The Broken Halo

A private room hidden behind the third floor of the Abyss Shell Pavilion was far more luxurious than any part of the building Simon had seen.

The floor was made from polished black crystal, while a thick crimson carpet covered the centre of the room. Golden flames floated inside glass lamps along the walls, and dark curtains hid the windows from the outside. A wide bed rested at one end of the room, while several couches surrounded a low table filled with wine, fruits, and expensive delicacies.

At the centre of the room was a recording crystal.

A projection floated above it, showing Simon entering the third floor with Yara.

"It seems he knew about the abyss shell beforehand."

The demoness reclining on one of the couches spoke with an amused tone.

Her name was Saevrith, the owner of the Abyss Shell Pavilion and a Supreme Greater Demon.

She had smooth dark violet skin, long silver-black hair, and a pair of translucent wings folded behind her. The wings looked thin and delicate, but faint red veins moved through them like flowing blood. A long black tail rested beside her leg, and its crescent-shaped tip occasionally moved across the carpet.

Saevrith was a Nightveil Succubus.

She wore a black night robe that was thin and almost transparent. It covered her body, but not enough to hide the curves beneath it. One side of the robe had fallen from her shoulder, and she made no attempt to correct it.

Korran Veyl sat on the couch opposite her.

His back was straight, his arms were folded, and his cold expression did not change despite Saevrith’s appearance.

Both of them watched the projection.

Simon ignored the popular shells at the centre of the third floor and walked directly toward the quiet corner. He stopped before the Dreadfall Sea shell, inspected it for a moment, and asked Yara about its origin.

Saevrith paused the recording.

"That was his first time in the pavilion, yet he went straight to a shell that had been ignored for almost two years."

Korran looked at the frozen projection.

"He may have noticed something."

"With what?" Saevrith raised a brow. "The pavilion’s formations did not detect any appraisal artifact, demonic energy, or chaos being used."

"Then his method was something the formations could not detect."

Saevrith smiled and picked up a dark glass of wine.

"You say that so easily. Aren’t you curious?"

"I am."

"But not enough to investigate him?"

Korran shifted his gaze toward her.

"Curiosity is not a reason to provoke someone when you know nothing about his background."

Saevrith drank from the glass, then waved one hand. The projection changed to the private cutting room.

They watched Orvek open the Dreadfall Sea shell and reveal the two objects inside it.

Saevrith’s playful expression faded slightly when the Wayfarer’s Knot appeared.

"I haven’t seen one of those in a very long time."

Korran looked at her.

"You know what it is?"

"A Wayfarer’s Knot." She leaned forward, causing the loose robe to shift further. "A single-use long-distance teleportation item. The destination is fixed when it is created, and once activated, the knots unravel and open a spatial passage."

Korran narrowed his eyes.

"Do you know if it still works from the image?"

"Most likely. The cord did not decay, and the spatial folds around the bead seems to be stable."

Saevrith was not only the owner of the pavilion. She was also a collector of ancient items, and several rooms in the building were filled with relics she had purchased over the years.

Her gaze moved toward the dark red seed beside the knot.

"That one, however, is unfamiliar."

"It looks like a dried walnut," Korran said.

Saevrith chuckled.

"I know right. But its appearance did not stop the kid from preventing Orvek and Yara to touch it."

The recording continued.

Simon examined both objects, lied that he did not recognise them, refused the pavilion’s appraisal, and stored them inside his spatial ring.

Saevrith paused the projection again.

"He knew what at least one of them was."

"Probably both," Korran replied.

"And you still don’t want me to investigate him?"

"No."

Saevrith released a disappointed sigh and leaned back.

"You are becoming boring, Korran."

"I have always been boring according to you."

"True."

Her lips curled into a seductive smile before she changed the subject.

"You also gave him a twenty percent discount without asking for my permission."

Korran looked at her with a stoic expression.

"It doesn’t mean anything to you. And I rarely do that, so let it go."

"Ohhh? I don’t think so."

Saevrith’s tail moved across the carpet and curled around one of the table’s legs, her eyes glinted with a teasing and cunning light.

"The Iron Examiner is paying for a young demon’s gambling habit. How generous."

Korran narrowed his eyes.

"At the end of the day, he spent enough for the pavilion to still make a profit."

Saevrith chuckled softly.

"True. I was surprised he spent that much since he doesn’t look rich, but that isn’t the point."

Korran looked at her calmly.

"Then is the point?"

Saevrith stared at him for a few seconds, then laughed.

"You truly are no fun. You’ll find out soon enough."

She picked up her glass again and looked at Simon’s frozen image.

She decided to ask a question that had been on her mind for some time now.

"Why him?"

Korran remained silent for a moment before answering.

"He is a Minor Archfiend with High S grade wind affinity. His raw physical strength is comparable to a Prime Archfiend, but he held back during the strength test."

Saevrith looked at him with a slightly raised brow.

"You’re certain?"

Korran nodded.

"Yes."

Saevrith’s eyes flickered.

Korran continued.

"He killed two opponents during the combat test and passed without revealing much. The Kragh and Martial Demon beside him treat him like their leader, despite both being stronger than him."

"The little Kragh you told me about with Peak S grade earth affinity?"

"Yes."

Saevrith’s smile became more interested.

"And the Martial Demon has gravity manipulation."

Korran nodded.

"All three arrived in Velmora together. None of them have a clear background, and all three conceal more than they reveal."

Saevrith looked at Simon’s image again.

"So you gave him access and a discount because you want him to think well of Velmora."

"It costs very little compared to the benefits." Korran said with a stoic expression and tone.

"And if he proves useful, the favour becomes valuable."

Korran did not respond, which was enough of an answer.

Saevrith’s eyes moved toward the Fleshwood seed again.

"Do you think that ugly thing was why he entered the pavilion? Or do you think this was all just a coincidence?"

"I don’t know."

Saevrith tapped one finger against her glass.

She wanted to know what the seed was and how Simon had found it, but Korran’s warning was reasonable. Simon had paid the pavilion fairly, broken no rules, and possessed an unknown background.

There was no benefit in chasing him over an object the pavilion had failed to recognise.

At least, not yet.

Korran reached forward and touched the recording crystal.

The projection disappeared.

Saevrith raised a brow.

"I was still watching that."

"We have wasted enough time discussing about that kid."

She smiled and slowly crossed one leg over the other.

"Then make the atmosphere less boring. Why did you really come to see me? I’ve missed you though."

Korran’s expression became serious.

"Focus, Saevrith."

The playfulness in Saevrith’s eyes reduced slightly.

Korran leaned forward.

"I came here to talk about the invasion of Earth."

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