Disasters Never Come Alone. (cont.)

"She is?"

Maria turned her head away in surprise.

Bocscar, standing to the side, nodded in a low voice and spoke.

"They have been sent by the Cyclops Royal Court to pay their respects, Your Highness."

"Cyclops?"

Upon hearing this name, Maria narrowed her eyes slightly.

From the story of Nitze and the books she had read recently, she knew the Cyclops's delicate position within the Sarkaz.

They migrated as a whole to the frigid lands north of Ursus long ago, and their history is fragmented even within Sarkaz.

But the clearest record of it all is of the other party's abilities.

"A third eye that can predict the future?"

Maria gently rose and walked step by step to the tall woman who was about the same height as herself.

She truly deserved the title of giant; even among the Sarkaz, who were among the tallest on average, she was one of the few who could look Maria in the eye.

This is assuming angles are not considered.

Cyclops have hardly participated in the Sarkaz's long history of warfare.

This has left many Sarkaz scholars with some knowledge of the matter wondering: what is the point of Royal Court that doesn't serve the Sarkaz?

When Maria heard about Nitze's past, she gradually realized that the Cyclops had not fled to the desolate and cold land to escape the war.

They, too, have their own mission.

"Then, can you see my future?"

Maria stepped forward.

Dressed in Banshees costume, she looked so graceful and ethereal.

Her hair, which hadn't been styled in a long time, was now casually draped over her waist...

Her elegant figure was so alluring, but the cold aura she exuded made her unapproachable.

The Cyclops in front of him merely pursed his lips, and after a moment, lowered his head.

"I don't know... Your Highness."

Her voice trembled with helplessness.

"... Your breathing has become strange."

"..."

Your heart is beating very fast...

"..."

What did you see?

Maria squinted, reached out, and gently stroked the back of the other person's head.

She wanted to ease the other person's tension this way... She wasn't threatening them; she was just curious whether they could really see the future, and whether they could see their own future.

Unfortunately, the moment she touched him, the Cyclops sister began to tremble at a speed visible to the naked eye.

Maria was so overwhelmed with unease and looked so humble that she wondered if she had somehow frightened Maria.

But in the end, the other person simply bit their lip and spoke softly.

"I... I saw it."

"You saw it?"

"I saw the moon..."

"Moon?"

Maria paused for a moment, then remained silent before waving her hand.

The other guards very sensibly chose to leave.

Bocscar wanted to stay, but Maria shook her head.

"...I understand, Your Highness."

Although he had some doubts, Bocscar knew what kind of person Maria was, so he only hesitated for a moment before leaving the room.

Soon, only Maria and the small, helpless Cyclops older sister remained in the room.

After everyone else had left, Maria quietly reached out and gently cupped the girl's face in her hands.

He made her face him with her tightly closed eyes.

Her fleshy eyelids seemed unable to obstruct her gaze, letting in light as she met the other person's eyes...

You said... you saw the moon?

"Yes... Your Highness..."

The Cyclops girl's voice trembled violently.

She desperately wanted to calm herself down at this moment.

But she couldn't do it.

She had already sensed some unease as she walked towards the conference room... but considering the responsibilities she carried, she forced herself to go up anyway.

But as soon as she saw Maria, she regretted it.

She shouldn't have come here...

She shouldn't have come here!

There are no people here!

It's something disguised in human skin!

It was vast, as terrifying as the starry sky, making it impossible to explore!

The bright moon rose abruptly from the ground.

The huddled, sacred woman was breathing slowly within it...

She can see...

She could see those invisible tentacles slowly spreading outwards.

They clung to everyone around them, slowly sucking away...

The moment she saw the other person, the tentacle had already locked onto her!

There was no chance to escape, no time to react.

Her life was taken away from her rights almost in the blink of an eye!

She can't do anything...

"I haven't seen someone like you in a long time."

In Maria's memory, the only people who could see differences in her, besides the Cyclops in front of her, were the Miss Leizi she had met in Lungmen.

When she broke into a transformed Yharnam, she also discovered the secret of the Yharnam's Moon.

Those were the weapons Maria had prepared.

Only...

The person in front of me could actually see the difference in myself.

And he even accurately described the moon?

"It seems the rumors about your race are indeed true..."

Maria reached out and gently stroked the girl's face.

But even this simple action frightened the other person, bringing tears to their eyes.

She was not afraid of death... For every Cyclops, from the day they were born, they were already prepared to face their end.

Only...

She didn't want to die like this, without any value...

She still has a lot of important information that hasn't been released yet...

Regarding the anomalies on the Ursus border, she also needed to warn the Sarkaz in advance so they could prepare...

Only...

What she didn't expect was that the Sarkaz had been corrupted to this extent!

Right here... right here in this wartime command center, the supreme leader is actually one of them!

Could it be... that the Sarkaz are truly facing their own demise?!

The girl couldn't help but grit her teeth in pain.

But the expected transformation did not occur; in an instant, she could feel the pressure around her suddenly decrease.

Although it hadn't completely disappeared, she could gradually feel those uncomfortable abnormalities slowly receding.

She carefully opened her eyes.

And right before her, Maria still stood with her back to the enormous, bright moon...

"Waaah..."

The girl was so frightened that she closed her eyes again.

"Sit down, girl..."

"Waaah..."

"You don't need to be afraid... I'm not the same as those things you perceive. At least, I still consider myself a human being..."

"..."

Maria didn't know if her words had an effect, or if the other person had simply come to terms with it.

After timidly reaching out and cautiously groping around for a while, I finally managed to find a seat and sit down.

Although it's called the Cyclops, this name is clearly too simplistic.

The other person also uses their eyes normally. The so-called one-eyed person probably refers to the special pattern on their forehead. After losing their own eyes, they can't see anything.

"So, you've returned to Kazdel now to represent the Cyclops in this war?"

Maria sat in her chair, and her calm words served as an opening remark.

The Cyclops woman opposite him hesitated for a few moments before silently shaking her head.

Then, in the dark, he picked up a small box from his waist.

Open it, and inside is a broken fragment of stone...

"The Royal Court... sent me back to tell you... that the Daemon in the north have shown unusual behavior."

After the Cyclops finished speaking, he shut his mouth.

This was the most she could tell Maria.

She wouldn't tell anyone else but the Demon King!

Maria didn't force the girl to speak. After thinking for a few moments, she led the trembling girl away from the camp and once again arrived at the Demon King's Castle.

After a brief announcement, Maria soon saw Theresa again.

Upon sensing the arrival of the Demon King, the Cyclops sister couldn't help but tremble.

Even the Demon King was bewitched...

Is the Sarkaz... truly doomed?!

"What happened?"

It's quite rare for Maria to take the initiative to seek someone out, and Theresa asked her about it with some curiosity after meeting Maria.

His gaze remained fixed on the Sarkaz, whom he had never seen before, standing to the side.