Kaeld was left speechless.

Pirensha, smiling as if nothing had happened, cheerfully said,

“Well then, shall we go? Let’s go meet the lord first.”

Wow. Terrifying.

Kaeld nodded stiffly like a wooden puppet.

They approached the castle gate.

As the gates lowered, a roar of welcome erupted, stirring something warm in my chest.

I stood there for a moment, staring blankly at the scene.

Tap.

Then Neril lightly smacked my back and said,

“What are you doing? We need to catch up.”

“Huh?” Follow current novels on NoveI★Fire.net

“We need to respond to their cheers one by one. We have to leave a stronger impression than Kaeld did.”

“…You’re right. I will worry later.”

At that, Adwin tilted his head and cut in.

“Worry about what?”

“I’m wondering how Idria will respond next.”

“Hmm. No matter how clever the Demon King is, I don’t think there is much she can do. You can always see through her plans, and we have got Agril, we can cross the continent in no time.”

That would normally be true.

But that Demon King always found a way.

Just as I always found a way, even when it seemed like there was no escape.

Though the Demon King and I were firmly opposed, there was one thing we both had in common.

‘We are both preparing for a happy retirement.’

If it was for that goal, the Demon King would go all in.

Just as I would.

----------------------------------------

The next day, Pirensha returned to Idria.

She had decided she had left a strong enough impression on the lord and his people.

Kaeld looked disappointed, as if to say “Already?”, but she didn’t care.

Practically dragging him back by the collar, Pirensha stood before Idria and said,

“We are back.”

“Welcome. I’m glad you’re safe.”

Idria greeted her with a bright face.

Kaeld wondered how she could look so different when facing the Fingers of Lies versus when she looked at him.

Pirensha spoke with a somewhat apologetic expression.

“I’m sorry. I’m sure this isn’t the result you were hoping for.”

“It’s fine. I’m just glad you met Mide and made it back alive.”

“I’m truly sorry.”

“I said it’s fine. More importantly…”

Tap tap.

Idria tapped the air with her index finger and spoke.

“How did he even know to show up there?”

“I actually have a theory about that.”

“Let’s hear it.”

“What if Mide has a similar authority to yours? Ah…”

Pirensha hurried to rephrase.

“Apologies. I mean more of a bizarre and filthy ability, rather than something as noble as authority…….”

“Heh. It’s fine. Still, that’s a very interesting hypothesis.”

Idria smiled gently, then the smile vanished in an instant.

“You may have hit the mark.”

“What do you mean?”

“Thinking back, Bion always managed to find me the moment I resurrected.”

Until now, she had thought that was simply divine providence granted by the Celestial God.

Bion Kunze, made for the sole purpose of killing Idria.

So naturally, he would know exactly where she was.

‘But maybe it wasn’t just some basic detection ability…’

What if it was something more specific?

Something like the ability to uncover secrets.

A chill ran down her spine.

“That’s bad. If Bion really does have the power to discover secrets, then no matter what strategy I devise, he could shut it down.”

“Lady Idria…”

“He might even be eavesdropping on this very conversation.”

“Aren’t we overthinking it. It could just be my imagination.”

“No. Not just Bion, Mide has also shown several signs of being one step ahead of me. There’s no doubt. Our secrets are being exposed.”

A twinge of unease crept into her heart.

At this rate, Mide’s fame might eventually catch up to Kaeld’s..

It might even be reversed.

What should she do? How should she….

It was then.

“Are you all right, child?”

A new voice echoed through the cave.

Pirensha jumped and turned toward the sound.

A slender face, like that of a scholar.

A man stood there, slender-faced like a scholar, with golden hair and a gentle smile.

“Who are you?!”

“You didn’t even introduce your father to your child, Idria?”

“Lady Idria? What is he talking about?”

Idria tried to calm Pirensha .

“Relax. He’s just a madman.”

“Someone’s going through a rough puberty.”

“What are you doing here now?”

“You said I could come by if you were struggling again. Well, you look like you’re struggling.”

“Get lost.”

“The speed strategy itself wasn’t bad. It just didn’t work on Mide.”

Idria twisted her lips.

