Shuren continued to walk through the corridor of the mansion, she had her guard up preparing for anything.

  But still what was this interior? The way everything was set makes it look like someone with vast amounts of wealth lived here, then there is the outside of the mansion it looked dead. What was the deal with that?

  There was no need for that anyway; she only came here to look for Mya's sisters, so she had to ignore the luxury that surrounded the place. The stride to find Mya's sisters resumed and it was still quiet.Shuren encountered some stairs up ahead and went to go climb them but as she took her first step she felt someone waiting at the top of the first floor.

  She looked up to see who it was and was kind of confused at first. Mischa was the person who was waiting, Shuren finally remembered that the maid who Assad and Taura were talking about was right in front of her.

  The two women stared at each other not doing anything, that's until Mischa bowed down and welcomed Shuren to the mansion but Shuren kept quiet, still trying to process the fact that a maid was right in front of her and welcoming her into the messed up mansion.

  "My young master asked me to treat you well, since you are our beloved guest."

  "Beloved guest, yea sure…right."

  Mischa started to slowly descend down the stairs and walked past Shuren without looking back.

  "Before you go and meet my young master I believe we should get to know each other a bit first. What do you think?" Mischa suggested, twirling her dagger with a playful grin.

  Shuren blinked, a subtle smirk playing on her lips. "I don't know where you're getting at but why not. I'm not feeling any action right now.

  Mischa tilted her head, a hint of mischief in her eyes. "You didn't even take the time to ponder about the current situation. But if that's what you wish for then let's have a chat shall we?"

  Shuren let out a lazy sigh, crossing her arms. "Alright then. Let's have a chat before I send you off to whatever god you worship."

  Mischa's laughter was light and refined, like the sound of a wine glass clinking. "I like your confidence. You're not like the others who came for the Young Master."

  "Maybe they just didn't have the right manners." Shuren's hand brushed her hip, feeling the reassuring weight of her pistol.

  Mischa then lead Shuren to the next room

  Shuren stepped inside, and her breath hitched in her throat. The space was like nothing she had ever encountered, a grand chamber reminiscent of imperial China ornate pillars twisted up to a painted ceiling, where dragons danced among clouds, and gold leaf shimmered in the soft glow of the lanterns.

  The floors sparkled like polished jade, and intricate screens showcased breathtaking scenes of mountains, rivers, and phoenixes caught mid-flight. Even Shuren's own office, which she had painstakingly curated, felt ordinary in comparison.

  'I could totally swipe some of these, maybe sell them and buy them back. Then if possible, even triple the price.'

  Mischa's voice pulled her from her daydream. "Please, have a seat."

  She guided Shuren to a long, low table adorned with delicate cups, porcelain so fine it looked almost transparent in the warm lamplight.

  "What would you like to drink?" Mischa asked, her tone polite and calm.

  Shuren glanced over the cups, the tea utensils, and the bubbling pot. She shrugged lightly, trying to play it cool. "I'm… not really into tea."

  But as her aura subtly shifted barely noticeable to anyone but a trained eye she added with a small smirk, "But I've always wanted to try Gyokuro."

  Mischa nodded with a graceful bow. "Gyokuro it is. I'll be right back."

  As she stepped away, Shuren took a moment to soak in the room again, her thoughts split between the tea and the treasure trove of details around her. Every scroll, every sculpture, every glimmering inlay was a testament to just how wealthy and meticulous Zheng Yan truly was.

  Shuren settled into her seat, her fingers gliding over the smooth wood of the table.

  'Not bad. Not bad at all.'

  Mischa came back just a moment later, balancing a lacquer tray that held two delicate cups of tea. She set them down carefully on the table one in front of Shuren and the other in front of herself. Shuren leaned in, taking in the fragrant aroma of the Gyokuro a small smile crept onto her lips.

  'Huh. Not bad. I thought it would smell terrible.'

  "What tea did you make for yourself?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

  Mischa's lips curled into a slight smile. "Longjing," she answered with a calm demeanor.

  Shuren nodded, appreciating the response she lifted the Gyokuro cup and took a gentle sip, savoring the flavor as it danced on her tongue.

