Snow trailed us as we flew south. It stuck to our vessels, sharp and glittering, but the further we went, the lighter it got. By the time we saw the spires of Edilliaa, the air was warmer,too warm, almost heavy.
"So this is it… the kingdom of liars?" Kael asked, shading his eyes.
From a distance, Edilliaa looked perfect. The streets were busy, the markets full, banners waving proudly. Nothing like the broken city of Fillo. But something didn't sit right. It felt… staged.
When we landed and walked through the gates, it only got worse. Everyone smiled, but the smiles didn't reach their eyes. The laughter sounded practiced. Even the guards greeted us politely, though their hands never left their weapons.
This place was built on masks.
And we'd just stepped right into them.
-Surya's POV-
We stopped at the gates of Edilliaa, and the guards came right up to us. Their armor shined, but their eyes looked like they were weighing every move we made.
I reached into my pouch and pulled out the identity stones we got back in Cryellita. The faint glow pulsed as I held them out.
One of the guards leaned in close, studying them for a moment longer than he needed to. Then he gave us a practiced smile.
"Adventurers, huh? … Welcome to Edilliaa," he said, voice polite but sharp underneath.
Something about the way he said it made me tighten my grip on the stones.
The guard finally handed back our stones, his smile widening.
"You'll find Edilliaa different from other kingdoms," he said smoothly. "Here, people are truth-tellers. You won't hear lies within these walls."
Kael and I exchanged a quick glance. His brows furrowed just enough to say what we were both thinking.
Truth-tellers?
We hadn't even stepped past the gates yet, and already the first lie had been told.
I slipped the stone back into my pouch and forced a small nod, pretending to believe him. Inside, though, I couldn't help but think: If that was their welcome, then this kingdom's going to be worse than I thought.
The moment we stepped into Edilliaa, the air felt… off. The streets were busy, filled with merchants shouting their wares, kids laughing and running, and banners fluttering above the marketplace. At first glance, it looked normal.
But then the lies started.
"This sword is unbreakable!" a merchant bragged, even though I could see the cracks running along the blade's edge.
"Fresh fruit, picked this morning!" another shouted, though the apples were clearly days old, bruised and soft.
A man bumped into Kael and swore he hadn't touched him,while Kael still rubbed his shoulder from the hit.
Everywhere we went, the truth was twisted.
Kael looked around nervously, trying to brush it off. But me? I hated it. Each lie scratched at me, heavier than the last. I clenched my fist around my pouch, forcing myself not to snap at the next person who opened their mouth.
If this was the Kingdom of Lies… then I wasn't sure how long I could stand it.
While walking through the market, Kael pulled on my sleeve. "Master, look."
On the wall of the guild hall was a poster, old and half-torn.
"Find the Lost Book of Truth before lies take over this kingdom. Reward: 10,000 gold."
I froze. Ten thousand gold. That was even more than the Moon Dragon quest.
Kael whistled. "That's crazy… we'd never need to worry about money again."
I kept staring at the words. The Book of Truth…? In a place full of liars, that book had to be important. Maybe too important.
I pulled the poster down and folded it. "We're taking this quest."
Kael blinked. "Seriously?"
"Yes. This kingdom is built on lies. I want to know the truth."
He groaned. "Knew you'd say that."
It was getting dark, and my body felt heavy from the day.
"We need a place to rest," I told Kael.
We walked through the streets, but every inn we passed felt… off. The signs were bent, the prices kept changing, and the owners smiled too much. Lies were in the air, thick as smoke.
Still, night was coming fast. I sighed. "Doesn't matter if they lie or not. We'll take the next inn we find."
Kael nodded, though his face showed he didn't like it either.
We finally found an inn. The keeper greeted us with a wide grin.
"Only five gold a room," he said.
I didn't trust him, but I paid anyway. When the coins left my hand, his smile grew wider.
He gave us two rusty keys. "Best rooms in the city," he claimed.
Kael and I walked up the stairs. The hall smelled of dust and damp wood. When we opened the doors, the truth showed itself—broken beds, cracked walls, windows stuffed with rags.
