"It is indeed the Vane emblem..."

Horatu clenched his fists tightly behind his back, scrambling for an excuse to brush this off.

Just then, Verlith dismounted.

After a casual glance at the cavalry captain’s insignia, she spoke flatly.

"This is unquestionably the imperial-certified Vane emblem. It matches the Empire’s official registry exactly. Captain Horatu, this unit is clearly a detachment of the legitimate Vane Knights. We have no grounds to refuse their inspection."

"Mind your place, maid! What could you possibly know!" Horatu roared at Verlith. She merely shrugged, unfazed.

*Perfect timing to pour oil on the fire,* Horatu thought bitterly. He’d been struggling to find a better excuse to avoid inspection. His eyes flicked toward her meaningfully.

Spotting Alyssa beside Verlith, Horatu’s mind raced. He turned back to the cavalry captain with deliberate arrogance.

"My lord, not all Vane Knight detachments have authority to inspect *everyone*. The Eagle Mercenary Group is escorting a young lady from the An family—one of the Hundred Noble Houses. Would you dare search her carriage? Do you wish to offend nobility?"

The cavalry captain stiffened.

"The An family? This..." The riders exchanged uneasy glances.

Anyone with basic knowledge of the Eastern Pearl Empire knew the Hundred Noble Houses were its backbone. Each bore ancient lineages, tangled with the imperial court through blood and duty. From palace politics to the Empire’s economic veins, their influence ran deep.

Offending one meant courting ruin.

Yet duty bound them. Orders were orders—and technically, they held the law’s backing.

Besides, the An clan’s branches sprawled across the Empire. Not all enjoyed the main house’s protection. Noble infighting was vicious; even within the same family, status varied wildly. If this "young lady" hailed from some obscure branch...

After a tense pause, the captain gambled.

"Which An family branch is in the carriage?"

Horatu had no intention of making it easy. "The An family of Seaside City!"

"*The* An family? The one led by the Western Frontier General?!" The captain’s face paled.

"Precisely!" Horatu confirmed, riding the tiger’s back.

*Seaside City’s An family?*

Commoners might not know, but the cavalry did. This clan guarded Seaside City for generations. Its current head was the Emperor’s personally appointed Western Frontier General—a second-rank military governor commanding all defenses along the Voltus border. His authority was absolute.

*Why did I have to cross paths with them?* Beads of cold sweat formed under the captain’s steel helmet.

Verlith watched, expecting a showdown. She hadn’t anticipated the cavalry’s sudden hesitation upon hearing Alyssa’s surname.

*The An family? Of Tree Spirit Forest’s border?*

A realization struck her. As former head of intelligence, she knew Eastern Pearl’s military appointments. Though names blurred, she recalled their reverence for clan names.

*The Ans guard the Empire’s western borders.*

So Alyssa wasn’t merely the daughter of an apothecary clan. Her secrecy made sense—caution and discretion. Verlith glanced at Alyssa’s worried face.

*This Rest Station in Tree Spirit Forest lies under her father’s jurisdiction. Those soldiers who harassed us... if they knew her father commanded them...*

But events had veered from Verlith’s plan.

Horatu’s escort of Alyssa had always served this purpose: leveraging her status to mask his own movements.

*Clever. A brute who plans ten steps ahead.* Verlith revised her opinion of him.

If these two factions didn’t clash now, her scheme would collapse.

The cavalry captain was clearly wavering. She needed to spark chaos.

Seeing his ploy succeed, Horatu snorted lightly and urged his horse forward, ready to bypass the patrol.

His luck had run out. Before Verlith could act, dust billowed behind the cavalry. Reinforcements arrived.

"Hold position! Dismount for inspection—*all of you*!" A booming voice cut through the air.

Over a dozen riders halted before Verlith’s group. Their square-jawed leader had spoken.

"Commander!" The cavalry captain exhaled in relief. He saluted sharply and stepped aside.

"Commander, please understand—we are—" Horatu reined in his horse, repeating his earlier argument.

The square-jawed commander wasn’t fooled.

"Noble Houses or not, they’re still imperial subjects! Does the Empire’s law not apply to them?" He cut Horatu off with a violent wave. "Silence! No special treatment before the Inspection Corps! Noble or commoner—you *all* dismount! Now! Immediately! Move!"

His barked commands left no room for reply.

Horatu’s expression hardened.