The Corrupted Syndicate

"You are a fool to think that I took in my younglings for the intent to save them. Or you, for that matter. The moment you enter the Syndicate, you resign your fate to me. There is no saving, no middle ground, no negotiation."

"The only reason why you've thought so is because there's no way I could let a low-rank like you into my hiring processes. I have no intent in saving them, only to use them for my own purpose to keep the Covert Ops running."

"That's who I am. Nothing more and stop reading between the lines because there's literally nothing to it," finished Mavislin, thoroughly pissed.

Zenos, on the other hand, was reveling in the moment, a sly chuckle escaping his lips as he approached the furious girl. Without hesitation, he cupped her cheek, tilting her face toward him.

The unexpected touch jolted her out of her anger, her expression shifting to one of uneasy apprehension.

"Perhaps I underestimated you, thinking you an unworthy leader. Yet, you have far to go before earning true distinction. Now, let us cease these trivial quarrels."

"There are far greater foes on the horizon, and our time is better spent crushing them," explained the Viceroy, snapping his fingers loudly.

Instantly, one of his docile and frightened servants appeared in the doorway, shaken as he tried to talk to the blonde.

"Sir, shall I bring tonight's dinner to you?" asked the timid servant in full black armor.

The Viceroy remained silent, offering only a nod as he dismissed the servant with a casual wave of his hand. Mavislin unfurled the scroll Void had given her earlier, spreading it across the wooden floor.

The intricate layout depicted before them was far more expansive than Vulcana—an elaborate maze of rooms sprawled across multiple levels.

No longer were they facing the simplicity of a single battleground per floor; now, each level presented a labyrinth of chambers. The group must navigate carefully, wary of losing their way or encountering unnecessary foes.

As Mavislin studied the floorplan, the dragoness moved beside her, methodically crossing out several rooms. Her sharp intuition indicated that these areas weren't worth the group's time or risk.

By the time she had finished marking the map, the scent of dinner filled the room, the meal quietly placed before them as night settled in.

"Mav, time to eat," said Matt as he gently shook his boss.

"Give me a bit more... I'm close to finishing this up," mumbled the dragoness, as she placed the quill in her mouth, engrossed in her current task.

"I'm sure it can wait after you've eaten... Oh, who am I kidding..."

The Viceroy paid her no mind, focusing solely on the modest dinner before him—grilled salmon, mashed potatoes, and a simple garden salad. Across the room, Matt let out a resigned sigh before giving in to the inevitable.

He sank to the floor beside her, his defeat to his superior unspoken but understood as he reluctantly began his own meal.

"Has she always been this way when tasked before her meals? One might think the mere prospect of labor could unravel her focus. It's almost... predictable, isn't it?" quizzed the Viceroy, glancing at the rabbit.

"She once passed dinner and the next day's breakfast just to finish a sting operation plan against the Northern Cartel within Agalia because she wanted it to be done as soon as possible..." answered Matt, without batting an eyelid.

"What had inspired her?"

"A very giant and shiny greatsword. To be fair, the blade was massive and fantastic, it looked as if it was made with frost and glass yet it could slice through enemies like nothing. And if you'd channel enough mana into it, it can change colors and unleash a huge blast."

"So, why does she not seize that weapon instead? The one I lost that fateful night... it was no mere trinket. It held great value, a blade worthy of far more than the hands it fell from..."

"She then realized she loved her scythe more and tossed that oversized blade into her collection, which now resides behind her desk at headquarters... Wait, what?" said Mattheos, whipping his around to face the blonde.

"I cannot fathom that my finest blade was claimed by the very prize of my conquests… How amusing, yet vexing. I find myself uncertain whether to revel in the irony or seethe at the loss."

"That smile isn't helping! You should feel upset!" exclaimed the bunny, who wanted nothing more than to get away from the blonde.

Despite the two males bickering, the dragoness was still far too immersed in her work to care or be bothered by them. The floor plan had been so extensive that the girl was lying on the scroll with her stomach facing down.