The dim cave echoed with the slow, monotonous sound of water dripping from stalactites, each droplet striking a shallow puddle and breaking the heavy silence.
Plop.
A pair of low-heeled boots splashed through one such puddle, their owner striding with unwavering purpose toward the cave's deepest chamber.
The faint, eerie blue glow of enchanted torches lit the path ahead, casting long, dancing shadows until they illuminated a grand, obsidian throne carved from the living rock.
She knelt, one knee pressing into the cold, damp stone, her head bowed low as she spoke with forced reverence.
"Lord Shadow, you summoned me back from St. Heath's Academy so urgently. Is there a new task for me?"
The figure on the throne remained still for a long moment, draped in a robe of pure, light-absorbing black. His leg was casually crossed, one hand propping up his chin while the other rested on the armrest, its fingers tapping a slow, rhythmless tattoo against the dark stone.
Though his posture was relaxed, the aura of cold, absolute power around him was more chilling than the cave's deepest shadows. It was oppressive enough to make Elizabeth, kneeling below, not dare to lift her gaze even an inch.
"Elizabeth," he began, his voice deceptively calm but edged with a subtle menace that promised pain. "When I sent you to St. Heath's Academy under the guise of 'Sherry', I gave you two clear tasks."
"First, to identify the precise moment to initiate the Underworld Fire Plan and trigger Constantine's corruption.
Second, to apply constant, psychological pressure on that upstart Leon's daughters, to destabilize the entire Melkvey family foundation."
His tone sharpened, losing its feigned casualness.
"Tell me, Elizabeth. Do you consider the second task complete?"
It was not a question meant for an honest answer, and the woman kneeling before him knew it well.
Elizabeth's lips turned pale, and a cold sweat soaked through her fine undergarments as she struggled to keep her breathing steady.
"Lord Shadow, I... I did my best under the circumstances," she replied, trying to mask the trembling in her voice.
"How unfortunate," Shadow remarked, his voice thick with disdain. "The Underworld Fire Plan has already begun. The sparks of conflict from the Crimson Flame Dragon's rampage have reached Leon's very doorstep. And yet, Noah spends her days under Mevis's watchful eye, seemingly unharmed and even protected. She doesn't even listen to my orders passed through you."
Before Elizabeth could interject with an excuse, he added with a cold, humorless chuckle,
"And what of the others?"
Elizabeth swallowed hard, her throat dry. Her face turned ashen as she recalled the many blunders and frustrations over recent weeks.
"Muen... is emotionally volatile, and therefore manageable," she stammered. "But she's constantly shadowed by that clever, pink-haired girl—Aurora. It's impossible to get her alone."
"And Aurora herself?" Shadow pressed, his tapping fingers stilling.
Elizabeth hesitated, then sighed in utter defeat, the truth too humiliating to dress up.
"I can't win against her. In any game of wits, she outmaneuvers me effortlessly."
Her blunt admission drew a rare, tangible reaction from the figure on the throne. Shadow uncrossed his legs, leaning forward slightly, his hooded head tilting with genuine, almost academic intrigue.
"You mean to tell me that in over forty years of life, with all your experience in manipulation and courtly intrigue, your intellect is consistently outmatched by a five-year-old child?"
"...Yes, Lord. Please forgive my incompetence. That child is... preternaturally clever. It's uncanny."
Shadow suppressed a dry laugh, waving a dismissive hand as he leaned back against the throne once more.
"Forget it. The primary objective, the Underworld Fire Plan, has succeeded, proving my theories about the Black Dragon Scale's corruption correct. The rest is now secondary."
Sensing a slight lessening of the pressure, Elizabeth wasted no time in flattering him.
"As expected of your foresight, Lord. Constantine's rampage at St. Heath's Academy caused ripples that still shake the Dragon Clan Council. And with our agents strategically fanning the flames, the negative sentiment and paranoia within the clan are ripe for exploitation."
Shadow's lips curled into a faint, predatory smirk beneath his hood.
"Indeed. Leon has secured his fame and influence for now, but these ancient creatures have long memories and hold grudges for decades. It's time they relived true, primordial fear."
