Chapter 60
We stood in the cold, rocky tunnel, a misfit group if ever there was one. Vek was attempting to wrap his legs around me as he used to, but he had tripled in size since I last saw him, and was struggling to get into a comfortable position.
Gina remained as stoic as ever, totally unfazed by the scene before her. Seraphina similarly kept her calm, with the ladylike facade still in place. As for me, I had so many questions that I wasn’t sure where to begin.
“How do you two know each other?”
I pushed Vek off of me and pointed at him, then at Seraphina.
“A fascinating union, are we not?”
She covered her mouth and softly chuckled. She then produced an envelope, which Vek immediately snatched and placed in his mouth, careful not to tear or pierce it.
“These arachnids assist me in corresponding with my brother, though this one only showed up a couple of nights ago. I can't say I am accustomed to such large appendages.”
She traced her finger along Vek's long, slender leg.
“Nor am I accustomed to them bringing foreign thoughts into my otherwise orderly mind. Ah, that reminds me, I was meant to say something to break the ice…”
She tilted her head, feigning deep thought.
“Arach wishes you well and presents this reward for your hard work.”
Seraphina spoke as if reciting each word accurately was of utmost importance. She gestured to Vek when she said 'reward'.
I remained quiet. I did not know how common it was for Arach to interact with other humans, nor did I know how much she had shared or why. It was best to remain cautious with my words, so as not to slip up and give anything away.
Seraphina scanned me up and down, dragging the silence on expectantly.
Instead of giving in, I disconnected my soul from Tiara and linked to Vek. If there was any legitimacy to this, Arach could confirm it herself using her mental connection to Vek.
The connection felt far different from before. There was now a deep hunger dwelling within Vek, a hunger not too dissimilar from Soot’s thirst for battle. There was more to it than simple battle lust, though. It was as if a need to spill blood lingered near the surface of his thoughts.
It was unsettling, though not surprising. The moment our souls connected, I gained an understanding of all of the changes Arach had made to Vek's body.
The ogre horn I had handed over had been melded into Vek's body, and the demonic matter contained within had been broken down, reproduced, and fused into his soul. This type of surgical alteration of a soul would have required immense precision and concentration.
As a result, it would be fair to say Vek had effectively become partially demonic.
“”
The familiar voice of Arach entered my mind, and I did not fail to notice Seraphina's subtle reaction as well.
“”
Arach spoke her commands without explanation, and I felt the connection severed abruptly right before I could respond.
So instead, I looked back at Seraphina.
“...apparently you have been helping our mutual friend.”
She gave a serene smile and nodded.
“A most fascinating existence, isn't she? I could scarcely believe it when such a supreme voice was channelled from the little web-weaver on my windowsill.”
“Why, though? What did she ask you to do?”
The sunlight caught her eyes just right, and they seemed to glimmer as she looked at me.
“A simple task, really. Build a tunnel in secret to cut through the mountain.”
“And the purpose?”
I pressed on, not seeing why someone in her position would ever agree to this.
Seraphina assessed me closely, and I felt Gina shift her weight subtly behind me. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end as my danger-sense began whispering forebodingly.
But with a subtle look from Seraphina, the danger at my back vanished. A cloud must have passed overhead, as the ray shining down slowly pulled away behind a curtain of darkness.
The honest smile I had seen only once so far returned to Seraphina's face. It was her genuine emotions laid bare for me and Gina alone to see.
“What other purpose would there be to digging a secret tunnel into a fort? Naturally, Arach intends to undermine the defences of Lion’s Maw.”
“And you expect me to believe would be okay with assisting her to do that?”
“I do not expect you to place your faith in me, but I was rather hoping you would do so for Arach. She had assured me I would find an ally in you when I told her of your arrival.”
“And how is it you can communicate with her exactly?”
“It is a rather handy Gift if I do say so myself. It is meant to be used to decipher coded messages and spy on telepathic communications. It allowed me to hear the orders Arach was issuing to her brood deep below the surface, and as luck would have it, when I reached out to one of her minions, she responded. Our desires aligned, and she offered to assist in delivering my messages to a drop site in Borderton for Az to correspond with me. One could say that our relationship was born of mutual aid.”
It was not lost on me that the contents of this conversation were more than enough for Seraphina to be branded as a traitor to her people, but I still did not understand her motivations.
“You have a good face for poker, Sir Jaeger. But I am afraid your eyes still betray you. It would be wise for you to avoid engaging in the world of politics until you have rectified that issue…”
She lowered her head apologetically.
“I shall answer properly, if only so we may proceed without further hesitation on your part. I bear no love in my heart for this corrupted kingdom. My father sacrificed his own son for political reasons, and nary a soul stood up to speak against the king when he stripped Azrael of his name and rank. Convictions upheld as the highest priority are so easily cast aside when they become inconvenient, and it is the innocent who suffer for it. Please do not misunderstand what I imply, though. I do not wish for the death of Soleo. In fact, I seek to empower it. But to do so, drastic action must be taken.”
