“Nao-sama! You summoned me!” a woman spoke out as she knelt like a ninja in front of her King – the King of Feladonia.

“How are they, Maria?” The King asked while brooding in deep thoughts.

The question caught Maria off guard, her dealings with the King were limited and as such she did not know what kind of man the King was. Vassel – the leader of the Purple Shadows handled all interactions with the King, however ever since he had been incapacitated Maria had been performing all the duties. It became clear to her with this question that the King was very caring of his subjects – the adventure crisis had barely passed by and the King prioritized soldier welfare over city repair. In Vassel’s and Clarice’s case – all stops had been pulled for the medical works – perks of being the most elite of elites.

“They are better…but recovery is slow…” Maria replied.

“Is that so…” Nao said as he shifted through the paper work that had amassed on his table thanks to the adventure incident.

“Yes!” Maria replied hurriedly, she felt a need to keep fill in the silence between their conversation. “Vassel is showing better recovery than Clarice – as expected of our Captain…but Doctors say both will recover…”

“It has been over a week …. Hasn’t it?” Nao asked.

Maria was uncertain where this was going.

“Yes…” Maria replied.

“To be sleeping for a week…” Nao muttered.

“But they are expected to awaken soon!” Maria defended her senior.

“You are certain what you saw?” Nao asked as he looked up – away from the paper work plaguing his table.

“Yes! I saw it clearly!” Maria replied – there was a certain raw emotion leaking from her voice. “That monster did this to Vassel!”

“Remind me again what happened that night…”

Maria quickly began narrating the story of how they followed the adventurer till the Blue Inn. Then how after the inn exploded – the monster stepped out from the Debris. She described the in excruciating detail his intense blood lust aura. She went on to explain how Vassel ordered them to leave and he went to save Clarice. Hida and Kiyoma rushed to find the Cardinal however Maria returned – her instincts told her to wait for Vassel.

That turned out to be right choice, because as soon as she returned she clearly saw the monster cut down her Captain and Clarice. After that the monster spoke with the adventure – from what she could tell he was letting him escape…then something happened and the adventurer transformed into a massive slime and in the chaos that ensued, Maria rushed to save her fallen comrades.

“Did you hear that?” Nao asked. It appeared he was speaking to the wind.

“…I did…” came back a reply from the ceiling.

Maria immediately recognized that voice – it was the Cardinal.

“Teacher!” She inadvertently cried out. The Cardinal had been missing for an entire week! Rumours were floating how he had been killed or something along those lines.

Nao removed his reading spectacles and rested his arms on the table. “Do you know the identity of that monster?”

“No…” Maria replied sincerely. She didn’t have the slightest of clue who that man was – Vassel knew but he never told the others. “But I could recognize him anywhere…he was cold and dark….a darkness from which no light can escape….”

“Heh…” The Cardinal smirked as if in agreement with Maria’s analysis.

Maria continued, “And a violent killing intent which would make teacher’s look like a joke….it felt like we had been visited by a monster of another world….”

“Thank you very much Maria.” Nao stopped Maria from speaking any further. “Please continue carrying out my request…”

“But…” Maria fought back.

Nao paused to let her speak.

“But guarding Vassel and Clarice is not a job for the Purple Shadows! We should be trying to find that adventurer or that monster!” She cried. “Aren’t those two eminent threats to the peace of the Empire?”

Nao let out a sigh. “Please understand, protecting Vassel and Clarice takes supreme importance in this case. Not a word must get out that those two live.”

“…My lord these instructions feel like you already know the identity of that monster!” Maria complained – for a woman dealing first time with the King she seemed to completely forget in whose presence she stood but that was the effect Nao had on his subjects. Nao’s subjects often forget they were in the presence of a king when with Nao….that is where the Cardinal would step in to remind people who the king is…

“Maria…” The Cardinal spoke while letting his killing intent leak slightly. “I don’t remember teaching you such rude manners….”

Maria suddenly realized that she was speaking to the King and immediately apologized before rushing away.

“That really was not needed…” Nao complained.

“Some people needed to be reminded who they are…” The Cardinal spoke out – still hiding.

“I see…” Nao said completely uninterested in what the Cardinal had to say.

“I am referring to you.” The Cardinal added. “You do that intentionally, don’t you?”

“Do what?” Nao feinted ignorance.

“Get people to completely drop their guard and let out their inner most feelings…”

“Isn’t that a good thing?”

The Cardinal who was perched on one of the supporting ledges of the roof raised his eye-brow as he peered down at Nao. “Being vulnerable is never a good thing…especially when it involves your bloodline…” There was a hint of exhaustion in the Cardinal’s voice.

“Did you find what you were looking for?” Nao asked as he pushed away the papers – marking the end of his interest in paperwork and changing topics.

The Cardinal dropped something on Nao’s table – floated slowly down to touch the table.

Nao picked up the delicate object; a flower. It was like a tiny sunflower except it had pink-shining-diamond like petals.

“Venus Petals…one of the rarest herbs on his planet…” Nao said as he examined the petal. “One of the most beautiful flowers too…”

“And the most potent medical herb.” The Cardinal completed Nao’s sentence.

“Will this much suffice to heal them?” Nao asked while still examining the flower.

“It is the only thing that can heal them.”

“Oh…” Nao exclaimed in surprise. “Is that how grave their wounds are?”

“The Azwhe Zwelda Zak Anhoor as they call it in my tongue or the Soul Reaper in your world, is a rapier which poisons its victims both physically and mentally – draining them of any will to live on this world. Even if you cure the physical poison the other one will persist till it takes its victim’s life.”

“Sounds terrible...” Nao said as he dropped the flower in test tube.

“Mental anguish is a pain far greater than physical pain.” The Cardinal said as he watched Nao closely.

“Then, with this I will assume we are proceeding ahead with our plan?” Nao asked as he stood up.

The Cardinal kept quiet.

“I’ll take that silence as a yes. Then with this our contract has been concluded. I will ensure your brother’s fall from grace and you will secure my position as Emperor.”

The Cardinal got up from his hiding spot and was about to take leave when Nao stopped him.

“You know I have always been wondering…ever since he visited me…did he know that Feladonia would be under siege? Is that why he visited?” Nao asked.

“I will investigate the matter.” The Cardinal replied.

“Yes, please do…please tell me how the old man is omniscient.”

With that both people left the room.

***

Light cascaded through an open hole into a dark chamber, it shone upon a tiny figure of a girl, dressed like a nun in white robes, praying.

“I see no change in the future…” She whispered. “Feladonia will fall, marking the fall of the Empire and your demise.”

An unseen individual, hidden in the shadows, stomped away in anger.