From within the dense black mana, a figure slowly took shape. It was not a physical body, but merely a projection formed from mana—yet the pressure it emitted alone caused the entire room to tremble slightly.
A figure cloaked in a dark, long robe, long hair flowing like wisps of smoke. His face was concealed in shadow, leaving only a pair of crimson eyes that seemed to observe everything from above.
Upon seeing him, the man in black immediately knelt down in reverence—partly out of respect, but mostly due to the overwhelming pressure. Kalyse, however, remained completely composed from beginning to end.
"So you finally decided to show yourself?"
"I had no intention of intervening, but the way you interfered with Aegasmetan made it impossible for me to ignore. Such an impressive and intoxicating flavor of mana." He said, his eyes narrowing as if appraising her very essence.
"Stop wasting words. State your intentions." Kalyse replied.
"Haha, you seem quite impatient. Very well, listen carefully. You may borrow Aegasmetan, but there are three conditions. You must fulfill all of them—otherwise, this matter ends here."
"Master, this—" The man in black spoke anxiously.
"Silence. I know how to handle this." He shouted.
The man in black could only bow his head again.
"Hurry up. I don't have all day to listen to your conditions." Kalyse said coldly.
"First, you must ensure the safety of the Saintess. Second, assist us in retrieving an artifact from the royal treasury of Serias. And finally…"
He paused. The black mist gathered in his palm, condensing into the shape of a key.
"…I hope you will come visit us as a guest. I would be more than happy to welcome you."
Kalyse stared at him seriously, searching for any hidden irregularities. In the end, she simply let out a small laugh.
"Fine. Those are trivial matters."
She seized the key firmly.
"Then leave this one with you. I will notify you later of the item we require." He said, pointing at the man in black.
"If you're going to say it, say it all at once. You people truly enjoy wasting time." Kalyse scoffed.
"I believe we can cooperate for the long term. Leaving behind an intermediary for communication will be more convenient. Besides, the timing is not yet right to act."
"Hmph, troublesome."
Ignoring Kalyse's attitude, he turned to the man in black.
"This is an important partner. Serve her as you would serve your master."
"Yes, sir."
With that, he vanished. Aegasmetan returned to silence.
"Tsk. All that talk, but in the end, it's just an attempt to control my actions. Isn't that right?" Kalyse turned to the man in black—but he did not respond.
"I don't like talking to a piece of wood."
She extended her hand, and an invisible force pulled the man in black right beside her. Startled, he tried to push away, but his body was powerless under Kalyse's control.
"What's your name? Or do you not have one—just a loyal dog who does whatever he's told?" She lifted his chin, forcing him to face her mask-like visage.
Kalyse sensed his resistance, which only made her more intrigued.
"You do know that even if I kill you, your master wouldn't care, right? Once you've chosen this path, you should understand that you can be discarded at any time—even if you're exceptionally capable."
She tossed him aside.
The man in black was about to speak when Kalyse cut in.
"I don't care about your past or the ideals you follow. But your master told you to serve me as you serve him. And I don't hesitate when dealing with those who don't obey."
As she spoke, mana gathered at her fingertips, aimed straight at his forehead.
"I'll ask one last time. What is your name?"
He remained silent, believing she wouldn't truly kill him. But suddenly, a blinding light engulfed his vision.
When he opened his eyes, Kalyse was gone. Instead, he saw the ceiling. A warm liquid slowly trickled down.
"I…"
Gathering his remaining strength, he looked back at Kalyse. Upon seeing the darkness in her eyes, he finally understood—she had not been joking. She truly could kill him without hesitation.
"No…"
"I can't die yet!"
He jolted upright, his hand flying to his mask. Everything was intact. No burn marks. No hole through his forehead—nothing that should have happened moments earlier.
"You…"
Seeing his reaction, Kalyse nodded in satisfaction.
"So you're still afraid of death. Seems you still have unfinished business."
