Ki woke before dawn and peeped through the curtains. The sky was still dark. He changed into his regular clothes and went for a jog through the quiet city streets. Stalls were being set up, merchants busy with preparations for the day. As he rounded a corner, he noticed four cloaked figures slipping through the rain-soaked streets. Curiosity got the better of him, and he followed them silently.
The cloaked men entered the central church. Ki was about to leave, deciding it wasn't his concern, when the King arrived with several soldiers. He watched briefly before shrugging and heading toward the forest where Kenji usually trained him.
Meanwhile, Septh had spent the night in the library, eyes red and weary. She flipped through Lore of Summons over and over. "All of its pages point to one thing… I thought summons were mass-produced by the kingdoms. Why does this book say otherwise?" Her fingers traced repeated mentions of the Spade Kingdom. "It says only Spade creates summons as war puppets… Where is this Spade Kingdom?"
Next to it, The Cycle of Devil lay open. One phrase was circled: It requires blood to birth blood. Septh's hands trembled as she read it.
Hannah appeared quietly in the doorway. "Septh… what have you been doing? You need to rest," she said, her voice calm but firm.
"I… I can't stop yet," Septh replied, her voice low, refusing to let go of the crucial information. "Can I ask something?"
"Yes. What is it?" Hannah leaned slightly forward.
"What is the name of this Kingdom?"
Hannah paused, her expression unreadable. "New Spadion. Why do you ask?"
Septh exhaled, feeling a weight lift slightly. "Nothing," she said. But as she turned to leave, Hannah added casually, "It used to be called Spade Kingdom."
Septh's face darkened. Trembling, she walked quickly down the hallway, trying to appear normal. In the shadows, Hannah allowed herself a small, knowing smile.
Septh nearly collided with Zephyr and fell to the floor. "Are you okay?" he asked, concern etched on his face. She stood, lowering her voice. "Meet Ki tonight… wait for me in your room," she whispered, and slipped away.
By now, the sun was high, but Kenji hadn't appeared. Ki did pull-ups on a tree branch, scanning the forest for any sign of him. Finally, hunger drove him toward the bar. The usual bartender was replaced by a young boy in a formal suit, and the usual patrons were absent. Sensing something was off, Ki ordered a meal and quietly observed.
Passing the church again, he caught the sound of the heavy doors opening. He ducked behind a wall as the King emerged with the cloaked men, boarding a carriage that disappeared into the bustling streets.
As Ki was about to leave, he nearly ran into Kenji, who was standing behind him with a smirk.
"What are you doing here?" Kenji asked.
"You were missing from training, so I went for a walk… What's going on?" Ki replied.
"Don't worry about it. First, let's go somewhere."
"Where?"
"To the bar."
"But I already ate."
"You have no choice. I need something there."
Ki followed Kenji silently. "The usual bartender isn't here," he remarked.
"Interesting… I wonder where he went."
Elsewhere, Zephyr was dueling with one of the soldiers. He calculated each move and struck efficiently, feeling lighter and stronger than before. Sweat glistened on his muscles as he approached Clayman, who was commanding the troops.
"You look busy all of a sudden," Zephyr said.
"That's 'Sir' to you, boy," Clayman replied, without looking up.
"My apologies, sir," Zephyr straightened immediately.
"Your improvement is paying off," Clayman noted.
"Thanks, sir," Zephyr said with a smile.