"You've gone too far. I seriously doubt your chivalry meter has shot past the stratosphere!"

Verlith rolled her eyes and snapped.

"Speaking of which, your taste in women is... questionable at best."

Ansal shifted tone abruptly.

"That girl seemed decent enough, but the moment you took an interest? Instant red flags."

"Shut it! Don't spout nonsense about me!"

"Recall your romantic history. First crush? A woman juggling four boyfriends simultaneously. Second? Perfect match for your old self—except she was married with three kids! Third..."

"That one..." The Silverhaired Maiden shook her head with a bitter smile.

"Enough. As a spy, extracting intel from you—the intelligence chief—was just her job. She chose her country over you. Got hunted down by the knights and executed. Ancient history."

"Pointless rambling. Let the past stay buried."

"Heh heh heh..."

"Back to business. Haven't you noticed something off about the Eagle Mercenary Group?"

The Silverhaired Maiden's expression turned icy.

Ansal instantly dropped his playful smirk, nodding in agreement.

"Standard mercenary squads run twelve strong: one captain, one lieutenant, one quartermaster. Their insignias differ subtly—captains wear dual crossed swords with stars, lieutenants have unadorned dual swords, quartermasters a single sword. But..."

Ansal paused, leaving it hanging.

Verlith's faint smile confirmed her friend's suspicion.

"Exactly. All fifteen members of the Eagle Group wear identical rank-and-file insignias. No captain. Yet Mercenary Guild regulations require at least one certified captain per mission..."

"And that's not all," Ansal added. "Their camp layout is practically military-grade. They move with disciplined coordination—long-term training. When they beat me, they held back lethal force. No ordinary mercenaries. Elite soldiers, more like."

"So they're military operatives undercover. Posing as mercenaries to enter the Tree Spirit Forest is just a means to an end!" Verlith mused.

"Fifteen soldiers illegally crossing borders? This reeks of high stakes. They're heading east—definitely not from the Eastern Pearl Empire. Targeting it." Ansal stroked his chin.

"Could be a detour, but I agree."

Their thoughts quickly converged.

"High probability they're targeting the Eastern Pearl Empire. This level of secrecy means few would notice them. The Continental Armistice forbids armed groups from crossing borders freely. Mercenary cover is perfect—stateless, legally armed." Verlith lifted her head, eyes sharp. "Ansal, this stinks."

"You plan to tail them. Find their weak spot. Uncover their mission?" Ansal saw right through her.

"Bingo. And no, it's not just professional curiosity." Verlith's gaze dropped, a flicker of old pain in her eyes.

Ansal slapped his forehead. "Right! You were born in the Eastern Pearl Empire. Abandoned as an infant. Raised in a state orphanage. Only joined a mercenary caravan to the Northern Coalition at ten. You still care about that place."

Verlith nodded.

"So when armed strangers sneak toward my homeland with hidden agendas? I have a duty to investigate."

"Fine. I won't stop you. But stay sharp. If things turn ugly, retreat. Understood?" Ansal's tone was uncharacteristically grave.

Verlith shot him a puzzled glance. Her stern expression softened into a relaxed smile.

"Who'd have thought? You've spent years exploiting my reputation as the Northern Coalition's First Knight to cause chaos across the north. Now you're worrying about your pawn?"

"Call it frugality," Ansal shot back. "I refuse to waste money on funeral flowers for your grave."

"Tch. A venomous tongue never spits pearls. A handful of soldiers? Barely worth my attention."

Verlith knew he was joking. She watched the careless smile playing on her lips—the dismissive arrogance toward enemies.

Something about it ignited sudden fury in Ansal's chest. He knew her skills. Yet his brow furrowed. He tilted his head up, locking eyes with the Silverhaired Maiden, voice sharpening.

"Verlith. Never underestimate any enemy. Even a harmless-looking rabbit might leap up and bite your throat out."

"We have unspoken trust. I don't pry into your secrets. But I know exactly who shattered the person you used to be. You can't go back. That version of you? She's dead."

"You're my only true brother-in-arms. I failed to stop that tragedy. That's my regret. The Tree God granted you a second life. I won't hear you got yourself killed."

Ansal's solemnity was unprecedented. Raw sincerity bled through every word.

Verlith stared, lips parted in surprise. His intensity felt alien. *Am I overthinking again?* she wondered.