Chapter 84
Karl stared daggers at her. "What the hell is this, Valencia? Who are these people? And what do they have to do with you?"
Valencia sighed, the kind of long, drawn-out exhale that screamed ugh, can’t believe I have to explain this. "Alright, I guess you deserve a bit of the truth... but just a fraction." She stepped forward, her sharp gaze cutting like a queen addressing her court. "Listen closely. I’m not repeating myself."
Zoey froze, caught between fear and curiosity. Layla stood straighter, bracing for whatever bombshell was coming next. Karl, though? His fists clenched, ready to snap if Valencia pushed too far.
"That name you heard—Glowsphere? It’s not just some buzzword," Valencia began, her voice carrying a challenge. "It’s a massive shadow organization. And it’s leagues bigger than some small-time streamer playing puppet master in this mess."
Layla narrowed her eyes. "So, the streamer’s just... bait?"
"Correct," Valencia replied with a small, cutting smile. "A disposable pawn being used by a far greater force. And that force? It comes straight out of Neosia—a tiny country most people think doesn’t matter. But trust me, that’s where Glowsphere began."
Karl stepped forward, his fury barely contained. "And you know all this how? Don’t tell me you’re one of them."
Valencia chuckled coldly, her tone making the room feel ten degrees colder. "One of them? No, Karl. If anything, I was almost one of their victims."
Layla’s expression turned serious. "What do you mean?"
Valencia scanned their faces, her gaze chilling. "Years ago, Glowsphere reached out to me. They knew who I was—the last Noctis—and they wanted my power for their little project. They invited me to Neosia, promising some mutually beneficial deal. I knew it was a trap, but I went anyway. I wanted to see what they were really up to."
Zoey, her voice soft but braver now, asked, "And what happened?"