I glanced at Maria, grasping the reason behind her consistent defeats at the hands of my mother, despite her superior strength – Maria was too naive, unable to comprehend people's true intentions.
"Duchess Maria, I don't know what opinion you hold of my mother, but I want to clarify this. She would prioritize her duchy over everything, even her son. If she can do that, why can't I?"
Sipping my tea, I kept a composed expression. Shifting Maria's attention towards Liander Duchy was crucial for my escape from Ronen Duchy unscathed.
"So, you're stating you'll prioritize your interests above all else, even your mother?"
Her words seemed nonsensical. She was not my mother; I merely inhabited a body that belonged to her son, with only residual unconscious reactions towards her. I couldn't even bring myself to speak her name.
If I hadn't read about her in the novel, I might have gotten myself killed on the first day. Her way of thinking was unique, believing everything should align with her perspective. First, she abandoned her child for her duchy, then felt hurt by his reaction.
It was quite confusing, but I didn't want my body to end up in a dungeon next to Maria's brother.
The surge of emotions upon seeing her tears was mostly the part of this body's previous owner's unconscious reaction. I would have controlled it if I felt hatred towards that woman or could at least visualize how she treated this body's owner in the novel.
However, the vague details mentioned in the novel about her mistreating her son made it hard to fully visualize the pain this body's owner endured. That's why I despised this novel that neglected characters like Zeph.
As I looked at Maria, waiting for my answer, a smile adorned my face as I continued, "So, the answer to this question is much more important to you than my offer."
I felt amused as I saw Maria's curious eyes widen, then she coughed before speaking. "Okay, Zeph, you can take whatever you want, but leave immediately after taking it," Maria said, looking at the boy who was smiling.
It made her feel irritated, seeing his golden pupils that bore a resemblance to her most hated rival. But today, she gained the upper hand. 'Just you wait, Kassidy.'
She watched as Zeph departed, her eyes transitioning from flames to an icy coldness. Her ethereal face retained an otherworldly glow, her thoughts veiled in mystery. Beside her, a black mist materialized and revealed a shadow.
"Go and inform the demon elites about what they need while being in Liander Duchy,"
Shadow vanished in thin air as the information was important for The order.
.....
'I have the key to the sanctum, and with the previous one, I now have two keys. It'll be easier to reach the third floor of the Sanctum,'
I thought to myself while sitting in the carriage. The wind played with my fluttering black hair as my golden eyes stared into the distance. But my thoughts soon shifted to someone else.
'Luinera, what do you think about her?' I inquired, recalling the being within me.
[She didn't bear any ill intention towards you, Human.]
' It means she also doesn't hold any motherly affection '
[....]
' As expected of her. She will only act on whim and try to make things align with her interests rather than accepting the way things are. Forget about her '
My focus shifted, leaving thoughts of my mother behind as I fixated on obtaining the artifact I sought after and also the seed I planted by revealing Lily's place.
The Order would undoubtedly inform the demons about this, due to the contract between them and the Demon Queen.
After the Demon Queen's death, the Order began revealing their true colors, patiently awaiting the opening of the Valley for their so-called grand plan—The Nexus.
'Amrantha will keep Order busy for a while' I needed time to complete my training under Professor Adriannel.
.
.
.
.
In a distant land from Ronen Duchy stood a more developed counterpart, Liander Duchy. Within the grand mansion of Liander Duchy, a butler made his way towards a room.
Knock knock
"Enter,"
A calm and melodious voice resounded, and the gate opened to reveal a woman with golden eyes and black hair, the breeze gently caressing her hair.
"Speak," she said, keeping her focus on her work while four individuals in black attire stood beside her, emanating an otherworldly aura.
"Madam, Young Master has made his way to Ronen Duchy,"
Butler complying with his duty to provide any updates about her son, from academic results to current whereabouts. Hearing this, the woman continued to look at the document, her attention split.
"Anything else?" she inquired, her tone devoid of emotion, causing a slight widening of the butler's eyes.
He composed himself and replied, "No, there is nothing," bowing as he left the room.
The woman didn't lift her gaze, continuing her work with the document. In the silence of the room, where only breaths could be heard, a smile crept upon her face.
