Earlier in the morning of the sixth day
When the light of dawn slipped through the dark grey curtains and reflected off the white marble floor, Elena slowly woke up.
A faint chill hung in the air as the dulled sound of the noisy city slipped through the walls. The distant chime of bells mixed faintly with the scent of mint that drifted from somewhere outside.
She murmured softly, pushing herself up and out of bed. Her body was draped in a loose nightgown, a delicate piece of cloth made from the 'cloud silk' that could only be found in Imai.
As her hazy eyes landed on the insignia embroidered on the carpet, her half-asleep mind cleared.
Not long after she stirred, one of her personal attendants knocked on the door and entered, bringing a cup of warm tea.
Elena thanked her and took a small sip. The bitter taste blended perfectly with the subtle sweetness that followed.
When she got out of bed, her bare feet pressed against the soft carpet. For a moment, the sensation made her nostalgic, reminding her of something familiar from Earth.
Fabrics were one of the biggest differences between Earth and Pillomal. Everything she once took for granted was either impossible to reproduce or considered a luxury item only the upper nobles could afford here.
After stretching her arms, Elena called over one of the younger maids to help her get ready.
Since she was an important guest, she might as well enjoy the rare chance to act spoiled.
A small girl dressed in servant attire hurried in, her little legs trotting over nervously, trying to hide it. She passed Elena a thicker robe, which the young hero quickly draped over her shoulders to conceal her curves.
The maid then guided Elena to the bathroom across the hall.
The small mansion she had been given for her stay in Imai was modest, but still more luxurious than what most nobles had.
When they arrived, Elena saw that the morning bath had already been prepared.
The so-called "bathroom" was enormous, large enough to fit a small house. Warm steam rose from the clear water, infused with the faint scent of mint.
Elena dismissed the little maid and asked her to fetch her real outfit after she cleaned up.
Once alone, Elena stripped down and stepped into the bath and sank down, submerging herself completely.
The enchanted water flowed faintly as purification magic activated, leaving a tingling sensation on her skin. She exhaled deeply, her body relaxing.
Petra had tried to find a large bathhouse in Imai, but when she eventually did, she discovered that the level of light magic that was infused into the water was so dense that it was like bathing in vinegar.
After a long soak, Elena returned to her room and began dressing herself in 'formal attire'. The special outfit gifted to her by a friend was called the 'Royal Rogue.' The design was sleek and elegant, with light armor woven seamlessly into the fabric.
Once she finished fixing her hair and preparing everything else, a soft knock came from the door.
Her escort had arrived.
Like the other two heroes, Elena had been summoned to the Sky Tower for a formal meeting, but she already knew what kind of conversation awaited her there.
Today, she would have to act as the mediator.
Her goal was simple, to prevent the Heroes from completely falling out with the Sky Tower and breaking the fragile cooperation that held the Cross Continent together in the early stages of this loop. Although failure might not mark the 'end of a loop,' Elena knew that the current crossroads could change everything. The Sky Tower's influence stretched too deeply across the world, and to lose its support would be devastating. To clarify, 'lose their support' meant that they went on a psychotic witch hunt to enslave the heroes.
Elena entered the carriage, flicking her mantle like a coat as she entered.
-
The day had begun, and with it, the quiet dance of fates.
* * *
That day, the Heaven's Chosen were called to the Sky Tower.
It was widespread news in Imai.
No one knew exactly what was discussed behind those sealed gates, but rumors began to spread before it even began. The Sky Tower's highest chamber was said to be protected by layers upon layers of sound-sealing runes and anti-divination magic. Even the winds that brushed past its walls were silenced upon there approach, almost like it existed in a world of its own. And indeed, Sky Tower was interwoven with so many different layers of spatial pockets that it became difficult to tell exactly where it was relative to its own shadow.
That aside…
Everyone in Imai felt something.
The meeting began when the sun stood highest, its light reflecting off the Sky Tower's golden embellishments.
Kilemin led the group, his head held high as always, pride and conviction carved into every step.
Arthur followed, silent but tense, hands resting on his side as if constantly ready to pull something out.
Elena came last, her expression calm, unreadable, but those who knew her best could tell her eyes were far too focused.
They entered together.
Hours passed…
Then, as the sun began to sink behind the western peaks, the doors opened again.
The heroes walked out.
At first glance, they seemed fine, uninjured, unworried, yet something was clearly off.
Kilemin's sleeve was torn off, his knuckles raw as if he'd struck something or someone. His jaw was tight, his usual confident smile gone, replaced with a clear anger.
Arthur's cheek had a faint line of blood beneath his cracked goggles, already dried, but visible enough to speak volumes. He walked in silence, his gaze low, almost expectedly disappointed.
Elena followed behind them both, her expression grim. Not anger, not fear, no, something more like helplessness.
They said nothing to the Tower guards, nothing to the attendants, and nothing to the carriage drivers who had been waiting outside all day.
The group split at the feet of the tower, Arthur heading toward the Hellion Empires group without a word, Kilemin vanishing into the streets, and Elena stood still for a long while before quietly returning to her carriage.
From that moment on, something in Imai changed.
The city still shone with celebration, lights strung across rooftops, laughter echoing through the streets, the Grand Gathering continuing without pause. But beneath it all, a different aura began to spread.
Whispers.
Unease.
Something fragile had been shaken, even if, whatever it was, was not broken.
The citizens couldn't name it, they had no right to, but they could feel it, a faint heaviness beneath the joy, a question no one dared to ask. Not from worry, but from fear of the answer.
The Sky Tower still stood tall and serene, its countless windows flickering in the night. It reflected peace back onto the city below, but the reflections were hollow, too bright, too perfect.
The shadow had already started to spread.
