Reborn As Papa Silva

Chapter 98 - Undercurrents

The world has enough for everyone's needs, but not nearly enough to satisfy everyone's greed. - Gandhi

—

The Clover Kingdom, the continent, the world—everyone was abuzz with news. Battles of this scale couldn't go unnoticed, not when Clover had settlements on the border with Heart and Diamond.

Something like this couldn't be hidden, nor did anyone in Clover have a reason to hide it.

So the world—especially the Clover Kingdom—was shaken.

Five hundred years ago, an ancient demon had threatened not just the Clover Kingdom, but the entire world. The man who would become immortalized as the First Wizard King, the savior of the world, was said to have given up his life in a heroic sacrifice to slay the demon.

That was why anything tied to the First Wizard King's legacy held immense spiritual significance to the people of Clover.

And now, the news that not one but two similar ancient demons had appeared on the same day, threatening to wipe out Heart and Diamond, sent shockwaves through the land.

One of them had been slain by the king of a nation long dismissed as insignificant—Edelstein. The people of Clover had mixed feelings about that.

Displeasure, because Edelstein's supposed casual victory felt like a mockery of Lemiel's sacrifice. All of a sudden, Lemiel's legendary feat didn't seem so impressive to many.

Panic, because the upper echelons of Clover had just been made painfully aware that Diamond actually possessed such a powerhouse.

But those negative feelings were overshadowed by the victory they could claim.

Conrad's feat—equally, if not even more, impressive—of slaying another ancient demon and securing a true treaty with a kingdom that had remained neutral for twelve hundred years filled Clover with both joyous and smug pride.

If Conrad had been beloved before, now he was paraded as a legend.

If the children of Clover had once dreamt of becoming Wizard King to follow in Lemiel's footsteps, now many wanted to be just like Conrad Leto.

Even the aristocracy and nobility—who often bristled at Conrad's progressive policies, masking their displeasure behind strained, patronizing smiles—began to warm up to him.

In this world, magic was everything. But in Clover? Magic and heritage were everything.

Conrad had been born with a thief-like magic, an outcast among nobles since childhood. An outed bastard in all but name. To the elitists, he was nothing more than a glorified commoner—never one of them, especially because his interests always aligned with the lower-born.

But now?

Now, he had secured a full alliance with the most resource-rich land in the world. He had put Heart in his debt, in Clover's debt.

And as such those same elitists, who once dismissed him as an eyesore, suddenly saw a future of swimming in gold.

And just like that, they found themselves really liking Conrad.

Not that it was his intention. Nor was he aware of it.

Even if he was aware, he wouldn't care. He had more pressing matters to deal with.

His day was just getting started, after all.

It was barely the afternoon.

—

As soon as Conrad returned from Heart and made an official announcement to the kingdom about what had happened that morning, he barely spared a glance at the sudden parades and festivities held in his name.

He walked straight past the opportunistic nobles vying for a place in his inner circles, each hoping it would secure them a bigger piece of the pie that was Heart.

Conrad held back a scoff. He wasn't seeking to annex Heart, bleed them dry, or encroach on their sovereignty.

So he wordlessly distanced himself from the delusions of those carnivorous wolves—greedy, insatiable, always hungry for more.

The only one he acknowledged was Augustus, who kept showering him with exaggerated praise as if they were the closest of friends. Conrad endured it with very polite (and very strained) courtesy.

Only after Augustus had sung his praises for the fifth time was Conrad finally free to leave and return to his base.

The moment he arrived, he wasted no time summoning the Magic Knight captains and the royal patriarchs for a low-profile, classified meeting.

Under normal circumstances, such a meeting should have included the king as a central figure, likely held in the throne room. But Augustus wasn't exactly known for his discretion, so he was left out.

Well, it wasn't really exclusion if he was never made aware of the meeting to begin with. Right?

Truthfully, national security—both within Clover and beyond—fell under the jurisdiction of the Magic Knights and the Guard Mages.

The Magical Parliament, the aristocracy, and the throne only involved themselves when high political matters came into play or when a show of courtesy was required from the Wizard King.

