Chapter Forty-Seven

Approaching the Western Pass, Sora senses something wrong with Mikail, recalling the same deadened look he wore before destroying the crown. The trio scouts the mausoleum guarding Staraheli’s remains; Euyn spots four guards and signals a stealth approach. Sora wrestles with the morality of killing sacred guardians but commits for Daysum’s sake.

As they near, Euyn vanishes from view. A guard notices them; Mikail roughly throws Sora to the snow and speaks in Khitanese and Marnan, presenting Sora with a slur as bait. When Mikail gives the prearranged signal, Sora seduces the guard and kisses him, dosing him with luminae. Nearby, two more guards drop with crossbow bolts, revealing Euyn’s silent strikes.

While Mikail presses forward, Sora quietly administers a slow-acting antidote to the poisoned guard, choosing to disable rather than kill him. The trio opens a heavy bronze door and slips into the dim mausoleum chamber. Instead of the expected glass coffin, they find an empty room.

A crack sounds underfoot, and a net springs from the floor, confirming the site is a trap. With Staraheli’s body missing and their entry anticipated, Sora’s suspicions about Mikail deepen as their mission turns from theft to survival.