3rd floor of Count Benstone's cottage, maid supply room. Around 11.20 PM.
Roderus: Didn’t care as long as someone fucked up Count Benstone .
Kim Ruru: Happy just to help Roderus. (No desire for recognition.)
Pink-Haired Lesbian: Never one to refuse any recognition that came her way.
"In that case, I’ll gather the documents and forward them through the Defense Bureau."
"If we fail to take down Count Benstone after collecting all the evidence, be ready to face the fallout."
"As long as the proof is airtight, we’ll bulldoze through. The Defense Bureau can manage the political maneuvering, but I’ll leave it to the Capital Knight Order to handle the physical."
"I just need to leave everything in ashes, right?"
End of discussion.
Surprisingly, the issue of ‘who gets the credit’—the most critical part of their cooperation—was resolved without any fuss. With that settled, the operation began to pick up speed.The main strategy was based on Roderus' plan. The three of them slipped into the supply room and changed into spare maid uniforms they found.
“Transform.”
A man and two women entered the room, but when they emerged, there were three women.
As Yuri Lanster adjusted her maid outfit, which was a little tight in a particular area, she noticed something and turned to Oh Dae-soo.
"The owner of this mansion must be quite lavish."
"⋯⋯Why do you say that?"
"This maid uniform—it looks simple, but it’s designed with a structural flaw. If someone pulls the ribbon at the back, it’ll come right off with a single tug."
"⋯⋯Why is that the first thing you think of?”
Yuri Lanster wiggled her index finger playfully. "If you don’t want to end up stripped, better guard that ribbon." Feeling the sense of potential danger, Oh Dae-soo reinforced the ribbon around his waist with mana.
"What's the security system like in the mansion?"
"The guards usually patrol in pairs, but with tonight’s grand ball, they’ve switched to solo patrols. On top of that, most of the guards are concentrated around the ballroom, where all the nobles are gathered."
"What about magical traps? Wealthy nobles usually have at least one installed."
"They are set up at key locations—the Count’s room, Zewidi Benstone’s quarters, and the underground drug storage. If you don’t channel the right pre-registered mana, the doors stay sealed, and alarms will go off."
A magical door, huh? Yuri Lanster thought over a few possible ways to bypass it.
Kidnap Count Benstone or Zewidi Benstone to force them to open the door.
That wasn’t infiltration—it was practically a declaration of war. If that were the plan, they might as well have gone for an all-out attack from the start.
Rejected.
Disarm the magic trap with flawless magical manipulation.
A task for a genius sent from the heavens, maybe someone like Crazy Wizard could do it, but that kind of mana manipulation was beyond Yuri’s capabilities.
Rejected.
Infiltrate through an entrance not sealed with magic.
This seemed the most viable. The plan? Bore through the ceiling from the floor above and rappel into the room.
After considering these options, Yuri Lanster turned to Oh Dae-soo. If he knew about the traps, he probably had a way to bypass them.
"What’s your plan for getting past the traps?"
"I’m already registered with the magic traps. Even after my demotion for failing the mission, I’m still under the patronage of Count Benstone’s master, Duke Redburn."
“Wow.”
No wonder things get easier with an insider!
While Yuri Lanster was marveling at the mysterious convenience of having someone on the inside, Kim Ruru tugged on Oh Dae-soo’s hand with a flushed face.
“Kim Ruru, what is it?”
"I, I want to⋯⋯ do something cool like a secret agent too!"
Thump Thump. Kim Ruru’s heart pounded, this time not from love, but pure excitement.
She had always been thrilled watching movies where agents in sunglasses infiltrate secure locations, crack safes, and dash out amidst explosions.
"It’s not the time to play arou⋯⋯ haah. Fine. Alright then, Agent Kim Ruru?"
“Eung!!”
"Agent, I’d like to assign you to the rear as a lookout, just in case someth⋯⋯."
"Stop. There’s a patrol up ahead."
Yuri Lanster raised her fist, signaling them to halt. Oh Dae-soo, who had been playing along with Ruru, immediately turned serious and assessed the situation. They quickly slipped behind a corner in the hallway.
"This patrol’s different from what I memorized. Did something change?"
"Seems like a random deviation. His face is flushed—probably drunk. He’s staggering, so he must’ve wandered off the usual route."
"Should we take him down?"
"It’s better to slip past him instead. The less trouble, the better."
Oh Dae-soo and Yuri Lanster adjusted their expressions and calmly pushed a cart down the hallway. Kim Ruru, still flustered, hurried to catch up.
"Hic, eoung?"
The drunken soldier squinted at the trio with bleary eyes. He narrowed his eyes and asked.
"This isn’t the party hall, you⋯⋯ where are you all headed?"
