Ch. 381: Chapter 381-390

Chapter 381 Whatever Means Necessary Without Breaking The Law

"You are here to get in the way of Her Highness' ascension. Since that is the case, I should deal with you right here, right now."

The green-haired Dwarf smiled evilly as she grabbed hold of the Half-Elf's robe. Of course, she was just scaring him, so that he would back away and leave the Wolfpine Barony. Her purpose was to make sure that the Princess she served would be able to focus on the task at hand, without thinking of variables outside of her control.

Unfortunately for her, there was someone that didn't like her bluff, and she made her opinion known in a rather unexpected manner.

The body of the green-haired Dwarf who had just grabbed hold of Lux's robe immediately stiffened and then hurriedly backed away, putting a good distance between herself and the Half-Elf.

Behind Lux, a black coffin radiating a crimson aura hovered in the air. Although the coffin was closed, there was a presence inside it that told the green-haired Dwarf to not push her luck, or else she would regret it.

'As expected of someone that was recognized by the members of the Order of the Griffon,' the green-haired Dwarf thought. 'He has some tricks hidden in his sleeve.'

The wind that was holding Lux in place disappeared, allowing the Half-Elf to have full control of his body once again. At first, the Half-Elf wasn't sure what happened, but after seeing the hovering black coffin behind him, an "Oh!" escaped his lips, making him understand what had just transpired.

This time, it was Lux's turn to look at the green-haired Dwarf with a devilish smile plastered on his face.

"Hehehe, looks like the tables have turned, missy~" Lux said in a teasing tone. "Since you plan to get in my way, I guess I should deal with you right here, right no–ouch!"

The black coffin behind the Half-Elf lightly knocked his head as if reprimanding him, making the red-headed teenager rub his head in helplessness.

Clearly, Vera didn't like Lux using her as a means to bully others, which made the Half-Elf toss his plan to give the green-haired Dwarf a punishment for what she had done to him aside.

"I am here on an important mission," Lux replied. "I don't care who you are helping in order to gain some points, but I would appreciate it if you don't get in my way. Something sinister is going to arrive in this city soon, so it would be best if you and your master left as soon as possible."

Lux glanced in the direction of Dunspear City before summoning his Thunder Warg King, Jed, to bring him back to the city.

Fortunately, the green-haired Dwarf hadn't taken him that far, so he easily reunited with his friends in just a few minutes.

The Dwarf, who was left behind, stared at Lux's back with a contemplative look as she headed back to the city.

'What does he mean by saying that something sinister will soon arrive in the city?' the green-haired Dwarf thought. 'I must inform the princess right away.'

A gust of wind blew, as the Dwarf flew back in haste to the Baron's Residence to tell the Princess what just happened.

—----

Back at the White House Inn…

"Hmph! It's a good thing that Little Swordy stopped me earlier," Cai said. "If not, I would have slapped that green-haired Dwarf silly and sent her flying. How dare she bully us? Tsk! She's lucky that I am a pacifist. I like to talk things out first before charging head-first to battle. Isn't that right, Fei~ Fei~"

"Da Wae?" Fei Fei tilted its head in confusion.

Clearly, the baby Gold Slime didn't believe that its Master had what it takes to follow through with what it was saying.

The Half-Elf rolled his eyes on the 'pacifist' Boar's words. Cai was someone who liked to bully the weak and fear the strong. If it really went to fight with the green-haired Dwarf, the one who would be slapped and sent flying would be none other than the Boar, who was lying through its thick skin.

"Don't worry, for the most part, I don't think that she will hinder us again," Lux stated. "But, I can't say the same for the Master she is serving. If I didn't mishear her words, her employer is a member of the Royal Family of this Kingdom. Best not to cross swords and words with them, or we might find ourselves being treated as an eyesore by the Kingdom."

Keane, who was clearing his sword with a piece of oiled cloth raised his head to look in their direction.

"So, what are our plans?" Keane asked. "Since they are now keeping tabs on us, do we still kidnap the Baron's second son, knowing that they are staying in the same residence?"

Actually, this was the new problem that Lux had to deal with. He didn't know how to handle this matter effectively because he was quite confident that the green-haired Dwarf would get in his way if he attempted to kidnap the Baron's second son by force.

"Our mission is simple," Lux stated. "We need to keep the Baron's second son here in the city for three days. We don't have to kidnap him, we just need him to remain here. As long as this condition is met, we will be safe… probably."

Cai and Keane glanced at each other before nodding their heads. Lux had explicitly told them that they shouldn't attack the Creature of Ruin no matter what.

Now that they knew that it was a Calamity-Ranked Monster, they would do their best to not provoke it in any way possible. Even a dozen Saints hadn't been able to defeat it completely and had no choice but to seal it.

A couple of Grade A Apostles simply didn't stand a chance against a Monster of that rank.

"So, how are we going to monitor the Baron's second son?" Cai asked. "Do we just take turns watching their residence?"

Lux firmly shook his head "That won't work. Since a member of the Royal Family is staying there, the Elite Guards that escorted her here will be guarding the perimeter, not allowing any potential threats to get near her. We already met one Ranker, it's quite possible that there are more."

The room descended into silence because they were stuck on what to do next.

"If my Grandpa was here, we wouldn't have to worry about anything," Cai grumbled. "We could just walk in through the front door and demand that they treat us as VIP guests."

Lux, who was wracking his brains about what he should do to enter the Baron's Residence, looked at the Boar as if it was a freaking genius.

"That's it!" Lux suddenly got an idea for what he should do next. "You're a genius, Cai!"

"I am?" the Boar tilted its head in confusion. "Oh right! I am a genius. Hahaha! Um, why am I a genius again?"

Lux smirked before stepping out of the room in haste.

He didn't answer Cai because he wasn't sure if what he thought would work.

However, after summoning his Soul Book and using the Map Function of the Elysium Compendium, he was able to find the location of the secret service of the Order of the Griffon that was stationed in Dunspear City.

Galileo had mentioned in passing that they had their agents in every city in the Kingdom of Gweliven. Since that was the case, all that Lux needed to do was find them using the map function of the Elysium Compendium that was able to pinpoint allies and neutral people on the map.

Since he was a member of the Order of the Griffon, his allies would naturally turn green on the map, which meant that he could go directly to them and ask for their help in letting him enter the Baron's Residence through whatever means necessary without breaking the law.

Chapter 382 Everyone Has A Price

Baron's Residence…

"A member of the Order is here?" the Princess asked. "Is father taking this matter into his own hands? Were you aware of this, Millie?"

The green-haired Dwarf shook her head.

"Your Highness, I am not aware of how the Order operates because they only take orders from the King," Millie replied. "However, I am very doubtful whether that Human is really under the order of His Majesty or not. After all, he mentioned that the one that sent him here was Nevreal."

"Nevreal? That old man really doesn't know when to just mind his own business." The Princess wrinkled her nose after hearing Nevreal's name. "I see. So, that person is here on behalf of my dear brother. Looks like we have some competition in our hands, Millie."

"It is as you say, Your Highness."

"Heh~ now this has suddenly become interesting. Millie, find that Human and tell him that I want to talk to him in private."

Millie thought that she had heard the Princess wrong, but knowing what kind of person the third Princess of the Kingdom of Gweliven was, she already had a hunch about what the Princess was up to.

"You want to bribe him to join our side?" Millie asked with a doubtful expression on her face.

The Princess looked at the green-haired Dwarf with a devilish smile before nodding her head.

"Everyone has a price, Millie," the Princess said. "No matter what amount of wealth or favor my brother promised him, tell him that I will double it. Naturally, there will be some conditions attached. However, I'm sure that we can smooth the details out once we meet."

Millie groaned internally. Just because the third Princess had been spoiled by His Majesty, the King, she thought that she could get away with everything she wanted using her father's backing.

The Princess had just turned fifteen this year, and she had already gained a lot of favors from possible suitors. This is quite understandable because she was someone who could easily make people like her with her irresistible charm.

