Chapter 121: 121 — My Life Belongs To Her

Amidst the dark forest, Izabella stomped on dry branches, their creaking sounds echoing beneath her steps. Spotting a crowd of people holding burning torches, she stepped before them.

"Is everyone here?" she demanded.

"Yes," the crowd replied in unison.

"We’re getting closer to our goal, Izabella," Isla chuckled, her voice tinged with excitement.

"Start attacking the remaining villages and head toward Erion as soon as possible during the grand duke’s absence," the queen ordered, pointing toward Erion.

The crowd mumbled their acknowledgment before departing as commanded by the queen.

"Here you are, Your Majesty!" a high-pitched voice exclaimed.

From the shadows of the dark forest emerged two women—Elise and Elene.

"Took you both long enough to arrive. I was about to return," Izabella said, stepping closer to the two women.

"G-greetings, Your Majesty," the two women stammered, bowing as they lifted their skirts slightly, their gazes fixed on the ground.

"W-We apologize! It was hard to find you in this dark place... But when we saw those flames, we followed—"

"Enough," Izabella interrupted Elene, raising her hand dismissively. "Have you carved the spells at the places I instructed you to?"

"Yes!" Elene and Elise exclaimed in unison.

"And that child... Has he been up to anything else apart from killing demons?"

"He is his usual self. Although... the grand duchess is strange."

"How strange?" Izabella curiously raised an eyebrow.

"It seems she is hostile towards us. I don’t know why."

"Befriend her. Earn her trust. Then, we will end her. It is easier to kill someone when they trust you more than anything, after all."

"As you command, my queen," the two maids said in unison.

"Good. You need to return before the grand duke arrives. And make sure to keep your mouths shut."

"Uhm..." Elise hesitated. "What about... a little something for..."

Izabella inhaled deeply before pulling off two of her rings—one adorned with a large ruby and the other with a diamond.

"Choose whichever you want and leave my sight at once."

The two servants bowed quickly before scurrying away.

"Greed is what defines humans," Isla sneered, the dark shadow hovering around Izabella’s body.

"Take me to our next destination," Izabella ordered, her gaze firm as it fixed on the demon.

Without a word, the dark shadow wrapped itself around Izabella.

Enveloped in darkness, the middle-aged woman closed her eyes, hoping the journey would be swift. Her fingers trembled, fear creeping in—she hated the darkness, especially when ensnared by a demon she could barely trust.

Moments later, the tight grip around her loosened. Opening her eyes, she realized she had arrived at her destination.

Before her stood large bodies of inhuman shapes— ones she could never have imagined. One had two heads, horns seemingly sharper than the swords knights carried, while others had animalistic forms.

The sight sent shivers down her spine, her stomach formed a tight knot, causing her to feel nauseous.

As she was about to turn her feet, and make a run, the demons made small movements— reaching for her.

[Stop. She is with us," Isla shielded Izabella, standing before her.

The demons glanced at each other only to nod at Isla’s words.

[Now, now. Let’s start with our plan,] Isla continued.

***

Standing in the shabby streets of the marketplace, Arlot glanced around in search of the place Cynthia had told him about. Due to the demon’s attack, the place had turned into ruins, leaving merely a few infrastructures intact.

Spotting the dark allay, he stood behind the large wall which had been newly built, the cement still newly laid on the bricks.

He glanced around, making sure no one was following him. He needed to be careful because he knew even if no one knew of his contacts with Cynthia, he could still be followed by knights or spies of the kingdom sent by the king.

From the beginning, Cynthia made it clear who her main enemy was— the king of Selvarys. Although she didn’t tell him the reason, he obeyed her every command as if they were rules in the holy book simply because she was no less than a goddess to him— who nearly died hadn’t she saved him.

Taking out the pendant she handed him, he stared if, a frown forming on his face.

He didn’t want to meet that mannerless man again. Clenching his fist, he rubbed his thumb on the pendant unwittingly.

It’s her order, and I can’t disobey.

Just then, a violet light flickered and soon the golden-haired young man appeared again.

With widened eyes, he stared at Arlot, as if he was waiting for someone else.

