(Third POV)
Phillip Boreas Greyrat.
Head of the Boreas family. Minister of the Asura Kingdom.
Since his political ascent, things had been looking up. The Fittoa region was stabilizing, his name began carrying weight in the capital for once, and—perhaps most importantly—he had regained custody of his sons.
And yet, even with such victories, peace of mind eluded him.
Because one thought refused to leave him.
His daughter, Eris.
No letter. No word. No sign of life.
Ghislaine and Roxy had gone to search for her, but silence stretched on like an unending winter. Every sleepless night, every "concerned" noble asking whether his daughter would be married off should she return alive—it made Phillip's blood boil.
He leaned back in his chair, eyes drifting to the ceiling above him, the ceiling that had become far too familiar lately.
His thoughts drifted back to the letter Kagami had left—one detail replaying in his mind like a curse:
"Eris is safe. Rudeus is the one in danger."
What could have happened?
He remembered the early days of the disaster. The terror. The cruelty. The men who took his wife under the guise of interrogation. The expressions on their faces left no mystery about their intent. If Kagami hadn't shown up—well, Phillip didn't like to think about it.
He didn't even remember how they were saved. Didn't care, either. Gratitude clashed with suspicion whenever the masked man came to mind.
*Knock* *Knock* *Knock*
The sound pulled Phillip from his thoughts. He straightened, brushing aside Kagami's letter with one hand. His voice was calm and authoritative.
"Enter."
The oak door creaked open, revealing a servant who bowed deeply.
"Minister, Her Highness, the Second Princess Ariel Anemoi Asura, seeks an audience. Her guardians accompany her."
"Show her in," Phillip said, voice steady despite the storm behind his eyes.
A moment later, Princess Ariel entered with poise befitting royalty. Her golden hair caught the light of the chandelier, making her a perfect courtly figure.
Silent Fitz trailed behind her, unreadable as always behind his glasses. Opposite him stood the towering Guardian Knight, Sandor—a North Emperor and a curious figure himself, favoring a metal pole over a blade.
Phillip rose to greet them. "Your Highness. Welcome."
"Minister Phillip," Ariel replied with a practiced smile. "Thank you for receiving us."
He gestured to the seats before his desk. Ariel sat, flanked by her guardians. Phillip did the same.
Ariel didn't waste time. "I've heard rumors. That you've severed ties with the First Prince."
Phillip's expression remained unreadable. "I've severed ties with Darius Silva Ganius. Not the prince."
Ariel tilted her head, almost amused. "You know as well as I do—cutting off Darius is the same as turning your back on Prince Grabell. He's the boy's only spine."
"That was precisely the problem." Phillip's voice grew colder. "Darius governs through fear. Corruption. I won't associate with a man who turns children into warnings."
A pause. The room was heavy with unspoken horrors.
"I won't abide that," Phillip finished quietly.
Ariel's expression softened for a breath before resuming its steely edge. "Then align yourself with me instead."
Phillip raised an eyebrow. "You're not asking for support. You're asking me to help crown you."
She didn't deny it. "Philemon has grown weak—the accusations of his involvement with the serial killer have sparked conflict with his retainers. I won't let this kingdom fall into civil war because of their failures. I don't seek chaos. I seek to end it."
He studied her. There was steel behind her eyes. A spark of the same fire he saw in his daughter.
"I'll consider it," Phillip said, his voice measured. "But I won't trade one tyrant for another, no matter how noble her speech."
Ariel smiled, eyes glinting. "Then let us both prove we're not what our enemies think we are."
Just as tension began to thicken between Ariel and Phillip, the air shifted.
A gust of wind burst through the sealed room, blowing out a candle. Shadows twisted unnaturally—then, in a blink, he was there.
Grey attire, a three-colored feather hat, and a black mask—it was none other than the masked man, Kagami.
Fitz and Sandor moved instantly—but reached for nothing. Their weapons were gone.
Kagami chuckled, spinning his cane like a theater actor. "Please. Primitive tools. Useless against someone like me."
He tossed the stolen weapons to the floor—only for them to fall into rippling waves in the air too vanish inside of.
"Enough," Phillip said, rubbing his temples. "What do you want now, Kagami?"
The masked man's grin widened behind his unmoving mask. "You looked lonely. Thought I'd visit before another war lands on your doorstep."