Conrad was fully within his rights to exclude not only Augustus but also Sebastian and Damnatio if he pleased.

But given their recent support for him, their additional roles as royal advisor and chairman of the Magical Parliament—on top of being royal lords—and their professional conduct, Conrad decided it was best to request their presence.

And so, by noon, the 27th Wizard King, Conrad Leto, the six Magic Knight captains, the royal advisor, and the chairman of the Magic Parliament all found themselves gathered in the same room.

—

Magic Knight Headquarters – Meeting Room

"I know it's a bit late, but congratulations on your recovery, Acier." A gentle, feminine, casual voice rang out, laced with laughter.

"Yeah, congratulations on your return to health, Lady Acier." A more measured, composed voice followed without missing a beat—graceful yet firm.

Seated near the opposite end of the table, Acier turned to the left, a bright smile forming as she met the eyes of the first speaker. A short, orange-haired woman with striking green eyes, clad in a pristine white robe with a snake emblem on the upper left and a red locket tucked beneath it.

"Thank you, Lovilia, and congratulations on your pregnancy."

Lovilia's smile widened as a faint blush dusted her cheeks. She exchanged a flustered glance with Conrad, who sat at the head of the table.

Lovilia Leto—the wife of Conrad Leto and the current captain of the White Serpent. Though her pregnancy had kept her from field missions, she remained the acting captain until a suitable successor was found.

No one in her squad was ready yet. Her vice-captain wasn't even a Grand Magic Knight.

For now, she had shifted to a purely administrative role—assigning missions, distributing wages and rewards, managing paperwork. Whether she would reclaim her mantle after giving birth or retire fully to focus on raising her child was a decision left to her and her husband.

Acier's gaze then shifted to the younger woman sitting between her and Lovilia.

Tall, early to mid-twenties, with long blonde hair tied into a bun and steady hazel eyes. A long blue cape draped over her shoulders, adorned with the emblem of a rose.

"Thank you, Ellenor. That's very sweet of you."

Ellenor Grappo nodded curtly, her expression cool and impassive—if not for the faint rosy blush creeping onto her cheeks.

She was the current captain of the Blue Rose, younger sister of the last true captain who had perished in the war against Diamond nearly two decades ago.

Dax, her sister's successor, had fallen in the final battle, never officially acknowledged as a Magic Knight captain. And Lily, who had taken over afterwards until she was ready, had only ever served as an interim leader, refusing the captain's title despite repeated pleas.

Because of Acier's history and friendship with Lily, she and Ellenor were well acquainted, though the younger woman always seemed determined to act indifferent to any display of affection and familiarity—for whatever reason.

While Acier remained fixated on teasing Ellenor, Sebastian seated on Acier's immediate right at the very end of the table, sat in his own world, feeling... odd.

Directly across from him sat Julius, smiling in that friendly, disarming way of his.

Sebastian blinked, half-expecting Julius' smile to twist into something more perverse, his blond hair to darken, and for him to reach across the table to tap Sebastian's forehead.

He quickly shoved that thought aside.

Fortunately, Sebastian was an expert at masking concern beneath his usual perpetual frown—a look so characteristic of him that no one would suspect a thing.

Truthfully, he had been more worried about Acier doing something reckless, like lunging at Julius on sight. But she remained as relaxed and poised as ever.

Sebastian watched as his wife continued to fluster Ellenor, amused by the younger woman's visible embarrassment. He wondered if Acier was intentionally keeping herself busy—so she wouldn't have to look in Julius' direction.

So she wouldn't have to acknowledge that she was in the same room as her husband's kind-of, kind-of-not saboteur and manipulator.

Sebastian inwardly shrugged. Perhaps I'm overthinking it.

The once-professional atmosphere in the room had quickly unraveled—Lovilia and Conrad lost in their own little world, gushing in la-la land, and Acier playing tormentor to Ellenor.

It seemed someone had had enough.

Seated to Julius' left, Damnatio turned his head toward Conrad, his voice as dull as ever.

"Lord Conrad, can we get on with the meeting already?"

