Chapter 144: One More Time
Inside the tavern, surrounded by dim lamplight and sitting elegantly behind an old wooden table, Seraphina spoke with a voice that carried both coldness and quiet confidence, "As it stands, we currently have no real chance of rescuing Arienne anytime soon. The single window we had today slipped right out of our hands because we walked in without proper knowledge. I ended up underestimating our enemy and allowed myself to grow too confident in my own abilities, and I also believed that the two of us together would be enough to handle them. But I was wrong. To be honest, even I didn't expect to run into an Archwitch out of nowhere."
Kael, who sat opposite her, frowned in confusion and leaned forward slightly as he asked, "Are they really that rare, even for someone like you to be surprised by meeting one in person, Captain?"
'He still doesn't know? That's not surprising since he never cares about anything beyond himself,' she thought with a quiet sigh.
Seraphina gave him a strange look, then exhaled softly, "They're extremely rare. You need to understand the new mage ranking system to realize how rare they actually are. As you know, a mage's rank usually depends on the mana inside their body, starting from E Rank as the weakest to S Rank as the strongest. However, once someone reaches an S Rank mana core, containing anything more becomes impossible. For a long time, everyone believed that was the absolute peak a person could ever reach, which meant a complete dead end, a place where nothing else existed to achieve."
'I know that much,' Kael thought to himself.
Seraphina leaned back slightly while touching the cup of tea resting among several others on the table, her expression unreadable as her eyes drifted across the uneven wooden surface, "That was when a certain genius mage appeared and insisted there was no such thing as a pinnacle of strength. People mocked him at that time, laughed at him, and tried to stop him repeatedly, but somehow he still managed to break through that dead end and created the seven steps that did not increase mana any further but instead manifested it in seven distinct ways. And those steps later became known as the Unus Paths.
She paused, gathering her thoughts, before finally speaking, "Since it did not increase one's mana capacity, it could not be classified as a basic rank like the others. Instead, it was granted a separate title, standing apart alongside two even higher ranks that emerged later, culminating in the title of Archmage. As for its rarity, among ten S Ranked mages, only one might ever reach the level of Archmage. And among twenty Archmages, perhaps only a single individual would ascend further, becoming an Archwitch by mastering every Path to its absolute peak. An Archwitch is capable of handling several S Ranked mages simultaneously in battle without much difficulty. Understood?"
Kael gazed at her with a blank, mildly irritated expression, 'I asked her for what? But she ended up giving me an entire lecture about ancient mage nonsense? Anyway, it seems like Queen is far stronger than I ever imagined, especially when Velhart barely has seven S Ranked mages in total. Serelina really did not joke with me on that day.'
He nodded quickly, "Of course, I did."
Arwyn, who had remained silent all this time, finally shifted her attention toward Seraphina. She rested her cheek on her palm with a calm, almost graceful ease, "So, how are you planning to deal with Queen in the near future? We can't leave a child in her hands for too long, even though we're out of options at the moment. I doubt she is going to sit quietly and wait for you either. She must have been preparing something especially for you so she can take you down without losing a single subordinate."
Seraphina's expression darkened slightly, her eyes growing somber until a colder sharpness settled into them, "Correct. With a mind as clever as hers, we can't afford to sit here doing nothing. We must prepare ourselves for anything long before she acts. To begin with, we need a group of allies we can trust. Our enemy is someone who manipulates minds, which means we won't know who is friend or foe anymore. Once that happens, everything will become dangerously troublesome."
Arwyn nodded briefly. "True enough. But do you have anyone particular in mind to join us?"
Seraphina's gaze drifted toward her husband's stupid and hopelessly clueless face instantly, her eyes lingering on him with a long, complicated look while her expression grew even colder than before, 'There it is again, isn't it? I need to choose whether to trust him with what I know or keep him out of everything. What am I supposed to choose? I know he can resist that witch's will control, so the chance of him becoming her puppet is extremely low. Even then, he's still an outsider, and there's a real possibility that he might be the masked man. Telling him anything would be a risk. Then again, he looked genuinely sincere when he asked me to help him find his student. And Queen and the masked man seem to be enemies in some way, which only makes him even more suspicious. What would be the right choice?'
