Rise of the Lustful Evil Monarch (Re) - Chapter 288

Chapter 288: Exiting the City
Third Person’s POV

Not bothering over Virelle’s usual antics, Ethan strode forward with calm indifference, his steps confident and unfaltering.

The two girls trailed behind him silently and looked like shadows drawn to a flame.

Virelle didn’t mind his aloof demeanor as her mind was a swirling pool of thoughts and emotions, and far removed from the present moment.

They had already donned the thin enchanted masks of the Faceless One’s Guise, with which their appearances had morphed back into the unassuming forms of three black-haired siblings who looked simple, forgettable, and ordinary.

Nothing about them stood out, and it was just the way Ethan had intended.

As they stepped into the lobby, they noticed that the counter was now staffed by a different girl.

The earlier rude and lazy receptionist had seemingly been replaced or might have had her shift changed, as this new attendant carried a neutral expression that hinted at a professionalism bred from routine.

But her eyes also barely flickered toward them as they approached.

The lounge buzzed faintly with life.

A few demons lingered at tables or entered and exited with fleeting grace.

The trio passed through the space like wisps of wind while remaining unnoticed and unremarked upon.

After a swift check-out with the uninterested girl at the counter, they slipped out the inn’s heavy doors and their presence vanished like mist at dawn.

Outside, the city was alive with a mild bustle.

The upper market district held its usual splendor in its gleaming streets, ornamental lampposts, and buildings adorned with intricate, glowing runes.

Mobile hawkers wove through the crowd and called out as they peddled meat skewers that sizzled and smoked on small enchanted grills, sold crispy snack cones that smelled of spice and sweetness, and colorful toys that spun, blinked, or danced with minor enchantments.

Demon enforcers stood like armored statues while their piercing eyes scanned for any attempt at setting up illegal stalls.

Their dark red armor glinted under the sunlight, and their mere presence was enough to deter most merchants from lingering too long.

Despite the posh district, Ethan’s sharp gaze caught the familiar sight of posters plastered on nearby walls.

With a furrowed brow and quiet curiosity, he approached one pasted in a shadowed alley corner that was partially hidden behind a pillar.

There it was—his portrait, the same one he had seen clutched in the hands of that mysterious, dark-haired woman last night.

Virelle and Velcy, who were walking behind him, gasped in unison.

Their eyes locked on the poster while their faces wore expression of shock beneath their masks.

It clearly read “WANTED ALIVE” in bold, blood-red letters.

Beneath it gleamed the bounty: fifty thousand infernal gold coins or an equivalent of fifty thousand low-grade fire crystals.

Virelle’s heart twisted, but she sighed on remembering Ethan’s strength and the extra assurance of the old blood slave whose actual strength still remained unknown.

Below his portrait, in a smaller section, was a surprisingly accurate description of Virelle in her red gown with her red veil hiding her beautiful face.

Ethan’s eyes narrowed slightly at that.

They sure are thorough…just as she expected, by the day all my information and my day’s visits were tracked.

But what truly snagged his attention was the small notation near the bottom.

“Target’s strength estimated to be at the peak of the Elemental Sea Mage Realm.”

Ethan stared at those words with faint amusement and a flicker of irritation.

So that’s your game, Vord family… spreading false information to paint a weaker image of me.

They are certainly clever, though I am sure about the fact that it was definitely not the young master who could have thought of something like this.

He chuckled inwardly as his lips curled ever so slightly at the remembrance of that screaming and crying young master.

You want to draw out the mobs and create a swarm of desperate bounty hunters… let them test the waters so you don’t have to risk your own elite forces.

It was a deeply cunning and almost perfect cowardly scheme that could only be described as poison wrapped in silk.

Yet it was effective in this vast city where adventurers roamed like wild dogs scenting blood.

Without even turning around, Ethan extended his soul sense to confirm his thought.

Instantly, the world bloomed in his awareness. He sensed their movements, the flickers of energy, the whispers of ill intent and greed.

Demon hunters and mercenaries walked in pairs and groups, while others remained alone but focused as they clutched posters and whispered about bounties.

Let them come, he thought as the corner of his mouth twitched in a smirk.

They will soon remember why even rabid dogs go silent when a real beast is on the hunt.

He let out a low chuckle and turned on his heel and headed into the narrow alley nestled between the Imperial Inn and the adjacent building.

As expected, tucked away in the dim shadows, stood the old, soot-covered black carriage.

Its wood was worn, and its iron fixtures dulled by time.

It appeared unassuming and weathered like a relic forgotten by the modern world.

But its stillness carried a whisper of dread.

Perched motionless at the front was a hooded figure whose hands were wrapped in blackened leather gloves.

The figure calmly gripped the reins and radiated a heavy and cold aura, and Ethan unmistakably recognised it to be that of the old blood slave.

Ethan’s lips curled upward in recognition as he offered a small nod.

Without a word, he stepped inside the carriage that gave off the faint scent of aged wood and something faintly metallic lingering in its air.

The girls followed him closely and without hesitation or concern for any sort of propriety, Velcy slid into his lap like it was the most natural thing in the world.

Her silver tail brushed gently against his leg..

Ethan smiled and fondly placed his hand atop her head while his fingers ran along her soft, white locks.