Silence fell over the room.

Kaiser, seated left of Damnatio, and Ignatius, seated left of Kaiser—directly in front of Conrad—both nodded in unison.

"Please."

Conrad snapped back into focus, clearing his throat with an awkward nod.

"Ahem."

With a snap of his fingers, the room shifted. Cryptic symbols flared to life across the walls, the lights dimmed, and a protective magical barrier encased the space.

From the center of the table, a magical projection sprang to life—revealing the ancient demon Conrad had faced.

The lanky one, in all its devilish, otherworldly glory.

Sebastian narrowed his eyes at the massive black sun-like disk hovering behind the demon. I don't remember anything like that in the manga.

His memory wasn't perfect, but he was certain he wouldn't have forgotten something so distinct.

As all eight attendees studied the projection in silence, evaluating the creature from their seats, their attention was drawn back by the sharp rap of Conrad's knuckles against the table.

"I summoned you all here today to discuss the attacks on Heart and Diamond this morning—specifically, the demons themselves."

No one interrupted. They simply nodded, listening as Conrad continued, his tone grim.

"They've been slain. Here and in Diamond. I can personally confirm that. But this matter doesn't end there. Ancient Demons don't just appear out of nowhere—let alone two in a single day. We need to determine their origins. As a matter of national security."

His eyes swept the room.

"I have reason to believe this was an orchestrated attack. That someone was pulling the strings." A beat. "Someone in Spade."

Sebastian resisted the urge to clap. Having a competent leader makes life so much easier. He kept his thoughts to himself as Damnatio spoke up.

"Do you have evidence to support your claim, Lord Conrad?"

Conrad nodded. He snapped his fingers, and another projection appeared—this time displaying a bulkier ancient demon, a massive black moon-like disk floating behind it.

"This image was captured by our scouts in Kiten," Conrad explained, gesturing toward the projection.

With another snap, both images zoomed in, highlighting the sun and moon disks hanging behind each demon.

"The demon I faced wielded a corrupted form of Sun Magic," Conrad continued. "And based on reports from our scouts in Kiten, the demon Edelstein slew, likely possessed Moon Magic."

He let the weight of that statement settle.

"Sun and Moon Magic are unique attributes belonging solely to Spade. This almost certainly has something to do with them."

Ellenor raised a brow. "Lord Wizard King, that may be true, but—pardon me if I'm out of line—that doesn't necessarily mean this was some grand scheme orchestrated by Spade."

She hesitated before continuing, choosing her words carefully.

"My knowledge is limited, but I believe that when someone with immense magic power succumbs to despair and curses the world, they can transform into an Ancient Demon."

Damnatio nodded. "Yes. According to our records, the leader of the evil race that threatened our kingdom 500 years ago cast a forbidden spell, turning into the demon that Lord Lemiel slew. It was a mindless beast—a consequence of forbidden magic and lost composure. Not something anyone would willingly induce."

He paused. "Or control."

Conrad shook his head. "I wish that were the case, but..."

He snapped his fingers again, and yet another magical projection appeared—this time displaying a wintry landscape with a grand stone kingdom nestled in the center.

"This is a recording from our spies and scouts in Spade. Captured this morning.

His gaze swept the room before he continued.

"Sun and Moon Magic belong to Spade's royal line. Demons are created when someone curses the world and succumbs to the influence of the otherworld. If these demons truly originated from Spade, and were as mindless as you suggest... why is Spade unscathed?"

No one answered.

"Instead, both demons attacked the nearest kingdoms bordering Spade—Heart and Diamond." His voice sharpened. "Not just that. They materialized at our borders with Heart and Diamond, as if to ensure any destruction would spill into Clover. Not Spade."

Conrad let the implications sink in before delivering his conclusion.

"I see only two possibilities: Either these demons were able to induce their own transformation while retaining enough clarity to strike their neighbors, or someone in Spade possesses the means to control them—like puppets."

He exhaled slowly.

"Either way, it's bad news for us."

A heavy silence filled the room.

Then, Julius spoke.

