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Annabelle left the Gardeland mansion within the Valhen Woods and returned to the town of Bamel, entering one of the biggest inns there. After talking to the receptionist, she was led to a fancy room.

“Welcome back, Annabelle.”

The one welcoming her there was her husband, Oswald Gardeland.

Annabelle had been born a commoner, so no matter how successful she had become as an alchemist, her marriage with the heir of a noble family would not be allowed. But since Oswald’s father, Otis, had hijacked his graduation celebration to cut ties with Olivia, to make it up to his son, Otis had arranged for another noble family annexed to the Gardeland family to adopt Annabelle as part of their family, which allowed Oswald to marry her.

“I’m back. And seeing that look, I assume you already know what happened?”
“Yes. Governor Shearer has been busy trying to take care of everything, and he told me about it. Though it’s all so sudden it’s still a bit hard to believe…”
“But it’s all true. I never thought someone would use necromancy to use my old master like that…”

Annebelle had not witnessed that herself, but she had no reason to doubt Natalia and Olivia’s stories.

“Then how are they? Olivia and the rest?”
“Things got potentially deadly for a moment, but I think the worst is over…”
“I see… That’s good then.”

Annebelle decided to gloss over Natalia’s decision, as Oswald had never been too close to Natalia, and Annabelle felt like it was best to keep Natalia’s actions as secret as possible.

“I’m really sorry, but it seems we’ll have to change our plans a bit.”
“That’s alright. Ever since I accepted your proposal I knew I would lose freedom to act as I wanted.”

Oswald gave a light nod to his beloved wife, and then began to plan how to best act as a noble in that situation.

I pick up the food from the table with my hands and throw it into my mouth. I know it’s not the most well mannered way to eat, but I need to prioritize recovering my body.

“I’ve brought you more plates, Young Lady. Let me remove the empty ones.”

A maid comes out of the kitchen with even more food, exchanging the empty plates on the table. I’ve been eating really fast, so I’m surprised she can prepare more food so quickly.

“Thank you, they all look really good. But…”
“What is it?”

I thank her, but then stammer for a bit, trying to find the right words. The maid just looks at me with confusion.

“It’s nothing important. I’m just not sure how to say it, but I just don’t think a maid uniform fits you too well, Fan Yen…”
“Hm, I see. I thought it was best if I try to stand in for Natalia while she’s gone, but I guess I’m not fully built for that. I’ll change later.”

I was worried to say that, but at least she did not seem to take offense to it. A moment later, Clarissa comes back, stumbling into the living room and then throwing herself onto the floor next to the table.

“Awoooo…”
“Welcome back, Claire. We’re just having lunch, do you want some?”
“Woof, I want…”

Usually, Clarissa is always full of energy, so it’s really rare to see her so exhausted.

“You look really tired, where did you just come back from?”
“Woof, I saw Father.”
“Your father?”
“Yes. Father, Wolf King.”

Ohh, so Clarissa’s father is the king of the wolves…wait what?

“Oh yeah, you’re part of the Wolf King’s bloodline.”
“Woof.”
“What’s the wolf king?”

When I ask that, Fan Yen sighs in disappointment.

“Wolf King Roa, the Lord of the Forest, standing atop the food chain of the Valhen Woods. He’s one of the guild’s protected monsters, and everyone gets advised against looking for him there. Eclipse Wolves have governed the Valhen Woods for more than five hundred years, and you can tell Claire is one of them just by looking at her.”

“Ah…ahhh, the protected species, mhm…I know those…yeah…”

I feel like I was told about this in the Academy before, and the guild too. Something about monster kings and lords that can’t be hunted.

“Sometimes I forget just how ignorant you really are.”
“Augh…”

Fan Yen is right, I’ve never been good at studying or learning. I’m conscious of that, but I’ve known Clarissa for so long that I’m still a bit shocked that I never connected the dots.

“Well, so you went to see how your parents are doing then?”
“Woof…”

Fan Yen asks while placing a plate with meat on the floor next to her, and Clarissa shakes her head in response. That reminds me, Clarissa said something about being pushed out of her pack before.

“Claire still weak. If Claire stronger, then Boss fine. And Maid not alone. Claire must be stronger, so requested training from Father. Truce for a bit.”

I guess Clarissa is also disappointed with what happened before. Akane also passed away, and Erika left together with Natalia, so I guess she also misses being with her two friends.

I also feel the same.

“Claire, can I train with you too?”
“Woof?!”
“Olivia, do you realize what you’re asking for? It’s the Wolf King we’re talking about.”

Clarissa looks shocked, and Fan Yen reprimands me.

“I mean, I get that I might be asking for a lot, and the Wolf King might get mad, but I still want to get stronger.”

I’m sure most protected species are as powerful as the Nyuudou Octopus we saw before, so they would be the perfect training partners. Natalia is always running off on her own to take care of everything alone, and if I never do anything risky, I’ll never be strong enough to stop her from doing that.

“I need to get stronger so I can chase after Natalia and slap her across the face.”

When I say that, Fan Yen and Clarissa laugh a little.

“Heh, at this point, what she needs is a full blown punch.”
“Woof. Maid should be disciplined more.”

I guess both of them have the same impression of Natalia by now.

Just moments earlier, there had been a militarized fort from Sacred Granleuche in that spot, but now it was just a large pile of rubble, making it almost impossible to believe there had been a building standing there.

A black armor walked there, unbothered by all the dead bodies mixed in the rubble, and sat atop it all.

“This marks two…”

A sweet voice that did not match the grim black armor rang out. A distance behind, something moved amongst the bodies. There was a lone survivor, a female soldier.

She stood up, brandishing her sword, and ran at the black armor. But before she could strike, a blue eye began glowing on the black armor’s back, and then an arm sprouted next to it, which took hold of the female soldier’s head and raised her up into the air.

“…I missed one? I suck…”

The female soldier did not give up yet, trying to cut the black arm with her sword, but the blade just bounced off without dealing any damage.

“Ack…you monster!”

The black armor remained motionless, only the eye on its back looking at the female soldier.

“Expanse and blight combined at my command, Rise up from the depths…” The black armor began to chant.

“Let…let me goooo!” The female soldier desperately tried to swing her sword to free herself, but she could not do anything against that black arm.

Meanwhile, the black armor finished the chant with a monotone voice. Without warning and all of a sudden, the female soldier’s head was bit off by vacuum.

The headless body fell limp, blood gushing out of the throat where the female soldier’s head had once been attached.

“…Where are the other forts…” The black armor remained unfazed by the female soldier that had just died, focusing only on the next target.

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