Meanwhile, back in the Pyra Empire,
“Where are our reinforcements?” Sandra asked with a deep frown, her arms crossed tightly as she looked at the first hooded figure. The figure was casually perched on the windowsill, one leg dangling outside as they gazed at the bright sky as if the sun coming out or something.
“Who knows~” The figure replied with a haughty, almost playful tone.
Sandra’s blank stare lingered on the figure… The hooded individual sighed their expression one of exaggerated exhaustion.
“How many times do I have to tell you… Master is currently preoccupied with other matters. We need to stay put and wait here as long as possible. I’ve already sent them our location, so all we have to do is be patient. Just wait and see—soon enough, they’ll come swooping in like knights rescuing a helpless damsel in distress~ Fu~Fu~”
Sandra’s lips twitched violently at the ridiculous remark.
She exhaled sharply, drumming her fingers restlessly against her arm.
Anxiety gnawed at her insides.
She knew the inevitable was creeping closer, and the thought of Aether rushing in to save her was unbearable. She couldn’t let that happen—if she did, it would be her daughter who paid the price in her place.
Noticing Sandra’s impatient, brooding expression, the hooded figure sighed dramatically, “Honestly, what’s with that long face? I get it, we kidnapped your daughter and all, but you really don’t need to be so tense. Master always keeps his word. Once this whole ordeal is over, everything will be just fine. You’ll be reunited with your precious daughter, and—voila!—you can be happy again. Yay~” She threw her hands up in celebration, striking a ridiculous victory pose.
Sandra ignored her, pacing the room with quick, anxious steps, biting her nails as her thoughts spiralled.
“Argh…” A weak voice escaped Raven’s lips as she stirred, slowly regaining consciousness.
“Wakey~ Wakey~ Did you sleep well, darling~?” The hooded figure cooed, amusement dripping from her voice as she leaned forward to get a better look at Raven’s disoriented face.
Raven let out a long yawn before blinking groggily. “No,” she muttered with a sheepish tone, rubbing her stiff shoulders.
Sandra’s eye twitched violently.
The hooded figure chuckled, “No? Ha! Well, that’s hardly surprising. Who in their right mind could get a decent sleep while tied up inside an old, rundown shack? Even I couldn’t sleep a wink. Poor, pitiful me~” She placed a hand over her chest in exaggerated self-pity.
Raven merely shrugged and instinctively began to test the restraints on her wrists, attempting to break free—just like any typical kidnapping victim would…. she needed to keep her act, right? But before she could make much progress—
“Ah-ah, don’t do that,” the figure warned, her previously playful tone taking on a sharp, dangerous edge.
“As long as you stay put and behave, we won’t have to hurt you.” Raven paused, locking eyes with the hooded figure. There was no hesitation in her expression, only mild irritation. She let out a slow sigh.
“Alright, then what do you want from me?” she asked bluntly. “It’s not like I’m the Empress or anything. I’m just a maid working under the Emperor.” Her flat tone made it clear she didn’t believe her own words, and anyone who knew her would think, ‘Really? That’s the best you could come up with?’
The hooded figure burst out laughing, “Hahaha! Oh, you poor, clueless thing. Don’t worry—we’re not the big, scary villains you probably think we are—”
“Right. Says the person who literally kidnapped me.”
“Details, details~” the figure waved dismissively. “Alright, fine. Maybe we’re half bad guys. But look, our goal isn’t to hurt innocent people—we’re trying to protect our world from an even greater danger by ‘sacrificing’ a few people, So technically, that makes us… let’s say, morally flexible Anti-heroes. Yeah, that sounds about right~”
Raven didn’t respond, her sceptical gaze doing all the talking.
The hooded figure sighed, stretching her arms lazily, “Anyway, as long as you cooperate, we won’t lay a finger on you.
But I do have to wonder… are you really just a maid? Because, call me crazy, but I find it a little odd that the entire Empire is frantically searching for a mere servant. Am I missing something here, little girl?” Her tone took on a sharper, more curious edge, laced with an unmistakable hint of danger.
Sandra frowned as well, her gaze shifting toward Raven, searching for answers.
Something felt off—she could sense it, an unease settling in her chest like a slow-burning ember.
