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Chapter 20: Duality II

A vast room came into view, with a ceiling that was high and broad. The walls were predominantly white, with extensive gold decorations and highlights. Luxurious, multicolored chandeliers ―made of precious gems from colors of the rainbow― hung from the ceiling, radiating feelings of decadence.

This was the heart of Temecula.

"Welcome slave. Congratulations on being accepted out of all the other candidates to serve the almighty one."

The chubby man sitting on the throne bellowed out, his deep voice echoed the hall. Another man stood beside him, he was rather lean and wore a dashing white robe, which was probably enchanted with magic. His dark-brown eyes followed her movements like a careful hawk.

Amae furrowed her brow at King Hurley's introduction. But she stepped forward and bowed elegantly in front of her new owner.

"Thank you for accepting this humble servant into your vicinity. I am grateful that you offered me this opportunity."

The application process took two months as the duo had to first live in Temecula to attain citizenship. Of course, the fees were overly pricey for adventurers. After the tedious paperwork, Amae started her maid career in some of the vilest places that were beyond horrific.

Never did she want to experience that again. The foul stenches... The layers of mold and feces... Wiping the bacteria-filled carpet...

Amae felt sickness coiled inside her stomach at those gross memories.

After her experiences, Amae came to a small understanding of what it was like to be a lower class. She felt empathy for the peasants — they had to endure what she thought was utterly disgusting for their entire life. And this was worse for slaves, who were treated like livestock and properties.

Slavery must be abolished in this city. And my big brother and I will be the one to make it happen.

No matter what it takes.

A group of magicians appeared in rows behind King Hurley, standing in a neat vertical line.

This wasn't mentioned in the invitation.

King Hurley chuckled and rose from his throne confidently.

"Eama, I want you to meet my private special force, the Unpolites. All of them are handpicked and they are considered by many as one of the best combat squadrons in the world."

"It is a great honor to meet the renowned Unpolites in person. I am in awe of their presence."

Amae kept her bowing form, carefully examining the high-level mercenary mages. The circular glasses she wore pulsated for a microsecond and went to work.

"Recently, rumor has it that there is a high-level magician acting as an undercover spy."

This is unexpected... Do they know about my true identity?

But how...?

Am I compromised?

Amae's heart froze for a second. She carefully reached into her side pocket, crushing a marble-sized stone with her fingers.

Instead of being accused, two people walked out from the side hall—

—A blonde-haired girl with a large steel chain on her neck was led out by a grinning guard.

Her face was swollen and bruised, and the skin was flecked with spots of dried blood. Her lips and eyelids were similarly injured, completely distorting her originally beauty, There were bruises and burn marks on the rest of her body, but the damage was worst on her face.

It was like watching an abusive owner dragging a beaten-up dog with a leash.

King Hurley then held onto the chain and smirked.

"With the help of Unpolites, I found the culprit."

Amae felt an array of emotions exploding inside of her. The girl had a blank, lifeless expression on her face, as if she was merely a capsule without a soul. It was obvious that she had endured tortures beyond hell.

Why was King Hurley telling her all of this?

Did they really capture the wrong person?

What type of torture did this girl have to go through...?

Rage and ire flared inside of Amae's very soul. She was furious at King Hurley and also at herself. Because of this operation, Amae had put an innocent life at risk.

I can't allow this to happen. The plan needs to change.

"This is the might of Temecula and I want you to understand that before you serve me." King Hurley kicked the slave and then casually sat back in his throne, dragging the collapsed girl along like a house pet. "Now why don't you start by washing my feet, Eama? They've been dirtied by this filth."

This is a test.

One of the guards brought a bowl of water and placed in front of King Hurley. Silent pressure filled the air slowly as all eyes pressed onto Amae, waiting for her response.

The thought of washing this bastard's feet and then serving him for weeks to come, Amae knew she could not perform such duty. It was too much for her. Simply too much.

It's time for plan B and improvise.

"I refuse."

"Speak up." The man who stood near King Hurley finally spoke. It was as if he was analyzing the entire situation. "If you are to express your disservice, then declare it out loud."

"Very well, I refuse!"

"Oi oi, little maid. Do you have a screw loose in your brain? Just because you look pretty, doesn't mean you'll receive special treatment from King Hurley."

The guard who led the girl out earlier snapped sharply, stepping forward and palming his hands into a fist.

Amae remained silent.

"Looks like the new maid does need some disciplining..." King Hurley cried out as the Unpolites nodded and snickered amongst themselves, "And I will make sure Eama understand that who is the boss tonight in my chamber."

King Hurley waved his right hand in the air and barked a command.

