Inside the room—or rather, this space was more aptly described as a courtyard, given its unusually vast size. Large jars covered in classical carvings stood neatly arranged in their places. Royal ornaments clung to the walls, while statues of gods occupied every corner. Together, they created a majestic atmosphere that suggested the owner held the highest title of all.
A fair-skinned woman walked forward, her legs appearing long beneath the dress she wore. The woman's face was stunning, even without makeup or any other embellishment. She had come to meet Ken Dangjeb Ol. As soon as the beautiful woman arrived before him, she reached out and touched the leader's face without hesitation. She did it the way she usually treated her customers.
"Hahaha, enough, Lyiana. I invited you here not to satisfy my desires. Stop touching me, or I'll chop your head off." It sounded terrifying, but the words that came out were remarkably polite. There was no shouting or threat. Only an absurd amount of pressure.
"King, so you invited me here just to make pointless small talk?" Lyi asked right beside Ken's ear.
"No. I'm going to give you a job with payment more than enough to support you for the next few months."
"That sounds interesting, but are you trying to replace someone?" Lyi teased.
"That's none of your concern. Two boxes of gold. Are you in or not?"
"Ooh, looks like this ambitious man is serious," Lyiana whispered. She glanced at the people around them, making sure Ken's order had something to do with someone's life.
They engaged in an intense conversation. Both of them whispered, making their voices impossible for anyone else to hear.
When their conversation ended, Lyiana smiled. Her gaze was razor-sharp as she stared at Ken.
"Escort Lyiana out," Ken ordered his guard.
Lyiana walked out, looking utterly graceful. Aside from working as a seductress, she also made a living as a hired killer. She was not part of the Vire tribe. Lyi merely lived there without acknowledging herself as one of them.
Ken's guard, who accompanied Lyiana, gave a faint smile when the woman left the palace.
The scorching sun brought Elys and Jerome's long journey to a halt. They stopped for a moment to wipe away their sweat in a rocky area. They took shelter beneath a massive boulder that almost resembled the mouth of a cave.
"So, do you think we'll find the assassin farther away?" Jerome asked once his breathing had begun to settle.
"Even if it's farther away, I'll go to it. Wherever it is."
"Why are you so sure about that ring, Elys?"
"This isn't just a ring, Jerome. It's a clue leading us to that demon," she said. Elys held out some water.
"Oh, thank you, Elys."
Jerome simply went along with her. In truth, he had already run out of ways to search for his sibling, King. He hoped he would find him too.
The man was startled when Elys suddenly dropped her head into his lap. He had no idea what to do. Wake her? No, Elys had to be exhausted.
He continued tracing every inch of Elys's face with his eyes, admitting to himself that he was awed by the woman beside him.
When he reached out to fix Elys's hair, which covered part of her face, he was startled when the woman suddenly woke up.
"A-are you okay? Did you have a nightmare, Elys?"
Jerome's cheeks flushed, and he grew extremely nervous when their eyes met.
Elys was confused about how she had fallen asleep in Jerome's lap. A few seconds later, Elys's expression began to change.