Vol. 3 CH. 5 - Fixing the cracks

 

PART #1

 

There was an emergency situation needed to be remedied. An insurrection might come to the capital city. Because of the criminal acts of the Hero and his party, as well as the nobles supporting them, the citizens of the country were uprising.

 

Thankfully, Gaius was trying his best to work hard in suppressing the angry mobs until now. However, because Gaius and his men have reached their limits, there was hardly enough they can do alone.

 

Right now, there were a lot of things needed to be repaired. Things that are needed to fix immediately in order to prevent the situation from escalating.

 

That was both the shortage of food everywhere and providing sufficient payment for the remaining soldiers within the castle.

 

Because half of the total number of troops in Travestin were taken by Taiga, there was a shortage of hands.

 

Not only that, the citizens outside the castle were dissatisfied with their current situation. Even though goods were circulating, the increase in price were causing the impoverished to be unable to buy their necessary goods.

 

Not only that, the money inside the treasury weren't enough to quell the grumbling bellies of every citizen in Travestin.

 

Moving to the meeting room, Queen Isabella was assigning orders to everyone. However, it was impossible for the situation to ease up immediately.

 

"There are so many problems that is needed to be addressed but we have so few hands to deal with them"

 

Currently, the Queen, King Verdik, Lucinda and her maid and guards as well as Gaius and a some Margrave, Counts and Barons were inside the meeting room.

 

But with so little numbers, it was impossible to handle everything at the same time.

 

A map was laid out on top of a long table where everyone was seated.

 

On the map, there were small blocks of wood on specific parts of the map. Strictly speaking, the areas that were damaged by either monsters or bandits.

 

"Zeios-sama, will you be able to speak with the citizens that were affected by the nobles and hero's wrong doing?"

 

"I'll be able to set out immediately but I won't be able to come back for sometime"

 

"It can't be help, please use whatever means of transportation you have"

 

"Understood.. But what of the mission of reclaiming lands?"

 

"As for that, I want the nobles present here to provide rewards for the Adventurers we will hire. I shall get in contact with the Dukedom on the south to help us"

 

"But will that be enough?"

 

"I.... don't know"

 

Currently, acting fast was needed. While there are dissatisfied citizens, it was necessary to fix the current shortage of food. Everyone can just eat monster meat as temporary means so there won't be any problem if they hired Adventurers for the tasks.

 

The only problem was that, the treasury wasn't enough yet. They could keep on contacting other countries but to avoid the insurrection, they need to act immediately.

 

The concerns were speed, money and numbers. The Dukedom was on the south, which was being ruled by Duke Alberto Corneo Arkwright. The Queen could send am envoy there to request for help but it was doubtful the envoy would even reached the border since the southern areas were riddled with bandit dens.

 

It would only get the envoy killed just by sending him unguarded.

 

"Honestly, even if we forced ourselves, it will just put the city in danger. As you've said, there are still monsters outside the city"

 

City was surrounded by villages and towns but if they send the remaining troops outside, it would leave the castle undefended.

 

Gaius was the only Knight Captain available as the rest were together with Taiga at the moment. He already has his hands full with the citizens that were hurt by Taiga and the nobles so it would be asking too much if the Queen were to have him cover more grounds.

 

"Verdik, has any of our request for aid in the neighboring countries been granted yet?"

 

"Unfortunately, they have been keeping quiet. It seems that they are planning to leave us alone as everyone else have their own heroes"

 

"Haaah... selfish fools"

 

Queen Isabella could only sigh at the ungrateful allies that merely asked for help couldn't do the same.

 

"What about the other heroes?"

 

"Sadly, they don't want to get involved"

 

It seems that some of the heroes replied immediately but were not planning to help at all. Even the nobles present were having hopeless faces.

 

"Uh.... can we not... ask for Ambrosia for help?"

 

"Yeah, those Black Knights in the palace.... I'm sure they can help right?"