"Guard A, seize Eama and strip her clothing."

"Yes, your highness-!"

"Unforgivable..."

Amae muttered under her breath. Her anger had exceeded the bearable amount and was starting to leak out.

The guard smirked in a lewd manner as his hands wiggled.

These people don't deserve to live.

He stood in front of Amae and reached out to her shoulder, grinning like a madman. Those fingers seemed to be moving eagerly.

No... These aren't people...

They are scums and need to be eradicated from this world.

Before the guard could even touch her, Amae chanted a spell under her breath.

And then — the appendage tumbled to the ground.

"Could you not touch me with your filthy hand?"

The dumbfounded guard looked at his now handless arm in complete surprise, and after a moment's delay, he wailed out:

"Ahhhhhhhh! My, my haaaaaaaand—!"

Annoyed with his screaming, Amae summoned a mighty gust of wind, which slashed endlessly at the guard. Instantly, he flew vertically across the air and then crashed into a marble pillar with a loud THUD.

King Hurley turned towards his advisor and nodded.

♦ ♦ ♦

"Is everything going according to plan?" King Hurley nodded at his trusted right-hand man, Zenpy.

"Yes, your highness."

He was glad that he had heeded his advisor's cautionary plan. Otherwise, he would not have witnessed the sheer strength that Eama possessed. Even now, he found it unbelievable that a small girl was able to summon a spell of this level.

He knew something was suspicious. His gut had warned him. It was that sixth sense feeling that he had always relied on, saving him from the brink of death many times in the past.

"What do you mean according to plan?" The maid —Eama—asked, raising her brow. Her navy-blue eyes pulsated with rage ever since he brought out the slave. Despite her facial expression, the anger seemed to accentuate her beauty, making King Hurley even more excited.

"You are too naive to be an assassin. To think someone your age is trying to kill me, how utterly despicable. Now tell me, who sent you?"

"When did you find out about my identity? I know bringing the girl out was part of the test."

The maid ignored his question and realized his intention. It seemed like she was not as impulsive as she seemed.

Now it was a battle of information-gathering.

"Does it matter?"

King Hurley purposely avoided the question because he did not realize her true identity until minutes ago. He had played his cards right so far.

"It doesn't. I have no plans to negotiate with you."

"Cheh! Negotiate?" A few of the Unpolites laughed at the current situation while King Hurley shook his head. "You aren't exactly in the position to negotiate. Don't worry darling, I'll simply force the information out of you."

King Hurley thought how much of a waste for a lovely maiden to be ruined. Perhaps after the battle, he will have the Unpolites restrain her with「Magical Cancelation Cuffs」like he did with the slave girl. Maybe even drag her along with a leash as an act of shame.

And then he will some have wild fun with the young maid and have her become his personal mistress. Conquer her as he did with others.

The corner of King Hurley's mouth twisted up in a lewd smile that bared his inner sexual desires.

"I'm not exactly an idiot, Eama. I used to be an adventurer myself, peaking at 'Platinum-tier' before I joined the Dark Triad. With their help, I created Temecula. This is my personal paradise."

Eama's eyes lit up at the sound of Dark Triad. It was only to be expected. He rarely shared his personal history with the infamous underground organization unless he knew it was over.

It was a masterful way to strike consternation deep into the hearts of his enemy — how a superior king like himself possessed divine insight and his enemy had to live with the fact knowing that they had been outsmarted. And that he had the backing of Dark Triad.

King Hurley began to laugh.

The crude laughter rang through the hall like the sound of victory. There was zero chance that Eama could win, even if she may possess some sort of super strength.

Against a group of elite magicians with decades of battle experience? There was no way a teenager could ever hope to win. Although the spell earlier was quite impressive, power meant nothing against numbers.

Not only that, Zenpy has the ability to nullify any magic spells below the 6th tier. With his trusty advisor standing beside him, he had no need to fear at the various possibilities that exist. Because technically speaking, he was invincible.

King Hurley raised his hand at Eama and announced in a confident voice, striking fear into the depth of her heart.

"Give in to your despair."

♦ ♦ ♦

Twelve strong men stepped forward from their position, forming a semicircle around the beautiful maid called Eama.

None of them were outfitted the same way. All of their equipment seemed to be customized and tailored to their own strengths and magical abilities. It was clear that they had hand-picked their weapons. The only thing matching were the capes they wore, proudly displaying the symbol of Temecula.

The casual way in which they were discussing how to deal with their victim sounded like they already had their prey in the bag.

Despite that, the maid stood firm. Behind her circular glasses, her expression indicated that she was absolutely confident in her power to win.

