Kingdom Bloodline

Chapter 774: Approachable
What exactly is the assassin here for?
Thales' eyes flickered.

"Yes, what the Reverse Blade did when it entered the Corpse Pit... was it for King Lausanne II, or for Lady Kevindir? Or something else?"

Wyatt spoke very quickly to mask his inner turmoil and anxiety:

“If it’s just about rescuing King Lausanne II, on the surface, it would be advantageous to young master Federico, since King Lausanne II was his assassin and would be a great help once he regains his freedom… However, you have already reached a compromise with the two Kevindirs. Such a blatantly biased approach will only arouse your deep suspicion of Federico, which is actually extremely detrimental to him…”

Wyatt's deduction surprised Thales.

"These are... your own ideas?"

After three days apart, Wyatt should be viewed with new respect.

"Was that curved blade meant to kill King Lausanne II and silence him? If so, then all those murders that started with the wine merchants—those committed by Federico in the name of revenge, then covered up by Janne's political maneuvering, and finally dragged into the noble arbitration—would be impossible to prove... You've lost your direct leverage to threaten them into sitting down to negotiate, and you've also lost the clues for further investigation. Compared to Kevin Deer, you are the one who has suffered the greatest loss in this matter..."

But Wyatt ignored Thales and continued on his own:
"And is the Reverse Scimitar here to kidnap Lady Kevin Deer? If so, then the mastermind might be targeting Duke Jann, trying to force him into submission... and then young Master Federico would undoubtedly be the beneficiary..."

"Or it can be understood the other way around."

Thales interrupted him, and the prince said in a deep voice:
"If Hilla is kidnapped and hidden by the Reverse Scimitar, then she won't be able to communicate with me, nor will she become Jann's weakness. This would actually make things easier for him... Simply put, Jann only needs to act angry and crazy, shift the blame to his cousin, insist on 'finding my sister first,' and then hold onto the power in Emerald City and refuse to budge until I have no choice but to give in... After all, I can't just kill him directly..."

The prince's analysis sent a chill down Wyatt's spine.

"And the worst-case scenario is that the Reverse Blade is here to kill Hilaire... If the assassination succeeds, then the balance that I and the two Kevindirs have painstakingly maintained will be shattered in an instant... The noble arbitration will have become meaningless, and there will be no possibility of a peaceful resolution to the situation in Emerald City... At that time, unless His Majesty commands the wrath of the kingdom and sends troops to quell the unrest, the southern coast of the kingdom will never have peace... At that time, it will truly be a situation where 'all I see is darkness'..."

The Iris Clan Banner fluttered in the wind high in the sky, and Thales, beneath it, gazed at the extraordinary cityscape of the Queen's City with a somber expression.

“Yes, yes,” Wyman lowered his head, “So, the purpose of the Reverse Scimitar’s trip is very important; it will reveal the mastermind’s stance… however…”

Wyatt paused, then sighed:

"The 'four-no-like' creature, the Reverse Scimitar, didn't seem to be there to rescue King Losang II, nor to silence him. It failed to kidnap Miss Hilaire, and it doesn't seem to intend to kill her. The current outcome is that King Losang II didn't escape, but... and Miss Hilaire is in danger, dragging her seriously ill body back to the palace... Of course, we are keeping the events in the tunnel and the Reverse Scimitar strictly confidential, preventing any leaks..."

"It's a warning."

Thales gazed at the distant horizon.

"Your Highness?"

Thales turned around, his eyes deep.

“You’re right, Wyman, a hybrid. Compared to decisive killing, the reverse scimitar is more like a performance show, proving that she has the ability to disrupt the balance, yet restraining herself and stopping short of a certain point, as if… as if it were just to warn someone.”

Wyman frowned:
"Warning...who?"

“Whoever is in power controls the situation,” Thales said quietly, “and will warn them.”

"But this is too much..."

Thales' eyes flickered:
"Is it possible that the mastermind behind this is indeed dissatisfied with the situation and unhappy with the current compromise, but they lack the ability to turn the tide and salvage the situation? In fact, given their position, it's inconvenient for them to even openly show up and make demands..."

Wyman seemed to realize something, and his expression changed slightly.

“Therefore, they still need to rely on me,” Thales pondered, “rely on me, who is at least for now the nominal regent and ruler of the Kongming Palace, to achieve their goals?”