Yuri Lanster’s expression shifted, softening like a blossoming flower.
Her eyes softened, her soft voice seemed to blend with the sound of her breathing. Each movement she made was relaxed but held a subtle, seductive charm.
"I'm attending to some late-night duties, Mr. Soldier. You know, certain tasks need tending to even at this hour.”
“But, I haven't see your face before⋯⋯."
"I’ve only just transferred here. I used to work at the Count’s other estate, but he needed extra hands tonight, so⋯⋯ that's probably why we haven’t met before, Mr. Handsome Soldier.”
Clack , Yuri Lanster stepped closer, adjusting the soldier’s collar. The alluring scent that wafted over made the soldier flush; he was unsure how to react.
"I'm busy tonight but⋯⋯ we’ll probably meet again. Now, if you’ll excuse me…"
"Uh, s-sure⋯⋯."
Clack clack.
Yuri led Ruru and Oh Dae-soo away. The soldier, still dazed, stared at their retreating figures before shaking his head and returning to his patrol route.
Once they were out of sight, Yuri’s face returned to its usual expressionless mask as she muttered,
"We will meet again… in prison."
"⋯⋯Classic honey trap."
"Kim Ruru, adjusting a man's collar or tie is a highly effective move. You might want to keep that in mind for the future."
“Stop teaching her weird things⋯⋯!"
Kim Ruru noted it in her mind: Things to do when I meet Roderus next time—adjust his collar.
They managed to bypass the remaining obstacles and arrived at Count Benstone’s room. As their hands neared the doorknob, a green magic circle appeared, scanning their mana.
"Step back. I'm going to open it."
Oh Dae-soo infused his mana into the door. Click! The door opened effortlessly.
Slidee. The door's well-maintained hinges made no sound as it opened. Inside, there was a large bed, a few bookshelves, and several decorations.
"Let’s split up and search. I’ll take the bookshelves."
"I'll check the decorations."
"Uh, what about me?! What should I do?!"
"You⋯⋯ check the bed. There might be something under the pillows."
They began their search. Yuri systematically removed and inspected each book, then placed them back exactly as they had been. Her movements were precise and mechanical.
Oh Dae-soo, however, moved with haste. He focused on saving time, even if it meant leaving some traces. He scanned the room’s decorations, looking for any hidden compartments or artifacts.
Kim Ruru, on the other hand, approached the search like she was solving a puzzle in an escape room.
Ten minutes later, they regrouped to discuss their conclusions.
“There’s nothing.”
"Nothing here either."
"Hey, I found something that looks like a magic wand!"
Whirrrr. The ‘magic wand’ started vibrating in Kim Ruru’s hand. Recognizing what it was, Oh Dae-soo quietly took it from her and returned it to its original place.
"Why’d you do that?!"
"That’s not evidence. For now⋯⋯ it does seem like Count Benstone isn’t involved in this directly."
"Yes. Was it Zewidi Benstone? Maybe all the drug-related operations were handed over to him."
"⋯⋯His office is on the 4th floor. We need to move quickly."
===============================================================
4th floor of Count Benstone’s cottage, outside of Zewidi Benstone's office.
Around 12:10 AM.
The trio had confirmed Zewidi Benstone was attending the ballroom before attempting to enter his office. However…
Beep.
<Invalid mana pattern detected: I don’t need stray dogs!>
The green magic circle rejected Roderus. Oh Dae-soo clenched her teeth in frustration.
“This bastard⋯⋯."
“What happened?”
"I had a falling out with Zewidi Benstone. It seems like that bastard excluded my mana pattern."
"At least the alarm⋯⋯ didn't go off. That’s the one silver lining"
What they thought would be a straightforward entry , had now become a significant obstacle. It was all thanks to the snowballing effects of that one day’s war of nerves.
“So, what’s the plan now? Should I just blow it open?”
“No. We need to get in undetected. Even if we find the evidence we need, if our break-in is exposed⋯⋯ they'll probably destroy it before the Capital Knight Order arrives.”
“If that happens, there is a high chance the accusation will fail. Zewidi is under Duke Redburn's protection after all.”
“Is there⋯⋯ is there any other way?”
While Oh Dae-soo and Kim Ruru were deep in thought over their options, Yuri Lanster quietly considered something before pulling out a hidden card.
“There is a way, but you must swear to keep it a secret.”
"⋯⋯Whatever it is, as long as it helps, I’ll keep quiet.”
“I know a wizard. He’s the best I’ve met. People call him 『Crazy Wizard』. We’re going to ask for his help.”
"⋯⋯Where does this guy live that we can ask for his help-, no, more importantly, is this even safe?”
How could someone’s nickname be Crazy Wizard?
