Chapter 365: Epilogue 7 - A Brewing Showdown (5)
Sesillian's POV
I sat in my estate, savoring the taste of the tea my butlers had prepared, the faint clink of porcelain as I set my cup down echoing through the quiet room. The air was calm, almost serene—until the heavy thud of footsteps announced a visitor.
"You're looking really relaxed, Sesillian," a familiar voice said. I glanced up, meeting the gaze of a man with jet-black hair and piercing dark eyes. His body was ripped, every muscle defined. The last time I'd seen him, he was a wreck—missing an eye and a limb. But now, he stood before me, fully restored, like nothing had ever touched him.
"You don't look like someone who went through hell," I replied, raising an eyebrow.
He smirked, a cold glint in his eye. "Yeah, my grandaunt's got a talent for fixing souls. She patched me up so well, even my limbs grew back. But that's not why I'm here. Why are you so relaxed, knowing Mephisto's coming for you?"
I leaned back in my chair, the leather creaking beneath me as I took another sip, unfazed. "Mephisto? He's not worth my time. And Angelica? She's nothing. Just a failed product of the kingdom.
A pawn in a much bigger game. There's more to this than some broken knight. She was never important, just another failure."
Angelica had been one of the captains of the Magic Knights. She was left for dead after the King's Game, barely clinging to life when we found her on the island's shore. I used every resource at my disposal to rebuild her, reshaping her into someone new—someone perfectly loyal to our Lord. She became flawless. Until Mephisto took her out.
This same Mephisto had been the one to tear apart the man standing in front of me. He said Mephisto's power was so overwhelming, he couldn't even see its limit. I'd thought it was just an exaggeration, but looking at the wreck he'd been, I knew he wasn't lying. Still, no man is without weakness. No one. The only being without flaws isn't a man at all—He's our Lord.
"Anyway, you got any good news for me, or is it just the usual bad things?" I leaned back in my chair, my eyes locking onto his. "I figured since you came here in person, you'd at least have something worthwhile to tell me."
He smirked, but there was something darker behind his eyes. "Oh, I do. But there's something that's been gnawing at me lately."
I raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Oh? And what's this something that's got you all worked up?"
"It's this... thing called Leonamon."
Leonamon. The moment he said it, I felt a twinge of recognition. Anyone who wasn't completely out of touch knew that name. You'd have to be living under a rock on the far side of the world to not have heard of it. Leonamon was a behemoth, a company that had rewritten the rules of modernization, obliterating every other competitor and leaving them in the dust.
They were rolling in cash, probably the richest company on the planet right now. Even some of my own prized possessions were from them.
"And why is Leonamon bothering you?" I asked, sitting up a bit straighter now.
"It's the way the company's been growing—so fast. It's unnatural. They've only been around for less than a year, but they've already taken the top spot, outpacing every single company in the world," he said, his voice carrying a weight of suspicion.
He had a point. Leonamon's rise was nothing short of mind-blowing. Sure, they had some insane tech, but no company, no matter how advanced, should climb that fast. Normally, it would take decades, maybe half a century, to achieve what they had in just months.
"Which is why I've got a proposition for you," he said, his eyes narrowing, his tone deadly serious. "Something that only you could pull off."
"What is it?" I asked, watching as he leaned in closer.
"Destroy Leonamon for me," he said, his voice low and cold.
"Why?" I asked, narrowing my eyes at him.
"Because something about it feels... wrong." He paused, the weight of his words hanging in the air. "I don't like how much that company is changing the world."
I raised an eyebrow. From where I stood, the changes Leonamon brought seemed more than beneficial. As far as I was concerned, the company had made life easier in ways that were unimaginable before. Smoother roads for better transportation, cars that cut down travel time, smartphones that kept us connected to the world, blending information and entertainment seamlessly.
Leonamon had done more good than harm. Yet, here he was, asking me to bring it all down.
"I don't think it's gonna be that easy," I said bluntly. "Not unless I get something I want in return."
I let my gaze trail over him, sizing him up from head to toe. But he wasn't fazed.
"That's not something I can offer," he replied flatly. "Besides, I'm like you—I only see men as my love interest. And I've already got my eyes set on someone." He leaned back slightly, giving me a sharp look. "So, choose something else you need."
I already knew this man shared the same proclivities as me. Despite his rugged, muscular frame, his true desires lay elsewhere. His sexual attraction was strictly reserved for men, and it wasn't hard to see. There was something undeniably feminine in the way he moved—graceful, deliberate, like he was always holding back a part of himself.
I had my suspicions the moment we first met, and every glance, every subtle gesture had only confirmed it.
"Alright," I said, letting my voice carry a mix of intrigue and command. "Then, give it to me."
I let the words hang in the air for a moment, savoring the tension as I stared him down, my eyes locking onto his.
"Give me the secret to traveling between worlds."
***
Amon's POV
The reports were coming in, routine but always impressive—Leonamon's growth was unstoppable, a force that dwarfed any competition. The smartphone sales were through the roof, as expected. But what truly caught my attention was the fact that our wine had skyrocketed to become the second-best-selling product, followed closely by our cakes.
It seemed like people were fully embracing modernity, and the influence of Leonamon was shaping the world in ways no one could have predicted.
Our current revenue… it was larger than anything any other companies could even dream of. Combined, they couldn't match us. Master would be ecstatic when he saw the numbers. The moment he returns, I'd rush to him with the news.
But then, an urgent knock shattered the stillness of my office.
"Vice President!" a voice called out, shaky with panic. "O-One of our branches has been attacked!"
My heart pounded as I shot up from my chair, eyes narrowing. Attacked? What did that even mean?
No… I knew exactly what it meant. This wasn't just a random event—it was the beginning. The prelude to something bigger. A confrontation. The Eclipse and Leonamon were on a collision course. The war… it was about to begin.