She fell into a long silence, then slowly breathed out before lowering her eyes toward her own finger, and the memory of touching his lips came to mind, which caused a faint blush to rise before she quickly covered her face, 'Tsk. In the end, I am betting my life, aren't I?'
But when was the last time she hadn't handed her life to him in one way or another?
She had been eating dinner made by him without questioning anything. She had slept beside him every night through all these years, which made her realize he would never dare to cross the line between them in her sleep, whether it was because of fear or something else did not matter. If he had wanted to harm her, he would have done it long ago without any difficulty, and she would never have realized it. Despite knowing that, she had never allowed herself to suspect him in such matters even for a moment. But wasn't that exactly what trust was supposed to be?
'It couldn't be... could it?'
As of now, she was struggling to find a way to trust him but kept failing over and over again without understanding the reason behind it. It turned out it was not because she lacked the courage to do so, but because she had never needed it to begin with.
She had been trusting him all along.
It was just that she had not been aware of it until now, or maybe she had never understood how to recognize something like that within herself. Because of that, she carried a vague sense of doubt toward him, which always made everything confusing whenever the matter of trust came up. Even though that doubt still lingered, and perhaps always would until she could confirm who he truly was, it no longer held much weight because it was nothing unfamiliar to her.
'In any case, I am sure I will be able to place my life in his hands one more time, won't I?'
She moved her hand away from her face and took a slow breath to hide the embarrassment rising inside her. Then she took a sip of tea before turning to Arwyn with a brief nod and finally looking at him calmly, "I want you to join us, Kael."
Kael found himself slightly surprised by the sudden declaration, then he pointed at himself as if confirming her words, "Me? Are you sure about that? I'm a complete outsider here, so entering the inner plans of your knights could cause unnecessary trouble for you. Also, this matter is no longer about the kidnapping of my student alone. It has already turned into a threat to the kingdom itself. Aren't you worried about the consequences? If I leak something... do you realize what might happen?"
Seraphina placed her cup on the table, a cold smile forming on her lips as she spoke with quiet confidence, "Isn't it obvious? We will simply die as a result. That means our lives will be depending on you. Besides, you seem like someone who can at least hold yourself against her mind attacks, even if only for a brief moment. It would be a waste if we did not include you. Of course, you are free to accept or refuse if that is what you prefer. We will not force you."
Kael looked straight into her eyes as he frowned slightly, 'Where is all this confidence in her voice coming from? Does she really think I will not betray her? Well, she is right. I have no reason to do that, for now. Still, her choices are strangely admirable someti.'
Seraphina took another sip of tea and gave him a cold gaze as she said, "So what will be your choice, Kael?"
'As if I had any choice left to make... not after asking her for that huge favor,' he thought.
Then, he forced a smile, "I accept."
Seraphina tilted her head a little and lifted her hand in a small gesture, "A good choice. Now, shall we discuss what our next steps will be?"
Arwyn nodded quickly, "We should."
However, just as either of the women tried to speak further, Kael interrupted them, "Before that... I have something I must tell you both."
Arwyn frowned, "What?"
Seraphina only gave him a cold and patient look.
'Since things have reached this point, there is no reason to keep holding anything back, is there? It would be wiser to tell them now,'
He drew a slow breath and spoke in a hurried tone, which made his face warm with embarrassment, "Queen has a strange ability that lets her watch anywhere she wishes without anyone noticing, though I don't know how she manages it. Then she can influence someone's will and even control the origin of it, or rather their true desire. That ability of hers works perfectly after she kisses someone, especially on the lips, I believe. Also, she can awaken any man's deepest desire just by being present near them. Lastly, she desperately wants me, which you two already know, but she is far more desperate than you might imagine. That should be everything."
Both of the listeners froze completely without even the slightest twitch of movement, as though something had turned their bodies into unmoving stone.
Their eyes met in that strange stillness and then blinked at each other several times in slow confusion, as if their minds simply refused to accept what had just been said.
A long silence settled between them until Arwyn's lips parted ever so slightly, her voice trembling in that soft, unsure way she rarely showed, "W what? That's… a lot of information about her. But… how did you even learn something like that, Kael? More importantly, are you absolutely certain about what you just said? She's able to see anywhere."
'Are these reactions really necessary?'
