Kyran did not reply to Zephyr’s remark.
If he really wanted, he could tell Zephyr the truth: “Actually, beasts kept their distance from me and will only attack those who are outside my range, so you don’t have to worry.” But the more he replayed the content of the truth, the more he knew how absurd it sounded.
Who would believe him? Even he was unsure why beasts stayed away from him. Initially, he thought it was because they probably sensed his Draconic aura, and thus they deemed he was at the top of the food chain. But if this was the case, how about the time when he was still at the military school? If he went back to a much earlier time when he went with his father and uncles during their hunt? Beasts always appeared wherever he was.
Then he thought, maybe it was his Void magic. But could beasts sense human magic? Beasts could sense auras. Did he even exude a ‘Void’ aura? If he did, how was it? And was it even possible for beasts to detect it when he was not using his magic? If that were true, that would be troublesome. What if the army found about it and tried to track him using tamed beasts?
With a shake of his head, Kyran pushed all these thoughts at the back of his mind. The more he dwelled on it; the more his brain would come up with absurd ideas.
“Just know you’re safe as long as you stay close,” Kyran told Zephyr.
Zephyr nodded.
“Alright,” he replied.
He was not stupid to know Kyran did not want to talk about how he knew those beasts would attack those two. Instead of dwelling on the matter, he came up with a new topic.
And so the journey of the two to Hanaan continued.
====================
Meanwhile, in front of the shrine at the Shaiha Ruins, Freya and Reuben had built a make-shift camp.
Last night, after their meeting, the two ventured around the ruins looking for the Quilin’s trace. When morning came, and they still failed to find the trail of the Quilin, the two decided to camp outside the shrine. If they could not find it around the ruins, then the only place it could have gone to was the shrine.
The two took turns in observing the shrine. Still, they failed to see even the shadow of the Quilin.
Freya had the urge to force her way into the shrine, but she knew how good the defensive array around it was. Even their Grandmaster Array Specialists could not decipher it. So far, the only one they knew that could put a dent on the shrine’s array was a Magus.
Unfortunately, the Templar Code had a few Exalted combat mages, but their commander was the only Magus. And as the commander, he could not be bothered to waste his time dealing with the matters of Shaiha Ruins. He had given the task of overseeing the Shaiha Ruins to Freya and Owen, and they were collaborating with the Royal Family to harvest the Quilin’s horn.
Although they were collaborating, the agreement with the Royal Family was that the Templar Code would keep the Shaiha Ruins’ rights and use their resources to harvest the Quilin’s horn. At the same time, the Royal Family would not meddle in how they do it or any other treasure the Templar Code might find in the ruins, but in turn, they would provide 50% of their harvested ‘rare stones.’
Reuben looked up at the night sky. He was standing in front of their make-shift camp near the bonfire while he watched the shrine’s entrance.
The sun had set a few hours ago, and the stars were already high up in the sky. However, darkness still filled the valley. Even the shrine’s entrance was dark.
Freya stepped out of the camp and approached Reuben as she asked, “Still no movement?”
Reuben turned to look at her and shook his head.
“None.”
Freya heaved a deep sigh. She crossed her arms across her chest while she turned her gaze over at the shrine’s entrance.
“What do you think?” She asked.
Reuben also turned his attention back at the shrine’s entrance. His brows furrowed as he answered, “I don’t think the Quilin is inside.”
Freya thought so too.
While the Quilin was really good at hiding its presence, their research division had invented advanced magic detectors that would not lose out with the Royal Army’s, thus making it easy for them to find it. However, the magic detector with them had not detected anything for hours.
At first, they thought the Quilin might have hidden deeper into the shrine and was out of their detector’s range. But they had been waiting for a long time. The Quilin could not have stayed all day at the deep part of the shrine, right?
Before Freya could reply, she sensed her communication device lit up and took it out.
As soon as she connected to the communication channel, a silhouette of a man wearing a red hooded robe appeared on the disc. The man’s face was hidden under the robe’s hood, but as soon as Freya and Reuben saw the man, they both knelt on their knees and bowed their heads.
“Commander Tritus,” they both greeted.
