A knight rushed toward Fafner, who was seated in his room. The dim light cast a soft glow on his face as he worked—holding a piece of paper on which he was writing something.
A knock interrupted his thoughts.
Fafner sighed. "Come in."
"Your Majesty, it's urgent—the man… the man is free!"
"What are you trying to say? Speak clearly!" Fafner snapped.
"Majesty… the man we arrested has broken out of the prison."
Fafner clenched his fists in frustration. "You couldn't even hold a single man? What were you all doing? And what about the Trident leader of the golems?"
The knight lowered his head. "Majesty… he has fallen. The Trident leader is dead."
"What about the divine chains? How could they be shattered?" Fafner demanded.
"Majesty… we don't know."
"Ugh. Get out of my sight."
With that, the knight left.
Fafner returned to the table. "I knew that bastard was a threat, but not this much…"
From the ground floor—
Thud.
"Now what happened? My head is already full of problems."
At the main door, a man staggered in. On the sofa, Ember and Luck were sitting—they stood immediately.
"Who is it?" Ember asked Luck.
The man's clothes were torn, covered in soil. He looked like a beggar.
But it was clear—it was Lars, crawling toward them at the door.
Luck rushed forward.
"What happened, Lars? What happened?!"
Lars muttered, "Someone… something… I have to go. To King Leon. I have to go to General Viscal. I have to tell them…"
Luck said, "Why? What's the hurry? What happened?"
Ember stepped forward. "Could you calm down, Knight?"
"I can't calm down!" Luck shouted. "Lars, give us answers!"
"Tell us what happened!"
"I can't tell…"
From the stairs, Fafner arrived. "What's going on, Ember? Luck?"
Luck shouted, "Uncle! He's confused—Sir Lars isn't in his right mind!"
Fafner stepped in. "Let me check him."
He held Lars's hand and used a healing spell.
"Now tell me, what happened, Lars?"
"King Fafner, I have to go to my kingdom—please let me go. It's very important for King Leon."
"Could you at least tell me what this is about?"
Lars shook his head. "I can't, King Fafner. It's something I can only tell King Leon."
Fafner nodded. "Don't worry, Lars. He's coming here anyway. You don't have to go in a hurry. I've already sent him a letter asking for his help."
Lars sighed in relief. "Thank you, King Fafner."
Fafner nodded. "Don't worry."
With that, Lars calmed down.
In the shadow of a street alley, a dark silhouette stretched across the face of a man and a woman—Alex and Freya.
"We're finally here, Master," Freya said.
"Yes, we are," Alex replied.
"Now… where will you head, Freya? You're free."
"I don't know, Master…" Freya said.
Alex sighed.
"Do you want to help me? Want to repay the favor? If so… you can stick with me for the time being."
Alex thought: Orochi would come back here. I'm predicting that.
Because she is the key to my plan. I will take over everything… haha…
My plan will be the first step toward the path I've conjured in this life.
Suddenly—wuff—Orochi appeared at Alex's neck in her snake form.
She whispered, "I'm back, Master."
"Oh, you've returned, Orochi."
Orochi asked, her mouth red with a tinge of jealousy and anger,
"Why is she sticking with you, Master?"
"Because I want her to stick with me. Got anything to say now?" Alex replied.
"No, Master… but still…"
"Don't worry, Orochi. She's a good girl. Aren't you, Freya?"
Freya nodded. "Thank you, Master. I don't know much… but if you say I am…"
Orochi stuck out her tongue. "Psss… I'll eat her."
Alex sighed. "Orochi, please don't."
"I have one thing to say to both of you. First—Orochi, you'll stick with Freya."
"Second—Freya, you probably don't know the head of the man who rules this city, do you?"
Freya shook her head. "How could I know?"
"Yeah, yeah… So first, Orochi—you'll stick with her and help push this plan toward victory."
"Now listen carefully…"