 

A Margrave glanced at Niya who was silently standing next to the wall with Rea and Lea. The others followed suit but Niya merely kept her eyes shut and stayed silent.

 

Queen Isabella glanced at Niya as well. Lucinda meeting her mother's gaze, turned around and faces Niya.

 

"Niya, will Kuro-sama and others help us?"

 

"Unfortunately, I have no say on the matter your Highness. However, if you so wish it, I shall try and ask them if they would give their aid"

 

Opening her eyes, Niya looked around as saw expectant eyes gazing at her. That made feel annoyed since she has also experienced getting treated horribly by the humans in her hometown.

 

Rea and Lea didn't react this time. Since their main job was guarding Lucinda, even if anyone in the room asked them to, they won't move without Lucinda.

 

"Fortunately, we have Mikoto-sama on our right now. We can still have some leeway with her around but, she temporarily returned to Mordred, correct?"

 

Mikoto returned to Mordred to visit Arianne. That was to ask if Ambrosia were to be willing to help. Earlier, she was visiting old acquaintances but when she heard the situation, she rushed to Ambrosia. Kuro and Nero, doesn't know about it and were clueless that Mikoto used the [Gate] artifact inside the ship.

 

Queen Isabella was waiting for a reply from Niya but the lioness sighed and uttered 'I shall contact the Commander for now then.....' then took out a small rectangular box, big enough to be hold with one hand. Niya then pull out the end of the rectangular object. A mouthpiece, similar to a mic, with a cord connected to the main component stretched up until the corner of Niya's mouth.

 

"Please connect me to High Commander, Kuro-sama"

 

Niya contacted the bridge which then immediately switched the other line to Kuro's communicator.

 

"Kuro-sama, Queen Isabella-sama is asking if the unit you have brought along on this trip will lend a hand......Yes....Yes..... Understood...."

 

While nodding to the replies, Niya had her eyes set only at Queen Isabella. Since the person asking was the Queen of an allied country, it would be disrespectful to not answer her wishes.

 

Then, once the call ended, Niya returned her communicator back to her pocket.

 

 

"They will negotiate. I was told to tell everyone 'I will be going there so please wait for a moment' by Kuro-sama"

 

It seems that Kuro would at least here out Queen Isabella's request.

 

Lucinda smiled and thanked Niya for her help.

 

"Thank you Niya. I know I am asking for too much now"

 

"It is no matter. I am merely doing my job as your maid"

 

Niya loosened her cheeks as she lowered her head to Lucinda. Because Niya was chosen to take care of Lucinda since she came to Ambrosia a month ago,  they had gotten close enough for Niya to accept requests from Lucinda.

 

However, because Niya just pulled out an amazing device, all eyes were still on her.

 

"N-Niya-dono.... may I ask, what might be that item you just used?"

 

Gaius nervously inquired about the communicator that Niya just used. Of course, this was an obvious reaction. Since never in the history of this world has there even been a magic item that could let you speak with a person from a long distance.

 

Lucinda knows about the one used back when they contacted Kyoushiro when he went missing. King Verdik has an idea of what it was but decided to stay quiet.

 

Niya tilted her head but she immediately understood what Gaius was asking.

 

"That was a magic artifact newly designed and developed by Kagami-sama. It was called [Comms Link] but initially, his Majesty kept calling it [Phone]"

 

"No.... I wasn't talking about it's name but...."

 

"If it's usage, the one I used was based on the magic earrings and ring that Lucinda-sama currently uses in order to get in contact with Kagami-sama. However, as those magic artifacts have limited range due to relying on one's magic power to connect to the other side, Kagami-sama designed a new one in order to fix that problem"

 

"So you are saying you can use that to contact someone even in a far location?"

 

"No, so long as the transmission has a relay point, in our case, Mordred, it can be done"

 

[Comms Link] were newly developed by Kyoushiro after he got back. While everyone was resting and having fun in Ambrosia, he was busy making new artifacts instead of resting. Furthermore, he let the development teams mass produce the [Comms Link] while he added new functions to his ships. Though still, it still needed some signal towers or some transmission points to connect to a specific person.

