The grand meeting hall had grown unnervingly quiet, a vacuum of sound where the booming, arrogant echoes of Kaelen and the dry, rasping whispers of Balam once resided. Their auras, which had felt like a suffocating heat and a cloying shadow, were rapidly receding through the castle walls, leaving behind only the two remaining titans. Malphas sat at the head of the obsidian table, his cold, grim pressure expanding to fill the void, while Cordelia’s presence billowed out like a thick, intoxicating fog of rose petals and sharp wine. It was a clash of winters and springs, a heavy atmosphere that made the very air feel thick enough to chew.

  Malphas exhaled a long, ragged breath, his fingers drumming against the obsidian surface with a rhythmic, irritating click. "The actual meeting barely even started, and they are already scurrying back to their holes," he muttered, the hint of irritation in his voice sharpening into a jagged edge of pure disgust.

  Cordelia let out a musical, mocking laugh, snapping her fingers to emphasize her point. "It just goes to show, Malphas, that their titles as Demon Lords are nothing more than shiny baubles for show," she said, her voice dripping with a playful yet lethal sarcasm. "It is clear they are way too scared to face an evil that once made even a primordial being like Death look powerless and small. I suppose I can’t blame the poor dears entirely, though. I bet Balam wanted to play the grand detective for once, thinking he could solve the puzzles of the world all by himself, and then the moment he realized the shape of the monster he was tracking, he simply decided to shit his pants and run home to hide under his covers."

  Malphas looked at her, and for the first time in what felt like an eternity, the corners of his mouth twitched upward into a small, genuine smile. It was a fleeting thing, like a ghost appearing in a mirror, but it was there.

  Cordelia’s eyes widened, and she let out a delighted gasp, leaning forward with a predatory grace. "Well, look at that! I must say, it has been hundreds of years since I have seen you actually smile, Malphas. I was beginning to think your face had turned to actual stone. You should do it more often, it makes you look far less like a brooding gargoyle and far more like the man I used to adore."

  Malphas quickly smoothed his features back into a mask of professional, icy seriousness, coughing into his hand. "Don’t get ahead of yourself, Cordelia. We have work to do."

  Cordelia didn't back off. Instead, she planted her elbow on the table, resting the side of her face in her palm as she gazed at him with a look that was equal parts teasing and intense. She swirled the remaining tea in her cup, her red hair catching the dim purple light from the high windows. "So, let’s talk about the monster in the room. What exactly do you want help with concerning Vorgath the Despiser? Do you want to bring back the old party we had so many years ago? Are you asking me to help you gather the strongest heroes in the world once again to fight a titan who made the gates of hell tremble? Because you know I don't work for free, and my price for saving the world has gone up significantly since the last time we shared a battlefield."

  Malphas stared at her, his Mystic Eyes spinning slowly. "I am not asking for a party, Cordelia. I am asking for an insurance policy. If Vorgath is truly back, he won't stop until he has reclaimed his original throne. And his original throne is currently the floor we are standing on."

  ─── ??☆?? ───

  Back in the safety of our shared room, the air felt thin and cold. I was pacing back and forth, the hem of my maid outfit fluttering around my ankles as my mind raced through every word I had heard in that brief, terrifying serving session. My heart was still hammering against my ribs, a frantic little bird trapped in a cage of bone. I remembered a name, a name that had turned the Head Butler Valerius into a statue and made Master Malphas look as if he had seen his own grave.

  "Lyra," I said softly, stopping in my tracks. "Who exactly was Vorgath the Despiser?"

  Lyra, who had been untying the intricate laces of her boots, froze mid-motion. She went completely still, her long blue hair shielding her face for a moment before she looked up at me with an expression of pure, unadulterated warning. "Never speak that name aloud, Akari. Don't even let it sit on your tongue for too long. Remember what I told you about this world. Names hold power here, especially the names of those who once rivaled the gods themselves. Someone at your level shouldn't be calling out to a shadow like that, or the shadow might just decide to answer."

  I felt a chill run down my spine, my voice shaking as I replied, "I’m sorry, Lyra, but I have to know. Everyone is so scared, and if I’m going to be the one serving tea to these people, I don't want to be the only one who doesn't know why the world is ending."

  Lyra let out a long, weary sigh, flopping back onto her bed and staring at the dark stone ceiling. "Fine, I’ll give you a little history lesson on the dude, or at least the parts that won't give you nightmares for a month. Remember, all of this happened many, many years ago, way back before the current system of Demon Lords was even a thing. I don't know the full details, only the stories Valerius told me once when he was feeling particularly talkative after a bottle of old vintage."

