When Kai received the Mages from Archine Tower, he hadn't been fooled by how easily they were sent. It reeked of convenience, and in this world, nothing was ever that simple.
The Tower didn't just discard their own like unwanted parchment. He knew very well that the one who had ordered Actra to kill him still held power in the shadows of the Archine Tower, lurking within those halls. And it was someone who was probably on the council. Hiding spies or assassins among the Mages seemed like the obvious play— a trap Kai had been prepared for from the start.
Only Claire, Francis, Killian and a few trusted maids were in on it, quietly pulling apart every move the Mages made. They watched the new recruits with sharp, silent vigilance, piecing together their intentions like puzzle pieces. None of the Mages suspected a thing since maids being assigned to them was common. Especially not the Wind Mage—Roran, the man who'd slowly gotten the best reputation among all the Archine Tower Mages.
Roran was... diligent if anything. He'd been on the frontline for the dangerous scouting missions, putting his life on the line in a way that seemed too genuine to be questioned.
Kai admired that dedication— no one saw a spy in a hero. But what the Mage had in courage, he lacked in subtlety, especially considering that he was practically living under someone else's roof.
"Roran's moves have been… measured. We've noticed him snooping around the alchemical labs, but he hasn't tried anything drastic yet. However, he did attempt to send detailed information about the mana cannons and the Enforcers to Archine Tower." She paused for a moment, her eyes narrowing slightly. "Like I reported last time, we intercepted his message before it got out."
Kai's brow furrowed, but only slightly. He already expected something like this. "Good job," he said, nodding at her. "Keep an eye on him. And the others too—there could be more spies hiding among them. We can't be too careful."
Claire nodded in acknowledgement, the tension still hanging in the air.
"If we've got evidence, why not just finish him off?" Killian's voice was direct when he asked that question. To him, the answer seemed clear— eliminate the problem.
Kai shook his head, his expression tightening with thought. "No," he said firmly. "Not right now. Killing him gives us nothing."
Killian blinked, momentarily taken aback. "Nothing? If he's working for Archine Tower, that's reason enough."
"He could kill himself before we even get him to trial, and if he's truly doing it for Archine Tower, then he's replaceable. Veridia—" Kai spat the name of the Magus with condescension "—she doesn't seem like the type to be attached to her pawns. She can discard them easily.
"If we kill him now, they'll just send someone else. A fresh spy. Someone smarter, more cautious. No… it's wiser to let him snoop around for a while longer."
"You want him to keep spying?"
"Not exactly," Kai replied, eyes narrowing. "We'll use him. Feed him false information. Let him think he's getting everything Archine Tower wants. It's far more valuable to mislead them, give them the wrong impression of what's happening here. If Roran keeps reporting back with useful details that are ultimately wrong, we can keep the Tower in the dark."
Francis nodded in agreement. "It's a calculated move. We can string him along, let him feel like he's in control while we control the flow of information."
Killian seemed to mull it over before sighing. "Fine. But it feels like a risk."
Kai's smile was thin. "It is a risk. But one we need to take. If we kill him, we gain nothing but momentary satisfaction. By keeping him alive, we turn him into a weapon— one we aim at Archine Tower."
He paused momentarily, letting his words ring around the air.
"Keep watching him. And don't get complacent. If he even tries to push beyond what we allow… we'll deal with him swiftly."
Francis nodded, agreeing with Kai's reasoning. "Yes, I think the same. We need to keep the ruse going for longer. If we tip our hand too soon, we lose our edge."
Kai gave a satisfied nod. "Exactly. Archine Tower isn't our only enemy. They're just one of many. We've finally gotten a lead on them, so keeping Roran around until he's served his purpose is the smart move. With news about the beast wave spreading, many ripples will be felt across the kingdom— and Veralt is at the centre of it all."
He paused, glancing at each of them in turn. "We need to deflect attention away from us as much as possible. If I'm right, the real storm will start here, in the Sylvan Enclave itself."
