Draven still felt uneasy. He didn't like this feeling—losing control, not knowing where the enemy would strike. He summoned Titus. "Where di

  Draven still felt uneasy. He didn't like this feeling—losing control, not knowing where the enemy would strike. He summoned Titus.

  "Where did Ragnar go?"

  Titus replied,"Bran took him. Seems like they went out on patrol."

  Draven nodded but didn't press further. He didn't have the energy to worry about Ragnar now. Stepping closer to Titus, his voice lowered, sharp and commanding:

  "Listen carefully. From now on, the city gates must be under strict watch. No unfamiliar faces get in—none. Day or night, I want eyes on every entrance. Understood?"

  Titus immediately straightened up and swallowed hard.

  "Yes, chief! I'll guard the walls myself. I won't sleep in my own bed for the next few days. Unless you say otherwise, not even a single hair gets through that gate!"

  Draven gave a nod and patted Titus on the shoulder. He felt a little more at ease. He trusted this man—maybe a little timid, but unmatched when it came to guarding.

  Strictly speaking, there was no need to be this tense. Valeria had made it clear in her pigeon message: their current search perimeter still hovered around the basin near Selene City. They hadn't advanced toward the Black Flag Territory—

  Yet.

  But that was only a matter of time. Once they widened their sweep, the elves would come.

  Draven couldn't shake the unease. It wasn't fear. It was how much he cared about Sylvia's safety. He didn't want to gamble, not even on the slightest chance.

  He had made up his mind—until the elves arrived to take Sylvia back, he would not take a single step away from the village. He needed to see her leave safely with his own eyes.

  ...

  Within the elven kingdom, inside the palace hall.

  "I don't care what means you use, or what trouble you face on the road—I want one result: bring Sylvia back safely, not a hair harmed!"

  Sigurd's voice rang between the towering stone pillars.

  He stood a few steps in front of the throne, his expression cold, eyes as sharp and frozen as winter steel. His gaze fixed on the man before him, as if trying to peer into the depths of his soul for signs of loyalty.

  Captain of the Guard, Rand, knelt on one knee, fist pressed firmly to his chest.

  "Yes, Your Majesty!" His voice rang like forged iron."Even at the cost of my life, I will see it done."

  He rose. His cloak flared with a gust of wind as he turned and strode from the hall. The clatter of armor slowly faded in the distance.

  At that moment, another voice broke in.

  "Father, let me go."

  Prince Alessio stepped forward, a trace of stubbornness in his tone.

  "I know better than anyone where Sylvia would go. Let me bring my sister back myself."

  Sigurd didn't respond right away. He was silent for a moment, then said in a low voice,

  "No, Alessio. You have more important tasks."

  He stepped closer to his son, voice quiet but unwavering.

  "I suspect someone within our kingdom leaked Sylvia's whereabouts."

  Alessio froze, his face darkening.

  "You mean… we have a traitor?"

  "That's right." Sigurd's tone brimmed with fury.

  "Only a few of us knew Sylvia's route. How could the enemy know she's in Black Flag Territory? Find that bastard and root him out."

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  He said no more, turning his eyes skyward.

  Outside the palace walls, Commander Rand was already leading a hundred elite Pegasus Guards into flight. Clad in shining silver armor, the knights flew in perfect formation, their hoofbeats thundering like a storm across the sky.

  Each Pegasus rider had been handpicked by Sigurd himself—armed with the finest weapons and trained to stand toe-to-toe with high-ranking demi-humans. Rand alone had the strength of a warlord.

  As long as they reached Black Flag Territory, they would bring Sylvia home safely.

  What truly worried Sigurd… was the traitor still hiding in the shadows.

  ...

  Inside Draven's stone house in Black Flag Territory.

  Sylvia sat by the bedside, Viola at her side. Her voice was low, her eyes dim.

  "Father will probably send Rand to get me. With Pegasus speed, they could be here in ten days, tops."

  Viola gently hugged her, saying nothing, though her eyes were already red.

  Among her sisters, Viola was the closest. She never said much, but was always the first to stand by Sylvia's side.

  Draven stood silently at the doorway, watching the tender scene. He let out a long breath and muttered,

  "Ten days, huh..."

  Ten days wasn't long—but in a volatile situation like this, it wasn't short either.

  "I can't just rely on the Pegasus Guards," Draven muttered, jaw tightening."I need to be ready too."

  He turned and headed toward Stone House No. 3.

