Chapter 90: Rebirth Through Fire

Elias knelt on the ground, his fists pounding the dirt as his emotions spiraled out of control. His forehead rested against his clenched hands, and his voice was hoarse with despair. "Why did I let her go back alone? Why!" The weight of his decision bore down on him like an invisible shackle, suffocating him.

Nearby, Marcellus clenched his teeth, his eyes blazing with anger and pain. Suddenly, he spun around, grabbing Elias by the collar and hauling him to his feet. "Why did you let her go alone?! What were you thinking?!" His roar shattered the silence of the night, the echo stirring the leaves around them.

"I…" Elias attempted to respond, but his guilt caught in his throat. He couldn't meet Marcellus's eyes, where anger mingled with a profound, unspeakable sorrow.

"What was it all for?!" Marcellus's voice cracked as his grip tightened, then slackened. He finally released Elias, collapsing to the ground. He buried his head in his hands, as if trying to suppress the storm of emotions raging inside him, but his low, guttural cry escaped: "I need the Grail! I need the Grail! If I have it, I can save Livia!"

His voice carried an obsession laced with desperation. Bloodshot eyes revealed a man on the brink, consumed by despair. Elias froze, stunned. He had never seen the usually composed Marcellus so utterly unhinged. A mix of shock and suspicion welled up in him—did Marcellus truly love Livia? And could the "Grail" really bring her back?

Before Elias could untangle his thoughts, a faint voice broke the tense atmosphere.

"Are you two done arguing?"

Both men whipped their heads around to see a familiar figure emerging from the nearby woods. The firelight illuminated her face—it was Livia.

Though her hair was slightly disheveled, and her cheeks smudged with dust, her sharp eyes remained steady, radiating the calm poise of a seasoned thief.

Rewind to just moments earlier.

Livia sat bound to a chair inside the factory. Despite her predicament, she remained calm. Listening to the muffled sounds outside, she discerned that the guards had relaxed their vigilance. The factory door was locked, signaling that her captors intended to finish her off once they obtained the documents.

"This is my chance," she thought, silently cutting through the ropes with a hidden blade. Her movements were swift and precise, barely making a sound. Glancing around, she confirmed that the factory door was barred, but a small, overlooked window caught her attention.

The window was narrow, and her captors likely hadn't considered it an escape route. But Livia was no ordinary person. Using her thief's training and mastery of body flexibility, she squeezed through the tight frame, expending every ounce of effort to escape.

Once outside, she landed on the ground and was immediately struck by the acrid smell of gasoline. She looked up to see flames roaring to life—the factory's oil barrels had been ignited, and the fire was quickly consuming the building. Heart pounding, Livia pressed a hand to her chest, grateful for her narrow escape.

Hiding in the shadows of the woods, she assessed the situation. It hadn't been long since the call—there was no way Marcellus could have retrieved the documents and reached the factory yet. Deciding to wait and observe, she kept herself concealed.

Soon, she heard frantic shouting—Marcellus and Elias had arrived and were desperately trying to extinguish the flames. However, the inferno was too fierce, leaving them helpless.

From her hidden vantage point, Livia overheard their heated exchange. Their voices revealed their inner turmoil, and her emotions churned as she listened. She never imagined Elias cared for her so deeply. And Marcellus… his desperate cry for the Grail stunned her. She had always thought herself a mere tool in his plans, yet his raw pain and obsession made her question everything—did he truly love her? Did he truly love Livia? Could the Grail actually save her?

When the fire was finally under control, and the men's shouts turned into anguished cries, Livia knew she couldn't remain hidden any longer. Though she yearned to gather more information, their despair compelled her to act.

Wiping the sweat and soot from her face, Livia stepped out of the shadows. Her strides were steady, but her gaze held a complexity she couldn't entirely mask as she looked at the two men before her.

"I'm fine," she said with a faint smirk, her tone tinged with dry humor. "But you two… you look like a mess."