Kael interlaced his fingers with a quiet motion and leaned back a little, trying to relax, although his expression made it clear he was anything but calm, "I know it sounds unbelievable, but it's true. One of her pawns, Effie, confessed it herself last night when I overheard them. I never mentioned it because it felt too absurd to bring up until now."
Arwyn paused with her brows furrowed and took a slow breath before letting out a long sigh, "Oh, I… see. Give me a moment… I need to think it through properly."
At that moment, Seraphina's fingers curled tightly on the table surface while she directed a glare at him so sharp it felt like she was about to spring across the table and snap his neck, though her lips curved into a dark smile that only made the atmosphere worse, "Say. Would you mind explaining to me exactly how you know her presence awakens a man's deepest desire? I highly doubt she is the one who told you that. Wait… don't tell me you learned that yesterday as well. If that's the case, then tell me clearly… how did you figure it out?"
'Now I'm definitely fucked… aren't I?'
Kael could feel her gaze burning through him like a blade held over a fire. His shoulders flinched ever so slightly before he scratched the back of his neck in a weak attempt to act casual, although it did nothing to hide the awkwardness wrapped around him, "About that… last night, when she first appeared out of nowhere, I ended up experiencing it myself. I was mesmerized, even though I didn't want to be. It was humiliating, so I couldn't bring myself to tell you anything."
Her smile deepened in a way that made his spine stiffen, "Is that so? I understand. Ah, so you must have enjoyed sinking into whatever delusion you fell into at that moment. It must have been quite pleasant."
'Why is she reacting like this? Isn't this too much?'
He glanced at Arwyn, desperately hoping she would offer him the slightest support, but she simply sat there pretending she did not even exist at the same table, eating on her own as if she had been nothing but a passerby who found a meal in front of her. It was as if she were silently declaring, 'You brought this trouble onto yourself, so deal with it alone.'
'You really are a witch, aren't you? Taking revenge for the evening, are we?'
He drew in another slow breath and answered his wife in an awkward, strained voice, "You don't need to worry, Captain. I swear on my own life that I didn't do anything improper while I was stuck in that state. Please believe me this time."
Seraphina cracked her knuckles with a sound that made him swallow, "Ah, so why should I believe anything you say? What reason do you think you have earned? Also, it seems you have conveniently forgotten to explain how you know kissing her activates her ability. Don't tell me you discovered that through experience as well. Is that it?"
'Isn't it obvious? That witch kept touching my lips and forcing my eyes toward hers as if she were desperately begging for a kiss. It was disgusting beyond words. Still, it was enough proof. No woman would go that far without anything to gain from it, unless she happened to be some kind of desperate lunatic or an unhinged prostitute.'
He was just about to force out an answer, although he had no idea what he was actually going to say, but before he could even open his mouth, Arwyn finally lifted her gaze from her plate and gave Seraphina a long, meaning filled look.
Then she extended her hand slightly toward her friend, "That's enough, Seraphina. Why are you behaving like this? Who do you think you are? His jealous wife? Pull yourself together."
'Well, you wouldn't believe me even if I said it, but she actually is my jealous wife.' He groaned inwardly.
Seraphina slowly lowered her hand again, her lashes falling halfway as she looked down for a moment. When she finally raised her face, her expression had softened into something unreadable, "Yes. You're right. I didn't realize I was making such a fuss over nothing. My sincere apologies, Kael."
Arwyn turned her gaze toward Kael, then back to Seraphina, then released another sigh that sounded indifferent but carried a soft blush across her cheeks, "Anyway, let me ask you something. Does it truly matter to someone of your caliber whether he kissed a woman or not? If it does matter to you, why? Furthermore, why should he be answering your pointless questions anyway? He has every right to sleep with anyone he wants, doesn't he?"
Seraphina gazed at her friend with an indifferent expression that hardly shifted even a fraction as her voice drifted out in that familiar chill, "Ah, of course, he sure does. Although it seems you have misunderstood me completely, my dear friend. I have no obligation toward him regarding any of this at all. Instead, I was simply curious about what kind of experience he had in that moment, so that if he encounters the same problem in the future, we might be able to find a way to help him resist it properly. I mean, it sounds completely unexpected coming from him, but in that moment he must have been acting like a hungry wolf... can you even imagine that?"
