The skystorm worsened every year, but this year’s was… too much.

‘The leader of the monster worshippers,’ the figure had said. His voice had pierced through the pattering rain with a cutting clarity. His profile: of a thin man with sick-pale-white skin, matched the description that Ray had heard.

“The leader of monster worshippers”…

They exchanged stares. Kept their respective weapons leashed.

Facing the leader, a speculation reigned inside Ray’s mind: that the leader’s arrival to this alleyway could only mean that the negation magic was crucial to attend to. If that wasn’t the case, why would he be here instead of the sanctum?

The thought was sound, but there remained an unsolved problem.

There’s no certainty that this man is truly the leader of the monster worshippers, Ray thought. He could be a disguised underling borrowing his profile.

Ray couldn’t jump to any conclusions, not yet. Not until the situation progressed and additional information was gained. However, considering the leader’s passivity, of just standing there in the rain, he wasn’t going to give information on his own.

He had to fuel the flame.

‘And I’m Ray Astrallis, the prince of a country!’ Ray declared, raising his voice to overcome the rain. ‘Not very convincing, isn’t it?’

In response, the leader smirked and gave only silence.

‘…’

Nothing.

Humans were—flames. To feel their heat, to understand the reason they burned, one had to feed the fire. Words were the easiest and usually most effective fuel that could be thrown to turn the fire into a blaze.

At the very least, should it fail, often words would sway the fire.

However, for the first time in his life, Ray had gotten no reaction.

This man he was facing against, who responded with vague wordless response, gave nothing away. His flames kept burning the same manner, and nothing about it gave Ray anything to read.

Incomprehensible.

Ray had to change his approach.

If his words weren’t helping in progressing the situation, then he had no choice but to review what had happened. He had to look over the facts which he knew was true, and there were two which were indisputable: 1. Someone from the monster worshipper’s side had come here; 2. The negation magic had been camouflaged meticulously with paint.

Those two facts—pointed toward a rough conclusion.

The negation magic isn’t a red herr—

The person who claimed himself leader sighed. This halted Ray’s thought.

He opened his lips, seemingly about to speak, but didn’t. From under the shade of his hood, his eyes, which pupils seemed a deformed circle, stared at Ray and Elaine with hints of disappointment.

He then shook his head.

‘I’ll do you a favor,’ his voice was calm, words sharp as a blade’s cut. Slowly he raised his left hand and pointed a crooked finger toward Elaine. No. Toward the negation magic. ‘That magic—'

He uttered the unexpected:

‘—is a decoy.’

***

…

Will that work? The leader wondered. He wanted to glance and gauge their reactions but didn’t, not yet. Careful. They’ll get a read on me if I’m too obvious. I’d give about… two seconds… One… Two… and he glanced.

No reactions from the mage. She was too occupied on negating the negation magic.

It’s alright. The leader refrained from clicking his tongue and showing his dissatisfaction. She’s not my main target.

He shifted his gaze to the self-proclaimed prince. Had he less self-control, he would have shown a smile.

Must be chaotic in that head of his, he remarked upon looking at the prince’s confusion. You’ve been pondering the intent of that magic in vain, and all of a sudden I gave the answer to you. Good, good…

He’s disturbed, contemplating whether my answer is the truth.

I’ll agitate that disturbance further.

The leader grabbed the spear he carried on his back, gripped the shaft with both hands, wielded the weapon with a grand movement, and pointed the blade toward the prince.

He’s wondering whether the negation magic is of actual importance. Here’s an answer for that:

***

It is. It isn’t.

Ray couldn’t get a read on that man.

No matter how he perceived it, Ray couldn’t tell whether his answer was the truth. It simply made no sense for him to reveal the monster worshipper’s intention, unless if he wanted Ray to believe the negation magic was a decoy; therefore, it wasn’t.

Even this act of his, of challenging him into a fight, could be seen as his attempt to further exaggerate on his statement: that he was preventing them from reaching the sanctum.

However, perhaps that was what he wanted Ray to think, and he was currently playing into his tune.

Ray couldn’t get a read on that man.

He gave up on understanding his opponent.

Instead, he decided to believe in the facts. From the leader’s actions thus far, beginning to present, Ray had found a new fact and gained a valuable information.

He had made his move right at the moment before I was about to come to a conclusion. With a sigh to halt my thoughts.

Time.

That’s your current aim.

Regardless of the truth, of whether the negation magic was a red herring, the leader would win by default as long as he could stall time. If the negation magic was negating something, he would win if Elaine couldn’t cancel it on time (judging that there wasn’t just one negation magic, it would be safe to assume that there was more). If the negation magic was not negating something and was just a diversion, he would win if they were stuck here not aiding the sanctum.

I need to ignore him—and gather all the facts to decide.

It was then Ray remembered of a crucial event that had taken place: The monster worshipper’s attack on the Stormpiercer. Since, thus far, there were no obvious motives as to why they had specifically aimed the ship, it could only be concluded that they had attacked there to split the sword worshippers’ forces and target the weakened sanctum.

It has always been the sanctum.

The negation magic inside the alleyway was there for that same purpose.

It’s a red herring, a decoy.

***

‘Elaine,’ the leader could hear the prince through the rain, ‘We’re heading to the sanctum.’

… Splendid, the leader thought, amazed.

In that short exchange, it seemed that he was able to tell that he was aiming for time. That as long as they were all stuck here wasting time, it would ultimately be the leader’s victory.

Now the jig was up, and the outcome was—

—better than what the leader had expected.

I can’t smile, he thought, restraining himself. A smile will give everything away. Instead, I should keep my still expression and give nothing away.

The truth of the matter, which he knew, was that—the negation magic wasn’t a decoy.

The negation magic was there to negate a certain magic that was hindering the monster worshippers’ plans. As a matter of fact, the true reason as to why the leader had come into this alleyway was because he felt one of the negation magic he had set up being cancelled, and he came here to prevent the rest from being cancelled.

Now that the prince had come to the wrong conclusion and was about to leave the negation magic behind to aid the sanctum, the leader believed that he had executed a job well done.

The best victories are those won without a fight, he thought triumphantly.

Except victory wasn’t his for the taking just yet.

‘Elaine, leave it behind, it’s a red herring.’

The mage was still negating the negation magic.

Should I give a push? No. That would convey the truth. I should stay silent and let things run its course. Right now, it’s still leading to a favorable direction.

‘Elai—’

‘No.’

The leader noted that the mage held her ground and that she carried a weight of conviction in her answer.

Could it be…

‘Didn’t you hear me? That’s—’

‘Not a red herring.’

There’s no mistaking it. She had realized. The leader was surprised. The moment he had misled the prince, he thought victory was his, but it seemed that the mage wasn’t just a mere follower. He considered throwing more words and stalling them but didn’t feel it necessary. They would never reach on time.

The mage immediately stood up. The leader glanced at her work, even more surprised upon finding that his negation magic had been cancelled. That fast?

Not yet. The leader wasn’t accepting his failure just yet. He glanced upon the prince, hoping that he would mislead the mage. However, though he remained confused, he casted only doubt that lasted a blink.

‘It’s not,’ the mage said, staring into his eyes with conviction.

Thus far, the leader had heard no evidence coming from her; no supporting fact to convince him of her conclusion, but—it seemed that the prince had no need for evidence.

Facts, cunning, logic, rationality, all of those get thrown out. Al’naratu… I don’t think I can ever handle the sight of people who trusts each other. The chaos I’ve established becomes a sickening order, all because of trust.

Curses.

In that moment, the both of them split up. The prince dashed toward the leader, hand on the hilt of his unsheathed sword, while the mage flew up toward the sky.