  She sat up, her eyes growing distant as she channeled the gravity of the legend. "This very territory, the Black Obsidian Throne and everything around it, was once owned by that entity who became known as the Despiser. He wasn't just a ruler, he was a merciless force of nature. He claimed the title of Demon King by slaying the original King who owned this land back when it was a much smaller, weaker territory. What I gathered from the old records is that he called himself the High Demon King, and he wasn't content with just a piece of the pie. Day after day, he sent his demon armies out to purge villages and expand his domain with fire and blood. He slew every hero, every knight, every beast that ever dared to look him in the eye. Only demons were allowed to live a free life in his territory, everyone else was just fuel for his war machine."

  I swallowed hard, my throat feeling like it was full of sand. "Was he really that strong?"

  Lyra nodded, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "There’s a rumor that he was actually the child of two primordial beings, and please don't ask me what those are because I don't want to start a theology debate, but they are basically the closest things to Gods this world has ever seen. He ruled the entire known world with an iron fist until a party finally showed up to challenge him. It consisted of five heroes, the most powerful and skilled beings to ever walk the earth. They teamed up and fought an entire army of demons just to reach him. While three of them handled the forces of thousands, freeing millions of slaves across the land, two of the bravest faced the Demon King himself."

  She paused, the drama of the story hanging in the air. "The battle itself shook the very heavens, Akari. It made the gates of hell tremble and caused cracks of space and reality to appear in the sky like shattered glass. It went on for weeks without stop until finally, at the edge of the world, the Demon King was slain. And it became known as the Great War."

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  I leaned in, my curiosity momentarily overriding my fear. "Who were they? The five

  Lyra gave me a mischievous, knowing smirk. "Well, before you ask who those legends were, you should know that three of them are actually still alive and kicking today. They are Demon Lord Cordelia, Demon Lord Balam, and of course, our very own Master Malphas. After they defeated the Demon King, the primordial beings came out of the shadows and put the world in the care of the new Demon Lords. Each was given a territory to govern. Random strong folks were chosen for the other lands, but only one of the original five heroes was actually made a Demon Lord right away. It was Malphas, because he was the one who claimed this specific land back from the darkness."

  She giggled, the sound light but tinged with a bit of irony. "And it’s funny, because the spot where we are sitting now is exactly where the old Demon King’s territory started its expansion. Demon Lord Cordelia and Balam became Lords way later, but they were there at the beginning. But here is the kicker, Akari. The primordial beings actually feared the power of the Demon Lords. They were so scared that we would become the next Despisers that they added a rule. Most of a Demon Lord's power is sealed away, and they are strictly forbidden from making alliances with each other. They want the Lords to stay divided and weak so they can't conquer the heavens."

  I sat down on my bed, my mind reeling. "So, by even having this meeting, they are breaking the rules?"

  Lyra laughed, a playful, slightly wicked sound. "Oh, honey, you have no idea. Those Demon Lords break rules like they break bread. But I doubt the primordials will even care unless it’s something truly world-breaking. Or maybe they don't care because they already know that the Despiser is returning and they want the Lords to deal with their own mess. Either way, it’s a big, messy game of chess, and we are just the little pawns trying not to get stepped on. Now, stop looking so terrified! You’re making my hair curl. If the world ends, at least we won't have to worry about the laundry tomorrow, right?"

  I tried to smile, but the thought of a thousand-year-old king waking up in the shadows was enough to make the 15% mana boost on my arm feel like a tiny candle against an approaching hurricane.

  ─── ??☆?? ───

  Inside the meeting hall, Cordelia had abandoned all pretense of being a dignitary. She had moved her chair closer to Malphas, the scent of her rose-like aura now clashing directly with his cold pressure.

  "So, Malphas," she whispered, her voice a sultry, teasing purr that vibrated through the obsidian table. "If we are going to break the primordial laws and form an alliance, I expect something in return. I don't just put my neck on the line for the sake of old memories. Perhaps a trade? My armies for a permanent residence in this charmingly gloomy castle? I’ve always thought your bedroom had an excellent view of the lightning storms."

  Malphas didn't flinch, though his jaw tightened. "You are as shameless as ever, Cordelia. We are discussing the potential end of our era, and you are negotiating for real estate and flirtations."

  "It’s called multitasking, darling," she countered, tapping her chin with a perfectly manicured nail. "Besides, if we are going to die fighting a resurrected god, I’d rather do it while being close to the only man who ever gave me a run for my money. Now, tell me the truth. How much of Vorgath is actually back? Is it just his shadow, or is the monster himself breathing our air?"

  Malphas looked toward the closed doors, his eyes seeming to pierce through the stone. "It’s enough of him to command a legion of chimeras and a killer from another world," he said, his voice grim. "And if we don't act, the next time he summons a trap, it won't be for a few hunters. It will be for us."

