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"This is a scene that is hard to see in Xeloria," admitted the hoar-headed young man, whose eyes revealed wisdom beyond his years. Joey sat with a straight back, filled with pride over what his lord had accomplished. "How does Rosewood ensure the satisfaction of its citizens?"

"Sharing," answered Joey with a smile. "My lord makes sure that everyone receives the bare minimum to sustain life. Those who are strong must protect the weak, she says. I have never seen a better leader than her."

"It sounds like someone from whom I can learn," added Dorian with a smile. "How can we meet her alone so I can convince her?"

"She trusts me. I will leave her a signal in our hideout, and she should visit me at night. We only have a chance before she loses her trust in me. If she leaves before we manage to convince her, she would never meet us again."

Dorian nodded in understanding as Joey led the carriage to the so-called hideout, an old mill whose main building had been turned into a proper hideout. Joey sent the signal by lighting a candle atop its roof, and the two only had to wait until it was dark.

"What would you do if she banishes you?" asked Dorian while staring at a unique coin between his fingers. It was half gold and half copper. Dorian flipped the coin in the air and snatched it. "After all, this is nothing other than treason. Bringing the enemy into one city is considered an act of ultimate treason."

"I know I became a traitor the moment I agreed to help Alexie," admitted the soldier without hesitation. "If it means saving Rosewood, then I don\'t mind being executed, even."

Dorian watched the strength of the sentiment in the man\'s eyes and felt curious about what made him believe his actions were saving Rosewood. However, he already knew the answer.

"Is Alexie a threat to your city?"

"He is a threat to the entire tower, which doesn\'t make him a villain," answered Joey with near certainty. "Alexie is capable of wiping out the ten cities if he wanted, but he wants to unite them by defeating all lords, regardless of the method."

"This has Jonathan written all over it," commented Dorian with a grin. "Silver Rose has always been a sentimental man full of righteousness, but how does that work alongside his loyalty to my father?"

"Loyalty to a city is different than loyalty to a lord," said Joey as he leaned back in his chair with his hands behind his head. "If a lord is defeated and replaced, the soldiers will stay the same. Some have seen many lords over the years and cannot care about who runs things as long as they run it well."

"My father always believed that fear was the ultimate respect," said Dorian in a mocking tone. "I wish he knew that fear can be overcome, unlike loyalty."

Joey didn\'t say anything more and just rocked back and forth in his chair. The sun began to hide behind the horizon until the last rays of light disappeared from their window. Dorian remained seated in place, his eyes closed.

Someone arrived at their door, tapping three sharp knocks and one dull. Joey seemed to recognize the signal and hurried to open the door. As soon as the breeze drifted into the mill, the sweet aroma of flowers filled their senses.

"It\'s been days since we last talked, J," said the cloaked woman as she barged straight in, her heels striking the wooden floors. Her entire body froze the moment she caught sight of Dorian. "What is the meaning of this, Agent J?"

"There is someone who wants to meet you, my lady," said Joey as he closed the doors. The woman seemed hesitant as she stared at the door for a few seconds and then at Joey. "I promise that this is a conversation you would like to hear."

"This man is Dorian Stormblade," the woman\'s tone changed from annoyed to cold. "You brought their lord\'s son to our hideout and into our city? Have you changed sides, Agent?"

Throughout their conversation, the woman grew increasingly cold toward Joey. However, Dorian rose from the chair he sat in and gestured for her to sit.

"Joey has always spoken highly of you, even calling you the Rose of Rosewood," said Dorian with a flattering smile. "I came here without my father\'s knowledge and permission. If he knew that I met you here, giving Rosewood the chance to keep me hostage, he would disown me."

"Then, what brings you here, young lord?" asked the woman as she took short and confident steps toward the chair before sitting. Then, she pulled down her hood, revealing her lavender hair. "Have you come here to betray Xeloria?"

Dorian did not answer and simply studied the woman. Her hair came in curls with bangs that almost covered her violet eyes. Her fair skin and cold expression complemented each other well to show her confident demeanor.

"The rumors failed to portray your beauty," said Dorian as Joey glared at him. Ignoring his growling gaze, Dorian continued. "I came here with a warning and a proposal. However, your agent is best to tell the warning before I present what I have."

"I\'m still considering whether he can be trusted anymore," said the woman as she clasped her hands above her knee. "I have to decide later after I know why you are here."

"Please hear me out, Lady Lillian," pleaded Joey as he stepped forward and bowed. "I came here from afar to warn you again about the man I met during my travels."

"The man you labeled the prophesied Demon King," laughed his lady without even glancing at him. "You are better than those silly stories, Joey. Even if that man was a threat, what is Dorian Stormblade doing in my city?"

"I traveled alongside the man as well," said Dorian with a frown. "My hair has turned white because I experienced the burden he carries. I don\'t know if he is the demon king this tower awaits, but he is someone stronger than anyone else."

"From what I know about Dorian Stormblade, he is said to be a man of unparalleled arrogance," said Lillian with a smirk. "On the other hand, you have not shot me a condescending gaze ever since I walked in here. That\'s rare for a man, not to mention an arrogant one."

"Meeting Alexie humbled me because I now know that strength is irrelevant when I stand next to him. He will forever be the undefeated."

"Such praises..." the woman seemed confused and surprised. "Alexie is the man you warned me about, right?" she addressed her agent.

"He is determined to defeat every lord on this floor, including you. However, because I became his comrade in my undercover mission, he promised to assign you as a lord-in-name if you forfeit your position."

"Forfeit?" Lillian repeated the word with a chilly anger as veins began growing from the ground beneath them. "Is this what you came back to say, Joey? Is this what your final mission yielded?"

"My mission to serve you is eternal, Lady Lillian," said Joey as he fell to his knee. "However, you have not witnessed his strength. He is without a question the strongest man we might ever encounter. I saw him shoot down a giant vessel that belonged to Crestview in a single strike."

"And he defeated nine hundred red priests with their overpowered armors," added Dorian. "Is that something your army can achieve easily?"

"There is more to war than military strength," said Lillian with a confident smile. "I have overcome many ordeals by trapping my enemies and slowly killing them."

"Whether it is strength, intelligence, or versatile abilities, Alexie is a monster in all. He proved himself to be a man of great intuition and foresight. This extends to his plan for the second floor."

"This is what I came here to reveal, Lady Lillian," said Joey as he rose, prompting the woman to turn her head. "Alexie wants to unite the ten cities and make sure that everyone obtains what they need from resources. Rosewood stands at the top, but those at the bottom are starving every day. He wants to abolish the cities and end the war."

"Your proposal is far from appealing," said Lady Lillian as her veins wrapped themselves around Joey\'s legs. However, even as the thorns dug into his flesh, Joey did not even acknowledge the pain. "Tell me, Dorian Stormblade. What stops me from using you as leverage to obtain at least an artifact from Xeloria?"

"Alexie obtained two artifacts and is now seeking the third. According to his plan, he wants to distribute those artifacts to give a fighting chance to all cities. This way, he would ensure an all-out war between the ten cities."

"This is starting a war, not stopping it."

"Once he defeats every lord who enters the war, everyone will lose their positions. You either stand with him now or trample beneath his feet later," said Dorian without mercy. Lady Lillian sat there silently.