Eugene almost apologized to Mara without realizing it. “I…” She caught herself, lips pressing into a thin line. It was true that her Ramita had disrupted the spell. If Mara had been relying on its maintenance, then, yes, he had indeed suffered a loss.
But still—Eugene's gaze narrowed—it was only proper for Mara to take a step back after barging in unannounced, startling everyone, and delivering unreasonable demands through Aldrit.
She scoffed quietly, muttering under her breath, “It’s like he’s trying to seize an opportunity to gain the upper hand.”
This sly, exasperating deanor—it could almost draw a wry smile—was sothing Eugene knew all too well. She exhaled sharply, her thoughts bitterly amused. Ah, yes. You are undoubtedly Mara.
Her eyes lifted to the enormous black serpent towering over her. Even at this distance, its upright upper body lood far above the castle walls.
It’s massive… she thought, unable to suppress a shiver. The monsters of Holy City had been even larger, she reminded herself, a fact that made the kings who had defeated them seem all the more extraordinary.
Eugene’s discomfort flared as her eyes road over the creature. Reptiles and amphibians always unsettled her at first glance. Though she didn’t harbor an extre hatred for snakes, her feelings leaned decidedly negative. Yet…
Her brow furrowed, the unease easing into sothing else. “Fascinating,” she murmured, almost involuntarily. Maybe it was the sheer scale of it. At this size, the serpent felt less like a snake and more like an Imugi on the brink of ascending to a dragon.
She studied it more closely, noting the subtle oddities in its appearance. Its head was rounded, with gill-like folds near what seed to be its ears. It even had eyelids—a feature more akin to lizards than snakes. The deep black of its body rendered its scales nearly invisible, and its form struck a strange balance between snake and salamander.
***
“You’re silent, Anika. Cat got your tongue?” Mara’s deep, resonant voice rumbled, the corners of his lips curling into a faint, mocking smirk.
“Mara!” Aldrit snapped, his face hardening with disapproval.
Nearby, General Lester stood slack-jawed, his eyes wide with disbelief. In contrast, Sven, who was more accustod to the unusual, maintained a semblance of composure, though his brows knit tightly.
Clearing her throat, Eugene stepped forward, her gaze fixed on the towering serpent. “Mara,” she began, her tone steady but firm. “Can you hear at this size?”
“I can hear you even if you speak quieter,” Mara replied coolly, his massive head tilting slightly as his sharp eyes studied her.
“Good,” Eugene said, crossing her arms. “Then make sure this conversation is heard only by the four of us here.”
“Consider it done,” Mara rumbled, his voice carrying a note of indifference as if the task were trivial.
Eugene took a calming breath before continuing. “Before we get to the point, let’s clarify one thing.” She paused, her voice sharpening. “You ca here seeking my help, didn’t you?”
Mara’s silence was deafening. His unblinking gaze bore into her, but he didn’t reply.
Eugene’s eyes narrowed. “If you’re asking for help, you should know how to act appropriately. Answer my questions honestly and don’t nitpick. I genuinely want to do everything I can to help you.” Her voice softened, but her words carried a weight of sincerity. “I don’t want the elders to pass away either.”
For a mont, the air seed to thrum with tension. Then, the massive serpent’s head dipped slightly in what almost seed like an acknowledgnt. “…Very well,” Mara murmured, his tone subdued, the edge of arrogance dulling.
Aldrit’s eyes widened, and he turned to Eugene with a look of awe. To ta such an unruly, formidable being with nothing but her words—it was a feat he hadn’t thought possible.
***
“The monster in Holy City has been eradicated. Is that why you ca here?” Eugene’s voice was steady, but her eyes keenly observed Mara’s reaction.
All three people nearby turned their startled gazes toward her. General Lester, visibly relieved, let out a sigh. Our lord will finally return, he thought, shoulders loosening. Perhaps I’ll sleep well tonight.
Mara’s glowing red eyes blinked slowly, the massive serpent tilting its head slightly. “Eradicated… I see. I didn’t know. I’m not omniscient,” it replied, its voice carrying an indifferent rumble.
Eugene tilted her head, her gaze sharp. “You don’t seem pleased about it.”
“Why should I be?” Mara’s tone was flat, almost dismissive. “I didn’t devour the beast, so I gained nothing. It was an expected outco, with all the kings converging there.”
Eugene frowned, finding Mara’s indifference puzzling. “You said you bore a grudge,” she pressed.
She had thought it strange when Mara refused to join the battle against the monster last ti.
“From what I heard through Aldrit,” Eugene continued, her tone softening, “if the spell is broken, the elders’ lives will co to an end. That’s why you’re heading to Holy City—to find a way to sustain the spell and save them, right?”
Eugene’s thoughts turned to her ti in the desert, installing magical formations. She had gradually co to understand the implications of being bound to a spell. The idea that the elders, having far exceeded the natural human lifespan, might not survive long after the spell was broken saddened her.
One day at best, perhaps a few more—such a short ti.
The weight of the elders’ fate struck her again, and she hesitated before speaking. She had hoped there would be enough ti—enough to have a child and visit Holy City to et the elder Alber. But the shocking news Aldrit had brought earlier still lingered in her mind.
“Is my understanding correct?” Eugene asked carefully.
“It is,” Mara replied, the red glow of its eyes unwavering.
Eugene hesitated for a mont, then asked, “If you reestablish the sealing spell, your freedom might be permanently forfeited. Does that not bother you?”
“I’ve never been unfree.”
The imdiacy of Mara’s response caught Eugene off guard. She had expected hesitation, or perhaps indifference, but the certainty in its voice carried a depth she hadn’t anticipated.
It was more than a simple “It doesn’t matter.” It was a glimpse into a life spent bound to others’ needs, disguising its true form with spells or by assuming alternate forms. And yet, Mara’s lack of regret over the years it had spent bound to the elders suggested sothing deeper—sothing Eugene could not yet fully understand. Check latest chapters at novel⁂fire
When she left the capital, Eugene had been wary of Mara, even entertaining the idea of using Ramita against it if necessary. But with a single, poignant statent, Mara had peeled back its villainous exterior just enough to reveal a hint of vulnerability.
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