Fire Mage

In the maid's appearance, Edith walked toward the table, silent as a breeze. The silver tray balanced in her gloved hands barely made a sound.

Kaisar didn't even glance at this intruder. His sharp gaze remained fixed on the Cardinal, who was already suffocating.

At that moment, Kaiser knew this intruder had come here well prepared.

With fluid motion, Edith placed the tray down and bowed.

Just as Kaisar tried to nullify the paralysis poison, the Cardinal's eyelids suddenly twitched. A brief flare of divine energy burst from his chest, but Edith was faster. Her palm struck forward like a lightning bolt, fingers glowing faintly red.

A thin needle pierced the Cardinal's neck.

Within a second, his body froze. He slumped onto the table without a sound.

Only then did Kaisar shift in his seat.

His eyes met Edith's.

In an instant, an oppressive aura surged from him, black in color.

But Edith didn't flinch. She took a step back, calmly shapeshifted back to the appearance of Edwin.

Kaisar stood slowly, his right hand already resting on the hilt of his sheathed sword. His black aura wasn't just leaking—it was coating the sword, forming a shimmering barrier around his entire body.

'Protective spell? More like an aura covering the sword,' Edwin observed silently.

Kaisar narrowed his eyes. "Who are you?"

Edwin's voice was clear and deliberate. "You must be wondering who I am and why I'm doing this."

Kaisar's stance didn't shift. "You have five seconds."

Edwin ignored the threat and continued, "Nedia has ties with demons and is planning something big."

A glint of amusement flickered in Kaisar's gaze. "That again?" he muttered, his tone dry. "You people love spinning stories about Nedia."

"It's not a story," Edwin said coldly. "You don't have to believe me now. But if you want the truth, go to Reaper's Alley the day after tomorrow. Midnight."

Kaisar's grip on the sword tightened.

Edwin met his gaze, unfazed. "You're free to kill me… if you can. But you'll never learn how deep the rot goes if you do. You might be strong, Lord Kaisar. One of the strongest in the world. But even you will be nothing more than a pawn in her eyes."

A low hum escaped Kaisar's blade, reacting to his rising killing intent.

The room thickened with tension.

Then, Edwin smiled faintly.

His body burst into crimson flames, swallowing him entirely.

The next second, he vanished—not through spatial movement, but as if he had burned himself out of existence.

Kaisar's eyes scanned the room, but no trace remained.

He sheathed his sword, walked to the Cardinal, and checked his vitals. Alive—but paralyzed.

Clicking his tongue, Kaisar used his wisdom power and neutralized the toxin within seconds.

He looked up toward the window, his expression unreadable.

A single thought lingered in his mind.

"Such a meticulous and dangerous person… If I had acted a bit later, he would've severely wounded me or even killed me!'

His crimson eyes darkened.

'Nedia… connected to Demons? Now that I think about it, even Prince Raker said she has the scent of demons. I'll know soon enough.'

He turned toward the door, his footsteps steady.

"If he's lying, I'll cut him down myself. But if he's right…"

Kaisar's grip on the hilt tightened slightly.

"Then I'll kill her myself."

…

Edith stood before the tall iron gates of the mansion, her cloak fluttering gently in the breeze. Two guards stood on either side, their gazes cold and alert.

She didn't sneak. She didn't scale the wall or slip in through the back.

Instead, she walked straight to the front.

One of the guards raised a hand. "State your name and purpose."

"Edith from the Iron Kingdom," she said, her voice calm. "I'm here to meet Lady Kirell. Tell her I came here to discuss something important."

The guards exchanged a glance. After a pause, one of them turned and disappeared into the estate. The other gestured for her to wait.

Minutes passed.

Then, the gate creaked open.

"Lady Kirell is waiting for your arrival, My Lady," the guard said politely.

Without a word, Edith stepped inside and followed the silent escort through a long pathway lined with lanterns. The mansion loomed ahead—dark stone, sharp roofs, and narrow windows.

She was led into the main hall.

The room was vast, dimly lit by orbs that pulsed faintly like dying stars. A wide carpet led to a lone chair at the center, and in that chair sat a woman dressed in black, legs crossed, a curved blade resting lazily on her lap.

She was Kirell, the second-ranked assassin of Unseen Legend and the Duchess of the Rogue Throne.

Her face was partially veiled, but her eyes gleamed with quiet threat.