Her long brown hair and hazel eyes had already won the hearts of many young nobles, who wished for her to become the Crown Princess of the Kingdom.

This also boosted her confidence, making her think that she was the one favored by the heavens to rule the land.

"As you wish, Your Highness," Millie reluctantly agreed to the Princess' orders.

Although she didn't like working with others, as long as the one she served became the monarch of the Dwarven Kingdom, she wouldn't mind turning a blind eye.

"I look forward to the good news, Millie."

"I will do my best, Your Highness."

Just as Millie was about to leave the Baron's Residence to look for Lux, she heard a commotion outside, which made her frown.

"It seems that we have some unexpected guests, Your Highness," Millie said as she stood up to walk towards the window.

The Princess' interest was piqued, so she also went to the window to look at what was happening outside.

A black carriage had arrived at the Baron's Residence, bearing no insignia whatsoever.

But, the thing that surprised Millie and the Princess the most was that two of the four Water Mages, who had been supplying the water supply of the city, emerged from the carriage.

A moment later, a chubby teenage Human came out of the carriage, which made Millie's body stiffen. It was none other than the Human that she had talked to an hour ago, making her wonder what the chubby young man was up to.

"Is that him?" the Princess asked as she looked at the chubby boy in the distance. "This is the first time I'm seeing a Human. Do all Humans look like him?"

Millie firmly shook her head. "No."

"Well, isn't this great?" the Princess smiled sweetly. "He saved us the trouble of looking for him."

Millie didn't make any comments and just simply nodded her head. Now that the one she was supposed to look for was already here, it was now up to the Princess to make the chubby human join her side.

The two watched from the window of their room, and they saw the Baron come out to personally meet the Human, who was said to be a supervisor sent by the King, to see if there were any changes in the drought that was plaguing his Barony.

"You must have had a long journey, Your Grace," the baron said with a flattering smile. "Please, come inside so that you can rest. We don't have much to offer, but we will do our best to make your stay as comfortable as possible."

Lux nodded his head like the important person he was and allowed the Baron to escort him inside the Residence.

Lux was the one who would be keeping an eye on the Baron's second son, while Cai and Keane were left at the inn because he needed them to handle a few things.

True to his word, the Baron made sure that Lux was treated like a VIP guest. He was introduced to the members of the Baron's family, allowing him to see the person he was looking for.

'Dark-brown hair and green eyes,' Lux thought. 'He does fit the description that Boss gave me.'

The Baron's second son was quite a handsome fellow. His good looks and curly hair had a certain appeal that could make any lady look at him fondly.

'But, that doesn't change the fact that he's a scum.' Lux picked up his tea cup and took a sip.

Since he had confirmed that the Baron's second son was indeed inside their residence, he didn't need to do anything reckless but simply ensure that he stayed inside the Wolfpine Barony for the duration of his mission.

—------

Mission Time: 67: 24: 08

—------

'This is going to be a long wait,' Lux thought as he contemplated what he should do during his stay.

Just as the Half-Elf was about to place his cup back on the table, his eyes landed on a young lady who was walking down the stairs of the mansion.

The lady's aesthetics bordered between being adorable and being beautiful, which made the Half-Elf wonder how old she was.

However, after seeing the green-haired Dwarf that was walking a few steps behind the young lady, the Half-Elf immediately realized who this person was.

"Good day to you, Inspector," the young lady said with a smile. "This is the first time that we've met, so please, allow me to introduce myself."

The adorable Dwarf did a curtsy, before saying her name.

"My name is Anastasia Von Gweliven," Anastasia said while keeping the angelic smile on her face. "The third Princess of the Kingdom of Gweliven."

Chapter 383 A New Kind Of Thrill

"What an adorable Slime! Is that perhaps your pet, Sir Lucien?" Anastasia asked after she and Lux had greeted each other, and gotten to know each other's names.

She had seen many Slimes before, but for some reason, the blue Slime that was perched on top of the chubby human's head, made her feel like it was very different from the regular Slimes that she had seen in the past.

"She's not my pet, Your Highness." Lux replied. "She's my daughter, Eiko. Eiko, say hello to Her Highness."

Eiko looked down at the adorable Dwarf from the top of her Papa's head and smiled.

"Hello!"

"Hello to you, too, Eiko. It's nice to meet you."

"Un!"

Eiko giggled as she continued to look at the adorable Dwarf, who was looking at her and her Papa with a critical gaze. In her eyes, the Princess was no different from Heidi, Laura, and Livia, so she greeted Anastasia like she did other people.

While the baby Slime was observing the Princess from the top of her Papa's head, Anastasia's thoughts wandered, thinking about the mysterious organization that directly served her father.

Of course, she had already seen a few of its members and even had the opportunity to chat with them.

However, there was one thing that the Princess understood while talking to these people—it was that they hid themselves deeply.

All of them were Dwarves and had different traits and attitudes, but they shared the same goal—ensuring that the Kingdom of Gweliven would continue to prosper and grow as a powerful nation.

She didn't understand why her father would allow a Human to become part of the Order of the Griffin, who served as his personal sword and shield.

'Why did Father ask this Human to join the order?' Anastasia mused. 'Maybe he has some hidden abilities that caught father's fancy?'

Lux, who was under the Princess' scrutiny, decided to take the initiative to gauge the Princess' character, in order to get a better understanding of her.

He really didn't care about the members of the Royal Family of the Kingdom of Gweliven, but since Anastasia was already here, he thought that it wouldn't be bad for him to form some connections.

Perhaps this meeting would help him in the future, so he decided to get to know the adorable Princess, whose gaze never left his face.

"For you to come to this desolate place is proof that you care for the suffering people of your Kingdom, Your Highness," Lux said. "This Kingdom is very lucky to have a Princess such as you."

The Baron, who was standing not far away, smiled from ear to ear because he also didn't expect that a member of the Royal Family would pay him a visit.

Although Anastasia's arrival was unannounced, he still found this a good opportunity to flatter the spoiled Princess of the Royal Family and gain her favor.

"You overestimate me, Your Grace," Anastasia replied. "I am simply here to offer whatever aid I can give. My strength is limited, so I don't know if I will be able to do it on my own. Perhaps, if His Grace decided to cooperate with me, then we might be able to restore the Wolfpine Barony to its former glory."

"A cooperation?" Lux arched an eyebrow. He didn't know what the Princess was hinting at, but he had a feeling that this proposal would be advantageous to his goal. "Can you tell me more, Your Highness?"

Anastasia's smile bloomed like a flower, making everyone inside the living room of the Baron's Mansion look at her with fondness.

"Of course!" Anastasia replied. "How about we talk about it in great detail inside my room? I don't want to get in the way of the Baron's work, so it might be better for us to talk in private."

Lux nodded in agreement. "Sounds like a good plan."

The Half-Elf followed the Princess back to her room, leaving the Baron's family behind. Because all of them had their backs to the Baron's second son, they didn't notice the faint smirk that appeared on his face.

His green eyes followed the Princess as she walked up the stairs, not because of her budding beauty, but because of the opportunity she presented to him.

He had long wished to leave the Wolfpine Barony because ever since the incident with the lady, whom he had accidentally gotten pregnant, came to light, his family had restricted his movements, to the point of even banning him from leaving the house without several guards to supervise his actions.

In the past, he was able to get away scot-free with his actions because he had always carried some medicine with him to prevent the girls whom he made love with from getting pregnant.

It was truly an unfortunate incident that he had gotten someone pregnant on the day that he had forgotten to take his medicine from home.

For him, getting chaste maidens to lift their skirt for him was like a game. He enjoyed the thrill of plucking their innocence and making them sigh in pleasure as he plowed their fertile fields with his seed, leaving his mark inside their most important place.

He would then spend a few weeks with them, as he trained them to become ladies that suited his taste. Only when he got bored of them would he toss them aside, leaving them with a few hundred coins to allow them to live their life comfortably, while he looked for new prey to feast on.

