Chapter 369: The lies.

Everywhere Rasmus went, he left trails of blood of those who tried to stop him. His image was ruined from being the hero and savior of South Neva to the monster of Blackheart. His deeds spread like wildfire, and finally reached Lenin’s ears that were already red from listening to the Council of Neva’s concerns and fears.

“Master, there’s another guest that wants to see you…” Novia said as she walked into Lenin’s office in the Magic Tower. She could see the exhaustion in Lenin’s eyes and the entangled mess of thoughts inside her head. “I can send them away, Master. You have been spending the past week talking and listening to the members of the council. I think you should get a day off from all that,” she suggested.

Lenin’s mind was somewhere else, not listening to Novia’s words at all as they sounded like a soundless murmur. Novia sighed and decided to approach Lenin and put her hand on Lenin’s arm. It was enough to snap Lenin back to reality, but she didn’t try to hide her anxiety or exhaustion.

“Master. I’ll send the guests away, you need to rest at least for a day,” Novia said, not a request, but more of an order.

“Yes, thank you, Novia…” Lenin smiled as she nodded in agreement.

Novia smiled back at Lenin before she approached the button on the wall. It was a device similar to an intercom and informed the Sages about Lenin’s wish to rest. She then went back to Lenin’s side and made Lenin’s favorite tea that could give her comfort and relaxation.

“Master, did you know about that? About the truth behind the Holy Nation and the Angelis family?” Novia asked as she placed the teacup in front of Lenin.

“No, I don’t,” Lenin shook her head. She smiled at Novia, thanking her for making the tea for her. “They must have kept it a secret from everyone, even to the previous Great Sage, my master…” she muttered and took a sip of her tea.

“The lies… everything is a lie…” Novia sat beside Lenin, her gaze almost empty and distant. “How could they do that?” She asked, turning her head to look at Lenin with her brows furrowed.

“No matter what I’ll say is going to matter, Novia. It’s justified. Everything happened centuries ago, and no matter how hard you want to point your fingers at them, they’re the reason we achieved peace now,” Lenin placed the teacup on the table before she leaned back and let out a deep sigh. “If they wanted to seek justice or to make them pay for what they had done in the past, what for? The old system is long gone, the victims? They don’t exist anymore. The deeds they have committed, the real people that are accountable for all those things are already dead. There’s no point,” she muttered.

Novia hummed and nodded with understanding. There were so many things she wanted to ask and discuss, but she knew that all of them would be left unanswered, unsolved.

“Then, what about Count Blackheart? What do you think of his action? Is he finally showing his true color?” Novia raised her brows, copying Lenin’s gesture by leaning back and staring at the spot on the wall.

Lenin closed her eyes and let out another deep sigh, this time it seemed more troublesome than the whole situation that had happened in Central Neva. Novia could see it, the toll on her master’s mind from one single person, making other situations look pale in comparison to his deeds.

“His true color? It’s more like he’s the one that’s revealing people’s true color, Novia. He unveiled the corruption, the rotten truth of what this whole continent was built on,” Lenin smiled as she shook her head. “I’m sorry if I sounded different. I have been trying to digest and process everything. Right now, I don’t have anything else to say, to find a reason to take action of his deeds…” She slowly turned her head to Novia, holding Novia’s hand tightly as if Novia was her anchor and comfort.

Novia placed her other hand on top of Lenin’s and held it tightly. She had known Lenin for so long and it could be said that she was the only one who could see Lenin inside out. This, she had never seen Lenin so troubled as to draw the line and what to do with it.

“Why does someone like him exist, Master? We have seen countless of people who could be said to have the same suffering as him. He wasn’t different from them, they all hurt from being chewed by the cruelty of this world, but why was only him capable of doing all this? To think like this? To be so capable? Why he could do it and feel like he didn’t take any consequences of his actions?” Novia asked, staring into Lenin’s eyes with desperation to know the answer.

“I don’t know, Novia. I don’t have the answer either,” Lenin shook her head, her eyes empty and distant. “I might need to get some rest now…” She muttered as she slowly got up and pulled her hand away from Novia.

“Yes, I’ll handle matters here in the tower. You take as much rest as you need, Master. I’ll inform the Vice Chancellors in the academy that you will be away for a while,” Novia nodded as she got up and looked at Lenin. “You don’t have to worry about anything, Master.”

“Thank you, Novia…” Lenin smiled before she left her office and went to her personal chamber to rest.

