BXBX NOVEL Chapter 338: Alerted
Saying this, he played the short video recording sent by the Night Stalkers that Cedric enslaved back then and turned into spies. The video clip isn't long—just around a minute and a half—yet its contents were very alarming.
"How can this be!?" Filius exclaimed. "How can they still send more of their people here? Isn't this bypassing the forced oath?"
"I really don't know. I would like to know how as well, but right now, it's not important. It won't change the fact that they're here now and we have to deal with this," Raven replied.
"Are those...?" Anthony trailed off after seeing some unique demons as the video clip played. "The rest of the Seven Deadly Sins are here too."
"That might be the case," Cassandra said in a solemn tone. "The insignia on their bodies looked just like the one that Wrath had, and even if they aren't, we can't underestimate these ones. I could feel that they're no less than Demon Kings, perhaps even stronger."
"What a fucking timing too," Filius snorted angrily, clenching his fists. "They appear just as we're about to launch an offensive. Could it be that they could still observe what's happening on this continent from outside?"
"I find that very unlikely," Raven stated. "The Sun Sage isn't one to hold back or haphazardly make arrangements. He isn't one to lie either. He said that since liberation, the Demon Race could no longer spy on our home. They wouldn't even be able to penetrate the fog that hides this continent."
"The only reason why the sea demons could still invade the shores of this continent is because the fog that hides this continent can't penetrate the sea. It's obvious that he didn't lie since we didn't see any sightings or experience any invasions from land or air demons for the past 15 years."
"So, this is a mere coincidence, then?" Anthony asked with uncertainty.
"I'm inclined to believe it as such," Raven replied with a tired sigh. "Whatever it is, though, it just made our plans a bit more complicated."
"It would've been fine if only the rest of the seven deadly sins appeared. At worst, we would just take them on one by one. But they just had to bring in millions of their troops with them. This renders our previous arrangement and stockpile insufficient to deal with their potential retaliation."
A brief silence ensued within the meeting room. All of them were feeling uncertain about their next move due to the unforseen development.
Sure, they have an option. They could always ask for Cedric's opinion or help in times like this. But none of them dared to suggest this option right now simply because, if possible, they want to solve this themselves.
They can't rely on Cedric all the time. He's already made his stance clear, and they've received the message. It's for this very same reason why they only gave him a heads-up of their plan to make a move on the Lost Continent and did not ask for anything further than that.
To humans, Cedric was their last line of defense. One that couldn't be exposed unless they're facing a grave threat.
"I feel a bit unwilling to postpone our plans because of this sudden development." Filius broke the silence with his words. "At most, we could ask our soldiers to work overtime to increase the number of weapons we have. It's been 15 years; I sound impatient, I know, but I don't want us to compromise again just because the demon race intimidated us for the nth time."
His comrades looked at him; their expressions didn't show what they're thinking, but there's a subtle understanding amongst them. After a brief period of silence, Raven spoke:
"Okay, let's begin brainstorming for ideas."
**
"Well, hello there, my cute disciple."
A crisp yet delicate voice interrupted Rupert's training. He turned around in shock to see his teacher standing at the entrance of the barracks where he's at.
"Teacher!" Rupert's eyes shone brightly as he began approaching her.
Rupert put no airs in front of Lissandra; he's just a child who's pleasantly surprised by her sudden visit.
The headmistress pinched her cheeks in adoration while sighing in her heart. She felt a little bit emotional because Rupert was growing a little too fast for her liking. She has long since treated him as her firstborn and feels a little bit reluctant to expose him to the dangers outside.
"How come you're here?" Rupert asked. "And why didn't you tell me? I could've fetched your outside."
"I know my way around here, my little gentleman. This isn't the first time I came here after all," Lissandra fondly replied to him. "As for why exactly, I'm afraid that I'd have to keep it a secret for now since I signed an NDA. However, I'm pretty sure that you'll know why soon, so don't be impatient."
"I see, that's fine then," Rupert hummed. "Would you like to go inside first?"
"I'd love to, but I have somewhere else to be." Lissandra gently declined his invitation. "I happened to be on the way, so I came here first to check up on you and see how you're adjusting here. Now that I see that you're doing just fine, I'm at peace. I'd have to go meet my colleagues now, so I'll move on, okay?"
"Okay!"
"Don't cause trouble here and make a lot of friends." Lissandra lovingly stroked his hair and said, "Alright, teacher's leaving now."
"Alright, see you later!"
Lissandra watched as Rupert obediently returned to the barracks. When he's out of sight, she turns around and makes her way to the office, where the meeting will take place.
A presence silently announced itself beside her. Lissandra had long noticed someone lurking around, so she wasn't surprised. She didn't stop it from sneaking up on her, either.
"I'm jealous." The presence whined with an aggrieved voice. "I want a cute disciple too."
This presence was none other than Fiona, who now works as the lead trainer for the Cadets. It's because Lissandra knew that it's her that she didn't feel threatened by her sneaking around.
"Aren't you a lead trainer now?" Lissandra asked, despite already knowing the answer. "You've got tons of Cadets you can pamper; why feel jealous of the only one I have?"
"Tch. Those little chicks don't appreciate my pampering at all." Fiona clicked her tongue in annoyance.
Lissandra gave her a bland and accusing look, saying, "I think maybe it's because my definition of pampering is way different from yours."
And this isn't completely wrong. Fiona's definition of pampering was 'tough love." As the lead trainer of the Cadet Corps, she has to make sure that they are strong enough to handle abuse from their enemies. To do this, of course, she has to be the one who makes them feel it. Because, at the very least, she has control, she wouldn't really kill them because that's illegal.
However, in her mind, she's doing it for their sake, so it's tough love. It's just that others don't think of it the same way. She wants them to feel her care, but they see her as a terrifying tyrant instead. One that leaves a lasting nightmare for them.
Obviously, she wants to find a cute disciple to pamper too. She wants the same thing that Lissandra has with her disciple. However, nobody was brave enough to accept her tough love just yet, and she really didn't feel like forcing anybody to do it just because she wanted one too.
"Whatever. Have you seen Charles or Gabriel? I haven't seen them in a while."
"I know where Charles is," Lissandra replied. "I'm actually going to fetch him. Lord knows if none of us do, he will completely forget about the meeting or the outside world. As for Gabriel..."
"Let me guess," Fiona droned in a flat tone. "He's currently performing one of those weird mating dances of his, right?"
"I won't stand for this kind of slander, Fiona."
"Speak of the god damn devil," Fiona muttered very softly after hearing Gabriel's voice.
He appeared right next to her and gave her a sharp stare before saying, "It's called the Sun Praising Ritual. It's not some weird mating dance. How many times do I have to tell you this?"
"And how many times do I have to tell you that I don't care whatever you call it? I call it the way I see it." Fiona sneered in reply. "That ritual of yours is a dance, and each time you do it, all of the single ladies within the neighborhood appear and stare at you longingly. If that ain't a mating dance ritual, then I don't know what is! Hmph!"
This caused Gabriel to pause in his tracks. Lissandra's crisp laughter jolted him awake, and he heard her say:
"She's got you there."