Chapter 613: Michael

His body was bare from the waist up, revealing a perfectly sculpted frame, while below, he wore nothing but a long piece of pristine white cloth wrapped around his waist.

The fabric twisted downward in a loose spiral, covering him to the knees before ending in a simple, roughly cut edge.

Yet despite floating high in the air, the cloth didn’t flutter in the slightest, almost as though some unseen force kept it perfectly still.

His entire body seemed to radiate a faint white glow.

His skin was visibly pale, though not in any sickly sense.

If anything, it was the kind of flawless pallor that seemed almost too perfect to belong to a mortal being.

Long, soft golden hair fell around his shoulders, matched by equally golden lashes framing his brilliant silver eyes.

And floating above his head, perfectly fixed in place, was a glowing white halo.

"Perceptive as always, my King."

The beautiful man slowly descended until his bare feet touched the floor before the dais. Then he lowered himself into a kneeling position.

"Don’t flatter me, Michael," Alexander replied. "I would never have sensed your presence if you didn’t want me to."

Michael placed one hand against his defined chest and bowed his head submissively.

"Forgive me, my King."

A brief moment of silence passed between the two men before Michael spoke again.

"Do forgive me for being presumptuous, but why must you continue indulging that lying witch?"

Michael raised his head slightly.

"She even turned your own daughters against you. It’s only a matter of time before she does the same with some of your loyal subjects, yet you continue to do nothing. It confuses me."

Alexander opened his eyes.

"You have never been mortal, Michael, so stop pretending as though you understand our ways. The minds and emotions of us mortals work in the most mysterious ways."

Michael fell silent.

"While it may appear that I am allowing a dangerous poison to fester, her presence remains necessary for my plans."

Alexander’s gaze became distant.

"As for my daughters... all will be well in due time."

Michael lowered his head once again.

"Of course, my King."

"Now tell me."

Alexander shifted slightly upon his throne.

"I assume you have something to report regarding the task I gave you."

"Ahh... yes. Well, you see, I followed him and the demon woman for some time."

Michael paused briefly.

"They entered the city and booked a private balcony at a rather lavish establishment. Not long afterwards, he summoned seven more women seemingly out of thin air, six of whom were succubi."

Alexander’s expression remained unchanged.

"They remained there for some time. However, I lost track of them shortly afterwards, just as it appeared the young man was preparing to indulge in a rather debauched tryst with the eight women."

Michael’s lips twitched faintly.

"I’m assuming he used some sort of spatial treasure. Most likely the same one he summoned the women from moments earlier. I suspect it’s a treasure created by those troublesome extinct Orikari. It makes no sense that anything else would give me this much trouble despite my having partial sovereignty over the element of space itself." He put on a distressed expression. "Even in death, those blasphemous fiends continue to give me so much trouble..."

Alexander frowned.

"You don’t think the demon woman noticed you, and that everything afterwards was merely done to lose you?"

"I cannot say for certain," Michael admitted. "But the likelihood is incredibly small."

He placed one hand against his chest.

"I was exceedingly careful, just as you instructed. Even you cannot sense my presence unless I willingly allow it. My technique ensures that." A faint smile touched his lips. "One cannot sense something that, for all intents and purposes, was never there."

"Then it was simply coincidence?"

Michael nodded.

"Most likely, it could be that he simply wanted to enjoy his women."

Alexander remained quiet for a moment.

"No matter. This will not be the last time we see him." Michael stayed kneeling, though a hint of confusion appeared on his flawless face.

"There is something I don’t understand, my King."

Alexander looked down at him.

"Since you personally verified the presence of the demon, there is at least some possibility that Duke Dawncrest’s suspicions were not entirely unfounded."

He hesitated.

"So why?"

Alexander raised a brow.

"You are asking why I am knowingly allowing a powerful demon to wander freely through my kingdom, despite being well aware of what their kind are capable of?"

Michael nodded.

Alexander sighed.

For several moments, he said nothing. Then, when he finally spoke, there was something strangely melancholic in his voice.

"Well, you see..." His serene blue eyes became oddly distant. "As of late, I have been having dreams."

Michael waited.

"Dreams of a life I have never lived." Michael blinked several times, utterly confused, but Alexander said nothing more.

"And...?" Michael eventually asked.

"Nothing else."

Alexander closed his eyes again.

"You need not concern yourself with it. The demon will not cause us problems." His voice became firmer. "I will make sure of that."

Michael lowered his head.

"As you wish."

Alexander remained silent for a moment longer.

Then his eyes opened again.

"I have another task for you."

Michael immediately perked up, looking almost joyous that Alexander had more work for him to do.

"Your wish is my command, my King."

"The Duke."

Michael looked up.

Alexander’s expression remained perfectly calm.

"Rid my kingdom of his presence."

Silence.

"His eldest son will inherit the domain. I will still follow the recommendation of my councillors and send people to oversee the territory while the boy grows into his position."

Michael raised a brow.

"Would that not cause problems?" Alexander tilted his head slightly as Michael added. "The Duke’s death, I mean."

A faint smile finally appeared on Alexander’s face.

"Certainly not for me."

Michael stared at him for a moment. He clearly didn’t understand, but he didn’t need to. His only concern was to do what had been asked of him.

"As you wish." A moment later, Michael’s body dissolved into brilliant white light.

His presence vanished completely, and the throne room fell silent once more. Once again, King Alexander was alone.