Understanding his shocked expression, Arlot coughed, clearing his throat.

"She told me to meet you and go to your base. She has a lot of work to do right now and can’t meet you."

Ying raised an eyebrow suspiciously. He stepped closer, examining the young man before as if he was a criminal or a thief.

"Where did you find this pendant? Did you steal it from the lady I have given it to?" He asked, snatching his pendant from Arlot’s grip.

"No. However, she asked me to meet you and discuss the plans," Arlot firmly said, glaring at the young woman.

Inhaling deeply, Ying grabbed Arlot’s hand, and snapped his finger, both vanishing from the dark alleys of the newly built marketplace.

Although for a brief moment, Arlot promptly swatted Ying’s from him, intensely looking at him in a threatening manner.

"We’ve arrived," the man announced, unbothered by Arlot’s hostile attitude.

The white-haired man shifted his gaze to the place before him.

Wooden tables and chairs covered the space, a total of four people seated amidst the large amount of tables while bottles and glasses were placed at their table.

"Is this some sort of joke? Aren’t you an organization? Why are there so little amount of people?" Arlot narrowed his gaze which followed Ying, who sat at that table.

"Of course not," Ying chuckled, his tone laced with amusement. "You think we parade all our members in the open? This is merely a front. The real organization operates where prying eyes can’t reach."

Arlot’s gaze remained skeptical, scanning the room once more.

Despite its shabby appearance, there was something oddly particular about the arrangement of tables and chairs. His sharp eyes caught faint carvings on the wooden surfaces—symbols he couldn’t interpret but instinctively knew held meaning.

"Follow me," Ying commanded, standing abruptly.

Without waiting for a response, he pushed open a seemingly ordinary wooden door at the back of the room.

A cold gust of air escaped as the door creaked, revealing a dimly lit staircase descending into darkness.

Arlot hesitated, his instincts alerting him of a trap— a lurking danger, but the memory of Cynthia’s unwavering faith in this man urged him forward. He trusted whatever— whoever she trusted.

The air grew colder with each step. As they reached the bottom, the space opened into a sprawling underground chamber.

Arlot’s breath hitched at the sight—a labyrinthine network of tunnels and rooms, their doors widely opened as if all their secrets were exposed.

People hurried past, carrying crates of weapons, maps, and other supplies. It was a stark contrast to the desolate scene above.

"This," Ying said with a smug grin, "is the heart of the resistance."

Arlot’s suspicion deepened.

"Resistance against what, exactly?"

Cynthia had never disclosed her plans openly nor her motives. She merely asked him to wait for the right time and he obeyed her every command.

Ying’s grin faded, replaced by a solemn expression.

"Against the tyrant king who’s plunged Selvarys into ruin. You wouldn’t understand—yet. But trust me, the lady was right to choose you— one of us— a shapeshifter."

"I don’t blindly follow anyone," Arlot shot back, his tone sharp. "If you want my help, I need to know everything. Why does she oppose the king? And what is your role in all this?"

Ying studied him for a moment, then sighed. "You’ll get your answers soon enough. But for now, you’re here to prove yourself. There’s a mission—dangerous, but crucial. Complete it, and you’ll earn the trust of the resistance."

Arlot’s jaw tightened. "What kind of mission?"

Ying’s eyes gleamed with an almost predatory excitement. "Infiltrate the royal archives and retrieve a document— a book. It’s heavily guarded, of course, but that’s why you’re here. Think of it as... a test."

Arlot’s heart pounded. The possibility of the book being the one Cynthia had asked for was high.

He inhaled deeply, looking at Ying, unafraid of any danger. However, he knew the risk of being caught wouldn’t just endanger him—it could jeopardize Cynthia’s plans. Yet he couldn’t back down.

"Fine," he said, his voice steady. "But if this is a setup, I’ll make sure you regret it," his teeth gritted, he harshly warned.

Ying laughed, clapping him on the back. "I like you already. Let’s hope you survive."

"My life belongs to her," Arlot stated, vanishing into the violet light.

"Why would he be so loyal to her?" Ying curiously raised an eyebrow.

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay Read