"You could knock," Phillip muttered.
"I did," Kagami said, mock-wounded. "Just metaphysically."
He walked to the seat opposite Ariel and dropped into it without asking, ignoring the daggers in Fitz's glare.
Ariel didn't react, save for a single raised hand when Fitz took a step forward.
Kagami leaned in. The humor in his tone faded.
"There's something you need to know, Phillip."
Phillip's gaze sharpened. "Speak."
"Paul Greyrat," Kagami said slowly, "fought the Water God in Millishion a few days ago and nearly won."
The air turned colder.
"What?" Phillip breathed. "How did you hear that so quick?"
"Teleportation Magic," he casually answered. "Borrowed some from Perugius."
"The Armored Dragon King?!" Sandor yelped out, not believing that for a second.
"Phillip?" Ariel said, baffled. "You have connections to Lord Perugius."
"Metaphor, princess," Kagami said lightly. "You'll find I'm fond of those. But no—Perugius wouldn't welcome a demon like me through the front door."
Everyone was left stunned, but without a means to dispute Kagami's words, silence reigned.
"Anyway, let's get back to the important stuff. The one to hire Water God was the cardinal—one of the anti-Demon zealots—who hired her to kill Paul and the rescue group. Some of the Fittoa survivors ended up becoming slves of nobles, and Paul had to resort to kidnapping them out of their grasps. But in recent months, some of the anti-demon faction members have been kidnapped as well, leaving no traces."
"An identical case... like what happened in Ars?" Ariel asked, shocked.
"Wrong," Kagami snapped as he raised a finger like a courtroom actor. "The cardinal bribed nobles to shift blame to Paul Greyrat but failed, nearly losing his title due to his obsession with the Greyrat family. He was found dead in his office, with his own blood writing on the wall suicide."
Everyone was left stunned, but without a means to challenge Kagami's words, silence reigned.
Phillip was the first to speak, his voice heavy with suspicion. "And why tell me this?"
Kagami tilted his head, mask gleaming in the candlelight. "Because no matter how much you hate me, you still love your family. And war's coming for them whether you sit pretty in your minister's chair or not and start messing with the actual culprit."
Sandor's voice rumbled low. "A third party?"
Kagami pointed at him with a theatrical flourish. "Correct! For you see, the cardinal was just a pawn. Someone else wanted Paul dead—and they made it look like religious justice through the cardinal who needed someone strong guarantee that the deed was done."
"Darius." Phillip's eyes narrowed, a vein nearly popping on his head as he spoke with resentment. "That kind of twisted play could only be his doing."
Kagami nodded once. "Speculation, but a strong one. If Paul had died, the backlash would have crushed you, Phillip. Millis would demand reparations. You'd be handed over. Darius would swoop in, 'restore order' in Fittoa, and seize power. Quick question. Has Sauros been found yet?"
"No, he hasn't," Phillip answered.
"Then make that a priority. Sooner rather than later."
"And now what do you suggest we do?" Phillip asked grimly.
"I'll get to that later. But I suggest you increase the security on your fields."
"That's not easy with insufficient workers," Phillip exhaled slowly. "Whatever happened to the rescued survivors Paul could gather?"
"Their former masters will reclaim many. The rest? Sold off again. The Millis faith doesn't tolerate theft—especially not of slaves."
Phillip's fist tightened. "The calamity just threw them away…"
He looked up at Kagami.
"Can you help them?"
A pause.
Kagami's head tilted.
"No. There are too many, and I no longer have the resources."
Phillip's heart sank.
"Why don't you ask your new ally for help?" Kagami continued, pointed at the unsuspecting Ariel. "Oh, wait, she can't. Going against the Millis Church could cause a war."
Ariel's posture stiffened, but her expression remained composed. Only the slight tightening at the corners of her eyes betrayed any reaction.
Fitz bristled behind her, his hand twitching from all the mana input.
Phillip glanced at Ariel, and for the first time, doubt crept in—not about her conviction, but whether it would be enough.
Ariel met his stare. "He's right," she said evenly. "I can't move openly, not even if I were king. If I interfere in their politics, I give them the pretext they need to brand me a heretic. And my supporters?" She looked away, bitterly. "They'd abandon me. I only recently went on to my campaign of becoming king, so I don't have that much to offer."