Killian let out a long sigh, rubbing the back of his neck. "Duke Lucian Kellius."
Kai's eyes darkened at the name, and he nodded. "Yes. I imagine he's already furious that I managed to defeat the beast wave. And if my suspicions are correct, he's far more dangerous than we initially thought."
As he spoke, a memory resurfaced— something Edrian, Arzan's second brother had told him. The weight of it lingered in the back of his mind, and now seemed the right moment to bring it up.
"Have you heard of the tale of the Maleficent Viper?" Kai asked, his voice quieter now, more contemplative.
Francis, Claire, and Killian all shook their heads, waiting for him to explain.
Kai leaned back slightly, remembering the details of the story. "I read about it recently. The Maleficent Viper is a Grade 3 beast that lives deep in the forest— vicious, territorial creature, but the story isn't about just any viper. It speaks of a particular nest that housed three vipers: the eldest, the second, and the youngest."
Kai let the silence settle for a moment before continuing, his voice measured. "The two older vipers were constantly at odds, fighting for control of the entire nest. The eldest, however, showed no interest in total domination. Instead, it chose to protect its youngest sibling, even asking for its help against their mutual threat— the second brother."
Killian frowned slightly, not sure where the story was going, but Francis's sharp eyes seemed to catch on to the underlying theme.
"The youngest viper agreed," Kai continued. "Together, the eldest and the youngest killed the second viper, gaining more territory and control over the nest. But it wasn't out of loyalty— it was survival. And through their cooperation, they expanded their hold on the forest."
"The youngest was happy and trusted the oldest," he said, his voice dropping a notch, the weight of the words palpable. "But as soon as the second viper was dead, the oldest ate the youngest. Without hesitation. Without remorse. The oldest took the entire territory for itself."
The room was dead still, and it was Killian who finally broke the silence. "Then Duke Lucian Kellius is the oldest viper here."
Kai nodded, his expression dark, knowing that was the most likely conclusion. His mind flickered to the battle he had fought, the chaos, the pain. It wasn't just about beasts or waves of creatures; it was about ambition. The kind of ambition that makes someone kill even their own family to claim power.
"I fought more than a beast wave," Kai said, his voice low. "I fought ambition. And it's clear now that Lucian Kellius has the same ruthless ambition. If we don't defend against that viper, he's going to devour me next. My second brother is already out of the race."
Francis, Claire, and Killian all nodded in agreement, the severity of the situation sinking in.
Kai allowed himself a moment of contemplation, the gears in his mind turning, piecing together the possibilities. Then a slow smile curled on his lips. "But… there's something else."
The others looked at him curiously.
"I found out that there are a few versions of the Maleficent Viper tale," Kai continued. "And in one of them, the story takes a different turn. After the eldest viper killed the youngest and took all the territory, it didn't have time to enjoy its victory. A hawk, who had been watching the entire time, swooped down from the sky. It had been waiting for an opportunity, watching as the vipers fought amongst themselves. And when the eldest finally ate the youngest, the hawk struck. It killed the eldest viper and claimed everything for itself."
That version grabbed all of their attention in unison. Kai's eyes glinted. "We don't have to be the youngest viper, hoping for scraps. We just need to be that hawk."
Killian let out a soft chuckle, shaking his head. "Basically, we need to observe everything and attack when our enemy least expects it."
Francis folded his arms, considering the new perspective. "A hawk... waiting for the right moment to strike. It fits."
"Let them think they're in control. When Lucian attacks and I know he will, he would expect to eat me up," Kai said. "And we need to make him feel so until we reveal that we aren't just any other viper waiting to be devoured, but hawks preying on him."
A spark of understanding lit in the room. The pieces of the puzzle were aligning, the strategy shifting from defense to something far more cunning.
"Lucian may be the viper," Kai said, "but if we play this right, he won't even see the hawk coming. He's so focused on expanding his territory, on devouring everything in his path, that he won't realise someone's been watching from above the whole time."
***
A/N - Volume 2 normal chapters end. Only epilogues remains.
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