Chapter 7: The Archbishop and the Betrayer

If she got caught sneaking a peek at that kind of book, her social life would be over, right?
So… Tina decided to cover her tracks.

“Your Highness, it’s actually just something friends do.”

“Friends?”

“Yup. You’ve been in the palace so long, you might not know, but this is how people cheer up their same-sex friends these days.
If they’re feeling down, you do this, and bam—they’re happy again.”

“Really?” Althea was still skeptical.

She didn’t know much about same-sex stuff, but this felt off.
“Totally. Ask Phyllis if you don’t believe me.” Tina kept a straight face.

So, after Althea took the booklet to the red-haired girl and got a cheerful “Yup, it’s super fun!” in response, she accepted it as truth.
“Lady Tina, if you’re ever feeling down, you can come to me for this. If it really cheers you up.”

“Pfft.” Tina barely held it together, thrilled her bluff worked.
“Thanks for the offer, Your Highness.”

‘She’s way too innocent. I feel like some sleaze tricking a straight girl into something shady.’
“By the way, Lady Tina, I’d like to recommend some books for you.”

“Oh? Your Highness’s picks? I’ve gotta check those out.”

Tina took the books, but the moment she saw the titles, she froze.
One was How to Be a Faithful Woman. The other, The Consequences of Being a Player.

“Uh, Your Highness, is there some hidden meaning behind these?”
Tina’s back felt cold.

“No, I just think the authors write well.”

‘Oh, okay. For a second, I thought she was warning me through books.’
Tina decided she was just being paranoid—Althea didn’t seem like the type to catch her cheating and drag her to a basement for some twisted, obsessive punishment.

“Ladies, pack up and let’s move. The longer we stay, the more dangerous it gets.”

Under Tyr’s lead, the group reached the edge of the district without a hitch—almost too smoothly.
Ahead was the tunnel to the inner city, guarded by two teams in ornate armor checking passersby.

But as they approached, Tyr halted, stopping everyone.
“What’s wrong?” Tina asked.

“Something’s off. Those guards… they’ve got the Mistmoon Cult’s aura.”

“No way. The cult? Have they infiltrated this deeply?”

After a closer look, Tyr confirmed it.
“Don’t panic. They’re just under control. I have a way to get us through. Stay close.”

He took the lead, clutching a gem in his right hand before the vacant-eyed guards could inspect them.
“You, show us what’s in your bag,” a lifeless voice demanded.

“Sure.”

As Tyr opened his bag, the gem in his hand glowed, dispelling the magic on the guards in an instant.
“No issues here, right?”

“No problem. Go ahead.”

The guards saw the scroll but didn’t react, meaning the gem’s suppression magic worked.
But Tyr knew it couldn’t fully break high-level control spells—just keep them from being noticed temporarily.

He passed, and the other three followed easily, carrying no contraband.
“Let’s move. The magic won’t hold long. They’ll be controlled again soon.”

After leaving the local underground district, they half-walked, half-ran, reaching the boundary between districts in about half a day.
This was the farthest, most lawless place—no one governed here.

Countless tents lined the massive tunnel, some for weary travelers, others for merchants doing business.
Merchants often had trained bodyguards, protecting themselves and, for a fee, passersby.

No payment? Good luck getting robbed by thugs.
“Need a break?”

Tyr, used to years of travel, wasn’t fazed by the half-day trek.
But a pampered noble lady? Not so much.

He glanced back—
Althea, hardened by two years on the run, was fine and could keep going.
Phyllis, a veteran of the underground, was in decent shape too.

“Wait, why am I the one slowing us down?”
Tina was on the verge of a breakdown.

She was still the same shut-in, past life or present.
Sure, she had some witch tricks, but her stamina was trash. And she couldn’t exactly fly in front of everyone.

That’d blow her cover.
“Ugh, you guys go ahead. I’ll catch up.”

“No way,” Althea said, thinking Tina was giving up.
“It’s dangerous alone. If you need to rest, we’ll wait with you.”

“Yeah, Tina dear, we’re a team. We won’t leave you behind,” Phyllis added.

“You guys… I’m touched…”
Tina didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

Honestly, it’d be easier if they left so she could use her witch powers to fly over.
Clap—clap—clap—
An out-of-place applause interrupted their debate.

“What a touching display of teamwork and loyalty.”
A white-haired man with a scarred face stepped forward.
“Since you’re all so close, why don’t you all stay?”

“Who are you?” The group tensed, on guard.

“Hey, you think you can just take our stuff and slip away?”
The man smirked. “Guess why I waited until now to show up?”

The answer was obvious—this was the perfect place for a fight.
“Boss, one of them’s got some weird magic,” said the axe-wielding man from before.

“Oh? Strange magic? Now that’s interesting.”
The white-haired man’s gaze swept over the four.
“Let’s see what kind of magic has my general so impressed.”

“Is it you?”
As he spoke, a sharp bone spike shot from nowhere, aimed straight at Phyllis’s face.

“Watch out!” Tyr shoved her aside, the spike grazing his cheek, leaving a thin cut.

“Well, well, an old friend. Betrayed the organization and still alive, huh?”

“Long time no see, Archbishop. You’re looking as youthful as ever—killed plenty to stay that way, I bet.”

“Hahaha, Tyr, you’re not wrong.”
The man cracked his knuckles. “Let’s see… a thousand, two thousand? Eh, who keeps count? Like you’d remember every loaf of bread you’ve eaten.”

“That’s vile.”

Tyr faced off, signaling the girls to run.
But Althea clenched her fists.

She knew facing a threat this big, escaping unscathed was nearly impossible.
“I’m staying too,” Tina said, tossing her bag to Phyllis.

“What? Tina dear, are you serious?”

“I’m too tired to run. Might as well help out instead of dragging everyone down.”
Truth was, this was her only shot at winning.

“You two, go. We’ll hold them off as long as we can.”
Tyr was ready to die.

He was up against the Mistmoon Cult’s Archbishop, a monster skilled in blood and bone magic, capable of leveling a city single-handedly.
“Tina…”

Althea hesitated, but Tyr had already activated a magic array.
A flash of white light later, she and Phyllis were teleported to some random nearby location.

“Why didn’t you teleport with us?” Tina asked.

“Sorry, my limit’s two at a time.” Tyr gave a bitter smile.
“Got you dragged into this mess. My bad.”

“Don’t worry! None of us are dying today!”