“I just read your report,” the man did not bother for any formalities and went straight to the point.
The two stood straight.
For a split second, sadness flashed in Freya’s eyes. However, she immediately concealed it and replied, “We are currently outside the shrine and waiting for the Quilin.”
The man nodded.
“I’ve always known that the Quilin in that ruins is extraordinary,” he agreed. “I also received the findings from Owen and the other’s bodies. Have you seen it?”
Freya shook her head, “No, commander. Evan did tell me the people from the Research department will forward the findings after they completed their additional tests.”
“They had just concluded their tests an hour ago and sent their findings over to me for review. I already approved it to be sent to you and your team. You can check it later.”
“Yes, commander.”
“Evan may have found something. He also sent me a message.”
Freya’s brows furrowed slightly. She did not expect Evan to send a message to the commander first before her. She was not offended, though. She was a sensible person and knew that Evan might have found a piece of sensitive information that he deemed best to report to the commander first.
“Ask your men to keep watch outside the shrine. I want you two to return to the headquarters as soon as possible. We also have to discuss another important matter on top of this incident.”
“Yes, commander,” Freya and Reuben replied.
The communication device flickered, and the man’s silhouette disappeared.
Reuben looked at Freya, who had a thoughtful expression. He did not need to ask her to know what she was thinking. The commander would not call just because three members of the Elite Team were killed. Most likely, his reason for calling was the ‘another important matter’ he mentioned before he ended the call.
“Why does it feel like things are happening one after another?” Freya suddenly said.
She did not know why, but her instincts told her whatever the commander wanted to discuss on top of the incident in the ruins were somehow connected.
“I can stay behind,” Reuben offered.
Freya might have concealed it, but he knew she was reluctant to return and let the Quilin escape from them.
With a shake of her head, Freya looked at him.
“No. We’ll go. It is the commander’s order. Contact Evan, Max, and Jason and tell them we’ll meet up in three hours. Then tell the others to come here and guard the shrine’s entrance as soon as possible.”
“Yes, Lady Freya,” Reuben replied.
====================
In the forest outside, Noser, Nolan and Gage continued to leave trails heading to Meliora.
When Nolan was satisfied, they made a detour to return to the cottage.
Since Gage knew of Nolan’s bad sense of direction, he was the one who took the lead.
By the time the stars had filled the night sky, they finally arrived outside the cottage’s array.
“Hm?” Nolan looked at the array and immediately noticed how much it had changed from last night.
‘Don’t tell me the kid has woken up?’ He guessed as they made their way to the cottage.
The moment they arrived near the cottage, they noticed that the front yard was filled with floating orbs that lit up the whole place. They also saw Silas taking out items from his space storage while Anette instructed him where to put them.
“What are you two doing?” Nolan asked them with a slight frown while he and Gage approached them.
Nolan looked at all the neatly cut logs on one side, then some cement and gravel on one side. There were even some glass and metal bars.
Because Silas and Anette were too occupied with what they were doing, they did not notice Nolan and Gage’s arrival. Their guard was also down because they knew Kyran had improved the cottage’s array.
Anette looked at Nolan and beamed.
“Oh, perfect timing. Renovate the whole cottage and change it according to this blueprint,” Anette she said as she walked over to Nolan, holding a parchment.
Upon hearing her words, Silas and Gage could not help but have black lines appear on their faces.
Typically, a person would ask others how they had been after leaving in such a dire situation, right? How come Anette’s first words sounded as if Nolan and Gage just went out for a stroll?
Nolan gave Anette a blank look and said in a deadpan voice, “What the hell do you take me for?”
“A human construction device.”
Nolan’s brow twitched.
Silas and Gage, on the other hand, looked at each other, trying not to laugh.
“What the f*ck is that even?” Nolan cursed.
Seeing that the two were about to start bickering, Gage could only sigh in his heart and shake his head. On the other hand, Silas already witnessed how much the two loved to argue and slowly inched toward the cottage’s door.
Anette glowered at Nolan, “Don’t use that tone on me, or do you want me to tell Kyran—.”
“Fine, fine,” Nolan grumbled.