'Perhaps I can ask the Princess to take me with her when she returns to the capital city,' the Baron's second son thought. 'It's quite unfortunate that she's still too young. Perhaps, I can do it with her sister. It would be a great challenge to seduce a Princess of this kingdom.'

The Baron's second son smiled as he thought of pinning Anastasia's older sister on his bed, and making her moan like the prostitutes that served in the brothels.

'If only that girl hadn't gotten pregnant,' the Baron's second son frowned. He had been accused by the people in the Barony for bringing the drought into their city, and he had even gotten mobbed at one point in time due to the people's increasing frustration about their current hardships.

Fortunately, the hired guards he always brought along with him were all strong, and they managed to fend off the angry mob, allowing the Baron's second son to escape unharmed.

Since then, he had been put under house arrest by his Father, preventing him from leaving the house unless over a dozen guards were to act as his escort.

'I guess I'll talk to her tonight,' the Baron's second son mused. 'I still have a bag of that special incense that I acquired from the Black Market. I'm sure that my negotiation with the Princess will go more smoothly if she has taken a whiff of that special drug.'

The Baron's second son chuckled internally as he hatched a plan inside his head. As long as he was able to get the Princess agree to sneak him out of the Barony, he was confident that his father would be unable to stop him.

After all, who would defy a member of the Royal Family, especially the spoiled Princess whom the King loved dearly?

No matter how brave his father was, he would have no choice but to take a step back and allow his problematic son to leave his Domain. For that to happen, he would first need to get under the Princess' umbrella. This would serve as his key to the capital city, where a new kind of hunt was waiting for him.

Chapter 384 You’re Telling Me To Leave?

As soon as Lux was properly seated inside the Princess' room, the brown-haired princess immediately got down to business.

"How much did my brother offer to pay for your services?" Anastasia asked. "If you work for me, I promise to double it."

The Half-Elf blinked once, then twice, before finally understanding what the Princess had just said to him. In short, Anastasia wasn't bribing him—she was poaching him.

"Really?" Lux was moved because doubling the required coins to build his Guild was a very tempting offer.

A day after his Guild was created, his Elysium Compendium received an update, and it notified Lux that more information was now available about his Mythical Guild.

There, he saw the required number of gold coins needed to build his Guild Headquarters, Bestiary, Alchemist Shop, Smithy, and other facilities.

Lux almost felt sorry for Nevreal when he saw that building his Guild Headquarters alone required him to pay ten million gold coins.

Of course, his pity for the middle-aged Dwarf only lasted for a few seconds before it was replaced by relief, knowing that the Dwarf would be shouldering the expenses of building his Guild Headquarters.

Lux and Nevreal had both signed a contract that was managed by the Will of Elysium.

This contract was similar to how duels were initiated, requiring the agreement of both parties before it was approved.

Since the Will of Elysium was supervising the agreement, Nevreal would have no choice but to pay for the exact cost of the creation of the Half-Elf's Guild Headquarters, even if the Half-Elf didn't succeed in solving the problem of the Wolfpine Barony.

"Let me get this straight," Lux said as he eyed the Dwarf Princess as if he was looking at a golden goose that was about to lay a golden egg. "You are going to double the amount that Nevreal promised to me?"

Anastasia nodded. "Not only will I double it, but I will also give you more benefits. For example, I can allow you to lick my feet as a reward for doing a good job."

"I see." Lux smiled. "So does that mean you're willing to give me twenty million gold coins? Okay, I agree to this deal."

He pretended not to hear the part about licking the Princess' feet as a reward because he didn't have that kind of hobby. The only thing that mattered to him was the funds, so he happily accepted the Princess' generosity with open arms.

As for his deal with Nevreal?

He would just break it!

The red-headed teenager didn't really care if Robin, his brothers, or sisters, became the Crown Prince or Crown Princess. But, while he had already known that Robin was someone with a big background, he didn't expect him to be part of the Royal Family.

He only managed to piece together the clues after his meeting with the green-haired Dwarf, as well as Princess Anastasia's opening remark. Now that he knew that this Merit System imposed by Anastasia's father was his way of deciding who had the right of succession, he might as well join the side of the one with the deepest pockets!

"Good. It seems that you are very sensible. I will immediately send you twenty millio–" Anastasia wasn't able to finish her sentence before her eyes widened in shock.

"D-Did you say twenty million?" Anastasia asked because she thought that she had misheard Lux's words.

"Yes," Lux replied. "Nevreal is offering me ten million to solve the problem in this town. Since you plan to double that amount then you will be giving me twenty million, right?"

"Twenty million is a bit…"

"What? You can't even afford twenty million? What kind of Princess are you? Even that old fart, Nevreal, has more money than you."

Anastasia was speechless because she wasn't expecting the chubby teenager and Nevreal to have this kind of deal.

Even if she was a Princess, she didn't have that much money in her personal account. At most, she only had two million, and even then, she thought that this was already a very big amount.

People usually did what she wanted, so she never had a need for money. Even the funds for this expedition, her escorts, as well as her other necessities, were paid for by her father.

"Can we settle this in some other matter?" The Princess was doing her best to act calmly in order to salvage the situation. "How about I give you a Knight Title? You can be my own personal Knight if you want?"

Lux snorted after hearing the Princess' statement.

Knight Title? Would that pay for his Guild Headquarters?

Thanks but no thanks!

"Okay, let's put the matter of you trying to poach me aside for the time being," Lux said. "Actually, I have something very important to tell you in regards to this drought that this Barony is experiencing."

Princess Anastasia's and Millie's interest were piqued because the chubby teenager took the initiative to tell them about his findings.

"I have every reason to believe that this is not a natural phenomenon," Lux stated.

Princess Anastasia nodded. She also thought that there was something unnatural about the drought, which was the reason why she had come here. She planned to solve the mystery and gain her father's praise in the process.

"Have you heard about the scandal of the Baron's second son?" Lux asked.

"Yes," Princess Anastasia replied while wrinkling her nose. "A very tragic story, but are you telling me that this drought is linked to the curse that the pregnant lady announced before leaving the city?"

Lux nodded. "I'd like to tell you more, but I'm afraid that you will think that I am crazy if you heard everything."

Princess Anastasia frowned because the person in front of her spoke in a very confident tone. It was as if he had already figured out the true cause of the drought, and it was only a matter of time before he shared this information with her brother, allowing the latter to gain the Merit Points for solving the mystery.

"I'll pay you a million gold coins if you share the information you know about this drought," Princess Anastasia said with a solemn expression on her face. She had come this far in order to solve the problem with the Wolfpine Barony because this was the most pressing matter of the kingdom as of this moment.

Lux almost smiled after hearing the Princess offer, but he caught himself before the grin appeared on his face.

'Should I really collaborate with her in order to make this mission easier?' Lux pondered. 'Boss wasn't too keen on sharing this information with anyone because he knew that no one would believe him. Should I take a gamble here?'

Lux knew that if he were to really tell Anastasia about the Creature of Ruin, the Princess would definitely not believe him. Even the Bearkin, Boss, who was responsible for maintaining the seals in the Dark Plains, was very doubtful of his claim that the sealed monstrosity had broken free from its shackles.

"You don't need to pay me anything, Your Highness," Lux said after organizing his thoughts. "Because, even after knowing the cause of the drought, there is still nothing I can do about it. However, let me give you a piece of advice. You should leave the Wolfpine Barony as soon as you can."

Princess Anastasia arched an eyebrow. "You're telling me to leave?"

"Yes. It is for your own safety."

"Very funny. Why would you worry about my safety when I have Rankers protecting me?"

Lux picked up the word Rankers because it hinted that the green-haired Dwarf beside the Princess was not the only Ranker under Princess Anastasia's envoy. This also meant that she had enough manpower on her side to keep her safe against normal circumstances.

Unfortunately, what they were dealing with was beyond the norm, and he knew that even Saints found it hard to contain what they faced.

