"Amiya... Is she doing well?" At the mention of Amiya, Theresa finally showed a reaction.
"She's been doing pretty well lately. Rhodes Island is developing nicely. But if she were to find out that you're here... I think we both know what would happen. So my purpose here today is simple—so that she doesn't have to be heartbroken, I'm here to take you away."
Looking at the faint sorrow in Theresa's eyes, Daniel Davis stated his goal plainly.
"She's just a fake."
"A fake? If she's just a fake, then why are all of you so tense? You even brought Theresa out here. Are you afraid of her, perhaps?"
"And her inheritance was acknowledged by Theresa herself. If she's a fake, then why didn't the Demon King's power accept Theresis from the start?"
Daniel glanced at the Penitent with the strange golden mask who had spoken, and replied coldly.
"You—"
"Enough," Theresis interrupted before the Penitent could speak again.
"So that's the only reason you're here?" Theresis asked, as if to confirm.
"That's right. Honestly, I'd love nothing more than to wipe all of you out and remove every obstacle for Amiya—but she wouldn't want that. So I'm doing what I can to clear the other obstacles instead."
Given Amiya's nature, she would probably even hesitate to kill Theresis if she could help it.
"You think you're capable of that?" the Penitent sneered. This conference room held most of Kazdel's top combat power. To take them all down at once? No force on Terra could do that.
"You really look like you want to try. I wouldn't mind. But are you sure you want to fight me here? I can't speak for everything, but I can guarantee this: if we start fighting, the Shard Tower won't survive. You went to so much trouble to occupy this place, and you're secretly building something inside it... You really want to risk it all being destroyed?"
The Penitent fell silent. Daniel had struck a nerve. The arrangements in this tower were crucial to Kazdel's future. If they were destroyed, years of preparation would be wasted.
If it had been anyone else making that threat, he'd have scoffed. The Shard Tower wasn't as durable as Londinium's outer walls, but it certainly wasn't some shoddy structure. Destroying it wouldn't be easy. But Daniel? He didn't dare bet against him—not after what had happened at Scar Market.
"Fine."
"General!"
Theresis's calm agreement caused immediate alarm. Manfred called out, and even the Penitent, the Blood Demon Duke, Hedley, and Theresa herself turned to look at him.
Although Theresis was Victoria's Regent, he was still the General of Kazdel—the one who commanded the Military Council.
"That was quick," Daniel remarked, genuinely surprised.
"I never intended to stop her from leaving." Theresis's voice, for once, carried a rare softness in it, though it quickly returned to its usual calm. After all, he bore the responsibility of reviving Kazdel. Even if he didn't want to use his already-deceased sister, he couldn't completely ignore the will of his subordinates.
"Seems like your people don't quite agree," Daniel said, eyeing the Penitent, Manfred, the Blood Demon Duke, and the others who were all visibly on edge. Suddenly, he formed a seal with both hands, and a golden portal opened beside him. In the next moment, three figures stepped through.
The appearance of those three immediately caused the others to abandon any thoughts of attacking.
"Long time no see, Theresa." Kelsey, after scanning the room, fixed her eyes on Theresa and offered a rare smile—perhaps the first Daniel had ever seen from her.
"Kelsey." Theresa immediately stood up, visibly emotional.
"Greetings to both Your Highnesses." The Patriot bowed in the Sarkaz military style to both Theresa and Theresis.
"Borz'chaksthey…" The Carrion King, who had remained silent until now, finally spoke.
"I never thought I'd see you all again after so many years." The Patriot looked at the other Court Lords and let out a nostalgic sigh.
The Wendigos, once one of the Ten Courts of Kazdel, were a force to be reckoned with. There was an old saying across Terra:
"Five Shieldguards can slaughter a squad of knights. Four Internal Guards can raze a settlement. Three Wendigos can conquer a town. Two divisions can crush a principality. One Lord can shake the land."
That was how powerful the Wendigos had been. If not for Kazdel's constant civil wars, which left the Patriot disillusioned, he would never have led his people away to join Ursus.
"Borz'chaksthey, you've pledged yourself to a fake," the Penitent said coldly upon seeing the Patriot.
"You've broken the Sarkaz taboo." The Patriot didn't hide his disdain. From the look in his eyes, he would've struck the Penitent down if Theresa and Theresis weren't present.
He deeply respected Theresa. If she had asked him to stay back then, he might have remained. With the Wendigos at her side, the civil war could have ended very differently.
W, upon arriving, said nothing—she simply stared at Theresa without blinking.
"Room. Operating Theater."
While everyone was still silent, Daniel moved his left hand. The power of the Ope Ope no Mi activated, swapping Theresa and her chair with the empty seat beside him.
"Your Highness!"
"General!"
The sudden action prompted immediate reactions. The Penitent and Manfred appeared at Theresis's side, while W grabbed Theresa's arm, visibly emotional.
Boom.
The Blood Demon Duke clashed with the Patriot. His body turned into a torrent of blood, surging at the Patriot—only to be blasted apart with a single rifle shot. But the scattered blood quickly reformed, leaving the Blood Demon Duke seemingly unscathed.