  Mischa mirrored her actions, taking a careful sip before placing her cup back on the tray. Then, with a graceful bow, she introduced herself, "I'm Mischa Chikae, the maid of Young Master Zheng Yan."

  Shuren's gaze flicked to her. "I already knew that part," she replied lightly, swirling the tea in her cup.

  Mischa nodded as if that settled everything. "Now it's your turn. Introduce yourself."

  But Shuren simply took another sip of her tea, her eyes half-closed in a feigned display of boredom. The slow, deliberate sipping stretched the silence like a taut string.

  Mischa waited, patient yet alert. "Why are you taking your time? Shouldn't we be… drinking more?"

  The only response was Shuren's slow, almost teasing sips, the delicate clink of porcelain punctuating each one. Shuren took another sip of her Gyokuro, each careful movement stretching the moment like a finely honed blade being drawn from its sheath. Mischa's fingers twitched with impatience. She was losing her cool. Finally, she slammed her hand on the table, snatched up a knife, and, fueled by anger, flung it toward Shuren.

  "You despicable woman! Do you have any manners at the table?"

  The knife soared through the air then suddenly stopped, frozen mid-flight as if time itself had paused. Gradually, it fell, landing gracefully on the floor with a soft clink that resonated in the stillness of the hall.

  Mischa's eyes widened in disbelief. She glanced at the knife, then back at Shuren, confusion twisting her features. "What… how did you do that?"

  Her words faltered as she locked eyes with Shuren's calm, inscrutable gaze in Shuren's hand, her gun and it was pointed directly at Mischa's head.

  "You interrupted me drinking good tea for the first time so are you ready to learn some manners?" Shuren said softly, her voice cool, measured, and chillingly calm.

  Mischa froze, the tension in her chest tightening like a vice.

  Every muscle was coiled, yet she found herself unable to move the air around them seemed to vibrate, holding its breath in the space between them one wrong move could turn this moment deadly in an instant.

  Shuren's finger lingered on the trigger, her composed demeanor radiating a warning that no amount of polite conversation could defuse.

  Stolen from its rightful author, this tale is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

  The silence shattered just as Shuren's finger started to tighten around the trigger

  Mischa's teacup flew through the air like a bullet, crashing against the gun with a sharp metallic ring. The impact jolted Shuren's aim, her shot whizzing past Mischa's shoulder and smashing a golden lantern behind her in a burst of flame and sparks.

  Mischa moved with the grace of silk slicing through the air.

  Her chair slid back silently as she twisted her wrist, catching her porcelain cup mid-spin before it could even touch the ground. The fluid motion culminated with her foot hooking the handle of an umbrella cleverly concealed beneath the table.

  Shuren's gaze flicked to it, unimpressed yet intrigued. "Cute. Are you planning to use that for rain or bullets?"

  Mischa flashed a sweet smile. "Neither."

  A low hum filled the air faint at first, but then swelling into a pulsating vibration that made the lanterns tremble. Mischa spun the umbrella in her hand, and the silver veins along its frame began to glow a deep, emerald green; the fabric quivered as if it had a life of its own, pulsing with energy.

  The aura erupted outward.

  Green lightning coiled around her body like living serpents, enveloping her in a storm of kinetic force the edges of the umbrella began to twist and break apart, the ornate ribs unfolding and reshaping into sleek black gun-barrels, orbiting around her in perfect harmony, a mechanical halo spinning above her shoulder.

  Some elongated into elegant rifles, while others compacted into revolver forms, all humming with the same toxic light each rotation left behind a trail of green sparks and faint, ghostly symbols that flickered through the air like runic code. Shuren's eyes widened slightly, her cigarette slipping from her lips and landing on the jade floor.

  "Well," didn't see a maid turning out to be a Sionel." she murmured, a sharp exhale cutting through the haze.

  Shuren twirled her pistol with a flourish, spinning it around her finger before bringing it back into position. A mischievous grin danced on her lips.

  "I'm not gonna lie, that thing looks amazing. I can barely contain myself over here. It totally gives me Rintaun vibes."she said, her voice dripping with admiration.

  Mischa raised an eyebrow. "Rintaun?"

  "Yeah,it's this little town south of Kurayamiya where the women really know how to get creative with their toys." Shuren replied, stretching out her words like she was sharing a juicy secret.