Chapter 385 Princess, What Is The Capital City Like?

Lux sat on top of his bed as he recalled the discussion he had with the Third Princess of the Kingdom of Gweliven.

The Half-Elf didn't trust them enough to impart the information he currently had. Also, he was waiting for Boss to arrive after his investigation in the Dark Plains.

Lux wanted to confirm first whether the seals that were shackling the Creature of Ruins for many years were truly gone.

Even so, his goal didn't change. His mission was to keep the Baron's second son, Clyde, from leaving the Barony. As long as he was able to do that, everything was going to be fine.

'It sounds easy, but will things really be that simple?' Lux thought. 'I doubt it.'

The Half-Elf didn't want any variables to get in the way, so he wanted to kidnap Clyde and hide him somewhere safe until the timer of the mission expired.

But now, a Princess had arrived in the Baron's Residence and even had two Rankers accompanying her.

If Lux were to truly kidnap the Baron's second son, the Princess would jump at the opportunity to score some Merit Points by having her Rankers capture him.

Not only would this make him an enemy of the nobility, but it might also get him kicked out of the Order of the Griffin.

While Lux was deep in thought, the Baron's second son, Clyde, was currently in front of the Princess' room, carrying an ornate box with him.

"Your Highness, can I please have an audience with you?" Clyde asked in a respectful manner.

"Enter."

Anastasia's reply came from the other side of the door, making Clyde smile in his heart. He had brought the incense that would allow him to implant subconscious suggestions into the Princess' mind once she had a good whiff of the special incense that was bought from an auction in the Black Market.

"Thank you for allowing me to have an audience with you, Your Highness," Clyde said as he humbly presented himself to one of the Princesses of the kingdom.

"I am the one that is enjoying your family's hospitality and generosity," Princess Anastasia replied with a smile. "Please, take a seat."

Clyde slightly bowed his head before he sat facing the charming Princess.

"May I know why you came to visit me today, Sir Clyde?" Princess Anastasia asked. Truth be told, she didn't really want to interact with the Baron's second son because of the scandal he had.

The Third Princess made sure to carefully handpick the people serving her. She always ensured that none of them had shady backgrounds and were capable enough to meet her requirements.

Clearly, Clyde didn't fit the bill, so Princess Anastasia didn't want the Baron's second son to keep her company. However, since she was being hosted by their family, the minimum etiquette expected of the Royal Family must be shown at all times.

"I've heard that the Princess likes incense, so I thought that I should share with you a rare incense I acquired not long ago," Clyde explained.

Princess Anastasia's face lit up after hearing that Clyde was going to give her a rare incense. This hobby of hers started from her mother.

Whenever she entered her mother's room, a soothing fragrance could be smelled right away, allowing her to relax and sleep peacefully.

As the Queen who was supporting the King of a Nation, she would also feel stressed from time to time. This was where incense came to play, allowing the Queen to enjoy a peaceful rest.

Since then, Anastasia would purchase incense from all over the Kingdom of Gweliven to use for herself, as well as a gift to her mother, whenever she found something unique and fragrant smelling.

Clyde then placed the ornate box on top of the table and opened it slowly.

A faint tinkling sound was heard afterwards, surprising Princess Anastasia. The sounds of soothing music played for half a minute before coming to a complete stop.

The Princess smiled when she saw a dancing Dwarf girl that was made from an orange gem, which she believed to be garnet. The gem caught the faint light of the sunlight that entered the room, which created a dazzling display, showing small lights hovering around the music box as she danced around.

"This is a custom made incense burner with a music box," Clyde explained. "You can make it play by using this windup key and inserting it in this place."

Clyde demonstrated how to wind up the music box before allowing it to play the music again.

While the music box was playing, the Baron's Second Son opened another compartment inside the box, showing the place where incense could be burned.

The music box was made up of metal, so there was no danger of it burning.

"This is the pouch that contains the incense, Your Highness," Clyde said as he took out a pouch from his storage ring and placed it beside the incense burner. "Should I light some for you?"

Princess Anastasia nodded. "Yes, please."

Clyde obeyed and carefully placed an incense stick in the burner, and used a little bit of fire magic to light it.

It didn't take long before a fragrant scent wafted inside the room, making Princess Anastasia's mood a little better.

After her discussion with Lux, she felt a bit frustrated because she felt that her brother had managed to take the lead when it came to solving the drought in the Wolfpine Barony.

As the incense burned, and filled the room with an aromatic smell, Clyde dutifully wound up the music box, so that his plan could finally come into motion.

The combination of the music and the incense would create a gap inside a person's subconscious mind, allowing him to use his eloquence to make the Princess take him away from his birthplace that had long lost its value in his eyes.

"Princess, what is the capital city like?" Clyde asked. "I've been here in Wolfpine Barony all my life, and I am curious what the capital city of our kingdom is like."

"The capital city?" Princess Anastasia thought of the place where her father and mother were waiting for her with a smile on her face. "It is a good place. Always bustling with life, and there is always something new going on everyday."

"The Princess must be feeling homesick being this far away from the capital city."

"Just a little. I plan to return as soon as I finish helping this Barony return to what it once was."

Clyde sighed. "I wish I could see the capital city at least once in my lifetime. However, I am always stuck here in the countryside."

"That's quite unfortunate," Princess Anastasia replied. "The Wolfpine Barony is a good place to relax because it is surrounded by greenery, rivers, and lakes. In the Capital City, only the residences of the Royal Family are surrounded by nature."

Clyde continued to chat with Princess Anastasia giving subtle suggestions here, and there about allowing him to accompany her to the capital city once she returned.

As the two continued to talk, there were instances when the Princess' beautiful hazel eyes would glaze over for a brief second before they returned to normal.

The Baron's second son knew that the effect of the incense wouldn't show right away, so he bid farewell to the Princess after chatting for half an hour.

Now that he had planted the suggestions in her mind, all he needed to do was visit her again tomorrow.

He was certain that the Princess would burn another stick of incense before going to sleep, which would help in solidifying the foundations that he had built inside her subconscious mind.

Chapter 386 Unexpected Turn Of Events

To Lux's surprise, two days passed in the blink of an eye.

The Baron's second son was still under house arrest, and he was still not allowed to leave the residence, which made the Half-Elf's job a little easier.

However, on the third day, the Bearkin, Boss, and the other Adventurers, returned to the city with grim expressions on their faces.

Cai immediately informed Lux of the Bearkin's arrival using their Guild Chat, and the red-headed teenager rushed to the Adventurer's Guild, wanting to know what they found out on their expedition to the Dark Plains as soon as possible.

"The seals are all destroyed," Boss stated as soon as Lux entered the room. "But, that is not the only bad news. We saw it! But it was very different from what I imagined."

Lux's face became solemn because he understood what the Bearkin was trying to say. However, his curiosity was also piqued as he had no idea about what the Monster of Ruin looked like.

"What does it look like?"

"It's a giant Seven-Headed Dog Monster that my ancestors called Teju Jagua."

"So, where is it now?" Lux asked.

Boss gave a bitter expression before answering Lux's question. "If my assumption is correct, and I believe it is, the Monster of Ruin is now headed in this direction. But, its movement is a bit sluggish, so it might take at least half a day before reaching the city. What about the Baron's second son? Is he still here?"

The Bearkin was feeling anxious because if Clyde somehow managed to leave the city before the monster arrived, the curse on his body might remain with him for life.

Lux nodded. "Before I left, he was still in the Baron's Residence."

Boss breathed a sigh of relief after hearing Lux's confirmation. They needed Clyde to still be in the city in order to prevent the worse case scenario from happening.

"Good. For now, go back," Boss said. "I will contact you again if the Monster is near the city. No matter what, do not let the Baron's second son leave at all cost. I will order my men to prepare to evacuate the people, so that they won't be involved if the Monster suddenly decides to destroy the city."

