Soroza, the border city of the Carrion region, with one of its sides facing the Argoust territory. Tall, sturdy fortifications stretch along the entire border line, serving as a barrier to the ownerless forestland that extends for several kilometers before reaching Argoust.

  Its gate is heavily guarded, and anyone entering or leaving the region must go through inspection. Many merchants with large cargo wagons come and go, forming much of the bustling activity in that border city.

  Liam’s and Cedric’s horses walk with slow steps through the center of Soroza. The bustling activity of the townspeople accompanies their way.

  “You know there’s still someone following us all the way here?” Liam says while observing the people along the street.

  “Yeah, that one seems good at keeping a safe distance. If I chase him, he’ll definitely get away. Then he’ll come back again.”

  A mysterious figure continues to observe Liam and Cedric’s movements from afar. His body is covered in dark, flexible clothing, with pieces of protective armor on certain areas. Half of his face is also hidden behind a black cloth, leaving only his gray eyes visible. This time, the mysterious watcher stands atop one of the buildings in central Soroza, observing Liam and Cedric as they ride on horseback.

  “Like a wild lizard in the desert,” Liam mutters, his expression flat but his words carrying displeasure. “When you approach it, it quickly slips back into its burrow beneath the sand. But once you leave, it pops out again to watch from afar.”

  “You’ve been to a desert before?”

  “In the Outlander region there’s a vast desert. Students of Verlyn Academy often conduct expeditions there.”

  The Outlander region stretches along the far southern edge of the Arkha continent—so wide that it borders the southern sides of three territories: Karsh, Carrion, and Argoust. However, its geography consists only of barren, arid, rocky land.

  “We need someone’s help so we won’t be tailed by that pesky lizard anymore.” Liam already has a plan.

  The watcher observes as Liam and Cedric stop at a restaurant that also serves as an inn.

  “You must be the crown prince’s agent.”

  A voice startles him, instantly putting the watcher on alert as he snaps his head back.

  A mage in a black robe greets him with a dangerous smile. In his hand is a small letter. But when his eyes meet the watcher’s, the mage’s expression shifts into clear astonishment.

  “Gray eyes?” His gaze lingers on the color of the watcher’s irises, his reaction as if he can’t believe it. “The crown prince of Argoust employs someone with gray eyes as his intelligence agent?”

  The watcher, his face still concealed, shows no reaction. But subtly, his gray eyes shift uneasily and his heartbeat quickens. He has made a careless mistake.

  The black-robed mage hands him the letter in his grasp.

  “We’ve received orders from our master to eliminate William Alroy Vissarion. You might want a special seat to watch the death of a prince tonight.”

  .

  Damian Zelnoir, a dark-haired man with a tall, muscular build, comes to meet Liam and Cedric on the second floor of the restaurant. He wears a high-ranking Carrion military uniform.

  “So, the Grand Master’s favorite student is going back to Argoust? The Grand Master must be very lonely now,” Damian greets them as he takes a seat at the round table already set with food. He seems familiar with Liam.

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  “Yeah, I’m starting to worry my name will be removed from the family records if I stay in Carrion too long.”

  “Oh, so you actually have a family in Argoust? Hahaha.” His joke is rich with sarcasm. Damian immediately tastes the food on the table. “Clam soup—my favorite.”

  Cedric continues observing the man in the military uniform.

  “Cedric, he’s my senior at Verlyn Academy. Damian Zelnoir. He currently holds the position of Soroza’s military commander.”

  After introducing him to Cedric, Liam shifts his gaze back to Damian, who is busy peeling the clam shells.

  “How much longer will you be stationed here? Didn’t you already receive a new position?”

  Damian finally bites through the stubborn clam shell that refuses to open.

  “Lazy workers— they should’ve checked if any clams still had their shells before throwing them into the soup!” he grumbles as he swallows the crushed shell whole.

  “The inauguration for my new position is in a week. My replacement hasn’t arrived yet, so I’m just enjoying my last days tormenting criminals at the border, haha.”

