CHAPTER 78: SEEKING HELP

[: 3rd POV :]

Melira forced a smile, though there was an undeniable weight behind it.

"I’m sorry I couldn’t visit you earlier... I had my own situation to handle."

The admission hung between them like a fragile thread, and Caelira’s heart tightened.

She felt a pang of guilt—how could she ask for help when she herself had failed to find Daniel?

Yet she knew this was necessary before she could reach out to the Overseer.

"Don’t be sorry, Melira," Caelira replied quietly, her voice edged with gratitude and regret.

"I understand. We all carry burdens." She hesitated, then pressed on.

"But there is something... something I need your help with."

Melira’s gaze sharpened with focus and warmth.

"If it is within my power, I will gladly offer my support," she promised.

Caelira took a deep breath, searching for the words as if untangling a knot in her mind.

"I don’t know where to start... but do you know why we disappeared—why so many of us vanished—about twelve years ago?"

Melira’s brow furrowed, a hint of confusion knitting her delicate features.

"Your disappearance?" she echoed softly, tilting her head as if trying to grasp the full meaning behind Caelira’s words.

Her eyes flicked briefly to Kiel, whose usually confident demeanour gave way to a flicker of nervousness under her gaze.

Then to Rika, the proud heiress of the Demi-Humans, who shifted uneasily, her hands clasped tightly in front of her.

Lastly, Melira’s gaze settled on Manork, the Demon Lord, who stood silent and composed, yet the weight of his presence was undeniable.

Melira swallowed hard, the pieces beginning to fall into place, but the connection still eluding her.

She was fully aware that Kiel, the Demon Prince, Rika, the Demi-Human heir, and Manork, the Demon Lord, had all vanished without a trace twelve years ago, only to reappear recently as if pulled from the shadows.

Yet hearing Caelira refer to it as their

disappearance unsettled her.

"How...?" Melira began, voice softer now, heavy with both curiosity and a hint of dread.

"You speak as if it weren’t only you who disappeared. But Kiel, Rika, and Manork—they all went missing then, yes. But what is the connection between you all?’’

Caelira took a deep breath, her voice steady but weighed with pain as she revealed the truth.

"If you weren’t aware," she began, eyes locking with Melira’s.

’’I, Rika, Kiel, and Manork... we were captured and forced into slavery twelve years ago—the very moment of our disappearance."

The words hung in the air like a heavy thunderclap.

Nearby, Xerath and Kaelgor, standing close beside their children, clenched their fists tightly, jaws tightening as if trying to restrain a storm of fury that threatened to break loose.

"What!?" She exclaimed, almost, her face blanching with shock and disbelief.

Melira’s breath hitched, a sudden surge of mana erupting uncontrollably around her like a fierce tempest, crackling with raw emotion—rage, disbelief, and deep sorrow all mingled into one fierce outburst.

Her usually composed demeanour was shattered for a fleeting moment.

"How could this happen?" she demanded, her voice trembling with suppressed fury.

"Caelira... Manork... How could such powerful beings—rulers in their own right—be captured? Enslaved? And a prince and a princess, who dared to enslave them?!"

Her gaze burned into the others as if daring any to answer.

The room seemed to hold its breath, the tension palpable and thick.

But slowly, Melira’s breathing evened, the tempest of magic fading as she steadied herself.

Her eyes softened, filled with relief and determination.

"If you are here now," she said firmly, voice resolute, "That means you guys have found your way’’

Melira’s eyes narrowed sharply, her voice low but filled with burning intensity.

"But how the hell did you all get captured? Tell me everything."

Caelira’s lips pressed into a thin line, a shadow passing over her features.

She took a steadying breath before speaking, her voice heavy with betrayal and sorrow.

"I was betrayed by my own husband—with the help of the Zero Organisation, and... some in my own court who sided against me. It was a knife in the back from those I trusted most."

The weight of her words hung in the air, the betrayal cutting deeper than any blade.

Before Melira could respond, Xerath stepped forward, his tone grave and edged with pain.

"My son and Manork were locked in a dispute, but while distracted, they were ambushed. The Zero Organisation used unknown, foul methods to seal their powers—rendering them helpless."