  A look of disgust crossed Mischa's face, and she tightened her grip on the umbrella.

  "No wonder people say the women from that town are... well, you know."

  Shuren gasped in mock horror, placing a hand dramatically on her chest.

  "Madam, how scandalous! That's a bit much, especially coming from a maid." she exclaimed, feigning offense.

  Mischa blinked, only catching the sarcasm a moment too late.

  Her expression softened, a hint of guilt creeping in. "...I'm sorry. I shouldn't have said that."

  She lowered her head for just a moment, a single, vulnerable second when she looked up again. Three bullets were already hurtling toward her, the air shattered with a thunderous crack as the rounds sliced through the green haze, glowing faintly with Shuren's snowy aura.

  Mischa's pupils dilated. She swung the umbrella upward with lightning speed and the rotating gun barrels aligned perfectly, creating an impenetrable shield.

  Sparks erupted across the room like a fireworks display, the sound of ricochets mingling with the whir of spinning steel. Shuren's smirk remained intact.

  "Oh good," she said, re-cocking the gun. "You're quick. That means I can shoot more."

  Mischa's fingers glided over the handle of her umbrella, her expression sharp and unforgiving.

  "Let's see just how fast you really are."

  The gun-barrels circling the umbrella whirred to life, locking into place.

  BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG! BANG!

  A cacophony of gunfire erupted and the recoil from the umbrella's barrels rattled the air, unleashing a blinding storm of bullets that sliced through the smoke toward Shuren like a tempest of steel.

  Each shot screamed with a green glow, energy crackling around them like a thunderstorm the sheer force cracked the tiles beneath their feet but Shuren remained still not even a flinch, not even a blink.Her cigarette burned steadily between her fingers as the world around her blurred into streaks of green.

  "Muteki no kurōn."

  The words slipped out like a soft curse in an instant the world came to a standstill. The bullets halted mid-air, some dipped down, embedding themselves in the ground, others arched sharply upward, spiraling toward the ceiling. A few spun slowly in the air like bewildered insects, glinting with distorted reflections of Shuren's face.

  Mischa's breath hitched in her throat. "W–What the hell… how are you?"

  Shuren exhaled lazily, smoke curling from her lips like a ghost.

  "None of your business," she replied with a sigh.

  Then she grinned and without warning flipped Mischa off.

  BANG!

  A single shot rang out across the room Mischa staggered back, clutching the side of her head, blood trickling down her neck as her ear hit the floor with a soft thud. Her eyes widened in shock and rage. Shuren twirled the pistol around her finger, her smirk returning as she blew away a thin wisp of smoke from the barrel.

  "Guess you're paying attention now, huh?"

  Mischa pressed her hand against her face, blood trickling down her jaw as pain pulsed through her body. Her breaths came in sharp gasps, and her vision wavered.

  Shuren crouched in front of her, exuding a calm, almost playful demeanor, her gun resting casually on her shoulder. The soft candlelight of the café glinted off the brass of her weapon.

  "Juduging by your martial skills alone means one thing in general.." she started, her voice teasing yet as sharp as a knife,

  Mischa shot her a glare, teeth clenched, but remained silent.

  "You're an ex-assassin from Rozunebare, and for some reason after all that bloodshed and chaos, you chose to become a maid? How pathetic." Shuren continued, her tone dripping with mock sympathy.

  Leaning in closer, her smirk widened as she traced invisible circles in the air with the barrel of her gun.

  "Serving Zheng Yan of all people… It's almost like you have feelings for him."

  Mischa tightened her grip on her umbrella, her glare fierce enough to cut through steel.

  "I mean, really," "You're the same age, right? No, wait you're older! Zheng Yan's seventeen, and you're eighteen."

  Tilting her head, she pretended to ponder deeply.

  "Well, at least that's not gross."

  Her grin turned wicked, her eyes sparkling with mischief.

  "But it's still pretty sad."

  With no other option, Mischa lunged for an attack. Shuren, disgusted, caught her arm and twisted it before snapping it with a sickening crack. Mischa screamed in agony, tears streaming down her face. Shuren just gazed at the screaming Mischa with a cold and expressionless face.

  "Damn, you're loud."