Talon stood up from the head of the table, still in the guise of the Princess, even his voice and scent were exactly as Princess Telsma. “Before you entered the room, I had already controlled what you saw and heard. Also, I created a mental persona of the Princess and myself, which means that you would see me as the Princess. I don’t have to act like the Princess, your brain will automatically envision the right behaviours which the princess would most likely perform, allowing this glamour to become perfect. Since you didn’t know me before, I already designed the persona that corresponds to myself in a way that suited the way I usually act. Creating an illusion that can’t be broken except lifted.” But even as he spoke, Talon kept his deeper thoughts to himself.‘Of course, there are cracks in this

Several kilometers away, close to the White Fire Mountains, an army of demons clashed with one of the decoy escorts. Soldiers and demon soldiers dropped left and right, and powers flashed non-stop across the battlefield. Now and then, a loud explosion shook the ground, followed by screams of pain and the stench of death.Amid the chaos, a demon in blood-stained armor stopped in front of a human in a General’s outfit. The demon held an axe and wore a wide grin.“General Ilsad, I’ve always heard how great you are. But it looks like you’re getting old—you’re already worn out.” The demon chuckled. “It’d be a shame if you died so easily. I was hoping for a proper fight.”The man he was talking to—“Ilsad”—was actually one of the prisoners. To make the escort seem real, Talon had copied the mental psyche of important figures. No matter how hard the enemy tried, every decoy looked and felt authentic. On top of that, Talon had hidden a mental cue in the fake’s mind island.On that island, a m

The escape into the caves had not been Talon’s idea. He hated dark places. The air always felt a little too damp, a little too heavy—like the walls were just waiting to close in and remind him he wasn’t nearly as free as he liked to believe.But the caves through the Smoking Mountains were the safest route to the West since all other routes are demon territory, and safety was a rare luxury when assassins were hunting you down. So, for once, he kept his complaints to himself.They had moved quickly, navigating the winding tunnels with only a crude map, a dim magical lantern produced by Prima, and the occasional sharp whisper about how a “shortcut” shouldn’t take three hours longer than the main path, from Talon.By the time they stumbled out onto a wide outpost built right into the cliffside, Talon was pretty sure he

By the time Talon reached the hallway, the palace guards had already taken control of the scene. Servants stood at a distance, whispering and pointing toward the Princess’s room. The air was tense. Guards were stationed outside her door, weapons drawn. Talon spotted Ilsad ahead, speaking with one of the captains. “What happened?” Talon asked as he approached. Ilsad didn’t answer right away. He looked tired—like he’d seen just enough to confirm his worst guess.“A demon. Tried to assassinate the Princess. Got turned to stone.” Talon blinked. “Turned to stone?” Last Updated : 2025-07-20