A tall man jumped out from the carriage in the back. He did not wear the same crude expression as the others, and the moment he started walking, the men around him grew noticeably cautious. It made me wonder who he was and why they reacted that way.

I narrowed my eyes, remembering how I had inspected Lyssandra, and activated the Eyes of the God. A faint shimmer poured over my vision as his aura came into focus. His body glowed with a dark, greyish color, nearly identical to mine. The rest of the caravan stood in pale grey, so faint it was almost unnoticeable. A few looked completely translucent, which had to mean their strength was nearly nonexistent.

My gaze slid to Elira and I almost gasped. She was shining in a bright white, far brighter than anything I expected. Was this above my level? Beelzebub glowed with the same grey tone I carried, which made sense, but Elira… I had truly underestimated her far too often.

I needed to let her fight more. She was actually stronger than anyone else here.

"Leader, if you don't mind, I would like for them to stay in my wagon. It is empty, and I do not mind company as long as they remain quiet."

His voice was deep and steady, the kind that rolled through the air and settled in your bones. If I was not already confused about my own sexuality, I might have fallen for him on the spot.Wait. What am I even thinking?

"Are you sure?" The leader spoke through clenched teeth. I could see the displeasure on his face, but I could also see the fear. He clearly did not want to oppose this man. His expression twisted like he had swallowed something bitter, but when the tall man gave a single nod, the leader exhaled sharply.

"Fine. Climb into his wagon. If anything goes wrong, let me know. Uncle will help you with all his power," he said, finishing with a wink that made my fingers itch. I truly wanted to send an acupuncture needle into his face and freeze his expression forever, trapping that wink in place for the rest of his miserable life. But I held myself back, forced a graceful bow, and hurried after the tall man.

Up close, I noticed he had long white hair that fell in a smooth curtain down his back. It made him look almost exotic, like he belonged to a different world entirely.

"Thank you. We will be sure to repay your kindness," Elira said beside me, her voice warm and sweet.

Hey. What was that tone? Something tugged at my chest, sharp and unpleasant. No way I'm jealous, absolutely not. No way. Pfft. Like hell.

"Don't mention it. Just get comfortable and stay quiet, and keep your guard up at night. Not everyone you meet in this world is good." His words landed like a warning meant specifically for us, a pointed reminder about the other men in the caravan. Hearing that made me see him in a better light. He was cautious and strangely considerate.

Even so, something about him began to irritate me for no clear reason. Why is he making her smile like that? The more I looked at his face, the more I felt a faint urge to beat him up. Kind or not, he was starting to get under my skin in a way I couldn't explain.

I settled into the wagon and felt the steady pull of the horses through the wooden frame. It was surprisingly comforting. I had always been a city girl, so this sort of travel felt new and strangely peaceful. The last time I had ridden anything like this was back when John found me, and that memory tugged faintly at the back of my mind.

I let myself lean into the gentle sway while listening to the conversations drifting from the other wagons. With my strengthened senses, every murmur and whisper reached me clearly, even when I pretended not to pay attention. Elira sat quietly beside me, her gaze fixed on the passing landscape. She looked thoughtful, as if her mind was wandering far beyond the line of trees.

Meanwhile, Beelzebub slept like a stone beside us, curled up with his tiny paws tucked under his chin. At least someone felt absolutely no stress in this situation.

"Have you heard the latest rumor?" A faint conversation drifted into my ears, so soft that anyone else would have missed it.

"What about the finding of the Qillin bones in the far north?"

"Shush, you idiot. Why are you so loud? Do you want the boss to kill us?"

"No, sorry…"

"Listen carefully. The boss is gathering more men to launch an attack on the holy knights guarding the site. That is why we picked up that idiot in the back. He and the other cannon fodder will distract the knights while we secure the loot. If we sell the bones, we will all be rich."

"Heh, serves that arrogant fool right. I want to watch him die with my own eyes. And once he is gone, I will snatch those two beauties he is guarding. They look frail. After the boss has his fun, you and I can use them until they break."

Laughter spilled from their wagon. For whispers like these, I did not even need to sharpen my hearing. I memorized exactly which wagon the voices came from. I would handle them quietly when the time came.

But the Qillin bones… now that caught my interest. Maybe catching his ride was a blessing in disguise. I remembered from the story that Hera once bought the bones from a traveling merchant, and that single item gave her a tremendous power up later. A powerful thunder affinity and a rare skill.

Was this group connected to that event? Did they succeed in the original plot and end up selling the bones down the line?

It did not matter. If I reached the site first, who would dare steal the bones from me?

Anyone who tried would die.

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