Dalia stared at Rowan, her eyes wide with disbelief, as if struggling to process what she had just heard. Then, snapping back to reality, she asked hesitantly, "Brother… are you sure? You're talking about Logan, right?"

"Of course I am," Rowan replied firmly. "Father had called me just a few moments ago. He said the Guildmaster of the Hunter's Guild personally reached out to him. They're requesting that someone from the royal family make the effort to travel to Aerundale."

He paused, then said with a bright face.

"Apparently, some important discussions are about to take place. And the person requesting it all is someone named....." He paused again after that and chuckled. "Logan Smith."

Daliah froze in her place. "Is it really him, then? He's finally back… after all this time?" Daliah whispered to herself.

But then, as if a realization suddenly struck her, she snapped out of her daze.

"What are you still standing here for?! Get ready, fast!"

Saying that, she gave Rowan a shove and pushed him out of the room before slamming the door shut behind him.

Rowan chuckled as he walked off toward his own room. He looked like a proper young man now. Already twenty, he carried himself with a quiet confidence, and a natural air of authority radiated from him.

Once he reached his room, he too started to change his clothes without wasting any time.

_________

Meanwhile, somewhere else at the exact same moment…

Lilith sat in the main hall of the Hunter's Guild, at a long table surrounded by all the members of Gideon's party. Only two people were absent.

One of them, they understood.... Logan had gone on a secret mission with his father and several other hunters. Even the Guildmaster had accompanied them.

But the other absence remained a mystery.

"Where the hell did Raphael disappear?" Ronald muttered, clearly annoyed.

"Who knows," Jessi shrugged. "Maybe he just got sick of all these back-to-back battles."

"Yeah… that could actually be true," Melissa nodded in agreement.

Zephyr sat quietly, lost in his own thoughts. He hadn't spent much time with Raphael, so he wasn't particularly concerned about his sudden disappearance.

But after seeing Logan yesterday… something had stirred deep within him.

A storm of excitement. Not that anyone could tell by looking at his face though. Outwardly, he remained calm and unreadable like always.

Gideon, on the other hand, was also caught in his own web of thoughts. So much had happened, one thing after another, revelations that would shake even the most seasoned of hunters. So despite being a veteran party captain, even he was struggling to digest the truth like other members of his party.

To find out who Aiden or rather, Logan truly was… And what he was capable of. It had shaken them all to the core.

At the other tables, however, the atmosphere was far more charged.

Especially at Leonard's.

He had schemed endlessly, plotted carefully, trying everything to trap Logan and Gideon's party.

And yet, not a single one of his plans had worked. Success? That was a far-off dream. He hadn't even managed to execute a single one.

And before he could even come up with his next scheme… Logan's overwhelming strength struck him like a thunderclap, shattering whatever illusions he had left.

At the other tables, similar conversations were taking place. Although the main topic remained Logan, there were other discussions brewing as well.

Just then, the main doors of the guild swung open, and a man dressed in a coachman's uniform stepped inside. Without hesitation, he walked straight toward Lilith.

She didn't notice him until he was already standing beside her. "Miss Lilith," the man said respectfully. "I bring news from your father."

Startled, Lilith turned to him, surprised.

"Mr. Lewin? My father sent a message? But… didn't he leave for a mission?"

"Yes, miss. And that mission was a success. But Mr. Starwind asked me to deliver an urgent message," the coachman replied.

"What kind of message?" Lilith asked, a hint of tension in her voice.

The rest of Gideon's party, seated at the same table, also turned to listen intently. After all, Logan had gone on that mission alongside her father.

The coachman continued calmly, "He wants you to head to Aerundale immediately. To Smith Villa."

"What?" Lilith's eyes widened. "Aerundale? Smith Villa? Do you mean… the Smith Villa? The one where Logan's from?"

"Yes, Miss Lilith," the coachman confirmed with a nod.

"Why?!" Lilith shot up from her seat, alarmed. "Did something happen to him?"

