Ashina's status had changed.
She was no longer Malnourished.
Now it read Sub-Healthy.
More importantly, Unawakened had turned into Awaiting Awakening.
Which meant only one thing.
With an Awakening Crystal, Field could immediately create a Chosen.
Field's heart began pounding.
A real Chosen… right under his command.
"My lord… did you need something?" Ashina asked nervously, fiddling with her fingers.
Over the past ten days she had eaten steak almost every day. Compared to the miserable life she had before—digging up wild weeds just to survive—this felt like heaven.
Back then she thought being captured by humans meant the end.
Instead, she ended up under a strange noble who fed her meat every day.
Life was weird like that.
Full of surprises.
"What's that?" Ashina asked, pointing at the crystal ball in Field's hand.
"This?" Field sighed like his heart was bleeding.
"An Awakening Crystal. Cost me sixty gold coins."
He only had five hundred in total.
"Every Awakening Day, the Empire uses these things to test for Chosen."
"One crystal can examine nearly a thousand people."
Ashina blinked.
"…You really think I'm a Chosen?"
She scratched her cheek awkwardly.
"My lord… maybe let's not joke about this."
"Close your eyes," Field said calmly. "Feel it with your heart."
"I've received guidance from the gods. Don't worry."
Of course, that was complete nonsense.
Field placed the crystal in front of her.
Ashina didn't believe she could possibly be a Chosen.
Still… she didn't want to disappoint him.
After spending these days together, she had realized something.
Field wasn't like other nobles.
At least… he treated her well.
Slowly, she placed both hands on the crystal.
The moment her fingers touched it—
Blue starlight erupted from within.
Countless sparks swirled together, forming the faint silhouette of a goddess.
Elegant.
Cold.
Majestic.
"The Goddess of Winter!"
The demi-human slaves recognized her instantly.
Their voices trembled with disbelief.
"That's the goddess who rules ice and snow!"
"Oh gods—Ashina is the Chosen of the Goddess of Winter!"
Thud. Thud. Thud.
The slaves dropped to their knees.
Their bodies trembled violently, eyes filled with fanatic devotion.
Field was stunned.
Even he was sweating.
This…
This was a genuine miracle.
Blue starlight condensed into strange runes.
Ashina instinctively reached out and touched them.
The light slowly faded.
The rune carved itself into the back of her hand.
At the same time, her body began to change.
She grew slightly taller.
Her legs became long and perfectly shaped.
Her skin turned pale like fresh snow.
Her crimson eyes glowed with a cold, sharp aura.
Her already delicate features became even more refined.
Her beauty rose to an entirely new level.
Cold.
Arrogant.
Dangerously alluring.
The kind of charm that seemed completely effortless.
"I… I actually became a Chosen?"
Ashina's mouth fell open in shock.
"My lord… how did you do that?"
Her eyes were now filled with awe.
After all—
The birth of a Chosen was completely unpredictable.
Even the Empress of the Holy Griffin Empire couldn't guarantee her own daughter would awaken.
Yet Field…
Somehow made it happen.
The other slaves were equally stunned.
They were all slaves.
Yet after staying with the lord for a few days—
Ashina suddenly became a Chosen?
They had thought Field was just raising her as a personal plaything.
Turns out…
He had actually created a Chosen.
A Chosen was the will of the gods.
Which meant—
Maybe the gods themselves favored Field.
The slaves began looking at him with newfound reverence.
Field waved his hand casually.
"Nothing special," he said modestly.
Internally, though, he was practically floating.
Then he stepped forward and looked at everyone.
"So," Field said loudly.
"Does anyone still doubt our expedition to the Northern Province?"
"Or oppose my plan to develop Nightfall Territory?"
The slaves exchanged glances.
Oppose?
Who would dare?
Field continued:
"Trust me."
"As long as you do your jobs and complete the tasks I give you…"
"I will return your freedom."
"And you'll live without worrying about food or clothing ever again."
"My lord."
Ashina stepped forward.
"Please allow me to form a contract with you."
Field had promised before.
If she became a Chosen, she would help him develop Nightfall Territory.
"Of course," Field said solemnly.
"This was destined from the beginning."
He looked very much like a holy prophet.
Forming the Chosen contract was simple.
Ashina activated the rune on her hand.
Power flowed outward and connected with Field.
The contract was complete.
After that, Field took out her slave contract.
Although the slave mark had already been purified by her Chosen power, he still tore the document apart in front of everyone.
"Ashina is now a free citizen of Nightfall Territory."
Ashina smiled brightly.
She raised one hand.
The rune on her hand flared.
A massive black wolf leapt out of thin air.
Its body was enormous.
Sharp scales covered its hide like armor, reflecting cold light.
The slaves nearly screamed in fear.
"What the hell is that?" Field asked, stunned.
"A Dragon-Blood Wolf," Ashina said while brushing back her hair.
"Probably a mount granted by the goddess."
"Oh, and…"
"I've learned quite a few combat techniques."
When someone became a Chosen, they sometimes received strange treasures.
Even if a Chosen died, those artifacts could remain.
The Ross family possessed a sixth-tier divine lance, left behind by a fallen Chosen known as the Crimson Rose.
Their family name even came from that legend.
Field opened Ashina's status panel.
Name: Ashina
Level: Tier-1 Chosen
Class: Wolf Cavalry
Divine Skill: Spear of Absolute Frost
Legion Skill: Howling Charge
(Cavalry under her command gain +100% impact force)
Ashina's combat power had skyrocketed.
Even her Dragon-Blood Wolf could fight a Tier-3 aura knight head-on.
With real power on his side, Field suddenly felt far more confident.
His stepmother?
His younger brother?
Whatever.
One day he'd grind them into the dirt.
Field smiled.
"Alright."
"Let's go take a look at the barracks and armory."
As they approached the city wall, Field noticed small skull icons appearing on his map.
They were moving.
"There are corrupted creatures here," Field said, drawing his sword with a metallic ring.
"Eliminating corruption is the duty of every noble of the Empire."
He lit the Fog-Repelling Lamp he bought from the Church.
Sacred light burst out instantly, pushing back the gray mist.
At least the slaves wouldn't die from the poisonous fog.
"I can feel the power of a Chosen in that lamp," Ashina said, pointing at it.
Field blinked.
"No doubt about it."
"Too bad we don't know how the Church makes them."
"This thing costs 25 gold coins, and it only lasts thirty days."
"Pure robbery."
Once inside the gate, Field didn't let the slaves wander around.
Instead, he kept everyone together.
They were just a bunch of civilians forced into slavery.
No training.
Sticking together was the safest option.
Ashina carefully pushed open the barracks door.
Inside were two armored soldiers.
Or rather—
Their corpses.
Rotting.
They hadn't even managed to grab weapons before the gray mist infected them.
"Kill them," Field ordered coldly.
His eyes were already on their armor.
"Try not to damage the armor."
"Understood."
Ashina kicked the door open.
Then she charged inside.
After becoming a Chosen, not only did her physical abilities increase dramatically—
She had also gained instinctive mastery over combat techniques.