"That……"

Just then, Marius walked over from a distance and interrupted them.

"Your Highness."

"Thor."

Lord Marius.

Marius first bowed to Thales, then nodded to Wyatt.

"Excuse me, Your Highness. From what I've seen, Officer Doyle is recovering well, but he may still need some psychological counseling..."

Thales breathed a long sigh of relief, a rare occurrence for him.

"Unfortunately, the assassinated priest Chadwi has not yet woken up, and it is said that it depends on whether the goddess of the sunset will favor him," but the Watchman changed the subject: "In addition, despite our efforts to keep it a secret, the news that Miss Cecilia has returned to the palace due to her serious illness has already spread outside."

Thales' hard-won smile vanished once again.

Whatever.

Sooner or later.

"As for the impact of the temple assassination, not to mention the perplexing nature of the case... from yesterday until now, at least seventeen groups of visitors have come to the outside of the Sky Palace, all of whom have been turned away by Steward Ashford. Countless others have inquired about the matter privately," Marius said.

Seventeen waves...

“Very good.” Thales breathed a sigh of relief.

"Regarding the sudden appearance of the Extreme Assassin's Reverse Scimitar, we have already devised a contingency plan..."

Just then, Thales thought of something, his eyes darting around as he interrupted the other person:
"By the way, Thor, can you contact the Kingdom's Secret Service?"

Kingdom Secret Service.

Upon hearing this, even Wyman couldn't help but prick up his ears.

Marius remained silent for a moment:

“I can go to Xinyong Star City, Your Highness, and then pass on your request to…”

"But I'm talking about right now, locally, in the Emerald City's secret service."

Marlowe paused for a moment.

"I'm sorry, I don't have that channel."

Thales sighed and waved his hand in disappointment.

Marius looked at him and suddenly said, "But I can ask Forby. The Flag Wing may have special channels and means."

Thales' eyes lit up for a moment, but then dimmed again:
"OK, thanks."

"But Your Highness, if I may be so bold, is this really the crux of the problem?"

"What do you mean?"

“Even if we get in touch with…whoever you want to contact,” Marius said quietly, “what can you say to them, and what kind of response do you expect from them?”

“I…” Thales began instinctively, but then fell silent.

Thales slumped down, his hands gripping the observation deck.

"Ok."

"And one more thing."

"uh-huh?"

"The teacher of the Chadwi priest, the highly respected High Priest Fabre of the South Bank Diocese, was furious. He sent a letter to you in harsh terms regarding the assassination of his student, declaring that he would come to the palace to see you no matter what."

"Chadwi's teacher? Well, I do owe Chadwi something, if I could just get a scolding from his teacher..."

“The key point is that High Priest Fibourt not only sent a letter to you,” Marius said softly, as if he were talking about a trivial matter, “but also to all the nobles, officials, landowners, merchants, and even important guests throughout the city, inviting believers to join him in discussing the situation in Emerald City in the name of the goddess of the setting sun’s compassion for the common people.”

All over the city...

Together we pay homage...

Consider the situation...

It took Thales several seconds to process what had happened, but when he realized what was going on, his expression changed drastically!
"What does this mean? Is this a challenge to punish someone? Or is it a mass coup?" Wyman was also shocked.

"Fuck..."

Thales turned around in disbelief:

Why don't they just rebel?

"Then I'll go and mobilize the troops right away—" In his haste, Wyatt didn't finish his sentence and took a step forward before Thales, who was still relatively rational, pulled him back.

"Don't worry, although the momentum is great..."

Marius remained nonchalant, as if he were accustomed to plotting:
"But it shouldn't be to the point of rebellion yet."

"A show of force... does that mean someone is responding?"

“After all, no matter is too small when it comes to faith, and the high priest himself is a well-known good man. His reputation is so high that it extends from the Calabyan family to the Lasia family…” Marius said it very tactfully.

Thales let out a painful sigh.

"Can't I refuse to see him?"

“Of course you can,” Marius remained calm, “but the matter has already spread throughout the city, and if they gather in front of the Palace of the Empty City…”

Thales covered his head and groaned:
"Guards—where is my court rod?"

Wyman was taken aback: "Your Highness?"

Thales smoothed his messy hair. "Sorry, I lost my composure. Where's Federico? Where's Jenn?"

"As you commanded, we have arrived."