"Conrad, wasn't there a coup in Spade? The Queen vanished, and the King was presumed dead. What are the identities of these demons?"

Acier and Sebastian wanted to shout. You tell us! You should know! Isn't this your damn scheme?!

But neither spoke.

Sebastian wasn't actually sure Lucius was behind this. It didn't make sense. A reckless move like this would only draw attention to Spade. For Lucius, losing Vanica should have been a mild inconvenience at best—not something to warrant such an extreme response.

If Vanica was that important to him, he wouldn't have let Acier kill her.

He wouldn't have let Acier recover at all.

(Assuming he even foresaw Acier's battle with Vanica... or her recovery to begin with.)

And even if Lucius was responsible, what did he stand to gain from attacking Heart and Diamond? Why not Clover itself?

Sebastian kept his thoughts to himself and observed in silence.

Conrad nodded at Julius. "Yes, that was our initial report. But what if we were misled? What if the Queen didn't vanish and the King wasn't killed—but captured by the force that seized Spade? What if they were turned into demons and sent to attack Heart and Diamond?"

Sebastian barely held back an eye roll. No. Loyce did in fact die. Ciel should be in hiding with the resistance... if there even is a resistance at this point in time. These demons are different. Just a duo of troublemakers from centuries ago.

Conrad, unaware of Sebastian's thoughts, pressed on.

"Perhaps there were other members of House Greenberry we weren't aware of. Or perhaps others in Spade have awakened the Sun and Moon attributes. It's not unheard of."

Everyone nodded, though Sebastian's thoughts ran deeper.

If the elves were ignored, then in the old days, the only people in Clover with rare attributes—like Spatial Magic—came from noble houses like Vaude or Portaport.

But ever since Clover abandoned the protection of natural magic, esoteric abilities had become more common. Now, it wasn't unheard of for commoners, peasants, or even those with no ancestral trace of such power to awaken unique attributes.

Perhaps 1,300 years of Grinberryall influence had caused Sun or Moon Magic to manifest elsewhere.

Not impossible.

And even if the manga never mentioned it, Sebastian wasn't about to put blind faith in that.

The moment angels, heaven, and gods were introduced, anything became possible.

Anyone could possess any magic. Sebastian was willing to bet he'd be seeing many new attributes. He was also willing to bet many would possess unthinkable magic.

Conrad tapped the table. "All that aside, my point stands. This definitely has something to do with the forces in Spade. And as such, we need to act accordingly."

Ignatius narrowed his eyes. "So what? Are we invading? Striking first before they can make a move?"

Conrad sighed, shaking his head. "I wish it were that easy. But pulling something like this suggests our enemy has confidence in their strength. Even if this attempt failed, it felt more like a first wave."

The air grew tense. Conrad folded his arms.

"Before we strike Spade, we need intel. Their strength, their capabilities, their goals. If this were just border expansion, they would've sent those demons plowing through their own borders with Heart and Diamond."

He exhaled sharply. "We need to be wary. Prepared. That's why I've called you here."

His gaze swept across them.

"I need you to coordinate and strategically dispatch squads across every region of our kingdom. Investigate anything suspicious."

"If demons can just appear out of the sky, then a similar attack could happen anywhere. We need first responders ready to contain threats before they escalate."

The captains nodded.

Conrad's attention shifted to Ignatius, Damnatio, and Sebastian.

"I need the three of you to leverage your political influence. Ensure nothing leaks. Although we're enacting special wartime measures, we cannot alert the public and incite widespread panic. Morale is key. This must be handled discreetly."

He continued, voice firm.

"I also need you to push for investment in magic tool manufacturing—specifically weapons. Deployment of magical barriers throughout the kingdom, not just in the capital. And fresh military recruitment."

His eyes sharpened.

"Make sure it's seen as recruitment, not conscription."

Ignatius, Damnatio, and Sebastian nodded.

Conrad mirrored their nods before exhaling sharply. "That brings us to our last matter—Edelstein F. Diamondheart."

The room fell into silence.

