I vomited bile in the corner of the alley after cremating the man’s remains with fire magic. Once my stomach was empty, I cleansed my mouth with water magic.
The Eclipse are one step ahead, I see. I guess that’s to be expected. They wouldn’t just let someone who knows their secrets get away without consequences. They cast a curse to ensure his silence, permanently. The moment he tried to reveal the cult leader’s name, he signed his own death sentence. Catching this cult is not going to be easy…
Still, their method is overkill. I never thought they’d curse their members so that if they spoke out of turn, their heads would literally blow off. This cult must be dealt with.
Hmm? Wait, if that man wasn’t a danger to the concert, then what was that feeling I got? Oh no…!
Panic surged through me as I sprinted back towards the concert, my heart pounding in my chest. That man wasn’t the source of my intuition’s warning. Someone else was. There was someone else!
When I arrived, the scene was deceptively calm. The concert was still in full swing, the music echoing through the night air, and the crowd appeared oblivious, lost in the rhythm and energy. Nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Was my intuition wrong? My skill had never been so unreliable as to give me a false alarm.
Or maybe the threat hadn’t surfaced yet. I scanned the area, my senses on high alert. Every shadow, every unfamiliar face, every movement in the crowd was a potential danger. I couldn’t afford to let my guard down. The real threat was still out there, lurking, waiting for the right moment to strike.
***
Leon’s POV
“I already told you, didn’t I? The cult leader ordered us to carry out many reprehensible acts. That included kidnapping women, and then…sacrificing them in front of the statue of their evil god. I don’t know their ultimate goal, honestly. I only joined for the perks. But looking back, I think I grasp their agenda now. Frankly, I believe they were attempting to awaken that evil god. It’s mere speculation on my part.”
I listened intently to the voice of a man being interrogated, the sound crackling through the smartphone speaker. His words revealed something intriguing and confirmed my suspicions about Sesillian.
I had two theories about why Sesillian didn’t touch Charlotte, despite her practically throwing herself at him. It was bizarre, considering how stunning Charlotte is. She has the face of a model and a body to match—long, elegant legs and a figure that would make any man look twice. Sure, her breasts were average in size, but that was hardly a concern. With her combination of beauty and allure, no man could resist if she made a move. And I was no exception, of course.
That’s why I speculated that perhaps the reason he hadn’t laid a finger on Charlotte was because he couldn’t. My first theory revolves around him being the cult leader of the Eclipse. According to Gabrielle, the Eclipse had a history of kidnapping numerous women, particularly unmarried ones—who, by implication, were likely virgins. None of these women ever returned, leading me to suspect they were sacrificial offerings to appease some malevolent deity or ritual. Virgin sacrifices aren’t uncommon in this world. Just like in my world, such dark practices find their place here. That’s probably why he avoided touching Charlotte—because he needed her to remain chaste.
My second speculation is… well, Sesillian might actually be gay. It’s just a gut feeling I have, but there’s a chance it’s true.
Those are my two speculations.
Hearing this solidified my initial suspicion. Yet, I couldn’t shake off the question of why Sesillian singled out Charlotte. The Eclipse had paused their kidnappings for a stretch, only to resume their operations targeting Charlotte exclusively. According to Gabrielle’s intel, there had been no further sightings of the Eclipse since their botched attempt to abduct her. What made Sesillian so fixated on Charlotte? Was it her uniqueness, or perhaps her royal lineage? I recalled that Charlotte’s late mother was a former princess who perished giving birth to her. Could that be Sesillian’s motive?
It was a pity, however, that Charlotte was no longer a virgin. This detail meant the Eclipse’s scheme had already been foiled by me. Knowing I had outmaneuvered that cult filled me with a deep sense of satisfaction and accomplishment.
After listening for a while, I heard the disturbing sound of a wet plop, as if flesh had burst. It seemed Professor Rose’s captive had been killed before revealing more.