 

Hearing such almighty device, everyone besides those knows about it, wear stiff faces.

 

*Knock-Knock*

 

"Excuse me, it seems that Kuro-sama has arrived"

 

With the knock and a familiar scent came behind the door, Niya walked to the door and let Kuro, who have just arrived inside.....

 

 

 

———

 

 

There were individual cells in the dungeon below the castle. There were three floors made for the sake of harbor criminals that have done heinous acts.

 

The first floors were for the ones with light crimes. The Second one were for moderate and moderate life imprisonment and the third one was fr those with severe crimes waiting for death penalty.

 

Depending where you were placed, the mental burden you received during your stay here is severe.

 

In this kind of place, the deeper you go, the less light you see.

 

"Shit! Why did this happened to me!?"

 

The Royal Adviser, Welmner, who was thrown in the dungeons along with the other nobles that turned a blind eye to the evil deeds of Taiga and his party as well as those who joined in those acts, held his head with his arms as he cursed the current state he was in.

 

He didn't think that he would end up in this kind of place. It was truly below that someone like him were to end in.

 

Moreover, in this lonesome cell of his, was the same place he watched Kyoushiro beaten up by the guards.

 

"Damn it! Damn it all!!!"

 

Welmner had been born a proud family line of Marquises. He had grown up in a good family and was treated as a genius in his early years as a child. Great mind and wisdom, good scores in academics within the Magic Academy and most of all, he earned lots of praise after his service as high rank official in the Kingdom's proud Knight Order.

 

He was trusted as Royal Adviser by two generations after his predecessor. During the reign of the late Queen, It was Welmner that had helped her control the country during troubled times.

 

However, now he had hit rock bottom because of his own mistakes.

 

"Shit! Damn it! That idiot girl still hadn't realized it! It was thanks to me that there have been no wars around her and her family, if I did not follow her mother's instructions she wouldn't be in her position!!"

 

Welmner gnashed his teeth in anger. The real truth behind Queen Isabella's rule was due to Welmner's aid. That he had taken care of the people who were against in her taking the throne.

 

"Velázquez Aldus Ernst. The Elder brother of Queen Isabella Quintus Travestin.

 

After changing his surname right after he was adopted to the Ernst Family, which was under the previous Queen's cousin's control, Velázquez became the minister of audit.

 

Welmner had known who wished for the throne more than anyone between the siblings. But because the kingdom was a matrilineal country, only the princesses can become the rulers.

 

Velázquez ended up becoming Queen Isabella's mere Minister of Audit. However, it wasn't supposed to be like this. The rule would have been changed if Welmner had not done as the previous Queen instructed. That was to kill everyone who were plotting against Queen Isabella's enthronement at the time.

 

Then as ordered, Welmner used everything in his possession to fulfill the orders he was given.

 

"That woman..... I'll make sure she will pay for this.... For making me a fool in front of everyone!!"

 

The ungrateful brat who merely knew how to gain other people's affection; she would would pay dearly for this horrible treatment.

 

"I might say, you look good behind bars, Welmner"

 

"Who....?!"

 

Welmner recognized that voice immediately. Although he came in so suddenly, it somehow didn't feel abnormal for that man to appear before him. In this barely lit place, at the very end of the second floor of the dungeon, that man appeared before him.

 

The moment the light of torches brushed at the man's face, Welmner's hostility increased.

 

""You planned this, didn't you?!"

 

"How absurd. You know very well those claims were nothing but the truth. It was your own doing that you ended up in this kind of place"

 

"You....wretched.....!!!"

 

Welmner glared at the man. The rage making his grip in his hand sink his nails into his palms made blood dripped out from the corner of his hands.

 

"Velázquez, you bastard.... You knew this was coming didn't you?!"

