CHAPTER 168 — VEILED SIGNALS
The fiery edges of the Domain began receding slowly.
Not collapsing.
Peeling away.
The endless sea of crimson fire folded inward layer after layer as the authority saturating the chamber withdrew back toward the Marquis herself. Mountains vanished into ash-colored distortions before dissolving entirely while the burning skies overhead dimmed until only fragments of red light remained drifting through the air like dying embers.
Then even those disappeared.
The Domain sealed itself completely.
The chamber returned.
The ruined battlefield Frigga had created earlier was gone now, replaced by a vast obsidian hall stretching hundreds of meters outward beneath towering crimson pillars engraved with ancient inscriptions that pulsed faintly with heat.
Silence settled across the hall.
Only two figures remained.
The Marquis stood near the center of the chamber with her gaze lowered slightly while the woman beside her remained quiet, watching her carefully.
Several breaths passed before the tension around the Marquis finally eased.
Then she turned.
The cold authority from earlier disappeared from her expression as a faint smile appeared on her face, soft enough that almost no one within the House would have believed it possible.
"Sister," she said quietly.
"Thank you."
Aurelia's expression softened immediately.
Anything for you, my sister."
They embraced briefly before separating again.
This time the silence between them no longer felt oppressive.
The Marquis exhaled slowly before walking toward the massive crystalline windows overlooking the outer sections of the estate.
"What do you think about the information Erasmus brought?"
Aurelia hesitated briefly.
"He didn't sound like he was lying."
"That much is true," the Marquis replied calmly. "I examined the fluctuations within his signature myself. There were no traces of deception."
Aurelia's expression became heavier.
"But if what he said is true…"
"Then this matter is far more serious than we allowed the others to realize."
The Marquis' eyes narrowed slightly as she stared outward across the distant estate grounds.
The atmosphere shifted again.
This time quieter.
Heavier.
Aurelia stepped closer.
"If he's right… and those realms are truly evolving by devouring one another…"
She paused briefly before asking the question neither of them truly wanted answered.
"How long have they been feeding?"
The Marquis' pupils contracted faintly.
Silence answered first.
Then slowly…
her expression darkened.
Because that was the true horror.
Not evolution..Time.
If a dead World Seed realm had only recently begun changing, then containment was still possible.
But if it had been feeding unnoticed for years…
The Marquis suddenly understood why Erasmus had looked at them with disgust.
Because by the time the Houses discovered the truth—
it might already be too late.
—
Thousands of kilometers away, deep within the northern territories of House Dorian, pale blue light illuminated a massive circular chamber lined with layered formation arrays and floating crystalline screens.
A colossal map hovered at the center of the room.
Countless dots flickered across its surface.
Most were purple.
Some gold.
A few crimson.
The dots shifted constantly as streams of information flowed through the projections like rivers of light.
At the center of it all stood a tall man with broad shoulders and silver-threaded black robes.
Marquis Dorian.
His sharp eyes moved slowly across the map as countless calculations reflected within his pupils.
Several regions near the outer borders of the Twinveil Continent flickered repeatedly.
Appearing.
Disappearing.
Appearing again.
His brows furrowed slightly.
"…Strange."
A voice behind him answered immediately.
"You've been staring at that map for hours, Father."
Dorian did not turn.
"Pick up that habit from your mother, will you?"
A faint chuckle echoed through the chamber.
Then footsteps approached calmly.
The newcomer stepped into the light.
Tall.Refined.
Dangerously composed.
His dark uniform resembled noble military attire more than ceremonial clothing while silver embroidery traced clean patterns along the sleeves and collar. His face looked sculpted almost unnaturally well, but the most striking thing about him was not his appearance.
It was the pair of chrome-framed glasses resting over his eyes.
Their reflective surface concealed his gaze completely.
He stopped beside the massive projection table before glancing over the floating map.
"Still using those outdated scrying methods?"
Dorian finally snorted before walking toward the table.
"These readings appeared three days ago."
The young man adjusted his gloves slightly.
"Readings?"
Dorian pointed toward the outer edge of the continent where several flickering dots continued phasing in and out of existence.
"They appear briefly before disappearing completely. Their signatures cannot be locked."
The young man's expression shifted slightly.
"Are you saying something is evading House-level surveillance?"
"That," Dorian replied slowly, "should be impossible."
Yet the readings continued fluctuating before them.
The young man studied the map quietly before speaking again.
"If you want, I can lead an investigative team."
Dorian immediately shook his head.
"With the Soulis Event approaching? No."
A faint smile appeared beneath the chrome lenses.
"That childish political gathering again?"
"It is not politics."
Dorian's voice became colder.
"The outcome determines resource allocation for the next century."
"We already possess enough reserves to last multiple centuries."
"That kind of thinking is why your generation becomes arrogant."
The young man chuckled softly.
Dorian watched him briefly before speaking again.
"What realm are you at now?"
Silence.
Then the young man smiled.
"Come with me."
Without waiting for an answer, he turned and began walking deeper into the estate.
Dorian followed calmly.
The two passed through long silver corridors lined with ancient murals before eventually entering a massive underground hall illuminated by pale blue flames suspended in midair.
The chamber was empty.
Completely silent.
The young man stopped at its center.
Then closed his eyes.
For a brief moment nothing happened.
Then he opened them.
Violet light flashed beneath the chrome lenses.
The air exploded.
A violent pressure burst outward across the hall as the ground beneath him cracked instantly beneath invisible force. Pale violet signature energy spread beneath his skin like flowing liquid while the surrounding space distorted subtly around his body.
Dorian's eyes widened slightly.
Then slowly..he smiled.
"You little monster…"
His voice carried genuine satisfaction now.
"You reached Inscription before two hundred years of age."
The young man pushed his glasses upward slightly.
"Not just Inscription."
His voice suddenly echoed from behind Dorian.
The Marquis turned immediately.
The young man was already standing there.
Silent,Composed.
The afterimage at the center of the hall dispersed slowly afterward.
"Body Inscription," he finished calmly.
Dorian stared at him briefly before chuckling under his breath.
Fast.Absurdly fast.
Even among geniuses.
But his expression soon became serious again.
"If you think Body Inscription alone is enough for the Soulis Event…"
"Frigga?"
"Yeah, yeah. I know."
Dorian studied him carefully for several moments before shaking his head slowly.
"No."
His expression darkened slightly.
"There's someone else."