Raven simply shrugged, her expression indifferent. “I’m just a m—”
Before she could finish,
“Or… are you, you know… secretly the Emperor’s concubine or something?” The first hooded figure interrupted with a curious tone, tilting her head slightly, her voice laced with amusement as if she were enjoying the idea.
Raven’s frown deepened, a flicker of disgust flashing across her face. “I am not that old man’s con—”
Again, before she could finish—
“Not him, darling. I’m talking about the real Emperor… that man… Victor,” the figure clarified, stretching her arms lazily as if she had already figured out the answer. There was a knowing glint in her eyes as she smirked slightly that hidden behind the hoodie.
After all, this Empire originally belonged to Victor, and logically, so did everything within it—including this maid. Looking at Raven now, though she might not surpass her in beauty, she was undeniably alluring in her own right. No man would let a woman like her go to waste, not even someone as cold and calculating as Victor.
The thought made sense. If Raven truly was Victor’s secret woman, then everything aligned—the desperate search, the urgency, the way the Empire seemed to be moving as if it had lost something invaluable. It would explain why they were going to such extreme lengths to find her.
Raven, however, remained completely silent, staring blankly at the hooded figure, her expression unreadable. Her features betrayed nothing, no panic, no hesitation—just an eerie calmness.
Sandra’s expression darkened upon hearing the possibility. She wasn’t foolish—she could see the connection as well. But up until now, she had been too focused on forming her plan, prioritizing its success over any seemingly trivial matters. However, now… now it mattered.
Her gaze sharpened, a faint trace of killing intent leaking from her body.
The first hooded figure leaned forward slightly, pressing further, her voice dripping with intrigue. “Come on, tell me the truth… You’re Victor’s mistress, aren’t you? If not, then why exactly are you in the Palace, living alongside your sister? It doesn’t make any sense, does it? A mere maid, living comfortably within the Emperor’s walls, protected like some hidden treasure? Unless, of course, you’re connected to h—”
“He saved my family. That’s why I’m repaying him,” Raven cut in coldly, her voice blunt and firm.
She gave nothing away—not a flicker of emotion, not a single crack in her composure. Her face had turned even more impassive, an icy mask devoid of any hesitation. So much so that the two of them barely noticed the subtle lie she had just woven into her response.
“Saved your family, huh?” The hooded figure mused, rubbing her chin thoughtfully.
“Interesting… Yeah, now that I think about it, Phoenix bloodline… It makes sense. He must’ve protected you and your family from danger.” She nodded, as if the answer fit together like the final piece of a puzzle.
However, Sandra wasn’t convinced. If anything, the way Raven spoke only unsettled her more.
Because she knew Victor—Aether— better than anyone.
And the way Raven was presenting this, the way she avoided giving a real answer, the way she barely reacted to such a loaded question—none of it sat right with her.
A strange unease settled in her gut, coiling like a snake, whispering that something was terribly wrong.
But then—
Suddenly—
BOOOOMMMM!!!
A deafening explosion tore through the air, shaking the ground beneath them as something massive plummeted from the sky, striking their temporary hideout with a force that sent shockwaves rippling outward.
A blinding burst of dust and debris erupted, filling the air and making it impossible to see.
Cough, cough.
“What the hell was that?!” The first hooded figure coughed violently, raising her arm to shield her face as she squinted through the thick veil of dust. The entire structure groaned under the impact, small fragments of debris crumbling from the ceiling.
The dust swirled chaotically, obscuring everything. But just as the air began to clear—A furious voice tore through the silence,
“FUCKERS!! YOU WILL PAY FOR THIS!!”
Both the hooded figure and Sandra flinched instinctively, their muscles tensing, readying themselves for whatever was coming.
The dust finally settled, revealing a shadowed figure standing amidst the wreckage.
A man.
Broad-shouldered….. Black-haired!
His face was still partially hidden by the lingering dust as he casually dusted off his clothes, unfazed by the destruction around him.
And then,
“Aether…?”
It wasn’t Raven.
It wasn’t Sandra.
Rather, it was the hooded figure who uttered those words, her voice filled with genuine surprise, eyes widening as she stared at the man before them.