Al had just finished observing several suspicious areas scattered around the city of Makazhar. He had taken the time to carefully scout the main districts where most of the activity took place, the quieter rural stretches on the outskirts, and even the less–frequented borders of the city.

By the time he concluded his search, the night had already deepened into its quietest hours. Midnight had come and gone when he finally arrived at one of the city's most prestigious districts—the wealthy zone where the estate of the Norvalien family stood.

From a distance, Al's eyes fixed on the mansion. The building was constructed in a classical style, tall and imposing, with elegant stonework and a sprawling front courtyard. It occupied a vast piece of land, nearly rivaling the enormous Virellano estate.

The difference, however, lay in the density of the neighborhood. Unlike the more secluded Virellano grounds, this area was far livelier, with numerous large mansions belonging to the extended branches of the Norvalien family that had taken root in Makazhar.

"There doesn't seem to be anything out of place here… So where exactly is that shaman hiding?" Al muttered under his breath, his mind circling back to the possibility of Daraka's presence.

Hup. Hup.

Two figures broke through the darkness of night, emerging soundlessly from the shadows. Dressed in identical black uniforms, two of Al's subordinates appeared before him.

"Master," both women greeted in unison, bowing slightly with practiced formality.

Al turned toward them casually, his tone light as though he had been expecting them all along.

"Oh, Shae, Sa-Ya." His gaze swept across the pair briefly, noting the faint darkening around their eyes. "Ugh… you two look like you desperately need a vacation. Haha."

The two women could only exchange helpless glances at his teasing words.

"Our apologies, Master, for showing you such a disheveled appearance," Shae responded.

She was the taller of the two, her figure striking and her pale complexion almost luminous beneath the moonlight. Strands of her sleek black hair slipped free from the edge of her hood, brushing against her face as she spoke.

"Huff… Master, you're the one who stationed us here, yet you're also the one mocking us. That's cruel… hikss," Sa-Ya protested with a pout.

She was noticeably shorter, her warm white skin contrasting with her companion's paleness. Wisps of chestnut–brown hair escaped from beneath her hood, and her large amber eyes, tinged with golden hues, shimmered with exhaustion.

"Oh, come on. You've only been on duty for twenty–four hours straight. Already so worn out?" Al teased again, shaking his head with a chuckle.

"Master!!" Sa-Ya shot back, her irritation breaking through her fatigue.

"Master, we could endure this easily if it were a battle," Shae added with a sigh, "but simply watching and keeping surveillance… it's honestly far more boring and draining than fighting."

"Hahaha… fine, fine. Here, drink this. Then tell me what you've managed to gather from your watch." With a flick of his wrist, Al produced two glass bottles from his dimensional storage and tossed them lightly toward his subordinates.

The women caught the potions quickly, their tired faces immediately brightening with surprise and delight.

"Wah… Master, are you really giving these to us?" Shae asked, her usual calm expression breaking with astonishment.

Al gave a small, nonchalant nod.

"Mmm… But Master," Sa-Ya hesitated, her tired amber eyes glittering as they stared down at the potion in her hand, "our commander will scold us if we drink this right now."

"Who would dare scold you if I'm the one who gave it to you?" Al replied dryly.

"…Our Queen?" Shae asked flatly, her tone deadpan.

"Uh… right. Good point." Al scratched his head awkwardly, then waved it off. "Forget it. Just drink. Don't overthink."

The two women exchanged hesitant glances, but their relief won out. They nodded, smiles tugging faintly at their lips, and downed the potions together. Their expressions twisted slightly at the unpleasant taste and acrid smell of the magical concoction, but they forced themselves to finish.

Moments later, the effects became visible. Their shoulders relaxed, their breathing steadied, and the fatigue clinging to their features melted away. The dark shadows under their eyes faded, replaced by a healthier glow in their skin.

Both women exhaled deeply in unison, visibly relieved to feel their bodies restored.

"Thank you so much, Master," they said together, bowing deeply from the waist.

"Good. Now," Al replied in his usual unbothered tone, "tell me the results of this… incredibly exhausting surveillance you've been enduring."

Both straightened up and gave short nods before delivering their reports.

"Forgive us, Master," Shae began in her clipped, businesslike tone, "but of the targets we were assigned to monitor, only the man named Darius has been seen. Even then, he was accompanied merely by a driver and a woman who appears to be his wife."

"As for the young men named Rudi and Jogo, along with the shaman Daraka's group…" Sa-Ya continued, her tone livelier now that her body felt refreshed, "they have not appeared at all. We haven't detected any unusual surges of energy from the estate either—nothing beyond the barrier protecting the grounds. Certainly no trace of Helos."

Al froze slightly at their words. His gaze shifted back toward the estate, narrowing as he focused on the layered barriers surrounding it. Not all of the magical layers were designed for illusion, and even the few that were could never fool the sharpened senses of Shae and Sa-Ya.

He exhaled slowly and gave a short nod.

"Hiding in a place that's already suspicious would be too much of a risk. That means they're not playing tricks here… and they may have never even came. So the question is… where are they?" he muttered, brows furrowed in thought.

