Clapping echoed from the darkness as a group of people emerged, cheering and encircling Adrian. Among them stood an old man with a lengthy beard, who warmly grasped Adrian's hand."Thank you for ridding us of this threat. Lucien relied on Greenhursts’ power to tyrannize our village. Every household suffered under his oppression,” the old man said.Adrian withdrew his hand and addressed the elder, "Your village is under Medicis Manor's jurisdiction. You needn't fear the Greenhursts.""They’re our cousins, so we dare not oppose them. Without you, we'd have been bullied to no end. Now, we can hold our heads high," the elder said gratefully, unconcerned about Adrian's lineage.Claude, embarrassed, hung his head low. Medicis Manor was independent and not under the control of Greenhursts, yet the villagers who lived around the manor were harassed, leaving him with undeniable responsibility."This is my fault, Chief Llyod. In the future, if there are any issues, feel free to look for me

Francine's bashful demeanor had been a clear sign of her deep affection. It did not seem like an act. But how in the world could she be attracted to him?Adrian's silence distressed Rozi even more. Tears cascaded down her face. "Adrian, this is all my fault. You have to distance yourself from me.”"No, this isn’t your fault!" Adrian shook off his reverie and gently clasped Rozi's hand. "Someone must have orchestrated this against me."Lionel disagreed. Adrian, being a formidable warrior, was not an easy target. Lionel found it implausible for someone to plot against him or get close enough for such a scheme."You might’ve come into contact with something unusual that caused these changes," Lionel suggested."No." Adrian was certain he had not interacted with anyone strange. The only thing he recalled was standing under a black locust tree and catching a faint fragrance. "I'm sure of it."Rozi was unconcerned about that. She instead asked, "Lionel, can you heal him?""Why, of cou

Whoosh! Whoosh!He took a few steps backward to steady himself, holding tightly onto the eagle he caught in his grasp. Perched upon the bird was a person. Obscured by ragged clothes and sporting a swollen face, the person’s features were unrecognizable, and their voice was barely above a whisper.Adrian strained his ears to hear the person’s voice. When he finally managed to identify the person, his eyes widened in astonishment. He released the eagle and asked in a concerned tone, "What happened to you, Claude?"Claude attempted to speak, but each word was like a struggle due to his severe injuries."Don’t talk," Adrian interjected, "I can't make out your words right now." Turning to Rozi, he urged, "Go get Lionel."Rozi dashed off.Marissa reverted to her human form and lay motionless on the ground, appearing utterly drained. Her clothes were intact but her hands and feet were swollen and her face was also disfigured, all signs of having gone through a severe ordeal."What happ

“Instead of throwing around accusations, how about gathering evidence and exposing him in front of the whole village?”Adrian was not entirely convinced. Llyod hailed from Riston Village. Betraying his own people seemed unlikely unless there was something wrong with him to make such a misguided decision.Wilmer spread his hands helplessly, shrugged, and said, "No one believes me. They all side with Chief Llyod." He then halted and pointed to a pile of black ashes nearby. "There's the ashes.""You're lying." Adrian's eyes narrowed. He quickly stepped back and then kicked Wilmer. "Why are you trying to deceive me?"Thud!Wilmer fell to the ground. Despite the impact, he did not cry out in pain. Instead, he had a sinister smile etched across his face. "You're dead!"Poof!The pile of ashes suddenly scattered and filled the air. Adrian squinted, intently focusing on his surroundings.Swish!An arrow hurtled toward Adrian's chest as black-clothed figures emerged and surrounded him.

Adrian then silenced Wilmer with a pointed look. "Enough talk. You stood by my side in battle, so I will save you."Adrian then retrieved a medicinal pill from his pocket—the one that Lionel had given him earlier. He had never anticipated needing it so soon.Crushing the pill, Adrian applied the powder to Wilmer's wound, and the bleeding stopped instantaneously. Wilmer was awestruck, stunned by the miraculous effect of the pill. He regarded Adrian with newfound admiration.After putting Wilmer on his back, Adrian raced toward Medicis Manor. He kept himself as steady as possible to minimize the discomfort Wilmer would feel.Suddenly, a black-clothed figure materialized in the middle of the road before them."There is only one outcome for betraying the Greenhursts—death!" The man’s voice was gruff, and he wielded a knife that glinted under the moonlight.Adrian gently placed Wilmer on the ground. Adrian could clearly see the attacker’s full-bearded face as the latter was not masked