I Reincarnated to Another World as a Woman-Chapter 289: The Huntress and the Hunted

"That’s the Baroness?" Taylor asks in disbelief.

The five of them have been lingering around the lobby area for almost two hours. Ethan had said he wanted to scout the meeting area first, to make sure there were no traps or anything suspicious.

But the meeting place, as they learned the hard way, turned them away for not wearing the required attire, which was smart formal.

Hawk, Taylor, J.C., and Carter had actually dressed up, changing from their usual T-shirts and jeans or cargo pants into clean shirts and jeans. But apparently, to enter Astravale Lounge, they had to wear at least a blazer.

Ethan was the only one wearing something close to the correct dress code, but even he got a side-eye from the maître d’, because his clothes didn’t look new or crisp.

They had no choice but to wait in the lobby.

Since then, they had been checking the exits, a habit most of them developed during their previous jobs.

They felt the Baroness before her arrival.

The air in the lobby shifted. It became heavier, more suffocating.

Non-magi would not feel it as strongly, but Ethan and his teammates became alert the instant the atmosphere changed.

"What’s going on?" Taylor asks, confused.

"It’s mana," Ethan says, being the most advanced magus among them.

"Yes, you’re right," Hawk says a few seconds later.

They scan the area, looking for the source.

The moment the Baroness steps out of her car, all of their attention snaps to the entrance. They can all feel that the suffocating mana is coming from there.

They hold their breath, because this is their first time sensing another magus outside their team and Teacher Isabelle.

From that mana alone, they believe that whoever is approaching must be powerful.

When the Baroness finally steps into the lobby, their breath hitch. The air is extremely suffocating, because the Baroness is stronger than them and she never concealed her mana.

Unlike Theo who knew how to dispel this crushing, smothering mana, the Hunters didn’t have the ability, making it hard for them to breathe.

They are watching the Baroness walking, like a slow-motion movie scene, while struggling to breathe.

They didn’t know who this lady was, only Ethan recognized her.

When he tells his team, Taylor exclaims in disbelief, "That’s the Baroness?"

"Wow." J.C. comments. "She’s very powerful."

They are all at awe, including Ethan.

He’s heard about the Baroness, but never expects that she would be this powerful.

He turns to Hawk. "Now, do you want to learn under her tutelage?"

The other four exchange glances.

"Let’s meet her first. She was the one who asked to meet us, right? What if she doesn’t want to train us?" Hawk finally says.

He has to admit the Baroness’s power. Even he, who considers himself strong, felt oppressed by it.

"I agree." Ethan nods. He’s pleased that Hawk is finally on board with the plan.

"Let’s go meet her," Ethan says.

He walks a few steps, then turns around to face the other four.

"Please watch your language and attitude. She’s a real aristocrat, and above all, she’s extremely powerful."

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The Baroness sits in the private room, leaning fully back in her chair, legs crossed.

On the table in front of her are a teapot and a teacup. Steam rises from both.

She can sense five people approaching the room.

She smiles.

Amateurs. Your mana is so rough and unpolished. With mana of that quality, how could you brag the way you did?

Ever since Lucien called her to ask her to train the Hunters, she has had mixed feelings.

A part of her does not want to do it. She believes magic is for a selected few.

But another part of her wants to do it, simply to prove that she is as powerful as the Custodians.

She wants to become a Custodian to gain access to the magic library. She wants more spells. Not knowledge, but spells.

Especially after meeting Thea at Opaline Terrace, she feels that she is not powerful enough. A thought she sometimes laughs at and pushes aside, because no one is more powerful than her.

But Thea is a mystery.

Is she really just someone with tremendous talent for wielding magic? Or is she a magus like me?

The most logical answer is that she is a magus too. The way she dispelled my aura...

The Baroness sighs.

She was the first.

But the thought that there could be a magus outside the Apprentices of the Custodians is absurd. No one else in the world possesses knowledge of magic except the Custodians.

They are the keepers of all magic records.

So, is Thea simply someone with that much potential? The Baroness’s thoughts circle back again.

She sighs.

Knock. Knock.

