Chapter 32: The Night Watch and the Unannounced Visitor

“Since the cold-resistant potions are ready, let’s spend the night here. This way, we won’t be too tired for tomorrow’s journey, especially after traveling for nearly a full day.” Ailin said, holding the potions as he addressed Qi Lin and Nia.

Qi Lin and Nia exchanged a quick glance before nodding in agreement to Ailin.

Upon receiving their affirmation, Ailin offered no further words. Instead, he carried the potions toward the small pit where the remnants of the Flametail had been discarded.

Squatting down, Ailin carefully inserted the potion into the small pit.

“What exactly are you doing?” Qi Lin inquired, settling beneath a nearby tree.

“We’re fermenting the potion, so it becomes more consistent,” Ailin and Nia replied in unison to Qi Lin’s query.

After their synchronized explanation, Ailin’s gaze lingered on Nia for a few bewildered seconds before his expression softened.

From her vantage point, Qi Lin observed Ailin’s expression, sensing, if she wasn’t mistaken, a profound sense of gratification.

It was the kind of satisfaction a teacher feels when a student finally grasps a difficult concept.

Blinking, Qi Lin glanced back at Ailin, only to find his gaze had already shifted from Nia, returning to the pit.

“…So, how does one go about fermenting a potion?” After a brief silence, Qi Lin helplessly asked Nia, who was beside her.

“Uh… I’m not entirely sure myself,” Nia admitted, scratching her cheek as she tried to recall Ailin’s lessons from her younger years, “but if I remember correctly, it should involve setting up a magic array.”

No sooner had Nia finished speaking than Ailin’s hands began to move.

Gathering some residue from within the small pit, Ailin carefully arranged it into a circle around the potion inserted into the ground.

“Guide Moon!” Ailin declared, clapping his hands together as he addressed the circle, his words carrying the distinct accent of the Beast race’s canine tongue.

Invisible moonlight began to drift slowly into the circle, and a faint, pearlescent glow emanated from the newly formed array.

“Alright, the final step is complete,” Ailin announced. “Now, we simply await the results tomorrow.”

Rising to his feet, Ailin brushed the dust from his trousers, then gazed down at the pit with a satisfied expression.

Having finished his task, Ailin walked over to where Qi Lin and Nia were resting.

“Go ahead and sleep, then,” he offered. “I’ll take the first watch.”

“Thank you for that, Ailin,” Qi Lin said with a smile. “And please, leave the latter half of the night to me.”

As Qi Lin’s words settled, Ailin simply leaned against the tree trunk and closed his eyes.

Ailin shook his head with a slight smile as he observed Nia, who had already drifted off. Noticing Qi Lin still awake, he asked with a hint of confusion, “Why aren’t you asleep yet? We need to get an early start tomorrow.”

Qi Lin, who had been lost in contemplation of the moon, snapped back to reality as Ailin’s words reached her ears.

“Oh? No, I’m not tired at all,” she replied, shaking her head slightly and giving a confident thumbs-up.

Ailin regarded Qi Lin’s undeniably sincere expression, choosing to remain silent.

“Besides, you can leave the night watch to me!” Qi Lin reiterated, seeing that Ailin had not responded, despite her complete lack of experience in such matters.

Qi Lin’s insistence finally drew Ailin out of his contemplative silence.

Walking over to a tree beside Nia, Ailin sat down and fixed his gaze on Qi Lin. “Are you truly sure you want to take the watch?”

Given how little Qi Lin knew about many things, he harbored serious doubts about her ability to properly stand guard. Moreover, allowing a girl to take the night watch was not something a responsible and capable young man should do.

“Yes, please leave the night watch to me,” she insisted. “I’m not particularly tired.”

Meeting Qi Lin’s earnest gaze, Ailin fell silent once more.

“Please, I beg you, let me do this,” Qi Lin pleaded. “After all, you both came along to help me find my friend. Allow me to contribute something!”

“Hmph, fine,” Ailin eventually conceded. “I’ll leave it to you, then.”

After a prolonged silence, Ailin, having weighed his options for a considerable time, finally agreed to let Qi Lin take the night watch.

“If any danger arises, remember to call for us,” Ailin instructed. “And wake me for the second half of the night.”

With those words, Ailin closed his eyes.

In short order, both Ailin and Nia had fallen into a deep slumber, leaving Qi Lin alone, silently contemplating the moon in the night sky.

****

A relentless fall of cold ice and snow descended from the heavens, blanketing the ground.