I stopped listening and stretched. Simultaneously, a woman appeared beside me and immediately took a knee. Her name is Krista, a member of the Shadows. Her skill is probably the most overpowered I’ve ever seen: Sensory Manipulation. Just the name hints at its strength, but if you still doubt it, allow me to explain.
Essentially, she has complete control over her senses and those of others. She wielded authority over sight, smell, hearing, touch, taste, balance, and pain, granting her the ability to manipulate them at will. She could heighten sensations to exhilarating levels, diminish them to near non-existence, or entirely erase them temporarily.
In addition, she possessed the formidable capability to shield herself from overwhelming stimuli and induce illusions that could deceive even the keenest minds. She could inflict or alleviate pain at her discretion—able to nullify suffering within herself while intensifying agony in her adversaries.
Her skill was nothing short of overwhelming and extraordinarily versatile.
However, there were limitations to her abilities. She could only affect those within a 50-meter radius centered around herself. Despite this constraint, the power she wielded was undeniable.
All the events orchestrated at Professor Rose’s were orchestrated by me. I was aware that she was an agent of the Administrators assigned to investigate the Eclipse. Gabrielle provided valuable insights into the professors I targeted, aiding in gathering information about their interests and activities.
Discovering her status as an agent wasn’t difficult given Gabrielle’s information gathering. It bordered on stalking, but obtaining her remarkably useful skill necessitated such actions.
With thorough investigations on all concert attendees, we discovered one was a former cult member. I had Krista use her Sensory Manipulation to deceive Professor Rose into believing her Intuition had guided her. Krista then led him to the man, and the rest unfolded seamlessly. It was smoother than I expected.
Now armed with some intel, however minimal, on the cult, I await the right moment to strike and eradicate them from the kingdom. My first step is to neutralize Charlotte completely so she becomes mine.
And then, I’d bring down Sesillian, using Charlotte herself. Just the thought of it nearly made me laugh.
I glanced at Krista and motioned for her to stand up, which she did.
“Good job,” I said.
“For you, Master, I’ll do anything,” she replied.
“Now, shall we move on to the next step?” I suggested.
“Yes, Master,” she said, then vanished from sight. She likely used her skill to completely nullify her presence and slip away. That skill was seriously overpowered.
Now, all I have to do is wait. Soon enough, Rose will be mine.
***
Arianne’s POV
The distant music was filling my ears, creating an eerie soundtrack as I closed the store with my father. The evening shadows lengthened, signaling the end of the day. We were almost done, the last few tasks dragging on, when a strange sensation made me freeze.
I ducked instinctively, my heart pounding, and felt the rush of air as something whizzed just above my head. My pulse raced, adrenaline surging through my veins. I turned back and saw them— figures silhouetted against the darkening sky, perched on the rooftop like predatory birds. Their eyes gleamed with intent, and in their hands, they held firearms, glinting ominously under the dim streetlights.
“We’re the Royal Knights, and we’ve received intel that you two are tied to the rebel group Silver Blades! Anyone colluding with insurgents is labeled a traitor to the kingdom, and that’s high treason punishable by death! So, whether you surrender or not, you’re facing execution! I suggest you surrender to make it easier on yourselves!”
The Royal Knights had somehow caught wind of this? How? I was certain no one could have possibly known we were associated with the Silver Blades.
“We’re not involved with that damn rebel group! What the hell are you talking about?!”
“Quit bullshitting! We’ve got solid intel that you’re one of them! Want us to shove the evidence in your face?!”
Fuck! Did someone betray us? But who? No, dwelling on that was pointless. There was a traitor among us. I had braced myself for this moment, knowing we might be exposed sooner or later…
As I contemplated this, my eyes fell upon my father. He lay slumped over, eyes wide with shock, blood oozing from a gaping wound in his forehead. Yes, blood dripped steadily from that hole in his forehead. His eyes were devoid of life. He was dead.