“Yeah. That bastard seems to have the ability to read my secrets. Though technically, it’s Bion’s ability that’s stuck to him.”

“Hmm.”

“If you really want to help me, then fine, can you block that ability?”

“Sorry, but even I can’t do that.”

“Then you are useless. Get lost.”

Despite the harsh tone, Velosian only smiled more warmly.

As if he found his disobedient daughter’s tantrum endearing.

“If your secrets are bound to be exposed, then rely on something else.”

“Something else?”

“Make your next move in a way that it doesn’t matter if Mide sees it coming.”

“Ha. That bastard has Agril, the Chariot of the Gods. It can cross the entire continent in ten days.”

Her voice was full of dissatisfaction.

“My monsters take five days just to materialize. And Mide is probably waiting in the center of the continent now.”

“…”

“Don’t you get it? No matter where I open a gate to send my monsters, he will be ready to follow immediately. What use is speed in that situation?”

“So the problem is Agril.”

Velosian nodded quietly.

After a moment of thought, he spoke.

“Then try again in about a week.”

“What? Were you even listening to anything I said?”

“Just trust me and test it a week from now.”

“Hah. Why would I trust you? Besides, Mide might be listening in on even this conversation.”

Velosian replied calmly.

“He is not.”

“And what makes you so sure…”

“He is not. At least, not with secrets that involve me.”

For a moment, Idria felt her anxiety melt away like a lie.

But unwilling to admit it, she simply clamped her mouth shut.

Velosian gently coaxed her.

“Just give it a try. What have you got to lose?”

“…”

“If Mide rushes in again, then just do what you did this time, withdraw the monsters. Kaeld and Mide can split the fame between them.”

In other words, she wouldn’t widen the gap, but it wouldn’t close either.

“You have got nothing to lose” was what that meant.

Idria mulled it over briefly, then nodded.

“Fine. Let’s do that.”

“Good. That’s my girl.”

“Stop testing my patience. If you keep treating me like a child…”

“Okay, okay. Don’t get mad.”

Velosian shrugged.

“I suppose I will get going now.”

“Finally getting lost, are you?”

“If you need anything else, just call for me.”

“Not like I called you this time either.”

“Haha.”

With a genuinely delighted laugh, Velosian disappeared.

Only then did Pirensha release the breath she had been holding.

She couldn’t believe there was someone who dared speak so cheekily in front of the Demon King of Lies herself.

She wanted to get angry, but Idria was simply staring at the spot where Velosian had vanished.

Something about it made her throat tighten.

“Lady Idria. Who even is that guy? He’s the worst!”

“I didn’t expect you to speak so harshly.”

Kaeld swallowed back the words, You said far worse to me…

Idria continued calmly.

“Pirensha.”

“Y-yes?”

“Would you consider calling me ‘Mother’?”

“…Huh?”

“I’m not forcing you or anything.”

It was just that Velosian constantly asking to be called ‘Father’ had stirred a strange emotion in her.

Idria was about to take it back.

But before she could, Pirensha suddenly exclaimed, eyes sparkling like a galaxy.

“Mother!”

“…!”

“Would… ‘Mom’ be too much?”

“If you want to, I don’t mind.”

“Mom.”

Pirensha fidgeted with her fingers.

“Is it okay if I… hug you?”

“It’s fine.”

With utmost care, Pirensha took one step at a time toward Idria.

Idria hesitated as well, then opened her arms.

Fwoom.

Rather than clinging, Pirensha gently leaned her body against Idria.

And strangely, Idria felt her chest tighten with emotion.

She gently stroked Pirensha’s back and murmured,

“I should have done this sooner.”

“Thank you, Mom.”

“No. Thank you.”

“Please do the same for the other Fingers. They will be overjoyed.”

“Hehe. I will be sure to.”

Watching all this unfold, Kaeld’s face contorted.

The Demon King who spreads lies across the continent and fills all of humanity with fear in real time, sharing such a warm, affectionate scene with her underling?

What hypocrisy.

Truly a Demon King worthy of her title.

Disgusting.

So disgusting.

Unbearably disgusting.

