The long journey had left everyoerly exhausted. Too weary to enjoy much of the ale, they only nibbled on a few morsels before falling into a deep slumber, leaving behind more than half a barrel untouched.

  Charlot sat against his travel trunk, retrieving his diary and activating the Eye of Insight. While studying the first map of the Agmirs Labyrinth, he remained vigint, wary of any tampering. He casually poured himself a cup of ale, pairing it with the dried meat he had just purchased. Occasionally sipping from the cup, he let the night breeze sweep over him, finding a rare moment of tranquility.

  Outside the massive wooden lodge known as the White Wolf's, the many gathered travelers maintained a surprising calm. The sporadic sound of snores rising and falli an odd serenity to the atmosphere.

  As dawn broke, Charlot, feeling the strain of spiritual energy depletioivated his Eye of Insight. He rubbed his eyes, gng around as he pted whipanion to wake for a shift ge. Just then, a otion of footsteps disrupted the stillness—aire group was entering from outside the town.

  The group quickly arrived at the lodge. Leading them were two figures: one was a t man, well over two meters tall—a rarity even oh or in Strasb. A massive greatsword was strapped to his back, and a pair of fils hung from his belt. The ure caught Charlot off guard: Louis Simy, a mert he had entered at the Duchess of Messau's magical items au. They had even traded a multi-headed fil.

  Charlot was momentarily startled, but he quickly calcuted his move. Louis Simy, having just returned from afar, was uo be aware of ret events in Strasb. In this age devoid of instant unication, even explosive raveled slowly. Rather than deliberately avoiding Louis, it seemed wiser to approach him directly.

  As for whether Louis might report him upourning to Strasb...

  First, the matter involved signifit stakes, and a shrewd mert like Louis would undoubtedly weigh the risks. Sed, by the time aing could occur, Charlot po be long gone.

  Charlot stood, walking toward the group. He nodded slightly to the experienced demon hunter, White Wolf, before spreading his arms toward Louis Simy and saying, "Louis, what a surprise to see you here! I’m Kaina at the Duchess of Messau's magical items au."

  Louis Simy seemed slightly surprised, but as a seasoned mert, he tactfully avoided mentioning, "You seemed to go by Charlot Meburg st time." Instead, he smiled warmly and replied, "Life truly is full of surprises. Are you here to bee a demon hunter as well?"

  The two men embraced, briefly pressing their cheeks together—a formality reserved for close friendships.

  Charlot chuckled and said, "I ’t tread a sed path of transdence, or I’d certainly sider it."

  After a few pleasantries, Louis introduced Charlot to the demon hunter. "Kainan is a good friend of mine. We’ve done some magical items trade together."

  White Wolf extended a hand for a handshake, a brief introdu. "White Wolf, a demon hunter."

  Louis, ever adept at f viviality, chimed in. "I just returned from Byron, bringing bae of their specialty goods. I hired Mr. White Wolf for prote—he’s a reliable demon hunter."

  Charlot immediately felt reassured. If Louis had just e from the Byron Empire, he clearly hadn’t heard a news from Strasb.

  White Wolf was likely an alias, but since Charlot himself was using a false name, he naturally didn’t mind. Smiling, he expined, "I retly acquired a treasure map, so I joined an adveeam to explore it. I’m hoping for some modest gains."

  White Wolf’s eyes glimmered with i. "What treasure map?"

  Charlot smiled and casually fabricated, "I bought it from a sedhand shop. They say it’s a reli the a Orgdom."

  White Wolf’s i faded instantly, and he replied indifferently, "Those treasure maps are rarely reliable."

  Charlot had expected this rea. His story was a ve excuse to expin his presen Yorktown, and White Wolf’s ge in demeanor was hardly surprising.

  The group exged casual versation before entering the massive lodge. Charlot waved to his adveeam, the Giant Axe Adveeam, signaling them to join in.

  White Wolf didn’t seem to care about their presence, allowing the Giant Axe team to blend into the se. Upoering the lodge, he poio a burly man and said, "I’m off to take a bath. If you want drinks, just ask Sam and pay for them." With that, he strode away.

  The group apanying White Wolf sisted of only two assistants; the rest were Louis Simy’s men.

  Once White Wolf had departed, Louis turo Charlot with a smile. "Expl treasure requires plenty of gear. tally, I have some suitable wilderness supplies. If you see anything you like, feel free to take it—I’ll give you a friendly price."

  Louis gestured, and one of his men brought forth a colle of equipment, including several extraordinary ons.

  However, Charlot, in the midst of his escape, was eager to travel as lightly as possible. He had no i in purchasing equipment, let alone high-eraordinary ons that were beyond his financial reach despite his modest savings.

  Feigning i, Charlot ied the items briefly and noticed an unassuming bck ir among them. The ring, though pin and unremarkable, bore the crest of a branch family of the Arthur .

  The Arthur was one of the 37 vampire s and one of the three royal s, holding a status above even the six king s.

  Though Charlot couldn’t identify which branch family the crest represented, he was certain the ring was a vampire on.

  Curious, he picked it up, examining it briefly. Just as he was about to put it down, Louis Simy ented, "Mr. Meburg, are you ied in vampire ons? This one has a remarkable in, though I’ve yet to figure out how it funs as a on."

  "If you have any insights, Mr. Meburg, I’d be willing to pay for the knowledge."

  With White Wolf gohe Giant Axe members hesitated to intrude, watg from a distance as Charlot and Louis versed. With no outsiders nearby, Louis addressed Charlot by his true surname directly.

  Feeling uneasy, Charlot forced a smile and asked, "And how much are you willing to pay, Louis?"

  Louis pondered for a moment before responding, "I spent 95 écus on this ring, thinking I’d struck gold. As you know, the Arthur , one of the three royal vampire s, lends it undeniable value!"

  "However, I’ve been uo dis its funeaning I only sell it for a maximum of 110 écus. If you us true usage, I’d gdly offer you 30% of the pure profit as a reward."

  Charlot, intrigued, asked, "Have you sulted anyone skilled in Blood Glory for an appraisal?"