The heroes had gone in as a symbol of goodwill, but they came out disappointed and untrusting.
* * *
The Heavenly Hall.
Twelve golden thrones stood in a ring of light, surrounding a single chair in the center of the grand chamber where the Tower Lord sat in silence.
The ceiling above them glowed faintly with divine runes that flickered from an unknown age, their light bending through layers of enchanted glass and drowning the room with an ethereal shroud of starlight.
No one spoke at first.
The air itself felt heavy, bearing too much authority and too little patience.
Finally, Atom broke the silence. "Will the church interfere?"
Venan's low, rasping voice followed. "No. They don't care about the heroes. They only want the demons to be delt with, then they will go and hunt that 'Witch' in the north."
Requll leaned back on his throne, legs crossed, voice dripping with sarcasm. "Then let's just give them some, ya? We have enough locked up downstairs, don't we? Maybe, if we do, they'll go away early?"
Sebastian's eyes, dark and predatory, cut through the silence. "That's fine," he said coldly.
Cain scoffed, slamming her palm against the golden armrest. "If we release demons into the city, one of us will have to reduce the casualties. I'll do it if no one else has the heart."
Gon's hollow whisper followed her outburst. "Casualties are inevitable. The dead are easier to manage than the living. Heh~"
"True," Nioc murmured softly, voice smooth as moonlight. "But we can't prepare beforehand. The Lord Angels will sense it, and everything will fall apart." Coin grinned under his breath, his golden robe fluttering like smoke. "Then we'll improvise. Luck favors those who gamble early." "Luck favors no one," Nioc replied without even glancing his way.
"Agreed," Sebastian said. "Nioc and Coin will prevent widespread casualties."
"Understood," the twins echoed together, their tones light and hollow.
Venan turned his eyes to the Tower Lord. "The church took Celeste. Will there be a problem?"
Obana, the Tower Lord, didn't move at first. His voice came with a soft sigh. "No. It may even be for the best. Celeste's connection to the Church runs too deep. Deception would be difficult with her here."
Requll smirked. "So, the snake sheds a scale, convenient."
"Focus," Sebastian snapped. "Who do we target? Arthur's the weakest, but Elena is easier to manipulate."
"Elena," Atom said flatly. "She's soft, idealistic. Use her to find the two runaways, then we'll have at least three."
Ballad's head tilted slightly, her blind eyes gazing upward. She said nothing, but her fingers tapped the side of her throne, three soft beats, like a silent objection.
Menarose's masked face turned toward her, voice low and cutting. "Disagrees~ She believes Elena would rather break then bend."
Requll chuckled. "That would be entertaining."
"Enough." Sebastian's tone cut through.
"Speaking of the runaways," Cain said, leaning forward, "they were spotted coming toward this region. Could they have come to the city for the Grand Gathering?"
"That's unlikely," Nioc replied. "Even if they did, they would have realized something and run away by now."
"Thats right," Atom added. "Let's focus on current matters first. Elena can be bargained with. The others cannot."
"'Bargained with'?" Venan sneered. "Call it what it is. Manipulated through suffering. Human lives make fine currency."
Requll twirled something in his hands lazily. "And Arthur? What of the boy?"
"Arthur has ties to the Hellion family," Atom said. "We shouldn't burn that bridge if we can avoid it."
Cain grunted. "Hard to avoid when we're targeting the heroes themselves."
Jivot, who had been silent until now, adjusted the joints of his mechanical arms. His voice was calm, detached. "We can use the formation beneath the city. I can bind their steps without them knowing as long as we can separate them from their blessings temporarily."
"That's our best option," Sebastian said.
"Agreed."
"I agree."
"No objection."
"Approved."
One by one, their voices fell in order, until only the Tower Lord remained silent.
When he finally spoke, even the runes on the ceiling dimmed.
Something was compressed in the unseen world.
"Then it's decided," Obana said softly. "Begin the preparations. The heroes will not leave the city tomorrow."
His gaze swept the twelve thrones…
For a moment, each pillar felt the weight of their tower master's gaze. Sebastian's cold precision, Requll's mischief, Cain's restrained violence, Ballad's voiceless conscience, and Venan's hunger, all of them were suppressed.
The hall fell silent again, until the only sound left was the faint ticking of Jivot's metal fingers, echoing through the endless chamber.
* * *
Elena walked with long strides.
The faint pain in her leg pulsed with each step, a reminder that today had not been easy…
At least, she had succeeded.
The meeting with the Tower Pillars had been tense, but no bridges were burned, at least, not yet. For now, the smallest thread of cooperation between the Heroes and the Sky Tower still remained intact.
That was enough.
For her, this was victory, albeit a small one.
Elena's steps slowed as she let out a soft sigh. She had finally completed all three of her goals for coming here.
Tomorrow was the reward ceremony, and once that was over, it would finally be time to confront the Second Calamity.
She thought back to Arthur's warning.
"Something will happen tomorrow," he'd said, his tone mysterious.
Elena knew that he couldn't tell her what, only that the chaos would come suddenly, and that she should be careful.
That was probably another one of the limitations of Arthur's ability.
He couldn't choose what to see. On top of not being able to see the future he wanted, Arthur also had to take in all the information at once.
For a chaotic skirmish, it was way too easy for him to miss things
But, his warning was enough.
Something would happen at the ceremony. And that was all Elena needed to know. Her fist tightened at her side. Whatever it was, she would face it.
As she reached the edge of the marble walkway, she paused.
The horizon was painted in strange colors, dark purples curling into a sea of heavy clouds. The air had changed too, humming with a low pressure that seemed to contain a heavy sense of spiritual energy that made her heart beat faster.
Elena tilted her head slightly.
Her eyes narrowed.
There's a storm coming.