The image stabilized, revealing the other end of the connection.
Mariella was on the screen.
The silver-haired assassin was sitting in what appeared to be a cramped, dimly lit attic. The ceiling was slanted, with exposed wooden beams, and the only light source came from a small, dirty circular window in the background. Based on the architecture visible through that tiny window—the pristine white stone and the high, elegant spires in the distance—Lencar knew exactly where she was.
She had successfully infiltrated the outer rings of the Noble Realm in the Royal Capital.
Mariella was not looking at the projection yet. She was currently peering out the small window, a spyglass pressed to her eye, scanning the streets below with intense focus. She wore a nondescript, dull brown cloak, her striking silver hair hidden completely beneath a drab headscarf.
Lencar stood perfectly still in his immaculate black cloak, the wooden mask giving him an aura of terrifying, silent authority. He waited for a moment, observing her professionalism, before deciding to make his presence known.
He let out a single, sharp cough.
Through the enchantments of the mask, the sound didn't come out as a human clearing his throat. It resonated as a heavy, metallic click, like the cocking of a large mechanism.
Mariella flinched slightly, her assassin instincts kicking in. She instantly dropped the spyglass, spinning around to face her own glowing token resting on a dusty crate.
When she saw the dark, masked figure of that man floating in the projection, the tension left her shoulders. She let out a long, quiet sigh, pulling the drab headscarf back to reveal her face. She looked tired, the shadows under her blue eyes indicating she hadn't slept much since Lencar deployed her three weeks ago.
"Leader," Mariella greeted, keeping her voice low, a habit of operating deep in hostile territory.
"You are situated," Lencar noted, his resonant, distorted voice echoing softly from the token. "The Noble Realm."
"Yes," Mariella confirmed, gesturing vaguely to the small room around her. "I secured a room in a dilapidated servant's boarding house just outside the central district. The nobles ignore this area entirely, making it the perfect blind spot. A few weeks ago, you ordered me to focus on the movements of the capital. I have been monitoring the Magic Knight headquarters, the royal guard rotations, and the noble estates."
"And?" Lencar prompted calmly. "Has the board shifted?"
Mariella nodded, stepping closer to her token. "I have some news about a major upcoming event. The entire capital is currently in a state of high logistical preparation. The Magic Knight squads are pulling their senior members back from the borders. The castle staff is purchasing massive quantities of luxury food, wine, and ceremonial decorations."
She paused, her eyes narrowing in tactical assessment.
"The King is preparing to host a massive awards banquet," Mariella reported with clinical precision. "A ceremony to honor outstanding Magic Knights for their recent achievements. Based on the intercepted supply manifests and the scheduled guard rotations, this banquet will be happening in less than a week. The majority of the Magic Knight Captains, the Wizard King, and the highest-ranking nobles will all be concentrated in a single, highly publicized location."
Lencar stood silently in the void of his spatial ring, absorbing the intelligence.
His face was completely hidden behind the wooden mask, but internally, his mind was racing, fitting this new information into the vast, canonical timeline he possessed.
An awards banquet in less than a week. He knew exactly what this event was. It was the Star Awards Festival. It was the gathering where the Wizard King would present the rankings of the Magic Knight squads.
But more importantly, Lencar knew what this gathering signified in the grand, violent scheme of the Eye of the Midnight Sun. This was the moment Patolli had been waiting for. With all the Captains concentrated in one place, the rest of the capital would be vulnerable. This was the exact event where the Royal Capital Assault would take place.
It was the day the spatial portals would open in the sky. The day the zombies would flood the lower districts.
And, most tragically, it was the day a trap would be sprung.
It seems the fall of the lion will be happening soon, Lencar thought, a cold, heavy realization settling in his chest.
Fuegoleon Vermillion, the Captain of the Crimson Lion Kings. A man of immense power and unshakeable honor. During this exact assault, Patolli would use Spatial Magic to isolate Fuegoleon, ambushing the Captain and severing his right arm, stealing the magic stone he wore and leaving him in a prolonged, near-fatal coma.
It was a pivotal, devastating moment in the timeline. The loss of Fuegoleon sent shockwaves through the kingdom, proving that the Magic Knight Captains were not invincible, and establishing the Eye of the Midnight Sun as a true, existential threat.
Lencar had to make a choice. He was currently an anomaly, building his own syndicate in the shadows. Did he intervene? Did he use his knowledge to save the Crimson Lion King, fundamentally altering the balance of power in the Clover Kingdom? Or did he let the canonical tragedy play out, ensuring the timeline remained somewhat predictable while he continued to amass his own strength?
He pushed the complex tactical dilemma aside for the moment. The assault was still a week away. He had time to prepare his own pieces.
Lencar focused back on the shimmering projection of the silver-haired assassin. Mariella had done exactly what he had asked, infiltrating the most dangerous city in the kingdom and delivering critical, actionable intelligence without raising a single alarm.
"Very good," Lencar said, his voice carrying a genuine note of approval through the metallic distortion. "Your infiltration was flawless, and the intelligence is exactly what I required. Thank you for your hard work, Mariella."
Mariella offered a brief, respectful nod, clearly pleased by the praise. "Will you require me to assassinate any targets during the banquet, Master? With the security forces concentrated, there will be vulnerabilities in the outer estates."
"No assassinations," Lencar commanded firmly. "I want you strictly observing. When the banquet begins, I want you entirely off the streets. Find a high vantage point where you can see the central district, and stay out of sight. I anticipate... a significant disruption to the festivities."
Mariella's eyes widened slightly in understanding. "A disruption. Understood. I will prepare a secure observation post. Await further orders?"
"Maintain your position and observe," Lencar confirmed. "I will contact you when it is time to move. Stay safe in the shadows, Mariella."
"By your will, Leader," she replied.
The gears of destiny were turning rapidly now. The Eye of the Midnight Sun was mobilizing. The Magic Knights were gathering to celebrate, completely ignorant of the storm about to break over their heads.
He didn't know yet exactly how he was going to play his hand during the capital assault, but he knew one thing for certain.
When the fires started burning in the Royal Capital, the Forged Heretic would not simply sit back and watch.