Outside Landon Hawthorne's door, just as Aria Sterling was about to knock, Uncle Carter said, "The door's unlocked, Madam. You can go right in."
"Alright."
Before she entered, Uncle Carter reminded her, "Madam, you have two hours at most. You must leave Mr. Landon's room by then. Please, don't forget."
"Why?" Aria Sterling asked, puzzled.
"Because after eleven o'clock, Mr. Landon needs his rest," Uncle Carter explained.
"Alright." Aria Sterling nodded, not buying the butler's flimsy excuse.
'I just want to see exactly what kind of monster Landon Hawthorne becomes after eleven.'
She reached for the door. The moment her palm made contact, a talisman shot out, imprinted itself on the wood, and vanished. Behind her, Uncle Carter noticed nothing.
The moment Aria Sterling stepped inside, Uncle Carter closed the door behind her and locked it from the outside.
Aria Sterling glanced back at the door, a wry smile touching her lips.
In the bathroom, Landon Hawthorne heard the noise but paid it no mind, assuming it was just Uncle Carter bringing something in.
Landon Hawthorne was submerged in the bathtub. He had started with warm water, but feeling uncomfortable, he'd switched it to cold.
But he only grew more uncomfortable.
It felt as if a ball of fire was rampaging through his body, leaving him agitated and irritable.
Even the cold water couldn't quench the scorching heat in his blood.
'Am I sick?'
Landon Hawthorne grew frantic, his emotions spiraling out of control.
SPLASH! Landon Hawthorne shot up from the tub. Overwhelmed by the stifling heat, he swung an arm, sweeping everything off a nearby shelf.
CRASH! CLATTER!
Bottles, jars, and various other items scattered across the floor.
The commotion drew Aria Sterling's attention. She walked over, and just as she was about to knock, the door swung open.
A soaking wet, stark naked Landon Hawthorne was about to step out when he suddenly froze, spotting Aria Sterling.
'A woman?'
In an instant, the fire inside him raged even hotter.
What little sanity he had left made him recoil and slam the door shut. BANG!
His low, furious roar followed. "Get the hell out, you damn woman!"
Aria Sterling simply leaned against the door, not budging. "Your skin is flushed. That's not normal. Come out. I promise I won't take advantage of you."
"Get out!"
"The door's locked. I can't leave," Aria Sterling said calmly. "Come out. Let me take a look at you."
"I told you to get out!" Landon Hawthorne's voice was a hoarse, low growl. His sanity was fraying at the edges.
He sounded like a caged beast.
Aria Sterling moved away from the door but didn't leave the bedroom.
She walked to the bed, and with a flick of her wrist, an emerald Jade Talisman materialized in her palm.
After placing the Jade Talisman inside the bedside table, Aria Sterling sat down on a nearby sofa.
Hearing no further sound from the bedroom, Landon Hawthorne cautiously emerged from the bathroom.
A bath towel was wrapped around his waist. His skin was flushed crimson and scorching hot, as if he'd been roasted over a fire.
Every drop of blood in his veins felt like it was boiling. A caged beast gnawed at his sanity, desperate to unleash its bloodthirsty savagery.
Landon Hawthorne staggered with every step.
He stumbled to the side of the bed and began frantically rummaging through the drawers, looking for medicine.
But he found none.
He let out a furious growl and shoved the bedside table over, its contents scattering across the floor.
Among the scattered items was the Jade Talisman Aria Sterling had placed inside earlier.
And then, in his frenzy, Landon Hawthorne caught a glimpse of Aria Sterling out of the corner of his eye.
She was sitting there, poised and calm, holding a book. Her eyes, however, were fixed on him.
A faint smile played on her lips. She didn't even move to stand up.
"You..."
The moment Landon Hawthorne spoke, his throat felt even more parched.
And of all things, Aria Sterling simply curled her lips into a smile and waved. "Hello, hubby. You've been drugged."
