After returning to her tent, Iyue took off her hat and unfastened her soaked cloak.
She then sat by the edge of the tent, watching the black-haired girl still fiddling with the campfire.
She pulled down the tarpaulin.
For a moment, the world plunged into a silent darkness… leaving only her breath, the tiny patter of rain, and the monotonous beat of raindrops against the tent.
Iyue closed her eyes, letting her breathing grow steady.
The Magic Power circulating through her body was slowly expanding her auditory perception… but to ensure the girl did not notice, she strictly limited the range of the expansion—she could just barely hear the crackle of the campfire as the girl poked the wood with a branch.
This level was enough, as her only goal was to monitor the girl’s condition.
At the same time, she began to chant a spell in an extremely low volume.
As a magic-attuned race, the magic used by Elves and Humans differed in its system—the Magic System of the Elves was not designed or bestowed by a Sage, but had been passed down from ancient times, long before any Sage had ever appeared.
However, even if the systems differed, the underlying logic of spellcasting—offering prayers with incantations and dyeing Magic Power with Soul Color—remained the same.
Iyue chanted in the Elven language… she drew out the syllables, minutely controlling the surrounding Magic Power so that it did not become active enough to be detected by those nearby.
She was using Spirit Summoning. Generally, this spell required dozens or hundreds of casters to perform the ritual together—but she did not need that.
This was not because her Magic Power was insufficient, but because the spirit she was summoning at this moment was not one of those large Elementals possessing terrifying destructive power or the ability to cause natural disasters.
To describe it more accurately, what she was summoning was merely a light breeze.
As the summoning progressed, she felt the originally stifling air inside the tent begin to flow.
‘ — Again we meet, partner.’
Iyue opened her eyes and gave a knowing smile. In the next moment, a faint flash emerged by her side.
This flash was not a physical entity, but a Wind Spirit the size of a bean, shaped like a firefly.
It danced playfully before Iyue’s eyes… while Iyue placed her index finger against her lips, signaling that the time had not yet come.
The spirit then perched on her shoulder, waiting quietly with her.
After about 1 hour had passed, Iyue finally heard a different sound coming from the campfire.
It was the sound of leather boots stepping on the muddy ground.
It moved closer and then further away… Iyue guessed that the girl was adding wood to the fire.
Then, the footsteps gradually receded and did not ring out again for over 10 seconds.
‘It is time. Go.’
She issued the command to the spirit.
The spirit seemed to have grown somewhat impatient; it circled the tent once in a light, swaying motion before quietly slipping through a gap in the tarpaulin, disappearing into the rainy night.
As it left the tent, Iyue’s vision instantly stretched and split.
Part of it remained in the darkness, while the other part unified with the spirit, reflecting the campsite of the two girls in the rain.
…
The light inside the tent was very dim.
Luc confirmed that the entrance to the tent was sealed before removing her boots and crawling toward the fur sleeping mat spread on the ground.
The night rain and cold wind were both shut out… it made her feel much more relaxed.
“Is it time for the shift change?”
Selene had not gone to sleep. She sat on her own fur mat, her red eyes glowing quietly in the gloom.
The features belonging to the Demon Race in her eyes had long since been concealed by a spell.
“Yes… was there any movement from that girl?”
Luc’s gaze drifted past her, coming to rest on a long burlap sack tied tightly shut near the luggage in the corner.
“She hasn’t woken up yet. Didn’t the Lord say the Sleeping Curse would last for 2 days? This is only the first day. But even if she does wake up, I’ve made plenty of preparations. I tied her hands and feet securely, stuffed her mouth and ears with cloth, and covered her eyes.”
Looking at the motionless burlap sack, Selene calmly reported the results of her work.
“You—you were doing all that just now? Doesn’t she have a ‘Magic-Suppressing Ring’ on? Isn’t this a bit much…”
“A bit much?” Selene shot her a look.
“This girl is the Hero who defeated the Lord! We have to minimize any possibility of an accident. And you saw the look in that Elf woman’s eyes… she was constantly watching and testing us. I was nearly worried to death while I was staring at the tent… I was terrified this girl would suddenly wake up, make some noise, and get noticed.”
“Weren’t we also constantly on guard and testing her? For strangers encountered on a journey, this is normal — “
“Normal? Where was your guard and testing when you were eating that fish she gave you?” Selene sneered.
“If I hadn’t reminded you, you probably wouldn’t have known which way was up!”
“I—I’m sorry…”
Having her mistake pointed out, Luc’s face instantly flushed red.
“Fine, fine. Are you sure that woman isn’t one of the pursuers?”
“I don’t think so,” Luc replied to Selene’s question.
“Besides, she came from a different direction, and the timing doesn’t match. We left the city yesterday morning. At that time, the guards at the gate hadn’t even received the news of my escape from the Duke’s Household. Even if a wanted poster carried by a messenger pigeon could reach the towns along the way faster than us, the pursuers couldn’t have come from the opposite direction.”
