Ever since Taeyeon had fled from the demon king from his Chambers that fateful night, she had not appeared in his presence for a long time.

It unsettled both Sha and the demon king. In different ways.

For Sha, he believed truly she had something evil up her sleeves, while the king was merely worried if he had simply gone too far by reminding her off her lost lover.

“Sha.” The demon king's call jerked Sha out of his thoughts.

“Yes, my Lord?”

“Tell me, what do human males give the females as presents when they want to….reconcile with them?” Sha blinked once. Then twice.

What?

“I'm sorry, but I don't believe I know, Sire.”

“Then it shall be your job to find out. Return to me with your results tomorrow. A day should be enough for you to gather information about what human women truly like and favour, isn't it?”

“Yes.” No doubt about it, the king was influenced  by Kim Taeyeon. Sha could tell just from the look on his face. He had seen it many a times--on Jiyong's own face before he even understood human love years ago.

His fists clenched.

He'd have to review himself yet again and find where had he gone wrong with controlling this Father and son, since they miserably both fell for the same human woman that was ill befit of their status.

~~~~~~

As all her days were with Sooyoung, Joy's day started off with a clash and a bang of dirty dishes falling all over herself, and the high pitched shrilling of the woman caretaker of the brothel screaming in her ear.

To be honest, Joy couldn't really say confidently that she liked or didn't like her mentor, Sooyoung.

Well, given that they were close in age, Sooyoung often felt like a loud obnoxious friend rather than a mentor, but Joy really hated going to the brothels with Sooyoung.

Brothels were filthy places to be in---reeking of heavy scented perfumes and Loud noises of filling the thick cloying air. Its scent always made her want to vomit. But like what Sooyoung had said, none was more profitable in both revenue as well as information other than a brother itself. Men, from low to high ranking officials with wide influences tended to come to such places to cheat on their wives. And if one served them well, or pampered them well enough, loosening their mouths to little bits of information would not be much of a problem. Occasionally, some of the girls are given to their clients, to serve both in physical needs as well as the one with a more hidden agenda---to collect information from the depths of the households.

Still, it marvelled Joy how well Sooyoung managed these extensive networks and information. had dropped open at the mechanisms compiling each and every information collected in small wooden drawers, and the extensive amount of information gatherers, ranging from women to children living on the streets. Many of which were---half breeds, or had some kind of other breed blood running minutely in their veins.

She was a pro manipulator, both inside and out, exploiting the needs of others in order to pledge a sense of true loyalty to her and Taeyeon. After all, as she learnt at Sooyoung's side, loyalty was best rewarded truly when you reached out to someone in dire need.

And the first thing Joy learnt about Sooyoung?

Was that she was an extremely annoying person.

Joy cursed under her breath at the grinning smug face off her mentor as she tried to balance the plates and drinks on her clumsy hands and head.

First rule of the brothel house is for one to be able to serve well.

Sooyoung had told her with a straight face as soon as she stepped in, and immediately delegated her to the servant's quarters.

While her sisters were learning practical things like sword fighting and strengthening herself, the poor her was simply---chopping wooden blocks and weeding out gardens.

In what way was this mentoring training for her to become a extremely good spy?!

And finally, after three months of weeding and chopping and cooking, and all sorts of mundane things, Sooyoung finally promoted her.

To a waitress.

A waitress!?

She wanted to claw her friend's throat out Everytime Sooyoung grinned at her smugly.

“Grumbling to yourself again, Joy?” She nearly shrieked and toppled off her stool as Sooyoung's face looked in front of her, and the dishes she was washing clattered to the ground.

“Who said anything about grumbling?!”

“You're agitated.” The older girl folded her arms and raised an eyebrow.

Joy deflated.

“Noooo….I just thought you might just train me in more practical things than just mundane housework.” She grumbled lowly under her breath.

“Oh, but I am training you in spywork and information gathering. I thought you knew.” Sooyoung tilted her head curiously. “Or did you not understand the meaning behind me letting you work amongst the others in weeding and wood chopping or even as a server?” Joy frowned miserably. Then shook her head.

Sooyoung sighed exasperatedly.

“Tell me, Joy. What did you learn and hear whilst you were working with the others? Or were you just preoccupied with grumbling about not being personally tutored by me?” Joy flushed in mortification.

“The very reason of why I put you in the servant's quarters was this-- I wanted to train your ears to be alert and to listen carefully for any kinds of information. To intermingle with others and learn to subtly fish for information. For instance, you saw me talking with the group of ladies over there didn't you. Did it seem like a important talk to you?”

Joy shook her head.

“You were talking about the newest make up merchandise! How is that important?” Joy grumbled. “And you don't even use makeup at all.” She scrunched her nose cutely as she complained.

“Yes, but in process of chatting with them, I learnt that a newest batch of traders are making plans to come into the capital the next few days. They'll be carrying mostly bolts of cloth and clothes of varying colours from the Amun Country. Also, these bolts of cloths are commonplace, hence they're delivered to multiple places and traders, including, high ranked officials. Apparently, these traders are also carrying special material and merchandise. Specifically ordered from the Kim Family Mansion itself, for the demons who have recently possessed human servants in the household to serve as servants. “ Joy gave a choking gasp of horror.

“You talked about demons?”

“Well, they were talking about it freely, and they're high ranking ladies. So I presume they must know from their husbands or son's that demons are slowly taking over certain parts of human hierarchy. They've even begin purchasing demon guards and servants to please and satisfy their needs.”

“All that information--”

“Just from a couple of brief sentences of conversation with them.” Sooyoung smiled slyly. “Five to ten minutes at least. See what I'm trying to help you accomplish?” Joy nodded hesitantly.

“Well good. Because I'm setting you on your next task, since you're so eager to go out into the world.” Joy paled a little.

“Don't worry. It's nothing that important for you to worry about. Since I've told you the reason why I've been giving you such mundane jobs, I'm giving you another errand to run. If you would, help me drop off certain items at the those ladies places, and while you're at it, anything worth hearing, open your ears and listen. But don't be obvious.” Joy nodded nervously.

Sooyoung grinned at her, then waved her fingers cheerily.

“Have fun learning through real experience!”

Joy felt like running away from the smiling monster named Kim Sooyoung.

She turned up her eyes to the sky, the cart of items to deliver next to her.

Why did I ask for more things to do?