Kael groaned. "Figures…"
I dropped my pack to the floor and sat down. "Doesn't matter. It's just one night."
The next morning, we left the inn as fast as we could. The quest was clear find the Book of Truth. But in this kingdom of liars, asking around was useless. Everyone's words twisted like snakes.
So we decided to search on our own.
We left the city and headed into the forest. The air there was quiet, heavy, different from the noisy lies of the market.
After some time, we reached a small village hidden among the trees. Not many people lived there. Beyond it, standing alone, was a tower. Not tall—more like a stone hut that stretched upward, with moss crawling along the walls.
I stopped, staring at it.
Kael pointed. "That place looks… off."
I nodded. "Which means it's the right place."
We pushed open the tower door. The air inside smelled of iron and ash. To my surprise, it wasn't empty at all.
A young man sat by a forge, hammering a blade. His hair was messy, his hands rough from work. He looked up when he saw us, eyes sharp but curious.
"Who are you three?" he asked, setting the hammer down. "It's been a while since I had visitors."
Kael glanced at me. "Three?" he whispered. "There's only two of us…"
I felt a chill run down my spine.
I stepped forward carefully. "We're adventurers. We came looking for something. A book."
The blacksmith tilted his head and smiled faintly. "A book of truth, maybe?"
Kael narrowed his eyes. "Wait a second… why would a blacksmith have a book? Shouldn't something like that belong to a scholar or a librarian?"
His words made sense. My guard went up immediately. This whole kingdom was lies wrapped in more lies.
The young man just chuckled, wiping his hands on a cloth. "Does it matter who holds it, as long as it exists?"
That answer didn't sit right with me. It was slippery, the kind of thing meant to bend your trust.
Kael whispered to me, "This could be another trick. Maybe even the tower itself is lying to us."
I kept my eyes on the blacksmith. "Then I guess we'll find out the truth ourselves."
The man set his hammer aside and looked at us more seriously.
"My name is Thriller," he said. "And before you doubt me further… I'll speak plainly. I'm no ordinary blacksmith."
Kael crossed his arms, not buying it yet. "Then what are you?"
Thriller gave a small smile. "A keeper of the Book of Truth. I forged weapons here as a cover, but the truth is,I was tasked with guarding it. If I lied to you, I knew you'd never trust me."
The air around him felt heavier after those words. For the first time since stepping into Edilliaa, I sensed honesty. It was sharp, almost painful, compared to the endless stream of lies outside.
Kael frowned. "So… you're saying the book really is here?"
Thriller nodded once. "Yes. But if you want it, you'll have to prove you're worthy of the truth."
Thriller stepped closer, his presence calm but heavy. "The Book of Truth cannot be given freely. One of you must face me to earn it."
I looked at Kael. He was tense, but I could see the fire in his eyes.
"As your master," I said firmly, "this is your fight, Kael. I'll watch and guide you, but the challenge is yours to take."
Kael swallowed hard, then nodded. "Understood."
Thriller smirked and reached for a blade he had forged, its edge glowing faintly in the forge's light. "Good. Show me if you're worthy."
Kael raised his hand, summoning his magic. The air inside the tower shifted, thick with mana.
The challenge had begun.
The air cracked with tension as the fight began.
Thriller raised his hand, and with a clang of steel, chains shot out from his wristbands,each tipped with sharp blades that glinted in the forge's light. They slithered across the floor like snakes before lashing out toward Kael.
Kael reacted fast. He summoned his elemental weapon, shouting, "Wind Blade!" A long blade of shimmering air formed in his hand, cutting against the chains as they snapped toward him. Sparks flew when steel met wind.
Thriller smirked. "Not bad. But can you keep up?" He swung his arm, sending the chains whipping through the room, striking walls, breaking stone, forcing Kael to stay on his feet.
Kael gritted his teeth, slashing the chains aside with his Wind Blade. He moved lightly, letting the wind carry his body, each step faster than the last.
Watching from the side, I could tell—this wasn't just a fight of strength. Thriller was testing Kael's control, his courage.
And Kael… was holding on.