The man in black fell silent. After a few seconds, he steadied himself and knelt on one knee.
"My name is Gisule. I am willing to serve you, my lady."
"There's no need to pretend, it's just a relationship of mutual benefit. I don't care whether you're loyal or not, as long as you're useful."
Her words caused a slight tremor within Gisule, but he did not object.
"First, remove that mask."
"This… may I refuse?" Gisule asked hesitantly.
"You've forgotten again. That was an order, not a request."
Kalyse summoned the invisible force once more, pulling Gisule close until the distance between them was barely a breath apart. The pressure forced Gisule to lean forward, unable to retreat.
"Remove. The. Mask." Kalyse's voice was low, each word striking his nerves like mana itself.
Gisule bit her lower lip, hands trembling.
"Yes… my lady."
She slowly raised her hand, fingers touching the edge of the mask. After a moment of hesitation—pierced by Kalyse's gaze—she continued. A soft click echoed as the white mask fell into Gisule's hands.
The face beneath was revealed.
Small and sharp-featured, yet tinged with exhaustion. Pale skin, as though it had never seen sunlight. Long hair tied neatly behind her back, a few strands loosened by tension. Deep black eyes, filled with caution and fear—like a small beast accustomed to living in darkness.
Kalyse observed her for a few seconds, then let out a soft laugh.
"Oh? I thought you'd be some unpleasant guy. Didn't expect a young woman instead."
Gisule lowered her head slightly, avoiding Kalyse's gaze.
"…Most members of the organization wear masks. We're taught that individual identity doesn't matter."
"Hmph. What kind of twisted nonsense are you people taught?" Kalyse scoffed. "But fine—if you want, you can keep wearing it."
She released Gisule.
"Thank you, my lady" Gisule replied, putting the mask back on.
"Since you're here, there are two things I need you to do first." Kalyse continued. Gisule straightened instinctively, her body tense as she awaited orders.
"First, investigate whether the leaders of this city are involved in anything suspicious. Second—"
Before she could finish, there was a knock on the door, followed by Liora's voice from outside.
"Go," Kalyse said.
"Yes, my lady." Gisule bowed and exited through the window.
Kalyse then opened the door. As expected, it was Liora.
"What is it?" Kalyse asked.
Liora didn't answer immediately, instead glancing around the room. After confirming no one else was there, she spoke.
"Um… I heard some strange noises and wanted to check. Are you alright?"
"What could possibly happen to me?" Kalyse replied.
"I'm glad to hear that. But… where did the person who was with you earlier go?"
"They're gone"
"Eh? But I thought I saw them going downstairs."
"Through the window." Kalyse said calmly.
"…I see." Liora replied, momentarily speechless.
"So, what did you want?"
"I was wondering if you're free tonight. How about we go buy some new clothes for the festival? I noticed you don't really have anything to change into."
"Why bother? I can clean my clothes with magic."
"But it's a festival—you should dress nicely. And besides, people from the capital will be attending this time."
"Why should I care about how they look at me? If I want to do something, I'll do it. If not, who could possibly force me?" Kalyse crossed her arms and turned away.
"Is that… not okay?" Liora lowered her head, her voice subdued.
"Hmph. I don't need to buy new clothes because I already have everything."
She snapped her fingers. Instantly, a wide array of outfits appeared—lavish dresses adorned with gemstones, attire from various regions, even ceremonial royal garments meant for men.
"Oh my…" Liora gasped, covering her mouth, eyes wide with astonishment.
Clearly pleased, Kalyse spoke.
"Now you understand, right?"
"If you like any of them, just pick one. I'll never wear them all anyway."
"But… they look extremely expensive. I'm afraid I might damage them or get lost…" Liora said hesitantly.
"If I'm not afraid, why should you be? Just use them to solve the festival outfit problem."
"If you say so… then thank you very much." Liora replied politely. But as she turned away, a faint, satisfied smile quietly appeared on her face.