“Hmm… then could she be a Bounty Hunter who received the wanted poster? I’ve seen them before in the Union of Autonomous Cities; the ones who live off bounties all dress just like her.”
“I don’t think so either. The wanted poster we saw in that town this morning had my name on it. I just told her my name was ‘Luc,’ and she didn’t react at all.”
“You should have used a fake name.” Selene looked at her, speechless.
Luc’s appearance was hidden by an Imitation she had crafted, so the portrait on the wanted poster was nothing to worry about.
Moreover, anyone searching with a wanted poster wouldn’t expect a fugitive to openly use a nickname based on their real name to introduce themselves.
“Though your ‘test’ was dangerous, it does prove she likely hasn’t seen the wanted poster. Otherwise, she would have noticed the overlap between the name you gave and the one on the poster.”
After saying this, both Selene and Luc fell into silence. Luc thought for a moment before asking Selene:
“Actually, it feels like the wanted posters are coming out slower than expected… why is that?”
“The Lord must be covering for us,” Selene said, having considered this point as well.
“But even she can’t hide your escape forever. We already saw the wanted posters this morning. From now on, at every place we pass, we’ll likely encounter guards searching with them. Although your appearance is hidden… the problem is that the wanted poster doesn’t just ask for your capture.”
While passing through that town, the local magistrate had just received the wanted poster delivered by pigeon.
He had gathered the residents and guards to read it aloud… and Selene and Luc, blending into the crowd, had caught a glimpse of its contents.
It featured Luc’s portrait and name, and below the portrait was a supplementary note—
“A maid approximately 19 years old from the Palace, with long black hair, has also vanished. It is highly likely she was kidnapped by this fugitive. Please pay close attention to anyone accompanied by a girl matching this description or any suspicious individuals.”
Luc recited the note with a bitter smile.
Judging by the fact that the wanted poster only officially named her, they didn’t know Selene was traveling with her.
And although they had prepared a cart loaded with farm produce for cover, anyone who noticed this long sack inside—just large enough to fit one person—would immediately think of those words: “suspicious individuals.”
They had hurriedly left the town after confirming the wanted poster. But since then, a question had taken root in Luc’s mind:
“We do need to be more careful. But why didn’t the wanted poster mention this maid’s identity? It didn’t even list her name.”
“They definitely don’t want word of this to spread,” Selene said, her gaze also falling on the burlap sack. She analyzed the situation calmly.
“This girl is the Hero who defeated the Lord. Rumors that she might be the Hero’s illegitimate daughter are already spreading like wildfire through the city. Once the outside world knows she’s the one missing and that it’s connected to the escape of a Demon Race fugitive like you, the situation will spiral out of control immediately.”
Luc was silent for a few seconds, then let out a soft breath.
“You’re right. That woman… she seems to really care about the safety of our kin. I heard that the Demon Race settlements in the city now have Guard patrols and escorts.”
“Why do you care about that? Regardless of what happens to humans or those fools willing to live with humans, it has nothing to do with us. We only need to finish what we’re supposed to do, and then…”
Selene’s tone suddenly became ice-cold. She seemed to want to say more, but ultimately swallowed her words.
“You should rest tonight.”
Selene then crawled past her and lifted the tent flap.
“You’re planning to take the watch alone?” Luc asked, startled.
“I’m going to watch that person myself. I don’t trust the task to someone who gets distracted by a piece of grilled fish and is still wearing a collar designed by humans.”
Luc opened her mouth to speak, but finally just nodded.
It was true that the ring restricting her magic was still around her neck, though she had been keeping it hidden under a scarf.
“Hmm… to get this thing off, you’ll probably have to find a blacksmith’s shop.”
Even the Shadow Demon Lord hadn’t been able to remove it.
And since they naturally didn’t dare to commission a blacksmith within the Northland, they had no choice but to remain fugitives while she wore it.
She dragged her sleeping mat closer to the burlap sack, changed into a dry cloak, and curled her body up inside it.
“Wait… what is this?”
She was just about to close her eyes for a nap… when Selene’s confused voice suddenly came from the edge of the tent.
She rolled over and followed Selene’s gaze.
She saw a tiny firefly perched on the inner wall of their tent, emitting a faint light.
“A firefly… in this heavy rain?”
The moment both of them noticed it, the firefly vanished without a trace.
A faint, nearly imperceptible wisp of Magic Power slowly dissipated as it disappeared—
“Look out!”
Bang!
A gunshot rang out, the bullet piercing through the rain and tearing through the tent’s tarpaulin.
Luc and Selene dodged the bullet at the last possible second, bursting through the tent and rolling out into the drenching rain.
Then, a series of rapid gunshots exploded… the tent collapsed, and the tarpaulin fell over the burlap sack.
Amidst the sounds of rain, gunfire, and the girls’ cries, the burlap sack gave a slight, subtle wiggle.