Even now, many were still struggling to grasp how someone dismissed as a useless cripple just yesterday had suddenly emerged as a powerhouse capable of shaking the world. A man rumored to have formed a contract with the Earth Spirit.

When Sebastian first heard the news, his mind immediately went to Lucius.

But to his knowledge—or rather, his hope—Lucius hadn't assimilated Dante's Body Magic or Zenon's Bone Magic yet. And with Vanica dead, he lacked Blood Magic for now. He shouldn't be capable of something like this. Yet.

Unless, of course, he had done something drastic.

Like assimilating the Witch Queen and his own brothers this morning.

But that process should take time. How much was unclear, but Sebastian estimated at least a couple of weeks.

Yet another reason why he didn't think Lucius' grubby hands were involved in this.

Of course, he could be underestimating his supposed archenemy.

But he liked to think he was smarter than that.

Conrad clicked his tongue. "I don't know how Edelstein pulled this off. Maybe he was playing us for fools all these years, and this accident forced him to reveal his true power. Maybe this is a byproduct of those experiments Diamond was funding. Or maybe—something else."

His expression hardened. "I don't care. What matters is that Edelstein is strong. Diamond is an enemy. And so Edelstein is a threat."

"Eighteen years ago, Lord Alden was said to have slain his father. From our sources, Edelstein greatly loved his father."

"I doubt he's above seeking vengeance. Especially now that he has the power to act on it."

"His army has been greatly weakened, and he likely won't recklessly leave his kingdom undefended. But—who's to say a man who allows his own people to be experimented on gives a damn about their well-being?"

His voice was grim. "Not to mention Diamond's millennia-old dream of annexing our lands is still alive today."

"He could strike at any moment."

Lovilia furrowed her brows, parting her lips slightly. "What if we leak the news of Spade's suspected involvement with the demons? Diamond and Heart would both want retribution. We could use them to test Spade's strength—perhaps even ally with them against Spade."

Conrad sighed again, shaking his head gently in his wife's direction.

"Neither kingdom is incompetent. They've likely already reached the same conclusion we have. But they won't act on it."

"Heart is in no condition to start a war with Spade."

"And as for Diamond?" Conrad scoffed. "There's nothing to gain by attacking the wintry, infertile wasteland of Spade—lands that make even Diamond seem like a haven."

"If Edelstein truly inherited his father's pragmatism, he'll get his priorities straight. And that means his eyes will be on us first."

His gaze swept across the room. "The blood between Clover and Diamond has been shed for millennia. Whatever newfound grudges Diamond may hold against Spade? That's a drop in the ocean of their hatred, envy, and greed for us and our lands."

"Keep that in mind."

Lovilia bit her lip, nodding weakly.

Conrad's red gaze lingered on her for a moment before he turned to the left, locking eyes with the Purple Orca captain.

"Kaiser."

Kaiser Granvorka twirled his mustache and nodded. "You wish for my squad to permanently settle in Kiten?"

Conrad paused, then shook his head, offering a brief, apologetic grimace. "I'm sorry, Kaiser. It's not that I underestimate you, but Edelstein isn't an opponent you can contend with."

Kaiser stiffened—just for a moment—before exhaling and nodding curtly. No offense taken.

Conrad's stomach twisted with self-loathing, but he pushed forward. "Have your squad vacate Kiten and patrol elsewhere." His gaze shifted past Kaiser—to his best friend.

"Julius."

The Gray Deer captain straightened.

"You and your squad will take the Purple Orcas' place. If Edelstein makes a move, he's yours."

"But keep this in mind—he isn't burdened with leading an entire army. With his strength alone, he doesn't have to go through Kiten."

"He could take a detour through neutral territory. Or disappear into the strong magic regions."

Julius nodded, his expression calm. "Understood. I'll handle it."

Acier suppressed a smirk. Nice one, Conrad. Keep him as far from the capital—and my Sebby—as possible. In fact, I wouldn't mind if you stationed him there for the rest of his life.

Conrad met Julius's nod with one of his own, then stood. "If there's nothing else, you're all dismissed." His gaze swept the room. "I'm counting on you. And remember—nothing we've discussed leaves this room."

