LOGINHe was still dressed in his signature black formal coat, silver hair meticulously combed, his expression calm and unwavering.Time had carved deep lines across his face, but none of it could dull the aura he carried—the quiet, immovable weight of power. It wasn’t the kind of presence that oppressed, but rather one steeped in tragedy and resolve, a solemn majesty born of loss.Eryx was the first to step forward, his voice low but edged with anger.“So it was all you, then? Every move, every death—part of your grand design? You even wagered our lives? You truly are a fine ruler, Edgar.”Edgar lifted his gaze, unflinching. “I only guided fate to where it was meant to go.”Eryx’s jaw tightened, and he took another step, fists clenching at his sides.“Fate? Don’t you dare blame this on fate, Edgar! If it hadn’t been for your obsession with the Grail’s power, Celesta would still be alive! You speak of rebirth—but you couldn’t even protect one life!”For a moment, the air in the room froze s
The night was thick as ink, the fog growing heavier by the minute. The air on the island had turned dense and frigid, as though a cold curtain had settled over every inch of ground. Wind swept across the water, carrying an eerie undertone—like a low, distant moan foretelling something ominous.Alia, Marcellus, and Eryx stood where they were, none of them moving first. The island was dead silent; even the waves seemed to hold their breath.The air pulsed with a restrained yet lethal tension—as if several bows had been drawn tight, each waiting for the other to release.Suddenly, the wooden door of the house creaked open with a long, sharp squeak.The sound sliced through the stillness like a blade. A faint light spilled from within, and a figure slowly stepped out.It was an elderly gentleman, his hair silver-white, dressed immaculately in a charcoal-gray suit. His collar was crisp, his posture upright, and a black ebony cane rested in his gloved hand. The lamplight cast fractured shad
Alia’s breath caught for an instant, trembling faintly in her chest. Her fingers quivered, and when she raised her head, her gaze locked with Eryx’s—moonlight glinting in her pupils like frozen shards of ice.“My father’s sin should not be redeemed by another,” she said quietly, “nor should it be carried on by you.”A brief silence fell among the three of them.Wind swept across the island, stirring gravel and dust; the waves crashed harder against the shore, as if the sea itself could sense the tension ready to erupt.Marcellus took a slow step forward and met Eryx’s eyes.“This game was doomed from the start,” he said, his tone so calm it was almost cold. “Whether it’s the Grail or the Shards, they’ll devour everything in the end. Eryx—turn back. This is your last chance.”Eryx tilted his head slightly, a faint smile curving his lips—one touched with loneliness and finality.“Turn back? No… I’ve gone too far.”He extended his hand. The black staff shimmered faintly in the moonlight,
Alia’s voice was low and steady, but her fingertips had already tightened unconsciously.That silhouette—she didn’t need to see his face to recognize it.As the boat drew nearer, the lantern light revealed the sharp lines of a familiar visage—Eryx.He was clad entirely in black, his long coat rippling in the night wind. His hair, loosened by the sea breeze, framed his face in slight disarray, yet none of it diminished the austere, almost sacred coldness that emanated from him. In his hand he held a long staff, the metal ring at its tip trembling faintly, producing a subtle chime of metal against metal. It was no mere ornament—it was the mark of his authority, the emblem of the power he now wielded.His eyes fell upon the two waiting at the shore—deep, unwavering, as though he were gazing not at people, but at the intersection of fates.The boat bumped softly against the stones at the water’s edge with a muted thud.Eryx stepped onto land, his boots crunching against the slick gravel.
The night had deepened; the air hung thick with damp salt, tasting faintly of the river’s breath.The wooden bridge behind them had long since vanished into the fog, as if the world itself had shrunk to this single island.Alia and Marcellus stood side by side. The ground beneath their boots was slick and cold, steeped in the muddy scent of river silt. In the distance, the wind slid over dead grass and broken stones, whispering faintly as it passed. The entire island was unnervingly silent—only their breathing and heartbeats echoed softly against the dark.Meanwhile, on the far side of the island, Elias had already arrived.He had come by water—diving up through a narrow, hidden passage that they’d discovered days ago during reconnaissance. The channel was tight, barely wide enough for one man to swim through, choked with rotting algae and splintered driftwood. But that very decay made it invisible to prying eyes.When Elias surfaced, the night air bit like steel. He steadied his brea
In another hidden corner of the world, the night hung low and heavy—like a shroud that breathed.A single lamp flickered in the room, casting a wavering, amber glow across an ancient desk. A twisted shadow stretched long upon its surface, while a man sat still before it, silent as stone.On the desk, the interface of a message remained open.The words—an anonymous invitation sent to all factions—still glimmered coldly across the screen.He stared at the lines for a long time, unmoving. His fingers trembled faintly on the table—a fragile, conflicted tremor, hovering between release and guilt. Finally, a low laugh slipped past his lips, hoarse and hollow, tinged with both madness and despair.“So… it’s come to this.”The corners of his mouth curved upward in a faint, bitter smile—mockery of himself, or perhaps of fate. But that smile broke quickly. He raised his head, eyes tracing beyond the window where the darkness pressed thickly against the glass. Far away, moonlight wandered throug





![MY SECRETARY HATES ME? [ ENGLISH VER. ]](https://acfs1.goodnovel.com/dist/src/assets/images/book/43949cad-default_cover.png)

