“Marc, over here!”Miralda waved and called out, spotting the young man in the distance.Whispering Waves was an old pier, usually crowded during holiday seasons like this. Countless boats and midsized ships lined the docks, nearly all of them packed with travelers eager to visit the cluster of islands scattered off the southernmost coast of the kingdom.Yet, while the larger vessels swarmed with passengers, a row of small rowboats on the far side of the pier went almost entirely ignored. That was where Miralda and Skarleta had chosen to sit. Dressed in light summer gowns and wide-brimmed fedoras, they looked relaxed, basking in the soft warmth of the morning sun.“A rowboat? Across open sea? You’ve got to be kidding me!”Marc couldn’t believe it. Why would these two choose such a tiny vessel instead of something bigger and safer? According to the enchanted map, the distance from this shore to Morven Island was nearly forty kilometers. For ordinary people, it would take a day or two o

“A towering build and that much raw strength—good choice of soldiers,” Marc remarked to Skarleta as twenty armored goblin warriors stepped forward to receive them. Each of these soldiers stood well over two meters tall—considerably taller than Marc himself, who was already six-foot-four.“Thank you for the compliment,” Skarleta replied with a smile. “That only means the defense department is doing its job well.”Moments later, four soldiers approached carrying a litter, then knelt before Skarleta.“Your Majesty, please,” said one officer politely. Judging from the insignia on his armor, he was likely a first-rank general.“No. I won’t need that. Bring me three horses and a few escorts, as I instructed earlier.”“As you command, Your Majesty.”The officer waved his hand, and the four soldiers bowed in unison before departing.Not long after, three mounted warriors returned, each leading an extra horse by the reins. They brought them to Skarleta, and Marc immediately furrowed his brow i

“This is suicide—coming here without an army.”Marc’s thoughts echoed clearly, heard by both women in front of him.“These men are all monsters. Even the weakest of them is on par with a cultivator at level twenty-five.”The goblin race knew nothing of cultivation like humans did, yet their bodies naturally grew stronger on their own—far surpassing mankind’s limits.And if their weakest could rival a level twenty-five cultivator, Marc could sense several who had already reached the equivalent of level fifty.Unbelievable.Skarleta only smiled. “They won’t dare come near us or make a move. At most, they’ll just stare.”The soldiers of Gravemoor knew well that the Queen of Morven was favored by their king. Crossing the line with her meant a noose around their necks.While Skarleta remained calm and poised, Miralda felt the opposite. Her heart was uneasy.“Marc is right. If their low-ranking soldiers are this strong, then what about their officers—let alone Kael himself?”It was Miralda’

A few days ago, when Skarleta left Morven for Lanshire, Thorga felt as though all the sacrifices he had made for her had been in vain.“No! I can’t let Skarleta fall into his arms!”If Thorga couldn’t claim Skarleta’s heart, then no one else would have her either. Consumed by jealousy, he secretly went to Gravemoor and struck a deal with Kael.Not only did he offer to act as the king’s spy within Morven, but he also presented Skarleta as a bargaining chip.“You may have Skarleta as your slave,” Thorga said coldly. “But in return, you must help me secure the throne of Morven. Protect me from any attack that comes my way.”At first, Kael doubted his words. But after seeing Skarleta arrive earlier that afternoon, the King of Gravemoor’s doubts vanished.Thorga leaned closer. “Brother, now that everything is clear, do we have an agreement? You can have Skarleta, while the human woman—Miralda—will be mine.”Kael regarded him without pause, chewing the finest grapes grown in Morven’s best v

"I’ll track them with my astral body."A sudden voice echoed inside Kael’s chamber, startling Skarleta and the others."Marc, are you sure?"Skarleta didn’t know that Marc’s astral body could sense someone’s presence even hundreds of miles away."I’ve never used it to track someone hiding in a forest shrouded with magical veils," Marc admitted. "But it shouldn’t be a problem.""Then why don’t you guide us along the way so we can follow?" Miralda suggested. She had no intention of letting Marc face their enemies alone."That’s a very good idea," Grizelda agreed. "But how will you fight with your hands still chained? It would be better if the two of you stay here. Kragnir and I will follow Marc instead.""No. I can’t let Marc go alone." Skarleta’s tone was unyielding. Even though she could feel her strength waning, she refused to stand down."Wait… didn’t you say Thorga kept the remote that controls these shackles?" Miralda suddenly realized. "That means it’s actually better if we both