Chapter 31: Fatherly Bond
Seated upon his usual throne, the Master was deep in thought, reflecting on everything that had transpired since the very beginning. His train of thought was abruptly interrupted by a loud thud!—something heavy had dropped onto the floor. Startled, he stood up to investigate.
What he saw sent a chill down his spine.
His body trembled, and fear gripped him like never before. There, lying lifeless on the cold stone floor, was the body of his favorite son—Little 9. For a moment, the Master could not think. His mind went blank. His strongest and most promising son… gone, just like that.
Panic seized him. In his distress, he momentarily forgot about the secret—the only thing that could possibly save Little 9 now.
"Percy! Little 5! Little 7!" he roared, his voice echoing fiercely throughout the hall.
Back in their rooms, the others were caught off guard by the uncharacteristic urgency in the Master's voice. It was unlike him to sound so… flustered. Alarmed, they each sprang to their feet and sprinted toward the throne room.
When they arrived, they froze at the sight before them.
There lay the Shrouded One—lifeless.
They had never expected him to fall, not like this. Though the youngest among them, Little 9 had been the most terrifying—his temper alone was enough to paralyze even the bravest of foes.
"What is this?" Percy asked, clearly stunned.
"Who did this? Don't tell me… those little girls actually ended Little 9?" he wondered aloud, shifting his gaze to the Master. The truth was written all over his face—it was the girls.
Twice now, those same girls had rendered Little 9 powerless. And each time, the outcome had been worse than before. No one in the room could wrap their minds around it. Just how powerful were those girls?
Without a word, the Master dismissed them. As they quietly filed out, he knelt down and dragged Little 9's body away—toward the hidden chamber.
Before the Mirror, he collapsed to his knees. "My Lord… my son is gone. He did his best on this mission and now… he has lost his life. My favorite son is gone… just like that." His voice cracked with grief, pain etched across his face.
A shadowy figure appeared within the Mirror. It looked down at the body without emotion and merely shrugged.
"Why are you wailing so miserably?" it scoffed. "When you chose ambition and war, did you not understand that sacrifices would be inevitable? You've lost just one son, and you cry like a child."
The Master clenched his fists, but said nothing.
"Besides, have you already forgotten the secret?" the figure continued, tone laced with disdain. "Why are you here before me, instead of doing what must be done? Don't summon me again unless it's urgent—or unless the mission is complete."
With that, the shadow vanished, leaving the Mirror to reflect the Master's broken image.
For a moment, he remained frozen—until the figure's final words echoed in his mind.
The secret… right, the secret!
How could he have forgotten something so important? He cursed himself for the oversight and immediately got to work. Rising to his feet, he dragged Little 9's body to a separate, sealed room—the Shrouded One's personal chamber. Only the Master had access.
He twirled his fingers, unlocking the door with a flick of magic, then carefully placed the body inside. Once done, he locked the door and stepped away.
Returning to his throne, the Master's former panic had vanished. In its place, a faint smile crept across his lips.
That was the scene Percy walked in on.
Earlier, he'd been dismissed, but he couldn't sit still. Though he and Little 9 were often at each other's throats, he had never wished for his brother to die. Deep down, he cared. He'd come back, determined to volunteer to avenge him—because surely, the Master would never let the death of his favorite son go unanswered.
But when Percy arrived, he paused, confused. The Master… was smiling?
Had he gone mad from grief?
"I'll come back when he's thinking straight," Percy muttered, backing away. He turned and left the room.
He had no Idea that while he thought the Master had lost his senses, the Master was, in fact, quite pleased.