Oh Dae-soo and Kim Ruru briefly imagined a deranged, crazed wizard and wondered if they should stop this before it was too late.
“I’ll contact him now. Be quiet.”
Yuri closed her eyes, attempting a long-distance communication using a method she had refined through her TRPG research—a dream-based signal.
As a succubus, she could reach Crazy Wizard through his dreams. A moment later, the connection was made.
-What’s up? If you’re going to ask me about TPC(Today’s Panty Color) again, I’m hanging up.
“I need your help, Mr. Crazy Wizard. There’s a magic trap I need disarmed without triggering the alarm, and no trace of entry can be left behind.”
-I’m specialized in illusion magic⋯⋯ but fine, show it to me.
Through Pink-Haired Lesbian’s eyes, Crazy Wizard quickly assessed the situation and formulated a solution.
-Start the mana recognition sequence: left, right, left. Then short-circuit the bottom-right rune. Access the core and rewrite the data. I’ll send you the memory data—just follow it exactly. Got it?
“Okay. Copy that.”
-I’m lonely. Finish up and come back fast.
Beep.
A stream of well-packaged memory data flowed through the dream. Yuri placed her hand on the magic circle and initiated the sequence: left, right, left.
The magic circle responded to unrecognized mana and gradually turned red, preparing to trigger the alarm spell.
Kim Ruru swallowed hard, and Oh Dae-soo gripped his rapier, ready for a fight if things went sideways.
But Yuri Lanster was calm. Crazy Wizard wouldn’t make a mistake, so as long as she executed his instructions properly, they’d bypass the security.
Crackle. She short-circuited the vulnerability and reached the core of the magic circle. Then, she transmitted the data provided by Crazy Wizard.
Wiiiiiing──!!
The magic circle turned completely red, and just as it was just about to trigger an intruder alert that would sound throughout the entire mansion.
Beep!
Suddenly, the circle shifted green, recognizing Yuri Lanster as a valid user. With a soft click, the door unlocked.
“Heuaaheu⋯⋯."
Kim Ruru sighed in relief, almost collapsing to the floor.
“This isn’t the time to fall apart, Kim Ruru. We haven’t found the evidence yet. Keep searching!”
“Let’s move. I’ll take the left side.”
With a thud , the door swung open. Inside, the room was in disarray—empty bottles rolled across the floor, scattered papers littered everywhere. The whole place was a mess.
Yuri Lanster and Oh Dae-soo sprang into action. They meticulously combed through the documents, searching for anything that could connect Zewidi Benstone to drug trafficking. Kim Ruru, momentarily spaced out, saw what they were doing and rolled up her sleeves, eager to join in.
She wanted to do something too. To do something, something cool⋯⋯.
“In the movies, they usually⋯⋯?"
Kim Ruru slowly approached and lifted the carpet off the floor. A hidden safe was revealed underneath. She was so surprised and delighted that she jumped up in excitement.
“I-I found a safe!!”
"You… found it?!”
Yuri Lanster, who had been in the middle of reading documents about mining worker exploitation, and Oh Dae-soo, who had been examining Zewidi Benstone’s stash of drugs, immediately dropped what they were doing and rushed over.
“I just had a feeling it would be here, so I lifted the carpet like this!! And bam!!”
“Well done. You did great, but let's keep the celebration a bit quieter, Ruru.”
“It's made of mithril alloy. No way we can open this with just brute strength. We'll need the key.”
“Zewidi Benstone may be a fool, but he’s smart enough to keep something this important on his body. Maybe we should just move the entire safe and⋯⋯."
A safe that couldn’t be opened with human strength.
"⋯⋯⋯⋯."
"⋯⋯⋯⋯."
Both Yuri and Oh Dae-soo turned in unison toward Kim Ruru. After all, they had a superhuman right there with them!
Feeling their gazes full of anticipation, Ruru shyly averted her eyes as she felt a bit embarrassed.
“Uh, should I open it⋯⋯?"
“Please do.”
Cruuuunch.
The living heavy machinery pried open the mithril-alloy safe. Inside, they found several valuable jewels and a single ledger. Yuri quickly flipped through the ledger’s contents.
And then she simply remarked.
“We’ve hit the jackpot. Everything is here—who he dealt with, what it was, when, how much…”
“Is it enough to take him down?”
“This is more than enough to destroy Benstone. Excellent work. Well done, Magical Girl 『Pure Rodeo』."
“Heh, hehet⋯⋯!!"
Yuri Lanster vigorously patted Kim Ruru's head. Watching that sight, Oh Dae-soo darkened with irritation. Without a word, he swatted Yuri’s hand away and gently pulled Kim Ruru toward him.
"⋯⋯⋯⋯."
"⋯⋯⋯⋯."
