“What!”
The man exclaimed excitedly.
“If it’s not Lady Tampia, I won’t say a word!”
The man’s eyes inside the robe trembled uneasily.
“What is Lady Tampia doing! Where is Chevez… that guy?”
The man’s true identity was Herzur.
“If you solve what Lady Tampia mentioned…. and stab the heart of Saint Demorus, she promised to protect us. But Chevez is being chased by the remaining three forces!”
Herzur was no longer afraid.
If caught, he would die anyway.
Such thoughts and emotions were clearly felt.
“Please, Lady Tampia, tell us again. We must meet her in person to talk.”
“It seems there’s no deception.”
At that moment, a voice came from a corner.
Sa-ah.
A misty fog settling on the ground.
“You must tell me nothing but the truth.”
Revealed was Tampia.
She knew from the start that Herzur would try to talk to her.
But.
-You must be suspicious.
Herzger did not directly participate in the Saint’s assassination, so there were only suspicions about whether Herzger was a double agent.
“Whose dog are you?”
“Demorus….”
“And?”
“I am Lady Tamphia’s dog.”
A faint mist is Tamphia’s blessing.
Known as the Mandoke, it was a deceptive ability to create and use poison as one pleased.
This was a poison that brought forth illusions and truths.
“Correct.”
Tamphia smiled satisfactorily as she removed her robe.
“Chevez will be under my protection. You will do the same.”
Despite being under the influence of the illusion poison, Herzger seemed relieved.
“So, there is something you must do.”
“What….”
“Saint Demorus is heading to Dante for a mission. You will participate there.”
Herzger nodded with a vacant expression.
“Stab him again. This time, you must definitely cut off his breath.”
“…Understood.”
Only then did Tamphia attempt to step back.
But at that moment.
Thud.
Herzger grabbed Tamphia’s shoulders.
“What are you…”
Clang!
Tamphia’s guards quickly drew their swords.
“…It’s a trap.”
This is an abandoned castle.
A promise with only Herzger.
But at some point, it could be felt.
That there were a few shadows flickering in the moonlight entering through the broken castle walls.
“You…!”
When Tamphia looked at Herzger.
Snick.
Herzger’s lips curled up into a smile.
That laughter was something unforgettable.
“Was it fun?”
A voice that seemed to ask for a review of the performance.
“Saint Demorus!”
The face that was Herzger’s was now transformed into the hateful face of Saint.
Boom!
Tampia exploded with energy and stepped back.
A sharp pain was felt on the shoulders that had been caught by Sane.
“Tsk, not very entertaining reaction. Still, it was a prepared performance.”
Swish.
The shadows were revealing themselves.
Roberta, Sane’s guard, and the 3rd Division of the Mute Forces were there.
In addition, members of the Mute Forces completely surrounded Tampia.
“If you were trying to kill me….”
Sane took off his robe.
“You should have thought you’d die too.”
It was checkmate.
*
*
*
Tampia and Sane stood facing each other.
Tampia’s face twisted in disbelief.
‘Fooled.’
From the start, Sane wasn’t injured.
No, from the start.
“Damn trash.”
Chevez and Herzger, whom he thought were his allies, did not betray Sane.
Behind Sane, those holding swords towards Tampia were the evidence.
“I knew I shouldn’t have trusted vultures.”
Tampia seemed to be trembling with intense betrayal.
“Why blame my innocent subordinates, blame yourself, you fool.”
Sigh.
Tampia exuded venom.
There was nowhere to run.
“Oh, that might seem unfair.”
Foolish?
There was no such assessment of Tampia.
Recently, there was an evaluation of losing firearms, but foolish?
From Noble mtl dot com
“…?”
That was the moment.
People were gradually joining Sane’s side.
“I have a personality that believes in repaying what I’ve suffered.”
“What are you….”
As Tampia was about to respond like that, his eyes widened as if they were about to burst.
Something that shouldn’t have happened was happening right now.
It felt as if she had fallen victim to the hallucinogenic poison she had spread herself.
“Why…?”
At this moment, Tampia’s head seemed to turn pale.
“Why are you standing there… trembling?”
Because it was so unbelievable, she began to wonder if this was all just a dream.
“Why!”
“I apologize, Tampia.”
Two people stood beside Sain.
One was the ordinary Jazar she already knew.
The other one.
