[Bonus thanks to Chronotitan <3]
The scene in the greeting hall of the Petals of the Seeing Thorn was one of absolute silence.
Malevolace was one of their strongest participants. No, probably the strongest participant in this year’s trial.
This wasn’t saying much for the Petals of the Seeing Thorn as a whole. But when it came to the emphasis she had received from the spectators until now, it was enough to paint the picture of someone who had true strength in the public consciousness.
And yet, a single raise of the hand, a single swipe down, and she was dead.
Just like that.
There wasn’t the slightest grace, not the slightest hesitation, not even an acknowledgment of the Race she came from or the powers supporting her to her back.
Just death.
At this point, Nosphaleen’s feats hadn’t just caught the attention of the general Petals of the Seeing Thorn alliance, but that of their elders, and even… their Matriarch as well.
…
Matriarch Valeria watched with an interested gaze, flicking one grape after another into her mouth, half wondering if she should get one of her more attractive servants to do this for her.
But in the end, she seemed too interested in Nosphaleen.
It wasn’t every day that such an interesting pawn appeared. How could she not be fascinated by what she was seeing?
‘Interesting, interesting, interesting… what little scheme are you a part of, exactly? Who sent you to mess things up in my organization?’
She could seem to smell the scheme coming from a million miles away, but it made her wonder what the purpose of it was.
And more importantly, who had grown such a powerful little trump card in secret like this? There weren’t many Level 50s with this level of strength, and all of them should be on the Titans Leaderboard.
So why wasn’t this one up there?
“Soryntha, my baby girl. You will go and greet this one.”
“Yes, Mother,” Soryntha said obediently.
…
Nosphaleen swept a gaze across the ones down below and didn’t say a single word. Looking down from above, she and Sylas only casually looked in the direction Cassarae was hiding in before jetting off into the distance.
Sylas hadn’t come here to save Cassarae, and judging by what he had heard, she was doing well enough on her own. If he could control his temper, he would have probably left Malevolace around as a challenge for her.
But there wasn’t a single soul in this universe with the capital to bully his woman.
Once again, Sylas changed his focus to the end of the path, shooting off even faster than he had come. It seemed that even though he had arrived last, he would be the first to finish.
…
“That son of a bitch… I’m gonna kill him when I see him next…” Cassarae, buried deep in an underwater cave of the lake, barely holding onto a pocket of air, grumbled.
“What happened?” Olivia asked.
“… Just an annoying prick.”
“So your husband.”
“My boy toy, actually.”
“You wouldn’t be so lovestruck over a boy toy, hallucinating about him day in and day out.”
“I am not hallucinating!”
“This is a women’s only organization, Madame Grimblade. What makes you think he could be here?”
Cassarae rolled her eyes, too tired to explain. She just knew, alright?
“Delusion at its finest.” Olivia sighed, and then winced slightly as her ribs reminded her they were both cracked and swollen.
“Are you alright?”
“… Sorry for dragging you down, Rae…”
“What are you talking about? You carried me when I couldn’t even lift a finger and that damned piece of shit City Stele wouldn’t let me leave and go anywhere. I’m just reciprocating a bit.”
“I—.”
“Shut up before I crack another one of your ribs. Be obedient and I might let you test drive him for a bit.”
“Really?!” Olivia’s eyes lit up.
Cassarae’s eyes narrowed. “I was going to say that you can daydream about him and jill yourself off—I won’t be offended. But why do you sound so excited all of a sudden?”
“You whore! That is not what you made it sound like! That was a trap!”
“I’m not the one pining after their best friend’s man.”
“I am not pining. He’s just a celebrity.”
“He is the furthest thing from a celebrity.”
“His name is literally broadcast across the galaxy once a week at this point. What is that if not a celebrity? I’m allowed to fantasize.”
“Ugh. How many of your harlots am I going to have to fight off at this point?”
The laughter of the two women filled the cave.
**
Nosphaleen stepped out from the realm, hardly having broken a sweat. She looked around and raised an eyebrow, feeling that the situation was a bit odd.
Rather than exiting from where she came, it was a dark room with walls so smooth there was no clear exit path. It looked like the sort of place you interrogated criminals. Not the petty thief or even gang-affiliated kind, but instead the sort of hardened criminals that would end up on a government’s most wanted list.
Her eyes darted around the room, but there was nothing at all…
Until there was a click and a door opened to the side.
Slowly, Soryntha walked in, her expression carrying the same hints of seduction as always.
“Why hello there, Nosphaleen Tideborn, is it? You’re quite the interesting character. I didn’t expect this. I truly didn’t.”
Nosphaleen blinked, seemingly in confusion.
“Didn’t expect what?”
“I’m not entirely sure why or how you ended up here, but what I can say is thank you,” Soryntha spoke without explaining, her smile bright and airy.
“Thank you?” Nosphaleen asked in confusion.
Soryntha moved before Nosphaleen could react, a fist ripping right through her chest.
Nosphaleen’s eyes widened.
“I was wondering how an Overlord Talent like you didn’t appear on the Titans Leaderboard, but now I understand. You have something that doesn’t belong to you, is that it? That Sylas Grimblade… he disappeared from the rankings… it seems that he overextended himself on his little Summoned World. And now…”
Soryntha’s body shook as the mark of a True Chosen appeared on her.
Nosphaleen’s eyes slowly dimmed and she fell into a pool of her own blood.
The laughter of the Valeria Clan heir practically boomed.
The Petals of the Seeing Thorn would ignore them in practically all other situations. But if one of their own had the mark of a True Chosen, with a chance to have the Luck of an entire Galaxy centered on them…
Would they continue to do so?
When that time came, and their Valeria gained their support, why would they need to fear the Thryskai and the Trakar?