Just as Jim was about to turn and leave, a wave of urgency surged in Livia's chest.
She didn't know if things were going smoothly on Adrian's side—whether the Holy Grail's base had been secured, or if they'd managed to leave safely. She couldn't hear anything from the distant abandoned well. All she could rely on now was time. And at this moment, she needed more of it.
But she also knew—she couldn't show even a trace of unease.
So she steadied herself, putting on a calm, even slightly detached tone, and said:
"Lord Jim, King of the Underworld, before you leave, I have one final request."
Jim turned back, raising an eyebrow.
"Oh? Still playing games?"
Livia gave a faint smile, her gaze sharp as a blade.
"Since you claim to know Eryx's deployments and movements, I want to test whether your memory truly lives up to your title."
She spoke slowly and deliberately:
"You want that document—I'll consider it. But only if you can recite the troop formations and movement plans of Eryx's legions for the past two weeks, as well as the upcoming rotation schedule. If you can do that, I'll keep my word. You'll get the file."
Jim paused, then quickly understood—this was both a challenge and a test.
"Trying to provoke me, are you?" He laughed, but there was a glint of danger in his eyes.
Livia didn't flinch, replying coolly:
"Yes—and no. If you really have that kind of ability, I'll acknowledge it. But tell me—why should I hand over such crucial information to someone who might just be bluffing?"
This was her move—a deliberate offensive strike, cloaked as a reasonable demand. And it gave her the excuse she needed to stall.
She understood Jim all too well. He was proud to the point of arrogance, especially when it came to his intellect. There was a rumor that in the midst of a political coup, he had once overheard a single soldier's conversation and reconstructed the entire operation—from deployment routes down to the exact timing of guard rotations.
Sure enough, Jim's expression shifted slightly—as if a nerve had been touched.
He thought for a moment and realized this could be a controlled risk.
First, he'd only be divulging Eryx's current deployment—not his own secrets. That wouldn't hurt him.
Second, if he laid out the full plan and saw how Livia moved afterward, he might trace her true intentions. In a way, this could be a trap of his own.
Third, if he could trade all this for the document—even a copy—it'd be far more valuable than some vague "next meeting."
He didn't hesitate much longer. A smirk curved his lips as he played along, like a man feigning irritation.
"Alright then," he held out his hand.
"Paper, pen, and that map of yours. I'll speak—you write."
Livia had prepared them long ago. She pulled out a pre-folded map, a clean sheet of paper, and a heavy ink pen from inside her coat, laying them one by one on the stone slab before the hunting lodge like laying down a bet.
She said nothing more—only stared at Jim, her gaze cool and steady, exuding a quiet intensity. She knew he wouldn't lie—not when it came to his pride. And if she could hold his attention just a little longer, Adrian would have a safer window to escape.
Jim looked back at her, and something in his gaze flickered with mixed thoughts. He still couldn't tell whether this woman was an enemy or an ally, but her composure and ruthlessness stirred something like admiration in him. It reminded him of the first time he'd been outplayed—by a woman who once ruled the underworld herself.
And so, he began to speak.
"First Battalion, stationed at the southwestern sentry zone for the past two weeks—guard shifts change at midnight. All supply runs rerouted through the southeastern trail, avoiding main roads … Second deployment, positioned near the southern trade road, they…"
His voice was low and steady, each word landing like a needle, pricking at Livia's pulse.
And Livia, suppressing the tension in her chest, scribbled furiously, capturing every detail—while her eyes flicked toward the silent silhouette of the distant hills, her mind chanting silently:
Hurry, Adrian. Please—just a little faster.