“Very good, I’ll go see them now and see how to deal with it,” Thales nodded with satisfaction, then cursed again, “Damn it.”

He knew it.

This matter won't end with the reverse scimitar.

"Your Highness."

"how?"

“Remember your martial arts lessons?” Marius reminded him, squinting. “When you’re getting beaten up, never get carried away.”

Don't get carried away.

Hold.

"Okay, thanks... Wait, getting beaten up?" Thales's face darkened.

Marius wisely remained silent.

Duke Starlake was in a state of turmoil, but with many guards and servants watching from a distance, he had to tidy his appearance and calm his emotions.

“Wyatt,” Thales frowned, “you just said there’s a third point of contention regarding the events at the Ghoul Pit?”

“Oh! Your Highness, yes, it is…”

The prince's attendant, still immersed in the "coup d'état" accusations, snapped out of his daze. He opened his notebook, hesitated, and finally shook his head awkwardly.
"I'm sorry, I haven't thought of that yet. I'll let you know when I've thought it through."

Thales was preoccupied with worries:
"Very good, hard work."

He nodded to Marius and Wyatt, then gritted his teeth and turned away:
"Excuse me, I must now face the storm."

Marius waved his hand, and Toledo and Itariano, who were attending him, followed closely behind the prince, along with the palace guards on the outer perimeter, all of whom withdrew from the watchtower.

Watching the prince walk away, Wyatt bowed to Marius and prepared to follow, but Marius called him back.

What is the third point of doubt?

"What?" Wyman was taken aback.

Marius gestured to the notebook in his hand.

"Oh, about that... Actually, I haven't thought of that yet..."

“Things you haven’t considered won’t be listed as suspicious points,” Marius said, pointing to his notes slowly but confidently, “let alone numbered: ‘the third’ suspicious point.”

Wyman paused, then fell silent.

Marius smiled, turned and left without forcing anyone to stay.

"It's okay, don't worry about it."

Wyman looked at the Watchman's retreating figure, then glanced at his own notebook, a look of hesitation on his face.

"Your Excellency!"

After much hesitation and looking around, the prince's attendant finally couldn't help but speak:
"Can I trust you?"

Marius's figure paused.

“It depends,” the Watchman stopped, turned around, and smiled slightly. “If it’s another rebellion, then I’ll probably just turn around and sell you out…”

But he was immediately interrupted.

"The Corpse Demon Pit itself is a secret, known only to the ostracized lower classes within. The interior of the pit is like a labyrinth..."

This time, Wyman spoke very quickly, almost panting as he finished:

"Only insiders and the guards we've sent out these past few days know."

At that moment, the mockery in Marius's eyes vanished.

“But, but the scimitar had a clear objective, heading straight for the dungeon, as if it knew from the beginning where Lausanne II was, and even more so where Lady Kevindale was,” Wyatt said through gritted teeth.

"It probably came from the priest of that temple. After all, there was an assassination attempt at the temple and an attack on the tunnels... The Curved Blade rushed in as soon as it got the information..." Marius pondered.

"Lord! Please!"

Wyatt almost yelled at him, interrupting him:

Do you really believe it's such a coincidence?

A gust of wind swept by, causing the tricolor iris banners above their heads to flutter and sway in the breeze.

"You've been holding it in for a long time, haven't you?"

The Watchman stared at Wyman for a very long time before slowly speaking:
"Tell me everything else."

Wyman closed his eyes and exhaled.

"shackles."

He opened his eyes, held up his notebook, and showed a sketch inside:
"The mechanical shackles we requisitioned from the Kongming Palace armory to bind King Losang II were passed down from an ancient, forbidden magic tower. It's said that even a master of the highest level couldn't open them unless someone set and locked them. Although the mute had some objections, but..."

Marius's eyes narrowed.

“But it was opened, and Losang II regained his freedom, which allowed him to revive Doyle with his source blood… I don’t have a problem with Doyle’s bodyguard being alive, I just…” Wyah said solemnly.

Marius said cautiously:
"You mean..."

Wyman slammed the notebook shut.

“Yes! Lord, I suspect that at this very moment, among those of His Highness, there is someone in our Starlake Fortress, the Starlake Guard… no, to be precise, among those close to His Highness…”

On the spacious and open observation deck of the Kongming Palace, Wyatt stood before Marius, anxious and hesitant, and began to speak with difficulty:
"There's a mole."

