And so, a perilous plan quietly set in motion—like a dice cast into the dark, its path uncertain, guided only by fate.
At last, the day arrived when Eryx was to lead his legion out of the city.
The morning sun had not yet fully climbed over the city walls, but the inner square was already filled with a perfectly assembled military formation.
Regimental banners snapped sharply in the wind. Everything was so orderly, so precise, it felt more like the prelude to a grand ceremony than a military departure.
Yet Eryx did not appear before the soldiers.
He stood at the high window of the governor's residence, overlooking the troops lined up below.
His brows were furrowed with deep thought as his gaze passed over each face—soldiers he had personally trained. Their steps were firm, their eyes resolute, and their aura overpowering.
But his heart felt heavy.
He wasn't a man who trusted instinct easily, but the unease in his chest now was undeniable.
"The men are chosen, and there's no shortage of elites… but was this still too reckless?"
He muttered under his breath, his fist slowly clenching.
He had already stationed the city's most loyal elite forces among the troops left behind—to better monitor Marcellus and the others.
But even with those precautions, he couldn't shake his unease.
"Lord Eryx, don't worry—you still have me, don't you?"
A voice spoke behind him—low, quiet, and so cold it sent a chill down the spine.
He didn't turn around. He already knew who it was.
Jim.
Eryx's brow twitched almost imperceptibly. He suppressed the instinctive wariness and spoke flatly:
"Yes. I'm counting on you to keep an eye on Marcellus and the rest. But I'm not too worried—it's just two weeks. I'll be back soon."
He turned, meeting the shadowy figure standing straight-backed in the gloom. His gaze was calm, unshaken.
"Besides, now that they know I've increased patrols, they'll be cautious—unlikely to make any sudden moves."
Jim's lips curled into something between a smile and a sneer.
"Two weeks… that can be long, or short, depending."
Eryx raised a brow, but didn't respond. His tone cooled slightly:
"And don't forget—what happened last time hasn't been forgotten. Without my direct order, you are not to act on your own."
The air froze for a moment.
Then Jim slowly nodded, his tone still full of mocking undertone:
"Of course. Go serve the capital without worry."
But the smile on his lips was like a snake—it slithered off his face into the air, cold and sinister.
Eryx no longer acknowledged him.
He turned and walked to the far end of the tower. His armor clinked faintly with each step, echoing with resolve.
The city gates slowly opened.
The trumpet sounded.
As the townspeople watched from the streets, the Second Legion marched steadily out of the city.
The clinking of metal and the flapping of banners in the wind composed a chilling symphony of discipline and war.
Eryx rode at the front of the convoy. His face was expressionless, but his eyes were sharp as a hawk's—cutting through the gate, through the crowd, and toward the horizon.
He knew well:
Who went with him didn't matter nearly as much as who stayed behind.
Meanwhile, in the shadows of the city wall, Jim watched the legion vanish into the distance, his gaze growing colder by the second.
"Finally gone…" he murmured, the corners of his mouth curling into a vicious grin.
As the last ranks of soldiers exited the city, he swiftly turned away—his figure flickering like a ghost into a narrow, hidden tunnel.
His secret base lay beneath an abandoned warehouse in the southern district—twisting corridors, cross-hatched shadows, a network like a spider's web.
He had barely sat down when a subordinate hurried over and reported in a low voice:
"The message is confirmed—Livia's people released word near the black market this morning. They said she's found an ancient treasure map and plans to gather a crew for an expedition outside the city."
Jim's eyes narrowed as the corner of his lips twitched into a faint smirk.
"A treasure map?"
He tapped his fingers lightly on the stone table, his tone slow and mocking.
"Such a crude excuse… does she really think anyone would believe it?"
Yet even as he scoffed, the smile never left his face—in fact, it deepened.
His mind drifted back to that strange conversation in the mountain cave—not just the words, but Livia's eyes, her hesitation, her every breath.
Even back then, something had already stirred within him.
"Why did she want to see me…? Was it just to test me—or…"
He fell silent, then narrowed his eyes with a sudden sharpness.
"Whatever it is she's planning—I want to see it with my own eyes. Livia, let's see what you're really up to."
His voice echoed through the cold, empty cellar—harsh, mocking, but tinged with an excitement he himself did not fully understand.
"Tail her. Watch her every move. And prepare to head for the place she so graciously 'revealed'…"
Jim's eyes gleamed as they narrowed further.