"If your subordinates probe, don't tip them off. Don't feed their curiosity. Who knows how many spies Diamond and Spade have embedded in our kingdom? I'd rather not hand them key intelligence."

All eight shot to their feet, fists clenched in a crisp three-finger salute.

"Yes, sir!" they roared in unison.

—

Heart Kingdom, Throne Room

The aged and withered Queen Isolde sat alone in the dim chamber, her expression shifting as countless magical projections flickered before her—each revealing a different part of her kingdom.

She looked at one and felt her heart ache. Families wept over the loved ones crushed beneath the demon's rampage.

She looked at another and felt pride. Her people—resilient as ever—helped each other, rebuilding what was lost.

She looked at another and felt love, unconditional and fierce, as she watched her precious granddaughter laughing with Undine, all smiles once more.

She looked at another and felt hate.

Frustration simmered as she took in the sight of Clover's forces lingering at the edge of their borders.

Her fingers tightened around her royal staff as her gaze darkened.

She saw the greed in their eyes.

Waiting.

Waiting for the treaty's finalization, for the moment they could move freely through her kingdom. To trade. To mine. To hollow out her land. To stain her people with their customs, their ideologies, their ways.

A thin line of blood trickled from her lip as she bit down too hard.

Her frail hand trembled. Her aged eyes glistened.

"D-Damn you, Conrad... Clover..." Her voice wavered, choked with despair. "W-why... w-why can't you just leave us alone...?"

She was tired. So tired.

Tired of this world, of the heavens, of the relentless cruelty that had driven Heart to this point.

Eighteen years ago, her daughter—the reigning queen at the time—had suffered a strange and terrible accident. She and her husband had both perished.

And so, Isolde was forced back to the throne.

Forced to restore her contract with Undine.

Forced to maintain the grand barrier protecting the kingdom.

Forced to live on, when all she had wanted was to fade peacefully into the next life.

With her daughter gone and no heir left behind, the future of Heart had seemed bleak.

Until seven years ago.

A niece of hers—a single mother—had died giving birth to a daughter. A child with more innate mana than even Isolde or her daughter had ever possessed.

A miracle.

Isolde had taken the girl as her own, given her the name of her lost daughter, and raised her as her granddaughter.

Now, she had a reason to live.

Now, she had purpose again.

She only had to endure another eight years.

Eight more years—until Lolopechka gained her grimoire. Until she inherited Undine's contract, the mana of all the queens before her. Until Heart's legacy was secured.

Just a little longer.

Isolde tightened her grip on her staff, willing her weary soul to endure.

For Lolopechka.

For Heart.

That's what she used to tell herself.

But this morning—after pushing herself against the ancient demon, after enduring the strain, the wounds, the relentless fatigue—she could no longer lie.

Her lifespan had been severely cut short.

Seven or eight years? She'd be lucky to last one.

She could die at any moment. And when she did, Undine—without a contractor—would be left alone, unable to defend this coveted land.

Diamond, Spade, even Clover would swoop in like vultures. They would carve up Heart's land. They would take her people.

And that was hateful.

The people of Heart were different from the outside world. They adored natural mana, revered it, lived in harmony with it—just like the ancient race once beloved by mana itself.

All they wanted was peace. True peace. A quiet life, untouched by wars, by schemes, by corruption.

That was why they had always remained neutral.

No alliances. No favoritism. No involvement.

Even with Clover—their closest neighbor—their only concession was allowing noble children to visit for educational exchanges. A gesture of goodwill. A simple act that wouldn't upset the delicate balance of power or provoke Diamond and Spade. @@novelbin@@

Nothing more.

Trade? Rejected.

Political ties? Ignored.

And for generations, no one had dared to challenge this stance.

Because the Heart Queen was strong.

Because every generation had a Saint to guard the kingdom.

Because no one could force their way into Heart.

But now... everything was about to change.

With Clover settling in, whatever they were planning would spread, creeping through her kingdom like rot.

Heart would become corrupted.

Slowly. Surely.

