Lord Shadow

She was ambushed in Sicily by a thousand members of the Crime Alliance because of that rumor.

If not for the fact that she had lifesaving measure by Death Monarch, she might probably die because of Loki action.

But then, thinking about it again, Loki might have predicted that Death Monarch had left her a few lifesaving treasures.

Maybe, he wanted to force out all of her methods and then finally come swopping in and capture her.

Knowing Loki, this is very possible. 

She then focusses back to Lukas. Lukas did not notice that Sasha had been thinking about something else as he said

‘Death Monarch trusted him enough to leave Pandemonium in his hand, but at the same time, he wanted to dismantle and contain Loki scheme by using the Shadow Guards. This is why these two brother gives mixed signals to the officers of the military and the officials of the court. But who could complain? Who dares complain?’ He asked.

At this question, even Sasha do not know how to answer. 

Even she, considered as many as the number two in Pandemonium dares not complain to Death Monarch

When she did, it is only because she was sure that Death Monarch would not kill her because of her words

And after years of accompanying this tiger, Sasha had developed a relationship of trust with Death Monarch

But even then, there were times when she is afraid of Death Monarch. What to say of those people who did not have such relationship? 

They would probably be even more terrified.

Death Monarch is a silent and expressionless boss. It is very hard to know his mood and his desire

It kept the official guessing and the fact that Death Monarch did not have anything to constrain him other than himself, one could imagine the terror of trying to complain to such godlike being.

Sasha nodded at Lukas word as she understood this too. 

Lukas then continue

‘When he first gave me that letter I hesitated. After all, while Loki at the time was the ruler of Pandemonium, I was loyal toward Death Monarch’

‘But, never underestimate Loki charisma or his scheme. Whatever his fault was, he did good for Pandemonium, deescalate the tension between the World Powers, establish order and create a beneficial cooperative relationship with the other great powers’

‘Pandemonium had a lot more cities and a lot more people than the other great power and developing steadily each day. One could argue that is not what Death Monarch would want but the thing is nobody really knows what Death Monarch wanted unless he said it himself. His silence, most of the time is considered assent’

‘Pandemonium is prosperous and people are happy during his rule. There were many more babies and people were more confident of living in Pandemonium’

Sighing, he then added 

‘I would not say that all of Loki decision is correct as there are some questionable things he did during his regency. But I dare say that most of the things he had done had contributed a lot to the peaceful world the past six years’

Sasha did not interrupt Lukas words

Sighing again Lukas then said

‘He had said to me that if I wanted to, I could read what is in the letter. Whether because he knows me that much, or whether because he trusted me, I have never open the envelope and peek at the letter’

‘Probably because he knows my personality that he had bestowed the envelope towards me. He knows I would probably be too afraid to read it. I too sometimes follow the wisdom of the three monkeys’ Smiling bitterly, he then said depreciatingly

‘I know I would be tempted. I am not like those officials that always said with their own mouth that they could not be bought. I know I could be bought. If the price is good enough’

‘Then why have you never been bought before?’ Sasha asked

Smiling, Lukas answered

‘The Price has never been good enough’

Sasha only laugh

‘Probably the risk doesn’t justify the rewards’ she said. Lukas laughed.

‘I dare not betray the strongest man in the world.’

‘If he is not the strongest man in the world?’ Sasha asked

Smiling, Lukas answer

‘Then, mark my words, I would not be the first to leave him. In the end, I am still someone who would seek safety. I would not be the first to stick my head out, but I also would not be the last to leave a sinking boat’

‘That is a bold statement to make’ she said

Lukas reply

‘I am being honest’

‘Maybe if Death Monarch heard it, he would be furious?’ Sasha said with a hint of teasing Lukas laughs and said

‘he found it to be refreshing. I once spoke like this to him. He found it interesting. He said it reminds him to not forget the basis of the peace of Pandemonium’

Sasha did not say anything at this. There was silence between the, for a while as she sighed. Knowing Death Monarch, it would not be surprising if he really did say such a thing

Lukas then said 

‘As for this room, it is because Loki knows that’

Then after a second pause, Lukas said 

‘He said that the thing he wrote down in the letter must not be revealed to Death Monarch’

Hearing this Sasha was puzzled. 

