Extra Pages: The Author's Odyssey
Chapter 297: The Masquerade Party [1]

The masquerade party was happening at a castle near the hill of the Azurhaven. I positioned myself on a hill that overlooked the castle. In terms of distance, I was probably about a kilometre away.

In any case, my job today was simple. I just had to make sure the story progressed as it should. If possible, I hoped that everything would go according to the original storyline without me having to interfere.

5 P.M.

The sun had yet to set, but the masquerade had already begun. Luxurious cars arrived at the castle one by one, and people adorned in flamboyant dresses and masks went inside.

5:30 P.M.

Two people got out of a limousine. It was Sia and her colleague. They were wearing masks resembling a fox and a tiger. They walked into the castle, led by a chauffeur.

Not long afterwards, Adrian and Emma arrived. Fully adorned in party clothes, their perfect figures shone brilliantly even with their faces covered.

"...Hm."

Looking at all the masks, I couldn't help but feel that my face was too empty. I had the feeling I should wear my mask. After all, if I had to interfere in today's events, I had to conceal my identity to ensure my safety.

So I already prepared a mask, on the way here I had brought a mask for myself.

The mask resembled the black wolf, in any case, I took out the mask from my AI bracelet and put it on my face.

6 P.M.

The air was becoming chilly as the sun began to set. The castle looked even more beautiful as it burned from the setting sun. I began to observe the castle's interior more carefully.

I quickly activated [Mana Eyes] of mine.

Now my eyes become even sharper, and I could follow of mana signature of everyone inside the mansion.

However, I only focus on 4 people's mana inside of the castle.

These were Adrian, Emma, Sia and that partner of hers.

For some reason, I got a bad feeling about that partner Sia. I don't know why but it's my gut telling me.

In any case, Adrian and Emma were dancing at the centre of the hall.

At the same time, I discovered a strange movement of magic power on the other side of the castle.

It was a Magic Portal.

"...I knew it wouldn't be so easy."

Only Fallen humans could make such artificial portals. Even among Fallen humans, one had to be beloved by their contract demon to have enough magic power to operate a Magic Portal.

That's the only possibility I have for now, No human, Elf or Drawers can open Magic Portal.

Of course, there are Teleportation gates but that is a separate case.

I turned my gaze back to the partner of Sia.

He was infiltrating the underground vault of the party's host. The security guards surrounding the vault were already taken out.

With a sense of urgency, I realized that I needed to act quickly to prevent any further chaos.

However just as I was about to go down from hill, I noticed a familiar Mana signature near Sia's colleague.

That Mana belongs to the Sia.

As I observed Sia's colleague, I couldn't shake the feeling that something was off. His movements were too deliberate, too calculated, and his presence seemed to cast a shadow over the festivities.

But then, to my surprise, I detected a familiar mana signature near him – the mana of Sia herself.

My heart skipped a beat as I processed this revelation. Why would Sia be near her colleague, especially when he was engaged in such suspicious activity?

A sudden sense of unease washed over me as I considered the implications of this discovery. Could Sia be involved in her colleague's scheme? Was she working in tandem with him to carry out whatever nefarious plan they had concocted?

However, all of my doubt washed away as I saw Sia and that man engage in a fierce battle.

As I watched in astonishment, Sia and her colleague engaged in a fierce magical duel right in the heart of the masquerade party. Spells flew through the air, lighting up the night with bursts of colourful energy as they clashed with unparalleled intensity.

It became evident that Sia was not collaborating with her colleague but was instead fighting against him, attempting to thwart whatever nefarious plans he had set in motion.

***

"What do you think you are doing, Hanson," Sia said to her colleague, Hanson.

Hanson who was about to leave quickly through the window flinched at Sia's words.

Hanson turned his head towards Sia and said

"What are you doing here, Vice-leader?"

"You didn't answer my question."

Hanson could feel the slight killing intent hidden behind Sia's mask.

"I, umm."

"You won't fool me twice."

