After releasing my Celestial Rank attack, I swiftly erased all traces of divine mana and vanished from the scene, my movements quick and deliberate. The chaos I left behind might have drawn the attention of many, but I had no intention of sticking around to deal with the aftermath.
Good thing Amaterasu taught me that trick, I mused silently, grateful for the foresight. Even now, I could feel the weight of numerous gazes sweeping the area, searching for the source of the devastation. Some were curious, others suspicious, but I was confident none of them would find me easily.
Of course, Apollo and Artemis likely already knew, that had their attention on me for a moment now. Their senses were sharp, sharper than most. But I felt a quiet assurance that they wouldn’t reveal my identity. From their point of view, I could be a valuable asset in the looming war against the Greeks. To out me now would draw unwanted attention and potential threats.
Gods—even minor ones—might feel threatened and try to eliminate me. That wasn’t a risk they’d take lightly.
And even if they harbored some doubts, Aphrodite was my insurance. She had promised to cover my back in this war. As long as she played her part, my identity would remain shrouded in mystery. No one could afford to move against me without proper information.
“Samael.”
The voice snapped me from my thoughts. Charybdis landed beside me in a graceful arc, her expression as calm and neutral as ever, though I could sense the undercurrent of worry in her actions. I had tasked her with keeping an eye on Agamemnon and Astynome, but it seemed my earlier surge of true mana had caught her attention, prompting her return.
Even though she was careful not to show it, the worry was there.
“Something happened?” she asked, her gaze flicking toward the aftermath of my attack.
The ground where my lance had struck was a desolate path of ice and frost, the remnants of destruction stretching far ahead, a frozen scar upon the battlefield. It radiated cold, the air itself heavy with the lingering power I had unleashed.
I shook my head slightly, more to myself than to her. “No, nothing serious,” I replied, eyes narrowing as I surveyed the damage. I hadn’t wanted to get involved in this war—it wasn’t my fight—but there were certain people that I wanted to test and see how much growth they had grown through. Gwen had been one of them.
Her presence here had been unexpected, but seeing her again stirred something within me. She hadn’t changed much, still stubborn, still fierce, but there was a newfound maturity about her. She had grown, in ways I hadn’t anticipated.
Siara, too. She seemed to be faring well, though I remained cautious. The Empire of Light wasn’t to be trusted. But for now, it looked like they were safe.
My mind turned to the others—Sienna, Amelia, Courtney, Aisha. They hadn’t been part of this battle at Lyrnessus, or at least I hadn’t sensed them. But I would find them soon. I had to make sure they were alright, especially with everything moving so fast. There was little time for doubt.
Suddenly, a feeling washed over me, a piercing sensation that sent a chill down my spine. I glanced to my right, my eyes narrowing as I searched for the source. Someone was watching me—closely. I couldn’t tell who it was, but the presence was undeniable. Divine, distant, but powerful.
I quickly looked away.
Athena? Hera? It was hard to say, though my instincts leaned toward the latter. Hera had always been more a pain to Khione from what I heard. Her gaze weighed heavy, even from afar.
Khione had warned me about her, telling me to beware of her watchful eyes. Now, I understood why.
“Let’s move,” I muttered to Charybdis, keeping my voice low. The fewer eyes on us, the better. “We’ve drawn enough attention here.”
She nodded in agreement, and together, we disappeared into the shadows, leaving the frozen wasteland behind.
“Where are Agamemnon and Astynome?” I asked.
“They’re leaving Lyrnessus,” Charybdis replied, her tone measured. “Do we follow them?”
A difficult question. My original plan had been to take Astynome before Agamemnon could even see her, to slip her away from under his nose without him noticing. But I had hesitated too long, and now he was already on his way out of the city with her in tow.
There was still a chance—an opportunity to steal her away before they reached their camp—but the weight of several gazes lingered on me, pressing like a heavy shroud. I could feel them—Apollo and Artemis among them, but their attention didn’t concern me. What troubled me were the other two goddesses, whose watchful eyes I could sense.
From the Greeks’ side, they had the most to lose if they figured out my true intentions too early.
It was too soon for them to suspect me fully, too soon for them to grow wary. As long as they were still uncertain, as long as doubt clouded their judgment, I could maneuver in the shadows. Time—that’s what I needed, and the longer I kept them guessing, the better.