Marius remained silent.

He looked at Wyman with an unprecedented gaze, and stared at him for a very long time.

Insider.

interesting.

But Wyman was in a state of utter confusion. He paid no attention to the other person's gaze, only kept fiddling with the notebook in his hands: "If what I'm guessing is true, then it means that we, we..."

"So……"

Finally, the Watcher spoke softly:
"Who do you suspect?"

Upon hearing the prompting, the restless Wyman seemed to find his anchor and quickly continued:
"Yes! Quite a few people have come into close contact with that shackle, or even witnessed it being locked. But those who have just returned from their shift in the tunnels, have the time and opportunity, and even... even the motive to contact the outside world... even the chance to confront the enemy directly..."

Wyatt gritted his teeth, took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and then opened them again:

"I know she's strong; she's always been strong."

Marios's expression changed slightly.

He knew who the other person was referring to. "But is she really strong enough to hold off an extreme assassin all by herself, without falling behind, until His Highness comes to her aid?"

Wyman frowned deeply.
"If she's really that strong, how do you explain her performance against King Lausanne II?"

Wyman couldn't help but start rubbing his hands together:
"Also, she said she was almost killed by the curved blade, but... I asked the doctor, and while her abrasions and cuts looked frightening, they weren't fatal. The bandages on her abdomen had already scabbed over long ago after they were removed. And Miss Hilly is unconscious, so there's no way to corroborate her story..."

The attendant carefully observed the watchman's response.

"Um……"

Marius squinted:
"Go on."

Encouraged, Wyman adjusted his breathing:

“We know most of the Starlake Guards very well, but only Lady Arendt, she only stayed and joined the team after His Majesty visited Starlake Castle.”

In that instant, a cold glint flashed in Marius's eyes!
"Who said that?"

"Isn't this obvious..."

Marius spoke in a cold, solemn, and stern voice:

"No, who told you that His Majesty the King had ever visited Starlake Castle?"

Wyatt paused for a moment.

He stared blankly at Marius.

The watchman glanced back at him coldly.

It seemed as if they were about to start a fight at the slightest disagreement.

After a long while, Wyman finally let out a breath and dejectedly flipped through his notebook:

“Well… On the day the Flower of the Fortress visited Starlake Castle, Prince Thales hosted a banquet in her honor, but left halfway through and did not return until much later.”

Wyman shook his head as he turned the page:
"At that time, His Highness appeared nonchalant, but his eyes... After the banquet, the captain of the guard and his men returned to the capital... Only His Highness Thales seemed preoccupied. Then, a few days later, a royal decree was issued from the Palace of Restoration: His Highness was to go to the Emerald City."

Marius read through his notes page by page, his brow furrowing: "So you're certain it was His Majesty himself who came?"

Wyman shook his head.

"I wrote down the physical characteristics of everyone in the visiting group that day..."

"You've written down...what?" Even the composed Marius was taken aback upon hearing this.

“...compare the lists of the Royal Guard and the Star Guard one by one…”

Wyman ignored him and continued speaking:

"It turned out that there was a person who never removed his helmet that day, who served Captain Adrian closely and never left his side, but he didn't match the list."

"DD saw that he was a stranger and wanted to strike up a conversation as usual, but he was pushed back by his old colleagues from the Guard Wing without any mercy."

"The zombie told me that the formation of the guard wings that day seemed excessively tight, and it wasn't to escort Lord Sonia, but rather to closely protect Lord Adrian—or someone else around him."

"And most importantly, Mr. Vitano—the old keeper of Starlake Castle—had always been in a daze and insane, but on that day, he actually spent half a day cleaning the reception hall, much more diligently than we did."

"So, although I can't believe it, I have to believe it... That day, His Majesty came to see Prince Thales in person."

Marius took his notebook, his gaze toward Wyatt growing increasingly astonished.

"And coincidentally... on the day His Majesty came to Starlake Castle, Miranda Aaron also came, and once she arrived, she didn't want to leave, and she wanted to go to Emerald City with us."

Wyman raised his head and hesitated for a moment:
"Lord, tell me, why did Lady Arend join His Highness's ranks and pledge allegiance to him?"

Marius could not answer him.

"Was she really just acting out of old affection, to repay past favors, to save her father, and to secure a place for herself in the kingdom's future?"