“Pledge your loyalty now.”
Her spiritual mentor, Opas, whom she should never have encountered, was there.
“Jazar!”
Jazar, Opas.
Opas, who had raised her in place of the mother she lost shortly after birth.
-You will be a leader.
In times of hardship.
-Opas! Look at this! It’s a blessing!
In times of joy.
Opas had always been by her side.
Yet now, she stood by Sain, not her.
In hindsight…
-Sain Demorus.
Opas had been mentioning Sain’s name frequently lately.
-Step back this time.
Opas, who had often presented puzzling choices even when she thought it was an opportunity.
But she trusted.
Because it was Opas.
Also.
“Could it be…?”
“I apologize for clouding Tampia’s clear gun.”
Tampia, who was once considered skilled with firearms.
That too was because of Opas.
“Why…?”
Tampia murmured.
“Why…?”
It made no sense.
If her father, the leader, had betrayed her and thrown her into a pit, she might have understood.
Because that’s who he was.
But Opas was not.
The one person she could trust.
And that person had betrayed her.
“Tampia. Lay down your sword. Embrace the blessing.”
Opas spoke.
“Saint Demorus is not your enemy.”
“Not… an enemy.”
Opas’ venom had long been consuming Tampia’s mind and body.
It was up to Saint to awaken her from that slumber.
“Pledge your loyalty to him. Look at Jagar. You will be well-rewarded.”
“…Why?”
Yet a sliver of consciousness lingered, questioning Opas.
What had led her to betray them?
“Saint Demorus.”
Opas said.
“He is the master of ‘the one,’ the king of all assassins.”
Tampia bowed her head deeply.
“All…, the king of assassins….”
She had heard of such legends.
But legends were just that, stories she never believed in.
-Just a meaningless old tale.
Hadn’t Opas said that as well?
Swish.
Tampia lifted her head to gaze at the sky.
Something.
Crack!
A feeling as if something inside her chest and mind had shattered.
“Tampia.”
Opas called out to her once more.
“Saint Demorus, he will be the leader.”
“….”
“He will soon be… Demorus’….”
At that moment.
Thud!
Something flew through Opas’ neck, piercing it.
Sizzle.
The object that fell to the ground began to melt and disintegrate.
A green bead.
Boom!
It soon exploded, emitting a toxic vapor.
“Now… I feel a bit refreshed in my mind.”
Tamphia.
Looking up at the sky, she, who had been contemplating, turned her gaze towards where Sein and Opas were with a fierce expression on her face.
“Opas, you were my poison.”
The elders of Demorus, monsters capable of destroying a city with just one of them.
But now, as time has passed.
“Sein Demorus.”
The successors were also becoming monsters of equal stature.
Tamphia had awakened to her blessing since childhood, and through Opas, who had expertise in poisons, she had learned many things.
And just before Sein appeared.
-There is nothing more for you to learn now, Tamphia.
Opas acknowledged it herself.
That Tamphia had surpassed her.
“Silence! Control your breath!”
Sienjin shouted.
“It’s a toxic reunion!”
A toxic reunion filling the abandoned castle.
Even the immovable of Demorus.
Chiiing!
The extremely potent poison spread in all directions.
‘Is this… the extent of it!’
Sienjin was genuinely astonished.
She knew, of course, that Tamphia was strong.
After all, it was Gail, the former commander of the 3rd Brigade, who supported Tamphia.
But no one had ever truly seen her abilities.
“Sein Demorus!”
To think it would be to this extent.
Even though she was the lowest-ranking elder, she never expected to render the entire 6th elder council incapable of combat in an instant.
Moreover, the poison that affected even the 3rd Brigade members who had built immunity to poisons was undeniably dangerous.
“Always…”
Hufik.
“Why do you call.”
Sein turned his ear towards Hufik and spoke to Tamphia.
“I admit my defeat.”
It seemed like the determination in her eyes was returning.
Opas’ poison had reached her brain, but now the poison she had awakened was so powerful that it surpassed Opas’ poison, having consumed it.
“But I can’t leave like this.”
Shooooosh!
The venom spewing from beneath his feet was becoming even denser.
“Risk everything!”
For the first time, Sein lifted his foot.
“Treat it from the Sixth Chamber. It’s intentional, so it shouldn’t be fatal.”
“…”
“And all of it.”
Srwk.
