Top Tier Perversion: Dual Cultivate Secretly

The long skirts and elegant gowns worn at home were not in sight.

Today, practicality had replaced nobility.

A fitted ivory blouse disappeared beneath a dark military coat draped loosely over her shoulders, its sleeves left empty.

Tailored black trousers traced along long, toned legs were tucked neatly into polished leather boots that still carried faint traces of road dust.

Fiery red hair was gathered into a high ponytail, exposing a face that was beautiful without appearing delicate.

Black gloves held an axe over one shoulder and a spear in the other hand with practiced ease.

"Your axe."

Vincent stared at the axe, then shifted his gaze at the young lady holding it toward him.

"Good morning to you too, Vanessa"

For the briefest moment, something flickered across her face before settling back into composure.

Vincent held the axe with both hands and placed it beneath his chair.

He turned to her again and nodded.

"Thank you."

He pointed toward the empty seat Anastasia just placed.

"Come have a seat, the eggs are pretty solid today."

"..."

For a brief moment, Vanessa just looked at him.

Something about the interaction felt strangely misplaced.

She had expected embarrassment.

Perhaps awkwardness.

Instead...

Vincent greeted her as though it was yet another morning.

Without another word, Vanessa pulled back the chair beside him and sat.

Anastasia stepped forward and placed a plate before her.

Soft scrambled eggs still carried gentle wisps of steam. A pair of browned sausages rested beside buttered toast, while a small porcelain cup released the faint aroma of black tea.

Vanessa picked the knife and fork. She held them for a few seconds longer than usual before cutting into the piece of sausage.

The gesture did not go unnoticed by Vincent.

He glanced at his buttered toast and spread berry jam over it.

"When are we leaving?"

Clink.

Leona looked at Vincent.

"Whenever you command, My Lord."

Vincent took a bite of the bread.

A tart sharpness made his nose scrunch.

"...kay."

His eyes kept twitching as put the toast down.

"Water."

Vincent grabbed the glass offered to him and drank it, washing away the flavors.

"Thank you." He turned and said, only to see Anastasia calmly standing beside him.

"..."

He turned his head and saw her empty chair.

He turned back to her.

"There wasn’t a need to rush. I could’ve had tea."

Anastasia lightly shook her head.

"Duty comes first."

"I’m not a child. Sit down and eat." Vincent waved his hand and drank some more water.

The exchange did not incite a reaction from Leona.

However, to a certain older sibling, it did not feel right.

Instead of drunk rambling, sour burps, and disorderly eating patterns...

She saw care.

Empathy.

Bonding.

And with an attendant at that, someone whom he didn’t even spare a glance before.

Vanessa took a deep breath and spooned a mouthful of scrambled eggs. The soft texture and saltiness slightly eased her thoughts.

She glanced at Vincent.

"Mom said you wanted me to teach you axe techniques."

"Yeah." Vincent cut a piece of sausage. "After what happened at the ball..."

He forked the sausage and dipped it in the purple jam.

"...I feel like I should know how to defend—"

Vincent stopped.

The meaty saltiness did not overpower the tartness!

His nose scrunched more intensely.

Anastasia closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

She stood up and brought water again.

Gulp... Gulp...

Vincent put the glass down and looked at Vanessa.

"Sorry. As I was saying, I wish to learn to defend myself."

Vanessa’s lip twitched.

Vincent sighed and shook his head.

"I just wish to not get beaten up on the streets."

He added a teaspoon of sugar into the jam.

Before he could stir it though, a slender hand reached out and snatched it.

Turning his head up, Vincent saw Vanessa staring in his direction with furrowed brows.

"..."

"..."

Vincent had a completely straight face.

"...that jam is very tart. If you wanna eat—"

"Stop."

Vanessa placed a finger on her lips.

Vincent shut up.

"Do you want to learn before leaving for Silver Town or after it?"

"After."

"Okay."

No one spoke after that.

The clinking of cutlery faded. Breakfast was over.

As the four slid their chairs back and were ready to move out, a young maid entered the hall.

Her lush hair was tied into a neat bun, highlighting her delicate but professional expression.

Her gaze swept across the room once.

She stepped before Vanessa and offered a small bow.

