The Female Knight of Doom - TFKOD 26: A Covert Entrance

Even though Alice was a young woman, spending a significant amount of time with the mercenaries exposed her to encounters with a few exceptional female fighters.

She believed there was still much to learn from the unique style of these female fighters. Regarding the method of smoothly blending in with the group of performers to gain access to the earl’s estate… With enough funds, it is not a particularly challenging task.

She asked about the whereabouts of the Red Light District of Bowen at the inn she was staying in, and upon learning that it was relatively close by, decided to walk there.

Dressed as a woman now, when she inquired about it, the innkeeper gave her an odd look.

She noticed his strange gaze but chose not to react aggressively, considering finding a different inn in the near future.

If she had continued to masquerade as a man, she wouldn’t have encountered such difficulties; being a woman could indeed be troublesome.

She stepped foot in the Red Light District for the first time.

Initially, her master hesitated to let her explore the Red Light District due to concerns about her gender.

In her childhood, she had overheard others describing it as a dragon’s lair, instilling a sense of fear in her. Subsequently, she heard acquaintances refer to it as a cavern of lost souls, piquing her curiosity once more.

Defying her master’s wishes, she ventured into the street with newfound boldness, unafraid of encountering danger.

As dusk settled and night approached, women could already be seen loitering along the sides of brothels, while passersby rambled along the road.

These women were the destitute prostitutes, sent out early to solicit customers, dressed inadequately for the chilly weather. Their appearance was almost uniform, their weary faces devoid of hope, appearing as if they were haunting specters.

They had long abandoned any aspirations for the future, unable to even muster a smile.

If Alice were still the same little girl as before, she would have been scared and maybe even cried upon seeing such a scene.

However, she has since witnessed real dead bodies, so she is not afraid of apparitions. She viewed them with a sense of pity.

Without her past unique experiences, she could have been one of them at this moment.

She briefly felt sympathy for the street girls but knew it was crucial to focus on her current task.

Prior to arriving at this location, she learned that there were many individuals engaging in this type of trade on the streets of Bowen.

However, only those brought by Madame Lulu have access to the earl’s residence.

Madame Lulu’s brothel, the largest in the street of Red Light District, stands out from the rest. Whether Madame Lulu aligns with the Goddess of Love and Lust, also known as Arne, or the Goddess of Commerce, also known as Morsi, she is highly esteemed among the favored.

Upon entering the brothel, Alice immediately sensed a tense atmosphere in the room.

The women entering and exiting the establishment were not typical; they were either desperate or looking to cause trouble.

Occasionally, there were girls seeking companionship, but most found the idea strange and declined. Only a select few were open to such arrangements, but they preferred familiar clients.

Alice, a newcomer in a new fur coat, did not fit the profile of a regular customer or someone in dire need, leaving only the possibility of causing trouble.

Despite her youth, she exuded a certain air of confidence that deterred anyone from messing with her.

The receptionist quickly summoned Madame Lulu upon seeing her arrival.

Moments later, she emerged from the back, easily recognizable by her attire and demeanor that set her apart from the other girls.

Her status was immediately apparent to Alice.

Though she had only heard of Madame Lulu as the most influential figure in the Red Light District, she was surprised by how young and powerful she appeared.

Madame Lulu, who is in her early thirties, appears very attractive. Currently, she is dressed in a silk nightgown that is long and buttonless, only tied at the waist with a flowing silk belt. Putting on her slippers, she styled her hair and held a long, slender water pipe in her hand. Her eyes, resembling almonds, seemed a bit drowsy, as if she had just woken up.

She let out a yawn towards Alice and asked, “What are you doing here? You’re not lost, are you?”

Ignoring the taunt, Alice straightforwardly stated her reason for being there, “I heard that every Friday, Madame Lulu takes girls to Lord Rachel’s mansion. I have wanted to join for a while.”

Madame Lulu’s response was somewhat unexpected.

She stood up straight, tossed her cigarette, scrutinized Alice from head to toe, and then came to her own conclusion, “Judging from your appearance, it seems like this line of work is not for you.”

Alice narrated a story without any hesitation, “I won’t keep it a secret from you, I encountered Lord Rachel once during my visit to the royal capital two years ago. He seemed to be interested in me at that time, but since I was still young, he did not take me away. Now that I am here, my intention is to see him again. If he remembers our encounter in the royal capital, he might consider having me as his mistress.”

After observing her for a while, Madame Lulu smiled, “Lord Rachel’s mistresses are usually curvaceous and delicate, rather than someone as slender as you.”

Alice was determined not to lose in the argument, so she stretched her neck out and argued forcefully, “How do you presume to know what Lord Rachel likes? Even though he has two mistresses, I doubt he is fond of them. Otherwise, why wouldn’t he let them host the banquet and have to track you down instead?”

Immediately after making this point, she softened her tone, “Moreover, it’s not like I am not compensated for requesting Madame Lulu to accommodate me.”

As she uttered these words, she tossed a gold coin onto the front desk.

The coin spun on the table, and just as Madame Lulu reached for it, Alice moved quickly and raised her hand to stop her, “Is Madame Lulu now willing to accept me?”

Madame Lulu, with her keen intuition, immediately saw the potential for profit when presented with a gold coin as her first offer.

After some negotiation, she agreed to escort

Alice for three gold coins, adding that if she was able to win over the earl and become his mistress, she would receive an additional ten gold coins.

Although this price was steep, Alice, being young and inexperienced, did not realize the true extent of Madame Lulu’s cunning calculations.