Lux sighed in his heart after hearing the news.

The past two days were so peaceful that it was hard to imagine that all hell would break loose on the third day.

Now that the Monster of Ruin was headed to the city, he needed to ensure that Clyde couldn't leave no matter what.

The Half-Elf then faced Cai and Keane, who were also inside the room. Just in case the two had forgotten, the red-headed teenager decided to remind them once again that they shouldn't attack the monster no matter what.

"Don't worry!" Cai said. "I only bully the weak and fear the strong. I will not touch that monster with a hundred-foot pole!"

Lux and Keane looked at the Boar in disdain when it admitted that it could only bully the weak, and flee for its life when facing strong opponents.

"I know what to do," Keane commented. "I'll just knock this stupid boar unconscious if it turns crazy due to fear and decides to charge at the Calamity-Ranked Monster."

The Half-Elf patted the skinny swordsman's shoulder because he knew that he could count on Keane to ensure that Cai wouldn't do something stupid.

"I'll go back to the residence and keep an eye on our target," Lux said before bidding farewell to his two friends.

A few minutes later, Lux arrived at the gates of the Baron's Residence.

As soon as he entered, he noticed that the Princess' carriages were all lined up together, and her entourage seemed to be in the process of preparing their departure.

'Good, she's finally leaving,' Lux mused as he walked past the carriages which seemed to only be waiting for the Princess' arrival.

In truth, Lux didn't dislike the Princess. During the two days that they had been together, Princess Anastasia had been a wonderful conversation partner. Through her, Lux learned many things about the Dwarven Kingdom of Gweliven, except for the background of the Royal Family.

Surprisingly, Clyde would often appear to join them during their talks.

Just like the playboy he was, the handsome Dwarf was a master on how to make the conversation lively and interesting, often causing Lux to almost forget that he was the source of the Wolfpine Barony's eminent ruin.

Judging by how the Princess treated Clyde, it seemed that the two got along pretty well.

In Lux's eyes, the two were like two best friends who seemed to have known each other for years, which surprised him.

He could tell that Clyde wasn't giving out any romantic signals to the Princess, and Princess Anastasia wasn't showing any hint that she fancied the handsome boy, who was currently under house arrest.

"Ah, there you are, Sir Lucien," Princess Anastasia said with a smile. "I was hoping to see you before I return to the Capital City. During the short time that we have been together, I really enjoyed your company. If you change your mind, and decide to join my faction, feel free to find me in the Capital CIty. My doors will always be open for you."

Lux politely bowed his head before answering. "I also enjoyed Her Highness' company, and if there is another opportunity, let us meet again."

Princess Anastasia extended her hand towards Lux and the Half-Elf knelt down to receive it before kissing the back of her hand.

"...I was only going to shake your hand," Princess Anastasia said with a cramped smile on her face. "But, this is fine as well. Consider this as a reward for keeping me company."

Lux gave an awkward chuckle before standing up again. He had read and watched many stories about how to interact with the members of the Royal Family, and he thought that what he did was the normal thing to do.

'Well, I guess I took a loss this time,' Lux thought as he took a step back to allow the Princess to pass.

"Safe travels, Your Highness," the Baron said. "The domain of Wolfpine Barony will always welcome you with open arms, should you wish to return."

Princess Anastasia gave the Baron a brief nod and gave him a sweet smile. She needed supporters to help her become the Crown Princess of the Kingdom. Even though the Wolfpine Barony was suffering hardships at the moment, it wouldn't change the fact that it was still a Barony, and thus, its Lord was a member of the nobility.

"I had a wonderful stay, Sir Edgar," Princess Anastasia replied. "I will definitely visit again, and I hope that when I return, the drought of Wolfpine Barony will have ended.

"Although I am going back to the capital city, know that I will leave some capable people behind to help you investigate the cause of the drought. I'm sure that, with their help, you will be able to get to the bottom of this problem right away."

The Baron respectfully bowed his head to show his gratitude to the only member of the Royal Family who visited his lands during its time of crisis.

"Well then, the sun is almost at its Zenith, and it is now time to leave," Princess Anastasia stated. Just as she was about to leave the door, someone called out to her, which made the Baron's face frown.

"I have finished packing, Your Highness," Clyde said as he walked towards Princess Anastasia with a calm expression on his face.

However, no matter how much he tried to hide it, his eyes were filled with excitement, which made Lux, as well as the Baron, look at him in confusion.

"Clyde, you're being disrespectful to Her Highness," Baron Edgar snapped at his son for talking to the Princess in a casual manner. He didn't want the Princess' retainers to get the wrong idea that he didn't raise his son properly.

"It's fine, Sir Edgar," Princess Anastasia commented. "I felt sorry for Clyde for always being stuck inside the house, so I decided to take him back to the capital for a vacation. You won't mind, do you?"

The Baron's face became weird as he glanced at his son before shifting his attention back to the Princess, who seemed to be perfectly fine with having his son as company.

"A vacation?" the Baron inquired. "Is this a short one or a long one?"

"Just a short one," Princess Anastasia replied. "Probably a month or two."

Lux, who was listening at the side, felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end. The moment the Princess said that she was taking the Baron's second son to the capital city, he felt like he had just misheard things.

But, after the Princess confirmed her intentions, he finally realized that she was serious.

He had thought of many scenarios that Clyde would come up with so he would be able to leave the city undetected, but he never expected that the handsome Dwarf would be able to hitch a ride on the Princess' personal carriage.

This was something that was outside of his calculations, which made him feel as if his insides were churning.

'This is bad,' Lux thought. 'Really bad.'

Right now, the Half-Elf's brain was going into overdrive as he thought of ways and excuses to keep Clyde inside the Wolfpine Barony before the timer was up.

Now that the Princess decided to take him back to the capital city with her, the red-headed teenager needed to come up with a good excuse to detain the handsome Dwarf, and ensure his mission's successful completion.

Chapter 387 The Proof You Are Looking For Is There

When Princess Anastasia and Clyde were about to board the carriage, Lux suddenly grabbed hold of the Baron's second son and transformed his right hand into dragon claws.

"Nobody move!" Lux shouted as he placed the tip of his claws on Clyde's neck. "I'm taking him with me, and if any of you does anything stupid, I'll kill him."

Everyone at the scene looked at the chubby teenager in surprise. They didn't know why he suddenly attacked Clyde and was now using him as a hostage.

"What do you think you are doing?" Princess Anastasia asked coldly. "Are you mad? You dare to raise your hand against a noble of this kingdom? Do you want to be hanged?"

"I also don't want to do this, but you left me with no choice," Lux replied. "The Kingdom of Gweliven is going to be destroyed if I don't take him into my custody. So, if you don't want that to happen, just behave like the good girl you are and go back home."

Princess Anastasia narrowed her eyes before snapping her finger.

"Millie, do it."

"Yes, Your Highness."

Before Lux could even react, the green-haired Dwarf had already delivered a blow to his head, making him collapse on the ground.

Just as the Half-Elf was about to lose his consciousness, he heard the Princess' words, which made him feel cold.

"It's a shame, but I really thought that you were a good person. Millie, be sure to lock him up in the prison in the capital. Make sure that he will never be able to see the sun ever again."

"Yes, Your Highness".

—-----

Lux's heart shuddered as he suddenly thought of this bad ending.

At first, he planned to forcefully take Clyde hostage, but after seeing that scene, he was forced to think of another way to deal with the situation.

'Then, should I try to take Princess Anastasia as hostage?' Lux thought. 'No. I don't want to die.'

Taking a noble as a hostage was one thing, but taking the princess of a Kingdom hostage? That was just asking for you to be killed.

Even if Lux succeeded, and the Princess' escorts felt threatened enough to not do anything stupid, the Half-Elf would still suffer a lot of hardships in the longrun.

Lese Majeste wasn't a simple crime. The punishment for it would be lifetime imprisonment if you were lucky, and a one-way trip to the guillotine if you were unlucky.