He clenched his fists tightly, anger simmering beneath his calm exterior.

Kaelgor’s voice came next, quiet but resolute.

"My daughter... she sought her own path, eager for adventure. But powerless, she was captured—taken like a lamb to the slaughter."

A heavy silence fell over the group, the common thread clear and ominous.

Caelira’s eyes darkened with fierce resolve.

"The one thing they all had in common was their connection to the Zero Organisation. This parasite infects everything it touches."

Melira’s fury flared, her hands curling into fists as her voice thundered with righteous wrath.

"That damn organisation again! They’re like a cancer—an infestation that refuses to die!"

She took a step forward, her gaze blazing with conviction.

"So, you need my help to annihilate them?"

A subtle, almost imperceptible smile flickered on her lips as she added, "Because I have been planning it from the very beginning."

The room filled with a renewed sense of hope and fierce determination — a spark in the darkness, lighting the way forward.

Caelira took a deep breath, steadying herself as the weight of the moment pressed down on her.

Her voice was firm yet laced with the urgency they all felt.

"It’s not just about reclaiming what was stolen or seeking justice for those enslaved’’

’’We wish to propose a formal alliance — between the Demon Continent, the Human Continent, the Elf Continent, and the Demi-Human Continent."

She glanced briefly at Xerath and Kaelgor, who both nodded solemnly before she continued.

"To unite our forces to annihilate the Zero Organisation once and for all, and to eradicate the entire network of slave merchants that plague our world’’

’’This filth cannot be allowed to fester any longer."

Kaelgor stepped forward, his voice steady and commanding.

"An alliance like this would send a clear message: that the corruption and filth tearing at the fabric of our civilisations will no longer be tolerated."

Xerath’s eyes burned with determination as he added, "Together, we can purge these evils, protect our people, and restore order."

For a long moment, Melira’s eyes studied them—her lips pressed tightly, her posture regal yet wary.

The room was thick with tension. T

he rulers’ hearts thudded in anxious anticipation.

Then, with a sudden, decisive nod, Melira declared, "An alliance, huh? Not a bad deal, considering we’re talking about cleansing this world of its darkest filth."

Her voice held a rare note of warmth and acceptance.

"Alright. I will agree to this alliance."

A collective sigh of relief rippled through the group, the burden on their chests easing.

They had braced for Melira’s infamous volatility — her uncontrollable rage and sorrow, especially since the tragic loss of her newborn son had left her unstable.

But now, for once, her resolve seemed tempered with clarity and purpose.

However, Melira’s sharp gaze suddenly sharpened again as she leaned forward slightly, eyes locking onto each of them in turn.

"But I don’t believe this is the only reason you requested this meeting, is it?"

Her voice was calm, yet heavy with unspoken challenge.

"Alliances and war plans are important," she said, "but what other matters weigh so heavily on your minds that you sought me out today?"

The silence stretched, anticipation and a flicker of dread swirling in the air as all waited for the truth to come forth.

Melira’s sharp gaze lingered on the three rulers before her, her tone measured but laced with a hint of teasing frustration.

"Even though these matters are important," she said, folding her arms lightly.

"I find it hard to believe they would warrant an urgent meeting of three rulers—unless, of course, there is something far more pressing that you’re not telling me."

Caelira exchanged a brief glance with Xerath and Kaelgor, and all of them let out a quiet sigh, one mingled with relief and the weight of the truth that had been held back until now.

Caelira gave a small, knowing smile, a warmth flickering through her otherwise sombre demeanour.

"Sigh, Melira... you’ve been like this since the day I met you. Nothing escapes your keen eyes, does it?"

Melira arched an eyebrow, the faintest hint of a smile tugging at her lips, as if she enjoyed the subtle jab.

Caelira nodded, her voice softening but filled with deep resolve.

"It’s true. I came seeking your help, not just because of politics or power... but because there is a boy I am deeply indebted to’’’

’’A boy whom both Xerath and Kaelgor also feel a heavy debt toward."

Melira’s eyes widened just slightly, curiosity sparking in their depths.

"A boy?" she repeated, voice gentle but intrigued.

"And for three rulers to feel such debt... I can only imagine what he must have done to deserve such honour. Who is this boy?"