She paused, looking briefly over my shoulder at Gina.
“I know not when it will happen, but Arach assures me this place will soon be under siege. Lion’s Maw represents a great deal to Soleo, and its fall would deal a devastating blow. It may not be enough to shake the kingdom out of its delusional stupor, but it will at the very least offer an opening for change to set in.”
If you encounter this narrative on Amazon, note that it's taken without the author's consent. Report it.
She appeared to be finished, but still, I did not respond. What could I even say?
Was Arach planning on attacking personally? What would that gain her? Was this tunnel just a precaution to enable an easy counterattack in case Soleo became hostile? Why should I get involved in any of this? Even if Seraphina succeeds in her plan to reforge the kingdom to her liking, why would I care?
I care, that was the problem. But now that I had been exposed to all of this, what was I to do?
My head began to hurt, and I leaned up against the wall while rubbing my temple.
“This is insanity. Does Axel know what you’re scheming down here?”
“He does not. But I doubt he would protest, given his outspoken criticisms of the kingdom. Still, I would be grateful if you were to keep quiet on this subject, in case Arach’s prediction does not come to pass.”
It was too much to process. Seraphina was the one who pulled the strings to get me to her, and while she claimed it was out of a desire to meet, I suspected that she always had ulterior motives. If I got involved, I would be implicating myself in a serious breach of an allied nation’s defences.
“Master Jaeger.”
Gina spoke up for the first time since she came to my room.
“What would happen were our nations to go to war?”
“A war between Soleo and the Black Crown Empire? Why do you ask?”
It was a foreboding question I didn’t really want to consider, but one that had been nagging at me ever since my first trip to Farrowgate. And now with Arach’s supposed prophecy and Marcus’ gossip, it seemed to be ever shifting from ‘unlikely possibility’ to ‘probable outcome’.
“Yes, Master Jaeger. Perhaps once you consider this question, you will have an easier time coming to a conclusion.”
“...The only avenue for attack is via the road from Borderton to Farrowgate. Crossing the Verdant Divide with an army would invite too many casualties, and it would be impossible to keep the bulk of the force together besides. But should Borderton fall, Soleo would be able to strike in multiple directions, while we would only be able to approach from one.”
I began to run through it just as I would when playing Axel’s war game.
“Conversely, if the Empire took the initiative, they would still only be able to approach one settlement at a time, making the next target obvious. Farrowgate could be taken, but only Lion’s Maw lies beyond that, and our numbers would be useless here.”
Seraphina nodded and pressed me to keep going.
“So, what then would happen if Lion’s Maw was claimed?”
She said.
“The positions would be reversed. Soleo could only attack from the southern side of the pass, and we would be in possession of a powerful bargaining chip.”
I understood the logic. Controlling Lion’s Maw would essentially prevent Soleo from ever threatening the Empire in the future.
“Why are you both so sure it will even come to a war? Did Arach have any proof?”
“Truthfully, I do not know how she came to her conclusion. However, I personally suspected the same before she ever spoke of it to me. There is one thing that Soleo values above all else, one thing that—should it be threatened—no alliance would survive Soleo’s wrath. And I have already come across evidence that there are those who firmly believe that the Empire has done exactly that.”
“What are you talking about? What has the Empire done?”
“I do not know if they have truly done anything, only that those who hold power are convinced of that perception. I speak of our holy spirit, the one who formed a pact with the first Leonidas and who has watched over his bloodline ever since. Sol, the heart and soul of this nation, has been severed from us.”
Sol. Zachariah had spoken that name by mistake recently.
“You're wrong. I saw Sol myself only recently, he is still watching your cousin.”
I thought this information might shatter her, given how much conviction she had displayed in her beliefs. However, she only laughed dryly.
“An echo. A mere fragment no longer connected to the main body. Only the current Leonidas is linked to the main body, and that can only be changed during the ascension ceremony when the next king is crowned.”
I was already deep enough in questions without having to dive into the issue of how a spirit would be severed from the king, but there was one thing I had to confirm.
“So what is this evidence you came across? What makes you so certain of all this?”
“Milady…”
Seraphina nodded at Gina's concern.
“Forgive me, Gina, but Arach was quite clear in Sir Jaeger's value in this plan. I must not hold back if I am to convince him.”
The maid bowed and stepped back in response to her master's words.
“Gina found a letter in my father's quarters. It was placed there late at night, and without either of us seeing anyone enter or exit during the timeframe it occurred. The contents were left extraordinarily brief, possibly because a cipher would be useless with me around. Still, the message was clear.”
Gina spoke next, reciting the contents from memory.
“Lion’s Mane. The claw descends. Albrecht will die by my hand. Let none pass.”
“Lion’s Mane is how my uncle refers to my father.”