 

"Obviously, anyone would predicted this outcome. It's just, you guys didn't stop and think what will happen if you overstepped your boundaries"

 

"It was for the good of the country!!"

 

*Bam!!* Welmner rushed to the cell bars and slammed onto it. Watching the old man showing a face in anger, despair and frustration, Velázquez smiled.

 

To see the man that destroyed his life, Velázquez couldn't be more happier than this.

 

But it was still wasn't enough.

 

"Kuku..... That face of yours is still as ugly as before, quite pitiful isn't it?"

 

"Shut up! Just why have you come here?! To kill me?! For destroying your life.... for crushing your plot against the crown?!"

 

"........"

 

"Why have you gone silent?! Say something!!?"

 

Velázquez stayed quiet. He watched as Welmner exhaust himself from shouting at the top of his lungs. He might be trying to get the other nobles to witness this conversation of theirs but Velázquez have already done his preparation.

 

"You wouldn't understand Welmner. You have grown too old for your position as the Royal Adviser"

 

"What was that?!"

 

"You have grown senile. Mother would be very disappointed if she were to see this"

 

"Ngh..... you...!!!"

 

Welmner held deep respect and admiration towards the late Queen.Because it wasn't because she was sites by the last King of Travestin but because she was rewarded for her own talents, accomplishments and beliefs.

 

Welmner had grew up watching that woman stride through numerous corpses of monsters and enemies alike while wearing a dignified aura around her.

 

That late Queen whom had allowed Welmner to be the Royal Adviser.... hearing her own son speak like that made Welmner groan in speechlessness.

 

"Mother was a great leader, sadly she didn't have an eye for her men"

 

Velázquez father was executed for embezzlement, harboring prostitutes inside the castle and making secret plans to take the throne.

 

Velázquez's own father was a Knight that swore to protect his mother. Sadly, that man was only thinking of himself and got himself killed.

 

"It's pitiful that those who is associated with the Queen in this country always ended up dying"

 

"Just get to the point! What are you doing here?! Where you not staying Mist Lake?! How come you are here in the capital!!?"

 

"Why do I need to answer that?"

 

"Tsk! Then why are you here?!"

 

It was odd that Velázquez would leave his own region. Often, he would refuse to join the meetings of the Court of Nobles because he couldn't stand staying the same castle as his little sister, but he never did stepped out of Mist Lake out of his own accord.

 

Something was not right, Welmner had a strange feeling that Velázquez was up to something.

 

"Don't tell me, you are here..... to kill that ungrateful Queen?"

 

"No, of course not. There's no way I could ever hurt my sister"

 

"Then why?!"

 

*Fwup* The torch flame flickered as the magic power within the area got disturbed. As the light grew for a moment, a wide grin entered Welmner's eyes.....

 

"Welmner...No, Royal Adviser-sama"

 

".........."

 

Suddenly, Welmner felt chills run down his back. It was an unpleasant feeling he got after Velázquez called him using his position. It was creepy, like hundreds of small critters were crawling under his clothes.

 

That itchy feeling, only got worse as Velázquez walked closer to the bars of the cell.

 

"What I am after is not the crown.... I don't need such thing after all. My niece could have it all to herself if she wants to"

 

".........."

 

"I don't also need to get rid of my sister. You know how much I loved that sweet, sweet girl right?"

 

*Gulped* Welmner unconsciously swallowed his breath in terror. Because within those deep blue eyes, there was something disgusting wriggling about....

 

"What I want......"

 

Velázquez inches closer, his voice slowly turned into a horrid cold whisper. One like that of an evil spirit trying to pull you in close to your death....

 

"The child inside my niece's belly......."

 

 

 

PART #2

 

The carriage rattled as it passes through a rough road. The quite plains where small monsters can be seen hopping and running around, were quite a view inside the moving carriage.

 

"Shizuka-sama, do you know about the story of the True faced Goddess?"

