### Four Days Later
After using airships and spatial travel to cross several kingdoms, Alex finally arrived at Lyra City, located near the northern border of Eirundor.
She stepped off the airship and out of the sky port, looking around the city.
*So this is Eirundor...*
She adjusted her cloak.
She had finally reached the kingdom.
Now, she only needed to begin her search.
---
### The Following Day
After spending a day in Lyra City, Alex found herself inside the city's train station.
The station was crowded.
People moved through the platforms, some carrying luggage while others hurried toward their trains.
Alex stood among them, quietly observing her surroundings.
Then—
A television mounted above the station suddenly caught her attention.
A news broadcast was playing.
> "Breaking news. The city of Dresvalle has been placed under emergency evacuation following a devastating incident that occurred within the city."
Alex's eyes shifted toward the screen.
The broadcast continued.
> "According to authorities, several unknown creatures were summoned from a hidden ruin discovered beneath the city."
Images of the destruction appeared on the screen.
Buildings damaged.
Streets covered in debris.
Military forces moving through the city.
The reporter continued.
> "The military suffered significant losses while attempting to contain the creatures. Civilians were evacuated from the city as authorities struggled to control the situation."
Alex's expression slowly changed.
Then—
The broadcast showed another image.
A scene from the middle of the incident.
A young man stood among the destruction.
White hair.
Dark skin.
Crimson eyes.
Alex's eyes widened.
She immediately recognized him.
The reporter continued.
> "Authorities have also confirmed that the individual believed to be responsible for the incident is none other than the son of the Demon King."
Alex stared at the screen.
Her jaw tightened.
"...Draven."
The image remained on the screen.
Alex's hands slowly clenched beneath her cloak.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?"
She stared at the screen for several seconds.
"Are you trying to get yourself killed?"
Her expression hardened.
*You should be laying low...*
*Instead, you're drawing this much attention to yourself.*
Alex looked away from the screen.
She had come to Eirundor searching for him.
But now—
Finding Draven might be the easiest part.
Keeping him alive long enough for her to reach him was another matter entirely.
---
### A Day Later
Dresvalle.
The sun was slowly setting over the city.
The streets were still far from normal.
The part of the city where the battle had taken place just a day ago was being cleaned up.
Broken stone was being carried away.
Damaged buildings were being inspected.
Workers moved through the streets, clearing rubble and repairing what could still be salvaged.
Military personnel remained stationed throughout the area, keeping civilians away from the more dangerous sections.
Even after an entire day—
the destruction left behind by the creatures was still impossible to ignore.
Then—
A shadow passed over the city.
**WHOOOOOSH!**
People looked upward.
An airship descended through the evening sky.
The ship slowly approached one of Dresvalle's sky ports.
The engines hummed as it lowered itself toward the docking platform.
**KSHHHHH!**
Steam escaped from the underside as the landing mechanisms extended.
The airship settled onto the platform.
**THUD.**
A few workers immediately approached.
One of them looked over the ship.
"Looks like you've got some damage."
A cloaked figure standing near the entrance glanced toward the side of the hull.
"Nothing too serious."
Another figure stepped down from the ship.
"Still, the captain said we should have it checked before we leave."
The workers nodded.
"Take it to the repair section."
"Got it."
The crew began moving around the airship.
Then—
The entrance opened again.
Several figures stepped out.
Among them—
was a familiar leopard demi-human.
Faelyn, master of the Crossfall Guild, stepped onto the docking platform.
Her golden eyes immediately wandered across the city.
She stared at the damaged buildings in the distance.
For a moment—
she said nothing.
"...So this is Dresvalle."
One of the guild members walked up beside her.
"Yeah."
He looked toward the damaged section of the city.
"Apparently, this is where those creatures appeared two days ago."
Faelyn's ears twitched.
"So this is the second day after the incident?"
"Yeah. We arrived a little late."
He sighed.
"Looks like we missed quite the show."
Faelyn's gaze remained fixed on the destruction.