"I'm not sure, Master. But… we did notice something suspicious," Sa-Ya replied.

"Hm?" Al hummed, tilting his head slightly as he turned his gaze toward them, signaling them to continue.

"This morning, we saw several men entering the estate. They were all built like martial artists, their movements disciplined and sharp. Among them, there was one middle–aged man whose presence stood out. His aura alone suggested that his strength was at least at the early stage of expert level," Shae added, her tone calm but firm.

"Martial artists, you say? Hmmm…" Al rubbed his chin. "And what exactly about that is suspicious? Do you know their identities?"

Both women shook their heads in unison.

"The barrier around the estate blocked us from capturing any clear images. However, we managed to snap some shots from afar, and the analysis team is currently reviewing those photographs," Shae reported in her usual professional tone.

"As for what's strange, Master…" Sa-Ya continued, leaning slightly forward, "those men never left the mansion after they entered. Not even once. What's more puzzling is that shortly after they went inside, we completely lost track of their energy signatures. It's as if they vanished without a trace. Isn't that baffling, Master?"

Al tapped his chin with two fingers, his brows knitting together as he thought it through. The situation didn't make sense at first glance, but after a few moments, a realization clicked into place in his mind.

"They must have used a teleportation stone. Or, perhaps even more alarming… a dimensional stone," Al murmured. "Yes… that must be it. Still, I can't help but wonder—where did they get their hands on so many magical stones? They treat such rare items as if they were everyday trinkets."

"Could it be that they actually traveled to the djinn dimension? Do they even understand how dangerous that place is?" Shae asked, her calm composure giving way to genuine surprise at her master's theory.

"If Daraka is involved… escorting a group of ordinary humans would hardly be an obstacle for him," Al explained, his tone laced with grim certainty.

"That man can forcibly extract Helos into human vessels. Guaranteeing their survival in Azzaleth is nothing for someone like him. Either he has already devised a method… or worse, he has backing from the djinn themselves. Perhaps even from the higher echelons among them. That is, of course, if my hunch is right about them heading there."

"Wow… if they really managed to form an alliance with the djinn, especially with their leaders, that's impressive in its own way," Sa-Ya remarked, wide–eyed.

Al flicked a finger against his temple with a dry scoff.

"Impressive? What's so impressive about it? All they're doing is dragging human beings into eternal torment." His words dripped with disdain.

"Ouch!" Sa-Ya winced as his finger tapped her head lightly, making her rub the spot with mock pain. Shae, meanwhile, nodded silently in agreement with Al's statement.

"Huff… forget it. Just keep watching this place for the next three days. After that, I'll send others to relieve you," Al instructed firmly.

"Three days?!" both women exclaimed in unison, their voices carrying equal parts disbelief and complaint.

"I thought you were about to give us some time off, Master. Hikss…" Sa-Ya whined dramatically. "Besides, we're not assassins! This sort of task really doesn't suit us at all. Huuu…"

"You already drank the potions I gave you, didn't you? With your regeneration boosted, you'll last at least two or three more days without issue. So, just endure it," Al replied with a grin that told them he wasn't backing down.

"Ahh… so that's the trick. You gave us the potion just to lock us into this task," Shae muttered, her sharp, dignified features twisting into a rare sulky pout. "If you sent us against dozens of beasts, Master, we'd gladly fight them for a week straight. But surveillance? Haaa…"

Al could only laugh softly, amused by their complaints.

"You'll manage. Think of it as training. Haha… Anyway, I have other matters that need my attention now."

The two women exchanged resigned looks, then bowed slightly. Despite the fact that Al's group valued familial bonds and treated one another more humanely than most factions, hierarchy still existed. Orders were still orders, and in the end, disobedience wasn't an option.

Al placed a reassuring hand on each of their shoulders before he turned away, his touch meant to give them encouragement even though he knew they disliked the mission.

"Alright then. I'll be going. Report to Sebastian immediately if anything suspicious happens," Al instructed.

With a swift movement, his figure vanished into the night, leaving only his voice behind, cheerful and clear.

"Do your best."

"Huff…" Shae exhaled, her expression weary. "In the end, there really is no end to this struggle," she muttered quietly, her hand brushing over the spot on her shoulder where Al had touched.

Sa-Ya gave a small nod, her earlier playfulness fading into silence. Even she no longer had the mood to act cheerful.

And so, the two women's night dragged on as they continued their lonely vigil outside the Norvalien estate.

---

By the time Al finally returned to his quarters at the Virellano estate, the clock had struck four in the morning.

His body felt unbearably heavy with fatigue as he sank into his bed. He still had responsibilities awaiting him at dawn—he would need to meet the construction workers before they entered the zone shrouded by illusion barriers. It was his duty to provide them with magical neutralizers so they would not fall prey to the enchantments.

There was still a little time left to rest, just enough for a short sleep. With a simple snap of his fingers—click—the light went out, and Al closed his eyes.

But then…

Skratchh!

A harsh sound scraped against his blanket. Al's eyes snapped open. In a swift motion, he threw the blanket aside, revealing whatever was hidden beneath it.

And what he saw was something that would leave him utterly perplexed.

---

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