"And now, the entire forest knows my age…" Lucy sighed, rubbing her temples.
"We're sorry, Master. It's just… shocking," Alfie and Rebekah apologized in unison.
"Stop copying me. Let me apologize first," Alfie snapped.
"You're the one getting in my way. Let me go first," Rebekah shot back.
"ENOUGH, BOTH OF YOU." Lucy's voice cut through their argument. "Not another word until sunrise. Is that understood?"
"Yes, Master," they muttered together.
After a brief silence, Rebekah spoke again.
"We're going to fall asleep if we don't talk. I'm exhausted from everything we've been through today."
"I agree with Rebekah this time. Aren't you tired too, Master?" Alfie added.
Lucy sighed inwardly.
*They may act like grown-ups, but they're still just kids. I shouldn't push them too hard.*
"Fine. The next kingdom is just ahead. We'll find a room at the nearest town and rest for the night. Just hang in there a little longer."
"I'm glad you approved," Alfie said with a smile.
They continued along the road until they reached a nearby town, where they rented a small motel room for the night.
---
The following morning…
"Wake up, you sleepyheads. It's time to hit the road," Lucy called out.
"Just one more minute, Master," Alfie mumbled, barely awake.
"You slept all night. What difference will another minute make?"
"Good morning, Master," Rebekah greeted her, already up.
"Good morning, Rebekah. Go wash up. We'll grab something to eat before heading out."
Lucy turned toward the bed.
"Alfie, wake up already."
Growing impatient, Rebekah slapped his leg.
"Idiot. Stop giving Master a hard time. Get up and get ready."
Alfie shot out of bed.
"You moron. Why did you hit me? I'll teach you not to mess with me."
"Hold your horses, Alfie," Lucy intervened. "Don't stoop so low as to hit a woman. You're the man who swore to eliminate every last Darkside Spirit, aren't you?"
"Hah. Cry all you want," Rebekah teased. "You can't even get close to me with Master around."
"But Master, she hit me first," Alfie protested.
"Enough. Both of you." Lucy looked thoroughly fed up with their bickering. "Clean up, eat breakfast, and then we're leaving."
"Yes, Master," Alfie muttered before reluctantly heading to the bathroom.
After washing up and eating breakfast, the trio resumed their journey.
---
Kingdom of Guhan Castle Meeting Room
Meanwhile, a meeting was underway inside Guhan's castle. Several high-ranking Darkside Knights had gathered to discuss the recent events surrounding Alfie.
"Do you really think it was wise to let that boy leave the kingdom?" Lyon, the right-hand man of Guhan's Special Darkside Knight, asked. "As he grows stronger, he could become a threat to humanity."
"I have my reasons, Lyon," Exca, Guhan's Special Darkside Knight, replied calmly. "That boy is in safe hands. Bringing him into the Academy would only have put the other students at risk. If he went berserk, we could lose several children before we had a chance to intervene."
"But you're trusting him to an unknown woman?" another high-ranking Darkside Knight questioned.
"She isn't an ordinary woman," Exca replied. "Her power might rival my own. It's been a long time since I've encountered someone like her."
His expression grew serious.
"When she first appeared, she looked like an elderly man with the bearing of a Special Darkside Knight. Then, right before our eyes, she transformed into a young woman. There's something about her I can't explain. Something unpredictable."
"Such an advanced technique," another Darkside Knight muttered. "Even her transformation escaped our detection. How are we supposed to track someone like that?"
"There's no need to worry about tracking them," Exca answered. "They've already left Guhan, and I can no longer sense the boy's Renshi. She must have sealed it somehow."
He leaned back in his chair.
"Our attention should remain on the problems within this kingdom, not on chasing ghosts."
"If that's your command, Special Darkside Knight, we won't interfere," the pro darkside knights replied.
One by one, they stood and left the meeting room.
Once they were alone, Lyon turned toward Exca.
"You played that well."
Exca's calm expression darkened.
"They aren't the real problem, Lyon. That woman is."
He clenched his fist.
*After all these years of waiting for a host with powerful enough Renshi to awaken my Twin Dragon Soul, I won't allow some unknown woman to destroy my dream.*
A dangerous smile crept across his face.
If I succeed, my strength will rival that of a God Slaying Knight.