“I hate him! I hate him!” Michael seethed through clenched teeth.
His face was red, and bulging veins popped on his forehead. It seemed as if he got just a bit more angry, his head might explode.
Lily continued to comfort him by gently patting him on the back.
Usually, she was the first to defend Samael whenever Michael vented his frustrations toward the youngest Theosbane.
But today, even she found herself at a loss for words.
After all, Samael had indeed done the very thing Michael accused him of before — he had left his team in a dire situation when they needed him most.
He refused to support them.
He didn’t have their backs.
Trust had to be built. It was transactional.
You couldn’t simply expect to receive trust from people without first giving it yourself.
By refusing to cooperate and help them today, Samael had shattered any foundation on which a bond of trust between them could’ve been built upon… at least for the foreseeable future.
It was only natural that they were upset with him now.
And sure, Lily was aware of how hypocritical it was for her to talk about trust, but this situation was different. It was critical.
They were responsible for the lives of many. If they failed today, countless people would be at risk from whatever the Overlord was planning.
Even if Samael didn’t want to work with them, how could he ignore the danger he was placing so many people in?
That was just…
“Selfish!” Michael exclaimed. “That’s just selfish. He is so selfish! Why can’t he just accept that he’s wrong and help us? How self-absorbed can someone be?”
“For someone who claims to hate him, you sure do talk about him a lot,” Alexia chimed in while sipping from a packet of orange juice with a straw.
Michael shot her a glare. His look was sharp enough to drill a hole in a stone.
But Alexia didn’t even flinch. She gave no reaction at all.
After a moment, she smiled cheekily. “Remember, I’m blind. So if you’re glaring at me, it won’t work since I can’t see you.”
Michael gritted his teeth and looked away. “I wasn’t glaring!”
It was already afternoon.
Michael, Lily, and Alexia were sitting in a quiet café at the town square.
They were finalizing their plan to raid the Overlord’s mansion and uncover whatever dark secret he was trying to hide.
“Anyway, there’s a clear problem with our not-so-brilliant plan.” Alexia said, tapping her chin thoughtfully. “Overlord Everan is at least a high-level [B-Rank] Awakened. Can we really defeat him?”
That was indeed a good question.
“I mean,” she continued, pointing at herself first, then at Michael. “I’m strong. You’re not as strong as I am, but you’re fine too. My Shadow, Kang, while reckless, can also hold his own.”
Then she turned to Lily. “And while you, Sugar, aren’t a fighter, you’re a seer.”
“D-Did you just call me ‘Sugar’?” Lily’s face flushed.
But Alexia didn’t stop speaking. “All in all, our team is ridiculously strong on paper. We should be able to take on a [B-Rank] Awakened. Yes, it will be difficult but not impossible. However, we won’t just be dealing with him. If we’re right, and Lord Everan indeed has an army of abominations in his mansion, then we’ll have to fight those Spirit Beasts as well.”
Michael pondered this for a moment. He knew Alexia was right. He had also considered the same problem.
They were strong. Even without Samael, their team was probably the strongest among all the other Squads in their batch.
But were they strong enough to break into the Overlord’s mansion, fight his security, take him on, and battle abominable monsters at the same time?
No, it seemed like a tall order — perhaps even an impossible one.
Sure, Michael still had an ace up his sleeve that he could use if things got out of hand, but that was a last resort.
He didn’t want to reveal his true power just yet.
After thinking it over, he glanced up, “What do you suggest?”
Alexia shrugged. “If Samael was here, I’d have suggested splitting into two groups. One group could create a diversion while the other sneaks into the enemy territory unnoticed, gathers evidence, and everyone gets out safely.”
She sighed. “But since Young Lord Theosbane is not here with us, we can’t afford to spread our forces thin. So, our only option is to charge in head-on, gather the proof, and as I said, get the fuck out of there.”
“Wait,” Michael shook his head, “are you suggesting that we give up on apprehending the Overlord?”
“Yes,” Alexia replied bluntly, leaning back in her chair. “Apprehending him is a pipe dream. The Overlord is strong. On top of it, he’s surrounded by vile abominations and fortified security. What do you think happens if we try to take him down on our own? Spoiler alert: we end up dead.”
Michael’s jaw tightened. “But we can’t just let him go. By the time the Academy gets involved, it could be too late. He might vanish. Or worse, carry out more attacks — kill more innocents. This isn’t just about gathering proof. It’s about justice.”
Alexia raised an eyebrow. “And how are you planning to serve justice if you’re a corpse?”
