Undoubtedly.

Ansal’s words struck her like a wake-up call.

—No matter how hard she tried to recall, the details of her transformation remained stubbornly out of reach.

“Enough. Racking my brain won’t help. I’ll cross that bridge when I come to it!”

Verlith shook her head slightly, murmuring the words to comfort herself.

*Whoosh… whoosh…*

Suddenly, sharp *whooshing* sounds erupted around the camp!

Dozens of colorful flares streaked upward, leaving trails of grayish smoke behind. With crisp *pops*, they burst into dazzling blossoms across the night sky. Slowly, they cascaded down like a shimmering meteor shower, painting the darkness with radiant light.

“That troublemaker friend… never could sit still,” Verlith muttered.

The first flare had shot up from where Ansal had vanished.

It was a signal flare—triggered by an alarm mine.

Its purpose? To warn the mercenary camp of intruders at its perimeter.

But by the time the crowd rushed over…

All they found were the alarm mines—every single one of the painstakingly placed devices had been set off. Not a single one remained.

“Damn it! That blond brat escaped!”

“He’s gotta be the one who did this!”

“Blast it! Whether he’s cursed or blessed with luck, he triggered all thirty-six of our alarm mines! That’s fifteen hundred gold pieces down the drain!”

“He was beaten bloody earlier—shouldn’t even have had the strength to crawl, let alone heal this fast!”

“After him! Catch him and teach him a lesson!”

The mercenaries of the Eagle Mercenary Group were seething.

Ansal had slipped away after giving them a taste of their own medicine for their “hospitality” that afternoon.

Alarm mines were Imperial military supplies—strictly banned from civilian trade. Even smuggled, they cost a fortune.

With only one use per mine, even the army rarely deployed them outside wartime.

Likely, Ansal had spotted them on his way out and triggered them deliberately—a hint to Verlith.

Only an elite squad could afford thirty-six alarm mines at once.

“Vier!! Vier! Are you alright?!”

When the flares lit the sky, the mercenaries told Alyssa Ansal had fled.

Her heart lurched—Verlith hadn’t returned for hours. Worried, Alyssa rushed out to search.

She found the girl leaning against a tree.

Alone. Utterly vulnerable.

To Alyssa, that peerless figure seemed as ethereal as moonlight—

as if she might vanish any moment, retreating to a world only she could see.

Alyssa hurried over, gently pulling the silver-haired maiden—who’d been quietly observing the chaos—into a warm embrace. Her voice softened.

“Vier, don’t be scared. Did that man try to hurt you before he ran?”

Verlith felt the girl’s softness, the warmth radiating from her body. She turned her head slowly.

She knew Alyssa was blaming Ansal again.

Could she correct her?

No.

Absolutely not.

*Sorry, Ansal. Taking the fall for a friend is just part of the job, right?*

So…

“Y-yes! He tried to drag me away with him! The mercenary brothers arrived just in time… I was so scared!” Verlith vividly described the scene, her face pale with perfectly staged fear. For someone trained in espionage, acting came as naturally as breathing. Combined with her delicate features and naturally melodic voice, her performance wasn’t just convincing—it was flawless. A few pitiful whispers sealed the illusion.

In that moment, she embodied the fragile maiden to perfection.

Flawless!

Absolutely—without a single crack!

*(This, of course, was Verlith’s inner monologue.)*

She had no idea Alyssa believed every word.

“Don’t worry. I’m here now. He’s gone. I promise he’ll never get near you again.”

Alyssa pulled the silver-haired girl tighter against her chest.

Verlith’s face was pressed firmly between Alyssa’s breasts. Her mind could only echo one thought:

*So soft…*

Unaware she was being subtly groped, Alyssa guided Verlith back to her tent, tucking her into bed with tender reassurances.

…

That night, the darkness hung heavy.

A slender crescent moon—like a hook—dangled from the ink-black sky.

Downstream of the Melam River,

the churning rapids gradually calmed.

The water flowed smooth and silent.

“Captain, thankfully only fifty-odd knights were injured hitting the rocks. The rest are unharmed.”

Osufu’s deputy stood dripping wet beside him, reporting casualties while bracing for reprimand.

Watching his soaked knights haul themselves ashore,

Osufu’s fury burned white-hot.

Yet his voice stayed grimly calm.

“Understood. The knights camp here tonight. At dawn, we disguise ourselves as merchants and head east—toward the continent’s eastern region where she fled. Also, I’ll write a letter now. You ride through the night to deliver it to the Royal Council back home. Demand they activate the assassination unit embedded in the Eastern Pearl Empire. We need their support.”

The deputy knight flinched. “Deploying the assassination unit… for one girl? Isn’t that excessive?”

“Didn’t you see the wings on her back? She’s an Elven Sorcerer bonded to a Tree Spirit. Today she dared murder an Imperial Duke. Who knows what damage she’ll inflict on our Empire tomorrow? Enemies must be crushed while still sprouts! And at her age, wielding such power… she’s no ordinary girl.” Osufu’s fists clenched, his face grave.

“But sir—the assassination unit is shrouded in secrecy. Each agent is painstakingly cultivated. Will the Council really mobilize them based on a letter?” The deputy hesitated.

“That’s not your concern. The high lords understand the stakes far better than you. This isn’t merely about a murdered duke. Before she escaped, she stole critical wartime schematics from his study—schematics that must never leak. They’ll move heaven and earth to capture her. That girl *must* be taken alive.” Osufu laid bare the truth.

“Captain… how could she possibly know the Empire’s highest secret? Is there a traitor among us?” The deputy’s voice trembled.

“Unlikely. Coincidence, probably. The Duke had a habit of hunting beauties off the streets. He’d have his men snatch them to his estate… and ruin them. This time, he set his sights on that silver-haired girl. They dragged her to his mansion—and he reaped what he sowed. She slit his throat in his own study.” Osufu snorted, clearly disdainful of the Duke’s depravity.

“So she wasn’t after the schematics?”

“Uncertain. But she entered his study. We can’t risk assuming innocence. Better to eliminate a hundred innocents than spare one threat.” Osufu shook his head slowly.

“I understand, Captain.” The deputy saluted sharply.

“Prepare to leave immediately. This is paramount. See that letter reaches the Council’s hands.”

“Yes, sir! I’ll die before failing this mission!”