Seraphina explained.
If true, this would certainly be all the proof she needed. But saw no letter, and didn't know the King's handwriting. This still was not proof of anything.
And yet, something familiar in me boiled with rage. Why was the Stag Lord's soul reacting in such a way?
Seraphina went on to say something, but no words left her mouth.
Rather, no sound existed in the world. Something was straining so terribly within me that my senses shut everything out just to comprehend the desperate request.
Blood trickled from my eyes and ears, causing a startled Seraphina to stop whatever she was saying and begin casting what was likely a healing spell.
I held out my hand to stop her and spoke quietly.
“I'll help. What do you need me to do?”
***
[Seraphina POV]
I led Rex back to his quarters, and we exchanged our farewells for the night. I had divulged as much as was necessary, but left enough unanswered details that—should he be interrogated—he would not have any evidence that could be used to incriminate me.
He only needed to take over my work and finish the tunnel, as it was unlikely I would be staying here for much longer. Father would surely send me off to the capital city before the fighting begins, and with my mediocre mana capacity, I would never finish my work on the tunnel alone.
But I had to admit it irked me that neither he nor Arach would define he would get such a thing done. It may be hypocritical, but I did not like being kept in the dark.
All Rex would tell me was "I’ll set things up, but I won’t be doing any digging myself.”
Naturally, I had much to say to such a vague claim. The implication that struck me immediately was that he would be bringing in outside help. Did he not think I would have done that myself were it an option? I had gone through such lengths to pull this one uncouth man into my confidence, and now he was going to screw it all up.
That was what I to say to the man in response. But Arach’s voice would not allow me to breathe, much less speak. Her words held a level of oppressive weight that even my father could never imitate.
“Milady, are you well?”
Gina, my trusted servant, looked at me with concern as she assisted in picking out my nightwear and removing the dirtied clothes I had worn while in the tunnel.
“Arach is a fearsome existence… It may have been a mistake trusting such a being.”
I spoke my mind plainly, but only after making sure none of Arach’s spies were present with my Gift.
“Milady, with all due respect, we knew the risks when we accepted the help of an ancient magical beast.”
“True… Are you certain about this, Gina?”
Gina was the reason I had taken this risk to begin with. After telling her of the voice I had been intercepting, it was she who told me about the monster beneath the Verdant Divide and how it could help us make our dreams a reality.
“Yes, milady. If the spider queen has truly predicted an assault on Lion’s Maw, then it will surely come to pass. And if she insists the boy must be involved, then we should listen. Besides…”
She trailed off, but I wasn’t the sort who let that kind of thing pass me by.
“Speak plainly, Gina.”
“Yes, milady. I do not mean for this to sound like a threat, but if we defy the spider queen now, the punishment would be most severe. That creature Rex was so friendly with is a prime example of the horrific torture she could subject us to should we displease her.”
“Could you not defeat such a beast yourself?”
Gina was not just a simple maid. She was at the level of a bronze knight, and that’s without factoring in her strength after using .
“A normal visceranid? Yes, I could deal with that. However, thing was different. It felt demonic in nature, and even if I could fight it off, the queen’s brood would hunt us down eternally if she wished it.”
I was still unfazed. That is, until Gina explained how visceranids kill their prey.
And it didn’t stop there. Spiders that could phase through solid objects, spiders that could fire venom like a crystallised arrow, venom which would liquify organs and boil the blood while the victim still lives. The list of horrors Gina presented seemed to be without end, and all of them were in service to this single being.
“Gina…”
My face had gone pale, and bile began to rise within.
“Why the hell would you encourage me!? This is insane, right? Isn’t it? What do we do!?”
I lost my cool, partly due to fear, but also because Gina already knew the true me anyway.
“Milady, please breathe in slowly.”
“Don’t tell me to breathe! Because of you, neither of us will be breathing! We’ll be paralysed and wrapped in webs, our fluids drained slowly while eggs are planted beneath my pristine skin!”
I grabbed her by the shoulders and began shaking her aggressively.
“M-milady… please. This is the kind of thing we must be resolved to face if we are to correct the kingdom’s course.”
“Shut up! We aren’t knights! I just want to shake things up, get back at my asshole uncle and idiot dad! I had it all planned, Gina! I could go for a power grab, bring in the money, and marry some soft-minded hunk to live comfortably on a tropical island!”
My ranting grew intense, and I caught sight of myself in the full-length mirror in my room.
“Ahem…”
I stepped back and cleared my throat, returning to my usual, perfect self.
“Please do keep an eye on Sir Jaeger, and keep me informed of his movements. We shall have to simply accept the risks involved in the work we must complete.”
Gina’s eyes narrowed, and she sighed deeply. It was highly inappropriate for a servant to act like that around their master, but I was magnanimous enough to allow it.
“Yes, milady.”
She bowed and took her leave of my room.
