“Surprise, surprise!” Lesia announced.

James curled his lips as he took in the shocked expression on Xanthakos’ face. “Do you still want to keep up with the act?”

Beside him, Lesia smiled enigmatically as well.

“You!” Xanthakos glared at Lesia. “Alas, you decided to complicate things! There I was thinking you’d be smarter than this!”

Lesia replied flatly, “On the other hand, it was exactly because you were so clever that you were blinded by greed.”

Xanthakos threw his head back and laughed scornfully upon hearing her words.

As the cynical smile on his face disappeared, Xanthakos stopped laughing and asked, “Frona, didnʼt those incidents happen just as I told James earlier?

“Without my help, could a mere human like him ever be able to amount to what he is now?”

Lesia sighed and looked at James. “Do you believe the things he said?”

James shrugged. “He was telling the truth. I didn’t detect any signs of illusion during our conversation. So, I think his statement isnʼt fals