Shing—

A well-sharpened sword glistened in the dim light.

Hearing the chilling sound, Hanson quickly jumped away from Sia.

"Vice-leader, what are you—"

Before he could finish, Sia's sword struck down. Hanson used an emergency dagger he carried around to stop the attack.

Sword and dagger.

The weight and size of the two weapons were different, but the density of magic power enveloping them was equal.

BOOM!

The surroundings shook from the fierce collision.

"You're making a mistake, vice-leader... Uk!"

Sia's foot hooked towards Hanson who was continuing to feign ignorance. Hanson was sent flying by the kick, and Sia pounced after her like a ferocious beast. Although Hanson bought time for himself by running around in all directions, Sia was more tenacious and nimble than ever.

"Ak!"

Eventually, Sia got on top of Hanson and was about to strike down with her sword, when a whip suddenly flew in and restrained her sword.

"What do you think you are doing?"

However, At that moment a faint voice sounded in the air.

Both Hanson and Sia turned their heads towards the sound of the voice.

The door had opened before they noticed, and a girl wearing a cat mask was standing there.

It was Emma Rivers.

"I am a Hero cadet from Nova Academy."

She had walked upstairs to replace a bathroom, hearing the sound of clashing metal during the process.

She would have normally ignored it, but she had gotten tired of Adrian's clumsy dancing and was tempted by the chance to improve her image as a cadet of Nova Academy.

"If you put your weapon down, I'll make sure there is no bloodshed."

Emma said as she pointed an arrow toward Sia, the arrow was glowing azure colour with high mana density.

Noticing Emma's intentions Sia poured her mana into a sword and slashed towards the arrow Emma's when she launched towards Sia.

-Boom!

Sia's sword slash easily destroyed Emma's arrow, the energy of the sword slash didn't stop there.

The sword slash wave hit a wall near Emma and easily destroyed the walls into pieces.

Emma's back was filled with cold sweat.

If the direction of the sword slash only aimed a little towards the right, her head would have been cut off from the neck.

Emma felt her lips dry up. Hoping the woman's sinister sword qi wouldn't aim for her, Emma bowed at a ninety-degree angle.

"I will be on my way now. Please do continue what you were doing."

With that, Emma backed away stealthily before dashing it.

"DIE!"

The fight then continued.

Enraged, Sia's sword struck down repeatedly. Each time her sword clashed with Hanson's dagger, lightning crackled and flames ignited.

The roaring sound called people together, and spectators and security guards quickly rushed to the room.

"Don't just watch and help! Uwaak!"

Hanson tried his best to withstand Sia's demon-like attacks, but it was difficult to combat a sword with his short dagger. As time passed, he was driven to a corner. Hanson became desperate enough to ask the spectators for help.

However, security guards couldn't even dream of joining in such a fierce and ostentatious battle.

As the intense battle between Sia and Hanson raged on, the spectators watched in awe and disbelief, frozen in place by the sheer ferocity of the combatants. The clash of their weapons echoed through the room, filling the air with sparks of magic and tension.

Despite Hanson's desperate pleas for assistance, the security guards remained rooted to the spot, unable to intervene in the deadly confrontation unfolding before them. They exchanged uneasy glances, unsure of how to handle the situation without escalating it further.

Meanwhile, Sia's relentless assault showed no signs of abating. With each strike of her sword, she pressed Hanson further into a corner, her eyes blazing with determination as she sought to bring an end to his treacherous schemes.

"Uk!"

In the end, Hanson's dagger was unable to endure, breaking in half. Just when Sia was about to make her final strike, someone stole the sword hanging by a security guard's waist.

Immediately afterwards single streak of light shot through the air and cut in between Hanson and Sia. Adrian had used a security guard's sword to block Sia's Flame Sword.

"Who are you? Back off before I cut you down."

Adrian didn't budge even at Sia's solemn warning.

He wanted to become a Hero to protect people. His firm conviction couldn't be shaken so easily.

"I refuse."