The coachman raised his hands slightly in reassurance. "I'm afraid I don't know the exact urgency, Miss. But from what I could tell, nothing bad seems to have happened. Your father's handwriting on the communication scroll didn't carry any sorrow or panic. But… he was in a rush."

He bowed slightly. "So please, let us begin the journey as soon as possible. If we move quickly, we can reach Smith Villa by evening."

Lilith gave a brisk nod to the coachman. "Give me five minutes. I'll pack whatever I need. We leave immediately."

She turned to go, her boots had barely moved an inch, when a soft voice called from behind.

"Lilith, wait."

She turned around.

It was Luna. She stood up from the table, her expression calm but earnest.

"If you're going to see Logan," Luna said, "then… can we come too?"

Lilith blinked, surprised. "You all want to come?"

"Yes," Luna nodded. "We've been trying to act like everything's normal, but… ever since Logan left with your father, something's felt off. And now that this urgent message has come... we can't help but worry."

Melissa stood up next. "He's one of us, Lilith. We've fought together. We've bled together. He might've been hiding a lot from us, maybe we were a team only for a short while… but that doesn't change how we feel."

Ronald followed, slapping the table lightly as she stood. "Besides, if something big's about to go down, we're not sitting here twiddling our thumbs. We go as a team."

Even Zephyr, who rarely spoke, gave a faint nod. His eyes, however, said everything.

Gideon leaned forward in his chair, arms crossed. "If your father doesn't mind, I'd like to be there too. Whatever Logan's involved in… it's already bigger than we imagined. I'd rather face it head-on."

Lilith was silent for a moment, scanning the faces of everyone around her.

These were not just comrades, they were Logan's comrades.

"Alright," she finally said. "Get ready.then. Fast."

"Yes, ma'am!" Ronald grinned, already turning to grab his gear.

A few minutes later…

The group gathered outside the Hunter's Guild, the sky tinged orange as the afternoon sun began its descent.

A large, reinforced carriage awaited them, pulled by two powerful horses. The coachman, Lewin, had already checked the harnesses twice and secured everything for long-distance travel.

Lilith stepped up first, climbing into the carriage. The others followed... Gideon, Luna, Ronald, Jessi, Zephyr, each carrying their essentials and a growing sense of anticipation.

With a sharp crack of the reins, the carriage began to move.

The wheels rumbled across the cobbled road, heading swiftly toward the gates of the city.

Meanwhile the grand gates of the royal palace creaked open as Rowan and Daliah emerged, both clad in travel-ready attire. The golden crest of the royal family shimmered faintly on their cloaks, catching the last rays of the descending sun.

Their carriage was already prepared and waiting, a sleek, dark vessel pulled by four majestic white horses. Two royal knights stood at attention beside it, saluting the siblings as they approached.

The siblings boarded on the carriage.

And with a smooth jolt, the carriage rolled forward, picking up speed as it passed through the stone-paved streets of the capital.

Within minutes, they left the royal palace behind.

_________

In the Smith villa.....

The warm aroma of freshly cooked food still lingered in the air, though the lunch had long been finished. Plates had been cleared, chairs tucked in, and the quiet hum of afternoon peace had returned to Smith Villa.

After seeing off the guests and speaking briefly with his mother and father, Logan finally stepped away from the main hall and walked down the corridor to his room.

His steps were slow, thoughtful.

The heavy wooden door creaked open, and he stepped inside, closing it behind him with a soft click. He was back here after a long time.

The room was simple but familiar, stone walls, a sturdy oak table, and a single bed beside the window. But Logan's attention wasn't on any of those things.

His eyes fell instantly on the sword resting silently in the corner.

Audrey.

He walked toward it slowly, stopping just a step away.

For a brief moment, he simply stared.

So much had happened. So much was yet to come.

And somehow… he knew she had answers.

Logan let out a quiet breath.

"Audrey," he said, his voice steady but low. "We need to speak."

There was a beat of silence.

Then, the air shimmered slightly and the sword slowly rose from its resting place, hovering in the air as if weightless.

A voice echoed in Logan's mind.

"I was waiting for the moment you'd finally ask."

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