But the window was closing fast. Apollo’s priestess was still with Agamemnon, and if I didn’t act soon, I’d lose my leverage with him. His full attention was crucial to my plans. But more than that, time was something I didn’t have much of.
I glanced down at my arm. The skin had darkened, spreading like ink over a page, a reminder of the price I had paid.
Two weeks, maybe three at best.
I wasn’t surprised. I had known this would happen when I sacrificed a portion of my lifespan to claim Khione. I didn’t regret it for a single moment; it had been necessary. Still, when I made that deal, I had been confident that I would find a way out of this predicament. I hadn’t lost that confidence, not yet.
I took a moment to weigh my options. There was no time to waste, and nothing would change if I didn’t take the risks needed.
“Charybdis,” I began, “you should go back. Return to the Trojans.”
Her expression shifted, a deep frown pulling at her lips. “No. I won’t leave your side.”
I met her gaze, coldly. “It’s an order, Charys.” My tone was sharp, leaving no room for argument.
She didn’t back down. “If Medea or Scylla were here, they wouldn’t leave you alone,” she countered, her voice firm with quiet opposition.
Her concern for me was genuine, and it showed in the way she stood. I had taken both her and Scylla from their imprisoned lives beneath the sea, after defeating them in combat. Since then, they had both become fiercely attached to me, their loyalty nearly suffocating.
Along with Medea, the three of them had become knights in my service, my people in the coming war against the Divine Knights—my Divine Knights.
But this time wasn’t one I could afford to have compromised by sentimentality or extra company.
“I have to get back Astynome, and I have to do it alone.” My voice softened slightly as I sighed. “I’ll infiltrate their camp, get Astynome, and return to Troy as quickly as I can. You don’t need to worry.”
It was the fastest way, and the only way to avoid further complication.
Charybdis lowered her gaze, her entire demeanor shifting in an instant. The air around her grew colder as her murderous aura leaked out, and her skin began to turn a deep, menacing blue. Her voice, once steady, now dripped with cold fury.
“If you want her back, just kill all of them and take her.”
“Charys.” I stopped in my tracks, turning to face her. Without hesitation, I pulled her into my arms, pressing her body close to mine. My lips found hers, and I kissed her deeply, pouring all my warmth into the kiss as if to melt the frost that had begun to envelop her.
“Mmmnn~” A soft, involuntary sound escaped Charybdis as her entire body shivered beneath my touch. Her lips, soft and moist, tasted of salt and the sea, but more than that—they were filled with the intensity of her emotions.
As I held her close, my hands found their way to her hips, resting on her curvy figure. I could feel her chest pressed against me, her heartbeat fast and unsteady. My lips brushed against her ear as I whispered softly, “Tell Aeneas that I’ll be back soon.”
Her breath hitched, and she let out another faint moan, “Y-Yes… hmmnnn~~” Her body, once tense and brimming with murderous intent, relaxed in my arms. The cold, dangerous energy that had been leaking from her vanished as though it had never existed in the first place. In its place was a quiet surrender.
“You don’t have to worry,” I reassured her as I pulled back, leaving a thin thread of saliva between our parted lips. Her face remained expressionless, but I could see the subtle blush on her cheeks, a rare and fleeting display of vulnerability.
Whether it was Charybdis, Medea, or Scylla, all three of them were obsessed with me in a way that was both flattering and frightening. Their devotion had crossed into obsession, and if I were to die… I didn’t even want to think about the consequences. They would lose themselves entirely, and the world would undoubtedly suffer for it.
The thought of them, of what they might do in my death, was yet another reason I couldn’t afford to die. I had left too deep of an impression on them. A world without me would be meaningless in their eyes, and they would tear it apart in their grief and rage.
With one last glance at Charybdis, who still stood there with her stoic face and blushing cheeks, I gave a nod. She knew what needed to be done, and soon she turned and disappeared into the shadows, heading back to the Trojans.
Now, I could focus on the task ahead. My attention shifted back toward the Greek side. The two goddesses—whose gazes I had felt earlier—seemed to have retreated back to their realm, leaving me free to act.
Pulling a scarf from my belongings, I wrapped it around my mouth, concealing my face. The time for subtlety had come. I scanned the battlefield, quickly finding the body of a fallen Spartan soldier. Stripping the corpse of its armor, I removed my own and donned his in its place. The blood-stained bronze plate and battered helmet would allow me to blend in among the Greeks for the time being.
“Let’s do this.”
I will just infiltrate their camp, get Astynome back and leave right away.