The Author's POV

"Are you here to kill time, or do you intend to declare war on us directly?"

"I wonder about that..."

"Don't feign ignorance."

It was the sound of Octavious and Hemlock's voices that roused me awake.

When I opened my eyes, I noticed that the scene was continuing to unfold exactly as it had been when I had closed them.

I lowered my head to check the time.

'Only two minutes have passed.'

I was surprised to see that not much time had passed since I had activated Monarch's Indifference and that the scene had not changed much since I had left.

'You'll find out in due time.'

These were the words that Kevin told me before ending the connection.

What did they mean? ...I didn't know. There were so many questions that I had, yet at the same time, had no one to answer them.

Whatever was happening was fucked up.

All this secrecy bullshit, I was fucking tired of it.

'In the end, I'm still probably not strong enough.'

I silently clenched my fist under the table. All it took was a deep breath to calm my nerves down.

There was something else that needed my immediate attention at the moment.

"I don't get it; why are you people willing to throw away your lives in such a reckless way? Do you have any idea how formidable the Demon King really is? Do you honestly believe that you have even the smallest chance of beating him?"

"What I'm doing is for the good of humanity, which you guys are unwilling to acknowledge. I have already spoken with the Demon King, and he has promised me that if we choose to submit to him, he will provide us with a land where we can survive in the future."

"Why must we waste so many lives when the solution is right in front of us? Are you really willing to let our race go extinct?"

The air resounded with Hemlock's voice. His voice had a peculiar allure that briefly hypnotized me, but I was able to quickly shake off the effect and my gaze fell on Octavious.

For some reason, Octavious was strangely calm.

Even stranger was the fact that he appeared to be quietly listening to Hemlock's voice without any hints of rage or impatience.

The Octavious that I was familiar with would have almost certainly put an end to Hemlock's life right then and there; however, for some inexplicable reason, he had remained perfectly still the entire time.

For some strange reason, it appeared as if they were both stalling for time.

'It can't be right?'

Another ridiculous notion occurred to me, and I turned my attention to the direction in which Octavious was sitting.

'What exactly are you planning?'

"You seem to be waiting for something."

"I am―"

in the middle of his sentence. The expressions of the other people in the room began to shift at the same time that the muffled sound of explosions began to reverberate

"What's going on?"

"What's happening?"

anticipated it would as a result of the unexpected situation; however, it was obvious that the people present weren't exactly unaffected by the situation, all taking out their phones to check what was

no one was able to communicate with the outside world for

cause for concern. I will provide everyone present with an explanation at a later

again, he was able to calm the whole

voice, there was a good chance that some

same listless expression as before, he turned his head to look at Hemlock, who was seated

that you

twitched slightly in

"I believe so too."

in agreement. In spite of the fact that he appeared to be calm on the surface, I could sense the anger that was emanating from

expected Everblood to go as far as blowing up half of the

repercussions of his actions weren't going to

Tap. Tap. Tap.

gaze lingered over me for a brief moment, and then

Thud―!

room was taken aback by his abrupt action, and when they turned to look at

"He's left."

voice echoed beside

the sudden appearance of Hemlock to the explosions that echoed outside, a great deal transpired in the span of a few minutes, and it was

think the explosions

raised to look up at

glanced at her from the corner of my

entire time, if you want to ask someone, he's your best shot

head and Monica's head turned to gaze in his

moment, she wasn't the only one that was looking up at him. From a glance, I could count more than ten of

and before long, everyone's

something about the situation, don't

comment. A smattering of solemnity could

said before that you would give us an explanation of what is going on. I'm sure you haven't

hair and bushy eyebrows spoke. With his arms crossed and wearing a tight black suit, his basketball-sized muscles were accentuated by his attire, which seemed to be a size too

fact that he was a head taller than the majority of the room's occupants made him extremely intimidating. In fact, he appeared quite comical

the new

extremely oppressive, with the people around him put in a somewhat difficult

to be

that he didn't do or say anything. Then again, he was probably wary

I will provide you with an explanation, and I will. I am a man of

his hand, and the room

together,

discuss two topics with you guys before we were abruptly interrupted by... you already

was something about

one to

chair with her legs crossed and her glossy red hair falling over her shoulder, Ivana's disposition seemed wild and unrestrained. She was currently donning

fuller than average, and the color of her pupils, which were yellow like Liam's, added to the

her stand out from the others were, in fact, her pupils, which were horizontal,

elbow, she

guess, for the next ten minutes you will brief us on how the alliance