Lydia's face darkened as she silently walked out of the Lord's Mansion. Along the way, she struggled to control her emotions, maintaining the elegance and poise expected of a noblewoman on the surface, but inside, her fury was almost ready to ignite.

  Drogar followed closely behind, aware that the Chief Steward was on the verge of losing control at any moment.

  At the meeting inside the Lord's Mansion, the outcome of the discussion shocked Lydia deeply: the lord had decided to form two caravan teams—one to be led by Deputy City Lord Freya, and the other to be personally organized and managed by Chief Steward Lydia herself.

  It was supposed to be fair competition, but what Lydia found truly unacceptable was that future management rights over the caravans would be determined by the results each of them achieved.

  In other words, if Lydia lost the competition, she would not only lose control of the trading company but her position as Vice President would become a powerless symbol.

  Back at her residence, Lydia no longer had to hide her anger. She violently smashed the furniture, curses echoing throughout the room."Damn bitch! That bitch!" she roared, venting her deep frustration and resentment.

  Drogar immediately raised his hand to dismiss the maidservants, leaving just the two of them.

  "Chief Steward Lydia, we still have a chance!" Drogar gently wrapped his strong arm around her, his tone comforting.

  But Lydia suddenly shook him off and stared coldly at him."I told you to keep an eye on those Southern harlots, didn't I? Why didn't you tell me about her contact with the Minotaurs?"

  Drogar gave a bitter smile."That's a lord-level matter. We simply couldn't interfere."

  This made Lydia's expression even darker. Freya, as Deputy City Lord, held a higher status than them, and her direct involvement was truly unexpected.

  Lydia snorted coldly, slightly restraining her emotions as she sat back down. Drogar instinctively knelt on one knee and gently massaged her tired calves.

  She didn't dislike Drogar's touch, but inwardly she sighed—what was once the two brothers working together was now just one leg left with no one to tend it!

  "Notify the other three tribes—under no circumstances are they allowed to join Freya's escort team." Lydia lightly nudged Drogar's shoulder with the top of her foot, giving a cold order.

  "Personally select eighty elite trolls and train them yourself."

  Drogar nodded, beginning to consider the reactions of the other tribes."The Lion and Frost Werewolf tribes should be manageable, but the Minotaurs will be difficult..."

  Lydia frowned, a cold smile curling at the corner of her mouth."That bitch! She has completely disgraced the succubi."

  With a light flick of her foot, the massive head of a troll was pulled under the hem of her skirt."You still have a younger brother, right? Bring him to me next time so I can see."

  Compared to Drogar, Torvald of the Minotaur tribe clearly enjoyed better treatment.

  Also a powerful figure at the core of Selene City, Torvald sat comfortably in a large chair, someone massaging his shoulders behind him, while another kneeling servant rubbed his legs.

  Although Freya had only given a few simple instructions before leaving, the two succubus maids left behind were irresistibly alluring.

  Torvald wore a lecherous grin as he pulled the kneeling maid into his arms, fondling her freely without any regard that this was the Deputy City Lord's residence.

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  Freya, of course, had no time to care about Torvald's petty antics. She had more important matters at hand.

  After changing into the maids' light clothing and donning a hooded cloak that concealed her face completely, she carefully made her way through Selene City, rounding several corners and making sure no one was following her.

  Beneath the hood, a contemptuous smile curled at the corner of her lips. That foolish Chief Steward Lydia really thought a few people could keep tabs on her?

  She was seriously underestimating her. Freya had long since mastered how to evade tracking. After winding through several twists and turns, she finally arrived in front of an unassuming stone house.

  The door was thick and weathered by time. Freya slowly reached out and knocked, her voice heavy and low. The door creaked open a crack, revealing a stranger's eyes shining coldly in the dim light.

  Freya lifted her head steadily, revealing her face without any attempt to hide. Seeing it was her, the stranger silently stepped aside to let her in.

  Inside the stone house, a faint scent of blood mingled with mildew filled the air, making Freya feel somewhat uneasy.

  The interior was dimly lit, with only a flickering oil lamp casting a weak glow. A figure sat quietly in the center, shrouded in a heavy cloak, their frame somewhat thin, expression cold and profound.

  The tribesman who had opened the door had disappeared without a trace. Freya dared not look around and immediately knelt on one knee to report the meeting's outcome clearly.

  "My lord, we have successfully obtained the rights to form a caravan," she said softly, her gaze resolute.

  "Shall we just eliminate Lydia's caravan altogether?" Freya added, making a throat-cutting gesture, her tone ruthless and ambitious.

  She knew that although they had gained a chance to compete, if they could directly destroy their opponent, why not?

  From beneath the cloak came a hoarse yet authoritative female voice. The figure leaned forward slightly, and her crimson eyes blazed like twin flames that no one dared meet directly.

  "No. Don't forget our true mission," the voice said coldly and firmly."Taking Selene City can wait, but finding the princess must be urgent."

  Freya respectfully replied,"Yes, my lord."

  She added quietly,"There should be no trace of the princess in Selene City. Perhaps only through the caravans can we hope for a surprise discovery."

  Her voice held a hint of humility, completely stripped of the dignity expected of a lord. In fact, she had long since lost that dignity.

  Their succubi clan had survived the bloody purges by the blood elves many years ago. After enduring hardships, they had reluctantly moved north to seek refuge in Selene. The southern succubi were now like ruins; she was no longer the leader she once was.

  The only reason she had become the leader of the southern succubi remnant was because she was compliant and obedient enough to be promoted as their head.

  The powerful blood elf race had conquered their homeland, forcing her and her people northward. Freya still did not understand why the blood elves were so obsessed with them.

  Having conquered the southern succubi's territory was not enough; they even planned to annex another succubi tribe from a different region. But she had no choice but to obey orders.

  When she arrived at Selene City, she had hoped that with the support of this lord, together they could quickly take control of northern Selene and dominate this land.

  But reality disappointed her. The lord repeatedly rejected her proposals and urged her to focus on finding the princess from the elven kingdom.

  If she had not heard the lord's orders with her own ears, Freya could not have believed that the elven princess was hiding within the demi-human territories.

  "That's still far from enough. The caravans alone won't suffice!" The voice beneath the cloak suddenly interrupted Freya's thoughts, sharp and cold.

  "Hurry to subdue the Minotaurs. The search inside Selene City must not slacken."

  "The sooner you find the princess, the richer your reward will be."

  Unwilling to give up, Freya proposed again,"My lord, why don't we join forces and take Selene directly? Wouldn't it be easier to find her once we control Selene City?"

  "Foolish!" The blood elf hissed quietly, full of disdain and contempt."Haven't you realized that Selene already has a master?"

  Freya's heart jolted, her voice filled with panic."What? She actually…"

  The proud and cold image of Selene flashed through her mind. She could never imagine that the arrogant and confident succubus would willingly perform that rare and sacred Succubus Binding Oath.

  That was a unique ability reserved only for lord-level succubi, and no one could force them to perform it unless they were willing.

  Thinking of this, Freya finally understood—the lord had never feared Selene herself, but the man behind her.

  She whispered,"Who exactly is he?"

  "Don't try to investigate his existence. That's none of your concern!" The blood elf sharply reprimanded her, voice severe and ruthless.

  "You only need to complete the tasks I assign. Nothing else is your business."

  The blood elf knew this succubus well. For glory, she would dare anything, but she was indeed too naive and foolish.

  Freya bowed her head in response, but inside she felt dissatisfaction. She believed that since she had infiltrated Selene City and held a high position, uncovering this secret might not be so difficult after all.