"Your carriage is ready, M’lady."

Vanessa gave her a curt nod and moved out with Vincent, Leona, Anastasia, and the young maid.

...

Four hours later.

Silver Town, Northern Region.

A wagon full of barrels rolled near the town square and stopped by a tavern.

As the workers began unloading the barrels, with a quick flash, two figures went past them.

"Did you see that?"

"I felt it."

"Can ghosts appear in broad daylight?"

The workers shivered as their imagination ran wild.

"Good lord. I need to visit the church more."

"Me too."

At the alley beside the tavern, two cloaked figures stood near cracked boxes and overflowing dumpsters, staring at the town square.

One of them held a spear while the other held a bow with multiple arrows behind her back.

"M’lady, who am I supposed to look at?"

"The ones patrolling with weapons, harming civilians or causing a problem."

Vanessa said to her attendant.

The young maid looked at the square.

Some civilians walked around the town square while some gathered around the fountain and were staring at a pile of sacks.

Some men brought more sacks from outside and stacked it atop the pile.

Conversation happened in low murmurs and wasn’t audible from the alley.

"M’lady, I don’t think I can see anyone you’ve mentioned. I believe you should charge and get it over with. I’ll cover your back as usual."

"Felicia, if I go there, I might end up killing civilians. Your young master wants me to not harm them." Vanessa answered while clutching her spear.

The young maid, Felicia, appeared thoughtful.

"Are the young master’s words important? I heard he wants to take back Silver Town, and you are capable of doing that easily without unnecessary stealth."

Vanessa did not glance at her. Her eyes were locked at the sacks being dragged toward the fountain.

"Careful, Felicia. Your young master’s words may or may not be important to me, but for you, they are. If you go against him, I’ll personally spear your head to your tombstone."

Felicia raised her eyebrows without much change of expression.

"My apologies. You’ve never listened to him for as long as I can remember. I was just following in your footsteps."

Vanessa continued to glance at the sacks. They were oddly shaped. Some areas were full and stretched while some seemed empty and sunken.

"You never got formal maid training, so it’s understandable. But ingrain it in your mind..."

She turned to the cloaked maid.

"...never go against me, my mom, or my brother."

Felicia bowed calmly. "I understand. Please pardon my insolence."

Vanessa did not speak further and turned to the pile of sacks.

Her gaze squinted.

She pulled off her hood and walked right toward it.

"M’lady?" Felicia followed behind while drawing an arrow and looking around. "What happened to attacking stealthily?"

Vanessa’s eyes were fixed on the sacks.

She frowned and said, "I can’t see anyone. And I think we’ve got bigger problems to worry about."

Just as she finished and neared the pile, a blonde-haired lady in black dress walked past a small crowd and appeared beside her.

"Ah, M’lady—"

Before she could finish, a soul stench made her pinch her nose.

Vanessa and Felicia pinched their noses too.

"Did something die here?" Felicia asked while looking around.

"Don’t come here, lasses. And definitely not with weapons or people might misunderstand." A man dusting his hands after placing a sack said while turning to the three.

Vanessa ignored the man and continued walking.

"Hey—"

Crack—!

An arrow swished past the man’s ears and pierced the fountain’s stone wall, its wooden shaft still vibrating from impact.

"Stay in your place." Felicia calmly replied.

The man broke out in cold sweat.

"Damn!"

"Did she just shoot?"

"These ladies have weapons and their attitudes..."

The people standing a few meters away from the pile broke out in chatter.

"Could they have done it?"

"Why would they come here if they did it?"

"You have a point. Maybe it’s to recheck?"

"If that’s what is happening, then we should run, lest we lose our heads."

"Baah... you’re thinking too much. They look harmless."

As the crowd continued their talking, Vanessa had reached the pile and already tore one sack open.

The blonde lady following stood behind and said, "M’lady... I wasn’t able to see any bandits. I saw you coming here and decided to follow and inform. Something seems to be wrong."

A few things fell out of the sacks.

It had a strong stench of rot.

Staring at it, Vanessa found it to be body parts.

Disfigured head, badly mingled limbs...

Without turning around, she cut some more piles and said, "...something is indeed wrong, Anastasia."