Just as the Half-Elf was still desperately trying to think of a way on how to detain Clyde in the Wolfpine Barony, an idea popped into his head.

"Lady Millie, there is something important that I need to discuss with you," Lux said as he blocked the Ranker's path. "This has something to do with the Order. Can we talk in private?"

Millie frowned because she didn't expect someone would stop her as she escorted the Princess to the carriage. However, the phrase "something to do with the Order" caught her attention.

Her Master was one of the members of the Order of the Griffon, and she was very proud of her. The green-haired Dwarf's dream was to become part of this organization, but it had very strict requirements, and only the King had the ability to recruit members.

This was why she was very upset when she saw the golden locket in Lux's hands, making her feel like the goal she had set for herself had been snatched away by a random stranger.

"Something to do with the Order?" Millie asked back. "Why are you telling me this now? Can't you see that we are about to depart for the capital."

Lux sighed. If possible, he didn't want to resort to this method as well, but he no longer had any leeway to take things in a casual manner.

"If you don't come with me, the Kingdom of Gweliven will suffer a calamity," Lux stated. "You are the only one that can help prevent this disaster from happening. So, please, come with me."

The green-haired Dwarf looked up at the Human who had a very solemn expression on his face. She could tell that something was wrong, but she was hesitant to follow him because she only took orders from the Princess.

"Your Highness, Sir Lucien wants to tell me something in private," Millie said as she looked at the Princess who was waiting for her to board the carriage. "Can you give me a few minutes?"

"Take your time, Millie," Princess Anastasia replied. "I have Megan with me, so you can just catch up when your talk with Sir Lucien is over."

"Thank you, Your Highness."

"Mmm."

Lux had sent Cai and Keane a message through their Guild Chat, informing them of the sudden turn of events at the Baron's Residence. He asked them to do everything in their power to delay the Princess' trip back home. The Half-Elf added that they should also inform the Guildmaster of the Adventurer's Guild, Boss, to help them stop the Princess from leaving.

Since his life was on the line, Lux knew that Boss would think of something. He was first going to deal with Millie, who might be the key to solve this problem once and for all.

—---

"You asked me to bring you here, so what is this important matter regarding the Order?" Millie asked as he took Lux to the same place where she had dragged him a few days ago to know his identity.

The red-headed teenager knew that the time had come to come clean, so he decided to use facts in order to convince the green-haired Dwarf of the real danger they were facing.

"Do you know about the Monster of Ruin?" Lux asked.

Millie pondered for a bit because the term sounded familiar. She was someone who had been trained by her Master to read history books, so she was well educated when it came to stories about the past.

"Is that the Monster that was sealed away by the Saints of the Arondight Territory?" Millied asked back. "A tale that mothers use to scare their children when they are misbehaving."

"No. This isn't a made up story," Lux replied. "It is real, and this monster is heading towards this location even as we speak."

Millie stared at Lux with a doubtful look on her face.

Seeing that she was showing an expression of disbelief, Lux decided to bluff his way out in order to convince the dwarf to believe him.

"How about I give you this locket as a wager?" Lux said as he took out the golden locket of the Order of the Griffon. "If what I said was false, this locket that is given only to the members of the Order will be yours."

Millie's eyes widened in shock because she didn't expect that Lux would use the token, which she coveted all her life, as a wager for her to believe him.

"You're serious?"

"I am very serious. Millie, believe me when I say that you are the only one that can help me prevent this Kingdom's destruction. If you leave now, everything you hold sacred may come to ruin."

The green-haired Dwarf was still half-doubtful whether she could believe Lux's words or not. However, seeing how desperate he was to convince her, even going as far as to offer the Locket of the Griffon, she felt that she needed to give him the benefit of the doubt before making the final decision.

"I need proof." Millie demanded. "Proof that you're not lying to me."

Lux sighed internally because this was the exact scenario that he was hoping to achieve. As long as Millie gave him a chance to prove that his claim was true, he had half won the battle.

"Understood," Lux said as he handed the golden locket to Millie before pointing in the direction of the Dark Plains. "Let's go to the Dark Plains. The proof you are looking for is there."

Millie nodded. She waved her hand, and a gust of wind enveloped her and Lux, allowing the two of them to soar towards the sky in the direction of the Dark Plains. The green-haired Dwarf was an expert in Wind Magic, and her forte was speed.

Because of this, the speed at which they traveled was quite fast, and according to Lux's estimate, it would only take them half an hour before they arrived at their destination.

If what the Half-Elf said was true, then Millie would do everything in her power to prevent a calamity from befalling her kingdom. She would do this, not only to save the people that she deemed important in her life, but for the sake of her homeland, which her Master tried so hard to protect.

Chapter 388 When Twilight Falls [Part 1]

It didn't take long before Lux and Millie arrived in the Dark Plains, and even from a distance, they could tell that something was wrong.

Dark clouds covered the horizon, and lightning snaked in the heavens like living snakes, waiting to strike at the unwary.

The low rumbling of thunder reached their ears, as if it was waiting for something before it roared in full, making everyone in Wolfpine Barony realize that something very sinister was now headed in their direction.

Several more minutes passed, and then, they finally saw it

"...By the Earth Goddess," Millie sharply inhaled cold air when she saw the 40-meter tall Monstrosity that was sluggishly walking towards their location.

"Cerberus can't hold a candle to this guy," Lux muttered as his face became grim.

The Bearkin, Boss, had already told him what the Monster of Ruin looked like. However, being told and seeing it personally were two different things.

The sheer size of the Monster, along with its seven dog heads, which looked very similar to that of a husky, was enough to make Lux want to go back to Solais and call it a day.

However, since he, his friends, and the people of the Wolfpine Barony were under the Curse of Ruin, he just couldn't pack up and leave.

"Is that the Monster of Ruin?" Millie asked as she used her power to hastily back away because she felt that if she were to go near the monster's strike range, it wouldn't hesitate to attack her.

"Yes," Lux replied. "That's none other than Teju Jagua, the Monster that required a dozen Saints in order to seal it due to how powerful it was."

Seeing was believing. Millie, who had personally seen the evidence right in front of her had no choice but to admit that Lux was telling the truth.

"Tell me, how do we stop this thing?" Millie asked. "Should I go back to the capital and inform his Majesty of this threat? Should we mobilize all the Rankers and ask the help of the Saints in order to defeat this thing?"

Lux shook his head. "Right now, that is not our priority. This monster is after the Baron's second son, Clyde. No matter what happens, he must remain in Wolfpine Barony in order to prevent the drought from spreading to other parts of the Kingdom.

"If we let him go, the monster will just follow him and destroy every village, town, and city along its path. You can take the Princess back to the capital, but Clyde must remain no matter what."

Millie nodded and no longer asked any questions. She just flew as fast as she could in order to catch up to the carriages that were departing for the capital city.

Lux turned around to give the Calamity-Ranked Monster one last glance before shifting his attention to what was in front of him.

Now that he had Millie on his side, he should finally be able to convince the Princess to let the Baron's second son remain inside Wolfpine Barony for the sake of her Kingdom.

Half an hour later, the two finally arrived in Wolpine Barony. They then followed the road that the carriages had taken in order to go back to the capital.

A few minutes later, they finally caught up, but this wasn't the scene that the two of them were expecting.

The carriages were all destroyed, and several of the escorts lay on the ground with heavy injuries, while some were dead.

'My God! Did Cai and Keane do this?' Lux couldn't believe that his two friends were capable of such merciless destruction. 'No. They wouldn't resort to killing people.'

The Half-Elf knew that no matter how obnoxious the Boar was, it would never kill anyone unless it was the last resort. Keane might not bat an eye in chopping off people's limbs, but he wouldn't go as far as killing people.

Also, Lux believed that there was one more Ranker protecting the Princess. This was why Princess Anastasia was confident that she could travel back to the capital, even if Millie was away from her side.

