At these words, Sidvi did not look the least bit surprised—instead, she let out a cold laugh.
"Even without your so-called chance, I can wipe out those worthless fools all the same."
"Are you certain?"
In the face of the girl's retort, Black merely smiled and tapped the hilt of his sword.
"Very well, Miss Sidvi. I don't think you understand why we're here… As a matter of fact, the Westerland royal family issued a proclamation some time ago, calling on all nobles to unite and resist the invaders. And we—we are here answering that call. Now, I believe you see what I'm getting at?"
"A proclamation?"
Sidvi's brow furrowed. She had indeed received word of this, but she had paid it no mind. In her eyes, no matter how many men Westerland sent, they would all be marching to their deaths. Moreover, those noble levies had no experience fighting alongside the garrison troops; they would only descend into chaos on the battlefield, making victory all the easier for her forces.
But now… four Gifted Knights?
Sidvi finally realized she would have to revise her plans. With four Gifted Knights joining the fray, even a ragtag mob could become a formidable enemy. For within the range of a Gifted Aura, even the weakest civilian could be transformed into a terrifying warrior. Sidvi had no idea how many troops Black and his companions commanded, but she did not care. She knew full well that even a hundred-man squad led by these four would pose a far greater threat on the battlefield than tens of thousands of ordinary soldiers.
"What exactly do you want?"
Feeling the man's aura pressing down on her, Sidvi spoke again.
"I've already made myself clear."
Black smiled, held up a finger, and shook it gently.
"I will create an opportunity for you to annihilate the enemy garrison in one fell swoop—and that is precisely what I wish to see happen."
"But you are a Westerlander."
Though Sidvi looked no older than a child, she was far too shrewd to take a stranger's words at face value.
"What do you stand to gain from this?"
"I never said I was a Westerlander."
Black's lips curled into a smirk.
"I merely stated that I am the Lord of Duskwood. Nothing more, nothing less."
"But that land is part of Westerland's territory."
Sidvi replied coldly.
"And if I refuse your terms? What then?"
"In the long run, I can guarantee that the armies of the Sith Empire will never cross the Crimson Fortress… As for the short term—well, the Sith Empire will soon be losing one of its generals. I show no mercy to my enemies, Miss Sidvi. Do not delude yourself into thinking you can escape. I think you know full well that, here and now, you stand no chance of winning a fight against us. If you dare to resist, death will be your only reward."
"If I were truly your enemy, you would not be here negotiating a deal with me."
Sidvi tilted her chin up defiantly. Black's threats did not so much as faze her; her expression remained as icy as ever.
"The Sith Empire is my enemy. Westerland is my enemy as well."
Black shook his head, a hint of satisfaction glinting in his smile.
"The enemy of my enemy is my friend—or at the very least, someone with whom I share common interests. Perhaps one day we will face each other on the battlefield, but until then, would it not be better for us to cooperate and get what we both want? I desire to see Westerland defeated, but I will not allow events to unfold beyond my control. That is why I must set the stage… and you, Miss Sidvi, are an indispensable player in my little drama."
Sidvi said nothing, and Black fell silent as well. For a moment, the two of them stood locked in a tense silence. Black even took the time to study the girl before him. There was no denying it—she was remarkably young. Judging by her appearance alone, she was barely a year or two older than the twin sisters. Yet from her emanated a cold, malevolent aura that sent a chill down Black's spine—the kind of aura one would expect from someone who had clawed their way back from the very depths of hell. What horrors had this girl endured? Black could only guess, but one thing was certain: she was no ordinary opponent.
A thick, wide blindfold covered her eyes. Could it be that she was blind? But something about that did not add up. If she were truly sightless, there would be no need to bind her hands, nor to dress her in such a restrictive straitjacket. This seemed less like a means of restraining her and more like a way to suppress her power. After all, if a Gifted Knight could not see, their strength would be severely diminished. Restricting her body and movement on top of that would only make matters worse. Yet from what Black could tell, the girl was not blind at all. On the contrary, the entire ensemble of the blindfold and straitjacket seemed to serve a purpose far beyond mere restraint—there was more to it than met the eye.
"What are your conditions?"
Just as Black was idly speculating about the girl's secrets—and even making a mental note of her bust size—Sidvi finally spoke up.
"I assume you have conditions of your own."
"Naturally."
Black nodded, tearing his gaze away from her.
"However, you have no need to know them."
"…"
"Do not forget, Miss Sidvi—we are enemies. I have no intention of revealing my plans or my motives to you."
"Then what is the point of this so-called deal?"
Sidvi's voice rose sharply once more.
