The next day, news about the defeat of the black dragon riders reached the ears of everyone in the Dark Palace. Alexei was completely shocked. The other subordinates and servants also couldn't believe it since they all have a rough estimate of the organization's power.
"How could it be?"
"It's the Red Witch. I used to think the rumors are exaggerated since she rarely goes into battle. But maybe it is all not mere rumors?"
"But the ones sent by the Leader are mighty dragon riders!"
As news proliferated, various discussions ensued.
'Madam Joana is that strong?'
Alexei, carrying a huge bucket containing monster food, halted his steps to eavesdrop on his fellow servants. Blinking his clear blue eyes, he tried to remember lore materials about the Red Witch.
The Red Witch was mentioned several times in the story as the enigmatic mother of the hyper-carry fire attribute character, Via. Few things were known about her. Players' recollections of her were vague since she only appeared twice. Both appearances happened in cutscenes only and not showed her using her magical powers.
A few lore materials did say that she was a transcendental being at the same level as Sovereigns. But as a player who worshipped playable Sovereigns and treated them as absolute trump cards for hell-mode contents, how could Alexei accept that a random woman with no significant role in the plot was equal to them?
The ignorant him thought to himself, 'Huh. Lore is different from reality. The various books and materials in Mavria described some people as strong and influential, but when they became playable, their skill-sets are actually so-so.'
When Alexei was still just a regular college student, he used to browse the forums. As a result, he saw many others sharing this opinion.
'Alexei', the guy he came to possess was often brought up as an example because he was one of the characters released early. Lore materials repeatedly described him as a fine instrument of war feared highly on the battlefield. He was one of the strongest in his home country. Yet a few months after he became playable, he already got power crept by newly released hyper-carry characters.
This really influenced him to assume that the strength of a character in their playable state still applies in his current reality.
However, in this world, the lore was actually not much different from reality. The piece of news about the Red Witch became a wake-up call to him. It seemed basing a person's strength on numerical stats in-game would be a fatal mistake here. If the Red Witch showed up here, she would definitely be able to destroy this place!
Alexei's expression changed as he realized once again that this was really Mavria.
'Here, lore descriptions seem more reliable than anything else,' he mused. With this in mind, he recognized that the Red Witch who had no significant role in the game story was a transcendental being that could challenge the gods.
"How did the Leader react to the news?" Alexei could not help but ask. The group of servants all looked at him. Probably a bit stunned since Alexei rarely interacted with them so they found it surprising. Nonetheless, the issue was bigger than their bewilderment so they ignored the fact that he was human and answered his question.
"According to Magician Muho, His Excellency showed no reactions. But since he remained silent, it's not far-fetched to assume that he is quite unhappy with how things went."
"I see." Despite realizing how powerful the Red Witch was, Alexei did not worry about her tracking him down for spilling out her locations to her enemy. That woman should be extremely far away from here. In comparison, there was a big bomb nearby to worry about. This bomb could be ticking now already and could kill people on a whim, depending on his mood.
'It's not really my fault that he decided to go after Madam Joana, is it?' Alexei mumbled to himself.
"I say, human. Pray that the leader would summon you so you could kneel and apologize in person."
He could see the gloating expression on the demonic faces of the other servants. But he could only swallow his grievances and give his thanks. The information was that valuable to him. The advice? Nevermind.
In the following days, Alexei was not summoned to the Leader's court hall. There was no news on whether he would be punished or worse, even demoted. Sometimes, he could not help but wonder if this was the calm before the storm, or if his overthinking of the various possibilities that could happen to him was already punishment.
But what are the odds that the Leader was actually merciful and know that the failure of the dragon riders was not the fault of a mere servant? Would those other servants gloat on him if they believed that the Leader was a good giant?
'Sounds too good to be true.'
'Although in my case, I indeed have no good intention when I revealed where Madam Joana currently stays.'
'But the Giant is arrogant. I doubt an arrogant being like him knows what self-reflection means. Villains only know how to shift blame to others .'
For a few more days, Alexei went on with his servant duties while being plagued with worries. His mind frequently drifted to the throne room where the Leader usually stays. He could not help but wonder what was going on in that Giant's mind. He was puzzled by the lack of movements from that place, yet he was also a bit fearful of what the Leader could do.
Biannual 'grand event' drew closer and closer too which further added to his worries. Servants like him would be forced to watch. The others were fine with that arrangement. Their sense of morality was different. Even if their fellows from the same race were thrown there to be feasted by ferocious beasts, they would not bat an eye. 'That's not me, why would I care?'
Sometimes humans also had that views.
But Alexei knew that he would not like watching his fellow humans battle to the death.
Alexei who currently had no idea whether that series of deathmatches could be prevented went on with his work as per usual with utmost diligence. At least on the surface, he acted as if nothing had changed. He pretended to not see the odd stares from the magicians and other servants.
However, deep within he knew that this was the calm before the storm and that there was a chance that he would be deeply affected.
Then, the day before the biannual slave tournament arrived.
"This can't go on anymore." He muttered with a grim expression on his face. From the distance, he watched with a heavy heart as body parts from dead experimental subjects got fed to the carnivorous plants in the yard.
Alexei suddenly decided to take a risk, to stage a 'performance' in order to force the leader to see him.
...
The main hall and the Leader's throne room were actually places no servant could casually enter or even get near to.
Even Alexei, the most 'favored' servant had no such rights. If he was not summoned, there would be no way he would be able to be within a hundred meters radius from it.
However, another room was off-limits to low-level personnel like him. It was located in another building directly opposite the main palace. It was a room used to specially store the abyssal relic.
But without caring for this unwritten rule, Alexei barged precisely into that room!
'Take advantage of their carelessness and lack of care about inferior beings like me.'
Since the guard did not know that Alexei was not the servant in charge of cleaning the place, it was already too late when they noticed the human servant snatching the abyssal relic from the obsidian container!
"Who dares?!"
From the training ground where the battles between monstrous beasts and recruits were currently being held, both the Lich and the Leader stood from their seats. Their gazes that were initially focused on the battle happening below turned towards the direction of the relic. The item was the organization's treasure. Of course, there was no way the two would not sense it being moved from its original location.
Because the Giant promptly stood up, all subordinates currently gathered in the area stiffened.
However before anybody could speculate what caused the Leader's foul mood, the latter already disappeared along with Abel, the Lich.
All those left behind only remembered that the voice that rang from the giant was like thunder that was full of anger.