The revealing cut of her dress exposed the curve of her bust and her slender waist and abdomen directly to the air. Her skin was as pale as snow, carrying a somewhat sickly quality. Combined with her seductive face and the beauty mark beneath the corner of her eye, anyone who saw her would undoubtedly call her a femme fatale.
Unfortunately, faced with this woman, Satoru Gojo's eyes remained entirely devoid of any stirrings of attraction. He merely adjusted his sunglasses slightly, gave her a casual once-over, and said with a smile, "Are you Felt's guest?"
The woman tilted her head slightly, a faint curve playing on her lips as she looked at Satoru, though her gaze drifted past him to survey the interior of the warehouse.
"Truly an unexpected combination," she remarked.
Without answering Satoru, the woman stepped past him into the warehouse and walked straight toward Felt.
"I had originally assumed this would be a transaction filled with mutual trust, but it seems that is not the case."
Hearing the woman's words, Felt, who was sitting by the bar, turned around with a helpless smile on her face.
"Not at all, it has nothing to do with trust or anything like that."
After all, this was a client who paid generously. Even though this particular mission hadn't been successful, Felt didn't want to offend her to the point of no return. Perhaps if she spoke well and explained her difficulties, the woman might still seek her out for high-paying tasks in the future.
"Oh?"
"Are you implying this wasn't prepared for me?" the woman said in a playful tone, the sharp click of her high heels echoing on the floor.
"Of course not."
"They're just my subordinates," Felt said, lying through her teeth to increase her own perceived value and appear more useful.
Subaru Natsuki, who hadn't quite filled his stomach with the cup of noodles and was still savoring the aftertaste, looked at Felt in confusion upon hearing this. He was immediately met with a fierce glare from her, forcing him to swallow the words he was about to say.
"Also..."
Felt observed the woman's expression. Seeing that she didn't appear displeased, she said somewhat awkwardly, "This mission... it failed."
"Failed."
The woman's expression didn't change; she simply repeated Felt's words.
Seeing this reaction, Felt hurried to explain, "The target was a Spirit User, and she was too strong. I managed to steal the insignia, but in the end, that girl snatched it back."
Standing to the side and watching Felt's earnest effort, Satoru Gojo suddenly felt she looked exactly like a job applicant facing an interviewer. To see a child of this age working so hard was indeed a bit moving.
However...
Satoru's gaze fell back onto the woman standing not far away. This woman was quite interesting.
From the moment she had approached the building from outside, Satoru had clearly sensed a powerful aura drawing near. While this presence didn't quite match the knight he met yesterday or the little blue cat from today, it was still very impressive. He had seen many people coming and going in the Capital over the past two days, but only a couple could be compared to her.
This was exactly why Satoru had taken the initiative to open the door just now. He was quite interested in the powerhouses of this world.
Furthermore, under the observation of the Six Eyes, this woman appeared even more peculiar. Beyond the scent of blood—hidden to normal people—that suggested she spent her life on a battlefield, Satoru could see something else inside her body.
Countless black, chain-like objects existed within her, so numerous they were impossible to distinguish. These chains were not physical; they existed as a form of energy. They permeated her entire being—every inch of skin and muscle, deep into her very marrow.
At a glance, they almost gave off a feeling similar to a Cursed Spirit filled with negative energy. Yet, she was undeniably a living human.
Such a singular existence felt quite novel to Satoru. It was his first time seeing a human so similar to a Cursed Spirit—more so even than a Jujutsu Sorcerer. In his own world, an ordinary person exposed to such power would have died countless times over. Yet, she was perfectly fine and possessed great strength.
During a lull in the conversation, Satoru walked over, leaning his elbow on the bar. He said with a light laugh, "Beautiful lady, I imagine no one wanted to see things turn out this way, right?"
"Besides, Felt worked very hard today."
As he spoke, Satoru ruffled Felt's hair, earning a few frustrated, indignant swings of her fists. This guy just loved to sabotage her; she had just said they were her subordinates, and then he pulled a stunt like this.
"Speaking of which, might I have the honor of knowing your name?" Satoru asked with a hint of flirtation, acting for all the world like a charming rogue.
Coming from anyone else, such a tone might seem frivolous or off-putting. But when Satoru Gojo did it, it seemed perfectly fine. At least, that was the case from an outsider's perspective. After all, Satoru's looks were impeccable—top-tier, really. Combined with his unique aura, he could pull it off without issue.
Looking at Satoru standing right in front of her, the woman—whose face appeared quite serene yet carried a seductive undertone—covered her mouth and let out a soft laugh.
"Prying into a client's information... that isn't quite according to the rules."
"Oh my, was I just rejected? That's truly heartbreaking," Satoru said, clutching his chest with an expression of profound injury. "The first time I proactively hit on a girl, and this is the result."
"It's not surprising at all that it ended like that," Felt remarked disdainfully.
First time hitting on a girl? What a load of crap. Did he not count robbing me as 'hitting on me'?
"Your relationship is quite good indeed," the woman said with a smile. "But since the mission has failed, there is no reason for me to remain here."
As she spoke, she moved away from the bar, appearing ready to depart.
"Um... if there are any other commissions in the future, could you give us another chance?"
Seeing her about to leave, Felt quickly spoke up. She didn't want to let this opportunity slip by. She had to seize every chance to make money. Only then could she save enough to fulfill her dream: leaving the slums for another place, living a free and easy life where she never had to worry about her livelihood again.