It was annoying how this woman knew his weakness and shamelessly used it against him.
“And? The cottage’s array has changed. Is the kid awake?” He asked, changing the subject.
Gage instinctively looked at the cottage’s door. He did not sense anyone inside. But he could be wrong because the cottage’s array to conceal a person’s aura had been amplified.
“Ah… he and Zephyr left a few hours ago,” Silas answered when Anette only replied with a scoff.
“What?” Nolan exclaimed as he turned to Silas, then to Anette, “You let him leave when he has not even recovered?”
Anette scowled at him.
“Don’t accuse me of being negligent!” She retorted. “His fever has gone down, but it is true he has not fully recovered yet, but he did not want to drink the Elixir and… well…”
Anette’s voice trailed off as she hesitated to continue.
Kyran did not tell her to keep what he told her a secret, but it was not good to have so many people in the know.
Silas took a hint as he looked at Gage.
“Help me out here,” he told Gage before looking at Anette, “You two can go in first and discuss the blueprint.”
Gage, who had not taken the hint, frowned at Silas, “Why should I help you? You can do it yourself.”
Silas had the urge to hit Gage’s head, but he smiled at him patiently and said, “I need to talk to you as well.”
Anette gave Silas a grateful look before looking at Gage as well, “Well, we’ll leave you two first.”
She then looked at Nolan and motioned for him to follow her inside the cottage.
Nolan did not say anything and followed while still feeling a little annoyed.
After a few minutes inside the cottage, Nolan felt his temples throb from what he had just learned.
At the moment, he sat at one of the dining chairs while Anette was leaning on the side of the dining table.
He already knew the kid was still soft, but he did not expect that his ‘softness’ would lead to saving a person who might be linked to the Royal Family. Apart from this, the kid’s actions that appeared to be always on the run had to stop.
“Why did you not go with him?” Nolan asked Anette.
Anette shook her head, “I’ve just used a Glamour Potion and won’t be able to use it in the next few days, so I can’t change my appearance. It is not good to see me with him when he is using Nar’s face. At least not now.”
“And Silas?”
“Same. He can’t use transformation magic, and he just used a Glamour Potion to go out.”
Nolan wanted to go after Kyran right now, but he knew the kid might have taken a detour. If this was the case, there was a good chance they would miss each other.
Heaving a deep sigh, Nolan leaned back on his chair and said, “Fine. We’ll wait for him to return.”
“Kyran planned to travel normally, so he and Zephyr will take a few days before coming back here,” Anette said. “Let’s fix this cottage first, and then we can prepare more before they return. By then, after he has rested, you two can leave to go to that place.”
The best thing they could do was stay put in this place and wait for Kyran and them to return.
Nolan nodded his head and finally agreed, “Fine. Let’s do that.”
====================
It took three days before Kyran and Zephyr arrived near Hanaan, even when they did not stay for more than three hours in towns or smaller cities along the way.
Within those three days, Kyran somewhat had a better understanding of Zephyr’s situation. Although the latter did not say anything directly, the bits and pieces of information he casually spouted let Kyran put two and two together.
Kyran had an inkling that what happened to Zephyr’s brethren might be connected to the Royal Family. It might even be linked to Kyran in some way. He would have to find out more after strengthening the shrine’s array.
He and Zephyr stood at a tree branch near a clearing, where Kyran recorded his ‘trail’ that he planned to give to the Conclave.
“Wait for me here. I’ll go alone,” Kyran told Zephyr.
Zephyr tilted his head on one side, “Why can’t I go with you?”
“I’ll only take a couple of hours at most. You don’t need to come with me.”
“Alright. But if you’re not here in two hours, I’ll go in and get you.”
Kyran could not help but look at Zephyr with one brow raised. He noticed Zephyr’s attitude toward him took a sudden turn. How to put it, Zephyr sometimes acted too… attached to him?
“Fine. Just don’t go around changing back into your true form.”
“Okay.”
With a nod, Kyran jumped down the tree and made his way to Hanaan’s north entrance.
Meanwhile, at the other side of Hanaan, three people in black coats were also walking toward the south entrance.