~~~~~~

Sweat poured down Joy's back as she lugged the heavy cart of items behind her, the wooden pole residing heavily on her waist and back. She glanced disgruntledly at the dirty smock Sooyoung forced her to wear before leaving the brothel.

Not to mention the towel she slung around her neck conveniently before waving her off.

She screeched to a stop with a deep groan, the wooden cart creaking to a stop behind her as she squatted down to catch her breath. Reaching upwards, she tapped on the door knockers once or twice, sharply, the rapt knocking sound clear and booming in her ears. She quickly grabbed the towel off her face, wiping her face down with quick sure , cleaning off the sweat from her brow and neck, making herself look at the very least quite presentable for a manual labourer.

The elaborate door creaked open.

“Joy joy!” The pleasantry smile on her face froze immediately at the familiar nasal voice. Her eyes raised, meeting excited ones of one of the girls of the brothel whorehouses that had been extremely excited to curry favours with the favourite disciple of Kim Sooyoung.

What was her name again?

Oh right.

A.

She suppressed a snicker as Sooyoung voice flickered in her memory, the memorable introduction of all the girls in the whorehouses by her mentor echoing in her brain.

“Uhh. Hi!” Choosing to go with a stiff smile, Joy felt her lips spread into a wide but aching smile. The dark haired girl that had risen the ranks quickly and got bought by a famous high ranking official leaned forward eagerly, her s squishing into Joy's face and nearly suffocating her.

“I'm so excited to see you!”

Oh god.

Her voice was already sending a grating and pounding headache in Joy's ears.

“I knew Miss Kim wouldn't have forgotten me! You wait till I tell Marcella!”

“Ah ah wait! I just came to deliver something from Lady Sooyoung to you.” The smile Joy pulled on her own face was one as fake as the one that Sooyoung wore when approaching young enamoured lads as a lady in charge of the whorehouses, but still, well practiced enough to have won over the girl before her. The dark haired girl flushed with extreme pleasure at her words, swinging the doors wide open for her. She bowed, before gesturing hesitantly to her bulky cart.

“Oh! Do help her, Maester.” Joy swept careful and sly eyes over the men that came out to help her jostle her cart into the wide doors of the house.

Did she not see it? That woman?

Her eyes followed the floaty gait and excessive gestures of the dark haired woman before her.

As much as she was the bought lady of this high ranking house, none of the servants were respectful of her.

It was blatant in their eyes.

.

They looked at her with eyes wild like wolves, with eyes that spoke too clearly of the vile thoughts they thought of her.

She won’t be lasting long. Give or take a few days.

