The dark sky enveloped the city, gusts of wind still carrying particles of dust.
In an alley that stretched between buildings, a human girl with dark red hair walked.
The sound of her footsteps became the only sound besides the blowing wind, her sleeveless white dress fluttered, her blue eyes looked beautiful under the moonlight.
Her steps led her toward the largest building.
The girl stopped when two guards halted her, one was a bull beastman with a large body, black fur covering his entire body, with big horns on his head, standing on two legs.
Meanwhile, the other was a beastman with cat ears on top of his head, his skin looked smooth, and his cat-like eyes glowed in the dark.
The bull beastman spoke first.
"Sorry, Princess Katarina. Saint Azara is resting…."
The cat beastman beside him hit the bull beastman's head.
Thud
The bull beastman held his head.
"I told you, I'll be the one to speak!"
The bull beastman only growled, his breath releasing smoke.
Katarina looked at the two of them.
"I was told to come at this hour, Saint Azara herself said so."
The cat beastman scratched his black hair, a smile forming on his face, revealing his fangs.
"Alright… forgive us…"
The cat beastman gestured for her to enter the building.
Seeing Katarina's back as she walked away made the bull beastman snort, smoke coming out of his nose again.
"What if she's an enemy in disguise?"
The cat beastman clicked his tongue.
"Use your bull nose, damn it… her scent is completely different."
The bull beastman only lowered his gaze toward the cat beastman.
The sound of footsteps echoed inside the building, there were only torches on the earthen walls as lighting, and scattered windows that allowed moonlight to enter.
Katarina walked without hesitation in the dim lighting, her steps stopping in front of a double door.
Katarina took a breath to calm herself.
Her hand was about to knock, but a voice came from inside.
"Just come in…"
Katarina swallowed, she grabbed the door handle and pushed it open.
From inside the room, bright light shone on Katarina's face, making her squint slightly.
A cool breeze brushed against her.
The room had a futuristic interior,
everything was the latest edition items.
On one of the long sofas, a woman lay while reading a book, her thick golden hair flowing down to the floor, the clothes she wore revealed her muscles.
Katarina just stared in silence.
The woman clicked her tongue.
"If you're only here to stare at me, you'd better do it tomorrow."
Katarina let out a sigh, she shook her head slightly.
"I came according to the time you asked, Saint Azara."
Saint Azara flipped a page of her book.
"There it is… I thought you were really asleep like before, turns out you actually came…"
Katarina chuckled slightly.
Saint Azara, still lying on the sofa, shifted her gaze to Katarina.
"Sit…"
Katarina nodded slightly and sat facing Saint Azara who was still lying down, they were only separated by a wooden table.
The sofa was very soft, but also very large.
Saint Azara was still focused on her book.
"Even though I already placed that bull there. But you still got in, huh?"
Saint Azara chuckled.
"Back then you cried when you saw them… and asked to go home."
Katarina covered part of her face, her ears slightly reddened.
"That was when I was still a child. Please don't bring it up again."
Saint Azara laughed and looked at Katarina.
"You know? After that incident, I reduced them as guards when the human king came…."
One of Azara's eyebrows raised.
"…but you never came again."
Katarina nodded hearing what Saint Azara said.
Saint Azara closed her book and sat up, she looked at Katarina, her golden eyes glowing, the room became slightly colder.
"So… why did you suddenly come?"
Katarina placed both hands on her knees, her posture straight as she looked at Saint Azara.
"That's because I need your help, right? And you've already helped…"
Saint Azara nodded, she leaned her back against the soft sofa, crossing her legs.
"That child, what do you know about him?"
Katarina's eyebrow twitched.
"Alex?... I don't know much about him."
Saint Azara chuckled, she stared closely at Katarina.
"Don't know much, huh?… yet you split the desert and summoned a magical helicopter just to save him."
Katarina nodded, her back slightly relaxed.
"He became like that because of me. So it's only natural that I do that…."
Saint Azara rested her arm on the sofa.
"So you really searched for the golden desert, huh? And that child along with the other one who accidentally got in."
Katarina swallowed and nodded.
Saint Azara sighed.
"Why do you believe I can make him breathe again?"
Katarina shrugged, speaking a bit casually.
"I don't believe in you. I only heard what he said."
Saint Azara's eyebrow twitched, she burst into laughter.
She wiped the slight tears that came out.
"You said you don't know much, but you trust his words."
Katarina sighed and nodded.
"I really don't know much, but his words are always right…"
Saint Azara chuckled softly, covering her mouth.
"So that's how it is…"
Her golden eyes narrowed slightly.
"Have you ever seen something strange about him? Like him talking to himself?"
Katarina's blue eyes widened, her upright posture slightly loosened.
"What do you mean?…"
Saint Azara shrugged.
"Just asking… am I not allowed to ask, after helping?"
Katarina swallowed, trying to recall for a moment.
She nodded slightly.
"Sometimes he is like that… like he's talking to himself."
Saint Azara sighed, looking at the ceiling.
Her voice was heard again.
"So, is there anything else you want to talk about?…"
Saint Azara looked at Katarina.
