Kael's mind raced. She claimed that she recognized him as Assassin K from his daggers, but there was something more to her words, a subtle understanding that left him questioning her true intentions.
First, she knew that his summon was sacrificed. Did she see it or did she merely conclude it from his earlier mutter?
Secondly, she knew that he injured himself while shielding her. Did she see it back then or did she just see his back injury after he brought her to the cave, a couple of minutes ago?
Lastly, she mentioned that she heard his murmurings, although not clearly. But, how much had she heard? He spoke about the dagger and the corrupted spirit. If she heard it, it would be easy for her to link him to her husband.
More importantly, she is willing to give him away such a precious elixir, which she plans to use to annul their marriage.
However, if she really knew that it was him, her reaction could be more explosive and not this calm. Kael concluded it this way in the end and grabbed the bottle.
"Princess," Kael muttered, raising it high.
Just as he was about to open it, he questioned her for one last time. "Are you sure about it? This bottle should be very precious to you. The Queen might even punish you for giving it to me. Think about it once again."
In response, Amanda nodded firmly. "I'm sure. This is the choice I make."
"Very well, Princess. I thank you," Kael said, raising it high and gulping all the potion in the bottle in one go.
Several minutes passed away.
The air in the cave was thick with anticipation as Kael sat in a deep meditative state, his mind focused entirely on his breakthrough. The pressure of the situation, coupled with the urgency to become stronger, had pushed him to the brink. His body trembled slightly as energy surged within him, but his resolve never faltered. His eyes remained shut, his concentration unwavering.
Amanda watched from a distance, her gaze lingering on his back. The soft glow from the light of the fire illuminated her face, revealing a mixture of emotions that she couldn't quite understand. Her heart races faster than it should. "Kael…" She whispered under her breath.
Amanda's heartbeat quickened as she watched Kael's form, still deep in meditation. Her mind raced with memories—the ship, the castle, and now this forest. Each time, Kael had shown a side of him that was unexpected. He was not just the man she had reluctantly accepted as her husband; he was someone much more complex.
She instinctively placed a hand on her chest, trying to steady herself. Her emotions were in turmoil, conflicting thoughts swirling in her head. She reached for the storage ring, summoning the Pendant in her hand. But as her fingers brushed against it, she hesitated.
"No," she muttered to herself, shaking her head slightly. "I need to sort this out first."
She tucked the object back into her storage ring, her thoughts becoming a tangled mess of doubt and longing. Would she ever come to terms with her feelings? Was this truly the path she wanted to walk, or was it just the consequences of circumstance? Various thoughts started messing with her mind.
Time passed away.
Far away in the woods, Nyx was held in chains. The creature's body twisted against its restraints, a primal energy radiating from it. The Supreme Realm expert stood nearby, focusing intently as he traced a seal around the creature. His lips moved silently as he began drawing the ancient symbols, preparing to break the bond between Kael and the beast, to claim it for himself.
The expert was confident in his success—until the unexpected happened. The seal that he had been carefully crafting shattered in an instant.
He looked up, startled, only to see a hooded figure emerging from the shadows. This time, he didn't even sense his presence. "It's you…"
Kael, still shrouded in Aura Armor, spoke. "Keep your filthy hands away from my companion." The twin daggers in his hands glowed, and black flames started enveloping the blades.
The fight that ensued was swift and brutal.
Kael moved with deadly precision. The Supreme Realm expert wasn't given a chance to counterattack from the start. With no worry to protect someone, Kael's moves were completely unrestrained.
Within moments, Kael had him cornered, and with a single swift strike to his neck followed by a firm stab to his heart, he ended the fight.
As the body of the expert crumpled to the ground, Kael looted the remains, taking anything of value. His cold, calculating demeanor never wavered. It was then he found something strange in his storage ring. It was a medallion with the engraving of an anchor and a ship on one side and the image of a lich on the other side.
