A dark sphere that connected one dimension to another opened, letting Deviola, Schordinger, and Hexelina come out and arrive at their destination. Deviola stepped down first from the sphere, followed by Schordinger and Hexelina, who was still hanging on Schordinger's hand like a doll without a soul.
A great banyan tree stood tall before their eyes, as if it were emanating a dark magenta light. Hundreds of Grimglow Wisteria vines overgrew the tree, giving a mystical impression to those who gazed upon it. Despite being covered by the Grimglow Wisteria, the banyan tree still stood tall, retaining its majesty without being overshadowed by the wisteria vines.
Under the banyan tree stood an unattended wooden throne, adorned with bloodred Clematis vines winding around it. Beside the throne was Anna Marigold, waiting for their return, smiling in anticipation of her work being praised by her lord. Anna's sharp ears twitched, a sign of her excitement at the thought of seeing her lord once again.
Seeing her beautiful work that made the abandoned place glow with luminescent flowers, Deviola couldn't help but feel amazed by its beauty. However, she knew she must not overly express her amazement, as it would seem unbecoming for someone like her. Instead, Deviola quickened her pace, pulled her cloak tighter, and sat down on the throne that had been prepared for her.
"Good work for finding this place, Anna." Deviola compliment.
"Thanks to your excellent explanation, I found this place easily, my lord Deviola." Anna bowed.
"Also, great scenery you are setting here."
Those were the words Anna had been waiting for so long—a small praise from her that made her world feel a little brighter. She smiled, expressing her deep satisfaction in serving her lord with all her heart.
Hexelina climbed down from Schordinger's arm, pouting as she averted her eyes from Deviola's. Though it was inappropriate for her not to face her lord, Hexelina couldn't bear to endure that ominous gaze, especially after failing her that day. She was too frightened to face Deviola directly, yet she also couldn't live outside her lord's grasp.
Thus, Deviola called her forward, forcing her to confront her own failures in front of her lord.
"Hexelina, isn't it? Did you still remember your name?" ask Deviola.
"Yes, my lord." answer Hexelina in full regrets.
"Tell me, how do you remember your name?"
"Adults..."
Something interesting came from Hexelina's mouth. Deviola understood that every warlord who fell into a deep slumber was well hidden. If Hexelina had been discovered early, those who knew her well might have slaughtered her in the worst possible way before she could even awaken. However, the mention of the word "adults" from Hexelina's mouth was something worth investigating.
"The adults told me that it was my name. And then, they caged me."
Deviola was familiar with a race that treated their prisoners like birds in a cage—the sky resident race known for such treatment. Deviola's assumption seemed clear, but it appeared that Hexelina had more to convey.
"That's why, my lord. I'm sorry to disappoint you. If Hexelina was my name, the name you've given to me in the past, then I'm not worthy to such a name. I couldn't curse anybody, I failed to destroy the country you wish to destroy, and worst of all, I was failing to fulfill your wishes planted in my name."
Deviola noticed a conflict with their names. The name she had given them was part of a contract she had signed to control them as she pleased. However, the contract had deviated from its intended purpose—an anomaly, though it was too beneficial to be merely called that. The warlords were supposed to be freed and no longer bound by her command as their names erased from their memory. Yet, for some reason, her subordinates chose to stay by her side.
Thinking that the conversation might take longer than she anticipated, Deviola used her magic to conceal and remove their existence from the world, particularly from the vision of the Seven Pillars of Light.
A great dome of dark magic covered the entire area, including the banyan tree under which they were sheltered. The world shifted, generating a fierce red storm outside the dome. Once the shifting ceased, the storm abated to reveal a dark moon behind them, drawing in dark energy and swirling it into a black hole-like vortex. Eighteen pillars then suddenly appeared, marking the boundary between Deviola's realm and the original world.
From the outside of the dome, the banyan tree vanished into thin air, leaving the ground disfigured. No one could enter the realm without Deviola's permission; even the smallest particles were swept away, returning to the original world. Bugs, pollen, and dirt—everything that had clung to the tree—now floated in the air in the shape of the tree, slowly falling and being carried away by the wind.
Hexelina trembled in fear as she saw the world created by Deviola's magic for the first time. The atmosphere was so suffocating that it nearly made her fall to her knees. Despite her erratic personality and superior mana flux, Hexelina was, at heart, still a child who had chosen to follow The Evil Queen and her wicked aura. Her body struggled to endure the pressure of Deviola's might.
Tears streamed down Hexelina's face as she struggled to withstand the overwhelming pressure. She knelt before Deviola, begging for forgiveness for her failure. At that moment, Hexelina believed this was her punishment for disappointing her lord. Little did she realize that this was the experience of being in the presence of The Evil Queen. Anna and Schordinger had felt the same way when they first entered Deviola's realm. Observing Hexelina's plight, Anna and Schordinger were both pitiful and amazed, witnessing how effortlessly their lord's aura could bring Hexelina to her knees.