"Because if not, we can continue tomorrow…"
Katarina stayed silent for a while.
A faint smile formed on her face.
"Are you still searching for the exact location of the Dark Side headquarters?"
Saint Azara's ears twitched upon hearing Katarina.
One of her eyebrows raised, her mouth slightly open showing her fangs.
"Huh?"
Katarina's blue eyes did not waver.
"Are you still loo—"
Before Katarina could finish, Saint Azara cut her off.
"I heard what you said. I mean, why are you talking about that?"
Katarina pressed her smart bracelet, a black card came out of it.
She held the card with two fingers.
"This card contains information about the Dark Side headquarters… of course, this is accurate."
Saint Azara's expression turned blank, her mouth slightly agape.
A laugh slowly emerged, turning into a loud laughter that echoed throughout the room.
"HAHAHAHAHA!"
The laughter lasted for a while, before the room temperature dropped, and Saint Azara's golden eyes stared straight at Katarina.
She clicked her tongue.
"Damn… I ended up listening to nonsense in the middle of the night."
This time Katarina chuckled slightly.
Saint Azara only stared at her.
Katarina wiped a bit of the tears that came out.
She looked at Saint Azara and showed the black card again.
"The location really is here."
Saint Azara sighed, leaning back on her soft sofa, massaging her forehead.
"Even Kong and I couldn't find it after years…."
She rested her cheek on her right hand.
"…yet you say you know its location?"
Saint Azara clicked her tongue.
"It seems it's time for you to sleep, human princess."
Katarina didn't move from the sofa, she smiled.
"How about a smaller piece of information as proof?"
One of Saint Azara's eyes closed.
"What?…"
Katarina took out another card from her smart bracelet.
She placed it on the table.
Saint Azara looked at the card presented to her.
Katarina spoke.
"It contains a list of names of people in this city… who have defected."
Saint Azara chuckled, her tongue wetting her lips.
"Defected? Here? In the capital where I exist?"
Katarina nodded.
"Yes. They don't have contracts with demons, so you can't sense them."
Katarina took a breath.
"They're not fighters either. They're just information seekers…"
Katarina brushed her hair.
"…some of them even work in the palace…"
Saint Azara leaned forward, their eyes meeting.
"What if you're wrong?"
Katarina swallowed, but her gaze didn't waver.
"I will cut off my arm."
Saint Azara nodded slightly.
She took the card on the table.
A bat beastman appeared, flying and landing on the sofa's backrest.
He had a bat form but with two arms and stood on two legs.
Saint Azara looked at him and handed him the card.
The bat beastman received it with both hands, the card was almost a quarter of his body.
"Deliver this to the others… tell them to investigate it in detail… don't let anything be missed."
The bat beastman nodded.
His wings spread from his back as he slowly left the room.
Saint Azara looked at Katarina who was sitting upright.
"So… we wait first?"
They chatted for a while waiting for news.
After an unknown amount of time, a knock was heard.
Knock knock knock
Saint Azara scratched her cheek.
"Come in…"
The door opened and a beastman with wolf ears on his head appeared.
He knelt facing Saint Azara.
His wolf tail swayed.
"Everyone on that list has been captured, Saint Azara…"
Saint Azara nodded, one eyebrow raised.
"Then, how is it?"
The wolf beastman was silent for a moment.
"We hacked their smart bracelets, their homes, and searched their entire bodies…"
The wolf beastman looked at Saint Azara.
"…the result, strong evidence was found from their smart bracelets, and there was also a hidden underground room in one of the houses…"
The wolf beastman swallowed.
"…there are documents related to us as well, and there is a communication symbol on one of them… a symbol used by Dark Side members."
The room fell silent.
Saint Azara's eyes widened, she immediately looked at Katarina.
Katarina was drinking calmly, their eyes met, her blue eyes didn't waver, she put down her glass calmly.
Saint Azara sighed, she chuckled.
"Alright, alright… I'll check them myself later…"
The wolf beastman left the room, as soon as the sound of the door closing was heard, Katarina spoke.
"So? Saint Azara?"
Saint Azara massaged her forehead, a smile constantly forming on her face.
She looked at Katarina.
"Where did you get that information?"
Katarina sighed, leaning back on the soft sofa.
"From a bird?"
Saint Azara's eyes widened, her smile disappeared.
"Which bird? There are many bird beastmen here."
Katarina realized her words and sat upright again.
"No no, not a bird, I mean… it's a secret."
Saint Azara nodded.
"Alright, if you don't want to share…"
She brushed her thick golden hair and looked at Katarina.
"Is what's in there also true?" Saint Azara said while pointing at the black card on the table.
Silence fell between them.
Katarina chuckled.
She slid the black card toward Saint Azara.
Saint Azara smiled slyly and moved her hand to take the card, but Katarina pulled it back.
Saint Azara chuckled seeing that, she almost burst into laughter.
She looked at Katarina.
"What? What do you want?"
Katarina smiled faintly, she immediately stated what she wanted.