"General Theresis, I've met with the Cyclops. Kazdel now has another path." Kelsey's words halted the Blood Demon Duke, the Penitent (who had been ready to draw his sword), and Manfred (whose hands were already glowing blood red).
Even though Theresis had given permission for Theresa to leave, the Penitent and Manfred clearly had no intention of allowing it. But the moment the word "Cyclops" was uttered, it was like magic—everyone turned to look at Theresis.
"Oh? And what did she say?"
"Her prophecy has changed. Do you not see why Borz'chaksthey is here? And more importantly, we're on the verge of discovering a complete cure for Oripathy."
"What did you say?" Kelsey's words made Theresis stand up immediately—and Theresa shook free from W's grasp. Brother and sister spoke in unison.
To the Sarkaz, Oripathy was an existential threat. More than any other race, they were highly susceptible. Only a rare few, like Shining—perhaps due to her Arts—had low infection rates.
"Kelsey… Have you really done it?" Even hearing it with her own ears, Theresa needed confirmation.
"I need proof," Theresis said firmly.
Kelsey turned her gaze to Daniel. He was the only one who could currently cure Oripathy, and only a few from the Integration Movement had been treated. Right now, spreading that information wasn't a good idea.
Daniel could repel Ursus if needed—but if the news of a cure got out, the whole world would come knocking. And even if he wasn't afraid, Che City and Rhodes Island could be endangered.
Like the legendary universal medicine he had, even with his current power, Daniel wouldn't dare make it public. It would bring endless trouble—trouble that even strength couldn't solve.
Daniel's ability to cure Oripathy, for Kelsey and others, was proof that the ideals of Rhodes Island were right. That Oripathy could be cured—by any means—was all that mattered.
"If you want to see the evidence, this isn't the place. Everyone here either doesn't want to be cured, or has no need."
"Ridiculous. If you really had a cure, why haven't you cured your own people first?" the Penitent immediately challenged.
"Simple. One: they don't want to be cured. Two: the treatment is too demanding to mass-produce right now. But it proves one thing—Oripathy can be cured. If you want to see proof for yourself, come with me to Che City. I'll show you personally."
"Fine. I'll go with you."
"General!"
Hearing Theresis agree, both the Penitent and Manfred tried to stop him. What if it was a trap? If Theresis didn't return, it would all be over.
"No need to worry. I trust Lord Kelsey and Borz'chaksthey. They wouldn't lie about something like this," Theresis said resolutely. If Oripathy could be cured, he had to verify it himself—it meant everything to the Sarkaz.
"We'll accompany the General—"
"Sorry, only Theresis and this Manfred fellow can come. The rest of you? No."
Daniel wasn't about to let monsters like the Blood Demon Duke, the Shapeshifter King, or the Carrion King anywhere near Che City. Without them, the Sarkaz's reputation would be half as bad.
"If you're still worried, why not let Theresa and I stay behind?" Kelsey offered, volunteering to stay as a hostage.
"I'll stay too," W said, followed by the Patriot. W didn't want to leave Theresa's side, and the Patriot likely stayed to protect them.
"If you're all that determined, then suit yourselves," Daniel said. With no objections, he took Theresis and returned to Che City's lab—being careful to avoid the Rhodes Island crowd, especially Amiya. She couldn't know yet. Not until Theresa's emotions were restored. Only then would it be right for them to meet.
"With Theresa here, I guess there's no rush with Wei Yenwu." With her around, relocating the Sarkaz would be far easier. He still had plans for his future fantasy-version Datang.
"Another world?" In Che City, after witnessing the complete cure, Theresis finally learned who Daniel really was.
"That's right. And when I take Theresa there, whatever tricks you've placed on her won't work anymore."
That was a convenient excuse. The real reason was for Amiya. If Theresa existed, Amiya's position would become awkward. Most Sarkaz only followed her because she was Theresa's successor.
But if the original Theresa returned—even if she did nothing—her presence alone would overshadow Amiya. Sure, if Theresa stood up again, it might free Amiya from pressure... But that would make all her years of effort meaningless.
After all, Amiya had endured so much just to live up to Theresa's ideals.
"A world without Oripathy, huh... Thank you." Theresis naturally longed for such a place. But he couldn't abandon Kazdel—not unless Theresa had truly died again.
"No need to thank me. I'm doing this for Amiya too. So if you ever end up fighting her in the future, win or lose, I don't care. But she must live. Or I'll make sure you regret it."
"Is that so... Sounds like you're not planning to interfere in Victoria's affairs."
"Wrong. I will interfere. To spread the cure for Oripathy, we need power. But not yet."
Victoria's situation had reached a breaking point. War was inevitable. Theresis understood that perfectly.
It would be tragic for the people of Londinium, but ultimately, the fault lay with Victoria's own leadership. They were the ones who invited Theresis and the Sarkaz in.
Those nobles thought they could control everything—never realizing how quickly war spirals out of control. Many of them surely regretted it before they died... But it was far too late.
The same thing happened at the Battle of Che City. Many nobles refused to flee, thinking war wouldn't touch them. In the end? Most of them were nearly wiped out.
They brought that on themselves. If it had been in Yan or Huaxia, Daniel might have stepped in. But this wasn't one of those nations.
What he could do was help eliminate the key schemers—like Iron Duke Wellington.
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