Despite having initial doubts about serving as the earl’s mistress, Alice accepted the offer, knowing that the ten gold coins would outweigh any risks involved.

On Friday, Madame Lulu arranged for her to be picked up from the inn.

Alice, worried about standing out in new clothes, asked Madame Lulu if she could borrow an old dress from a prostitute to blend in. She paid two silver coins for the dress, which arrived uncleaned and bearing the faint scent of sweat and grease.

Growing up in a harsh environment, she was unfazed by the condition of the dress.

She pondered and realized the only flaw in her outfit was the lack of a hidden weapon.

She ingeniously used her belt to secure a dagger to her thigh, discreetly covered by her skirt to avoid detection.

Following her wardrobe adjustment, she faced a new challenge: she was clueless about applying makeup.

She decided to try on some cosmetics she found in the room with her new clothes. Mimicking the style she had seen other girls wear, she haphazardly applied some to her face, feeling satisfied with the result, despite potentially looking humorous to onlookers.

Madame Lulu realized that she cannot afford to let Alice’s face show signs of ruin, so she quickly wiped it off with a towel, and reapplied it for her.

“You have no idea how to apply makeup, yet you seek to attract Lord Rachel? You are quite the charmer,” she teased while dusting powder on Alice’s face. “If Lord Rachel rejects you, why not consider entering our line of work? You could stay with me for a while, then follow a viscount or baron in the future without any shame.”

Alice remained silent, having nothing to say to someone like Madame Lulu.

She had paid her money, and that was enough for Madame Lulu to secure her a place in the earl’s mansion.

Madame Lulu observed the haughty demeanor of the young girl but did not get angry. She believed that since Alice had been groomed to be a mistress, she would eventually submit to her authority.

After completing her makeup, Alice gazed at her transformed reflection in the mirror and felt a sense of unfamiliarity. Attempting to smile like a showgirl, she realized it was much harder than anticipated.

Despite several tries, her smile appeared somewhat strained.

Upon witnessing Alice’s struggle, Madame Lulu couldn’t contain her amusement inwardly.

She remarked that Alice’s attempt to allure the earl was futile, given her current appearance.

Yet, Alice possessed a subtle charm unbeknownst to her.

If she were to learn how to embrace it, she could be more captivating than a naturally alluring woman. Madame Lulu regretted not having control over her to guide her towards seduction, as she believed that many would succumb to her charm.

Unaware of Madame Lulu’s thoughts, Alice laughed feebly before growing impatient, consumed by thoughts of the crown.

Where might the earl store such a valuable item?

If Alice had her way, she would have preferred him to display the crown in the hall, but that didn’t happen.

The duchess requested the treasure from him, but he declined to give it to her, opting not to showcase it in plain view.

He considered the item to be part of his ex-wife’s belongings, so he told the duchess that he was reluctant to place it in the bedroom.

The grand mansion had numerous bedrooms, making it challenging for her to locate the right one. She wondered if resorting to seduction was the only way to find out.

Contemplating this made her shudder.

Unfamiliar with the earl’s appearance, she only knew that he was close to forty, twice her age, which she considered old.

Having witnessed numerous failed love stories at the tavern, she found romantic entanglements distasteful and uninteresting.

It’s just that, since she made a promise to the duchess, she feels obligated to give it a shot. With her strength and a dagger for protection, she is determined not to back down easily.

So, she decided to go through with it, and two hours later she found herself in the drawing-room of the earl’s residence with Madame Lulu’s girls.

This marked the second time Alice was attending a gathering with noblemen, and unlike the event at the duchess’ residence, this one was a male-dominated setting.

There were no ladies present, only the girls brought by Madame Lulu for decorative purposes. These girls appeared to have adjusted well to such occasions, displaying no shyness as they mingled and laughed with the noble men.

During such events, it seemed like the upper class shed their moral facade, with everyone engaging in a game of pursuing and being pursued.

Determining who was the predator and who was the prey was quite tricky.

Each person believed they were the one hunting, only to realize they may have fallen into the trap set by the other side. Ultimately, it all boiled down to achieving one’s desires, and those who took things too seriously would end up losing.

Alice had never met the earl before, but in a place like this, it wasn’t hard to spot the owner. Walking around, she noticed him from the way others looked at him.

The man, in his thirties, had black hair and a very serious look. One could say he was quite attractive, although his demeanor seemed distant and somewhat unapproachable. The girls seemed to sense this too, refraining from approaching him and focusing instead on the other guests.

If they caught the attention of one of the wealthy patrons present, they wouldn’t have to worry about their future for a while.

Alice, however, couldn’t take her eyes off of him.

Even though she was determined to figure out how to charm him, turning her thoughts into actions wasn’t as easy as she had hoped. As everything unfolded, she found herself unsure of how to approach him.

It was evident that the earl had little interest in the party he had initiated. After spending just fifteen minutes at the banquet, he greeted the guests and promptly left.

She watched him depart, attempting to follow but failing to catch up. He ascended the staircase, where two servants blocked her path.

Even though the host had already left, the party was only beginning.

The young noblemen whispered inappropriate slogans to the women accompanying them, causing laughter among the guests.

Fortunately, Alice blended in with the other women, as the men seemed to favor a specific type. She walked briskly, feigning to search for someone while exploring the event.

To her relief, she was not approached by anyone but also didn’t see the crown. It was no surprise; the earl wouldn’t leave such a valuable item unguarded.

She knew she would have to seek the crown from the earl himself.

The following Friday, Alice knew she had to return.