"That attitude… Did Theresis really order Theresa's assassination back then?"
Daniel Davis had never liked Theresis. After all, he was the enemy of Amiya—and most likely the one responsible for Theresa's death. But now, seeing how Theresis treated Theresa in person, Daniel couldn't help but harbor new doubts about the Kazdel civil war and her supposed assassination.
There were too many unanswered questions surrounding that conflict and Theresa's death. Only a few people knew the full truth—Kelsey, the Doctor, Theresa, and Theresis. Well, the Doctor had amnesia now, so she could be taken off that list.
"Still, even if that legend were true, does it mean all Sarkaz should be labeled as evil? Even demons aren't always wicked."
Every world was different, and so were its rules. In some, like Marvel, demons were inherently evil. In others, they followed their own virtues, like the gentle winds of the underworld bringing peace.
Even angels in Terra—the Sankta—were far from conventional. Have you ever seen angels with a penchant for gunfire? Or ones who could whip up over twenty different types of desserts? That's Terra's Sankta for you.
"I understand the Sarkaz plight, but for Amiya's sake, I can't let her see Theresa on Theresis' side."
Amiya was still just a fourteen-year-old girl. Carrying the burdens of Rhodes Island, the title of the Demon King—it was far too much. Asking her to face Theresa as an enemy would be too cruel. Even if the current Theresa didn't seem like she'd fight Amiya, it was still unacceptable.
As for how Kazdel and Victoria would settle things in the end… that would depend on negotiations.
But regardless of those talks, war was inevitable. Kazdel might still have the option to retreat, but the eight Grand Dukes outside Londinium? They would never pass up a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity like this.
Ironically, for Victoria, that might actually be a blessing. If all eight Grand Dukes were eliminated in one stroke, the country would finally have peace for a long while.
"A supermassive ritual... This must be something the Dukes never even imagined."
The Dukes surrounding Londinium weren't stupid. They hadn't stalled each other out due to incompetence. You don't become a Grand Duke and command an army without some measure of cunning.
No, they were confident. To them, the Sarkaz in Londinium were trapped rats—nothing more. As for the destruction caused within the city? The casualties? Not a single Duke cared.
Even if Londinium were razed and its people wiped out, it didn't matter. As long as they could become king, they could always rebuild the city—and repopulate it with their own subjects. It would even make future control easier.
The last time Terra's nations banded together to crush a Kazdel resurgence was over two hundred years ago. Only the long-lived races still remembered how powerful the Sarkaz really were.
"How did it go?"
Back in their safehouse, W immediately asked with urgency. The subject was Theresa—how could she not be anxious? And this was W already tempered by experience. In the past, she would've stormed Theresis with her new fourth-gen Godslayer armor the moment she received it.
"I saw her. But I need to ask Kelsey a few things."
Daniel opened a golden portal and stepped into Kelsey's office. If Theresa were just a mindless puppet, he could've brought her back already. But the reality was far more complicated—so he had to speak with Kelsey.
If anyone knew the truth about Theresa, it would be Kelsey. Even without being "all-knowing," she always knew more than she let on.
Just like in the original timeline, when W asked Kelsey a simple but pivotal question: how did Theresa's body end up in Theresis' hands?
Theresa had died at Rhodes Island. The Doctor was gravely injured during that same event. Kelsey had handled both of their bodies. With her capabilities, if she didn't want the body found, it wouldn't have been.
"Kelsey. What exactly happened with Princess Theresa?"
The moment they arrived, W—rarely so direct—confronted Kelsey. Theresa was W's reverse scale. Normally, she would never speak to Kelsey like this.
"You've seen her." Kelsey ignored W and turned to Daniel instead.
"Yes. She doesn't seem like a puppet." Daniel quickly explained what he had seen—Theresa and Theresis together.
"So it's come to this," Kelsey sighed, then began to explain. "If my guess is correct, this is the work of the Penitent."
The Penitent. A secretive faction akin to internal security, but also a bloodline. Their Originium Arts were inherently tied to life and soul. That was how they had been able to revive Theresa.
As a former Penitent herself, Shining's Arts functioned similarly. In the original timeline, the blue-gold operator once praised Shining and Nearl for blocking Xuan Tie's arrow together. If the target had a life force, Shining alone could stop it.
Shining's light-based Arts resembled Nearl's, but unlike Nearl's blazing sunlight, her light had substance—almost as if it could sever night and day. Her file even quoted an operator saying as much.
Shining's Arts were both offensive and curative. Her skills as a medic were largely based on theories derived from her own Originium Art—something akin to a weaker version of the Ope Ope no Mi or Double Healing Hand.
As for why Theresa now sided with Theresis? After reviving her, the Penitent sealed away her emotions—turning her into something akin to the Will of Kazdel, acting solely for the nation's benefit. Just like Koschei's undead Black Snake who lived only for Ursus.
Theresa followed Theresis now because, from a purely strategic view, his actions benefited Kazdel. But unlike Koschei, Theresa only had one life. No immortality, no clone, no contingency.
