The Extra's Rise - Chapter 657

Chapter 657: Masquerade Auction (4)
Lucifer let out a small exhale as he studied Cecilia’s expression, trying to read the motivations behind her crimson eyes. The Crown Princess of the Slatemark Empire stood before him in her private study, her usually playful demeanor replaced by something far more serious. The late afternoon sunlight streaming through the tall windows cast long shadows across the room, highlighting the tension in her posture.

“Why are you asking me this?” Lucifer asked carefully, his verdant eyes narrowing slightly. “We’re not exactly… close.”

It was true. Despite being classmates at Mythos Academy and both being among the most powerful individuals of their generation, he and Cecilia had never developed anything approaching friendship. They were polite to each other, certainly, and maintained the diplomatic courtesy expected between royalty, but their interactions rarely went beyond the superficial. So her sudden request for assistance was more than a little surprising.

“Arthur’s busy,” Cecilia said with a dismissive wave of her hand, though Lucifer caught the brief flash of irritation that crossed her features at the mention of his name. “And we’re a bit short on firepower for this particular operation. You’re a perfect fit—in terms of raw strength, you’d even be able to give the Imperial Knight Captains a run for their money.”

Lucifer scratched his head at her assessment, unsure whether to be flattered or concerned about whatever had prompted such a comparison. “That’s quite the compliment, but it doesn’t really answer my question. What exactly are you planning that requires someone of my capabilities?”

“Tch,” Cecilia clicked her tongue in obvious frustration at his continued hesitation, making him narrow his eyes in response. Without another word, she activated a complex holographic display that materialized in the air between them.

The moment the images came into focus, Lucifer felt his blood turn to ice.

The hologram displayed a series of photographs and documents that made his hands tremble with barely contained rage. Young faces stared back at him. But their eyes… their eyes held the hollow emptiness of those who had been broken, experimented upon, reduced to something less than human.

“Is this real?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper as the full horror of what he was seeing began to sink in.

Cecilia nodded grimly, her usual playful demeanor completely absent. “This is the proof we have that tonight’s auction is being run by the Red Chalice cult, with Magistrate Corwin serving as one of their Priests,” she said, pointing to specific sections of the holographic display. “These are images of students who were reported missing from various academies across the Empire. Students who were supposedly killed in accidents or training mishaps.”

She gestured to another set of documents. “But as you can see, they weren’t killed. They were taken. Experimented on. Turned into… this.” Her voice carried a note of disgust that Lucifer had never heard from the usually composed princess.

“This isn’t some small black market deal,” Cecilia continued, her eyes hardening. “It’s much bigger than that. The Red Chalice has been operating under our noses for years, and tonight’s auction is just the tip of the iceberg.”

Lucifer stared at the evidence, his mind reeling from the implications. Red Chalice cult already caused a massive war against the Eastern continent just last year that was still ongoing, and now, they were doing experiments within the borders of the Empire.

“Why don’t you take an Imperial Knight with you?” he asked, trying to think through the logistics of whatever operation Cecilia was planning. “Surely this kind of threat warrants official military response.”

Cecilia’s expression grew even more grim. “Because there could be a Bishop present at the auction, and our Imperial Knights are…” She paused, choosing her words carefully. “They’re not prepared for this level of threat.”

Lucifer frowned. “The Imperial Knights are Ascendant-rankers. They should be more than capable of handling cultists.”

“Should be, yes,” Cecilia agreed with a bitter laugh. “But the Slatemark Empire has enjoyed peace for decades while other continents have been embroiled in constant conflict. Our soldiers are skilled, certainly, but they lack the kind of brutal combat experience that comes from facing truly dangerous enemies.”

She activated another section of the hologram, showing tactical assessments and combat reports. “In terms of raw mana rank, our Imperial Knights could match the Bishops of the Red Chalice. But in actual combat? Against opponents who’ve spent years perfecting techniques designed to kill and corrupt? They wouldn’t stand a chance.”

The political implications hit Lucifer immediately. “The Order of the Fallen Flame,” he said, understanding dawning in his eyes.

“Exactly,” Cecilia confirmed. “They’ve ramped up their aggression significantly over the past few months. After going silent following their massive attack on the Tower of Magic three years ago, they’re back with a vengeance. Our Imperial Knights and other military forces are spread thin across the Central Continent, dealing with Fallen Flame cells that seem to be popping up everywhere.”

She closed the hologram with a sharp gesture. “We can’t afford to pull significant forces away from those operations, which means any action against the Red Chalice has to be surgical. Small team, high effectiveness, minimal official involvement.”

Lucifer nodded slowly, beginning to understand the scope of the problem. “And Arthur is unavailable because…?”

