"Thank you, sir!"

Susan stood up and walked down the street in the direction she had come from.

"Another day with nothing to show for it?"

Walking along the street, Susan looked disappointed.

She didn't have any time to waste.

The assassin would strike tomorrow afternoon.

If she couldn't find Silver Mask before then, it would lead to another bad ending.

When Susan returned to the mansion, the sky was gradually darkening.

That night, the dining room in the mansion was brightly lit.

"Elisa, when will Count Bard be back?"

Susan's question caused a slight change in the expressions of the sisters, Aima and Elisa, beside her.

"Lord Bard went to the Garrison Fort; it might be several days before he returns."

Even though she knew Bard wouldn't make it back.

After all, in previous Death Loops, Bard had never returned.

The assassin took advantage of Count Bard's absence to invade the mansion.

But Susan couldn't help but ask.

Susan looked disappointed, eating her dinner absentmindedly.

"Susan, did you find something you like to do today?"

Susan didn't answer, just sighed.

Seeing Susan's listless demeanor, Elisa smiled gently.

"Don't worry, take it slow."

Time passed bit by bit, and the night grew deeper.

As the lights in the mansion went out, everything quieted down.

The mansion was silent in the dead of night.

Suddenly, hurried footsteps echoed in the corridor.

A figure stumbled out from around the corner.

Her eyes were wide with fear, and she was covered in blood.

Her left arm was gone, and blood was flowing profusely.

Wherever she went, a long trail of blood was left on the ground.

"Why, why, Aima, why?"

Susan ran in terror, muttering to herself.

Gentle Aima had attacked her tonight.

This had never happened in previous Death Loops.

She thought she had gained the trust of Aima and her sister.

Now it seemed she was too naive.

As she ran, the blood loss left Susan weak.

She stumbled and fell to the ground.

Using the last of her strength, she propped herself up against the wall.

In her eyes, a graceful figure slowly emerged from the darkness.

She was still in her maid's outfit.

Holding a silver, gleaming sword in her hand.

Her expression was cold, her eyes filled with murderous intent.

"Aima, why?"

Susan looked at the approaching Aima with despair.

Aima's crisp footsteps echoed in the corridor.

Standing before Susan, Aima offered no explanation.

Expressionless, she swung her sword down at Susan.

In the moonlight, the shadow on the wall was split in two.

------

Morning, at Count Bard's estate.

In a room on the second floor, a girl on the bed suddenly opened her eyes.

"Aima, why?"

The girl's face was full of tears.

She turned over and curled up on the bed, crying.

The repeated deaths had driven Susan to despair.

The pain before death tormented her spirit.

Susan had never hated her ability so much.

Experiencing death once was enough.

Why did she have to die again and again?

Did she cross into another world just to experience different ways to die?

"Knock, knock, knock!"

Before long, the expected knocking sounded again.

Susan wiped away her tears and got out of bed.

Once again, she opened the door at the same time.

Outside the door, Susan saw Aima again.

But this time, a hint of fear flashed in Susan's eyes as she looked at Aima.

"Miss Susan, what's wrong?"

Seeing the strange look in Susan's eyes, Aima became concerned.

As an upper-level swordsman, Aima was quite sensitive to such looks.

Miss Susan seemed to be afraid of her.

Why?

"Nothing... I'll get dressed and come down!"

Not thinking much of it, Aima placed her hands on her abdomen and bowed to Susan.

Then she turned and left.

Watching Aima's departing figure, Susan's expression was complex.

She didn't know what she had done wrong to make Aima want to kill her.

Susan returned to her room, feeling lost.

In despair, Susan numbly took off her nightgown.

Though still young, she exuded a mature charm.

In the following two days, Aima did nothing.

Susan drifted through the days in a daze.

She ate in the dining room and then returned to her room to lie down.

"Aima, what's wrong with Susan?"

In the dining room, Elisa looked worriedly at Susan's departing figure.

Since yesterday, Susan had seemed off.

She seemed listless, as if something was weighing on her mind.

When asked what was wrong, she said nothing.

Aima and Aya both looked at Miss Susan's graceful figure.

"Your Highness, women have those days when they're not feeling well."

Hearing this, Elisa blushed slightly.

But was that really the case?

That night, Susan returned to her room and collapsed onto the bed, exhausted.

Though she had slept for two days, she still didn't want to move.

It wasn't her body that was tired, but her spirit.

"Is this really okay?"

A voice roared in her mind.

"Run, escape the mansion, staying alive is the most important thing."

Another voice tempted her.

Lying on the bed, Susan buried her head in the blanket, clutching her head.

That night, the night grew deeper.

No matter how long the night, dawn would eventually come.

With the arrival of dawn, a new day was announced.

In the morning, as everything came back to life.

A strange figure appeared outside Count Bard's mansion.

He was shrouded in a black robe.

"This should be the place!"

Looking at the mansion before him, Li Meng muttered to himself.

In the last time loop, that girl's death had been brought forward.

She had activated the time loop the night before.

At that time, he had just reached the outskirts of Auburnro.

Li Meng didn't hesitate and rang the bell outside the outer courtyard gate.

The sound of the bell rang out.

Before long, the mansion's gate opened.

A maid in a Gothic maid's long dress came out.

[Crystal Apostle (Elite)]

[Level: 67]

[Strength: 710]

[Defense: 647]

[Agility: 747]

[Magic: 517]

[Crystal Magic (?)]

[Crystal Magic (?)]

[Crystal Magic (?)]

Judging by the attributes, she should be a swordsman.

"A sword-wielding maid?"

Li Meng looked with interest at the maid approaching the gate.

An upper-level swordsman as a mere maid.

Li Meng grew more curious about the mansion's owner.

"You are..."

Seeing the strange figure outside the gate, Aya frowned slightly.

The person outside was too suspicious.

Dressed in a black robe, with only a silver mask visible under the hood.

Li Meng extended his bandaged right hand from the black robe.

He placed it on his chest and bowed.

"Beautiful maid, my name is Silver Mask. Is there a girl named Susan here?"