the Goddess of Night, and I've heard they've donated a considerable amount of money to the Church of Night. It seems reasonable that such devoted believers would have someone specifically looking after them.
"It's alright. I was just about to ask what you think of the person Audrey invited."

The countess smiled amiably, seemingly not offended at all.

"It's hard to say, I can't tell."

Olivia replied honestly, "We'll only know once we've actually played against each other."

"What are you waiting for?"

The Countess clapped her hands happily, "Let's not waste any more time, let's get started."

There were other guards inside the villa, but most of them were Sequence 7, with only one appearing to be Sequence 6. According to the Countess, whoever could defeat any one of them would pass the test and become Audrey's guard.

The extraordinary individual who was arranged to be tested happened to be someone Lu Ze was very familiar with.

"My name is Olivia. You can stop at any time if you can't hold on in the fight."

The woman with short brown hair said this as she walked to the center of the riding arena and stretched her body.

"Cecilia".

She heard the masked woman opposite her speak calmly.

"The voice sounds so young. Has someone so young become an Extraordinary?"

Olivia asked.

no answer.

"Very well, since you're unwilling to answer, let's have the Countess call for the start."

"You're pulling me into a dream."

She heard the other person speak briefly. Olivia was startled, and then she heard a crisp shattering sound, as if a dream enclosed by glass had been forcibly broken, shattering into fragments that scattered on the ground.

The dream shattered, and in reality, she was hunched over, pressing her temples.

How did she find out?
Olivia straightened her back, her mind filled with confusion. Her extraordinary ability was usually very effective, often proving crucial in battles, but she hadn't expected it to be discovered so quickly after she'd just used it.

"brush!"

Before her surprise could end, a flash of light magnified infinitely in front of her.

So fast, without any hesitation!
Olivia turned her head, dodging the dagger's thrust, and reacted swiftly. She pulled a black police baton from under her clothes and began to skillfully parry and counter the masked girl's attack.

The "Night" pathway begins with the initial Sequence 9 Sleepless, where physical abilities begin to improve. By Sequence 7, they only become stronger.

"Cang! Cang!"

The metal baton struck the dagger with a loud clang, sending sparks flying.

This little girl seems to be an Extraordinary being who leans towards combat, but her rank should be lower than mine.
After engaging in close combat, she quickly made a judgment.

I hear the whispers of the wind, a hymn from the night.

Olivia hummed softly as she fought. The enchanting verses echoed, as tranquil as the night sky, making one feel drowsy and want to put down what one was doing and enjoy sleep.

Since she was discovered to be trying to lull the other person to sleep, she decided to use this method to interfere and delay their actions.

Soon, she noticed that the masked girl's movements had become sluggish, as if she was being overcome by drowsiness and unable to control herself.

good chance!
She seized the opportunity to rush in, her baton striking nimbly and fiercely, like a cunning venomous snake, hitting the man's wrist. With a "crack," the dagger in his hand was knocked to the ground.

The masked girl, struck in the wrist, seemed to regain some of her senses. Seeing the dagger fall, she didn't bend down to pick it up, but instead tried to back away, keeping her distance from Olivia.

A very smart choice, but I'm sorry!

"brush!"

Olivia slammed her feet into the ground and charged forward. She intended to use this opportunity to press the baton directly against the woman's throat, forcing her to admit defeat.

But just then, she suddenly felt a strong resistance under her feet, as if a hand was tightly gripping her ankle!

"boom!"

Her forward momentum was abruptly halted. She quickly adjusted her posture to regain control of her body and avoid falling directly.

what happened?
Olivia knelt on the ground, her hands gently touching the paddock floor, the smell of grass mixed with horse manure filling her nostrils. However, she couldn't care less about the smell at that moment; instead, she instinctively looked towards the source of the resistance.

"What's this!"

She was shocked to find that something black was grabbing her ankles, restricting her movements.

That thing was my own shadow!

The afternoon sun in Backlund wasn't very bright, yet her shadow appeared so dark and profound. It lay flat on the ground, not fully reflecting Olivia's true state, but as if it possessed its own sentience, reaching out and tightly gripping her ankle!
Your own shadow has betrayed you!

In an instant, an unspeakable fear surged into Olivia's heart. It was like something familiar in daily life suddenly revealing a strange abnormality, bringing a strong sense of unease.

"Swipe."

In that moment of distraction, the shadow began to move again, its other hand extending upwards as if to stalk Olivia's throat.

"hateful!"

But she was, after all, a Sequence 7 Extraordinary, and quickly overcame this unease and tried to save herself.

However, just as she was struggling, a gleaming dagger was already extended and pressed against her face.

"Do you want to continue?"

She heard the girl opposite her ask a question.

"I lost."

Olivia paused for a moment, then smiled wryly.

　Thank you to reader Steam Age for the 100 Qidian Coins reward.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)