Knrama entered the mansion. His was one of the thousands that were spread across this topmost Layer of the capital, Rozcast. A reward for those with the highest achievements. These mansions were unlike those found in other settlements such as Insetel, where a few gigantic castles took over all of the precious land. These mansions were not that big, their top barely pocking out of the lush canopy of the massive forest spanning across this whole Layer.

The only special thing about Knrama’s mansion what its location, with it being close to the gigantic Central Tower.

“My lord, a mail has arrived for you from the settlement of Insetel.”

A voice informed Knrama who had just returned from visiting the families of kidnapped children, reassuring them that they were working to full extent on bringing them back. He would not allow that to happen as that would go against his plan of taking advantage of the havoc that Revensol would create. A change was needed, and festering wounds needed to be cut off, unfortunately, they were bound by the law or he would have done so long ago.

“Give it to me,” Knaram replied once he sat on his chair, able to see the lush green forest outside without any obstruction. The occasional winds that ruffled the forest gushed inside and it was only at that moment that a slight disturbance in the barrier was noticeable as it blocked any debris or dust from going inside. Knrama closed his eyes and for a moment enjoyed the sensation of wind crashing against his body.

All of the fatigue he had accumulated since his visits to various families slowly started disappearing.

Originally, he had not planned on even visiting any, more than happy to leave this task to many other members of the family but since he had been informed by Revensol of him first heading towards Insetel, he had no choice but to spend as much time as he possibly could with these rotten people. He had no choice but to do so to keep away from the Insetel without arousing any suspicion because if he had been there when Revensol started making a mess, he would have no choice but to carry out the law.

Still, it had not been easy. The children who had been kidnapped were all in direct line of inheritance, sent to the capital for the sole purpose of being able to intermingle with the scions of the other families. Every family had heavily invested in them but suddenly they had been kidnapped, which was not good news to convey.

Though inside he was filled with joy, he still had to assure them, something that was made much easier as his grandniece was missing, and though she never had been in danger and her cause of disappearance completely different, that difference was something very few knew about.

He was happy that she could finally have a nice adventure, something he had never been able to make her do.

Knrama quickly read the report, his eyes squinted as he thought, ‘Fast. And here I thought they would arrive after everything was warped up in there.’ The good thing was that Cile had already entered the central tower of Insetel, which would assure her safety no matter what happened outside.

“Is there someone free? One who is still unknown to others,” Knrama asked.

“There are a few, my Lord,” a voice replied despite the room being devoid of any other than Knrama.

“Have one of them go to Insetel to assure Cile’s safety on the off chance she leaves the central tower.”

“As you say. But is that new harvester also not there? The fact that he was able to escort the princess back in such a short time means he should be capable of ensuring her highness’s safety,” the voice questioned.

“Just a precaution. Better safe than sorry.”

***

“Will meet you in two days, here,” after saying what he wanted, Inero-ie used Melding, his body melding into the darkness, disappearing from the senses of the woman who had just been standing there, opening her mouth to reply. Before she could even utter her first word, Inero-ie was gone, suddenly he had disappeared from her senses. Not knowing what else to do, the woman went back to inform Revensol what had happened.

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Once again using the Grave Tower, Inero-ie jumped to the Layer above and made his way towards Fria-al’s shop. During this time, he had to perform a few more jumps to get into the sub-sector in which she had set up her shop and this only worsened the state of intense exhaustion his body was in. Though he had spent a few hours in the Grave Tower to recover, that was nothing compared to the accumulated exhaustion.

Another jump and he was inside the relatively small place that acted as her shop, her home, and her workshop during her stay in this settlement. Other than her room, there was one left of him too, a place that he very occasionally used. Having lived here for a long time, Fira-al had changed the place, making it safe and secure, making it the only place he could inhabit safely.

His room, just like his face was without any personality, without any uniqueness. A small space with only a few things inside. A bed that took up most of the space. A small desk with nothing on it and nothing inside of it squeezed into the small space between the wall and the bed. There was nothing else. Nor did he need anything else.

Upon laying down, the bed activated, speeding up his natural recovery to combat the wariness and fatigue that had filled his body, slowly drawing out and away the unpleasant sensations and discomfort filling his physical body. As the discomfort went away, a gnawing hunger erupted, previously buried deep underneath other sensations. He had forgotten to eat. Not a new occurrence when his mind was under the assault of many different kinds of pains.

He took out a rectangular stick, thick, hard, without taste. But it was aptly named Nutritional Biscuit, capable of fulfilling the various needs of one's body.

After the hunger subsided, he drank and then laid down once again, letting the bed work its magic, his eyes getting heavier until he could no longer stop the sleep from overtaking him.

It too, was one of the many things Fria-al had created specially for him, especially more powerful compared to others such equipment.

***

“Imbeciles! Imbeciles! Imbeciles! What use do you people have? Tell me!!” Vissble was visibly shaking from anger, fists opening and closing repeatedly, trying to stop himself from beating them all up but as he watched the spectacle in front of him, none with an iota of guts, his anger was only further fueled.

“Someone infiltrates this damned castle, avoids all of the security measures, somehow gets into my room, and leaves this damned thing,” the sound of his teeth grinding against one another was abnormally loud as he swung his arm, the Data Stone crashing into the wall on the opposite side of the room. A loud noise rang in the room, along with the spreading of cracks. It was now embedded into the wall

“How did this happen? How did you not know anything!”

All present shivered, the oppressive aura making it difficult to even breathe in the air. Never had he been so angry. Never had they seen him so angry. Not even when the news of the next in line being kidnapped had arrived.

“Cystle, where is the report on the loopholes that had been used to infiltrate? Why haven’t I gotten it yet?” Visible asked, the pitch of his voice growing higher and higher.

The moment the name was uttered, all except Cystle felt revealed, for the moment they were safe. For the moment someone else had to bear this anger. That thought crossed everyone's minds, except the one who was named.

“Gran–”

“Don’t! Don’t call me that. Tell me what I have asked you, the overseer, of defense. Where is the report?”

The saliva got stuck in Cystle’s throat, unwilling to go down, a choking sensation overcame him while his stomach quivered. Repeatedly, his mouth opened and closed, wanting to say something but being unable to. He was aggrieved. Doomed if he replied, doomed if he didn’t. Ultimately, he decided to reply.

“Nothing, family head,” Not saying anything would be worse, he decided.

“Nothing~ Nothing! Says the one who is responsible for our safety. Will you also say that when the other families now start sending their people against us? Tell me.”

Now that he was already singled out, he decided to bite the bullet.

“There were no signs. I have personally checked every nook and cranny, there was not even a single sign of infiltration, no aura, nothing.”

“If the infiltrator had been at that level, do you think he would have been able to get past every security measure? Now this is your task for this failure: 50 different designs that completely overhaul our defenses. I will be checking it personally so make sure they are of the standard.”

Biting his lips until they bled, Cystle replied, “As ordered.”

Then the same thing repeated, each and every one of those present was chewed out.