Just as the tension between them was starting to build.
They heard Zewidi Benstone's voice from outside the room.
“There are many wonderful things in my room! Even some marvelous⋯⋯ pills. I store the low-quality ones in the warehouse, but I keep the high-quality ones in my room.”
“It's always a pleasure to see another noble's collection. Thank you for the invitation.”
"⋯⋯⋯⋯!!"
Oh Dae-soo and Yuri Lanster immediately began scanning the room for hiding spots. Under the bed? The window? The ceiling corners? Under the desk? The closet?
The closet.
The two exchanged glances and nodded in silent agreement. While Yuri Lanster hurried to close the safe and smooth out the carpet, Oh Dae-soo swiftly tucked Kim Ruru under his arm and led her into the closet.
“Woat⋯⋯!!"
“Don’t make a sound.”
Yuri Lanster then squeezed into the cramped closet with them and shut the door behind her. Darkness enveloped the small space, and at that moment, she saw the opportunity of pure love.
Despite her usual behavior of actively flirting with beautiful women, Yuri Lanster’s true alliance was with the pure love group. So, she deliberately pressed her back against Oh Dae-soo.
“You⋯⋯!!"
“It’s cramped in here. You two, get a bit closer together.”
“We’re already close enough⋯⋯!!"
“There’s still space between your belly buttons, isn’t there?”
What is she saying!
Squeeze squeeze.
Crushed by the tight confines of the closet, Oh Dae-soo and Kim Ruru were pressed together with no room left between them. They could even feel each other's heartbeats through their chests.
Ruru whispered softly.
“I-I’m⋯⋯ fine⋯⋯!"
“Don’t say things like that in this situation⋯⋯!"
“Shhh.”
Yuri Lanster stirred a storm in the hearts of both sides, who were at the height of their youth. She then spied outside through a narrow gap between the closet doors. Zwiddy Benstone was working. He opened the box of medicine and began his pitch.
"This is what keeps you going day and night for three days with just one pill⋯⋯."
“Huuuh⋯⋯."
His client was a middle-aged man with an unkempt beard. He seemed desperate to regain what his age had cost him.
"⋯⋯⋯⋯?"
Yuri Lanster inhaled deeply. A scent filled her nostrils, one she recognized all too well. It was the scent of the drug.
Dream Inducing Pill(夢惹丸).
Or, 『Succubus’s Invitation』.
This drug, crafted from the refined body fluids of a succubus, induced deep sleep in the one who ingests it, leaving their mind wide open for a succubus to invade.
Judging by the scent, the purity of the pill was nearly flawless.
And the only substance potent enough to create such a powerful Dream Inducing Pill⋯⋯ was the body fluid of the Succubus Queen.
A deep murderous intent flickered in Yuri Lanster's cold eyes. It was an unexpected discovery. To find such a clue like this in such a place.
How she had longed to tear them apart, limb from limb.
At this moment, could she capture Zewidi and, with a slow and thorough interrogation, trace the source of the drug? If so, then even now──.
-Hey, is something wrong?
A butterfly’s whisper echoed in her ear, and Yuri Lanster quietly closed her eyes, taking a deep breath. Yes, the Purple Magic Tower Master was watching. She was in the middle of an operation.
"⋯⋯ It's okay."
Yuri Lanster silently mouthed her response to the Purple Magic Tower Master.
She waited in silence, patiently.
Until her mind calmed down.
===============================================================
1st floor of the Count Benstone's cottage, the garden.
Around 12.40 PM.
Yuri Lanster waved the account book in the air and said.
"I'll deliver the secured ledger directly to the top and move as swiftly as possible. Do you need personal protection, Roderus?
"No, that won't be necessary. More importantly, keep this quiet. We can't risk raising the Duke's suspicions."
"⋯⋯I'll protect Oh Dae-soo! Just like I’ve always done !"
"⋯⋯Sure, thanks Kim Ruru.”
In fact, whenever the Capital Knight Order pursued the 『Blue Rose』, Kim Ruru would always find a way to create a loophole, allowing him to escape.
Because of this, a weird rumor had begun to spread that 『Blue Rose』 was a sublimation-class individual, driving Roderus almost insane.
"Then, I'll see you again during the raid. It shouldn’t take long. If the Second Prince takes this matter seriously, we’ll move before dawn. Be prepared."
“Understood.”
Yuri Lanster nodded and disappeared into the night. Only the two of them were left. Kim Ruru was wary for a while and then...
"⋯⋯If we have some t-time left, do you want to dance together?!"
"⋯⋯It’s a man’s role to ask for a dance."
"O-Oh Dae-soo, you’re a girl!"
“That’s, not what I meant⋯⋯!!"
In the end, they danced.