The forest had grown darker now.
Night had fully settled over the lands of **Duke Alveric Thorne**.
The clearing had grown quiet again.
The corpses were gone.
Only dark stains of blood soaked into the soil where the beasts had fallen, the metallic scent still lingering in the night air.
The forest around them had settled, shadows stretching long beneath the trees.
Vaelith stood near the edge of the clearing, holding both children carefully in her arms.
Lucifer and Elenya were no longer asleep.
Both babies were awake now, their small eyes wide as they looked around at the dim forest and the people surrounding them.
Lyriana stood beside Vaelith, one hand resting on her side, her gaze scanning the trees while remaining close.
Across the clearing, Draven took another glowing crystal from Aldric.
Without hesitation, he tossed it into his mouth.
**Crunch.**
The mana inside dissolved quickly.
He grabbed another and held it beside his neck.
The small cat peeking from his collar opened its mouth and swallowed the crystal whole.
A faint glow ran through the creature before fading again.
Draven tossed the remaining crystals into his mouth one after another and swallowed them.
Then he turned.
Walking toward the others.
His boots pressed softly against the blood-stained ground as he approached.
His eyes moved briefly to the two children in Vaelith's arms.
"Have they eaten?"
Vaelith bowed her head slightly.
"Yes, my lord."
She adjusted her hold on the babies carefully.
"I've already fed both the young master and the young miss."
She glanced briefly toward Lyriana.
"With Lyriana's help."
Lyriana gave a small shrug.
"They were loud about it."
Lucifer blinked up at Draven as he came closer.
Elenya shifted slightly in Vaelith's arms, letting out a soft sound.
The forest remained calm around them.
For the moment, at least—
They had time to breathe.
Draven stopped in front of them.
For a moment, he didn't say anything.
He simply looked down at the two small figures in Vaelith's arms.
Lucifer's dark eyes were wide and focused, quietly observing everything around him. Elenya, on the other hand, shifted excitedly, her tiny hands moving as she watched Draven approach.
Draven stood there for a while, studying them.
Then he slowly raised both hands.
With a completely straight face—
He poked their cheeks.
"Looks like you've both eaten your fill."
Elenya reacted immediately.
Her small arms shot upward as she giggled, tiny fingers reaching toward him as if trying to grab his face.
Lucifer, meanwhile, just stared.
Silent.
Observing.
Draven leaned slightly closer.
Elenya caught one of his fingers with both of her tiny hands, holding it tightly while still laughing.
Draven opened his mouth slightly and gently held one of her small fingers between his teeth.
Not biting—just holding it there.
Elenya giggled louder at the strange sensation.
Beside her, Lucifer finally moved.
With his tiny arm, he reached forward and grabbed one of Draven's fingers, gripping it with surprising determination.
For a moment, the forest clearing was completely quiet except for Elenya's soft giggling.
Aldric watched the scene from a short distance away, arms folded.
"…Unbelievable."
He shook his head.
Lyriana didn't look surprised.
Vaelith simply stood there calmly, holding both children while Draven entertained them.
Aldric leaned against a nearby tree, arms crossed as he watched the scene with clear impatience.
"Alright," he said finally. "That's enough of that."
Draven didn't look at him.
Aldric continued anyway.
"We shouldn't be wasting time."
He gestured vaguely toward the forest around them.
"We've been moving for **four nights straight** now, and we're still not even halfway across this damn country."
His eyes slid toward the cultist.
"And that's because we've been avoiding every human settlement thanks to the brilliant advice of this little bastard."
The cultist, who had just finished sealing the space ring after storing the last beast carcass, looked at him calmly.
"I only suggested avoiding cities, towns, and villages," she replied evenly.
Her eyes shifted briefly toward Draven.
"If we cross paths with people searching for the Lord, it will only slow us down."
Aldric barked a short laugh.
"Slow us down?"
He spread his arms wide, gesturing at the endless trees around them.
"And this **doesn't**?"
His tone turned mocking.
"We've been crawling through forests like some kind of damned—"
He paused, searching for the word.
"—like hunted animals."
The night wind rustled the branches overhead.
Lyriana remained silent.
Vaelith gently adjusted the babies in her arms.
Draven still hadn't reacted.
Aldric shook his head.
"At this pace we'll reach the border sometime next year."
Aldric kicked lightly at the dirt, clearly irritated.
"You know," he said, glancing around the dark forest, "I wouldn't even be surprised if the Empire's army suddenly appeared right now."
Lyriana finally spoke.
"He's right."
Everyone looked at her.
"We're moving too slowly," she continued calmly. "We can't keep traveling like this."
Aldric immediately pointed at her.
"Exactly."
He began pacing a few steps, gesturing as he spoke.
"If we used public transportation—teleport stations, airship ports, even train's —we could move across the country in days instead of weeks."
He smirked slightly.
"And more importantly…"
He looked up toward the sky.
"We wouldn't have to stop every time the sun comes up."
Aldric spread his arms.
"We could cross half the continent before anyone even realized we were gone."
The cultist listened quietly before shaking her head.
"That might be true."
Her gaze shifted toward Draven.
"But first you should look at the situation properly."
Aldric frowned.
"What situation?"
She raised a finger slightly.
"First."
"The Lord no longer has the artifact he was using to disguise himself."
Draven remained silent.
"Second…"
Her eyes moved across the group.
"To use public transportation, you need an **NID**."
Aldric blinked.
"A what?"
"A national identity document," she replied.
"Every citizen has one. It's required for travel, trade permits, transport records… everything."
She crossed her arms.
"Without one, you won't even be allowed near a teleport gate anywhere."
Her gaze lifted toward the sky again.
"And you definitely won't get close to an airship."
The forest fell quiet again.
Aldric stared at her for a moment.
Then muttered under his breath—
"…Humans and their damn paperwork."