Absolutely preposterous, Zenpy thought to himself, watching the event quietly. Has she resigned to her fate... or does she have a triumph card?

Logically speaking, there was no way for her to win. It was an obvious twelve against one. Not to mention, the Unpolites were one of the most feared and powerful mercenary group in the world. From the Adventurer's Guild perspective, they would be placed around the Diamond-tier.

The gathered elite magicians laughed coarsely and looked at the young maiden with lustful eyes, leering at her breasts that seemed to be developing. It was clear from their expressions that they were quite delighted in what was in front of them.

Nothing made his subordinates happier when they see the crumbling hopelessness expression on their opponent's face. Zenpy could sense the carnal desires inside his men, waiting to be released.

If they were lucky, King Hurley would finish fast and get bored with Eama. That way, they could all take turns and have their way with her. That was the rule of Temecula — the weak will obey the strongest.

At this moment, all they needed to do was wait for the signal from their boss and then they would devour the helpless maid, like hungry wolves tearing apart a lone sheep.


CREATORS' THOUGHTS
AmaeMei AmaeMei

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Censorship OP.

Chapter 21: Duality III

In the face of imminent danger, the maid laughed. It was a laugh that did not fit with her cutesy image. In fact, it sounded quite sinister and echoed throughout the throne room.

The uncanny reaction from Eama raised King Hurley's concern.

"You are a fool, King Hurley. An absolute fool."

Despite standing against twelve elite magicians who was twice her body size, she continued to giggle. The air remained tense as the Unpolites glanced amongst themselves.

What's so funny?

I can have her killed in one word yet she's snickering in the face of death.

That laugh reminds me of a yandere...

"Silence, Eama-!" King Hurley waved his hand in a sweeping motion. "I'm giving you one last chance. Do not test my anger."

"I speak the truth — a group of pretend elite soldiers stand no chance against me."

King Hurley could feel the slight irritation from the Unpolites but they held their ground, waiting for the signal to devour the maid. After witnessing Eama's power with the guard earlier, it would be wise to tread this carefully. Something was odd about the escalation of this situation.

It almost felt too easy.

"What makes you say that?"

Eama smiled coyly and pointed at her circular glasses, which seemed to shine in accordance.

"「Spectatles of Inner Observance」, this allows me to accurately appraise each person's magic level and their repertoire of spells." With a pitiful smile, Eama shook her head. "I have to say, I am quite disappointed in the Unpolites — their skill levels are far below my expectations."

King Hurley felt a sting from the sheer resolution of her tone.

She's bluffing.

No, she must be.

In battle, deception's a key to victory.

Rationally speaking, there was no chance she could win against the Unpolites. By Adventurer's Guild ranking standards, they were considered between Platinum-tier and Diamond-tiers — the top one percent of the entire community.

But if Eama did own powerful items like the spectacle she wore, it would mean that she was no ordinary magician. That was because someone of lower status could not have access nor have the ability to use them properly. Based on his past experiences, these items were prized possessions, often obtained from dungeon or a reward from life-threatening quests.

Is it from a sponsorship?

Or the arsenal of a famous guild?

With Zenpy's superior insight and the experienced synergy of Unpolite, King Hurley was confident in his victory. But not all battles were guaranteed. He had to analyze Eama and what she does to ensure her chances of winning remain near zero.

Why do I feel so uneasy...?

Eama seemed to be on a different level than all the other enemies he had encountered. King Hurley could physically feel the power disparity between his army and her. For some reason, he sensed a veteran vibe, the air that hardened soldiers exhibit when they lived through years of fighting.

The utter confusion behind all this was how a teenage girl attained this gravitas and had access to a powerful magic item of this level.

"I don't know how you found out about the assassination but I will applaud you."

"Everything merely went according to my plan," King Hurley smiled. However, he could feel his heart beating rapidly. "Now then, what will you do about it?"

Eama's face instantly turned grim. It was dark and filled with malice, sending thrills down his spine. She stared into his eyes as if gazing directly into the abyss of his soul. The maid was no longer cutesy and adorable.

"Your actions are absolutely unforgivable — I will make you pay for harming that innocent girl."

"You would hate to know what I did to the others, especially the ones who were disobedient to my orders."

King Hurley chuckled. He was in love with the dangerous expression the young girl had on her face. The adrenaline rush and the shivers, he was craving more of it.

The despair on Eama's face after will only make it more satisfying.

"Then I will gladly exterminate you from this world. And along with it, your entire kingdom built upon slavery and everything you have over the last decade."

