"Let's get this over with," Grace uttered as she walked towards the edge of the raised platform, her gait confident and devoid of any hesitation.
Meanwhile, Candace discreetly slipped away from the platform, blending effortlessly into the background.
As the cheering crowd noticed that Grace was about to begin her speech, the noise gradually subsided, leaving only the soft, rhythmic sound of Grace's footsteps echoing through the evening air.
Nodding in satisfaction to the crowd below, Grace flashed a light and warm smile that made the hearts of all the men in the audience race, while the women looked upon her with envious gazes.
'She is so... beautiful,' was the thought that spread like wildfire through the minds of the majority in attendance, filling them with pride to have such a mesmerizing figure as their lord.
Pleased to have captured her audience's undivided attention, Grace cleared her throat and began her speech, "Citizens of Zindal, good evening..."
***
As Grace began her speech, the first carriage transporting the former abductees from Night, rendered invisible by Anna's ability, successfully infiltrated Zindal.
The guards stationed at the gates were only low-level fighters, mostly around levels 2 and 3, with the more powerful guards having been deployed around the city plaza to ensure nothing happened to Grace during her speech. As a result, no one noticed Anna's presence.
Anna, who had already discussed the plan with Candace, knew exactly where to drop off the people she was leading. Wasting no time, she headed straight to the location Candace had prepared to safely hide the new subordinates.
A few minutes later, she stopped the carriage in front of an unassuming, nondescript shop a bit far from he city's gates.
In front of the shop, Candace, who had left the central plaza before Grace even began her speech, was waiting patiently for them.
Despite seeing Candace, Anna didn't immediately deactivate her ability. Instead, she carefully scanned the surroundings to ensure there was no one else nearby who might witness their arrival.
"You don't have to worry, no one besides us is here," Candace assured Anna, looking directly at her with unwavering confidence.
Anna nodded and deactivated her ability, not at all surprised that Candace could see through her invisibility.
"Lady Candace," Anna greeted with a respectful bow, her tone warm.
"How are you, my sweet child?" Candace asked with a gentle smile, her voice laced with genuine care.
"I'm well," Anna replied, a small smile touching her lips. "Here's the first batch. I'll go back to bring the others."
Candace nodded in understanding and gestured for the people inside the carriage, who were eyeing her curiously, to follow. "Come along, we don't have time to waste," she said, pushing open the door to the shop.
The former abductees descended from the carriage and followed behind Candace, but not before offering Anna one last heartfelt thank you.
Inside the shop, Candace led the men and women to a hidden passage that descended into an underground base. This would be their new home for a long time to come.
Outside, after steering the now-empty carriage into a discreet corner of the city, Anna swiftly exited Zindal to retrieve the remaining abductees.
****
"Ugh, that was exhausting," Grace groaned as she slumped onto the plush couch in her office, letting out a weary sigh.
"Your speech was dreadful to listen to," Candace quipped sharply, her words hitting Grace like a jab in the jaw.
"..."
"It's a good thing the poor souls in that crowd adore you—well, most of them, anyway—otherwise, I doubt they could have endured your rambling," Candace continued, her tone light but her critique relentless.
"...."
Grace gritted her teeth, resisting the urge to snap back, as Candace continued her relentless teasing.
In the end, Grace had done exactly as she'd planned—she improvised on the spot. And despite what that third-eye witch might say, Grace was certain she had done well.
The topic she had chosen was of utmost importance and one that was on everyone's lips: the escalating war at the empire's border. It was a subject of intense discussion among people from all walks of life, making it the perfect choice for her speech.
She had enough knowledge on the subject to keep the distraction going for a while, advising her people to stay vigilant and support the empire's efforts while ensuring the safety of their own borders.
In the end, the ordinary inhabitants of Zindal returned home with a sense of reassurance, believing their lord genuinely cared for them, while the spies left disappointed, realizing no valuable information had been disclosed.
"Hey, where are Lilia and Anna?" Grace asked after a while, noticing their absence.
"They left right after dropping those people off," Candace replied as she settled into the couch opposite Grace's, her expression thoughtful.
"So soon?" Grace raised an eyebrow, then shrugged. "I guess they were in a hurry."
"Hmm," Candace nodded in agreement, then leaned forward slightly. "So, what happened out there?" she asked, her gaze piercing as she looked directly into Grace's eyes.
"Ah, nothing much happened," Grace replied, waving her hand dismissively.