 

"What brought up that question all of a sudden?"

 

Inomiri-sensei, Prince Roderick and the Court mage Albert Myunella Rafon, were currently riding a carriage heading back to Travestin. The trip would last three days by carriage then they would ride a passenger ship through the large River heading down to the northwestern border of Travestin. It would last 8 days just by using carriage till Arkos city then 3 days towards Mist Lake via passenger ship. Then once they were inside the border of Travestin, they still need about three months till they reach the capital.

 

Right now, they were riding down the long path home from Seifield Holy Empire.

 

"I suddenly recall it since I read it once in a scripture inside the Grand Church"

 

"That still was a weird question though....."

 

Inomiri-sensei wished to learn about the medicine that was used to cure Queen Isabella's weird illness. In order to research suxh amazing medicine and distribute it to everyone in the world, Inomiri-sensei decided to return to Travestin with Prince Roderick.

 

Still though, the sudden question about some story about a true face goddess got Inomiri-sensei taken aback. She didn't expected such small talk during this trip.

 

"Ah, I also know about it. It was from an old scripture dug up in some ruins long ago right? Didn't they say it was just an old story made in the ancient times?"

 

Next to Prince Roderick was Court Mage Albert. He joined up with Inomiri-sensei, thinking that he would be able to steal her heart once Gaius was gone.

 

If they were together, Albert knew himself that Gaius would just be an annoying hindrance to make Inomiri-sensei fall for him.

 

"Yes... As expected of Rafon-dono"

 

"So? What's this about a goddess?"

 

*Ahem!* Albert cleared his throat as he took it upon himself to tell the story that Prince Roderick mentioned.

 

"In the story, it was said that there was only one goddess that gave birth to this world......"

 

At the time of beginning, where stars were didn't exist and only vast emptiness filled the whole sky, there was a single goddess that was born.

 

The goddess, which was depicted as a small girl with extremely long hair that each strand connected each stars, created the stars we see in the sky as well as the world we live in.

 

The warm sun brightly shining in the day and the moon sleeping in the night. The stars that twinkle in the sky at night, the vast blue oceans and seas, the green grass and trees, the high mountains of snow, the great valleys, hills the sharp mountain range, the animals and even the humans. She created everything we see.

 

However, the goddess grew sad as her creations weren't enough. She was still alone in that dark sky. She had no one to be with, to play with, to watch her creations with.

 

The goddess was alone.....

 

So her loneliness grew and her desire for company made her create another goddess with her own image.

 

"It was said that the Demon God was the True faced Goddess's first creation of a god. But another theory was said that it was a Seifield, the God of Life, was the one that the True faced goddess that created and not the Demon God"

 

"But, aren't there many gods and goddess in this world? Who's to say that those ones were the first god the True faced goddess ever created?"

 

As a Scholar, Inormiri-sensei had skills pertaining knowledge of all kindsm Things like history could be easily be understood with a single use of a skill and a guidance like effect would lead her to realized the true history about an object or someone.

 

Her class might be an Arch Mage but her on will as teacher hasn't dwindled yet. In fact, her class allowed her to study easier compared to before.

 

Anyways, the gods and goddesses in thus world were numerous. Enough to make the whole place chaotic even. That's why, it was hard to deduced which was the first god that the True faced goddess made.

 

Moreover, the question was not about which god that the True faced goddess made but rather, who she really was.

 

"There were many assumptions made so the research in that old story didn't continued. Since no one even believed that there was a True faced goddess"

 

Albert adjusted his glasses with his fingers. As one of the most knowledgeable among the three of them, even he had once gotten interested in such story. However, having no basis whatsoever, the scripture didn't gained any favor in the mage community nor within the practices of religious groups. It was just one of those things discovered in ancient tombs or ruins and were just labelled as relics of the past.

 

"Still though, did the scripture said anything about how the goddess looked like?"