For the first time since their conversation began, Cecilia’s composure cracked slightly. A flash of genuine frustration crossed her features, quickly replaced by something that looked almost like longing.

“Arthur said he was busy with work,” she said, her voice carefully neutral. “Some business matter that requires his immediate attention. He promised to stay with me for three days after he finishes, but…” She trailed off, unconsciously glancing at her left ring finger.

Lucifer followed her gaze and felt a moment of understanding. The Crown Princess of the Slatemark Empire, one of the most powerful individuals in the world, was acting like a woman missing her boyfriend. It was almost endearing, if not for the serious nature of their current situation.

“I can’t wait for him to put a ring on me already,” Cecilia muttered under her breath, apparently forgetting that Lucifer was still in the room.

Lucifer looked at the princess staring at her bare ring finger with what could only be described as a lovesick expression, and couldn’t help but raise an eyebrow. The contrast between her usual commanding presence and this moment of vulnerability was jarring.

“Oh please,” Cecilia snapped, suddenly aware of his scrutiny. “You’re involved with two girls as well. Don’t act like you’re in any position to judge.”

Lucifer felt heat rise in his cheeks at her pointed observation. “That’s… different,” he protested weakly.

“Is it?” Cecilia folded her arms and fixed him with a knowing smirk.

“Besides,” Cecilia continued, her expression growing serious again, “this isn’t about my love life. This is about stopping monsters who are torturing innocent people. Are you going to help me or not?”

Lucifer looked back at the space where the hologram had been, the images of those hollow-eyed victims burned into his memory. Despite his complicated feelings about working with Cecilia, despite the political implications of involving himself in what was essentially a covert operation, he knew there was only one answer he could give.

“What do you need me to do?” he asked.

Cecilia’s smile was sharp and satisfied. “I knew you couldn’t ignore something like this,” she said with obvious approval. “You’re too much of a hero to turn your back on victims who need help.”

She moved to her desk and activated a secure communication array, her fingers dancing over the controls with practiced efficiency. “I’ve already assembled a strike team—Integration and White-rankers from the Imperial Guard’s special operations division. Good soldiers, but they’ll need someone of our caliber to lead them against potential Bishop-level threats.”

The holographic display shifted to show tactical plans and building schematics. “The auction is being held at the Blackwood Manor, about thirty kilometers outside the capital. Intelligence suggests between twenty and forty attendees, with unknown numbers of Red Chalice operatives providing security.”

Lucifer studied the plans with growing concern. “This is a significant operation. Are you certain we can’t get official support?”

“Father knows about it,” Cecilia admitted, “but officially, the Empire can’t be seen taking direct action based on intelligence that may have been obtained through… irregular channels. If this goes badly, it needs to be containable.”

“And if it goes well?”

“Then we’ve struck a major blow against the Red Chalice while maintaining plausible deniability,” Cecilia said with satisfaction. “The perfect outcome for everyone involved.”

Lucifer considered the proposal for a moment longer, weighing the risks against the clear necessity of action. The images of those experimented-upon students made the choice easy.

“Alright,” he said finally. “I’m in. When do we move?”

Cecilia’s grin was triumphant. “The strike team is already assembled and waiting at the eastern barracks. We leave within the hour—the auction begins at sunset, and we want to hit them when they’re distracted by their own festivities.”

She moved toward the door, then paused to look back at him. “Oh, and Lucifer? Try to keep up. I’d hate to have to explain to Arthur why I got his rival killed on my watch.”

“Arthur’s not my rival,” Lucifer protested, but Cecilia was already heading out the door.

“Keep telling yourself that,” her voice drifted back from the corridor, carrying a note of amusement.

An hour later, Lucifer found himself standing in the courtyard of the eastern barracks, watching as Cecilia addressed their assembled strike force. Thirty soldiers in dark combat gear stood at attention, their faces hidden behind tactical masks but their posture radiating professional competence.

“Tonight, we strike against enemies of the Empire,” Cecilia announced, her voice carrying the authority of her royal bloodline. “The Red Chalice cult has been operating within our borders, conducting illegal experiments on our citizens. This ends now.”

She gestured toward Lucifer. “Prince Lucifer Windward will be serving as tactical commander for this operation. His word is to be obeyed as if it were my own.”

The soldiers nodded in acknowledgment, their discipline evident in their synchronized response.

“Our target is the Blackwood Manor,” Cecilia continued. “Intelligence suggests multiple high-value targets will be present, along with significant security forces. We go in fast, we secure the evidence, and we extract any survivors we can find.”

She paused, letting her gaze sweep over the assembled team. “Make no mistake—the Red Chalice shows no mercy to their victims. Tonight, we return that favor.”