"Three strands of your hair infused with holy energy…"
Saint Azara's face turned confused hearing what Katarina said.
"For what?"
Katarina scratched her temple, answering casually.
"That's a secret?"
Saint Azara scratched her neck, dizzy from all the secrets.
"What are you actually going to do?…"
She stroked her chin and thought for a moment.
"…you brought the flower of life and death, right? Then you ask for my beautiful hair…."
Katarina sighed, leaning back again on the sofa.
"Yes… there's something I want to do…"
Saint Azara's hand was still on her chin.
They just stared at each other, silence filled the space between them.
Katarina chuckled, trying to convince Saint Azara.
"The price of this information is very expensive, you know. Even if exchanged with your three beautiful strands of hair, it's still not enough…."
Katarina smiled, speaking confidently.
"…do you want to add more, to know what I'm going to do?"
Saint Azara's eyes twitched, her ears moved.
She laughed in satisfaction hearing Katarina.
Saint Azara pressed her cheekbones, aching from laughing too much.
"I didn't expect… you'd become like this…"
Saint Azara tapped the table, the tapping sound echoed.
"What if I tell Max? That his daughter is being rude to me."
Katarina chuckled, touching her lips with her index finger, her other hand sliding the black card toward Saint Azara.
"Don't tell father…"
Saint Azara nodded, taking the card.
"Alright…"
Saint Azara put it into her smart bracelet.
Katarina spoke, trying to give a suggestion.
"Give a copy to Kong, let him do the scouting…"
Saint Azara's face turned surprised and impressed.
"Wow… you dare to call that monkey by his name?…"
Saint Azara tried to tease Katarina.
"…when you used to cry when you met him."
Katarina laughed shyly, shrugging her shoulders.
Her eyes closed for a moment.
'Yeah… after all, Kong was the one who found it.'
Katarina opened her eyes and looked at Saint Azara.
"He's very scary, you know?"
Saint Azara agreed with what Katarina said.
Katarina crossed her arms.
"Once it's confirmed, don't immediately launch a full-scale attack…"
One of Saint Azara's eyebrows raised, her tail swayed.
"Why?"
Katarina scratched her forehead.
"Humans won't be able to help anytime soon."
Saint Azara leaned forward.
"What's going on? Did Max say something? Is the attack on human cities that bad?"
Katarina was silent for a moment.
"The point is, I suggest not in the near future. Besides, the dwarves are also busy, right?"
Saint Azara held her head with both hands, looking at the ceiling.
"Damn… I'm tired of hearing that news over and over…"
Saint Azara massaged her forehead.
"Besides, what's there to worry about? If it's just corruption giants, just destroy them, and if it's mystical creatures, just ask for help from the elf king or the human king…"
Katarina chuckled hearing Saint Azara's thoughts.
"In reality, the situation isn't like that, right?"
Saint Azara didn't answer, she remained silent, slowly looking at Katarina.
"You know a lot, huh?"
Katarina admitted what Saint Azara said.
"Of course, I'm a princess."
Saint Azara nodded in agreement.
"Is there anything else to talk about? The hair can be later, right? I want to sunbathe…"
Katarina looked at Saint Azara with admiration.
"There isn't even sunlight entering here, yet you know it's morning?"
Saint Azara nodded proudly.
"Hey… you're talking to the greatest saint…"
Saint Azara covered her mouth in embarrassment.
"…so it's only natural…"
Katarina smiled.
"You really are amazing, Saint Azara."
Azara's ears moved.
Katarina slowly stood up.
"Then I'll take my leave…"
As Katarina walked out, Saint Azara shouted.
"Come visit often! I like talking to you…."
Katarina chuckled and agreed.
As the door closed, Saint Azara smiled widely, followed by loud laughter echoing.
"HAHAHAHA!"
She hit the sofa and lay down again, her gaze fixed on the ceiling.
"Three strands of hair for city infiltrators and information about the Dark Side headquarters?"
Saint Azara laughed loudly, wiping a bit of tears.
"She negotiated all night… when if it's holy energy, that kid also has it…."
Saint Azara laughed loudly, her smile clearly visible.
"Yeah… that's interesting…"
Saint Azara's eyes slowly closed.
"If only there were beastmen as smart as her…"
The wind brushed against Katarina as she walked out, sunlight slowly illuminating the beastman palace.
Katarina rubbed her reddened eyes.
Her steps brought her to a door.
She sighed.
Slowly opening it gently.
Inside it was dark, only the sunlight from the door Katarina opened became the only source of light.
Alex was lying on the bed, and not far from him, Ken was sitting asleep on a chair.
Katarina chuckled.
"Looks like it's going to rain today…"
—
Sunlight also shone over the human territory, at its center, a mansion stood quietly.
Inside one of its corridors, an old man walked in his butler suit.
The sound of his dress shoes was the only sound.
The man's eyes briefly turned into reptilian eyes.
He sighed and slightly tilted his head, allowing sunlight to hit his face.
He clicked his tongue.
A whisper was heard.
"Damn rat…"
The sound of his shoes muffled his whisper.
Not far from the old man, a masked figure followed him.