But Kaeld didn’t realize.

That what he was actually feeling wasn’t disgust.

The sight of people exchanging love like that, ever since he had been a normal human, he had longed for it more than anything.

And yet even after siding with the Demon King, he was still watching from the outside.

Why couldn’t he be loved, neither by humans nor demons?

In short, Kaeld’s true feeling was this:

–I’m jealous.

----------------------------------------

It had been a week since we left the Feck Territory.

We were now staying in the Tetra Territory.

The place where we had once stopped a massive earthquake and where Kaeld was first defeated.

More importantly, it was located at the center of the continent.

From here, no matter where Idria opened a gate, we could reach it within five days.

I asked Trail to bring up the map.

A screen floated into view.

Mide Mohan / Total Fame: 328,900

Kaeld Wake / Total Fame: 400,830

Kaeld’s fame had taken a major hit after what happened in the Gabriel Territory.

Later, we had split fame in Feck Territory and partially recovered.

Even so, Kaeld’s fame was now actually lower than it had been when the first oracle descended.

‘At first, I was terrified, not knowing what to do. But now I’m starting to see hope.’

[There is still a big gap, though.]

‘Yeah, but it’s manageable now. Let’s stay positive.’

I turned to Xenia and asked,

“Is Agril fully recovered now?”

“Based on today’s checkup, totally fine. He has had a full week of rest, after all.”

“Good. You have done a lot.”

“Aw, it’s nothing. Serein’s been working even harder.”

Since we didn’t know when Idria might pull another feck-style stunt, Agril always had to be ready to go.

So during our stay in Tetra, Xenia and Serein had been feeding him divine power every day.

Serein slumped face-first onto the table.

“I’m so sick of packed lunches.”

“I don’t get it. Packed lunches are awesome.”

“I don’t get you, Xenia.”

“You can tell Agril really likes you these days, right? I’m getting kinda jealous sometimes.”

“That doesn’t help.”

I chuckled quietly.

That’s when it happened.

Flick.

A screen popped up.

It was red.

I was about to ask Adwin to connect us via soul link, but I didn’t need to. The screen turned blue almost immediately.

‘That was fast.’

[Looks like they just pinpointed your current location.]

‘Well, that’s all they need. I will wait a few minutes before using the Eye of Omniscience.’

[Alright.]

About ten minutes passed.

Then I asked to see the secrets between Idria and Kaeld.

But…

Huh?

Why is there no secret?

‘Ah!’

[W-what is it?]

‘Maybe Idria figured out that we can see secrets?’

[….!]

‘She probably sent the monsters out in secret, without telling anyone. Once they fully manifest in five days, that’s when she will notify Kaeld or the Fingers.’

The Eye of Omniscience requires you to know both parties involved in a secret.

In other words, there must be a secret between them.

Like when the Martial King was draining energy from his people, they didn’t know the truth, but I could still see the secret.

‘But in that case, the act of draining was directly connected to them.’

[So right now, you are saying the next monster invasion and Kaeld have no relation at all?]

‘At least, that’s how the Eye seems to interpret it. When Kaeld arrives at the territory five days later, the connection will form and then we will be able to see the secrets. But by then, it’s too late.’

[Sigh. The monster invasion is clearly for Kaeld’s sake. How can a power be this rigid?]

‘It’s your power, by the way.’

In any case, Idria had played her cards well.

To her, the Eye of Omniscience must seem strange and overpowered.

Whether she figured it out or was just being cautious, she struck precisely at its blind spot. That was impressive.

Trail, clearly shocked, remained silent.

But I wasn’t shaken.

I had expected this to happen someday.

Idria had seen my “Time-lock slash” technique three times.

And in those three times, she had realized it was a time-stopping ability and even tried to steal it using the Gem of Greed.

‘After what the Eye has done to her, of course she would catch on eventually.’

[You are awfully calm. We don’t even know which territory the monsters are headed for.]

“You think I just sat on my hands knowing this power might get revealed? Remember what I asked Offense to prepare?”

[Ah!]

Trail let out a gasp of realization.

I spoke to Offense.

“Offense. Think you can do what I asked before?”

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