The green-haired Dwarf's face had turned ashen as she called out for the Princess' name, as she searched for her among the wreckage.

Lux did the same, and to his surprise, he saw someone whom he didn't expect to see.

"Fei Fei?" Eiko, who was perched on top of Lux's head, looked at the golden slime who was hiding under one of the carriages that were partially destroyed.

"Wuwuwu Sis!" Fei Fei started to cry as soon as she saw Eiko, making the blue slime jump towards her and give her a hug.

"Eiko, ask her what happened." Lux felt his blood turn cold as a realization hit him.

The Boar would never leave Fei Fei behind unless something incredibly serious happened. After some coaxing, Eiko was able to get the gist of the story from the golden slime, who was pushed to the wreckage by Cai before it was captured by the people who ambushed the Princess on her trip back to the capital city.

The golden slime's narration wasn't very clear, but Lux was able to get the gist of it. Cai and Keane decided to block the path of the carriages using trees in order to delay their journey. However, before they could do so, several people wearing black robes attacked the carriages.

Cai and Keane went to help, but both of them were overpowered by their enemies and were captured as well.

Before the Boar came to assist the Princess, it told Fei Fei to hide first. The golden slime had just been born, and it was not really a slime meant for battle. Because of this, Fei Fei hid in one of the destroyed carriages and watched the battle unfold.

When Cai was subjugated, Fei Fei wanted to go out, but the Boar sent her a message through their contract, telling her to keep on hiding and wait for Lux's and Eiko's arrival.

"Don't worry, Fei Fei," Lux held the golden slime in his arms and patted her head. "We will find them. I will do my best to find them."

Millie, who had confirmed that the Princess had been kidnapped while she was away, felt that everything was her fault. If she had only remained then this thing wouldn't have happened, making her feel regretful.

"It's not your fault, Millie," the other ranker, who served as Princess Anastasia's escort, Megan, said while cradled in Millie's arms. "There were too many of them, and they had four rankers in their group. Even if you had been here, the end result would still be the same."

"Even so! I should have been here and fought alongside you," Millie replied as tears streamed down the side of her face. "Maybe we would have stood a chance if we were together."

The green-haired Dwarf was busy applying healing potions to the injuries that Megan had suffered during the clash against the other Rankers.

If not for the fact that Princess Anastasia threatened to commit suicide if they didn't stop killing her people, the robed figures would have made sure that no witnesses remained behind.

"Who was it?" Millie asked as she poured the last healing potion in her possession to help her friend recover from the serious injuries that she sustained during the battle.

"Twilight Rain." Megan held on to Millie's robes firmly as she used her remaining strength to answer her question. "They are from Twilight Rain."

As soon as Megan spoke those words, she finally lost consciousness, and Millie's roar of anger reverberated in the surroundings, making Lux, who had realized who the perpetrators were, feel that the difficulty of the mission he was trying to accomplish, suddenly went up several notches.

Chapter 389 When Twilight Falls [Part 2]

After taking care of the wounded, Millie took them back to the Baron's Residence to let them fully recover from their injuries.

The Baron was alarmed after hearing the news, and wanted to send his personal army to help with the rescue of the Princess and his son.

However, after hearing that the ones who kidnapped the Princess were a group with four rankers, the Baron collapsed on the ground as he was aware that this was something that he was unable to handle with his current strength.

"I need to find them," Millie said with determination as he looked at Lux. "Even if it's just me, I need to save the Princess."

Lux frowned. Clearly, Millie wasn't able to think properly because the person she had sworn to protect was kidnapped while she was away.

Just as the Half-Elf was about to tell the green-haired Dwarf that she shouldn't do anything reckless, rows of words appeared in front of him, making his body stiffen.

—----------

< Optional Quest! >

< Rescue the Princess of Gweliven! >

Mision Rating: S

– The Third Princess of the Kingdom of Gweliven was kidnapped by the members of Twilight Rain. It is up to you to decide whether to save her or not!

< Rewards >

– ????

—----------

Lux didn't know whether he should laugh or cry about the timing of the quest. In truth, he had already decided to rescue the Princess since Cai and Keane were captured along with her.

He couldn't possibly leave the two of them behind, especially when the members of Twilight Rain had them in their custody.

"Listen, even if you want to look for the Princess, do you know where to go?" Lux asked.

"It doesn't matter. I need to do something. I can't just stay here and do nothing."

"Calm down. I have a way to find them."

Millie, who seemed to be grasping for straws looked at Lux with a hopeful gaze. After the wager she had with the chubby teenager and seeing the Monster of Ruin with her own eyes, she learned to trust him more.

"If you travel at full speed, how long will it take you to reach the nearest city with a teleportation gate that connects to the capital?" Lux asked.

He wasn't quite familiar with the geography of the Kingdom of Gweliven, so he was hoping that Millie would be able to fill in the gaps for what he didn't know.

"If I travel at my full speed, it will still take me almost five hours to reach a city with a teleportation gate that connects to the capital," she replied.

Lux nodded his head in understanding before glancing at the timer on his Soul Book.

—------

Mission Time: 21: 14: 25

—------

'Five hours to reach a city with a teleportation gate, and a few more hours to get reinforcements,' Lux thought. 'Give and take, the fastest time that reinforcements can arrive is in twelve to fifteen hours… that is cutting it way too close to the arrival of the Monster of Ruin.'

Lux's silence made Millie feel quite anxious. When she said that she could arrive at a city with a teleportation gate in five hours, she meant that she could do that if she pushed herself to the very limit.

According to her estimate, it might even take her six to seven hours. However, if she was willing to go all out and sacrifice a few things, she could reach her destination in five hours.

After pondering things for a very long time, Lux decided to ask Millie if she had a way to contact her Master, who was one of the members of the Order of the Griffon.

"I have an artifact that I use to contact Master, but it has a very limited range," Millie replied in a somewhat embarrassed tone. "It will only activate if the receiver is within a six mile-wide radius. Beyond that range, I am unable to contact him."

Lux sighed. It seems that he really needed to use everything he had in order to even get a chance to succeed in his mission.

"Stay here," Lux ordered. "I will contact some people. Make sure that you don't leave the Baron's Residence. We will go and look for the Princess as soon as I finish finding help."

Millie wanted to grab hold of Lux and tell him to not leave her. After losing the Princess, the green-haired Dwarf felt as if she had lost the ability to think clearly, and was now only clinging to the faint hope that the chubby teenager had presented to her.

Seeing her anxious gaze, Lux decided to give her some assurance that everything would be alright.

"Listen. Although they are not Rankers, my friends are very capable people," Lux said. "Since they are with the Princess, I am certain that they will do everything in their power to ensure her safety."

"Is that true?"

"Yes. They are brave and resourceful individuals. Even in the face of adversity, they will be able to think calmly and face the dangers with a calm attitude. I'm sure that even now, they are looking for ways to deal with their current circumstances."

Millie felt a little better after hearing Lux's words. If his friends were truly capable individuals and were able to deal with their current predicament calmly, then there was a small chance for them to escape their captors.

The green-haired Dwarf wondered what kind of friends Lux had. If they were truly as brave and courageous as the chubby teenager portrayed them to be, then she would like to form connections with them as well.

—---

"Nooooooooooooo!"

Cai's squeal reverberated inside the cavern, where the members of Twilight Rain had taken them after ambushing the princess' entourage.

"My meat doesn't taste good," Cai wailed. "I don't eat healthy foods. If you eat me, all of you will have Swine Disease. It has a 100% mortality rate! No one has ever survived it. Even Rankers are no exception!"

Cai, who was currently tied up on a log, was currently being roasted over an open fire. It kept on squealing out of fear and anxiety.

The Ranker who was spinning the log was quite amused with the Boar's antics. Originally, they didn't plan to take anyone with them, but after seeing Keane, who was a Human—a race rarely seen in the Kingdom of Gweliven, they decided to take him into custody along with his "pet", who was now being roasted alive.