 

"Unfortunately, aside from her extremely long hair, no one knows what the True faced goddess looks like"

 

"Which is why it was considered as mere fantasy written by someone in the past"

 

There were many things that happened long before civilization came. It was hard to say whether or not the story was real however, it had one touch of truth which made others stored it for many generations and ended up being research on today.

 

"There was a single paragraph there that said the forthcoming of a child bearing the face of the True faced goddess. She would be born half of what a child would grow inside a womb... uh.... I think there was about a hero's blood mixing in it?"

 

Prince Roderick was making an uncertain face as the more he tried to recall what he read, the more hard it was to remember. Probably because it wasn't an important knowledge that even his brain didn't recognized it as necessary information.

 

In any case, it was uncertain whether the story was true or not.

 

"That is.... there is no way a child would be born just half of it's nine months inside a womb. That's just impossible right?"

 

"Well, there are certain races that has that kind of trait. Though, they aren't really human in the least"

 

The egg laying race. Rather, there were more of a lizardmen kind of species and wasn't even human. No, they were more of a monster to begin with. Of course, there's also the Arachne race in the first Demon Lord's territory but there were still bunch of others that were yet to be recorded.

 

Inomiri-sensei did read a lot of books in the Magic Academy but probably because of the fights within the 13 Demon Lords, there were a lot of books and old scriptures were lost when other kingdoms and cities fell.

 

The current information weren't limited but they aren't reliable as well.

 

"I kind of wish I learned a useful skill like «Teleportation» or «Portal» to reach Travestin quickly. It's uncomfortable riding a carriage all day....."

 

Inomiri-sensei sighed as she abandoned thinking about the true face goddess that Prince Roderick brought up. Since it was just an old story probably made up in the past, Inomiri-sensei didn't think too much about it.

 

In the end, when she mentioned she felt uncomfortable inside the carriage, the two guys glanced at one another and took each of Inomiri-sensei's hand and offered to rest for a while.

 

This was her everyday routine that felt old already. It was tiring dealing with the advances of the two guys who were very interested in her only because she was a hero. Though as a woman, she was happy that good looking men were trying to get her attention but well.....

 

Even someone with experience like Inomiri-sensei can easily see that there's an ulterior motive behind their advances.

 

Well, she might be wrong about that.....

 

"Haaaaaah......"

 

In the end, the everyday squabble between Albert and Prince Roderick didn't really gave much of a bother to Inomiri-sensei say now compared to before. Right now, she just looked outside with a bored look on her face.

 

'I wonder what's everyone doing right now....' Those were the only thoughts running in her mind right now.

 

 

 

———

 

 

 

Barth, a lowly member of the cult of the Soul Eaters didn't understand why they needed to curse Queen Isabella for a long time. Although their employer wanted something different than the throne, he still ordered Barth and his small group to placed a curse upon Queen Isabella.

 

"What I want..... is the child inside my niece's belly"

 

Those were the words he heard from the man that hired him.

 

"What....? What are you saying?"

 

"Simple, that child inside Lucinda. I want it"

 

It was kind of stupid. In fact, why would you go from placing a curse on your sister to wanting the baby inside your niece? Moreover, the child wasn't even six months old yet. It was kind of stupid since Velázquez still had to way a few months more before the child was born.

 

Barth was watching his employer with dead, pitying eyes.....

 

—I wonder I ended up working for this guy?—

 

Barth and the cult of Soul Eaters were just a bunch of people that didn't want to die. Since worshipping the god of death itself would remove them from the Grim reaper's list of souls to collect, there was no need to go ahead and work under a lunatic.

 

There was already a bunch of them inside the cult. Most of them were whackjobs of a necromancer that failed to find a job in society because of their classes.

 

Barth was a [Corpse collector] so naturally, he chose to join the cult of Soul Eaters because it was convenient. He gets paid and has more free time than work. It was a job where just sleeping would let you earn tons of money just for worshipping a Demon Lord.

