"Then you’ve come to the right place. Not to boast, my skills are renowned in the capital. Just a moment, it’ll be ready soon."
A radiant smile seemed to perpetually adorn the face of the other side.
Palansi’s heart was laden with guilt; he received the grandest welcome in the capital, yet now he was about to force the other party to drink a bottle of uncertain origin and effect Magic Potion. He knew it was Kadela’s doing—those dangling puppet strings were his forte.
The God of Trickery’s methods were unpredictable; perhaps even the Saints would become controlled puppets.
The other side was completely unguarded against him and turned into the kitchen.
"Go wash your hands."
The Little Octopus suddenly leaped onto Miss Keroy’s head and, under her somewhat puzzled gaze, wrapped its tentacles around her eyes. She could only comply with the Little Octopus’s wishes and took it to wash hands.
Palansi was left alone here.
The Magic Potion lay in his palm, and he needed to make a decision.
He noticed shadows flickering outside the residence; many people were approaching. They were dressed differently and from various classes, but all shared the commonality of having black strings dangling above their heads.
Kadela had come to support him.
If a battle broke out, these string-controlled people would serve as cannon fodder to cover his retreat.
Only a few steps separated Palansi from the other side, who never considered the possibility of an attack. For the Empire’s strongest Knight, he could achieve his target in less than a second.
The wonders of the capital were nothing but the final glow before decay—time to return to reality.
A voice in his mind reminded him.
Palansi’s hand involuntarily squeezed the Magic Potion bottle.
The sudden noise interrupted the other’s movements momentarily, and when she turned to investigate, Palansi had already disappeared. The bottle filled with ink-like liquid was shattered on the ground, as if someone had violently thrown it.
"Don’t touch it with your hands; it’s not something good."
Anapolis’s voice rang in her ears.
Moments later, on the outskirts of the capital.
"You missed the best opportunity, Palansi."
As Palansi halted, the capital resident who had been trailing him finally spoke, with a tone full of reproach. Since leaving the other’s residence, he had walked straight to the outskirts of the capital and never looked back. Under the sparse moon and stars, the tense and exhilarating wheelchair masters qualification round had already concluded, and aside from the patrolling guards, there was no one else to be seen on the streets.
When he broke free from the puppet strings and fiercely smashed the Magic Potion bottle on the ground, he was prepared for the worst.
"Kadela, you’ve overstepped; I don’t need you to guide my actions."
Palansi turned, confronting him.
Although Kadela was the organizer of the "Puppet Gathering," their status was equal. Every Divine Attendant worked tirelessly towards a common goal. In Palansi’s understanding, this meant fighting alongside comrades.
If they were comrades, Kadela shouldn’t issue commands in his mind or attempt to control his actions with strings.
He stared at the other, "On the contrary, I’m about to seize the best opportunity... Kadela, you should listen to me."
When the strings forced Palansi to make a choice, he followed his true intention.
Accepted Ethan’s invitation.
This was his genuine thought, but it wasn’t merely the final glow before decay that clouded his vision; it was the promise of a more deserving future.
"Go ahead, I’m listening."
Not far away, a noble shrugged, displaying an innocent demeanor.
"I met Ethan and discussed the issues of the decay phase..."
Palansi was organizing his thoughts.
He wanted to fully present Ethan’s views on the decay phase to Kadela—a process absent of catastrophe, pain, and death. Wasn’t this precisely what they had long pursued?
His tone grew increasingly excited, and Palansi gradually realized that, without noticing, he had already accepted Ethan’s theory. Yet, everything the Divine Attendant had experienced over the centuries prevented him from making an immediate decision—however, once he persuaded Kadela and others to advance along the same trajectory, everything would be resolved!
Kadela didn’t interrupt him, patiently listening.
The puppet’s face was expressionless, for once controlled by strings, they lost human emotions.
Palansi was silently observing Kadela’s reaction, yet he could never gather any feedback from the other’s expression.
No one could decipher the God of Trickery’s thoughts; on the contrary, He could swiftly see through your mind.
This was the Empire’s understanding of the God of Trickery.
Kadela waited until Palansi finished speaking the last sentence, which included Ethan’s invitation to the Divine Attendant.
Palansi asked, "What’s your opinion?"
The response was a long sigh.
Kadela shook his head, "You see, that is his most frightening aspect."
What do people think of when they mention Ethan?
Fire Elemental Magic, as bright as the sun?
An inspiring grand plan? This update is available on NoveI-Fire.ɴet
Or a deity walking among mankind?
But for Kadela, what truly made him apprehensive wasn’t any of these, but something else Ethan accomplished, "Not long ago, I heard about Ophira’s turmoil. According to locals, the capital’s envoys helped them quell the tsunami and reconciled with the Divine Spirits they once believed in."