King Hurley and the Unpolite chuckled at the ridiculous remark that Eama made.

"Such huge words from a little girl. Just what do you think you can do?"

In a swift motion, the maid brought her right hand up in the air.

The Unpolites expertly harmonized into a defensive formation. It was time to act. Zenpy's eyes seemed to be glowing in delight but quickly muttered a protective ability.

Instead of a destructive spell like everyone expected, there was a loud sound.

SNAP-!

The guards scanned around the room and began to snicker amongst themselves. Eama had snapped her fingers and nothing had happened, it was merely all a bluff—

—Suddenly, something heavy fell between the Unpolites and Eama with a thunderous crash, completely penetrating the opulent ceiling above in the process.

Unable to bear that weight, the stone slabs shattered, and concrete parts flew everywhere.

Before him, stood a swordsman, still kneeling from the force of his landing.

His jet-black cloak reflected the calm light of the crescent moon, which shined through the broken roof, making for a strange yet beautiful sight. His crimson cape fluttered like a roaring blaze. In his hand held an extraordinary katana, gleaming with the crimson light of judgment.

Instead of a face, he wore a Wolf-Kabuki mask.

The cloaked warrior slowly rose to his feet.

Just like skeletons and zombies recoil from divine light, King Hurley sensed fear from his group of elite magicians as they gazed upon that masked swordsman, trimmed in an uncanny gold and crimson-red that resembled blood.

There was no doubt that he was powerful.

How powerful was another question...

King Hurley heard the sound of swallowing in the silence. To his surprise, it had come from his trusted advisor, Zenpy. To think the calm and masterful tactician was slightly trembling... It was the first time King Hurley had seen him this afraid.

After a moment of silence, a confident voice shattered the night.

"Now then... Who was the one that upset my little sister?"

♦ ♦ ♦

There was a masked swordsman standing in the middle who had not originally been there.

King Hurley and Zenpy, leader of the Temecula's special operations unit looked at the mysterious warrior with perturbation in their eyes.

Zenpy called the Unpolites back, ordering them to form a defensive perimeter around their leader. His assiduous gaze studied their movements.

"King of Temecula and the Unpolites, you have upset me and my little sister."

The masked swordsman stood some distance away, but the breeze from the broken-glass above the ceiling carried his voice-over clearly.

King Hurley did not respond. He did not how to after the sudden grand entrance. Thus, the swordsman man continued:

"I am Yang of Duality. The maid beside me is actually Yin, my dear partner and little sister. And I would like to speak with you."

Duality...?

Little sister...?

King Hurley heard of reputation and achievements behind Duality. They were a Master-tier guild that was universally known for having only two members. Not only were they highly skilled individuals, there was also little information on their skills and capabilities. But almost all the rumors mentioned that Duality had perfect synergy in combat, whatever that meant.

It would be rash to make an impulsive move, especially against a renowned adventurer team. Thus, King Hurley raised his chin, indicating that Yang should continue.

"Thank you for taking the time to listen to me. Then, I would like to start by making one thing clear. That would be — there is no way you can defeat us."

He could hear the absolute confidence in that statement. This was not a bluff or a boast. This was something that Yang truly believed from the bottom of his heart.

Throughout all the past encounters, no enemies he faced had the audacity to speak in such manner, especially in front of a royal sovereign with one of the best private armies in the world.

It was absolutely ridiculous.

"What an ignorant fool, we clearly have the advantage here. It's clearly thirteen against two, not including my infantry and mages stationed outside. Do you really think you can win?"

"Absolutely."

It was an immediate response.

"I have been observing the Unpolites since my little sister's arrival and have already dealt with your minions. I have also sealed this area with magic to ensure no one can escape. Therefore, my presence here would indicate that I am confident of victory. After all, if I was not sure that I could beat you, would it not be wiser for my sister to teleport away?"

Yang was right.

King Hurley could feel his anger slowly growing. He needed more information.

"Since you are from Adventurer's Guild, wait until they find out that Duality is affiliating with national affairs. Once we submit the reports, you will be completely stripped of your hard-earned ranking and trialed internationally for treason, affiliation with national politics and property damage."

Instead of an enraged response, Yang and Eama chuckled. It felt quite mocking to the point it made King Hurley felt like he had said something wrong.

"I merely speak the truth, Duality. I have dealt with countless adventurers like you in the past. And they either perished against me or currently reside in National Prison in New Folsom."

"You're exactly right... if that was still the case." Yang held his sword up high as it glistened ominously under the crescent moon. "But times have changed. You refused to accept the Emancipation Proclamation and continued to mistreat your citizens despite the repeated warnings. Thus, we've been granted permission by the Adventurer's Guild to exterminate you."