"You're unparalleled in your wisdom and strategy, Lord," Elizabeth added quickly, seizing the opportunity.
Shadow's gaze, though hidden, seemed to darken as he spoke again, changing the subject.
"You mentioned Mevis earlier. She didn't return to the stronghold with you?"
"I left her stationed at the outer perimeter, Lord, as per standard protocol. Shall I summon her?"
"Bring her in. Now."
"Yes, Lord."
Elizabeth rose swiftly, her movements stiff, and exited the cavern. Before long, she returned, followed by the tall, composed figure of Mevis.
Mevis's high ponytail swayed with each step, her attire a mix of sleek black tactical wear and more traditional, practical combat gear. The outfit was sharp and authoritative, though the small, slightly faded bear patch stitched discreetly onto her jacket cuff felt oddly out of place in the cold, oppressive cave, a whisper of a different life.
She knelt beside Elizabeth, her posture much straighter, her composure seemingly unshakable.
"Mevis," Shadow's voice broke the silence, low and commanding, seeming to vibrate through the very stone.
"Yes, Lord."
"Do you remember why you first pledged your loyalty to me?" he asked, his tone implying this was a test.
"Yes, Lord," Mevis replied, her voice steady but tinged with a faint, carefully measured tremor. "You promised that if I served you faithfully, you would grant me a Black Dragon Scale to save what was left of my family."
At the mention of her family, her voice faltered for a bare instant, a tiny crack in her otherwise stoic demeanor.
Shadow, however, paid no heed to the emotional nuance.
"That's correct. I once thought you'd become one of my most capable and efficient lieutenants. But then I sent Elizabeth to support you at the academy, and yet you've... faltered in your secondary objective."
His choice of words was deliberate. He didn't accuse her of outright failure or disobedience, but instead implied a loss of momentum, a lack of results.
Mevis understood the deadly nuance but chose not to counter it directly. Instead, she subtly offered Elizabeth as the reason.
"Lord, I did collaborate with Elizabeth as ordered," Mevis said calmly. "But her methods were often too blunt, too extreme. They risked exposing our entire operation prematurely."
"Extreme?" Elizabeth snapped, instantly defensive. "There were countless opportunities to act against those brats! If it weren't for you holding me back, we'd have succeeded weeks ago! Leon would've been driven mad with grief by now!"
"And then what?" Mevis retorted evenly, her gaze still fixed on the ground before Shadow's throne.
"He would have hunted us down and killed us both before tracking the leads back to this very stronghold, wiping out your operation, Lord. My role was to ensure the mission's longevity, not its short-term satisfaction."
"Enough!" Shadow's voice cut through their bickering, sharp and final as a guillotine's blade.
He pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling a slow, irritated breath.
"Mevis, to abandon the long-term pursuit of the 'Ultimate Fear' for petty vengeance now would be the height of foolishness. We must remain patient, hidden in the shadows, until the final seal is broken. Everything since the empire's fall has been slipping further beyond my immediate grasp."
The tension between the two women was a palpable force in the cavern, but Shadow pressed on, his focus returning to Mevis.
"Now, Mevis. What of your other, more delicate task? The one I entrusted only to you. Have you uncovered anything about the nature of the Primordial Dragon King Noah's soul within the girl?"
Drip.
Drip.
The cave grew eerily still as the weight of the question hung in the cold air. Elizabeth turned her head, watching Mevis with a mixture of open curiosity and deep-seated doubt.
Mevis's gaze lowered, seemingly staring into a small, dark puddle at her feet. The water's surface, for a fleeting second, reflected her own stern and composed face before it seemed to shift, shimmering into a different visage altogether.
The face of a young girl with soft silver-black hair and piercing, sapphire-blue eyes. A gaze unyielding in its determination, yet hiding a world of vulnerability.
A faint, almost imperceptible smile curved Mevis's lips as she closed her eyes, shutting out the vision, and replied in a soft, unwavering voice.
"I've found no trace of Noah's soul, Lord. The vessel appears to be just a girl."
The lie was delivered with the perfect calm of a true master, leaving no ripple in the dark water of the cave or in the even darker heart of the man on the throne.