Suddenly, a warm hand touched Hexelina's arm, holding it gently and slowly pulling her upward. Despite her initial resistance, the hand continued to guide her from her kneeling position. Gradually, Hexelina trusted the hand pulling her up, and she slowly stood, facing Deviola with a brave heart.
However, as Hexelina opened her eyes, an overwhelming surge of wicked aura flooded her mind. Shocked, she immediately grabbed the hand that had pulled her up and hid behind it. Another hand then gently cradled her head, patting her and reassuring her that everything would be fine as long as she remained loyal.
"Hexelina, open your eyes." said Schordinger.
Hexelina then opened her eyes and saw the man she admired so much, watching her with pity but also rooting for her. Though his eyes were silent, they conveyed his deep confidence in her. Eventually, Hexelina understood his message but couldn't help laughing at the absurdity of his way of encouraging her.
"Ha, what are you doing, big brother? I know, I am sorry, I just, scared...."
"It's okay, you can do it."
Hexelina hesitantly revealed herself before Deviola, walking with uncertainty and embarrassment at showing her face to the young lady she had failed. Eventually, she overcame her fear and stood proudly before her lord. But not for long; she soon fell to her knees once again and cried.
Seeing the pitiful state of the warlord she had become, Deviola did not deny that her pressure had been too much for her. Slowly, the dark moon transformed into a bright, beautiful moon adorned with millions of stars, changing the world around them. The red sky turned dark and sparkling with stars, revealing the kinder side of Deviola, reserved only for her dear servants.
Anna and Schordinger could hardly believe their eyes. The realm was supposed to mirror Deviola's inner feelings and personality, reflecting darkness, wickedness, and ruthlessness, as depicted by the sky before. Now, they realized that their lord was not as malevolent as they had thought. While her methods might be questionable, her true nature was more reasonable than they had assumed.
Another question popped into Schordinger's mind: What was her intention?
"You can rise your head, Hexelina."
A small, warm hand gently cupped Hexelina's cheeks, wiping away her tears. As Hexelina opened her eyes, she saw the beautiful and charming face of her lord. The lingering wicked aura had vanished, and the world transformed into a stunningly beautiful place, exactly as she had hoped to see. The great banyan tree bathed in moonlight, creating a majestic, ephemeral view of her lord before her eyes.
"Tell me, do you like the name?" Deviola ask calmly.
"I do but-"
"Then it settled, you can keep your name, Hexelina."
"But my lord. I-"
"Second chance. I gave you, a second chance."
Deviola then stood, returning to her throne and sitting calmly. Hexelina, agreeing, vowed that she would never disappoint her lord again. Her voice was soft, but her determination was clear as she conveyed her vow to Deviola. Anna and Schordinger gathered around Hexelina, giving her affectionate head pats to congratulate her on being accepted by their lord once again. However, Hexelina became irritated, feeling as though she was being treated like a very small child.
"Good girl, Hexelina. You should proud of yourself." said Anna while patting her head.
"Nice one, Hexelina." Schordinger join to pat Hexelina's head.
"Shut up, I'm not a kid!" Hexelina shouted.
"Oho, what a bratty child. Don't forget you were crying just a moment ago." Anna mock her.
"Shut up, it's scary you know!"
Looking at how everything turned, he felt a wave of nostalgia, as if he had experienced this moment before. A girl laughed at the little girl in front of her, mockingly, as if they were family. A faint beat in his heart made the scene before him feel vividly real.
Schordinger then looked at his lord, exchanging glances with her. Deviola's smile was as ominous as always, but this time, it held an air of excitement directed at him. It seemed she was hiding something from him, unwilling to reveal it unless asked. As Schordinger prepared to ask her about the matter that had troubled him since their first meeting, Deviola continued with the meeting.
One last member she needed to gather was the man who could never be satisfied by worldly wants; only she knew his true needs. Residing in the kingdom of unending thirst for power, he built a grand casino to control the people by fulfilling their desires. The place was filled with flashing lights, the storm of clinking coins, and an exhilarating atmosphere of intense gambling. People sacrificed their lives for a slim chance at a better live, with no guarantees.
A perfect place to fight for power, leveraging the greatness that money can buy.
Schordinger was ordered to bring him back to Deviola's side. As he observed the place from a distance, Schordinger began formulating a plan to infiltrate and make contact with him as soon as possible. However, the rain hindered his movement, causing him to stop and discover an intriguing passage that stirred his anger.
Schordinger crumpled the passage and threw it into the rain while pushing through the intense downpour. He continued to walk slowly, searching for a better spot to observe the casino. As he moved forward, someone threw the crumpled paper back at him. With his quick reflexes, he caught the paper and turned to see who had thrown it.
A young lady from the feline beastman race stood under the rain with an upset expression.