My Living Shadow System Devours To Make Me Stronger

For noble ladies of high society, this was as low as society could sink.

Even battlefields hadn’t seemed this filthy.

The moment the tavern door creaked open, conversations died.

Every pair of eyes turned toward them.

Those hungry stares swept over their bodies, making it feel as though they were being stripped bare by nothing but gazes.

Abellona was breathtakingly beautiful.

Her long dark hair framed a flawless face, while her crimson eyes shone like polished rubies. Anyone who looked at her couldn’t help but steal a second glance.

Emilia possessed a different kind of beauty.

She carried the effortless grace expected of a duchess. Her black hair cascaded down her back like silk, and the calm, stoic look in her eyes could steal a person’s soul. Every movement radiated quiet dignity.

Terra shared some of her sister’s features, yet there was something mysterious about her.

The less one knew about her, the more alluring she became.

Her gentle smile only deepened that hidden charm.

The three women were immaculate.

Not a speck of dust or grime clung to their clothes.

They seemed less like travelers...

...and more like celestial maidens who had mistakenly wandered into the mortal world.

The adventurers and outlaws fell silent.

At first they were captivated by the women’s beauty.

Then...

Their eyes drifted to the jewels they wore.

To the expensive fabrics.

To the wealth they practically radiated.

Greed slowly replaced admiration.

Emilia walked at the front.

Behind her, Abellona casually retrieved another sour grape from her storage bracelet and popped it into her mouth, paying absolutely no attention to the dozens of eyes fixed upon her.

When Emilia reached the counter, she stopped before a scantily dressed barmaid whose revealing clothes left very little to the imagination.

She suppressed a grimace.

Unfortunately, the woman wasn’t the only one.

Several others danced lazily around polished poles while drunken men cheered them on.

The entire tavern reeked of decadence.

It disgusted her.

”I’m looking for Linga Felt.”

”Where is he?”

The woman behind the counter opened her mouth to answer.

Before she could...

A burly man carrying a large mug of ale swaggered over.

”So...”

”Who’s asking?”

He leaned an elbow on the counter beside Emilia, deliberately invading her space.

He towered over her.

Nearly twice her size.

Emilia calmly turned her head toward him.

Her expression never changed.

”Do you know him?”

The man grinned, revealing stained teeth.

”Depends...”

He slowly looked her up and down.

”If you’ll spend a couple of nights with me.”

His gaze shifted toward Terra and Abellona.

”Your friends can join too.”

The tavern erupted into laughter.

Abellona remained silent.

One hand covered her nose and mouth while the other still held her cup.

Her face had turned noticeably pale.

Unfortunately...

The men mistook that expression for fear.

Their confidence only grew.

Emilia didn’t move an inch.

She calmly took a slow breath.

”Perhaps you’re among the less intelligent sort.”

”But if you haven’t noticed...”

”We’re nobles.”

”Are you truly prepared to deal with the consequences?”

Those words would’ve frightened ordinary criminals.

Not here.

The man burst into laughter.

”This is Gatina.”

He spread his arms.

”Consequences?”

”Even the Emperor isn’t worth a damn here.”

He lowered his head until his face was inches from Emilia’s.

”So...”

”You stripping on your own...”

”...or do I make you?”

He smirked.

”You dance a few laps for us...”

”...then maybe we’ll let you leave.”

The tavern roared with laughter once again.

Emilia simply sighed.

She still wanted to know whether he truly knew Linga Felt.

”Do you...”

”...or do you not know Linga Felt?”

”Oh, I know him.”

He chuckled.

”After I’m done with you...”

”...I’ll let you crawl over and tell him what’s left of—”

A crimson flash.

His words stopped.

His head slid cleanly from his shoulders.

It hit the floor with a dull thud.

His body remained standing for a heartbeat before collapsing to its knees.

Then...

It toppled forward.

Blood rapidly pooled across the wooden floor.

Silence.

The entire tavern froze.

Slowly...

Every eye turned toward the source of the attack.

Abellona still had one hand raised.

Faint traces of crimson mana lingered around her fingertips.

Tears had gathered in her eyes.

Even Emilia blinked in surprise.

Abellona’s face was flushed with genuine anger.

”How dare you...”

”...say something so rude...”

”I will—”

She suddenly stopped.

Her face turned green.

Without another word, she hurried toward the counter, grabbed an empty barrel, and began vomiting into it.

The entire tavern stared in stunned silence.

After nearly a minute...

She finally straightened up.

Wiping the corner of her mouth with a handkerchief, she calmly picked up an empty mug, filled it with water, and drank it in one long gulp.

”Ah...”

”That’s much better.”

She nodded to herself before calmly pouring another cup.

Only then did everyone remember the corpse lying in the middle of the tavern.

Their expressions twisted with rage.

”Get that bitch!”

A massive beastkin leapt over the tables.

His body rapidly transformed as metallic skin spread across his muscles.

”A transformation skill...”

Abellona muttered.

She looked almost disappointed.

”...It doesn’t make much difference when you’re this weak.”

Crunch.

The sound of shattering metal echoed throughout the tavern.

She hadn’t merely broken his arms.

She had pulverized them.

Fragments of metallic bone exploded in every direction.

Several spells roared toward her from different sides.

Abellona casually stepped aside, weaving through the attacks with effortless grace.

The few she couldn’t be bothered dodging...

She simply slapped away with the palm of her hand.

Then...

”Hic.”

She covered her mouth.

”...Sorry.”

She murmured apologetically.

As though that somehow excused what happened next.

With her free hand she calmly emptied another cup.

For the next several moments...

The tavern became a symphony of snapping bones.

Crushing flesh.

And screams.

Those who tried to flee never reached the door.

One after another they fell.

When it finally ended...

Only groans remained.

Abellona slowly raised her cup.

”I want silence.”

”Anyone who groans...”

”...dies.”

The room instantly fell quiet.

One unfortunate man lay clutching what remained of his chest.

Despite every effort...

A painful groan escaped his lips.

Before he could make another sound—

His body exploded into a cloud of blood.

Everyone else immediately bit down on their lips.

No one dared make another noise.

Abellona nodded in satisfaction.

”Good.”

”Now then...”

”Where is Linga Felt?”

”I certainly hope...”

”...he wasn’t one of the fools I killed.”

”H-He’s gone...”

One man finally answered through gritted teeth.

”He left years ago...”

”Where did he go?”

Emilia asked immediately.

”He... left with Old Black Eye’s caravan...”

”They were heading toward Ravenscroft territory...”

”And where is this Old Black Eye?”

The injured man slowly raised his broken arm and pointed toward one of the bodies lying in the tavern.

”...You killed him.”

For the first time...

A hint of embarrassment appeared on Abellona’s face.

She awkwardly cleared her throat.

Terra stepped forward before anyone else could speak.

”Who else was in the caravan?”

”Give me names.”

”And the route they took.”

”A caravan always leaves people behind.”

”Someone must know where they went.”