HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!
Like a cute menace from Hell, the owl’s pink, glowing eyes scanned the hall, sizing up its prey while standing still in the doorway, taking up most of it.
Huda was perched on its back, seemingly unbothered by the commotion her arrival caused.
“Hey everyone~!”
She leaned forward slightly, her face a mix of irritation and barely concealed fury.
“The ‘Coward’ is back!”
Hoot!
Their loud voices carried effortlessly over the stunned silence.
“Does anyone have a problem with that?”
Hoot?!
“…”
“…”
“…”
No one answered.
Huda smirked.
“Didn’t think so.”
The owl took a step forward, its talons clicking against the marble floor.
“I see almost everyone already bailed… So I guess none of you mind if we take the front seats, right?”
“…”
“…”
“…”
Still nothing.
Even if the place were packed, no one would have protested.
Huda was the only one twisted enough to stand within the projection’s pain-sharing perimeter—for a reason as ridiculous as “atoning.”
Satisfied, she gave the bird a light tap.
“Would you move, Mr. Crimson?”
It obliged with a nod, its massive form gliding through the parted sea of people.
For that long moment, the projection behind them was forgotten.
All eyes were on it and Huda, wondering what fresh chaos was about to unfold.
Once she reached the front, next to others of similar status, she slid off the bird’s back.
Her sandals hit the floor with a solid thud, and she gave the crowd a sweeping look, her eyes catching their shocked expressions.
Then, with a casual flick of her wrist, she gestured at her new friend.
“It ain’t the first time you’ve met this one. I’m sure you’ve put two and two together by now.”
Safira, still sniffling, wiped her cheeks with the back of her hand.
Her camp, ever attentive, parted without a word to give her an unobstructed view of “Mr. Crimson.”
“Is…”
She blinked, eyes wide as she took it, or rather, him in.
“Is that really his pet?”
Huda nodded, crossing her arms.
“Yep. Same one. Looks like Crimson figured out how to switch up HIS color and size after meeting my brother.”
She smirked, gesturing for the owl with both hands.
“Anyways, everyone, this is Crimson. Go on, say hi, Crimson.”
The owl responded on cue, letting out his signature hoot!
Safira’s gaze softened as recognition set in.
She was sure of it now… this was the same owl she often saw sitting on Malik’s shoulder. Only instead of being normal-sized, whatever that meant, and entirely black, it dwarfed humans and was of the brightest colors, matching Al-Sayf in theme.
“N-Nice to meet you again, Mr. Crimson.”
The owl blinked slowly, his massive wings rustling as if to acknowledge her greeting.
“Crimson?”
Azeem snorted, clearly unimpressed.
“That’s the best you could come up with? A bit on the nose, isn’t it?”
Huda shot him a look so sharp it could’ve cut stone.
“You wanna test how on the nose my friend here can get? Feel free to step closer.”
He raised both hands, feigning surrender.
“Oh no~… I’m good. But I gotta ask, where did you find it?”
“HIM. The Hall of Records. Some hidden chamber. We talked a little, and we clicked, ain’t that right, cutey?”
Hoot!
“So yeah, guess he liked my vibe.”
“…Vibe?”
“Yeah.”
She repeated, deadpan:
“Vibe.”
While they went back and forth, a few groups within the crowd began to close in on the owl, each one for a different reason.
“Is it really the same bird?”
“Isn’t it just a mutated Uluka?”
“Ain’t it too dangerous to keep it here?
“Can we pet it, uh, him?!”
Huda raised her hands to quiet the crowd.
“Look, Crimson isn’t here to hurt anyone—unless I say so. And no, you can’t pet him. He’s not a barnyard chicken. Besides, he doesn’t allow anyone but me to touch him.”
The owl flared his wings slightly as if agreeing.
“Now…”
Huda continued, throwing away her cloak, and brushing nonexistent dust from her dress.
“Are we done gawking, or do I need to start charging admission?”
“…”
“…”
“…”
Seeing that they backed off, she stopped wasting time, and her gaze landed on Roya, the information broker.
She leaned slightly forward, her tone firm but casual, like she wasn’t asking at all.
“Roya, I need a favor.”
The hall tensed. Read latest stories on My Virtual Library Empire
Roya blinked at her, unimpressed, then raised a single brow.
“Do you now?”
“Yeah.”
Huda shrugged like it was no big deal.
“Don’t let it slip that I’m here at the Holy Palace. No messages. No whispers. Nothing. Can you do that for me?”
“…”
Roya stared at her for a long, blank moment.
She didn’t ask what Huda planned or why she was being so bold.
Instead, she kept her thoughts to herself, having them culminate into a single sentence.
‘She really is a brat… asking for favors while giving nothing in return.’
After a beat, Roya sighed and gave a lazy nod.
“Fine. But not because you asked nicely. It’s better this way for everyone. Can’t have war when we’ve got no Sultan on the Holy Throne.”
Huda nodded, not even bothering to thank her. And of course, she wouldn’t.
Gratitude wasn’t her style, especially not when this favor wasn’t about her pride.
She wasn’t protecting herself—it was about Al-Sayf. She didn’t want her people caught in the fallout of whatever she was about to do. And it was clear to everyone what that something was.
Zafar was the first to frown, the most worried out of the group.
Though he expected more of the “heroines” to stutter on hating the “villain,” this…
‘Dammit!’
This came out of left field. He seriously didn’t expect such a blatant betrayal.
She had to know that she was up against those of similar and higher Divine Rank.
She had to know that disabling a Ten Commandment was impossible, especially for someone who isn’t even a Malāk.
Its Flaw wouldn’t allow her to.
The Holy Relic would bring death upon whoever tried to stop it from completely refining its prisoner into Aether.
Huda had to know that. She had to.
So why do this? Why bring trouble to already troubled times?
Was he someone that precious to her? Even after all the evil he did?