  Inside, Gregor was crouched down, playing with a long beast bone, teasing a thick brown-and-black python.

  The snake had been hatched by Gregor himself, from a beast egg inherited from the Green Serpent. It was large, slow but steady, and clearly brimming with potential.

  "I told you, these exotic beasts are high-cost with uncertain returns," drawled the Serpent Ancestor from a ceiling beam, sounding half-disdainful.

  "But I like it," Gregor replied without care. He gently placed the python into a corner den, letting it find its own food and rest.

  Gregor slowly stood up from the wooden stool, his gaze withdrawing from the direction where the python slithered into the den. He looked up at the Serpent Ancestor resting on the roof beam. A faint smile appeared on his face.

  "Let's go," he said, his voice low but resolute,"I think the leader should have returned by now. We'll ask for his permission to restore your true strength. It's time for you to regain your leader-level combat power."

  The Serpent Ancestor was momentarily stunned. Its cold, reptilian vertical pupils fixed on Gregor, then the corners of its mouth slowly curled into a strange arc.

  "You're not bad, kid. You're actually quite trustworthy."

  The Serpent Ancestor seemed pleased as it smiled.

  Outside the stone house, Draven still stood by the doorway. His eyes casually glanced inside, as if merely listening to the conversation between the sisters Sylvia and Viola.

  But in truth, his mind was fully focused on Gregor's secondary consciousness. He was fully aware of what was happening over there without needing to see it with his own eyes.

  He had always maintained a clear perspective on the value of guardian beasts. He did not blindly rely on such magical creatures, but he also would never underestimate the role they could play at critical moments.

  Even the python that the Serpent Ancestor had belittled—if it grew to leader-level—could become a dangerous and reliable weapon. Draven had personally killed three giant guardian pythons; he knew better than anyone just how threatening these creatures could be.

  He looked down at his fingers and lightly rubbed the ring on his hand. The ring contained three Beast Rings, symbols of strength and extensions of combat power.

  The threshold to use a Beast Ring was very high—you had to be leader-level to truly bond with one. Also, each person could only possess one.

  Currently, there were two short-horned demon bulls in the village. His original plan was to keep one for Sylvia and give one to Liliana—two leader-level beasts, one for each of them, perfectly balanced.

  But now, the situation had changed.

  Sylvia was returning to the Elven Kingdom. He could not allow her to leave riding such a conspicuous demon bull. It was too eye-catching; if something went wrong on the way, it wouldn't be worth the risk.

  After a moment's thought, he made a decision: one bull for Liliana, and he would keep the other for himself.

  The remaining Beast Ring was reserved for the calf still in the mother bull's belly. Perhaps one day in the future, Viola would also be promoted to leader-level, and it would be just in time to use it.

  At the northern slope of Flower-Fruit Mountain, the two short-horned demon bulls were lazily grazing on the grass, completely unaware that their futures had already been planned out.

  Suddenly, a gust of wind swept by, and Liliana darted across the hillside like an arrow, her skirt fluttering. She didn't even glance at the bulls but hurriedly rushed toward the village, muttering to herself.

  Behind her, the tall Acorn Oak was jogging along, carrying a heavy animal-hide bundle. The bundle was bulging, filled with leaves gathered from the bone-setting flower plants.

  "Faster, faster!" Liliana shouted as she ran, her voice sharp with excitement,"I want to expose that big liar's lies face to face!"

  "She said she could make delicious food from leaves—I want to see for myself how she'll explain that lie!"

  Before long, Liliana stormed into the village like a whirlwind and nearly crashed into Draven's arms.

  "I found it! The big liar!" she declared loudly.

  Draven reached out and steadied her.

  Acorn Oak arrived, panting heavily, and spread the large animal-hide bundle on the ground. His wooden face showed some curiosity, unsure how their owner planned to turn these ordinary leaves into something tasty.

  Draven squatted down, rummaging through the leaves to confirm they were all from the bone-setting flower plant."Are these trees common in our territory?"

  Liliana waved her hand proudly and smiled,"There are plenty—there's a big patch up north!"

  "Up north?" Draven smiled and gently turned her small hand,"You mean this way."

  He pointed his finger toward the hills in the east and lightly brushed her nose. Liliana giggled at his teasing.

  The commotion at the door caught the attention inside the house. Viola and Sylvia stopped their conversation and came out to see what was happening; Martha from next door also joined in.

  Just at this moment, help was needed. Draven gave instructions, asking them to wash the leaves clean.