"You have offered me a tempting proposition, yet you refuse to explain how you intend to make it a reality. Furthermore, you will not disclose what you hope to gain from expending so much effort. Mr. Black, I fail to see how this could possibly be a favorable arrangement for me."
"I understand your skepticism perfectly well."
Though Sidvi's words were cutting, Black remained unfazed, looking every bit the confident schemer he was. In truth, he had anticipated this reaction. If he revealed nothing at all, he would never be able to convince her to cooperate. Even if Sidvi agreed to his terms on the surface, she would never follow through without satisfactory answers—especially when the proposition involved deliberately sacrificing Westerland's own garrison troops. It was simply too incredible, too difficult to fathom. She would undoubtedly suspect it was a trap set by the Westerland royal family.
"But I cannot give you any definitive answers at this moment. All I can reveal is this: I will create a situation that forces the main Westerland army to abandon the fortress and engage your forces in open combat."
At this point, Black fixed the girl before him with a meaningful gaze.
"And once that happens, they will lose their last shred of hope… As a Gifted Knight yourself, Miss Sidvi, I trust you understand what that means."
"Yet you still refuse to tell me what you stand to gain from this."
Though Sidvi's demeanor softened slightly after hearing Black's explanation, she clearly remained far from convinced.
"My elder sister once said: never trust a situation that seems too good to be true—for those who create such situations are invariably harboring ulterior motives."
At these words, Black's expression froze. The twin sisters behind him exchanged a glance and let out soft giggles. Even Judy, who had remained silent and stern-faced this entire time, felt the corners of her lips twitch upward into a faint smile. Black shot them a sharp glare before sighing and speaking again.
"…That is indeed a wise maxim. And I will admit to you—I *do* have ulterior motives. However, I can assure you that those motives are not directed at you, or at the armies of the Sith Empire."
"Then your true enemy is Westerland?"
"You could say that."
"Then…"
Upon hearing Black's reply, Sidvi actually took a step forward, closing the distance between them, and looked up at the young man.
"Then why do you and your subordinates not join the Sith Empire and fight alongside us? If you care nothing for Westerland's fate—if you even wish to see it destroyed with your own hands—then joining the Sith Empire would be the logical choice. I do not know why you seek to destroy Westerland, nor do I care about your reasons. But why not consider allying with the Sith? Or has the Sith Empire wronged you in some way?"
"No, no, no."
Black shook his head.
"I bear no ill will toward the Sith Empire. In fact, the Sith have done nothing to us—quite the opposite, in fact… But I digress. I must decline your offer, much as it pains me, Miss Sidvi. Though there is no enmity between my forces and the Sith Empire, I will eventually be forced to face you in battle. For now, however, Westerland is my top priority. Once I have achieved my goals, I will turn my blade against the Sith… This is an inevitability that will never change. And I must clarify: your assumption is not entirely correct."
This time, Sidvi fell silent. She stood there, deep in thought, for a long moment before finally shaking her head slightly.
"I cannot make this decision on my own. I must return and report this matter to my elder sister."
"That is a perfectly reasonable request."
Black executed a graceful half-bow, every inch the polished noble one might encounter at a royal ball.
"I have every confidence that Her Royal Highness will make a wise judgment."
"Shall we need to meet again to discuss this further?"
"I think that will be unnecessary, Miss Sidvi."
Black chuckled, reached out, and drew his sword halfway from its sheath before sliding it back into place with a soft *snick*.
"We are both Gifted Knights, after all. So if you decide to accept my terms, I will know it the moment we set foot on the battlefield. I am certain you will know my decision as well—am I not correct?"
"I suggest you do not place too much faith in your own judgment."
Sidvi let out another cold snort, signaling that the conversation was at an end. Black stepped aside promptly, gesturing for her to pass with a flourish. Almost instantaneously, the four clashing auras that had filled the air vanished without a trace, dissolving back into the dark shadows as if they had never existed at all.
"Did you come here specifically to wait for me?"
"Not exactly, Miss Sidvi. To be honest, I came here for other matters. While negotiating a deal with you was part of my plan, I did not expect you to take the initiative to seek me out."
"Was it for those brainless beasts in the river valley?"
Sidvi did not turn around as she walked away.
"If you want them, you may have them. It will save me the trouble of dealing with them myself."
With that, Sidvi's figure transformed into a shooting star, darting into the darkness and disappearing without a trace.
Black watched the direction she had gone for a long moment before turning back to the three behind him and nodding with a smile.
"Well, that's that. Our business here is done. Let us hope Miss Ophelia has a pleasant surprise in store for us."
He paused for a moment, his expression growing serious.
"I think we all understand that Ophelia does not need to know anything about this matter."