## Chapter 287 – The Queen’s Fall (8)
The Mademoiselle raid was proceeding so smoothly that it was almost suspicious, making me worry if there was a hidden ace up someone’s sleeve.
Vivian, who had annihilated a group of men who claimed to have come as support from Laratina’s business, along with the Henias, was now looking back at Mademoiselle.
She tucked her hair behind her ear with a hand that was relatively free of blood, then lowered her head slightly and walked towards the main entrance.
“Your Majesty…!”
“You guys wait here.”
Vivian waved her hand at the Henias who tried to stop her and entered Mademoiselle. Her eyes immediately took in the sight of shattered debris, corpses, and a lobby that had been utterly ravaged.
‘It seems like it’s almost over… Is there something wrong…?’
No matter how large Mademoiselle was, they had pushed through with such numbers.
Moreover, the Henias, who were fundamentally beast-like and strong in both ambushes and head-on fights, would have stirred up the brothel far more intensely than anyone could have imagined.
‘I’ve already made a big mess… I need to wrap this up quickly…’
Having caused such a commotion, someone must have reported it.
Mademoiselle was a legitimate brothel that Laratina had taken pains to bring into the light.
Not only did they pay their taxes diligently, but they also had connections with various nobles, so they wouldn’t be intimidated even if the Public Security Police Department was called.
‘What a troublesome woman… Trying to crawl into the light despite being a back-alley cartel…’
Thinking that they would be at a disadvantage if they dragged things out any longer, Vivian’s eyes narrowed slightly as she moved further inside.
“Are you there? Answer me.”
Vivian continued to walk deeper into Mademoiselle, calling out to the Henias who were probably hiding somewhere, preparing an ambush.
“Where did you all go? Answer me!”
But at that moment, Vivian’s head turned from side to side, trying to locate the source of a sound like someone knocking on a wall.
“What’s going on…”
Vivian, moving quickly to find the source of the sound, soon discovered a hollow space in the ceiling that was used for decoration. Finding something to step on, she skipped across the gaps, moving this way and that.
Discovering the structure that was made like a tree cave on a cliff, she jumped towards it, her fingertips gripping the edge of the cliff at that moment.
“Kuh-heuk…”
A bloody hand emerged from the darkness and grabbed her hand. Vivian’s eyes widened in surprise as she grabbed the hand covered in Nemea.
As Vivian was pulled into the hollow space,
“Vivian… nim…”
“What happened… Did you get… Mmph…!”
Before Vivian, her eyes wide, could even question Lanie’s action of suddenly covering her mouth and nose with a bloody hand.
The Henias, collapsed and covered in blood, came into Vivian’s view as her eyes began to take in the surroundings.
“Poison… It’s poison… Vivian… nim… I can’t… Ke-heuk… breathe…!”
‘Poison… Did Laratina…?’
“Actually… I don’t… know… Cough…!! Suddenly… one by one… they started collapsing… and… Heuh… vomiting blood… It just seemed like… poison… The humans… too… Keheu-euk… Hanna… isn’t breathing… Heuh…!! Vivian nim… we…”
“Don’t talk, Lanie. You’re not in good shape either…”
At Vivian’s words, after removing the Henia’s hand that was covering her mouth, Lanie coughed and slumped back as if leaning on something.
Lanie, who was usually as healthy as could be, looked completely battered in Vivian’s eyes.
Not only was she already bleeding from both nostrils, but her tears were also mixed with the red color of blood.
And most shocking of all, Nemea, which usually protected her body perfectly, preventing even swords from penetrating when she charged at enemies, was now faltering and weak.
‘Is it really… poison…?’
“Vivian nim… Laratina… is still… still… Heueuk…!”
“I’ve ruined everything that bitch had. We’ve done our job. This is enough… I’ll go back right away…”
Feeling dizzy already, it felt as if the poison Lanie had mentioned was seeping into her body.
Vivian used spider communication to call the Henia special forces outside, handing them the Henias who were collapsed and covered in blood, and getting them out first.
After handing over the last Henia, Vivian was about to follow them out, but she realized that many Henias had not yet returned, and stopped abruptly at the front door.
“Your Majesty…!! You must retreat quickly…!!”
“Take these children back to him. He’ll definitely do something… I’ll look for the others.”
“Your Majesty… Going back in there now is…!!”
At Vivian’s words, several Henias returned and grabbed her, but Vivian shook off their hands and turned to look at them.
“This poison doesn’t kill you right away if you drink it. It slowly eats away at your body… That means there’s still time. I’ll be waiting for help inside…”
The Henias exchanged glances, then gave the patients they were supporting to others, and gathered in front of Vivian.