Kagami raised his hands, mock applause slow and dramatic. "A stunning confession, Your Highness. Honest. But rare nonetheless."
Phillip looked between the two, his thoughts a whirlwind. He had trusted no one fully in years, but this? This exposed just how fragile his position was. And how alone he was, despite all the alliances and titles.
"You said you don't have the resources anymore," Phillip said slowly, locking eyes with Kagami. "What does that mean?"
Kagami's posture slightly slumped. "It means I used everything—for you and other things. On saving you and your wife. The region's restoration and extra funding. Gathering all kinds of monster materials. Supplying Ghisaline and the others with the appropriate gear for saving Rudeus out of the Labyrinth-"
Phillip flinched.
"Wait, Labyrinth? What's that about?"
"Paul will explain. He should return within days—your daughter with him."
"So she's safe?"
"She was."
"What do you mean, she was?"
"You know how your daughter is like. She yields to no one. But I can assure you, Ghislaine is with her."
Phillip's jaw clenched so tight it ached. He didn't speak—he couldn't. The rage clawed at his ribs with nowhere to go.
Ariel inhaled slowly, then looked at Phillip. "If Darius truly orchestrated this through proxies in the church, we have a greater problem. One that goes beyond you or me."
"Then we stop him," Phillip said, a growl rising in his throat.
"Oh, we will," Kagami interjected. "But Darius isn't the one to worry about, but the person who gave him that advice. I think they call him Hitogami. Something about getting contacted through their dreams and God nonsense. If he's who I think he is, then we're already five moves behind."
The subtle hint Kagami made made Sandor realize what this was about, having heard the warning his uncle used to tell him about. Right now, he felt things may get messier than he'd imagined when taking the offer to a knight.
"Then what do you suggest?" Ariel snapped, voice cracking through the air like a whip.
Kagami didn't answer immediately. He stood, walking to the window, feet tapping softly against the floor.
"We tarnish Darius's reputation further by instigating an attack within the city of Ars. Once Sandor and Fitz subjugated the attacker, Princess Ariel will bring Darius to court to explain why Water God was absent. And if we're lucky, he will be executed since he doesn't have enough supporters to back him up."
Phillip's brow furrowed, mouth drawn in a hard line. "You want to stage an attack? In Ars? On purpose?"
Kagami glanced over his shoulder. "Not stage. Instigate. There's a difference. The attack will be real. The chaos, the danger, the bodies—real. But the one behind it will be our agent. Controlled. Contained."
"And if your 'controlled' attack goes south?" Sandor said as his arms folded across his chest.
Kagami turned fully now, voice losing its theatrics. "Then you do what you were trained to do, North Emperor. Protect the princess. Neutralize the threat. And give the people a hero to rally behind."
Fitz finally stepped forward, his voice cold and razor-sharp. "This could backfire. People could die."
Kagami tilted his head, unapologetic. "People are dying. Just not where anyone can see it."
A heavy silence descended once more, oppressive and cloying.
Ariel broke it. "Why use Darius's lack of the Water God's protection against him?"
"Because," Kagami said, "her absence is glaring. It raises questions when someone as powerful and visible as the Water God vanishes. Especially from those who rely on that strength to subdue intruders and keep their enemies at bay."
He let that hang before continuing, tone clipped.
"Darius will scramble to explain why his biggest deterrent is gone. Rumors will spread—maybe she was killed. Maybe she betrayed him. Either way, his enemies will move. Opportunists will dig. If Ariel delivers the accusations at the right moment, the court will turn."
Phillip folded his hands, staring down at his desk like he could will the pieces together. "And if the attack reveals you? If the agent is caught and talks?"
Kagami shrugged. "Then it all burns down faster."
Fitz glared, voice thick with disdain. "Do you want the kingdom to fall?"
Kagami's reply came softly. "No. But sometimes, rot has to be cut out in fire, not scalpel."
"I can't believe I'm considering this." Ariel exhaled deeply.
Sandor grunted. "Even if we do this, we'll need details. Timing. Location. Witnesses. If this fails, we all hang."
