Unknotting Fate

CHAPTER 3: HIM

Five days before the incident

The flanks of Apo Road were filled with stalls selling all kinds of things: fish balls, pork barbeque on a stick, fried tofu, prawn toast, pieces of jewelry, utensils, lamps, ornaments, and talismans for protection against night creatures.

At one end of Apo Road was the towering northern gate of the royal palace of the SEA Empire. All the palace gates were usually locked, but today was a special day. Other countries part of the Empire were also participating in commemorating this day. But the main event was held in Apo Road, Kudrik City, Mai Nation.

Through the Northern gate, one can see the lush front garden, an opulent fountain made of gold, and red-carpeted stairs leading to the palace's front door. Red lanterns filled the sky, lighting up the starless night and the mighty Mount Fufa. The mountain towers over the imperial palace.

 It was a very joyous festival despite the mandatory attendance. Everyone was enjoying themselves except Ko, who was being his usual self—miserable. He was leaning on a gray wall in one of the inner alleyways of Apo Road, rereading the official Leaderboard.

Vin Albay was still in first place, and Ko was second.

Ko rolled his eyes. He was already in a bad mood before checking the Slayer Leaderboard because of today's occasion—The False King Day.

All slayers were required to attend, no exceptions. Not being able to work, even for just one day, Ko felt like a fish thrown onto land.

Ko has been staring at his phone for 37 minutes, refreshing the ranking board about 20+ times.

He started to get a headache from computing how many more slays of night creatures the rest of his slayer colleagues needed to catch up to his total score. Hence, he switched to a different tab.

He checked a website called Slayers Crazy Fans to see if his fans had increased over the week. Seeing his fan base increase, he whistled, bobbed his head, and grinned. He searched for Vin's fan base count. He wanted to rip his hair out and throw his phone to the wall.

Ko sighed, "Enough of this." He placed his phone inside his back pocket. He decided to roam Apo Road.

 Once strolling, he saw many of his slayer colleagues. They all exchanged plastic pleasantries. Some lower-ranked slayers stared at him in envy, while many ordinary people asked Ko for pictures and autographs. Although Ko acted nonchalant about the attention, inside, he was gloating. Then the bubble burst. His high spirit crashed once he locked eyes with the last person he wanted to see–Vin Albay.

Vin's smiling face turned into disgust when he saw Ko standing before him.

Many of the people that were all over Ko ran to Vin and asked for his picture instead. Getting a taste of his own medicine, Ko rolled his eyes.

Ko did not want to stay and watch how most of his fans preferred Vin and that the crowd around him was bigger than his.

About seven people asked for Ko's picture, but Vin had about 60+ people following him, and it seemed that it was only getting bigger as time passed.

As Ko walked away, he could feel Vin's smug-triumphant glare searing holes in the back of his head.

Vin Albay comes from a very prestigious family. Unlike Ko's Slayer family, the Albays are entrepreneurs. They invent weapons that they supply to the SEA Empire. Vin was the only one who did not join the family business and pursued a slayer career. The Resurreccion Clan and Albay Clan are like water and oil. Despite the animosity, the Empress often ordered the families to work together to improve slayer weapons.