Hero of Darkness

Kahn and Venessa finally had a moment to relax and talk among themselves without having to worry about anyone else. She sat on a luxurious chair while Kahn leaned against the wooden wall after getting out of the situation. 

However, Kahn started questioning the meaning behind her words as to him… they appeared very misleading. 

"What do you mean? I just saved you from whatever trouble they were causing. 

I called you one of my people." explained Venessa with a coy smile on her face. 

In reality, Venessa acted the way she did to make Kahn indebted to her. A necessary step to sway his decision and get him to join her side if she could. 

And then exact her so-called revenge when the right time came. 

"But the way you worded it… It sounded like you claimed me to be your… partner." spoke Kahn with a hesitant voice.

"Partner… partner in what?" asked Venessa in a clueless voice. 

"As in… your lover." replied Kahn with a grin. 

Stunned! 

Venessa's eyes widened and suddenly she was frozen on the spot. 

And now that she was completely calmed down… she recalled the events again and then judged her own words with a sane mind. 

"What in the name of eternal flames have I done?!" exclaimed Venessa as soon as she understood how everyone took her words. 

She again misspoke her real intentions and chose the wrong words in her enraged state just like a week ago in front of her retainers. 

"No! It's not what I meant!!" shouted Venessa in a high-pitched tone as a flustered expression appeared on her face. 

[So she's a short fuse kind. Totally losing control of her brain when she's angry.] thought Kahn. 

"You… don't you dare have any funny ideas. 

I have no such feelings or intentions towards you!" she explained. 

"Alright, alright, alright." 

Kahn then tried to salvage the situation. 

"Hmph! Why would I even like you? 

The only thing good about you is your looks. 

Other than that, you're as weak as a newborn birkyla.

I'd never fall for a guy who isn't stronger than me!" she over-explained herself while comparing Kahn to one of the famous pet animals in the Vulcan empire. 

"Yeah, yeah. I get it… you don't have to convince me. 

But now that you said it…" spoke Kahn as a wicked smile appeared on his face. 

"The Hero of Fire looks like a perfect match for you. 

He has good looks, backing from both church and imperial clan. 

And he also meets the condition of being stronger than you since he's a third stage saint. 

Not just me but everyone in the empire would think of you two as a match made in heaven." said Kahn as he outright teased Venessa. 

"Akthooo!!" 

Venessa faked spitting out and looked at Kahn with an irritated expression. 

"Do you want to die? Should I throw you to the hero's party again?" she questioned with a sharp gaze. 

"Think about it. He suddenly turned very respectful as soon as you showed up. And you said he's always friendly. 

Take it from a handsome and charming man like myself… I think he likes you." he joked again. 

"Tch! And why would that be?" asked Venessa as she rolled her eyes. 

"Maybe he thinks you're very beautiful." responded Kahn as he laid back on the main chair of the company head. 

"Oh, is that so? Then what about you? 

Do you also think I'm very beautiful?" she asked with squinted eyes. 

"Urm… Yes." said Kahn reluctantly. 

Because if he said no… he was basically asking for a beating from the princess and there was nothing he'd be able to do. 

"Then why don't you join me? You can bask and worship my beauty everyday then." spoke Venessa with a coy grin. 

"Those are completely different matters.

Thanks for the help today but that's not going to make me join you." said Kahn with a poker face. 

"Tch! What a heartless and foolish guy. 

I guess you don't know how many suitors I have lined up for me. Including some princes and to be emperors from other empires. 

You're lucky that I'm even talking to you." said Venessa as she posed herself revealing some sort of intangible angelic aura. 

"Still not interested." he replied with a straight face. 

Soon, another conversation between them started as Venessa kept nagging him to join her group while he kept declining politely. 

----------------

Later in the night, inside the main headquarters of the Church of Hetrax… was a man in red and black armor, standing in front of an old fireborne in a red and golden cassock. 

Axel Lobethrox, the Hero of Fire, finished reporting the whole incident to Demiurge Val Arhelm, the Pope himself.

Axel empathized on how Princess herself appeared as soon as things were about to get bloody and there were too many saints. 

"If not for the Princess and the secret recording they took that could've implicated the whole party… we would've been able to do a thorough job." said Axel. 

"I see. So the imperial family is indeed involved in this matter after all. 

They hired outsiders to guard the blacksmith so no one could say that the imperial clan was directly involved. 

At best, one would think that it's either the prince or the princess who are backing the dwarf." spoke Demiurge with a stern expression. 

"Given how cunning he is… the emperor is planning something big. 

We need to get into the game as well then." said the pope. 

"At this point, if we don't show our open support to Oakenshield… Many of our devotees will assume that we don't care about our followers and won't bother to help or support them in the upcoming future. 

And our claims to treat humans as equals are also a lie." he spoke with a thoughtful expression as he tried to see through the emperor's plans. 

"I get it! That's his plan!" suddenly the pope shouted as if a light bulb lightened up over his head. 

"Maybe the emperor wishes to achieve something through that dwarf and his human disciple through the challenge he accepted. 

I think he wishes to get the dwarven race completely on his side and raise his support… 

It will isolate the church in the future if the dwarven race completely allies themselves with the imperial clan." he hypothesized. 

"That bastard is trying to make us powerless by taking away all of our support after he already crippled us using the imperial punishment as an excuse." said Demiurge. 

In reality… everything was turning into a big misunderstanding… the empire-level misunderstanding just because Venessa showed up on the scene. 

Demiurges then summoned the official spokespersons of the church and in front of Axel, he declared in a hasty voice… 

"Relay my orders… we're announcing our full support to Throk Oakenshield!"