  Cordelia’s playful smirk faded just a fraction, replaced by the cold, calculating look of a woman who had survived a thousand years of war. "Then I suppose I should go home and pack my war-chest," she said, standing up and letting her red cape flare out behind her like wings. "But don't think this means I’m your subordinate, Malphas. If we do this, we do it as equals. And I expect a much better tea party next time."

  She turned to leave, her hips swinging with that heavy, hypnotic rhythm, before stopping and looking back over her shoulder. "And tell that little maid of yours to keep brewing that tea. It’s the only thing in this castle that doesn't taste like ancient history and regret."

  With a final, teasing wink, she vanished into a swirl of rose-scented mist, leaving Malphas alone in the darkening hall, the weight of the coming war finally settling onto his shoulders.

  Just as Malphas braced his hands against the cold obsidian table to stand up, the air suddenly shimmered with a familiar, intoxicating fragrance. With a swirl of crimson mist, Cordelia appeared once more, leaning against the heavy doors with a look of pure, mischievous delight on her face. Her shoulders shook with a suppressed giggle as she gestured back toward the courtyard. "You wouldn't believe it, Malphas! Kaelen was so utterly terrified by the mention of the Despiser that he didn't even bother with the walk back to his convoy. He used a high-tier emergency translocation spell and vanished straight to his golden domain on the spot! He was in such a frantic rush to hide behind his walls that he actually left his own over-buffed horse and carriage just sitting there by the fountain. Can you imagine? The great conqueror, fleeing so fast he forgot his own ride!"

  Malphas let out a heavy, weary groan, bringing his palm up to his face and rubbing his temples as if trying to physically massage away the impending headache. He stared at the empty space where the other Lord had sat, his Mystic Eyes flickering with a mixture of annoyance and resignation. "I will contact that fool later, though I bet he will be too embarrassed to even answer. Knowing his ego, he will probably just send a messenger saying I can keep the damn horse and the golden carriage as a gift just so he doesn't have to come back here and face the shame of his exit. Now I have a mountain of muscle with a sun-chariot taking up space in my courtyard."

  Cordelia hummed thoughtfully, bringing her delicate fingers to her chin as she paced a slow, rhythmic circle around the table, her hips swinging with a grace that felt almost predatory. "Oh, I have a brilliant idea, Malphas. Seeing that your castle is so ridiculously huge and spacious, and frankly quite lonely, I could send a few of my elite warriors here. Better yet, I could stay here personally. Our guards could train together, creating a unified force that might actually stand a chance against those chimeras. Think of it as a joint venture in survival, and besides, I’m much better company than a silent butler."

  Malphas looked up at her, his expression darkening with skepticism. "And what of your own territory, Cordelia? You would leave the Kingdom of Hearts unguarded while a resurrected tyrant is on the loose? That is a reckless gamble, even for you."

  "And don't you worry about my domain," she countered with a dismissive wave of her hand, her smile turning sharp and secretive. "Even if it is attacked without me being there, it is well protected. Between you and me, the previous Demon Lord of that domain is still technically alive. I didn't kill her when I took the throne, I simply turned her into a plant. A rose, specifically. She was so desperate to protect that land that she begged to become part of the soil itself after I claimed it. It was the only way to satisfy her obsession."

  She leaned in closer, her voice dropping to a low, chilling whisper. "But do not underestimate her just because she’s rooted in the ground. She can grow to a massive size and branch out across multiple provinces almost instantly. Her regeneration is terrifying, and she can sprout dozens of giant rose mouths to swallow and digest any intruder who dares step on her leaves. She can even form a plant-like human figure when she wants to chat with me, though she’s much grumpier these days. I can just put her in charge with her true identity unknown to the public. She’ll be a silent, thorny guardian."

  Malphas’s eyes widened slightly in genuine shock. "That is a flagrant violation of the ancient laws, Cordelia. You are harboring a former Lord as a biological weapon. You mean to tell me that Demon Lord Roselinde is still active? That is madness."

  "Oh, shut it, Malphas!" Cordelia laughed, waving off his concern as if it were a bothersome fly. "Every Demon Lord must have broken a few rules from time to time. Heck, you just went to another's territory without permission just to chase a ghost. We’re all criminals in the eyes of the primordial beings now. Anyway, I can teach and train those two maids of yours. I sensed a genuine spark in them when I arrived here, especially the one who actually served the tea. I sensed a spark in her, what was her name? Akira?"

  Malphas looked at the closed doors, a silent, complicated thought crossing his mind as he considered the chaos Cordelia was about to bring into his strictly ordered life. "Vespera," he corrected her softly. "Her name is Akari Vespera."