  “I hear Jerfin is the one who’ll replace you here.”

  “Yeah. Those arrogant seniors gave me a very easy path to become their superior. Just wait— they’ll regret becoming my subordinates.” Damian laughs proudly.

  The burly man looks strong not only physically but also in terms of his powerful elemental aura. The position of military commander would never be given to a weak battlemage. Cedric remains cautious toward Damian.

  “Who’s this kid?” Damian’s attention shifts toward Cedric. “He seems way too young to be your peer.”

  “Cedric Dryas. I almost sent him to Carrion’s prison because he planned to burn down Verlyn Academy.”

  “Aha!” Damian’s gaze turns serious as he looks at Cedric. “That’s a serious crime. Verlyn Academy is the home of all mages in the Carrion region. Consider yourself lucky you met Liam before you met me.”

  Those kinds of words start to disgust Cedric, who has already felt intimidated by Liam from the beginning.

  “Hah, do all mages trained by that old man always think they’re the rulers of the world?”

  A vein of irritation pops on Damian’s face. “Oi, Liam. If I’d met this kid first, I would’ve smashed his mouth. At the very least, I’d break one of his legs or arms so he knows his place.”

  “He won’t be useful as an aide if he’s crippled.” Liam doesn’t bother with it and continues sipping his drink.

  “I need your help. I want to leave Carrion legally and on record, but without being noticed by the spy who’s been tailing me since I left the academy.”

  “You’re being followed by a hawkeye specialist?”

  “Seems like it.”

  Damian speaks to Cedric again. “Arrogant kid, do you know the hawkeye skill? It’s a special long-range scouting skill—hard to detect and hard to catch.” His tone returns to normal, as if he has already forgotten his irritation toward Cedric earlier.

  “It’s definitely annoying to be followed by someone with a hawkeye skill. Unless you know its weakness.” Damian gives a wide, confident smile.

  .

  Liam, Cedric, and Damian’s conversation on the second floor with its wide windows is observed by someone from below. A woman with long dark-blue hair flowing down her back. Her name is Nichole Lanea. She is dressed like an ordinary citizen, yet her vacant gaze makes her look as if she has resigned herself to fate.

  In Nichole’s view at that moment, only Liam and Cedric are visible, while Damian is hidden behind the second-floor wall of the restaurant. Nichole then continues walking into the building.

  .

  “You two just stay the night in Soroza. I’ll make sure the route is safe first—no debris blocking it and no monster nests. We leave before dawn. A hawkeye specialist won’t be able to scout in a one-way route because he needs an alternate path to escape.” Damian looks very confident in his plan.

  Liam and Cedric have no objections.

  A plump female server arrives carrying the dish. Damian’s attention lingers on her for a long moment.

  “Please enjoy your dessert, gentlemen.”

  “Thank you, miss,” Liam replies casually.

  “Miss, may I meet you after you finish work later?” Damian expresses his interest without hesitation.

  “I’m sorry, sir. I’m already married.”

  “Ah, what a shame. Sorry for bothering you.” Damian immediately turns his gaze away. The server leaves.

  “That your type?” Cedric takes interest in the topic.

  “I like them plump and full,” Damian says, expressing it with a gesture in front of his chest.

  “I like them slim and aggressive,” Cedric chimes in.

  “Aha! Looks like we’ve found an interesting topic to talk about.”

  Suddenly, they become friendly with each other thanks to their shared interests.

  Both playboys turn their gaze to Liam who stay silent, clearly uninterest in their topic.

  “Leave me out of this,” he says flatly.

  Damian bursts into loud laughter. “He’s definitely the type who’s saving his virginity for the chosen one.”

  Cedric immediately puffs up with a smug grin. “Which clearly makes me the more… experienced man here.”

  Damian is practically wheezing now. “Exactly! Liam, if you ever freak out on your wedding night, just ask this kid for a full step-by-step tutorial.”

  Liam stays silent—enduring the two playboys’ roast session like a saint forced into comedy hell.