Kael’s smirk widened, eyes glinting with something deranged. He leaned in and winked. "Now that’s my secret."
"But.." Kael then shook his head.
"I don’t think there is someone of this caliber here so the best guess is someone is causing this with the help of an artifact.’’
Kael made a plausible guess there was no way a God would appear unless something world shattering event was occurring here.
Robert clicked his tongue in annoyance and stood up. As he walked to the door, he paused and glanced back at Kael.
"You’re certainly not as useless as people say."
Kael scoffed, flipping his sword over his shoulder. "Of course not."
Kael watched as Robert left, the old man’s footsteps fading into the cold silence of the room.
He let out a long breath and stretched, his muscles aching from the battle.
Blood and dirt clung to his skin, but instead of heading for the hot water Lyria had prepared, he sat on the wooden chair, drumming his fingers against the armrest. His eyes flickered with amusement and something darker, something that lingered from the battlefield.
"Talent beyond SSS, huh..." He muttered to himself, tapping his temple. His mind was a storm of thoughts, piecing together fragments of information like a puzzle. The way the Ice Men moved, the unnatural coordination between monsters that should have been at each other’s throats—it wasn’t just a fluke.
Someone, or something, was behind this.And they seemed to have a knack for taming or controlling them.
The door creaked open, and Lyria stepped in without knocking. She carried a fresh set of clothes and a towel, placing them neatly on the table beside him.
"Wash up." Her voice was as cold as ever, but there was something else—something softer.
Kael tilted his head, studying her with a wicked grin. "You’re being unusually kind today. Should I be worried?"
Lyria shot him a sharp glare. "Don’t flatter yourself, Master. You stink, and I don’t want to deal with it."
Kael let out a short laugh but didn’t argue. He stood up and peeled off his tattered coat, revealing deep bruises and gashes along his torso. Some had stopped bleeding, while others still oozed sluggishly. Lyria’s eyes flickered over his wounds for a second before she turned away, uninterested.
"That battle was reckless," she muttered.
Kael chuckled darkly. "That battle was fun."
Lyria didn’t reply, but her fingers clenched slightly before she picked up the bucket of warm water and placed it near him. "Clean yourself up. You have a meeting with Sir Albert and the others soon."
Kael rolled his shoulders, cracking his neck.
"More boring discussions, huh?" His grin sharpened. "Well, at least I can make it entertaining."
Lyria sighed and turned to leave, pausing only for a moment before she spoke again. "Sir Robert asked me to say this to you...Don’t be late."
As the door shut behind her, Kael’s grin faded slightly. His fingers traced one of the deeper cuts on his side, feeling the sting. He had fought plenty of battles, but this feeling of reaping lives while putting your life on edge was disgusting.
Kael then looked through the window. Someone was cooking some shady plans here.
And he couldn’t wait to meet it.
The war room was dimly lit, the flickering glow of lanterns casting long shadows on the stone walls.
A heavy map was spread across the table, pinned down by various markers indicating strongholds, weak points, and possible enemy movements. Robert stood at the head, arms crossed, his cold eyes scanning the gathered warriors—Albert, Kael, Handel, Heru, and Kassel. Each one had seen their share of battle, their expressions hardened from years of war.
"From the analyzed pattern," Robert began, his voice steady, "I am sure that we won’t have much attack for now. The enemy is regrouping, which gives us a brief window of time."
"Since we have some time," he continued, tapping a marked spot on the map, "I suggest sending scouts to gather as much information as possible. We need to know their numbers, their movements, and any weaknesses before they return in full force."
"Also, we had been cut off from the mines.We need to assess its situation.I have a guffy feeling about it," Robert added.
Kael leaned back in his chair with a smirk, nodding. "That’s a good plan. Information is power, after all."
Albert, Handel, and the others exchanged looks before giving their agreement. None of them wanted to be caught off guard again.
"Who will be the scouts?" Albert finally asked, his fingers drumming on the table.
Robert’s gaze hovered between Albert and Kael, his expression unreadable.
Albert stiffened, his face twisting in disbelief before he shot up from his seat. "Are you kidding me?!"
Kael, on the other hand, simply grinned a gleam of amusement in his eyes. "Oh, this just keeps getting better."
Robert ignored Albert’s outburst and continued. "We need someone who can handle themselves if things go south. Stealth is important, but so is strength. If they discover our scouts, we can’t afford to lose them."
Albert scoffed. "And you want to send him? He’s the least subtle person here!" He jabbed a finger toward Kael, who simply shrugged.
"Hey, I can be sneaky when I want to," Kael said with an exaggerated hurt expression. "I just don’t want to most of the time."
Heru shook his head and Kassel sighed, rubbing his temple while Handel chuckled.
Robert continued, unbothered. "We need two teams. One for direct reconnaissance and another to provide support if needed. Kael, you’ll lead the first team. Albert, you’ll lead the second."
Albert muttered under his breath, rubbing his forehead. "Fantastic. Babysitting duty."
Kael laughed. "Relax, old man. This’ll be fun."
Handel leaned forward. "Aside from scouting, what about fortifications? If another wave comes, we need stronger defenses."
"Agreed," Kassel added. "We should reinforce the outer walls and set up additional barricades inside in case of a breach. Also, more harpoon guns and trebuchets on the walls."
Heru, who had been silent, finally spoke. "I’ll oversee the weaponry preparations. We need more long-range weapons and traps. If they try another frontal attack, we should make them regret it."
Robert nodded. "Good. We’ll also prepare fallback positions inside the fortress. If they break through the walls, we can force them into kill zones."
Kael whistled. "You’re all so cautious. Why not just charge into them and tear them apart?"
Albert shot him a glare. "Because not everyone here is a lunatic like you."
Kael smirked. "Fair point."
Robert sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Enough. We have our plans. The scouts will leave at dawn. The rest of you, get to work on the fortifications."
With that, the meeting ended, but tension lingered in the air.