Landon Hawthorne didn't register her words. The sound of her voice was the final blow. His sanity shattered.
The caged beast was awake.
With bloodshot eyes, Landon Hawthorne lunged for Aria Sterling, ready to devour her.
But the moment he reached her, the instant his hand made contact, his body went rigid.
Then, he went limp and collapsed into her arms.
Aria Sterling glanced at the unconscious Landon Hawthorne, plucked a silver needle from his inner thigh, and then shoved him disdainfully onto the floor.
As the unconscious Landon Hawthorne hit the ground, his towel came undone, leaving him completely exposed.
Aria Sterling crouched beside him. First, she fed Landon Hawthorne a pill. Then, she pressed a glowing seal from her palm onto his chest.
'Tonight, I will find out exactly what kind of entity is residing in Landon Hawthorne's body.'
Unfortunately, even after the seal's energy was completely depleted, she couldn't uncover any definitive answers.
Just then, her bracelet flashed. A sliver of white light shot out, landing on the floor and transforming into a white cat.
"Leo, did you notice anything?" Aria Sterling asked the cat.
The spirit cat's name was Leo. He had been with her for fifteen years, living inside a bracelet on her wrist called the "Star Sea."
The Star Sea was a first-grade spiritual artifact containing a boundless space within. It was a gift from her master, given to her on the day she was brought to a world beyond the mundane.
Leo circled Landon Hawthorne once and then shook his fluffy head. "I can't tell what it is either. But whatever has an aura this chilling and grim is no ordinary Fiend. Ria, you're no match for it. Let's just go. Who cares if he dies?"
"To slay Fiends and defend the righteous path is my duty. Now that the Great Demon has appeared in the world, how can I turn a blind eye?" Aria Sterling rejected Leo's proposal. She grabbed a blanket from the sofa and tossed it over Landon Hawthorne, covering his essentials.
"Those old fogeys have turned you into such a dogmatic fool," Leo said, completely exasperated. He offered a "helpful" reminder, "Slaying Fiends and defending the path is all well and good, but you have to know your limits. Knowingly charging at an enemy you can't beat isn't brave, it's just stupid."
"Forget it. You're a little antique taught by a bunch of old antiques. Fine, do whatever you want." After muttering to himself, Leo leaped onto Aria's shoulder. "When are you going to take me out for a walk? There's nothing inside but me. It's suffocatingly boring."
In response to Leo's whining in his most adorable voice, Aria Sterling glanced at the window, then climbed out, taking him with her.
Azurewave Manor was located near the outskirts of the city, so the surroundings were deserted. The woman and her cat ambled along a small path, only turning back the way they came when it was nearly eleven.
Landon Hawthorne was still unconscious on the floor, but the angry flush of his skin had faded back to normal.
Just then, a sound came from the doorway. Uncle Carter was unlocking the door. He knocked gently. "Mr. Landon..."
The door was pulled open before he could finish. Aria Sterling stood in the doorway. "Hello, Uncle Carter."
"Madam?" Uncle Carter was stunned. He looked Aria Sterling up and down. "Madam, are you alright?"
"I'm fine." Aria Sterling nodded, then walked past him and went back to her own room.
Surprised, Uncle Carter hurried into the room to investigate. It was a complete wreck. The area near the bed was in disarray, with furniture overturned.
He found the unconscious Landon Hawthorne lying between the coffee table and the sofa and quickly helped him onto the bed.
A doctor arrived soon after to examine Landon Hawthorne. "His temperature is normal, and there are no other abnormalities. Mr. Landon is fine."
Uncle Carter breathed a sigh of relief. He immediately called the old family estate to report to the patriarch. "Madam was with Mr. Landon for over two hours. When she came out, his condition was stable. I think it worked."
The old patriarch on the other end of the line was greatly relieved. "Excellent. As long as it worked. Tell the kitchen to prepare some nourishing meals for Aria Sterling to help her recuperate."