Ch 39
“Well, isn’t it just a matter of going in and seeing for yourself?”
Even as he spoke, he seemed visibly eager to share new information about ‘Him.’ After scanning their surroundings, the man lowered his voice and addressed Mia.
“They say a heretic wielding red power has arrived from Etalon. Some speculate it might be a military maneuver. There’s even talk that poisoning their food has no effect. They claim if that person is eliminated, there’s nothing ‘He’ can’t accomplish.”
Poison in the food? She hadn’t sensed anything amiss. Mia feigned composure and asked, “Aren’t the rumors overblown? From how you describe it, they sound like an unstoppable monster.”
“Because it is a monster. Have you ever heard of someone using red divine power? In all my years, I’ve never encountered such a thing—not even in the scriptures. And the poison wasn’t ordinary. It was shaten specially consecrated by Him. Surviving that and still wielding power? Unprecedented.”
“……”
“Last time, they assembled a team of elites to eliminate her. She vanished without a trace. If that’s not a monster, what is?”
“I see…”
Mia nodded absently. Consecrated shaten? What was really happening here? She resolved to investigate the Veridian Temple’s underbelly upon returning to the hotel.
“The team members were Numbers 14, 6…”
He trailed off abruptly, eyeing her.
“You were there too… weren’t you?”
Had he finally noticed something? Perfect timing—people began flooding out of the building.
Mia swiftly assessed the situation and bolted, only to be overwhelmed by black-hooded figures. The sole mercy: beneath a torn hood lay the face of an assassin who’d previously targeted her. Speculations erupted around her—traitor? An imposter disguised as Number 8?
“Whatever she is, He’ll extract the truth. Take her inside.”
If only backup existed for situations like this. But Mia remained tragically alone.
‘I could escape using divine power, but revealing myself as the “monster” now would backfire.’ Exposing her shape-shifting ability offered no advantage.
Her unique-hued divine power posed risks—even a faint glow would expose her. Gambling on whether its color changed with her form was too dangerous. Her sole option: wait for escape opportunities. A pathetic plan.
‘Unless I use that method again…’
As Mia—or Number 8—was dragged toward their base, she remained oblivious to the faintly glowing tracker in her pocket.
Despite her combat prowess, Mia was human. The relentless battle against assassins drained her. Only her obsessive refusal to fall here kept her upright.
‘If I die, let it atone for my past sins.’
Heron’s device still masked her identity, though she barely understood its mechanics. But now, her stamina faltered—not the device. Recent divine healing couldn’t offset hours-old injuries. Blunt weapons battered her, demanding confession.
‘If only I could use divine power…’
Ordinary white divine light would’ve been manageable. Her unique color restricted her. For future missions, she needed them convinced Number 8 was an infiltrator.
Thud.
As she scoured for escape routes, the door exploded. A figure flickered at her periphery.
“How did you—?”
Salvation arrived in Rochefort’s name, echoing countless past-life rescues.
“You’ve had quite the shock. Let me buy you a meal before we return.”
The Legion Commander’s reaction upon Mia’s disguise being revealed was nothing more than that.
“Well, I thought it was necessary… but what on earth were you thinking, going there?”
“Your gratitude is rather excessive, Mia.”
“Still, I do like that side of you.”
At Etienne’s added remark, Mia nodded meekly. He was right. Though her worry and determination to protect him had sharpened her words, Etienne was undeniably her savior now.
“Thank you for coming. I was worried. By the way, does this mean the ‘tracker’ functioned as intended?”
As if he had been waiting for her to mention it, Etienne finally nodded with a disgruntled expression.
“Correct. Had it not been for that invention she first created, I might have lost you forever… Now I must ask: what on earth were you thinking, going there alone?”
“Well…”
Mia had countless excuses, confident in her judgment that going had been necessary. Yet whether as superior and subordinate or as fake lovers, none of her prepared defenses felt adequate. If he had challenged the logic of her actions, she might have argued back. But faced with someone genuinely concerned for her safety, all she could muster were a few halting mumbles. In a situation where silence was unthinkable, she found herself tongue-tied.
This was undeniably strange.
“His Majesty will surely be furious if he learns of this.”
Etienne’s comment dragged Mia from her thoughts.
The Emperor’s wrath was no novelty to her anymore. Given how often she’d disrupted his plans by smuggling third forces—disguised as noble factions—into the council, she sometimes wondered if His Majesty even knew how to make any expression besides anger. Of course, Mia rather enjoyed watching the Emperor rage over every minor deviation from his will, so she cared little for his opinions.
“Even so, there’s nothing he can do. It’s not as if he’ll haul his ponderous backside all the way to Verdian.”
“Mia, please.”
Etienne made a silencing gesture, eyes darting nervously as if truly believing imperial spies might be lurking nearby.
“His Majesty is already irate over the delayed march! Today alone, I’ve received four letters demanding to know when we’ll depart Raven.”
“His Majesty has always been impatient by nature. The council advised him repeatedly to wait calmly, yet he remains unchanged.”
Unsettled by Mia’s nonchalance, Etienne pressed urgently, “If His Majesty hears reports that you—the goddess’s chosen hero—willfully endangered yourself and nearly got captured, how do you think he’d react?”
“He’d likely be furious enough to collapse. Even in Lux Court’s heart, he’s been desperate to remove Blancshar’s thorn from his sight. How bitter he must be, missing a chance to eliminate me ‘accidentally’ in some distant land, all thanks to a certain Legion Commander.”
“Enough of your naivety, Rochefort.”
Her added words carried a sharp sting.
