Even though Mia had done many things Angel disapproved of and held positions Angel disliked, these were minor issues unrelated to him. Given that Mia indeed had clues for entering the Underground Labyrinth and had led them to the Hero Squad, Angel would keep his promise and let her leave safely.
"You... you all aren’t here to kill the Hero Squad, right?" Mia said incredulously after hearing Angel’s words. She had always thought that her speech had moved them to cause trouble for the Hero Squad. But now, listening to Angel, did she misunderstand?
"Whether we kill them or not is none of your business; your role is over. Just leave when you’re told and don’t be an eyesore." Dox, the one speaking, glanced at Angel after speaking: "You even cast a Defense Spell for her, such a waste. She managed to escape the third district by selling out her teammates; I don’t believe she can’t leave without a Defense Spell."
Angel didn’t pay attention to Dox and continued watching Mia.
Even though Angel’s gaze had no murderous intent or malice, Mia still felt a shiver down her spine. Moreover, under Angel’s watchful eyes, she had a premonition that if she didn’t leave now, she might never leave.
Mia nodded stiffly: "I’ll go now, I’ll go now."
With those words, Mia slowly backed away. The moment she stepped out of the cellar door, a faintly glowing Defense Spell descended from the sky, directly enveloping her...
At that moment, inside the cellar.
"Using it on her is such a waste; better to cast a Defense Spell on Kaier so he doesn’t hold us back," muttered Dox.
"You had enough time to cast a Defense Spell on Kaier during your complaints," Angel replied, looking like he wondered why Dox hadn’t done it himself.
Kaier, who was unexpectedly involved in the conversation, quickly waved his hands: "No need, no need, I have a Magic Rune Scroll for Defense Spells."
No one paid attention to Kaier because he wasn’t the focus of the discussion; he was merely a non-emotional "example."
At this point, the Black Earl suddenly said, "I thought you were like that old man from the Academy Faction who was a Holy Light Walker — who knew you’d have such a dark heart."
Angel didn’t wish to engage in idle talk nor understood the Black Earl’s meaning, so he casually deflected: "Both black and white have value in existence."
However, Dox curiously asked, "Lord Black Earl, why do you say that?"
The Black Earl replied, with meaning: "Without the Defense Spell, as you said, the woman had a fair chance of surviving. But with the Defense Spell, her survival is no longer certain."
Dox understood the Black Earl’s meaning as soon as he pondered it slightly.
The human heart is fickle, and people naturally gravitate toward profit and greed.
Initially, Mia might truly have wanted to escape the ruins, but now with the Defense Spell, will she develop other thoughts? Those dangerous zones have treasures she considers valuable.
If her mindset changes, Mia may not be able to leave the ruins — greed is the original sin, which can swallow her chance to escape.
Dox patted Angel’s shoulder, impressed: "I suspected you were a bit cunning back in the Princess Castle, and I see I wasn’t wrong. You’re quite skilled at playing with minds. Your studies of Heart Illusion have paid off."
Angel offered no explanation. Good deeds turning bad and bad deeds becoming good are common in daily life. Like nobility and baseness, it often comes down to a single thought to make a choice.
Mia only needed to make a simple choice.
As for what she chooses, Angel didn’t care.
Compared to Mia, Angel was more interested in the true entrance to the deeper part of the Underground Labyrinth and what secrets lay behind that wall.
Thinking of this, Angel looked toward the mother and child opposite him.
Seeing Angel look over, the woman dressed as a boy was about to speak when she felt a moment of dizziness, as if a swirl of changing colors had formed a vortex, pulling her consciousness directly into it...
When dealing with Mia, since it could interfere with Divination, Angel refrained from using much Extraordinary Power on her; he only asked questions verbally.
Now that they had found a member of the Hero Squad, there was no worry about interfering with the Transcendent; direct inquiry sufficed.
As for other things, like the story of the mother and child, as long as it didn’t relate to their target, it was unnecessary to care.
In the Illusion Mist, the "youth" finally revealed her true form: a woman about thirty years old with fair skin but ordinary features. Her eyebrows were so faint they almost weren’t there, making her look like a blank slate. Perhaps this was why she was so adept at disguising herself; it’s clearer to paint on a blank slate than on a colored one.
"What’s your name?" Angel asked softly, also testing whether the Nightmare Illusion had successfully penetrated.
The woman answered listlessly: "Matilda, or Camilla."
"Two names?"
"Matilda was given to me by my parents, but Camilla is the name I’ve used the longest."
In brief, every time the woman changed disguises, she adopted a new name. Over time, the name given by her parents grew increasingly unfamiliar to her, while the alias she commonly used with her disguises gradually replaced her real name.
It’s either professional integrity or professional melancholy.
"I’ll call you Matilda, then. I’ll ask you a few questions shortly, but remember: you not only have to answer my questions, if there are extensions beyond some answers, don’t wait for me to ask; explain them all."
Angel gave a preliminary warning.
Matilda remained in a dazed state, nodding at Angel: "Alright."
"Then let’s begin. First question: does your Hero Squad have access to an underground passage, and if so, where is it and how do you enter it?"