"You can tell me about her current situation." Madam Helene spoke as she showed Tracy the blood and hair that Ebner had taken from her, both to gain the other party's trust and to warn the "Vice Admiral of Ailment" in front of her not to try anything again—such as escaping through a mirror.
Seeing her important belongings in the hands of the beautiful woman dressed in strange clothes before her, Tracy silently cursed Ebner a few times, then stopped trying to activate a certain item and "honestly" replied, "I haven't met with my mother. That would allow the one controlling her to discover me… But she must have sensed me through our bloodline connection, and even deliberately left behind a mystical item that can traverse the Mirror World for me to find…
"Because that action of hers did not carry any malice toward the one pulling the strings, it hasn't been discovered yet."
As she spoke, she seemed to recall something and asked, "Right, I haven't asked how I should address you?"
Madam Helene's expression didn't change as she flatly replied, "That's not something you need to know." Then she shifted the topic back. "To what extent is she being controlled?"
"Based on my observations over this period, I can roughly deduce that she cannot disobey any orders from that person, nor can she form any thoughts that would harm them…
"Other than that, she's no different from before… So the upper ranks of the Demoness Sect haven't noticed anything unusual about her." Tracy detailed the results of her weeks-long investigation to Madam Helene and finally concluded, "The most important thing is that she seems to be clearly aware that she's under control, but she can't resist, can't even ask for help—such thoughts simply can't arise in her mind."
"How do you know that?" Helene pressed.
"Because I know her too well… Those seemingly normal actions and reactions are all abnormal to me!" Tracy said, biting her lip.
Her dangerous investigation was not only an attempt to save her mother but also to save herself… Without her mother's protection, she was in a very precarious position… And that shadowy manipulator might have been too busy with other matters recently to bother capturing her…
Once they were free to act and ordered her mother to seize her, there would be no way for her to escape!
When that time came, she feared she would be just like her mother, losing herself and becoming that person's plaything in bed.
That image alone was terrifying to imagine.
Meanwhile, after hearing Tracy's deductions, Helene closed her eyes and thought quietly for a while. Then, in her hands, countless crimson moonbeams condensed into a round gem.
"Find a way to let her pick up this gem… As for when to use it, I think she'll know." With that, Helene tossed the gem to Tracy and said no more. Her form dissolved into moonlight and disappeared.
The moment she left, Tracy unhesitatingly used a mystical item to dive into the mirror. She didn't relax until she had reached a hidden safe house and confirmed that the strangely dressed woman had not followed.
Even so, the lingering fear drained all color from her face, and her forehead was covered in beads of sweat.
With a sharp crack, she shattered the mirror she had used to enter the room into powder, then muttered blankly, "Ebner could actually call someone that terrifying…
"Her aura seemed even stronger than my mother's!
"At least a Sequence 3 existence!
"And she clearly dislikes demonesses…
"Although, that strange outfit of hers was hardly proper—she looked more like a witch than I do…
"Hmm, come to think of it, that outfit resembled the 'Crimson Witch' illustrations in Roselle's novels.
"I even had someone make a similar outfit for Helene to wear once…"
As her thoughts wandered, Tracy felt a chill run down her back, as if a cold wind had blown past.
She had never imagined that merely meeting with Ebner could be so dangerous. Fortunately, that lady hadn't acted against her… and had even given her a glimmer of hope to rescue her mother…
But can she really be trusted?
It seems I have no better choice than to believe her…
Forget it, I'll let Mother decide for herself!
With that decision, Tracy gripped the gem tightly and entered another mirror.
.....
Elsewhere, Madam Helene actually didn't care whether Tracy could successfully deliver the gem to the Saintess of White Katarina. She wasn't even sure if that strange gem she had summoned from another world would work.
But according to Ebner, her role here was optional—it would be nice if it worked, and no problem if it didn't… Even if the Saintess of White remained an enemy in the battle that weekend, their side would still have the absolute advantage.
"That gem is usually quite effective at removing similar forms of 'mind control.' That Owen Delien's ability to manipulate others is indeed bizarre, but the gem should still have some effect…"
As her thoughts shifted, Madam Helene suddenly sensed something. Countless beams of moonlight gathered like swarming bats, coalescing into her silver-haired, beautiful form.
She looked to her left, where a villa stood behind the Bravehearts Bar in the Bridge District.
At that moment, on the villa's rooftop, a figure in a somber, elaborate black gown, holding four identical beautiful heads, emerged from the void. Eight eyes stared at Helene.
Seeing this, Madam Helene smiled and greeted her. "Long time no see, Renette."
Renette Tinkerr's scarlet eyes gazed at her for a moment.
Then, each mouth on each head spoke in turn, in perfect sequence:
"Thank you…" "For giving…" "Sharron…" "That…" "Thing…"
.....
In a detached house on Rose Street in the Southbridge District—also the safe house Xio had arranged—Ebner was sitting in the study, waiting for the princess of the Loen royal family to arrive.
He had previously visited the Harvest Church. Although he hadn't seen Lilith's divine descent vessel, he had received a "go ahead" oracle from Bishop Utravsky.
Since this safe house was near the Harvest Church, Ebner had no qualms about meeting a Loen royal family demigod in private. He wasn't at all worried she might harm him.
The blessing of the Goddess of Beauty on his forehead could at least block two attacks from a demigod, even an angel, which would be enough for him to flee into the church for sanctuary.
Besides, when it came to an ordinary demigod, he was confident he could exchange a few moves.
However, when he saw the spirited woman in full evening dress—as if attending a ball—appear before him, Ebner realized he had been overthinking…
She clearly hadn't come to fight.