"You bastards! Do you know who I am?" Cai squealed as the ranker threw more firewood on the bonfire, making the flames grow bigger. "I am a member of the strongest guild in the world! When my Guildmaster finds out what you're doing to me, he will hunt you down until none of you are left!"

The Ranker laughed after hearing Cai's threats. He was quite curious to know what Guild the Boar belonged to, so he decided to ask, just for fun, while making the boar suffer hardships while it was being roasted alive.

"You're a member of the strongest guild in the world? That's very scary," the Dwarven Ranker, who had reddish-brown hair, said in a teasing tone. "Pray tell, what is the name of this strong Guild? I want to know so I can run away when I meet your Guild Master."

Cai gritted its teeth before shouting with all of its might.

"Listen well, you bastard!" Cai roared. "My Guild is called Twilight Rain! It's a very powerful guild—so powerful that we don't speak how powerful it is. Only those who are in high positions are aware of our existence! If you don't want to get hurt, release us now before my Guild Master personally strangles all of you!"

The Ranker with reddish-brown hair, as well as the rest of the people inside the Cavern all shifted their attention on the Boar that was desperately struggling against the metallic chains that bound it to the log.

A moment later, all the kidnappers laughed at the same time, making Keane, who had been knocked unconscious earlier, regain his consciousness.

"Did you hear that? It said that it's a member of Twilight Rain!"

"Hahaha! This Boar is quite funny. I like it!"

"I have heard of this Twilight Rain before. It is indeed the most powerful guild in the world. Oh no! We kicked a steel plate! We are doomed!"

"I think it is best that we kneel and ask for forgiveness. If we do that, perhaps the Guild Master of Twilight Rain will forgive us."

Cai, who seemed to have caught a second wind, decided to go all in, so that the kidnappers would free it from the chains that bound it.

"Hah! Now you realize who you are dealing with?!" Cai shouted. "My grandfather is a Saint! The moment he finds out that I am kidnapped, he would scour the lands looking for all of you and turn you all into meat paste! Release me and I will forget that this incident even happened. If you know what is good for all of you, you better apologize to me right here, right now!"

The members of Twilight Rain quieted down for a few seconds before laughing once more. They found the Boar to be quite an amusing beast.

When Cai said that it was a member of Twilight Rain, all of them found it extremely funny because it was basically threatening them with their very own guild.

Then, it said that its grandfather was a Saint, and if they didn't release it, the Saint would turn them into meat paste.

How could they possibly believe such a story?

The Ranker lifted Cai off the bonfire and set it aside on the ground. In truth, they really didn't need to cook it since they had already bought food beforehand.

The dwarf with reddish-brown hair just thought that it would be entertaining to roast the boar alive and watch it beg him to spare its life while they waited for their comrades to return from their scouting trip.

But, after hearing Cai's antics, the Ranker felt that it would be a shame to roast such an amusing pet, so he decided to take the Boar back to their Guild Headquarters and make it an official member of their Dark Guild, for the sake of his own amusement.

Chapter 390 When Twilight Falls [Part 3]

The Boar, who had been spared, wept on the ground in relief because it thought that it was really going to be roasted alive. Fortunately, that didn't happen. It decided to behave for now while desperately calling out to Lux through their Guild Chat.

Cai had noticed that Keane and Lux were already talking to each other and exchanging information.

"Cai and Keane, don't worry. I can pinpoint your location on the map using my Soul Book," Lux said calmly. "I have already contacted Commander Thoram and Guildmaster Keelan to start calling our backup. Once we regroup, we will save the two of you without fail."

"Wuwuwuwu! They almost roasted me alive," Cai wept bitterly in the Guild Chat, making Laura, and Livia, who were in Leaf Village, do their best to comfort the Boar who was still in pain from its recent experience.

"Hang on, Cai! Help is already on the way!" Laura said.

"Big Brother Lux has already called out to everyone, including Village Head, Cedwyn," Livia commented. "Just endure for now. We will avenge your death!"

"Um, I'm nowhere near death, Livia," Cai replied. "You little devil. Wait till I get out of this mess and I'll squish you to oblivion!"

Wolfpine Barony...

Lux felt relieved after knowing that both Cai and Keane were safe.

The first one he contacted as soon as he left Millie's side was Commander Thoram of the Stronghold of Norria.

He reported that the Princess had been kidnapped, which made the Commander take this case seriously.

Lux asked the Dwarf Commander to get in touch with Nevreal as soon as possible, and report the events that had happened in the city. He added that the members of the Order of the Griffin should be mobilized for this operation because they were dealing with several powerful Rankers from Twilight Rain.

The next one he contacted was the Guildmaster of the Adventurer's Guild inside the Stronghold of Norria, Keelan, who had a vast information network.

He requested that if there were any available Rankers in the Adventurer's Guild who were willing to join the rescue operation to save the Princess of the Kingdom of Gweliven, they should send them directly to the borders between the Wolfpine Barony and the Earldom of Draycott.

Judging from Cai and Keane's current location, the kidnappers seemed to be planning to go to the Draycott Earldom, which was located South West of the Wolfpine Barony.

The Domain that belonged to Earl Aeston was a seaport town, famous for trade among the adjacent territories, who use the port as a hub to buy and sell specialty products that were exclusive to certain domains within the Kingdom of Gweliven.

A few minutes later, Keelan informed Lux through the Guild Chat that he had made contact with the Guildmaster who was in charge of the Earldom of Draycott, as well as the other branches of the Adventurer's Guild in adjacent territories that had some Rankers that were currently on standby.

Keelan himself would go to the Earldom in order to take command of the situation. Since Lux could tell them where Cai and Keane were, all he needed to do was guide him, and he would position his allies accordingly.

Lux was awed by how efficient Keelan's performance was that he felt immensely thankful that the latter had joined his guild back then.

Five minutes later, Thoram joined the chat, and told Lux that Nevreal was already on the way to meet the King to inform the latter about the incident that had happened in Wolfpine Village.

This was the first time that Lux had mobilized his guild members in order to deal with a serious incident, and it proved that he had dependable allies that would help him whenever he needed it.

Lux was even tempted to have Guild Members in all the cities of the Kingdom of Gweliven. However, he knew that this was not possible at this point in time.

He couldn't just randomly invite people because it would endanger his Guild, which was still in its infancy.

Suddenly, Lux had an idea, so he immediately opened his connection with Scarlet, who was currently with Twilight Rain.

'Where are you right now?' Lux asked. 'There is a matter that I need your help with.'

Lux didn't have to wait long before he received Scarlet's reply, telling him that she was currently on an important mission, and wouldn't be able to come to his aid at the moment.

'You're on a mission?' Lux inquired. "Are you perhaps part of the team that kidnapped Princess Anastasia?'

'... How did you know that the Princess was kidnapped?' Scarlet asked with a doubtful tone. 'This is supposed to be a secret operation.'

Lux's eyes widened in shock because he didn't expect that his mole inside Twilight Rain was part of the group that had kidnapped the Princess. He only thought that he would ask Scarlet to help him get some inside information on what the group was planning.

However, since Scarlet was already part of the group, this allowed Lux to have more leeway with the things he could do with the rescue operation.

'I was in the Wolfpine Barony when you guys ambushed the Princess,' Lux explained. 'Also, the Boar, and the Human Swordsman that you guys kidnapped alongside the Princess are my friends.'

Scarlet, who had been resurrected by Lux to become a Cambion, was loyal to him. Although she grudgingly obeyed his orders, it didn't change the fact that he allowed her to have a second chance at life in exchange of becoming his subordinate.

Lux then told Scarlet his plan, so the Slayer Candidate could help him in subtle ways without blowing her cover.

After finalizing a few more things with Scarlet, the Half-Elf finally went back to look for Millie.

Not long after, both of them left the Wolfpine Barony in haste.

Lux was pressed for time since he needed to save the Princess and return Clyde back to the Wolfpine Barony before the Monster of Ruin arrived.