Kael's entire face twitched with barely contained irritation as his thoughts spiraled, 'Excuse me? What do you mean by something unexpected from me? I am a grown man too, you know. Tsk, it stings even more since it is coming straight from my wife. Anyway, I am extremely relieved that Arwyn has no idea that her friend is actually my wife. Otherwise, I might never recover enough pride to show my face to her ever again. This means she must never learn about our marriage, no matter what. My whole dignity depends on it.'
At the same time, Arwyn shifted her fork across the plate in a slow rhythm as her expression twisted into something half amused and half annoyed, 'Tsk, she just changed the subject so smoothly, and here I thought I could back her into a corner a little and make her admit even a tiny bit of jealousy. That attempt was a failure. Still, I believe it should be enough to leave a strong impression on him about her. He will probably wonder why she reacted that way, right?'
She studied Kael's irritated expression for a moment before realizing what Seraphina had just implied, then she coughed lightly and said, "That is, uh, completely impossible in my opinion. Either way, do you have any idea how to help him resist such a thing? I have never heard of any artifact capable of protecting him from that, though."
Seraphina answered in that same cold, distant voice, "I also have no idea. However, in order to help him, we first need to find out exactly what requirements are necessary for her mesmerism to activate, along with how her strange eyesight functions."
She paused for a brief moment, then touched her chin while her gaze grew distant as she murmured, "Speaking of that, it finally makes complete sense to me now."
Kael reacted instantly, "What makes sense, Captain?"
Seraphina gave him a brief but penetrating look and said, "Her fluid movements. When she fought me, she wore a blindfold. If she had been truly blind, then her movements would have been beyond astonishing for someone unable to see anything. After what you told us about her sight, it becomes clear she must have been moving by relying on that ability instead of physical vision. This means we have a severe disadvantage on our hands."
Kael's expression darkened as he exhaled slowly. "What kind of disadvantage exactly?"
Seraphina interlaced her fingers slowly as a faint shadow crossed her expression, "In battle, the only thing that can shift the momentum in your favor is your ability to observe your enemy's movements. If you manage to catch even a slight flaw or weak point during combat, you can seize that opportunity if your skill is high enough. However, against this opponent, that tactic will hardly work. We will be watching her movements directly in front of us, while she will be watching them from behind us or above us or from any angle she desires. Through that, she will be able to predict our movements before we even execute them."
Kael fell into a long silence, "That is true."
Arwyn looked up and tilted her head slightly, "Now that I think about it, did you not see her face, Seraphina? Shouldn't you be able to recognize her if she appears in public, even if she is blindfolded?"
Seraphina released a slow, deep sigh, "I cannot."
Kael raised an eyebrow, confusion spreading across his face, "Why not?"
Seraphina's expression darkened even further, "Her face is unrecognizable. When I looked at her, it felt as though I was staring at my own reflection. She looked familiar in a way that suggested I had known her for many years, while at the same time she looked like someone I had never met in my life."
Arwyn leaned closer, her attention sharpening, "What do you mean by that? Could you explain it more clearly?"
Blue flames danced in the depths of Seraphina's eyes, her gaze growing sharper than steel, her voice turning even colder.
"She resembled me, although I could not make out the color of her hair, so I couldn't be sure."
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Somewhere far away, in a room swallowed by darkness, tall windows stretched upward as long curtains fluttered softly, catching the pale moonlight that spilled in, tracing a slow rhythm across the space. Against the wall, a bed stood quietly, and opposite it, a study table with a lone chair faced the room.
In that very chair sat a woman.
Tied tightly by a long rope that bound her hands and body to the wooden frame, she leaned helplessly back. Once, she had been beautiful... no, she still was, though the change was unmistakable. Her golden hair had fallen into messy strands, untamed, framing ocean-blue eyes dulled by exhaustion. A rope pressed against her lips, muffling her words and leaving her almost unable to speak.
Serelina had lost all of her patience.
A shiver ran across her skin as another cold gust passed through the room, crawling over her bare arms and spine. Instinctively, she leaned back farther, the rope pulling taut against her body as if to remind her that escape was not an option.
'Ah… it's so damn cold. Here today too. That bastard didn't even bother to close the windows. At least he could've given me a blanket… or something. How many more days am I supposed to stay like this? I can't take it anymore.'
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(Chapter Ended)
To be continued...