“Then we will go with Your Majesty. Wouldn’t it be difficult to support them alone?”
“We will repay the favor we received from Your Majesty in this way.”
Vivian’s expression changed subtly at the sight of the Henias saying they would stay by her side until the end.
In the first place, her position was one she held by borrowing Enic’s authority.
To him, she was just his prey, and her only purpose was to prevent the number of beastkin females, the means of world conquest, from decreasing.
Had she ever done anything that could be called a favor to the Henias who were saying they would risk their lives for her?
It was the same when she first met them.
While taking a casual stroll through the den, all she did was glance at the females who were tied up by tentacles and lost in pleasure.
At best, she had only solved the growing den and the problems that arose in place of Enic.
What was so special about simply giving them tasks to do and teaching them what they needed to know?
And in the end, she was the one who pushed them into the brothel, which was no different from abandoning their lives as women, like tools for success.
The gazes of those who looked at her felt heavy.
“Favor my ass…”
But, at least compared to the past, it felt like there was a slight difference.
She had been in charge of many people back then as well.
More than the boring, stimulating feeling of being with those who followed her, looking only at the name Grenot.
At least with these people who had that awkward sense of community, worshiping Enic, the owner of this body, together.
Being with these people who made her feel quite good and comfortable, at least she herself thought it was a little better.
‘Not bad.’
The strong beastkin females who were supporting several patients alone began to run towards the den, and a small smile appeared on Vivian’s lips, along with a small sigh, as she looked at the remaining Henias.
“Okay. It’s also for his sake. From now on, our goal is to retreat together. We’ll search quickly and get out quietly. Be careful not to miss any of the remaining ones if possible.”
“How could we miss a scent? Just leave it to us.”
“Yes!! We’ll go find them…!!”
Following Vivian’s command, the Henias, who began to run forward first, scattered in all directions towards the brothel.
They sniffed with their noses, doing their best not to miss even the slightest scent.
Sometimes, there were moments when their noses tingled and they felt the poison being inhaled through their breath.
But with the thought that they could still endure it, they ran, and eventually discovered their comrades who had been left behind in various places.
“Heueuk… Eueueu…”
“Pana…!! Wake up…!! Cough… Are you okay…? Linda… Yuna…?”
“Ove… there… Eugeu…”
“Your Majesty…!! Found three…!!”
“There’s one here too!! Lend me a hand!!”
The more busily they moved to rescue as many comrades as possible, the slower their increasingly poisoned bodies became, and pus and blood began to flow from various parts of their bodies.
Nevertheless, the sight of the beastkin women gritting their teeth and not stopping, especially the young human girl in the center, held a strange warmth and passion.
How much time had passed?
Vivian, panting in a daze, endured the dizziness and leaned against the wall.
“Haa… Haa… The other area…”
Raising her hand towards the Henias who were looking at her worriedly, she asked the Henias who were searching every corner and returning with a slightly trembling voice.
They, too, were not in normal condition, wiping the blood flowing from their noses or swallowing their coughs, and talking about the areas they had searched.
“Then… it seems like we’ve found everyone, Your Majesty…”
“Then… now…”
At that moment, the last Henia appeared, catching her breath and reporting, drawing everyone’s attention.
With a sad expression,
“We’ve searched all the back rooms… We found Diana… But… Cough…”
“It’s already… too late…”
“Cough… I’m sorry…”
Vivian, trudging towards the Henia who was holding back tears with a dark expression, put her hand on her shoulder, leaned her body slightly, and comforted her.
“Let’s… take her… We can’t leave her in a place like this… Yes… we can’t…”
“Yes… Heueuk… Ah-heueuk…!!”
The Henia, feeling the warm touch of her shoulder being massaged with a little force, finally shed tears mixed with blood from her red, bloodshot eyes, nodding and bursting into tears.
But that terrible yet heartwarming moment was only temporary, as Vivian collapsed on the spot like a tower whose center had collapsed, and the screams of others began to be heard.
“Aah… Keheuk… Keoheok…!! Aheu-euk…!!”
“Your Majesty…!! Your Majesty!!”
“She’s human… so she’s more vulnerable to poison…!! Quick… quickly…!! Get her outside…!!”
“Di… Diana…”
“Yes…!! I’ll bring her…!! So hurry…!!”
“Your Majesty…!! Wake up…”
“Don’t… leave her…”
In the end, all 50 or so Henias who were deployed in the Mademoiselle battle.
Despite the threat of dangerous poison, Vivian and the special forces were able to find and return everyone, down to the last one, without a single dropout.
Vivian, who ended up being carried to the den slung over the shoulder of a Henia, had already lost consciousness, but a stream of blood flowed from her mouth, and a smile of relief appeared on her lips for some reason.