Lily stepped in before the argument could escalate. “Michael, she’s right. As much as I hate to admit it, we need to focus on what’s realistically achievable. If we get evidence and get out alive, the Academy will have everything they need to intervene in this matter. They have battalions to handle this sort of thing.”
Michael glanced between the two of them. His frustration was evident.
The idea of walking away, leaving a monster like Overlord Everan free to continue his atrocities, made him sick to his stomach.
But deep down, he knew they were right. Their job wasn’t to play heroes — it was to expose the truth.
“Fine,” he said after a long pause. “We focus on the evidence. But if there’s even the slightest chance to take him down, I’m taking it. Risk or not.”
Alexia smirked. “Sure. Just don’t complain when your noble ideals get us all killed.”
Michael ignored the jab and exhaled. “Alright, let’s finalize the plan. We’ll need to infiltrate the mansion, locate whatever he’s hiding, and have a way out.”
He let the silence stretch for a moment, then tilted his head toward Alexia. “So, where’s our scout?”
“Scouting,” she replied, her tone flat. “He’s finding ways in and out of the mansion.”
“Still?” Michael raised an eyebrow. “He’s been at it for two days, and we haven’t heard a word from him. You think he’s okay?”
Alexia waved a hand dismissively. “He’s fine. Kang might not look like much, but stuff like scouting, infiltrating, and espionage is his specialty. He’ll contact us when he’s ready.”
Michael frowned. “I’m not doubting his skills, but we’re running out of time. Before Everan realizes we’re onto him, we need to act. I want to make a move tonight.”
Alexia rolled her sightless eyes in mock exasperation. “Oh, Mikey. Always stressing so much. I told you — Kang will come through. Relax.”
Michael was going to respond when the cafe door creaked open and rang the small bell hanging over it.
A tall young man walked inside.
His hair was so white it seemed spun from clouds, and his eyes were azure blue like the clear sky on a summer morning.
He had an athletic frame, and while he was undeniably handsome, his face carried a feral edge that gave him a wild appeal.
Kang Tae-jin looked around the room, spotting them in an instant. He walked over and stopped at their table before addressing Alexia.
“Young Mistress,” he greeted, inclining his head. “Apologies for not contacting you. The Overlord has network jammers installed all around his mansion.”
“No worries,” Alexia shook her head. She then grinned at Michael. “See, I said he’ll come through.”
Michael sighed and turned to Kang. “So, did you find a way in?”
Kang scoffed before replying curtly, “Of course.”
Michael blinked.
He couldn’t help but notice the difference in how Kang spoke to Alexia compared to everyone else.
With her, he acted like a docile puppy, waiting to roll over at her command.
But with anyone else, he was like a rabid wolf, ready to tear someone’s throat out at the slightest provocation.
Michael knew Shadows were fiercely loyal to their masters. They were conditioned since childhood to serve a single person.
It was all they knew.
But even for a Shadow, Kang’s devotion to Alexia seemed a little… too much.
…Or maybe it was normal?
What did Michael know?
He didn’t have a Shadow, and he hadn’t seen many others.
Only scions of Ducal clans or those descending from the Royal blood could have a Shadow in their service.
And Michael didn’t exactly know too many highborn brats.
Well… except for Samael. But his Shadow was different. Juliana was aloof, not servile.
Maybe that was because she came from a noble family. And nobles, after all, were known to be quite arrogant.
Whatever. He was getting sidetracked.
Shaking his head, Michael put a stop to his chain of thought and looked back at Kang. “Alright, then. Let’s get moving.”
They needed to know everything Kang had learned — escape routes, patrols, anything useful.
The cafe they were in wasn’t crowded.
In fact, there were barely any customers here.
But even so, they couldn’t afford to discuss the sensitive details of their plan in a public space.
They needed to get back to their hotel.
But just as Michael was about to stand, Kang spoke up. “Wait.”
Michael frowned. “What?”
“I… haven’t eaten in two days,” Kang said, glancing down at the untouched burger on the plate in front of Michael.
Michael blinked. “You… want my burger?”
Kang’s gaze didn’t waver. “Yes.”
Alexia’s lips curved into a sly smirk. “Mikey, be a dear and feed the starving scout.”
With a resigned sigh, Michael slid the plate across the table. “Here. Enjoy.”
Alexia’s smirk broadened, her gray eyes sparkling with amusement. “Oh, and don’t be shy, Kang. Order whatever you want. Mikey’s paying for a job well done.”
Michael’s eyes shot wide in shock. He opened his mouth to protest, but by the time he could form a word, Kang had already ordered half the items on the menu and added them to his tab.