Candace's lips twitched slightly at Grace's nonchalant attitude. "You rushed out of the mansion in a hurry, then contacted me hours later asking to find a secure location in the city to hide hundreds of people, and yet you're telling me that 'nothing much happened'?" Candace's smile was more of a challenge than anything else.
"Okay, okay, I'll tell you what happened, so calm down," Grace said in a soothing tone, knowing full well that Candace hated being left in the dark and not having all the information. Since Candace was the one who handled all the details, Grace didn't want to annoy her.
"Well, after I left the mansion..." Grace proceeded to recount to Candace the events that unfolded after she rejoined Alex's group.
Of course, she made sure to omit certain details, like the fact that she and Alex had kissed.
"So that's where you got all those people," Candace mused, her hand propping up her chin. "This Night group isn't as simple as it appears," she added after a moment, her alluring golden eyes flashing briefly before returning to their usual calm.
"Is that all? You didn't forget or leave anything out?" Candace asked, her eyes narrowing with suspicion.
'Damn, she's onto me,' Grace thought, feeling a twinge of anxiety.
Grace hesitated for a moment before deciding to tell Candace about what had happened between her and Alex. Candace was her best friend and confidante, so Grace was certain she wouldn't share this information with anyone—unless Grace wanted her to.
"..."
"Why are you looking at me like?!" Grace asked, feeling increasingly uncomfortable under Candace's intense gaze. "Say something!"
"I mean, I was certain that whatever you were leaving out would be something significant, considering how much you hesitated to tell me. But come on, fantasizing about your grandson?" Candace teased, a playful glint in her eyes.
"Hey! Don't twist my words," Grace exclaimed indignantly, her voice rising in frustration. "I never said I was fantasizing about him, I merely told you we kissed! And even then, he was the one who kissed me!"
"You're much faster than him, so how could he catch you off guard?" Candace asked, her expression skeptical, clearly unconvinced.
"What can I say? I didn't expect him to pounce on me! And for your information, he's pretty fast for a level 4!" Grace replied, her tone carrying the unmistakable edge of someone on the verge of throwing a tantrum, her arms crossing defensively.
"Still, you could have just pushed him away. Why did you let the kiss linger?" Candace reclined back on the couch, a hint of amusement in her tone. "To me, it sounds like you were enjoying his caresses."
"You know, incest is legal in this empire, so I won't judge you. If you want to spend your remaining days fooling around with Alex, who's also your grandson, who am I to stop you?" Candace added with a smirk, her words dripping with playful sarcasm.
"...." Grace fell silent, unable to come up with a rebuttal. It was true that she had indeed enjoyed the moment and had indulged herself, even if just briefly. But Candace's smug expression was starting to irritate her, and she desperately wanted to wipe that look off her face, yet nothing came to mind.
Then, an idea struck her, and a teasing smile spread across her luscious lips. "You know, Alex still has a crush on your daughter," Grace said, her voice laced with mischief. "And from what I witnessed, he's definitely going to pursue her. My grandson has become quite the handsome man, you know. I'm certain it wouldn't take long before Eleanor is head over heels for him. I guess they'd have your blessing in their new relationship, right?" Grace finished with an evil grin.
However, instead of the distressed expression she expected, Candace's eyes actually brightened, like those of a child who had just found a new toy.
"That's it!" Candace exclaimed with a wide smile. "I've been after that girl for years to find a man. After all, I also want to see my grandkids before I die, but that stubborn girl always refuses to hear me out. Perhaps little Alex could help me out in that regard!"
Candace's mind seemed to be racing as she mumbled to herself, "Hmm, but with things as they are, it's not going to happen soon. I'll have to step up and help him a bit. In fact, I'll start right now!" She suddenly stood up from the couch and made her way towards the office door.
"Hey, where are you going?" Grace asked, puzzled, as she watched Candace about to leave.
"I'll see you later. I have some things to prepare," Candace replied cryptically before walking out, leaving Grace alone in the office.
Long after Candace had left, Grace was still staring at the office door, trying to comprehend what had just happened. "What did I do?" she wondered aloud, her thoughts spinning. Then, her eyes fell on the pile of reports stacked on the office table.
"Wait...who's going to do all that work?!" Grace suddenly bolted upright and dashed after Candace. "HEY, COME BACK HERE, YOU HAVE WORK TO DO!!!" she screamed, completely forgetting that it was originally her work, and Candace had only been helping her out.