'Let's wait and see if my child hides things from me'
"Go, protect him " the woman commanded, her lips parting as the words left her mouth.
A man in black clothes became shrouded in black mist and vanished from the place, carrying out her orders.
.
.
.
"Young master, we have arrived,"
The coachman informed as the carriage reached the designated location. Zeph, who had already sensed something, swiftly left the carriage. The coachman watched him disappear into the dense forest, waiting for his return.
Zeph moved through the forest with incredible swiftness, his enhanced muscles fueled by mana. His thoughts were consumed by the individual whose presence he had felt on his way to the sanctum.
'I knew it, how can she just give me the Sanctum's key like that,'
Zeph's mind spiraled into turmoil as he realized that the key he carried had been tampered with to reveal his real-time location. Using an artifact for this purpose was entirely possible, and he chastised himself for neglecting this possibility. She is a Duchess and even if not her then it was plausible that individuals from Liander duchy, including previous Dukes, had artifacts related to tracking.
Gritting his teeth, he increased his speed, moving so swiftly that it appeared as a blur to normal human eyes. His mind was engaged in a rapid exchange with a bird residing within his body, seeking information.
'Where is he?'
[He is just a mile away,] came the response from Luinera, who had already informed Zeph about the approaching individual.
The senses of the spirit beast, combined with Zeph's mana, covered a vast area, allowing them to track movements and detect intruders present.
Zeph was determined to avoid a confrontation with the shadowy figure, fully aware of the presence of the enigmatic protectors known as the Seven Beings. These entities, despite being protectors of humanity, originated from a realm far removed from anything human.
'I don't want to get noticed by those beings who, in the name of choosing a vessel, were just pla—'
'Finally.'
Zeph's attention shifted towards a concealed gate, its design changing based on the key an individual possessed. The second floor was significantly stronger than the first, organized by hierarchy.
Suddenly, the key in his hands disintegrated into tiny dust particles, blending into the invisible water-like gate, causing it to shine in a white light before vanishing entirely.
.....
"Haaa...haaa...where is he?"
A shadowy figure arrived at the scene, gasping for breath. It would have been impossible for someone like him to exhibit such fatigue, but the forest carried a dense mana that seemed So dense that it can make a normal mana user collapse consuming all of their inner mana but witnessing the inhuman movement with the key, he sprinted, burning a substantial portion of his mana to cover a vast distance in such dense forest, Despite this effort, he couldn't sense Zeph's presence.
'I can't feel his presence'
The shadow felt conflicted; he had the task of protecting the individual while remaining concealed, but now that person had seemingly vanished into thin air.
.
.
.
In the depths of the Demon Realm, a place that could send shivers down the spine of even the bravest souls, there existed a bustling yet eerily captivating world of demons.
The sky was a perpetual twilight, with hues of crimson and deep purples dancing in an eternal waltz, casting an ominous glow upon the jagged landscape.
The ground was a mosaic of volcanic rock and strange, luminescent flora that emitted an unsettling radiance.
Towers of obsidian and bone pierced the skyline, adorned with grotesque ornaments and symbols that reflected the dark arts practiced within. The air was thick with the acrid scent of sulfur and the distant echoes of eerie chants.
To call it barbaric would be an injustice, for it had a semblance of normalcy, but it was teeming with beings that would make a human quiver merely at the sight of them.
Creatures with multiple limbs, scales that shimmered like molten gold, and eyes that gleamed with malevolent intelligence roamed freely, conducting their mysterious affairs in the shadows.
In a colossal castle, a woman occupied a grand black throne. Merely labeling her as beautiful would be an understatement; she epitomized beauty.
Her purple eyes and shimmering hair held a captivating allure as she directed her gaze towards a shivering figure of a Demon elite.
"It's confirmed news coming from the Order."
The Demon elite trembled, not out of fear for his life, but due to the boiling rage within him. A year of relentless searching had finally led them to the place where their young miss was supposedly hidden by the Order, an infuriating revelation.
"Alexios."
An ethereal voice emanated from the woman seated on the regal throne. Amrantha's eyes shifted towards a young man, and upon her command, he bowed. 'We will meet soon, sister,' he thought, before vanishing into thin air.