At this moment, within the silent stasis chamber, the last of the healing runes dimmed, dissolving into harmless motes of abyssal light.
Ace, currently wearing the persona of Nomad, exhaled softly as if waking from a long slumber rather than from a deliberately moderated ârecoveryâ.
His eyelids fluttered open, revealing pupils still clouded with the artificial fog of someone who had only barely survived their ordeal. His breathing was uneven, shallow, not because he needed to fake it, but because appearances mattered.
Nomad, who was supposed to recover from the brink of death, had just recovered, so he made himself small, fragile, and still recovering his mental state, or it would be too miraculous if he just walked out as if nothing had happened after battling with the Sin-corrupted Abyssal Beasts.
Furthermore, Ace had another reason to pretend like that as he pushed himself up on the stasis bed with a trembling arm, letting out a shaky breath as he murmured, "Hah... I canât believe I survived, and itâs all because of her highnessâs care!"
His voice cracked perfectly with subtle exhaustion, disorientation, and a touch of quiet gratitude; however, inside, Ace remained razor-focused.
âThe Duchess is back. Mirage Shadow hasnât left her post. Everything must be flawless!â
Ace thought with wariness because he could clearly see many moments on the Live Fate Map.
Furthermore, it had been three days since the mysterious âUnlucky Bossâ had made its notorious, thievish debut. It had the entire Black Hermit City remember that name, especially within the cityâs privileged and wealthy circles.
Moreover, Dread Duchess seemed to have personally gone there to see for herself, which caused another wave of shock among the victims, who almost cried at her feet and demanded justice.
Nonetheless, Dread Duchess seemed indifferent towards them, merely hearing their endless grievances, and some of them even expressed their backersâ harsh, firm attitude towards the thief, Unlucky Boss.
They were determined to capture this unscrupulous thief and make sure another tragedy like Bone Mercenary City wonât repeat itself in the Obsidian Myriad Kingdom, and another Evil Venerable Angel wonât rise again.
However, this was to save some face because Black Hermit City was considered just a small-scale city within the colossal Abyssal Plains. If not for the Black Hermit Mines, those powers wouldnât even bother to set up a branch in this city, not to mention the presence of the Dread Duchess.
In the end, that power didnât care about those losses because it boiled down to their reputation and credibility.
Dread Duchess was the same as she couldnât care less about the Black Hermit City, and if not for Nomad, she wouldnât have arrived here, and found out about the ancient remnant.
But now it seemed to have gone, and she personally confirmed it, which also made her fully believe Nomadâs story.
Now, the most pressing matter to the Duchess was the appearance of the hidden Cult of Undying Star within her territory, and who was this Unlucky Boss!
Moreover, with Unlucky Bossâs recent actions, she wasnât sure whether this fellow was just a petty thief and in the wrong place at the wrong time, or whether he had committed those thieveries like E.V.A. to cover up his true objective.
Ace had been secretly hearing the guards and servants gossiping among themselves within the castle, and he knew everything that had taken place within the city. He was pleased to have achieved his objective, but because of that, he was even more careful not to show any suspicious signs.
Thatâs why he was playing his part of the recovering Nomad with more care because he knew there were eyes on him.
At that moment, he reached for the edge of the bed before he suddenly froze because shadows behind him shifted like black water folding in on itself.
First, it was just a whisper of motion; a thin ripple across the wall before Mirage Shadow stepped out of his own silhouette. She materialized silently, her aura completely veiled, but her presence unmistakable.
If Ace had been Nomad, who had just recovered and was still slightly unstable, he wouldâve jumped, and so he did.
He flinched, recoiling slightly, hand instinctively moving toward a nonexistent weapon.
"S-senior Mirage Shadow?!" He gasped, eyes widening with perfect imitation of shock before he sighed with relief and couldnât help but complain, "You... you startled me!"
Mirage Shadow remained stoic as her eerie appearance added a touch to her dreadful existence, and she stared at him from behind her abyssal hood, her presence like the cold of a grave.
When she finally spoke, her voice carried the chill of silent storms, "Forgive me if I have startled you, Young Lord, and Iâm very glad youâre safe and have recovered faster than projected."
"It wasnât possible without your help, senior, and I wonât forget this favor." Ace pretended to be grateful because it was Mirage Shadow who had âsavedâ Nomad after all.
Mirage Shadow paused subtly as if assessing him, "I was merely completing the task that her highness had interested me in and almost failed."
A hint of subtle resentment surfaced in her tone, and Ace flinched as he felt a faint chill down his spine,
âIs she angry because I left her behind back there? I guess Dread Duchess mustâve reprimanded her...â
However, before Ace could explain, Mirage Shadow tone became stoic again as she stated, "Anyhow, since you have recovered, itâs all that matters. Now, Her Highness has been waiting."
Ace was startled, knowing what that meant, but outside, he blinked, his gaze clouded with confusion. "Why is Her Highness waiting for me?"
Mirage Shadow didnât answer because she didnât think it was necessary as her shadow expanded beneath her feet, dark tendrils curling outward like welcoming arms.
She stepped closer under Nomadâs startled expression as she murmured, "Please stand, young lord; her highness does not appreciate delays."
Nomad swallowed visibly before he nodded, "I... understand."
He forced himself to his feet, wobbling slightly, as if the healing hadnât thoroughly done its work, and a gloved hand caught his arm, steadying him.
A gesture so unexpected that Ace almost stiffened because Mirage Shadow didnât see someone who would touch people unless ordered.
Her voice softened by a fraction, barely noticeable, yet unmistakable.
"You survived the mines," She said, tone low, "...now I hope you can survive what comes next!"
Ace was genuinely startled this time because he had no idea what Mirage Shadow meant by those words, and before he could question her.
At this moment, Mirage Shadowâs shadow widened in a circular bloom beneath them, stretching like a curtain being pulled open to reveal an abyssal maw before the shadows swallowed them!