Chapter 399.2
Despite being revered as special beings, Anikas fostered a culture of self-reliance from a young age. Here, age didn’t dictate hierarchy; they treated each other as equals. Childishness held no place – maturity was a necessity. So, Heather was particularly touched by this unexpected act of kindness from an older Anika.
Katie, along with two others, accompanied the priest to the prayer room. Soon after, he returned with news for Heather. “Anika Katie requested you be allowed to go out today. A knight will arrive shortly to escort you. Please get ready.”
Heather’s face split into a wide grin. “Alright, thank you!” she chirped before turning to Anika Anne. “Do you know Anika Katie’s home address? I’d like to let her family know she’s safe.” It was the least she could do, Heather thought, to repay this unexpected act of generosity.
***
A prickle of unease snaked down Sang-je’s spine. He narrowed his crimson eyes, contemplating the disquieting sensation. Have I been here too long, absorbing human anxieties?This gnawing feeling… it bodes ill. He scoffed, then fell silent, the humor failing to reach his eyes.
Ten days prior, he’d dispatched a knight under a flag of truce, hoping to sway the Fire King. The Fourth King was already deemed a lost cause. The Fire King, however, with his simple mind and unmarried status, seemed a more promising target. Sang-je envisioned the allure of an Anika queen proving too tempting to resist.
But something had gone terribly wrong. The knight, though not deceased, returned a broken vessel, radiating remnants of excruciating pain – the kind that brushed against the precipice of death itself. The scouts stationed on the perimeter confirmed their suspicions: the pre-arranged signal from the envoy remained absent. The negotiation had undoubtedly fallen through.
This marked the turning point. Sang-je, with steely determination, began formulating a new strategy. Abandoning the Holy City.
Yes, he thought, a flicker of resolve hardening his features. There’s no point in clinging to this place. The tide has turned against me, and staying here will only hasten my demise.