Wyman was deeply worried:
"And to achieve all this... what was she willing to give up? What was she willing to sacrifice? What was she willing to overcome?"

After reading his notes, Marius remained silent for a long time.

Why didn't you report these things to the prince just now?

Upon hearing the word "prince," Wyatt paused for a moment.

"As you can see, His Highness is currently facing a lot of troubles. There are three Kevin Deer in the palace, each more difficult than the last, and outside the palace, there are a bunch of people who want to cause him trouble."

The attendant shook his head helplessly and sadly, then gave a self-deprecating smile:
"And a long time ago, Lady Arend and His Highness shared a bond of life and death, so it's inconvenient for me... um, it's not appropriate for me to get too... too involved..."

“As is customary, Miranda Aarond will be the second page to the prince, and he will be the page he has chosen,” Marius said without hesitation, speaking frankly and without any pretense. “You don’t want him to think that you are resentful or jealous of his talent.”

Wyatt was startled, his face flushed with embarrassment, and he vehemently denied it:
“No! I…I didn’t actually think about it…I wasn’t jealous…I mean, the different attendants should be collaborators, not competitors…We, we all serve His Highness…Even if it’s not Aarond, there are others…like Paul…I mean, His Highness should give him a proper title, he can’t just follow along like this without any clear status…”

Wyatt Castle!

Marius closed Wya's notebook and slapped the incoherent aide on the chest.

The Watchman stared intently at him:
"Who do you think are the people around His Highness that he can truly trust?"

For a fleeting moment, Wyatt was stung by Marius's eyes and instinctively wanted to turn away.

"The Star Lake Guard consists of elite soldiers selected from the Royal Guard, and their loyalty is unwavering..."

But Marius gave him a cold glance, swallowing his polite words.

Wyman had to swallow hard and answer seriously:

"Trustworthy... Alright, let me think. Hmm, the mute has been with His Highness the longest and has no other interpersonal ties, so there shouldn't be any problem... His Highness saved DD's life and has a good relationship with Golov... Of course, there's also me; I consider myself utterly loyal to His Highness... As for the others, His Highness is, after all, the heir to the kingdom, so even if we consider the future and his own interests..."

“No,” Marius replied curtly.

Wyatt was momentarily speechless.

“Remember this, Wyman: In the entire Starlake Fortress, apart from that stupid dog that chases birds, there is no person or even living creature that can be trusted.”

Marius then spoke slowly in a serious tone that Wya had never encountered before:
"Whether it's the so-called loyal Imperial Guards or the old soldiers and officials who have been following this brat for a long time, none of them can be trusted... Even the cats and mice in and around the castle, and even that bad horse that steals the night feed, are all treacherous and cunning, and extremely scheming."

what?
Wyman was stunned.

The entire Star Lake Fortress...

There were no people or even living things...

"How... how can this be..."

Wyman's disbelief:
"Then Your Highness, Your Highness is living in..."

Just then, Marius grabbed the shoulder of the prince's attendant, startling the latter.

"But you said..."

The next second, Marius changed the subject.

"In the Palace of Restoration, among the ministers who toil for His Majesty the King, and throughout the kingdom, among the loyal and valiant generals who have sworn allegiance to the King," the Watcher squinted, looking down at the Emerald City, "how many are truly worthy of trust?"

what?
Wyatt hesitated, then said, "But—"

“Even your father, the infamous cunning fox, the renowned minister who brought peace to the stars and dragons, Gilbert Cassel, tell me, is he worthy of your trust?”

For a moment, Wyman's expression froze.

"He and I……"

Marius stared at him coldly, and after a long while, he slowly released Wya's shoulder.

"If you doubt someone, don't use them; if you use someone, don't doubt them. This is a simple saying."

The Watchman said softly:

"But in reality, if you don't use people you doubt, you often end up with no one to use."

"As for trusting those you employ..." Marius didn't explain, but just gave a mocking chuckle to express his attitude.

Wyman stood there, stunned.

Marius patted him on the shoulder and walked past him.

“But well done, you are truly worthy of being called the real Wyman, and you are indeed different from the other ‘Wymans’.”

Wyman was taken aback by what he heard.

“Keep doubting, remain doubting, and then accept reality,” Marius remarked, “because that’s how the world works.”