Koschei's Black Snake still existed even after death. And Talulah, having inherited knowledge from him—perhaps even intentionally passed on—was already tracking another incarnation.
Even with Daniel's intervention in Talulah and the Integration Movement's fate, her hatred for Koschei hadn't lessened. Too many had died because of him. Of all the people she once knew, only a few senior officers remained. The rest had fallen.
"Well, this makes things easier. No need to resurrect her—we just need to undo the Penitent's restrictions."
Originally, Daniel had planned to resurrect Theresa if she were truly a puppet, for Amiya and W's sake. Now, he didn't have to.
And in terms of consciousness and emotion—he had Hado no Hoko and Wabisuke. With Sakanade, restoring a vegetative mind was trivial.
"If she prioritizes Kazdel's welfare, then even without Hado no Hoko, simply showing her the right cards would make her side with Amiya."
Oripathy was the greatest threat in Terra. The Sarkaz, with their vulnerable physiology, were overwhelmingly infected. Nine out of ten Sarkaz had Oripathy.
A country made entirely of infected people would never be accepted by others—unless it were a single-player game. (Che City didn't count—it was an exception.)
"So that's how it is... That makes this much simpler. Doctor Kelsey, care to meet an old friend?"
Relieved by how easily Theresa's case could be resolved, Daniel extended an invitation.
He'd always avoided tampering with people's minds—unless they were enemies. With powers like Kyoka Suigetsu and Hado no Hoko, things could be made far simpler. Like the Little Hill County war—he could've prevented it entirely.
He'd always resisted using such powers, thinking of them as morally grey. But after visiting Datang and learning of the Buddhist sects—and then meeting Aizen—he realized strict restraint wasn't necessary.
Aizen used Kyoka Suigetsu constantly. If he could, why couldn't Daniel? And as for the Buddhists? They had "enlightenment" techniques that were outright mind control. One of the Four Holy Monks in Datang had a martial art specifically designed to forcibly convert others.
Realizing this, Daniel became more flexible—though still reserved it for enemies or very special cases, like Mephisto.
"Alright," Kelsey agreed without hesitation.
"We'll bring the Patriot too—I think he'd like to see her."
"Hm... An unfamiliar presence... Show yourself. I've found you."
In a grand meeting room inside Londinium's Shard Tower, the kings of Kazdel's Ten Courts were slowly taking their seats. Suddenly, a white-haired young man's gaze locked onto a shadowy corner.
The moment he spoke, a Sarkaz in black armor raised his left hand. Dozens of crimson threads shot out, weaving into a net and flying toward the corner, sealing the space completely. If anyone had been hiding there, escape was impossible.
"Sarkaz hospitality is... surprisingly passionate."
A calm voice rang out. From the corner, a figure slowly emerged. With a casual wave of his left hand, the crimson net compressed into a sphere and floated to his palm.
Boom—boom—boom.
Even as it continued to explode within his grasp, his hand remained unharmed.
"Explosions? Not bad. Quite an Originium Art. So this is a Sarkaz general?"
Feeling the repeated detonations in his palm, Daniel turned his gaze to the man who had cast the spell: Manfred, current general of the Sarkaz royal army—and supposedly Theresis' student.
Everyone in this room was a major figure of Kazdel. The white-haired young man was none other than the Blood Demon Lord—handsome, but deadly. The others included the Carrion King, the leader of the Penitent, and a few more. The Shapeshifter King was supposedly in Londinium but not present.
Hedley had also shown up, though he stood quietly in the back, clearly the least important one here.
"Manfred."
Just as Manfred prepared to strike again, Theresis spoke—and the general dispelled his conjured Arts.
"Please, take a seat," Theresis said, raising his hand in invitation.
"Much obliged, Regent." Daniel scanned the room, then casually kicked a sofa toward the other side of the table and sat.
The conference table was long, with Theresis and Theresa seated side-by-side. On each flank sat five members of the Ten Courts. Even those who weren't on Theresis' side still had reserved seats—formality mattered.
"Are you here on behalf of Rhodes Island, or Talulah?" Theresis wasted no time with pleasantries.
"Clever," Daniel thought, pausing to catch the meaning behind the double-edged question. Who he represented mattered immensely. If it was Rhodes Island, he was the enemy.
But if it was Talulah—there might be room for cooperation. Just like Theresis had made arrangements with Iron Duke Wellington.
Kazdel couldn't occupy Londinium forever—that was unrealistic. Victoria wouldn't allow it. In terms of raw strength, Kazdel was still no match—even with Victoria's internal problems.
Theresis' goal was simple: use Londinium's massive resources to complete their plans. Londinium's material stockpiles were among the top three in all of Terra.
Victoria had perfected steam technology. The city's underground pipelines could be activated at a moment's notice to mass-produce war supplies.
If Talulah wanted the throne, cooperating with Theresis could simplify everything. They might even use the opportunity to eliminate the eight Grand Dukes outside.
"Sorry. You guessed wrong. I'm not here for Rhodes Island... nor Talulah. I'm here for Amiya."
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