"I can't believe he's still alive. Andrew really has nine lives!" Inside Sovereign's Apothecary, Theon's voice thundered through the room, his frustration evident. Seated with him were Titus, the current head of the organization, and Brielle, who had long been sidelined. Brielle glanced at Theon coldly, her silence sharp enough to cut through the air. Theon frowned. "Madam Baxter, did something I say offend you?" Brielle's tone was calm but detached. "What you say has nothing to do with me." Theon sneered. "If it has nothing to do with you, then why are you staring at me? Don't tell me you're upset because I mentioned Andrew. If that's the case, I'll gladly apologize." Brielle's eyes narrowed. "Mr. Orben, I never realized you were sick. And it seems you're not getting better anytime soon." Before things could escalate, Titus slammed his palm on the table. "Enough. Both of you. It is indeed unexpected that someone as powerful as a Martial Emperor couldn't take that brat

Valerie arrived at the Martial Tower in a hurry, but the place was already deserted. The duel between Andrew and Wilder had ended half an hour earlier. "General Reyes, what are you doing here?" one of the tower guards snapped to attention. Valerie kept her face expressionless as she strode forward, brisk and commanding, and she said, "Move aside. I have business here." The two guards did not dare argue. Luna and Valerie treated their own troops very differently. While neither was deliberately insulting or arrogant, Valerie was more headstrong and blunt, and people did not fuss because she had earned that right. Luna was colder and more distant, but she was quietly dedicated to her subordinates and would patiently teach anyone who asked about their martial progress, no matter how late it was. Valerie was different. If someone did not pick something up after two tries, she would be ready to rough them up. Valerie rushed straight to the arena and froze when she stepped insid

Luna snapped coldly, "Shut up! If you have feelings for him, too, then don't you dare talk about him like that. You're right, Valerie. I do like Andrew. People have always said we're competing, but honestly, I never wanted to compete with you for anything. Whatever you want, you can have it. But when it comes to Andrew, if you try to play games with me, I'll make sure you regret it." Valerie let out a sharp laugh. "Wow, Luna. That's rare coming from you. You've always been the silent type, ruthless but quiet, never wasting words. And yet here you are, yelling because of a man. Seems like you've really fallen deep." She continued, "But I told you already… I'm not letting you win. You like Andrew and want him for yourself? Then I'll take him from you just to watch you squirm." Luna's tone stayed calm, but her words carried weight. "You can try to steal him or use whatever dirty tricks you want, I don't care. But I hope whatever you're doing is genuine, not just out of spite or some

Sheena looked thoroughly displeased, but with tears brimming in her eyes, she swallowed her pride and whispered, "I'll listen to you this time, Grandpa. Honestly, I've always been grateful to Uncle Reginald and that annoying Andrew for everything they've done for me; I just never had the courage to admit it or say it out loud. When Andrew almost got killed today, I realized I'd rather die myself than see him hurt." Donovan smiled faintly. "That's good to hear. As long as you two stay united, the Lloyd family will stand tall through any storm or disaster. That's enough for now. I heard Conrad's back, and his duel with Andrew is about to begin. I'm planning to send Andrew away from Chetvine after that, to his next destination." Sheena's eyes widened. "You're sending him away? Grandpa, isn't Chetvine the safest place for him right now?" Donovan shook his head. "No. For an eagle like Andrew, the sky is his only true sanctuary. Smothering him with protection would only do him harm. Hi

Andrew chuckled and said, "Huh? A grudge? Nah, nothing like that." Then, he quickly changed the subject. "Rowan, the weather's great today. Want to go out for a walk?" Rowan shook her head. "No. You're still badly hurt. So let's just stay home and rest, okay?" She smiled sweetly and asked, "By the way, honey, do you still want to make out?" Andrew looked at her. Her lips were pink and tempting, her whole expression radiant and inviting. He hesitated for a second, then shook his head. "Not today. Maybe another time." Rowan pouted a little. "Another time, huh? Fine, we'll see if I'm in the mood then. Aspen and Natasha should be back by now. I'll go check if they need any help." Andrew watched the way her perky bottom swayed as she left and sighed. He was just playing hard to get, but she did not catch it at all. … The aftermath of the battle with Wilder shook the entire region, far more than Andrew had expected. For a while, no one dared to show up at the Medicine God's C