Amidst this frozen expanse, a fortress, though cloaked in ice and snow, clearly revealed its steel construction, standing resolute. Innumerable knights, clad in snow-white, gleaming silver plate armor, helmets, and long spears, patrolled both within and outside its formidable walls.

From the fortress ramparts, numerous ice-blue banners, emblazoned with the fierce visage of a wolf’s head, fluttered defiantly in the biting wind.

“Halt! Who approaches?” At the checkpoint, a knight, his right hand gripping his spear tightly, extended his left arm to block the path of a tall Black-Robed Figure.

“Sir Knight,” the Black-Robed Figure began, “I request an audience with Your Majesty.”

The Black-Robed Figure, unfazed by being stopped, gently placed a hand over their chest and bowed slightly.

“Do you have business with our Majesty?” the knight asked, his gaze sharp and unwavering as he scrutinized the enigmatic Black-Robed Figure.

“Indeed,” the Black-Robed Figure affirmed. “Please announce my presence. I thank you.”

The Black-Robed Figure’s composed and neither humble nor arrogant demeanor caused a flicker of tension in the knight.

“…Sir, please wait a moment,” the knight said, offering a respectful bow before striding towards the closed city gates.

He rapped on the city gate, and a small, palm-sized window slid open.

“What is it?” a pair of eyes demanded from the small opening, fixed on the knight.

“Officer,” the knight reported, “someone is requesting an audience with the Majesty.”

“Has their identity been verified?”

“No, Officer.”

“No? You would announce someone without verifying their identity? If they were an enemy, wouldn’t you be endangering His Majesty? Huh?”

The chastised knight immediately lowered his head. “My apologies, Officer. I acted without proper consideration.”

“Hmph, it’s good that you understand,” the voice retorted.

With a cold snort, the individual inside the gate slammed the small window shut with a sharp ‘snap’.

Returning to his post, the knight addressed the Black-Robed Figure. “Unknown visitor, our officer requires you to state your identity before we can announce you to His Majesty!”

Upon hearing this, the Black-Robed Figure fell silent.

As the unknown face, concealed within the depths of the black robe, lowered its head, the knight’s grip on his long spear tightened imperceptibly, a flicker of apprehension in his eyes.

“Is that so? I understand,” the Black-Robed Figure replied, lifting the face previously obscured by the hood.

The handsome, youthful face revealed beneath the hood caused the knight’s tension to ease slightly.

However, the Black-Robed Figure’s subsequent action instantly heightened the knight’s vigilance.

Leaping high into the air, the Black-Robed Figure looked down upon the diminutive figures on the ground below.

“As expected,” the Black-Robed Figure sighed softly, “attempting to enter the Candilac Empire’s territory discreetly to meet its ruler is simply not feasible.” Disregarding the growing clamor and confusion among the people on the ground, they soared directly over the fortress gates and pressed deeper into the stronghold.

Within a colossal palace, a Youth sat upon a high throne, legs crossed, his left hand propped against his cheek, and his right hand resting flat on the armrest, his eyes gently closed.

A piercing, frigid light shot directly from the distance, causing the Youth to snap his eyes open.

“Your Majesty!”

“Who are you?” the Youth demanded, rising from his throne as he watched the Black-Robed Figure approach through the air.

“Your Majesty truly has a short memory,” the Black-Robed Figure remarked. Landing gracefully on the palace’s black jade floor, they threw back their hood, revealing a handsome, youthful face.

“A short memory, you say?” The Youth mused, looking down at the young figure below before settling back onto his throne.

“Indeed!” the newcomer affirmed, respectfully placing a hand over their chest.

“Heh,” the Youth scoffed. “Then tell me your origins, so I might recall.”

“I wonder, Your Majesty,” the Black-Robed Youth began, gazing up at the King of Candilac with an air of respectful confidence, “do you still recall the transaction you made with us?”

“Transaction?” the Youth echoed, a flicker of confusion in his eyes.

“Ah, has so little time passed that you’ve already forgotten what you obtained from us?” The Black-Robed Youth clasped his hands behind his back, straightened his posture, and fixed his piercing gaze upon the figure on the high throne.

“…”

Novas met the newcomer’s gaze, his mind beginning to churn with thought.

The Black-Robed Youth watched the contemplative figure on the high throne, a hint of impatience crossing his features.

Producing an item from a storage device, the Youth tossed it directly towards Novas.

Sensing the rush of air, Novas immediately roused himself from his contemplation and caught the object thrown his way.

Upon seeing what lay in his hand, his pupils noticeably constricted.

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