The Baroness looks at the door and smirks. She whispers something inaudible and waves her fingers. The door opens without being touched.

The maître d’ enters and announces that her guests have arrived.

The Baroness simply thanks him and dismisses him.

The Hunters enter the room.

The maître d’ closes the door behind them, leaving the Hunters alone with the Baroness. 𝚏𝕣𝐞𝗲𝐰𝕖𝐛𝐧𝕠𝕧𝚎𝚕.𝐜𝚘𝗺

No one says anything.

The Baroness simply watches them with amusement.

Ethan’s body is shaking. He cannot believe he is feeling fear. The mana in the room is so thick that his chest tightens, making it hard to breathe, and his whole body trembles.

His friends are no better.

No one can say anything.

Beads of sweat appear on their foreheads.

Taylor, the weakest among them, is drenched in sweat and looks like he is about to collapse at any moment.

The silence stretches for another ninety seconds.

Then the Baroness exhales slowly.

The oppressive air eases with it.

The Hunters exhale loudly, relieved.

"Not bad," the Baroness comments.

Ethan immediately straightens his posture. He bows, placing his right fist over the left side of his chest.

"Greetings, Your Ladyship. Thank you for your mercy."

The other four follow Ethan’s gesture, though without the greeting.

"A knight’s salute? Ah, you are Ethan Barlett. I see," the Baroness says.

"Yes, Your Ladyship. I trained as a Knight of Valestria before I became an apprentice of Teacher Isabelle." Ethan keeps his salute.

"I see." She says nothing more.

The Hunters remain bowed.

After another minute of silence, the Baroness says, "At ease, men."

The Hunters are visibly relieved and straighten their backs.

"Your Ladyship, thank you for agreeing to meet us here. The reason we are here is..."

Ethan starts, only to be cut off by the Baroness.

"I know why you’re here."

Ethan falls silent, waiting for the Baroness to continue.

"Like I said to Mr. Markov, I have yet to agree to train you. I simply do not see the benefit for me," the Baroness says calmly.

Ethan is sweating. He is starting to lose hope. He has nothing he can offer the Baroness. She is stronger than him in both power and wealth.

"I’m sorry if you see it that way, Your Ladyship. But you agreed to meet us..." Ethan starts again, only to be cut off once more.

"I agreed to meet you because I wanted to see what kind of people would dare call themselves ’the Hunters,’" the Baroness says in a low, velvety voice that leaves no room for argument.

Hawk clenches his jaw. He dislikes the Baroness instantly. He hates being looked down on. He hates being toyed with. He hates being laughed at. And he hates being humiliated.

That is exactly what he is feeling right now, and yet, he can’t do anything.

What frustrates him more is that he knows he can’t do anything.

That helplessness, he hates more than anything.

His whole body trembles as he holds back his anger.

The Baroness notices that one of their mana signatures is fluctuating. It takes her only ten seconds to identify the source.

It comes from the bald man standing in the middle.

"Oh?" The Baroness raises an eyebrow.

"One of you doesn’t like me," she says with a sneer.

Her lips move, but no sound comes out.

Suddenly, a sharp gust of wind blasts toward the Hunters and strikes Hawk in the chest.

Hawk staggers back a few steps from the force of it. When he looks down at his chest, there is a slash across it, and it is bleeding.

Taylor, Carter, and J.C. gasp.

Hawk is stunned.

Ethan is also stunned, but he reacts quickly.

He immediately drops to one knee, one fist pressed to the floor, and begs, "Your Ladyship, please have mercy! He means no harm!"

"The hell I don’t!" Hawk shouts.

"HA!" he yells, trying to break free from the grip of the Baroness’s aura.

"Restrain him!" Ethan orders. His worst nightmare is happening right in front of his eyes.

The other three move in perfect sync to restrain Hawk.

But in his anger, Hawk is stronger than them.

After struggling for a few seconds, Hawk throws them aside.

He turns to face the Baroness, who is still sitting there, unfazed, and mutters something inaudible under his breath.

Then both of his fists are engulfed in fire.

He is ready to attack the Baroness.