This looks a lot like some scheme. If they were not careful, they could easily lose the trust of Death Monarch

Thus, this is why she couldn’t understand Lukas. Why he is so brazenly saying such thing, and not only that, brazenly saying it to her?

‘I am, like what you said before, the blade of Death Monarch. Didn’t he expected that if the content of the letter is harmful to Death Monarch I would inform him? Did the Trickster expect me to protect him? Or did he expect me to betray Death Monarch? If the answer is yes, to any of these question, then Loki had really made a mistake’

Lukas nodded

‘I thought as much. And that is what I told him. You know what he said in reply?’

‘What?’

‘He said that after you read the letters, you could decide what to do with the content. And you would not be so quick to judge’

‘This room is fitted with all kinds of runic inscription and other symbols that even I with the extensive knowledge of the Pandemonium Library do not recognize. It is a room to hide from Divine Sense. Maybe, it is like what the Trickster said, that he wanted to cover this letter and the content from Death Monarch. Or maybe he simply wanted us to believe that and wanted to hide it from someone else’

Sasha did not answer as she too was thinking about the deduction of Lukas

There is an implication that there is a spy. 

That is the implication of Lukas word.

Loki is as complex as Death Monarch. 

If Death Monarch appear mysterious because of his silence, Loki was the opposite. He would say one thing and do another

One should not trust him at face value. 

He is adept at using other people desire against them. He plays with your fears, feed your doubt and nourish your desire.

And when he got what he wanted, then you are left to dry. People always said Loki the Trickster.

The Trickster is his title

It is not only because he had taken the name Loki, the very same name as the Norse god of trickery. 

It is also because his personality is truly like that of a Trickster.

Most of the common people would not know the inside story of the many trickeries that Loki had done. 

Those who knows, know how tricky it is to deal with Loki. 

His enemies usually steer their way away from him and if they can, they don’t want to clash with Loki

Loki himself is a man of many faces. 

Nobody knows which side he is on. 

He could appear to be on your side but when all the cards are down, who knows? 

Maybe, there is Joker card in the deck and when all is revealed, you might find out that he is not at your side at all.

There is always a trump card. 

Where would he hid it? 

Inside that hand sleeve? 

In his pockets? Under the sole of his shoes? 

That is what is so frustrating about it. He never shows all of his card. Even the deck of the cards is probably not the only one he had.

‘Haish’ she thought inwardly.

When the common people think of Loki, they would think of the little brother of Death Monarch

They would think of one of the integral founding members of Pandemonium. 

Everyone knows the story of how Loki recruited and save Wang Jian who then went on to became one of Pandemonium pillars.

A powerful but close to the people kind of person. 

Loki with all of his bad reputation actually have quite the good reputation among the common people of Pandemonium

He was close to the people unlike the other great heroes and heroines of this era

Death Monarch Azief sit tall on his dark throne, like a guardian god. He is worshipped and look upon in awe. People felt instinctive fear and awe when facing him

Raymond is the Supreme Commander of the World Government military forces. Like Death Monarch, he is put onto a pedestal.

How about Katarina? 

She holed herself up inside her Ice Mountain and her punishment is swift and merciless. 

She was elevated into a position of high stature and with her cold persona, not many would come close to such a woman.

Her beauty and her power bring the inferiority in one heart. 

Then there is Jean.

Yes, unlike the other heroes and heroine of the world, he might seem approachable. 

But, if he was really approachable, why was it the common people fears him and some even despise him? 

Many people forget that during the invasion of Europe, Jean and his generals had done many things one would find very reprehensible.

One could argue they were trying to survive. That it was war. And Jean had changed. But, it still did not change what happen.

Jean had been good at managing his reputation after he had joined the Republic but some people still remembers. There is blood on his hands

Of course, after this it might change considering that today, Jean had probably save millions of people by using his Time Avatars.

Then there is Oreki and Hikigaya. 

This two people have their close friends and family that they could be close with. 

But to the rest of the people of Japan and the Council members of the World Government, Oreki and Hikigaya is a warlord. 

One did not get the title of warlord by being nice

Then there are others.

But none of them is quite like Loki. Loki…yes…he is a pain in the ass to many powerful men and women. 

He meddles in matters he did not have to and he has schemes that has always bear fruits

But, he rarely pulls in the innocents. Instead, many of his schemes and plots usually end up for the better for the common people 

‘Haish’ she sighed inwardly

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