Joy quietly stored that observation away in the back of her mind. Sooyoung would appreciate this new development of information. It was a pity of course, to snap and let go of this potential string of information that could flow from this girl in the special high ranking house. Joy exhaled softly and slowly, opening her eyes to the smiling face of the doomed girl.

“Tea?” Surprised by her hospitality, she grabbed the cup offered, and took a gentle but careful sip. A powerful and special fragrance assaulted her nose, and a slow smile crept up Joy’s face.

It looked like her platonic observation of the girl was quite the wrong one.

It seemed that her allegiances had changed.

Then...all the more it would be easier for them to let go of such a useless string.

“Has there been no change recently?” She asked lowly, still putting on a front as she questioned the girl before. The dark haired girl smiled sweetly, confusion mildly put in her eyes as she eyed Joy carefully, the confusion as to why the powerful poison she had placed in the girl’s tea hadn’t worked.

Unfortunately for this scheming , there were far more vicious poisons that she had been subjected to.

All to the courtesy of her ever cheerful friend and Master.

Annoyance twitched in her temples as she remembered the countless food pranks packed full of  poison Sooyoung had pulled on her.

From mild gentle poison to brutal ones.

It had built her body to be vaguely capable of repelling certain poisons less vicious than whatever she had previously taken. It was of course, Sooyoung’s intention to build up poison immunity in her body. Information gathering was perhaps one of the most dangerous kinds of occupations one could ever be in, and hence Sooyoung immediately trained her body to eliminate any plausible poisonous harm that might possibly come to both of them through these...prank-like trainings.

Of course, as soon as Joy had understood the intentions her master had held for her, Sooyoung had immediately stopped the pranks, instead handing her poisons directly to soak in her body as she took her baths.

Perhaps she should think of thanking her mentor when she got back to the brothel.

Yeah.

Joy gently brushed the medicine in her pocket that Sooyoung had given her in ten pieces. They weren’t antidotes to poison, but in the contrary, another..kind of poison that would perhaps cause vicious pain and horror to befall the girl before her. Joy downed the tea in one shot, pushing a slip of paper across to the girl. Her left hand crushed the first piece of the reddish medicine in her hands, letting the powdery substance take to the air while she cracked another pill to dust and used it to moisten her palms.

“Your new orders.” Sooyoung had given her these papers before hand, leaving her to judge if certain people should be eliminated.

“I thought our orders always went around by the word of mouth.” Joy hummed lightly, watching as the brawny men that had helped unload some of the items from her cart come towards them, standing neatly in rows.

“Its confidential, and specific, hence the need to be written down.” She felt the reddish poison start to grab hold of her body. Her head felt heavy and her consciousness slightly blurred.

Not good.

She needed to leave soon.

“Alright.” The dark haired girl conceded.

“Then I shall take my leave.” She stood abruptly, knocking over the porcelain cup that she had drained the tea from. It was a deliberate action Sooyoung had taught her to convince others that they had been poisoned. In spite not knowing the nature of the poison used, most poisons, as Sooyoung had ingrained in her memory both mentally and physically, nearly always begun with certain physical lapses.

That was fine.

She needed to be able to touch one of the men for the poison she was using to take full effect anyway.

“Please open it only after I leave.” The paper had the last ingredient to trigger the poison she had scattered as powder in the air, hence if the girl had opened the letter earlier than she should as soon as she turned her back, Joy would immediately know---she purposely stumbled, her hand grabbing the nearest man to her to support herself. The red smudge of the poison left its mark on the male’s hand, inconspicuous to the reddish sleeves of his clothing.

That was enough.

Her hands fleetingly brushed the clothes of the males she touched with feather light touches, leaving residues of the second poison fragrance wafting up unconsciously to their noses.

“Are you quite alright?” She heard the smug tone in the other girl’s voice.

“Yes.” Joy answered curtly “Just...dizzy.” She slurred her words slightly, grabbing the hand of the next male that had offered a hand to help. She plastered a grateful smile on her face, wiping all traces of the poison fully from her hand on the sleeve she’d grabbed. “Thank you. I’ll be taking my leave now.”

The doors swung open as she stepped gracefully out of the house, quickly swallowing a pill down as soon as the door closed behind her. Joy glanced back contemplatively.

Maybe she should check discreetly if the poison worked.

Maybe.

She grinned quickly to herself, running slightly before jumping and vaulting up the wall quickly, catching the hovering tree branches above and hiding herself between the thick leaves as she waited to observe what would happen.

This first poison was something she had lea