Several hours had passed since Yusuf had fallen asleep.
Yusuf's magnificent tent, though temporary, stood out even from a great distance.
The area around him was densely packed with guards, magicians, masters, and even assassins, all of whom were tasked with protecting the Padishah and carrying out any number of unsavory deeds.
Yet Yusuf was a hundred, even a thousand tis more important than the Padishah, who lay dying without even opening his eyes.
Still, a black shadow moved leisurely through the heavily guarded area, evading both surveillance and guards.
Despite the impossibility of going unnoticed, the shadow bypassed all obstacles, aided by a honeyed voice whispering softly in the darkness.
The ticulously designed periter defenses collapsed before the mysterious force. However, the closer the shadow ca to the center, the more frequently its voice was needed to bypass the intricate barriers.
Eventually, the shadow penetrated all boundaries and reached Yusuf's bedroom. It was strange, though, that such great power was necessary to get this far.
The shadow crept around the bedroom, eliminating all the hidden assassins with precision, before silently appearing before Yusuf, who lay quietly sleeping.
Swoosh—!
A small figure erged from the shadows.
A woman wrapped in pure white silk, adorned with gold and jeweled ornants, approached Yusuf leisurely.
Her skin was soft and pale, untouched by the sun. She had well-grood, elegant eyebrows, a sharp nose, lips beautifully upturned as though drawn, and sharp eyes that glimred with confidence.
"Hoo hoo hoo…"
The woman, Siana, smiled as she looked at the sleeping Yusuf.
At last, she had him. The key to seizing this vast land lay in her grasp.
Siana leaned in slowly, her breath steady, and whispered into Yusuf's ear.
"Get up, Yusuf."
…
Only silence followed.
Despite Siana's words, Yusuf did not move an inch and continued to breathe quietly.
Siana's delicate eyebrows furrowed.
"Yusuf. Get up now."
…
But once again, Yusuf remained motionless.
Siana's elegant smile twisted into a frown of irritation and anger, her venomous nature breaking through her beautiful facade.
"Wake up."
Unsure whether it was truly Yusuf lying before her, Siana gave the command without calling his na.
Still, there was no response.
Siana's eyebrows knitted hysterically. She waved her hand in annoyance toward the shadow waiting silently behind her.
"… … ."
The shadow moved slowly to check on Yusuf, who was still asleep.
After a mont, the shadow nodded to Siana.
This young man was undoubtedly Yusuf.
But why wasn't he responding?
"What happened? If this is Yusuf, why isn't he listening to my orders?" Siana demanded, her voice strained as she tried to maintain control.
The shadow reached out and placed its fingers on Yusuf's neck.
"… … He's poisoned."
A low, soft male voice erged from the shadow.
"… What?"
Siana, unable to process what she had heard, asked again, her voice louder this ti.
"He has been poisoned and is in a state of paralysis," the shadow replied.
"What in the world…!"
Boom!
Before Siana could finish her sentence, Yusuf's bedroom exploded with a deafening noise, as though by magic.
Woohoo!
Pubbuck!
Three mana blades rained down where Siana had been standing, completely obliterating the space.
But thanks to the shadow's swift reflexes, it enveloped Siana and retreated, leaving her unhard.
"… … ."
Siana, cradled in the shadow's arms, looked around in shock.
The area was now teeming with masters, wizards, guards, and assassins.
Yusuf, whom Siana had thought she finally possessed, was now blocked from view by an impenetrable wall of defenders.
Thud. Thud. Thud… … .
In the midst of the chaos, an old man walked out calmly and stood before Siana.
"Heretic Siana. I've been waiting," Nishanks said, his rock-like lips moving on a face as weathered as a tree.
"… Oh my, isn't this the old snake of the Padishah?"
Siana sneered, glaring at Nishanks with a distorted expression. Yet, she quickly regained her composure, forcing a smile.
"You truly are an old snake, shedding your skin to serve a new master."
"You, like a snake greedily opening its mouth, covet what you should not," Nishanks replied, his voice cold and unyielding.
"… … ."
Siana's forced smile faltered at Nishanks' cutting words, and her expression twisted into sothing darker.
"I can see it in your face. Aren't you the daughter of Koza, who was sold into slavery?"
"Don't you dare ntion that na!"
Siana scread, her voice tearing through the air.
From between her parted lips, a black tongue slithered grotesquely, exuding an unsettling aura.
Nishanks, however, remained impassive, his expression as unchanging as an ancient tree.
"Just like your father, you arrogantly covet what is forbidden," he said.
"My father had a legitimate right!" Siana hissed.
"Koza was rely a military commander. He had no rights," Nishanks replied.
"No! That land was supposed to be my father's!"
"And yet, he didn't get it, did he?"
"You vile bastards killed my father! You sold and my mother into slavery!"
"If Koza had a legitimate claim, he wouldn't have needed to ask. He crossed a line he should not have and paid the price. If your mother hadn't goaded him, this might not have happened."
"How dare you!"
Siana's voice crackled with fury, her anger erupting like lightning.
As the daughter of the once-powerful Sahal Din Khoja, Siana had experienced the heights of privilege and power.
Koza, a capable commander, had achieved great victories in territorial wars, earning whispers that he would one day beco a lord.
But politics is rarely so straightforward.
Koza's conquered lands were given to others. Though he swallowed his disappointnt, his wife could not.
'I would rather be the wife of a lord than of a military commander,' she had said.
Manipulated by his wife's ambitions, Koza opposed the decision.
And for his audacity, the once-loyal commander was falsely accused and executed.
Siana and her mother, who had spurred him on, lost everything and were sold into slavery.
Unable to bear her new reality, Siana's mother took her own life.
Left alone, Siana endured years of servitude under strict surveillance.
Now, Nishanks regarded her with disdain.
"How dare a lowly woman touch the body of a nobleman," he spat, his tone sharp with insult.
"… Ha, haha! You old snake, you poisoned my master to stop !" Siana burst into laughter, finally understanding.
Nishanks had poisoned Yusuf, rendering him unconscious to prevent her from enslaving him with her power.
"Are you laughing at , despite having fallen into this trap?" Nishanks asked calmly, adjusting his robes.
His heavy eyes bore into her, unshaken.
"A trap? Don't be ridiculous."
Siana smiled sweetly, undeterred.
She had no need for traps.
Surrounded by so many people, all potential puppets for her to control,
Surrounded by so many people, all
potential puppets for her to control, and with Nishanks himself here, she was certain of victory.
"Nishanks." Siana cooed, her voice
dripping with honey.
"l order you. Kill yourself."
Her sweet voice echoed, yet nothing
happened.
Reviews
All reviews (0)