Lenin entered her chamber, and it was a spacious room with soft carpet covering the whole floor. She walked toward the glass wall and looked down at the whole Gratlan floating island beneath her. She was at the peak of the tower, everything seemed blurry because of the thick clouds underneath.

Lenin turned to the shelf on the wall and stared at it for a while before she closed her eyes and muttered.

“Everyone has their own secrets to hide, and yet he revealed them so effortlessly. Hope it’s not our turn next,” Lenin went to bed and decided to rest her eyes and keep her mind empty.

(At the same time at the Cerdentis Kingdom territory)

Rasmu, Aris, and Rullein were standing in the long line outside the city wall. They wore cloaks to hide their appearance, and they had been staying low for a whole day. The reason behind it was because the city that they were about to enter was the headquarters of where Nemu and his followers stayed.

“You know soon enough they will know we are here because of her,” Rullein glanced at Aris since her body was marked and no matter what she did, she wouldn’t be able to hide from high-ranking demons. “So why bother to hide now when we can just make oursleves known?” She raised her brows and looked at Rasmus.

“I don’t think that’s necessary anymore…” Rasmus pointed his hand at the guards at the city gate.

Rullein stared at the guards and noticed how their gazes were pointed at them. She could tell that those guards had already found them suspicious, three people in cloaks and riding their horses. She also saw the thick demonic energy in the air disrupt a bit and grow thicker.

“Ahh, you’re right… they have noticed…” Rullein grinned, her dark orange eyes beginning to glow and ready to devour everything.

“Don’t get your hopes up, Rullein. They won’t fight, not here, not now,” Rasmus said as he calmed his horse. “They have an image to maintain, and they won’t dare to reveal who they are, not now. So we will respect that,” he muttered and watched the guards walk toward them.

Rullein’s eyes slowly dimmed and furrowed her brows in disappointment.

“For now, at least,” Rasmus added, glancing at Rullein. “So be patient.”

Rullein nodded with understanding and stayed put on her horse while Aris had been quiet the whole journey. She glanced at Aris, and noticed it as well, but she was unbothered by it.

When the guards surrounded them, they could see Rasmus, Aris, and Rullein’s faces. They didn’t show any fear or hostility toward them as if they didn’t dare to make a move at them. Those three knew all the guards were demons, which was why they weren’t acting on impulse.

“What’s your purpose here?” The guard asked, his eyes cold and expressionless.

“Bring us to Nemu. I believe he has no choice but accept that,” Rasmus answered, staring down at the guard. “Or we can do it in my own way and get rid all of you while you’re all still an easy target,” he smiled coldly.

The guards kept their unreadable expressions on their faces until the guard nodded his head and pointed at the city gate.

Rasmus, Aris, and Rullein kept their faces hidden under the hood as they followed the guards. They were being escorted like important guests, attracting the merchants, and the other visitors that wanted to enter the city.

They were escorted into the temple that was being built, a massive temple that was said to be the temple of God. It was half-way done, and the money came from the loyal and devoted followers of Nemu and his teachings.

When they entered the area of the temple, knights in full-plate armor approached the guards. There were no words, only simple stares until the knights nodded with understanding. The knights then took over and escorted those three into the temple, to meet with Nemu.

Rullein didn’t expect it to be that easy, and she didn’t understand why Rasmus could expect this outcome. However, she stayed quiet and followed him as she absorbed the demonic energy and made it her own.

When the knights pointed at the door and were told that Nemu was behind it, they all left immediately. Aris and Rullein glanced at Rasmus, waiting for him to open the door.

Rasmus reached for the handle and slowly pushed the thick wooden door open. The smell of candles and some kind of sweet scent filled his nostrils. He then saw Nemu, a man in a white robe with gold engravings and a white mask that covered his face.

“Welcome, Count Blackheart, Aristoria, and Miss Lurrein, or perhaps that’s just a name that she used,” Nemu said, his voice soft and soothing. “What do I owe the pleasure of your visit?” He asked, his eyes began to glow red and stared into Rasmus’s.

“To make a deal, of course. Something that benefits both of us,” Rasmus answered with a smile on his face. “Well, it’s more like you don’t have a choice but to agree with the deal. But I can assure you, I’ll play fair.”

Nemu stared into Rasmus’s eyes and found nothing in them. He nodded his head and pointed at the couch.

“It seems that I have to listen to what you have to have in mind, Count Blackheart,” Nemu’s eyes narrowed, smiling with his eyes.

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