The atmosphere in the meeting room fell silent for a moment after Arthur's question hung in the air. All eyes were on him.
"Alright," Arthur spoke, breaking the silence.
"The team that will go to the City of the Dragons to retrieve The Forbidden Tome of Laws is Leon,Kazan, Nix, and Xuánhú."
Xuánhú immediately frowned. "Objection. I request to be swapped."
Arthur shook his head, a faint smile on his face showing he had anticipated this. "The team will not be changed, Xuánhú. I have considered everything thoroughly. Furthermore, I need Zephyr and Sylphine on my team for the mission to retrieve Satan's body. There is a special reason for that."
Xuánhú persisted, her nine tails twitching in annoyance. "I am extremely, extremely lazy about having to pass through that city."
Leon, curious, asked, "What city are you talking about?"
Xuánhú let out a long sigh. "To reach the city of those arrogant Dragons, we must first pass through two other cities." Her eyes grew distant, as if recalling something unpleasant. "The first is Cloţca City."
Her voice grew lower, more ominous. "The city most famous for its cruelty. Ruled by a sadistic and bloodthirsty King."
She began describing it with vivid detail. "Before arriving, we must cross the Deep Chasm that splits the city's western side. The winds around the chasm produce groaning and whispering sounds. The water nearby is rust-red like blood, due to minerals from the mountains. During a full moon night, the reflection of the light can make it look like a real river of blood."
Sylphine listened with wide eyes, unconsciously swallowing hard.
"Then," Xuánhú continued, "there are gloomy villages on the lowlands. Where the inhabitants live in the shadow of fear, yet strangely, are also protected by something."
She paused briefly. "After that, we will enter the dense forest at the mountain's base. It's filled with fallen trees and giant thorny bushes that seem alive."
"And finally," she murmured, "we will arrive at the gate of a mesa, a steep highland plateau amidst wild mountains. There is only one dangerous, winding road leading to the main gate, perpetually shrouded in eternal fog covering its slopes, making flight impossible for anyone."
She looked at Leon. "But the strangest thing about that city is its atmosphere. During the day, the city is silent like a magnificent graveyard. Only the sound of drizzle and the caws of crows can be heard. However, when the night moon hangs between the two towers of the palace... music begins to flow, purple lights glow, and the seemingly dead city seems to take a deep breath."
The atmosphere grew cold. Leon nodded, beginning to understand Xuánhú's reluctance.
"Then, what is the second city?" Leon asked.
Xuánhú's expression changed drastically, becoming brighter. "Oh, that one is actually pleasant. Venturia City! The city of the Greatest Shipbuilders and Sailors gathered from all over the world."
Her face lit up. "Imagine a city full of the sound of crashing waves, the songs of workers synchronizing their strength, and the tolling of bells marking the tides. The city is also bright and open, filled with brightly colored buildings to combat the fog. Sunlight and moonlight reflected by the water onto the entire city make it even more beautiful. On stormy nights, they use lanterns made from glowing algae!"
Her eyes sparkled. "The people there are very busy, communal, practical, yet full of appealing confidence. They revere the sea as both a giver of life and a taker of lives. Every voyage is preceded by offerings to ensure they are always protected while crossing the sea. It is one of the most beautiful cities I have ever visited."
Veylin and Sylphine, listening to the description, were equally captivated, their eyes shining and smiles spreading.
"Absolutely right, what Ms. Xuánhú said!" Veylin exclaimed enthusiastically. "I've heard legends about Venturia! It's truly amazing! I wouldn't mind being swapped just to see that city directly!"
Xuánhú immediately gave a sly grin. "Such a pity, pity~ It can't be swapped, right, Arthur?" she said with a sidelong glance.
Veylin immediately bowed her head, her face turning disappointed.
Arthur chuckled at their interaction. "Don't worry, Veylin. Don't be disappointed. Even though you can't go to Venturia, your role in our mission later is actually very important. Perhaps more important than just seeing a beautiful view."
Veylin lifted her head, hope in her eyes. "Really, Brother Arthur?"
Arthur blinked, surprised. "Brother?" He then smiled broadly, giving Xuánhú a teasing look. "Yes, Veylin. That's true."
Xuánhú, seeing her plan fail, could only groan in annoyance.
Kazan, who had been silent all this time, finally asked, "So, when do we depart?"
"Good question," Arthur replied. "You will depart two weeks from now. You all have just completed a major mission and certainly need time to fully recover, both physically and mentally."
Everyone nodded in agreement.
"Alright," Arthur said, clapping his hands.
"Today's meeting is adjourned.Please get some rest."
They all filed out of the room. Leon, Arthur, Nix, and Kazan walked together down the corridor. Suddenly, Kazan excused himself. "I'm going to practice swordplay now."
Nix also nodded, his face serious. "I also need to go to my room. There's something I must do."
The two left with quick steps, leaving Leon slightly confused. Arthur, walking beside him, sensed Leon's concern.
"Is something troubling you, Leon?" asked Arthur.
"About Kazan," Leon answered. "He seems... very different since the encounter with his brother."
Arthur sighed. "I don't know the exact details of their history. But what I do know is that Kazan's current goal is to become strong enough to defeat Kaze. That is a very heavy burden."
Leon nodded, his heart feeling heavy. "It must be very hard to be him."
"Indeed," Arthur murmured. Then, he suddenly changed the subject. "By the way, about the little fox girl that one of your soldiers brought... Raina, right?"
Leon was startled, just remembering. "Yes! Raina! Where is she? Is she okay?"
Arthur smiled. "She's fine. But there is something surprising about her." His expression turned serious. "That little fox girl actually possesses extraordinary power potential, Leon."
Leon was confused. "What do you mean?"
"Raina is a descendant of the White Snow Fox—an almost extinct fox race that only lives in areas with extreme cold. She also inherited a very terrifying ability for pure ice magic." Arthur looked at Leon. "If that power awakens and is not properly controlled... it will be very dangerous, both for her and those around her."
Leon felt anxious. "So, what should we do? Should we guide her and protect her?"
"For now, yes, we can and should do that," Arthur replied. "But when her power fully awakens, we might struggle to handle it."
He stopped in front of a special door at the end of the corridor. "To see her potential and condition more clearly... come with me."
Arthur opened the door. A cold blue-white light spilled from within, accompanied by the hiss of freezing air.
=== CHAPTER 49 END ===