Leo, who had been sleeping peacefully, stirred at Noah's presence and padded over to him, rubbing against him affectionately.
Noah smiled and gently caressed the young lion, whispering quietly to avoid disturbing Lola's training.
"Leo, how long have they been stationed out there?" Noah pointed his fingers at the two elves stationed outside the store.
Leo glanced toward the window and replied in equally hushed tones. "They've been there for hours, Father. They arrived about an hour after you left."
Noah nodded with understanding before walking toward the door and opening it to address the waiting elves directly.
"How can I help you?" he asked with neutral courtesy.
Both elves immediately tensed as someone finally emerged from the mysterious shop. Despite their curiosity and growing impatience, they hadn't dared to knock, shout, or create any disturbance that might anger the shopkeeper before them.