"Simple. I will be the attacker who attempts to kidnap the princess while the two of you chase me through the city where the commoners and nobles will see us fight and give out remarks like 'I thought after Water God left I would have an easy time kidnapping a royal.' After more fighting, Sandor will keep me in one place to allow Fitz to finish me with a concentrated Magic attack."
Fitz's jaw tightened at Kagami's proposal. "Will people get hurt?" he asked, though his tone already betrayed the suspicion that the answer was obvious.
Kagami turned slowly to face him—her.
"I hope so," he said with a voice as hollow as it was calm.
The room froze, Kagami's words carrying no regression.
"I hope many will die, myself included. I hope that you strike me down and leave nothing but ash behind. Because if I fall in that plaza, in front of hundreds, maybe even thousands—" his gaze shifted toward the window, distant "—then the city will remember Fitz the Silent, the blade of Princess Ariel, the man who saved her from a demon. And more importantly… Rudeus will awaken. Stronger. Sharper. Fueled by the souls of those who fall for him to rise up above anyone."
Fitz's entire demeanor cracked.
The air around her shimmered, mana twisting and rippling as if space itself were rejecting Kagami's words.
His voice tore through the room, rage barely contained. "What did you do to Rudeus?"
Kagami shook his head—slow, deliberate—then exhaled as though it pained him to answer.
"I made a mistake," he said. "At first. A terrible one. But that blunder... it became the best thing that could've happened to him. You'll see. One day, for sure... but not this you."
Magic surged in Fitz's palm, a raw, searing lance of force forming with alarming speed. Sandor took a step forward, hand twitching toward where his polearm should've been. Phillip stood, hand on the desk, face a mask of storm-bound fury.
But Kagami didn't move. Instead, he softly said—
"Sylphiette Dragonroad."
The magic shattered in Fitz's hand like glass. Time itself seemed to pause. Her mouth parted slightly, eyes wide behind the lenses of her glasses. He was the one who gave her these gloves, this surprisingly powerful Magic gear she's wearing at the moment.
Ariel stood, stunned, eyes flicking between them. "...What did he just call you?"
Fitz didn't answer.
Kagami raised one hand, fingers curled lazily like a conductor mid-symphony. A ripple appeared in midair, like a mirror disturbed by a stone.
Two items fell from it.
First, a wand—a pristine white shaft, crowned by a crystal that shimmered like starlight.
Then, a black greatsword, the edge lined with faint red runes, humming with dormant violence.
They thudded against the floor, and no one moved.
But then—
A yelp. Sharp. Sudden.
Everyone's eyes snapped to Princess Ariel, now held in Kagami's grasp. One arm was across her chest, the other curled around her neck, firm but not cruel.
"Who," Kagami said, voice echoing with something deeper than theatrics now, "wants to be a hero?"
Fitz—no, Sylphiette—stood paralyzed. Her mind was spinning. Her feet were frozen. All her instincts said to act. To unleash everything. But her heart? Her heart was thundering for answers and anxiety.
Phillip's hand slid instinctively to the side drawer of his desk, where a concealed dagger rested.
Sandor flexed his fingers, feet shifting into a stance trained into him since childhood.
A hush settled over the room as Kagami tightened his grip around Princess Ariel—not cruelly, but firm enough to freeze everyone in place.
Then, slowly, deliberately, he reached up to his mask.
One tug. The porcelain fell. So did the room's breath. The cloth hood followed, revealing… nothing human.
His head was a silhouette of swirling, pitch-black slime. Droplets hovered in the air, defying gravity. His "face" was a warped smile—three crooked lines drawn in white: two for eyes, one for a mouth.
The infamous face Luke had described. The one seen in his nightmares. The one left behind as the only clue to the massacre to on the bobles in Ars.
"You..." Phillip whispered, stumbling back.
Sylphiette's knees nearly buckled. "It was you... all along..."
Kagami—no, the thing that wore the Kagami—grinned wider.
"Now you see it," he said, voice echoing like a thousand whispers. "I didn't come to warn you. I came to see if you were worth sparing."
Sandor's eyes flared with fury. "You monster."
"I am," it replied calmly.
Kagami—or whatever he was—looked at each of them—one by one.
"You wanted a villain. Now you have one. Better make use of it later."
Then, with a ripple of magic and a burst went out inside Phillip's office, beginning what would soon be the unraveling of the Ars massacre but at the cost of morefallen life's.
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