Chapter 221: Variable

Chapter 221 – Variable

Eric wasn’t the only one who had begun moving toward his goal.

The others had started as well, each group walking its own path, driven by its own design.

...

Inside the domain of the Shadow’s Puppeteer, two unassuming women strolled quietly through the heart of the Puppetry’s City. Not a single resident gave them a second glance. No one addressed them, no one acknowledged them—as if they weren’t even there.

Of course, that was the point.

They were Silentshade and Shadeveil. The elusive mother-daughter duo.

"Your plan is good and all," Sari said softly, eyes still fixed ahead as they walked through the twisting streets, "but how will we be able to spy on everyone?"

"I’ve thought about that, Mother," Ester replied calmly, her voice as composed as ever. "And there’s only one place where people of all social classes pass through freely, without much scrutiny or distinction. Well, not one place. Two, actually."

Her gaze swept over the buildings around them, curious—almost fascinated. It was her first time inside a city in this realm of shadows.

But that fascination began to twist into discomfort.

Because the more she observed the puppet-like constructs that wandered through the city, the stronger the feeling grew. An instinctual warning throbbed inside her. One she couldn’t ignore.

Don’t look at them for more than two seconds.

No reason. No logic. Just raw gut instinct.

So Ester didn’t.

In fact, she limited herself to less than a single second. Just a fleeting glance before quickly shifting her gaze away.

’This... this is too weird,’ she thought, uneasy.

"Ester."

She flinched slightly at her mother’s call and turned her head to find Sari frowning at her.

"I called you multiple times. You didn’t respond," Sari said, her voice carrying concern despite her eternally neutral expression. "Is something bothering you?"

"Do you not feel it, Mother? That strange sensation as we move through this city? Like something’s watching you... or crawling beneath your skin?"

But Sari simply tilted her head.

"No. I’m not sensing anything."

Ester frowned even more deeply. ’So it’s just me... either something here is reacting to me in particular, or—’ She left the thought unfinished but glanced back at her mother with quiet suspicion.

Then she smiled, hiding the weight of her thoughts behind her usual mask.

"Don’t worry. It’s nothing. Let’s focus on the mission," she said, her voice lightening. "As I said, there are two ideal places where we can encounter all our targets. Want to guess?"

"I do not," Sari replied flatly, staring at her daughter like she was wasting time.

Ester’s lips twitched. "What a boring mother," she muttered under her breath, shaking her head.

She sighed and finally revealed the answer.

"The brothel and the casino."

Sari’s eyebrow rose slightly. It was a strange answer—but disturbingly accurate.

"Brothels are where you find every kind of man... and woman. The lowest of the low, and the highest in power. In fact," Ester added with a slight grimace, "the more powerful they are, the more depraved they tend to be."

"As for the casino, that’s where people gamble their lives, chase hope, and throw desperation into the void. You’ll find plenty of low-ranked individuals there, trying to carve a future out of this twisted world."

"And we’re lucky, you know," she added. "The youngest Shadow siblings seems to enjoy entertainment, so his domain is filled with these... conveniences."

After all, the other two didn’t offer such amenities.

Then she paused, giving Sari a small glance.

"Brothel or casino?"

She wanted her mother to choose the place she believed she’d be most effective in.

Sari thought for a moment before replying, "Brothel."

Ester blinked, surprised. "Why?"

"Because you’re with Noah now, and I know you’ll hate being there. You’ll find it disgusting. So I’ll take it," Sari said matter-of-factly, walking ahead with that same passive confidence making it clear there was no room for negotiation.

Ester smiled at her retreating figure.

"A boring mother, sure..."

"...but a loving one too."

And so, they parted ways.

Each setting off to begin their mission.

Each stepping into the shadows to collect the secrets of a domain that would never see them coming.

...

Elsewhere, Shadeva had begun her task as well—though calling it a "mission" was almost too formal.

She had entered the capital of Ebony’s domain. The great city known across the masses as the City of Order, ruled with calculated grace by Ebony herself—the one known as the Pragmatic Shadow.

She was the kind of ruler who didn’t act out of passion or vengeance but from logic alone. Cold, unfeeling, precise. And her city mirrored her.

Perfect symmetry. Identical buildings. Roads and alleys that followed rigid geometric flow. Everything had a place. Everything had order.

’Too controlled,’ Shadeva thought as she sat at a small outdoor café, sipping a cup of coffee while blending into the crowd with flawless ease.

Her appearance, her aura, her mannerisms—all of it was altered. She was almost unrecognizable. Even her own family wouldn’t have spotted her.

’I see she hasn’t changed at all,’ Shadeva mused. ’Still clinging to her obsession with structure. Still believing that control is the only path to safety.’

She shook her head in subtle disappointment.

She had warned her, long ago. Urged her to find balance. To leave some space for emotion. To allow life to breathe.

But she never listened.

And that—Shadeva thought with a faint sigh—would be her undoing.

’That will be the flaw that topples your world, dear sister.’

Finishing her coffee, she stood and glanced at the waitress.

"It was a great cup. Thank you," she said kindly, before stepping out onto the cold, pristine streets.

Inside her mind, voices echoed.

’Mother, what do we do?’ a voice asked—Sofi.

’What kind of question is that?’ Oren responded. ’We go ask for our revenge.’

’But Mother is only SSS rank,’ Bori pointed out cautiously.

’She can still summon Supreme Rank shadows or even Mythic, if she pushes herself.’

Their voices clashed and overlapped, bickering like siblings.

Shadeva smiled. She didn’t stop them. She let the chaos play out inside her mind, amused by their banter.

But eventually, she raised her mental voice—soft but firm.

’The plan is simple,’ she said. ’My sister lives by logic. Which means she’s predictable in a way.’

She smiled to herself.

’After all if you understand how someone like her processes information, if you map their logic—you can predict their every move. Then you can tear apart their certainty, brick by brick.’

’And logical people like her hate uncertainty. They hate variables they can’t explain. So let’s become that variable. Let’s become the chaos she cannot rationalize.’

And how do you do that?

Easy.

Shadeva stepped into the street, stretched lightly, and looked around.

"This city... is a little too clean, too orderly, too boring."

She grinned.

"Time to make things a bit more entertaining."

—End of Chapter 221—