*The chaos at the border wasn't even comparable...*
Her expression slowly changed.
She remembered the white-haired boy.
The crimson eyes.
The blood arrow.
The way he had twisted his own body to avoid her attack.
And that calm expression.
Faelyn's lips slowly curved upward.
"...So he caused this too."
The guild member beside her looked at her.
"Hm?"
Faelyn shook her head.
"Nothing."
She started walking.
"Let's get the ship repaired."
The guild member followed.
"After that, we're heading north, right?"
Faelyn stopped for a moment.
Her golden eyes shifted toward the distant horizon.
"Yeah."
"There's something I need to do first."
"What?"
Faelyn smiled.
"I'm looking for information about someone."
She continued walking.
The guild member blinked.
"Who?"
Faelyn didn't answer.
Instead—
She glanced once more toward the damaged city.
Her tail swayed behind her.
*I wonder where you went, Master.*
Then—
She disappeared into the crowd of Crossfall members.
Behind them, the airship remained docked as workers began inspecting the damage.
The sun continued sinking beneath the horizon.
And somewhere beyond Dresvalle—
the search for Draven continued.
Under Faelyn's orders, the Crossfall Guild members began gathering information about the incident.
They spread throughout the city.
Some entered the ruined areas where the creatures had appeared.
Others visited nearby establishments, speaking with civilians, adventurers, merchants, and anyone else who had witnessed what happened.
They kept their identities hidden beneath their cloaks.
They asked questions carefully.
They didn't want to attract unnecessary attention.
But—
they weren't the only ones searching for information.
---
Later that evening—
Several cloaked figures stepped out of a restaurant.
They had spent the past hour gathering information from the people inside.
One of them quietly closed the door behind them.
"Anything useful?"
"Some."
"The soldiers said the creatures appeared beneath the city."
Another figure spoke.
"But that's not all we heard."
The others looked toward him.
"There were people who saw the Demon King's son."
A brief silence followed.
"Then we'll report everything to the Guild Master."
They continued walking.
After turning into a narrow alley—
they suddenly stopped.
One of them looked upward.
"Let's go."
**WHOOSH!**
The cloaked figures leapt.
They landed on the roof of a nearby building.
Then—
They jumped again.
And again.
Moving from rooftop to rooftop with practiced movements.
Within moments—
they disappeared into the distance.
Unaware that someone had been watching them.
On another rooftop—
a lone cloaked figure stood silently.
Alex.
Her eyes followed the direction the group had gone.
*That's the fourth group I've come across.*
She had noticed them before.
Not just once.
Several times.
Some had emerged from the ruins.
Others had been seen around the spatial port.
And earlier—
she had spotted another group leaving an establishment on the opposite side of the city.
Every time—
they moved in the same direction.
West of the city.
Alex narrowed her eyes.
*They're definitely searching for something.*
She had initially decided not to interfere.
There were plenty of people searching for the Demon King's son.
With the bounty on Draven's head—
it wasn't strange for bounty hunters, adventurers, or mercenaries to start looking for information.
*I assumed they were just another group hunting for the bounty on Draven's head.*
Her gaze remained fixed on the rooftops.
*But if they're all part of the same group...*
Her expression became more serious.
*Then things are different.*
Four groups.
Different locations.
The ruins.
The spatial port.
Restaurants.
Buildings throughout the city.
Yet all of them eventually headed west.
That wasn't a coincidence.
Alex slowly pulled her hood further over her head.
*If they're working together, they might have information about Draven's current location.*
Her eyes narrowed.
*If that's the case...*
She couldn't let that opportunity slip away.
She had spent days searching.
And now—
someone else might already have the information she needed.
Alex looked toward the direction the cloaked figures had disappeared.
*I need to find out what they know.*
A faint breeze passed over the rooftop.
Her cloak fluttered behind her.
Alex stepped forward.
Then stopped.
She stared into the darkness.
*And if they really do know where Draven is...*
Her eyes sharpened.
*I'll have to do something about it.*