◇◆◇
After leaving the Royal Castle, we dashed along the cobblestone streets.
The capital remained restless under the cover of night.
Explosions echoed in the distance, and I could still see pillars of fire rising from several locations. However, the scale of the fighting had clearly diminished compared to earlier.
We moved across the rooftops, with Leonis leading the way.
Allen followed closely behind him, and I brought up the rear.
Beside me, Fia ran with an effortless, light-footed grace. It was my first time traversing the city by roof, but Fia seemed entirely unfazed. If the gap between buildings was narrow enough, we jumped; when it was too wide, we relied on Orbis to carry us across with his wind magic.
Fia actually looked like she was enjoying herself.
"Master."
Her voice was small as she looked up at me.
"Are you okay? Your injury?"
"Yeah."
I tested my arm, moving it tentatively. It was the wound Leonis had treated with magical first aid earlier. While a dull ache remained, it didn't hinder my movements.
"I'm fine," I assured her.
Fia’s expression softened with a flicker of relief.
"That’s good."
It was a simple, brief reply.
After we had run a bit further, I spoke up.
"Fia."
"Yes?"
"What about the people back at the mansion?" It was the question that had been weighing most heavily on my mind. "Are my father and mother safe?"
Fia answered without a moment's hesitation.
"They’re safe. Yuka defeated almost everyone who tried to enter the house."
"...She did?"
"Mhm." Fia paused for a second before adding, "Tarinuka worked really hard, too."
I see. Well, I didn't exactly "see," but I got the gist of it. As expected of those two—though hearing just how terrifying Yuka could be was a reminder of her usual intensity.
"Yuka was angry," Fia added quietly.
I gave a strained, wry smile. "I'm sure she was."
Our home had been attacked. I hated that she had to resort to such violence, but I was still too powerless to do anything else.
"Where is Yuka now?" I asked.
Fia tilted her head slightly. "Um..."
"Wasn't she with you?"
Fia shook her head. "No. She came with us, but she left us behind."
"...Wait, what?" I blinked in surprise. "You don't know where she went?"
Fia kept her eyes fixed on the path ahead. "I don't know," she said in a detached voice. "But... she was definitely looking for you, Master."
I let out a long breath. I appreciated the sentiment, but I really wished neither of them would go off on their own. Fia was still so small, and Yuka was at an age where she should be allowed to be a bit more selfish and less burdened.
"I see..."
The moment the words left my mouth, Leonis came to a sudden halt.
"..."
We stopped behind him.
Directly ahead of us stood the Clock Tower. It really was just a massive, literal clock—I probably looked like an idiot thinking that, but it was the only thought that came to mind as it pierced the night sky.
"We're here," Leonis said. His voice was lower, more serious than before. "It looks like..."
He looked up toward the summit.
There, at the very peak of the Clock Tower, a dark silhouette stood against the stars. A long robe fluttered in the wind.
"...we hit the jackpot."
The night wind howled. We were still some distance from the tower, but the sheer density of the magical power radiating from it gave the structure an intimidating, heavy presence.
Leonis stared up at the tower in silence.
"At the top," Fia whispered, her eyes locked on the summit. "Incredible magical power. It's all gathering there."
Allen knit his brows. "So the center of the operation really is at the top."
I looked up at the tower as well. The mastermind behind this whole mess was up there.
Just then—
Tap.
The sound of a shoe striking stone came from behind us.
We all spun around instantly.
A man stood there, wrapped in a pitch-black robe. However, the aura radiating from him was on a completely different level than the fodder we had been dealing with until now. He was tall, his thin frame visible through the fabric of his robe. His long black hair was tied back, and a grey emblem was etched clearly onto his face.
The man slowly began to clap.
Clap... clap... clap...
"My, my," he said, his voice light and airy. "I didn't think you would actually make it here." He gave a pleasant, mocking laugh. "As expected of a Sanct owner—the Hero Candidate, Leonis Alseid."
His gaze shifted toward me, and a cold shiver ran down my spine.
Okay, this guy is definitely bad news.
Leonis stepped forward. "I'm afraid I don't know who you are," he said casually. "Would you mind giving me your name?"
The man shrugged. "How terribly rude of me."
He gave a slow, exaggerated bow.
"I am of the Ash Necros," he said with a small chuckle. "Third Executive, Kyle Gray."
When he looked up, his eyes gleamed with a light that bordered on madness.
"And from this point forward..." He drew his sword with a sharp, metallic ring. "The road is closed."
Hold on! Isn't that the catchphrase of a certain dual-wielding solo swordsman?! I'm actually a fan!!!
Leonis let out a soft sigh. "...I see." He smirked slightly. "So you're just the distraction meant to stall for time."
Kyle laughed. "To put it bluntly, yes. However..." His lips curled into a grin that crossed the line from eerie to just plain disgusting. "This may very well be where your journey ends."
The air grew heavy and suffocating as the tension spiked.
◇◆◇
The interior of the Clock Tower was steeped in shadow.
A stone spiral staircase wound its way upward. A lone girl climbed silently through the darkness, her footsteps making almost no sound.
It was Yuka.
She had pulled a black robe—taken from an Apostle of Ash—low over her head as she moved stealthily along the wall. On the landing she had just passed, a robed man lay slumped against the stones. A single, thin line had been drawn across his throat. There was almost no blood, but the body would never move again.
Yuka didn't even glance back.
A voice drifted down from above. It was distant, but it was undeniably a human presence.
"..."
Yuka looked up toward the higher floors. The tower was eerily quiet now. The enemies that had occupied the lower levels were gone.
To be precise, she had eliminated every single one of them on her way up.
"...Lord Luka," she whispered.
She was looking for one person and one person only.
She was furious. Was it because her home or her own life had been threatened? No. It was because Luka—her one and only master—had been placed in danger.
She clenched her fist. The only thought in her mind was her desperate need to reach him.
"..."
She could feel the magical power emanating from the summit. It was fundamentally different from the others—heavy, stagnant, and foul.
Yuka climbed the final set of stairs.
Creeeak...
She pushed the ancient door open slowly.
The night wind rushed in to meet her. At the top of the Clock Tower, surrounded by massive gears and the great bell, a man stood alone. He wore a black robe, and long silver hair cascaded down his back.
He didn't turn around. Instead, he kept his gaze fixed on the city below and spoke in a calm, steady voice.
"You're late. I've been waiting for you."
He turned slowly. He had a handsome, refined face and wore a sophisticated, noble smile.
"First Executive of the Ash Necros," the man said, offering a slight bow. "Dia Gray."
"...He's not here," Yuka said, ignoring his introduction.
She drew her dagger. The ring of metal on metal echoed through the silent tower.
Dia narrowed his eyes slightly. "I see." He laughed, sounding genuinely amused. "I don't know who you are, but... you are clearly no ordinary girl."
A gust of wind whipped through the tower, tugging at their robes.
Yuka took a single step forward.
Her eyes were filled with nothing but cold, absolute killing intent.