The clash grew louder, echoing through the tower. Chains struck like vipers, forcing Kael to leap back, roll, and parry in quick bursts. Every move Thriller made was precise, like a man who had fought for decades.
Kael swung his Wind Blade, slicing through two chains, but in the same breath, three more came whipping around, catching his arm and leg. The blades bit into his skin, drawing blood.
"Kael!" I shouted, taking a step forward. But I stopped. This was his trial. If I stepped in, it would mean nothing.
Kael gritted his teeth, his face twisted with pain. "I… won't lose here!"
He gathered his mana, and the air around him howled. The chains rattled as a sharp gust burst from his body, tearing them loose. His Wind Blade grew brighter, longer, more solid, as though his will itself sharpened the edge.
Thriller's eyes widened slightly, the first crack in his calm. "Good… That's it. Push further!"
Kael charged, cutting through the storm of chains with a flurry of strikes, each faster than the last. The room filled with wind and steel, every blow a test of resolve.
The fight was reaching its peak.
Just as Kael's blade cut through another chain, he let out a cry and lunged forward for a final strike. For a moment, it looked like victory was in reach.
But Thriller vanished.
The chains retracted, clattering to the ground. Kael froze, his eyes darting around the dim tower. "Where—?"
A whisper came from behind him. "Too slow."
Before Kael could react, cold steel pressed lightly against his neck. Thriller had moved faster than either of us could track, stepping through the shadows like a ghost.
Kael stiffened, his Wind Blade flickering before vanishing. The fight was over.
Thriller lowered his weapon and stepped back. "You fought well, but strength alone doesn't win battles. Awareness does. Resolve does. Remember that, Kael."
Kael dropped to his knees, breathing hard, sweat dripping from his brow. "So… I failed?"
Thriller shook his head. "No. You endured. You showed spirit. That is enough."
He turned to me and pulled a small, leather-bound book from a chest by the forge. Its cover shimmered faintly, resisting the shadows around it.
"The Book of Truth," he said, holding it out. "This is the price you've earned."
Thriller held out the book toward us. The air felt heavy, like something important was about to shift.
Then, a voice cut through the silence.
"Not so fast."
In a blink, the book vanished from Thriller's hands. The room grew colder.
We all turned—there, standing near the broken tower window, was a masked figure. He wore a white robe, a purple scarf flowing in the wind, and a tall white top hat. A long sword rested across his back, gleaming even in the dim light.
Kael stumbled to his feet, anger burning in his voice. "Who are you?!"
The masked man twirled the book once in his hand, as if mocking us. His voice was calm, smooth, almost playful.
"Names don't matter. Only truths and lies… and this book belongs to me now."
He tipped his hat slightly, then turned toward the window, preparing to vanish.
The masked man raised his hand, and a sudden cyclone ripped through the tower. Tools, chains, and shards of stone flew everywhere. I shielded my face as the air roared like thunder.
Through the storm, his voice rang out:
"This belongs to the Order now."
And then—he was gone. The cyclone collapsed, leaving the tower in ruins, silence pressing in on us.
Kael staggered back, coughing. "The… Order? Who are they?"
Thriller's jaw tightened. His eyes burned with a mix of anger and fear.
"They're no secret," he said bitterly. "The Order is a group of magician terrorists. They spread chaos across kingdoms, twisting wars, toppling rulers, stealing forbidden magic. If they have the Book of Truth…" He trailed off, shaking his head.
Kael frowned. "Then this whole kingdom's in danger."
The next morning, the three of us sat together in the quiet remains of the tower. We made a promise , a simple one. For now, we'd part ways. Thriller would search on his own, Kael and I would head deeper into Edilliaa. Each of us would try to uncover more about the Order.
Kael sighed as we prepared to leave. "I still feel bad for this kingdom… it's built on lies, but it doesn't deserve to fall."
Thriller gave him a small smile, though his eyes stayed sharp. "Don't worry too much. The capital's defenses are strong. If the Order comes, the city can buy itself time. But…" He looked south, where the road bent toward the horizon. "…time isn't forever. So gather what you can."