"The Duchess of Aquareld…" Kael whispered under his breath, his gaze darkening. The insignia of the anchor and the ship belonged to Aquareld House. As for the lich, it is said that Aquareld House's founder was a Necromancer King, who eventually became a lich and achieved immortality. Basically, this is the relic of its founder. How could such treasures end up in the hands of this expert? Unless it was given to him.
By who?
The answer is obvious.
Kael felt like everything fell into place.
"Indeed, Duchess Leona had been the mastermind behind all of this—the one pulling the strings from the shadows. First, she goes to the imperial city to meet up with Amanda. She uses Amanda's past to draw her to the auction. The imperial palace is the richest and obviously rich enough to buy any treasure. Then, she abducts her using the Demonic Cult and acquires the treasure. No, these didn't even belong to the demonic cult in the first place." He took another look at the corpse and removed the mask, revealing an old man with a clean face.
"The Demonic Cult members have tattoos inscribed on their foreheads that will ensure their loyalty to their High Priestess. Moreover, there isn't a shred of demonic energy inside him. These belonged to the Witch Tower itself. It is known that they have six Tier-9 experts. That means… those four might be the guardians of the tower. That is also why the Witch never attacked them and let herself be captured. It only means that the Duchess of Ikaris was also involved. But to what extent? That is the question.
Was she also involved in the assassination attempt? Hmm… that doesn't make sense. After all, it was before the auction even took place. It's not like Amanda is the heiress to the throne. She might be a Prime Minister of the Queendom, but she was largely kept away from those dirty dealings of the Queen. Then, why? It doesn't make any sense. Perhaps the assassination attempt was done by some third party? Or perhaps they never intend to assassinate her but just to inflict some harm?" Kael thought about everything but couldn't find their motivation.
Of course, Kael didn't exactly expose them to Amanda, keeping his speculations to himself as his entire theory was based on one medallion.
After Nyx was recovered, it was ordered to exit the forest in its invisibility state, while Kael returned to Amanda's side, safely escorting her back to the city without attracting any attention. He moved like a shadow, keeping his distance but making sure she never felt alone.
Amanda continued her journey through the forest, her thoughts still clouded with uncertainty. Eventually, she had made it through, safe and sound. No enemy was encountered on the way.
However, surprising her, when she exited the forest and was moving to the city, she encountered a familiar figure. It was Kael who was sitting on the spectral wolf.
"Eh?" Amanda was quite taken aback to see him. She couldn't help but glance behind her, watching the silhouette of Assassin K who she believed to be her husband all along slowly fade away.
She turned to see Kael, standing at the edge of the forest, his expression soft but tinged with concern. "Are you alright, Princess?"
"Uhh… Kael?" She became confused. "Just now…"
"Hmm?" Kael walked up to her, his usual concerned expression plastered on his face. "Princess," he said softly, his voice laced with faux worry. "Are you alright?"
Amanda suddenly glanced down, her eyes catching the mud-plastered onto his shoes. She shut her eyes once, remembering the memory where the assassin was carrying her, running through the swamp on the way.
"I'm fine." Amanda gave him a small, forced smile, trying to play along. She didn't need him to act concerned; she could handle herself.
But as she looked at him, something inside her shifted. She couldn't help but feel… something more.
She had been cold to him, distant, but now, as she met his gaze, she realized how much his actions had meant to her. He had followed her, protected her, without question. He had shown a side of him she hadn't expected, one that made her heart ache with confusion.
Before she could say anything, Kael feigned a concerned look, his hand resting on her shoulder. "Are you alright?"
Amanda blinked, caught off guard by his sudden act. She hadn't expected to feel what she felt, but in that moment, she smiled—genuinely.
"Thank you, Kael," she said, her voice softer than she had ever spoken to him. Without thinking, she leaned into him, giving him a hug.
"Wha…" Kael stood still for a moment, stunned by the gesture. He hadn't expected this reaction. He had never expected her to acknowledge him so warmly, especially not after everything that had happened.
Amanda held him for a brief moment, her emotions swirling, before pulling away, her eyes meeting his.
"Thank you," she repeated, this time with more sincerity. "For worrying about me."
Kael, still surprised, nodded slowly. "Of course."
**************