Wyman realized what was happening and quickly turned around:

“Wait, Lord, what about Aaron, she…”

Marius gave a soft snort:
"Paterson, Fuby, and Stolt—the three chiefs of the Punishment Wing, the Flag Wing, and the Logistics Wing, who usually boss their subordinates around and are too lazy to lift a finger themselves, are all busy running around now. Why do you think that is?"

"Well... that's because the guard suffered a major accident, almost resulting in casualties, and Officer Doyle was seriously injured..."

and many more.

Wyman paused halfway through his sentence.

"So when they get busy, it's actually to..."

Marius smiled.

"The issues you have doubts about, they have already had doubts about, and they have already been dealing with them."

Wyatt was immediately startled.

Of course, as for whether it can be cleaned up completely, or how clean it can be cleaned up, or whether it should be cleaned up at all...

Marius shook his head.

Besides, they can handle your Wyman problem.

But who can solve Marius's problem?

Marius strode forward, ignoring Wya behind him.

“But Lord, you haven’t answered my first question,” Wyatt suddenly spoke up.

Marius stopped in his tracks.

Wyman looked at him with an extremely serious expression.

“Tormond Marius,” the sergeant said coldly, “can I trust you?”

The response was good.

They have quite a good intuition.

Marius laughed.

“Of course you can,” Marius said, brushing non-existent dust off his hands. “I am the head of the Star Lake Guard, and you are the prince’s attendant. If you don’t even believe me, what kind of work are you doing?”

Wyman stared intently at the other person, and after a long while, he slowly nodded:
"very good."

But the prince couldn't.

Marius thought to himself.

He can't trust anyone.

Even himself.

Wyman swallowed hard. "But I still want to say that I will, I will, find an opportunity to report to His Highness about what happened today, including what you just said."

Marius raised an eyebrow:
“Very good—even if it’s the part of you that’s jealous of Aaron and feels unbalanced.”

Wyman froze instantly.

But the attendant didn't say much. He gave an awkward bow and said, "Then, please excuse me. I need to go back and look for the fourth point of doubt, if there is one."

Marius nodded and left in two different directions with his attendant.

But Wyman stopped after taking only a couple of steps.

What stole your trust?

"Hmm?" Marius asked, puzzled.

Wyman stood still and said:

"What is it, Lord Marius, that has robbed you of your trust in others, and even in this world?"

Marlowe paused for a moment.

At that moment, Wyatt and Marius stood back to back, each with their own distinct emotions.

“I know you have no family or relatives, and you’re all alone… but I’m saying, if you’re going to doubt everything like this, and lack even basic trust,” Wyman frowned, “then how are we supposed to live and face this world?”

And you, Little Tuo, you think this is the end?

Marius closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled.

You'll pay the price, little Tom.

When the watchman opened his eyes again, all he saw was a deep chill.

There's much more than you can imagine.

"Then what has stolen your trust?"

Marius said emotionlessly:
"Especially your trust in your father?"

Wyman's eyes widened suddenly.

"And what is it that makes you want to place this trust in the prince?"

The watchman spoke coldly, his words like the claws of a tiger or leopard, tearing at the heart and lungs:
"Is it because...you're jealous, jealous that your father treats him more like a son than he treats you?"

In that instant, in Marius's perception of the power of termination, the young attendant behind him instantly transformed into a sharp blade.

The light is cold and sharp.

The blade faces outwards.

Keep away from strangers.

After a long while, Wyatt Castle finally raised his head, his face expressionless.

"you know……"

The prince's attendant spoke slowly, his voice flat and emotionless, like a monologue devoid of feeling:

"Chief Aaron said you are skilled with short blades, which is why you have the nickname 'Terrifying Blade'."

Marius turned his head to the side, his brows furrowed tightly:
"you sure?"

“But I have a feeling,” Wyatt said slowly, “that the most crucial and fitting part of your title is not actually the ‘sharp blade’ part.”

The part that is not a sharp blade.

What else could it be?
But Wyatt said nothing more and walked away.

Marius turned back to watch Wyah's departing figure, and after a long while, he let out a soft sneer.

Nonsense.

Marius, he was clearly the most approachable.

In the vibrant and bustling Emerald City, the Watcher stands atop the Sky Palace, gazing at the gloomy, black-and-white world before him, and a smile curls at the corners of his lips.

They're so close they're practically turning into people.

(End of this chapter)