Chapter 191
Chapter 191
Translator: True Detective
Chapter 191 – Huperion’s Fourth Death Omen Star
On the other side of Ikerite, heavy black clouds threatened to cover the capital’s skyline.
In the streetside café, people gathered by the windows, holding warm cups of coffee, their eyes glazed as they watched the rain. The sound of raindrops mixed with soft jazz playing inside, making the indoor space feel unusually warm and cozy despite the weather outside.
Sudden downpours kept washing over the streets. Rain pattered on lamps, trees bowed under the weight of the water, and pedestrians hurriedly sought shelter in nearby shops or scurried under umbrellas to escape the storm.
A few streets away from Ikerite Academy, the “Cat Boss” restaurant had wind chimes under the eaves, dampened by the rain, swaying gently and producing a low, unusual tone.
The restaurant doors opened and closed intermittently. Everything seemed calm, with only a few guests leisurely enjoying breakfast in the corners.
Behind the counter, a staff member polished glassware, concentrating silently. An old chandelier cast a warm yellow glow, adding a touch of coziness to the small space.
“Why hasn’t Cat Boss returned yet…”
The waitress glanced at the clock, murmuring to herself.
Though breakfast wasn’t the restaurant’s main business, the rainy weather had brought more customers than usual.
If Cat Boss didn’t return soon, she would have to handle orders and delivery alone, and might need to call Miss Talia from upstairs for help.
However, Talia seemed to be sleeping in today; it was already ten, and she hadn’t come down.
The waitress looked out the window and quickly understood the reason.
Raindrops fell rhythmically on the eaves, forming a small waterfall. Such weather made anyone want to stay home and relax all day.
If possible, the waitress just wanted the cat, drenched and blackened by the rain, to return quickly so she wouldn’t have to trouble Talia.
“Table 17 ready.”
A voice from the kitchen snapped her back to reality, and she hurried to the window.
She gently picked up a white porcelain plate holding a delicate dish: golden fried chicken cutlet paired with a colorful fruit salad, drizzled with light yellow lemon juice, and served with side sauces allowing customers to customize the flavor.
Her steps were light and practiced.
She walked to a table near the side aisle. A young man quietly sipped his coffee, gazing out the window, as if waiting for something.
He appeared handsome but unassuming, his aura drawing little attention.
As the waitress approached, he looked up and offered a faint, expectant smile.
“Your chicken cutlet salad, sir.”
She placed the plate gently on the table.
“Thank you.”
He nodded politely, then turned his gaze to the meal.
The waitress returned to the counter. She could tell he wasn’t a regular customer; his shoulders and sleeves were damp from the rain, like many others who had come in temporarily due to the weather.
The restaurant fell quiet again, only the sound of rain and soft music filling the space.
The young man carefully opened the cloth cutlery pouch, taking out a delicate silver fork and knife.
Though he resembled any typical Ikerite student, his way of eating was unusually meticulous, almost surgical in precision.
He spread a napkin on his lap, cut small portions of the chicken cutlet, and savored each bite slowly.
Next, he sliced a fresh croissant, spread a layer of light yellow butter, and ate it carefully.
When drinking coffee, he inhaled the aroma first and sipped in small amounts, appreciating each moment.
Every action was calm, precise, and naturally immersed in the process, enjoying what was both breakfast and brunch.
About ten minutes passed; only a third of the food had been consumed, yet no one felt disturbed.
He was waiting for a young lady.
Only… she was the target he intended to kill.
He was certain that Miss Huperion, the duchess, was staying upstairs in this very building.
Apparently, after the second Shadow World incident, she had gained some freedom and moved out of the school dormitories.
This was normal; some Ikerite students rarely stayed in dorms, living mostly in private residences.
His only initial question was why she chose this restaurant.
However, tasting the dishes firsthand, he understood her choice was deliberate.
“Are you satisfied with our restaurant, sir?”
The waitress, delivering food to another customer, passed by him again and noticed a subtle smile of contentment on his face.
Because his seat was near the aisle, anyone walking toward the door or counter would pass by.
“Very satisfied. If I have the chance, I’ll come again.”
The young man nodded warmly.
Though he said this, unfortunately…
There likely wouldn’t be a next time.
Today was probably the last day this restaurant would operate.
He was Phoenix, a second-year student at the Royal Yaloran Academy, living with his sister Phyllis.
Yet in truth, he was an elite agent of the Church of Destruction, hidden in the mundane world, who rarely acted openly.
Usually, he remained in deep self-hypnosis, often forgetting he was a resurrected church follower.
Only when given orders or opportunities did he awaken.
To kill Lady Huperion—or at least endanger her life and disrupt relations between two nations—he was the ideal, and sole, agent.
Huperion was in the open; he was in the shadows. Phoenix was confident that his fifth-tier power could bypass her defensive measures.
This time, he brought a terrain-blocking barrier, equipment to see invisible entities, and two special spells gifted by the Church of Destruction.
Spell 1 – The Great Puppet Theater
Type: Spell Card
Grade: Pink Divine
Attribute: Mind/Reconnaissance
Tier: 4
Effect: Only usable on tier-1 or lower targets; can control all targets within 100 meters. The more targets, the longer the duration, and the more complex the actions, the greater the mental and mana cost. Cooldown: 24 hours.
Note: Silent death, with no dramatic tension.
In the café setting, normally useless in combat, this spell could easily place the blame for massacres on Huperion.
Since she wouldn’t normally harm civilians, the sudden chaos caused by their actions would make her movements constrained.
This was the Church of Destruction’s twisted pastime: forcing honorable opponents to indirectly kill innocents and watching their frustration and rage.
Spell 2 – Destructive Spark\
Type: Spell Card
Grade: Pink Divine
Attribute: Fire
Tier: 5
Passive Effect: When the wielder dies, it triggers an intense, destructive fire explosion.
Note: Guaranteed kill.
This ensured that today’s mission to eliminate Huperion would succeed.
Likewise, this was Phoenix’s “blessing of death” from the Church.
Today, everyone in the restaurant—along with the duchess—would die if nothing went wrong.
Not entirely innocent, though.
Phoenix smiled, his calm eyes laced with irony.
Like a natural disaster with no intent, these civilians had merely been chosen by fate.
If anyone was to blame, it was the duchess herself for choosing this location.
To the harbinger of death, merely existing was her fault.
Had she died earlier, these unrelated people would have been spared.