They would lose the protection of natural mana.

They would lose their identity.

Their culture.

Their freedom.

Their peace.

And if she died before passing Undine and the Heart Queen's mana to Lolopechka, Clover would simply annex Heart.

But even if she did live long enough to pass them on... it still might not be enough.

Saint Stage could not be learned in a day.

And Undine had once told her something terrifying.

Lolopechka... might only be a support mage.

If that was true, then she could never learn Saint Stage.

She could never protect their kingdom.

And now—now Diamond had a powerhouse.

It had taken a grand joint effort and scheme by Isolde's daughter and Alden to draw out and slay Goldstein in the past. But his son?

Edelstein was only going to grow stronger.

If he ever surpassed his father... if he ever uncovered Heart's role in Goldstein's death... if he ever set his sights on the most resource-rich land in the world—

Heart would be doomed.

Isolde trembled, silent sobs wracking her frail body.

She cursed her old age.

She cursed the accident that stole her beloved daughter.

She cursed Conrad.

Clover.

Diamond.

Spade.

And she cursed the grim fate awaiting her granddaughter, Undine, and her people.

"What can I do... what can I do..."

Isolde mumbled the words again and again, gripping her staff tighter with each repetition.

Her heart twisted. Her stomach churned. Sweat trickled down her chin.

Then—she froze.

A gulp caught in her throat as she slowly lifted her gaze from the floor.

A man stood before her.

No—her instincts screamed—not a man. Something else.

He was flawless. The most perfectly sculpted existence she had ever seen.

Golden locks cascaded past his shoulders, radiant, almost ethereal. His piercing red eyes gleamed with something both ancient and amused.

She had never seen him before.

But his presence felt familiar.

It took her only a second to understand why.

How did he get here?

How had something like him approached her without so much as a whisper?

The stranger scratched his chin, his smile both conniving and friendly as he looked down at her.

Isolde trembled, her withered gaze locking onto his. "I-It was y-you, wasn't it? T-The one who ordered that beast to attack my kingdom?"

The man's smile widened. "I love intelligent people. Intelligent women are even better."

His tone was light. Playful.

Mocking.

"Yes, I was the one pulling the strings behind that invasion. I do apologize for all the distress that's clearly caused you."

Isolde's spine stiffened.

The fear, the shock—it all burned away, replaced by something far sharper.

Rage.

She said nothing.

The man didn't seem to mind. His grin remained unfazed.

"If you're waiting for the Water Spirit, don't."

Isolde stiffened.

"She won't be coming to your aid. Nor would it make much of a difference if she did."

Her heart sank.

Slowly, her eyes darted past him to one of the magical projections.

Undine was still there—still playing happily with Lolopechka. Laughing. Unaware.

Isolde reached for their bond.

Nothing.

Again.

Still—nothing.

Not even a flicker of awareness.

Her hands trembled, just for a moment, before she forced them still.

She inhaled, deep and steady, and when she met the man's gaze again—

It was with pure hatred.

"Who are you?" she demanded, voice steady, dismissive. "And what do you want?"

The man beamed.

Then, with exaggerated politeness, he dipped into a bow.

"Allow me to introduce myself. You may call me Aza. That's what all my friends call me."

His grin widened, all sharp edges and quiet amusement.

"And I have a feeling we're going to be great friends."

Isolde's expression darkened.

Aza didn't seem to care. If anything, his delight only grew.

"You seem impatient," he mused. "So let's skip the pleasantries."

His red eyes gleamed.

"I'm the man with all the answers to your problems. Care to listen?"

Silence.

Isolde remained still.

Then, slowly—so slowly—she exhaled.

Her shoulders slumped, not in surrender, but in exhaustion.

Her gaze dropped to the floor.

And in a quiet, empty voice—

"Go ahead."

Aza's eyes lit up.

His grin stretched wider.

And with a smooth, casual ease, he began.

"It's like this..."

—

Author's Notes:

[1] I have an exam on Tuesday so I'm going on break once more.

[2] As always feel free to join the discord at: https://discord.gg/s3MME8X8ar