 

But learning where those money came from just made Barth feel like he has to work for he has earned. Even with luxury, Barth was worried that it might disappear someday if he didn't work for it.

 

—But I guess I wasn't smart enough to pick a guy with a sane mind—

 

Barth was still watching his employer talking with one of the criminals inside the cells. Though the torches here were lit up, the illumination wasn't so great as the insides of each cell were pitch black.

 

How come Velázquez knew who was inside the cell when they came down in the dungeon of the castle? It was easy since there was an emergency going on upstairs, but usually there would be guards stationed in the dungeon underground.

 

However, there weren't anyone guarding the exit.

 

"Welmner-dono, do you know about the story of the True Face goddess?"

 

"Huh?"

 

Suddenly, Velázquez asked such question to Welmner. Barth didn't feel interested. He was thinking that it wasn't important so they need to hurry up. 'What kind of villain would tell about a piece of their plan to someone just like that?' Barth was seeing Velázquez as someone stupid.

 

"The child born between a hero and a person of this world, would give birth to child that has the face of a goddess"

 

"......."

 

"And those who takes it life would be able to become gods themselves"

 

It was stupid but Barth was listening to such ludicrous of a story. Was he planning to murder his own niece and take out the child inside her womb? Moreover, how dies he even know that the child was the one he was looking for?

 

"Are you...... high?"

 

Welmner couldn't help but think that Velázquez was in some kind of influence of drugs. There are some in circulation inside the blackmarket but it wasn't impossible to buy them outside the market.

 

Even Velázquez's story was so hard to believed that it somehow felt like it was made up.

 

"Of course not, I'm still sane"

 

—The more I watch this, the more my head hurts—

 

Barth too was in the same line of thought as Welmner. There so many things to retort about Velázquez's story that even a commoner with no prior education could point them out.

 

The delusional man then continued.

 

"Hahaha, it might be hard to believe but..... it is true"

 

"Then where's your proof? That child might be just a monster instead. Don't you know it's father is a Demon Spawn?"

 

"........"

 

Velázquez grinned. It was unsure whether he was bluffing or he did have proof that it was princess Lucinda's child that was the True faced goddess. Both Welmner and Barth waited for Velázquez to say something.

 

However, he merely turned around.....

 

"You will know when the time comes. For the meantime, I'll have you watch the chaos unfold when your prided hero returns to the capital. I hope you will enjoy your time here until then"

 

"!? You.....!!"

 

Velázquez nodded at Barth. That was the sign that it was time to leave. Barth immediately walked to Velázquez side but he slightly turned his gaze at Welmner's cell.

 

Either it was coincidence or he was just unfortunate, but the moment he glanced at that pitch black cell, a pair of glowing blue orbs of light flickered.

 

Barth shook his head. It was probably some kind of insect. Barth convinced himself so then hurried to his employer's side and light the way.

 

As soon as Barth had reached the exit, he turned his over his shoulders and thought 'I hope I don't need to go back here.....' as he felt chills all over his body.

 

"In one week, I'll have you and your men gather something"

 

"What.... might be it, my lord?"

 

"You'll know after one week. For now, return to your hideout until I call you again. For the meantime, try and place another curse on that sister of mine"

 

"Understood. It'll be the same curse again?"

 

"Yes....."

 

Barth still didn't understand what was the purpose of cursing his own sister. Since his objective was different, shouldn't he be focusing on that more? Barth, still confused, stayed quiet. But Velázquez stopped walking and turned his face over his shoulder.

 

In that instant, reflected by afternoon light outside, was a smile that felt repulsive to Barth. Because Velázquez's eyes were staring coldly at him....

 

"I don't want.... my beloved little sister be harmed by what's about to come after all"

 

"........"

 

Just like a madman driven by only his desires, Velázquez walked onwards with his footsteps eerily echoing in the empty halls.

 

Barth, who has his body frozen stiff in fear, was left alone in that empty hallway. His cold sweat, sliding down his cheek.