Heavenly Damned Player-Chapter 112: A pathetic fool, a pretender, an arbiter

As the Shadow of Death, Halo understood Dark Saint’s pain.

No need to bring it up. She missed being human. That kind of topic was too sensitive for someone in her position.

Still, when the night fell that day, she departed to play her role in the Black War. She was yet to kill her number one nemesis, The Omen, after all.

After Saint left, something became clear: the time spent with her had changed Iris completely. Even the slight tension that had lingered between her and Halo after what she’d done was gone now.

Halo had no idea what Dark Saint had said to the Child of Sacrifice, but he was relieved she’d stopped acting strange around him.

He was already getting back into shape for their next assault, but the following day was booked.

Liam had sent a second crow with information on where to meet, just before Saint’s departure.

He left in the pre-dawn darkness, slipping past drowsy guards, moving from shadow to shadow until he’d cleared StoneHaven’s borders completely.

He remained a fugitive, and as a wanted man within those massive walls, getting captured wasn’t an option.

Liam’s message was brief and direct. It had no room for any expressions, like he always expected from Liam. This gave him a slight hint that things weren’t going well for him on his Purpose either.

The rendezvous point was the Desolate Circle, just a few hours distant. Walking that far wasn’t feasible in his condition. Once he was safely away from StoneHaven, he settled in to wait for a wagon.

It could have been a problem, but luck was on his side. Within minutes, a wagon came into view on the road.

The land occupied a hill so steep and high that the buildings seemed to vanish among the crowds below.

The buildings were old timber-framed structures with slanted shingle roofs, weathered wood, and stone bases.

The streets wound narrow and uneven between buildings, cobblestones broken by muddy patches and puddles, remnants of recent rain. It wasn’t vibrant like the safe zones Halo knew, but he understood the appeal for Liam.

The moment he stepped out of the wagon, a figure waved at him from the middle of the street.

He wore a black, extremely tight, high-collared compression shirt that clung to his upper body. It covered his entire torso, neck, and arms. He then had a light cloth wrapped around his waist, tied loosely with folds that draped naturally.

Halo gulped.

That was Liam, but damn, he looked grown.

He’d grown several inches taller than Halo, standing around 192 to 195 cm now. His muscles were impressively defined, and despite his smile, the intensity burning in those blue eyes wasn’t something Halo expected after only two months.

His figure made Halo want to hide his body.

But the smile on his face was all that he needed. His body might have changed, but he was still the Eyes of the Night.

"If I knew your Purpose would make you look this good, I would have stopped mine and followed you."

Halo said with a sarcastic tone and joined Liam.

Liam wrapped him in a hug.

"I’m glad you’re safe, Halo."

Halo furrowed his brow.

He wasn’t expecting such a sentimental reaction from someone so masculine.

The moment he pulled Halo out of the hug, his eyes began glancing around. He was looking for Seraphim.

"Oh, Seraphim thought she’d prepare something before you came. She’s borrowing an inn to make it happen."

Halo’s mouth began to water as he followed Liam’s lead to the inn.

He couldn’t remember the last time he’d tasted any meal, but he knew for certain that the meal was prepared by Seraph.

After months of torture, eating meals that tasted like nothing and ash, he could finally have something sweet pass down his throat, even though he was bound to miss it the next day.

The inn was quiet, filled with nothing but empty tables and chairs. Even the person who should be behind the counter was absent.

"Seraphim has rented the inn for the day. We have it entirely to ourselves."

Halo gulped.

How many Sin Fragments did she have to spend so freely? He had over twelve hundred and still found it difficult to part with even one. Seraph must be incredibly wealthy.

While they stood there, taking in the cozy atmosphere, the Child of Deceit appeared.

Her cascading white hair was no more. It was short and only reached her shoulders. She had a cool, focused expression as she tightened a black glove on her hand.

She now wore a more tactical-looking outfit. It was a fitted dark-gray button-up shirt with straps and harnesses across her chest and shoulders, and she also had high-waisted black trousers with a belt. She looked sleeker and more mature than before.

Her presence and demeanor gave off a confident, highly competent, dangerous aura.

Halo swallowed bile.

Her figure had developed rapidly. It was as if the two months were like a two-year gap for her.

This made him take a better look at himself.

Seraph closed in with her confident expression turning into a smile.

"I am glad you have arrived, Halo."

Halo nodded lazily and started to sit, but Seraph’s hand clamped onto his shoulder, stopping him.

Halo frowned. Her grip was strong.

Her expression darkened.

"What’s going on with you? Is your Purpose wearing you out that badly? You look like you haven’t eaten in a long time."

The concern in her eyes was apparent.

"Yes... I noticed as well. I just didn’t want to say anything and come off as rude."

Liam added and took his seat.

Halo’s eyes pierced into Seraph’s faded blue eyes for a moment.

"I can say the same for you two. You look like a pair of elephants. It’s only been two months, you know?"

Child of Deceit’s expression darkened further.

"Stop kidding, Halo. This looks serious."

Halo exhaled and took a seat.

"Honestly, ever since we left the Galactic Castle, I haven’t been able to taste anyone’s food. Yours is the only meal that still has any flavor to me."

Seraph raised a startled eyebrow.

"That’s weird. Her meals were great, but how?"

Halo shrugged his shoulders.

"Can we eat already? I haven’t tasted anything in months."

Seraph smiled.

"Sure. Hold on a second..."

She said and walked away.

Halo had no intention of letting them know about the torture he had been through. Telling them that Mika tortured him for three weeks, cut his gut open, and patched it up would start a drama he wasn’t ready for.

Seraph returned shortly with a meal that filled the room with its scent. Beef curry. Of all things, the same dish that had cost him his sense of taste.

His mouth drooled from the sight of it alone.

Liam and Seraph stared at him in confusion as he gulped down the meal, savoring the tenderness and spices, flavors unlike anything he’d ever known.

He could kill to state this once again.

He nearly cried.