Hunter of the Evernight
Chapter 662: Soon

Chapter 662: Soon

In one of the many carnival tents located within the pseudo-divine kingdom of the Joker, Harlequin stood, her slender but tall figure looming over a large round table.

Upon the table was a map of the four corners of Henos but it was no ordinary map as if one focused, one would notice that there was movement on the map.

Indeed, in a sense, one might think of the map as being a living thing, and perhaps, they wouldn’t be too far from the truth.

But it wasn’t alive as a result of mysticism and was instead a result of technology, technology quite foreign to what was present in Eventide in the current era, completely removed from the Goddess of Automation.

As Harlequin focused on the map, her usually excited demeanor giving way to a more serious one, a figure emerged, seemingly from the shadows behind her.

He donned unique apparel, taking on the appearance of a cloak and a hood with a full body suit, all of which were colored black, but on closer inspection, one would quickly realize that the apparel he had on seemed almost alive, this time, a result of a mystical influence.

"Azazel," Harlequin muttered, not bothering to regard the strange man who radiated an intense bloodlust.

"Cybele has continued to make strange moves, seemingly in search of something. Do you still wish for my men to observe her?"

Harlequin didn’t respond as she continued studying the map before her.

Only after several seconds passed did she speak, though what she spoke about appeared to be different from what Azazel had brought up.

"Isn’t it unique, Azazel?... A map that doesn’t just reveal landmarks, but reveals the state of the continent in real-time."

Azazel’s pale eyes narrowed but he took no offense as he shifted his gaze towards the table.

"Like, look at this." Harlequin intoned while pointing towards a patch of land on the map colored red. "This is the territory of the aggressors, and it seems to be growing steadily while the defender’s territory continues to shrink. Isn’t it rather wondrous?"

Azazel offered no response but even then, she continued. "To think that such technology could exist. It is almost... mind-blowing. It proves that the previous cycles were even more technologically advanced than us."

Silence persisted briefly before she added. "Yet, they still failed to resist the destruction of their cycle. Quite unfortunate, wouldn’t you agree?"

"... It is," Azazel admitted in a low, baritone voice.

"Everything about that civilization should have been destroyed and cast into subspace, but the ruins we found somehow managed to survive, persisting in our world in such a perfect state."

Letting out a wistful sigh, she remarked. "You know, I do wonder if those that persisted in the ruins during the cycle managed to survive just like their technology, and if they did, where are they now?"

She turned to face Azazel who had begun to notice that her ramblings were not without direction.

"Isn’t it weird that we didn’t find anything concerning the people responsible for the technology we hold now?... Not even a notebook tells us about the race that built those ruins. It’s almost like someone intentionally cleaned up before we arrived."

Azazel’s eyes widened, betraying a trace of emotion birthed as a result of realization. "You believe Cybele might have a connection to the individual who cleaned up before the ruins were discovered?"

"I have listened to Cybele’s mother and one thing she doesn’t fail to say whenever Cybele is brought up is that she isn’t the same person. That she changed after those ruins were discovered by the Nesters."

"If she has been possessed by something dangerous, it is right to put her down."

"I agree," Harlequin muttered. "But we can’t... not yet at least."

"You fear her death might cause the technology we currently wield to malfunction?"

"Something like that. However, that might not be the case once the master ascends to become a Demon God. It would be a simple task to change things, ensuring that even if she dies, the technology remains."

"If you already consider her a dangerous threat, why do you ask me and my subordinates to watch her movements?"

"So she doesn’t do anything to affect the ritual. As it is, the players are on the stage and are quickly moving towards a desired end. We cannot risk a change."

"I see. Then the Thieves Guild will keep watch over her."

"Much appreciated." Harlequin remarked before adding with a teasing smile. "Now then, has anyone ever told you it’s wrong to sneak up on a woman?"

Azazel offered no response and instead took a step back, quickly dissolving into the shadows.

Harlequin’s smile died down a moment later as she shifted her attention back to the map, her gaze set on the figurines placed at certain locations on the map.

"I do wonder, Cybele, what does the thing inside of you want?... To be reborn?... Or something else?"

Meanwhile, within Pheripolis, Cybele was seated in her room, methodically brushing her hair while focusing on the mirror placed before her.

She abruptly dropped the brush before letting out a tired sigh.

Glancing towards a corner of her room, she laid eyes on the colorful glass orb sitting quietly on a shelf alongside several other items.

She got to her feet and approached the glass orb, gently picking it up from the shelf before placing it in her bosom.

Silence followed for several seconds before she softly muttered. "Soon."

Meanwhile, the assassin Azazel had set to watch her, was perched atop one of the high spires in the first step, wielding a pair of binoculars which he used to spy on her.

Just as he frowned, seemingly pondering what she meant by that single word, a deluge of malicious information surged into his brain and a moment later, a muted bang erupted.

Soon after, a headless body fell, with a dull thud, onto the streets of Pheripolis which was currently under martial law, patrolled by armed barbarians.