Permission from the Adventurer's Guild...?

Impossible!

King Hurley furrowed his brows and pointed at the swordsman.

"Such absurd lies. This is my first warning. Do not anger me, Duality. What is your real intention?"

Yang let out a sigh.

"You can't even handle the truth when you hear it," He shook his head as the little sister maid walked up to him and shrugged. It was as if they were pitying him for failing to understand something so simple.

With a sudden change of tone, he spoke coldly.

"Allow me to phrase it differently for you. The Elite Five asked us to destroy Temecula and we are here to fulfill their request."

Elite Five. They were an extraordinary group of world leaders that possessed immense influence on the four main nations. Their power was similar to that of a monarch or a president in terms of political strength.

"Y-You're bluffing, why would the Elite Five purposely jeopardize the fundamental laws that Adventurer Guild is built upon? That's absolutely preposterous!"

One of the founding principles of Adventurer's Guild was to defend humanity against external threats such as monsters and demi-humans like goblins, skeletons, demons and so on. Thus, there was an unwritten rule that they would never involve themselves in disputes between humans.

This rule was to prevent the adventurers from being hired as mercenaries by different nations, which the Unpolites eventually disagreed with and affiliated themselves with Temecula.

But if these two in front of them really had the backing of Elite Five, does that mean the world had deemed Temecula as an international danger?

If that is truly the case, then his days as a king will soon come to an end.

His glorious kingdom. His great harem of mistresses. All the immense wealth and power he had accumulated for the past decade will all vanish—

—No. He won't allow that to happen.

It was not him who was wrong. It was society. Owning slaves as properties were still common a few decades ago. King Hurley silently cursed at the gradual technological advances called Science, which led to the modern reformation on traditional construct and norms.

"You do realize that the Adventurer's Guild would be involved in a great scandal if other world leaders were to find out—"

"—Who says they will find out?"

A thrill of cold ran from the bottoms of King Hurley's feet to the top of his head. He had felt this countless times in his struggles along the edge of life and death.

"At this point, those are trivial matters," Yang said with a piercing voice. "Our meeting was inevitable. Duality does not tolerate the strong abusing those who cannot defend themselves."

Realizing a battle was unavoidable, King Hurley bit his lips.

"Even so are you sure that you two can confidently beat a team of Diamond-tiers? Even the Hero-tier adventurer, Boba had trouble with the Unpolites awhile ago."

He would not be satisfied unless he sees the duo shiver in fear. After all, he was a mighty king who deserved to be respected. He was furious that they had been making him look like a fool in front of his men.

"Yang and Eama. No Yin. You two are now going to die in vain because of your foolishness. You purposely shared your plan and true motives. Thanks to your stupidity, we are now aware of what is at stake."

King Hurley grinned widely and raised his arms in manners befitting of a mighty leader.

"If you were discreet about your rankings, we might have been caught off-guard. Now that we know you are the Duality, the Unpolites will now fight you with everything they have."

The elite squadron expertly gathered themselves in a defensive position.

"So I have to say, the two of you are the worst assassins I have ever seen. Thanks to your naiveté, we will be able to remove Adventurer's Guild from society and simultaneously begin our way for global conquest!"

With his heart still beating rapidly, King Hurley glared into Yang, hoping his words have stricken fear and sparked doubt. But it was too difficult to tell what he was thinking due to his mask.

After what felt like a long period of silence, the swordsman said in a confident voice.

"I told you earlier, there is no way you can defeat us. Understand that your strongest will never be able to win against Duality. No matter how hard you try and struggle, you cannot avoid your demise."

It did not even sound like a threat but a statement for the events about to unfold. For some reason, his body shivered at those words. His mind screamed for him to flee. While Yang had stated earlier that there was no escape, all the physiological responses kept repeating one phrase: Run away.

"In answer to your response earlier, telling you made no difference to the results. It's already pre-determined since our arrival at Temecula. We simply did not want a one-sided massacre."

Pre-determined...?

Massacre...?

There's no way...

Immediately after, Yang freed HIS weapon from its sheath, the silvery blade sparkled under the moonlight. The runes carved into the blade's body sparkled, etching themselves into any onlookers' eyes.

Yin and Yang took a step forward as King Hurley gulped.

It was just a single step, but they seemed to swell massively before their eyes. Cowed by their mighty presence, the Unpolites reflexively took a step back.

"All right, we'll end the pointless bantering here. Let us speak through our weapons."


CREATORS' THOUGHTS
AmaeMei AmaeMei

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