"So," Kirell said, her voice like a whisper sharpened into steel. "What brings the mysterious lady of the Iron Kingdom to this shabby mansion?"

Kirell sized her up and down and noticed traces of blood on her palm, the scent of a unique potion aroma in her pocket, a hidden dagger underneath her robe, and also black clay underneath her shoes.

'Black clay? Isn't that only found in Blood Empire? Did she meet someone from the Blood Empire? And the unique aroma feels like the scent of a paralysis potion.' With a simple glance, Kirell found multiple clues.

Even Edith felt like she had been seen through completely.

'I can't fool her, huh?'

"I don't like wasting time," Edith replied, stepping forward. "I came here with a request."

Kirell tilted her head slightly. "Speak."

"I'm chasing a demon," Edith said. "Not like the one I killed a few weeks ago. This one is different—careful, smart, and dangerous."

Kirell didn't move.

"I want your help, Lady Kirell," Edith continued. "I want you to track it and help me kill it."

A brief silence.

Then Kirell asked, "And why would I help you?"

"Rogue Throne can take the credit," Edith replied. "Once it's dead, I'll step aside. Let everyone believe you killed it."

It was truly a generous offer. Killing a Legend Rank Demon would greatly benefit the Rogue Throne and the Unseen Legend Organization.

'My reputation will soar too. But there will be a risk. In this Chaos Era, I will become the first target for the Demons.'

Kirell gave a short, humorless laugh. "How crafty. You indeed killed a Rank-6 Demon. But your words aren't convincing. In the end, I will be on the losing end." She paused for a moment and then added.

"If such a demon is hiding in this Sacred Empire, do you think others wouldn't have noticed that?"

"Did you and others notice the demon I hunted before? That creature was hiding in the middle of the city wearing a human skin. If it didn't come to kill me, even I wouldn't notice it was a demon." Edith said solemnly.

Kirell fell silent.

'What she said is true. The battle between this girl and the demon truly shocked me. She is strong for sure. Still, I don't want to agree to a losing deal.'

"I want three things. I prioritize the safety of the people of Rogue Throne most. First, promise me that if Rogue Throne is in a difficult situation, I want Archmage Runeth to step forward and aid us once."

'Smart move.' Edith nodded in agreement.

"Second, let's form an official alliance between the Rebirth Tower and the Rogue Throne."

"Not the Iron Kingdom but the Rebirth Tower? Isn't it the same?" Edith asked.

"I know who holds the key. Though Rhea may be the Queen of the Iron Kingdom, she always follows the decision of the Rebirth Tower. In my eyes, the true ruler must be someone else. I first thought it was the Ancient Mage. But after he died, the Tower went into seclusion for a few years. All of a sudden, a mysterious Archmage shows up. I wonder if Runeth is the Ancient Mage and faked his death to fool others. That's why I want to maintain an alliance with the Rebirth Tower."

Edith was deeply impressed.

"Lastly, I want you to share the Forbidden Path of Assassin techniques."

A frown appeared on Edith's forehead.

'A difficult request but manageable.'

After some thought, she agreed.

"Thank you for helping me," Edith said.

At that moment, a maid walked towards Kirell and whispered something in her ears before leaving.

"Hmm, you don't seem to care about people's lives."

Kirell narrowed her eyes. "Why are you doing this? Why did you pick me? Other Legend Rank powerhouses will help without even asking for anything, however. Some are stronger than I am. Why not them?"

Edith didn't hesitate.

"Because I don't trust them," she said. "But I've heard about you. From Noel."

That name made Kirell go still.

"…Noel?"

"Yes," Edith said. "He is also a promising rookie of the Unseen Legend. He is also a disciple of Runeth."

Kirell nodded in understanding.

She had long known that Noel was from the Rebirth Tower and had a close relationship with the Queen of the Iron Kingdom.

'But I didn't expect him to be the disciple of the Archmage.'

"He also said you don't take favors. But you're precise. And if you agree to something… You will surely finish it."

Kirell studied her for a long moment. Her fingers tapped against the blade in her lap.

Finally, she asked, "What should I do? Tell me more information about this demon."

"Before killing that demon, I extracted a part of its memory and learned that there would be a secret meeting at the Reaper's Alley the day after tomorrow."

Kirell furrowed her brows.

"Secret meeting? Tell me more about it."

Nodding, Edith discussed her plan with Kirell and left the mansion after a few minutes.

…