No, no, no. It was too much.
Noor, her main ally in this cold war, had her jaw tighten.
Layla and Huda had that same face... but for a completely different reason.
They were struggling to hold themselves back, wanting real bad to clown on her, just dying to say something.
Amongst the trio, Safira was the only outlier.
Because, well, she was the ’certain someone’ from earlier.
The ’someone’ who joined Sinbad in knowing of this secret.
As well as Zafar’s and, of course, Noor’s.
After all, the "novel" spoke of it all.
The world was completely different now, but at least this was the same...
While the others turned to Roya, Safira sighed softly and glanced at Noor.
’So she’s something of a transmigator too... a reincarnator.’
She didn’t know what to think of that.
Perhaps they had come from the same land.
At this point, such an idea wasn’t so far-fetched.
But after a few long moments, she looked away.
It didn’t matter who or what Noor was.
The enemy was to fall. Correct content is on NovelHub.
The others thought the same when their teasing eyes met Roya’s.
And yet one glance at her had their mouths stick shut.
Roya wasn’t even pretending anymore.
That cold front was gone.
What stood now was venom.
Her camp was correct. It was too much.
Too much for this to be FUCKING REVEALED!
One word from the wrong person and it would’ve turned into a battlefield.
Luckily, no one was that dumb... or that uncaring.
That bastard didn’t know when to shut up.
Still sitting lotus-style on the marble, he covered his mouth, trying not to explode.
...But, well, he did explode:
"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHHA!"
He cackled and pointed at her like she had just told the funniest joke in all the realms.
Wheezing, slapping his knee, and just screaming out his lungs.
The whole hall froze, watching him laugh like a madman.
Roya didn’t move or speak, just stared at him with a look that said, "One more word."
Azeem, of course, gave her five:
"He killed you, didn’t he?"
The hall fell silent.
"In a time not of this one. You drowned in your own blood, and he watched. That’s why you hate him, right?"
Roya unsheathed a dagger.
Her voice didn’t shake.
Azeem’s rings began to glow, gold around his arms, one bright red at his finger.
"You think you can kill me?"
Roya unsheathed her second blade.
It shimmered with shadow. Dark as a moonless night.
"I don’t think. I know."
Noor stepped forward.
Layla materialized her staff.
Huda unsheathed her sword.
Safira whispered to her people.
Duban’s arms turned into obsidian claws.
Faqir’s eyes went white.
One side was behind Roya and Noor.
The other, behind Azeem, joined by Huda, Layla, Safira, Duban, and Faqir.
It didn’t even need words now...
A twitch of a blade or a step too far forward, and war would break loose.
Only one thing kept it from happening.
The crimson owl next to the Golden Throne.
The one housing one of Malik’s most beloved.
He just looked down at them all, pink eyes glowing.
Daring someone to test him.
DARING SOMEONE TO FIGHT BEFORE MALIK.
They’d seen what happened to Noor before; whatever excuse she may have had, it didn’t matter; he wiped the floor with her.
No one here was stupid enough to fight the bird Malik called brother.
Still, the tension didn’t leave. It stayed. A heavy sword hanging over everyone’s heads.
Now there were no leaders.
Roya, being someone who slipped through time, held too many repercussions for her image. Too many to list, considering Fam Iblis’s tragic history.
And by now, they knew very well that Noor had a secret of the same degree.
There was no questioning it anymore.
The coalition had fallen.
It had fallen completely.
Indeed, the coalition was no more.
Even Zafar was sure of it.
But honestly... he stopped caring for it.
The coalition fell long before this.
He didn’t know what this was.
Calling it the mountain that broke the steed’s back would be an underestimation.
Anyhow, that wasn’t on his mind at the moment.
What was, however... was a weird feeling of relief.
Right, the man was selfish like that.
He was relieved that he wasn’t the only one with a major secret.
Now, the coalition’s fall wasn’t just due to him.
It was due to all of them... heh.
Funny how he’d gotten to this point.
Funny how he once only worried about how to get those four in his harem.
This had put everything into perspective. Gave him the face slap he desperately needed.
Now, even just remembering that time he screamed when Malik’s lips touched Huda’s made him beyond embarrassed.
Just what was he thinking back then?... Or was he even thinking at all?
At this moment, he honestly doubted that.
It made him feel so much shame.
Zafar would’ve drowned in it if not for the slowly approaching black.
His head snapped up at it once it entered his field of vision.
It was far, so very far, a dot in his vision.
Perhaps ten or so cities away.
He didn’t care for what it was, so he ignored it and dove back into his self-inflicted sorrow.
His ego was a part of him that’d never change, and he didn’t want it to change.
But that didn’t mean it’d remain unfounded.
He only needed to do something to back it up.
And of course, he also needed to stop being so fucking dumb.
That was something of a hard task, but he’d try.
Maybe one day he’d finally become something worthy of being acknowledged by Malik, his once professor.
Zafar put his head down between his clutched knees.
He’d allow these feelings to brew a little.
To fester... await a spark.