After a deep breath, Anna gazed at Arthur with a resolute expression.
"Then I will trust and follow your plan!" she declared.
Arthur smiled and felt a wave of relief wash over him.
Persuading Anna, who took great pride in her ancestry as a descendant of a prominent merchant family, had proven to be quite challenging.
However, it appeared that his worries were now unnecessary.
With a nod, Arthur rose from his chair, causing Anna to appear somewhat bewildered by his sudden action.
Confused by Arthur's abrupt actions, Anna inquired with a puzzled expression, "What's the matter, young Master Arthur? Shouldn't we be discussing your plans?"
Arthur chuckled, lightly flicked her forehead, and replied, "Silly girl, isn't this place unsuitable for discussing weighty matters like these?"
"Ouch!" Anna winced, holding her forehead and squinting her eyes.
"Hmph! You're just all talk!" Anna huffed, glancing away in irritation.
Her annoyed expression was undeniably adorable.
Witnessing her playful demeanor, Arthur smiled and pulled up the hood of his cloak, covering his face and part of his head.
"Very well, let's conceal our faces and make our way to your family's mansion to discuss our next steps," Arthur suggested.
"Oh, and I need to have a conversation with your father about something," he added casually.
Anna, still slightly miffed and wearing a pout, promptly rose from her seat and donned the hood of her cloak, mimicking Arthur's actions.
Noticing Anna's lingering anger, Arthur tenderly intertwined his palms with hers.
"You!" Anna's face, hidden beneath her cloak, flushed crimson, and though she initially intended to feign protest, the warmth of Arthur's hand caused her to withhold the words she had been about to utter, allowing herself to bask in the gentle touch.
Before long, the duo left the VIP room of the restaurant and made their way back to the inn where Arthur had been staying earlier, retrieving their luggage before embarking towards the Weis family mansion.
...
Meanwhile, in the Feywild Forest
*Wooshh!*
A cloaked figure astride a black horse swiftly galloped through the heart of Feywild Forest.
This mysterious rider was none other than Rian, determined to make his way to Arkham, the capital of the Balka Empire, without delay.
To reach Arkham as expeditiously as possible, he had forgone sleep throughout the night, relentlessly urging his horse forward.
Observing his steed's dwindling pace, Rian concluded, "I should pause briefly to rest and replenish the horse's energy."
Lowering the speed of his horse, Rian's gaze settled upon a sizable, verdant tree that appeared ideal for a moment of respite.
Adjacent to the tree, a small stream meandered gently, its crystalline waters providing a refreshing drink for his weary horse.
Without delay, Rian guided his horse toward the stream and dismounted from its saddle.
"Alright, go ahead and drink and rest to your heart's content," Rian uttered, gently stroking his horse's head.
"Hikkikik!"
The horse neighed in response, pressing its head against Rian's hand and displaying unmistakable signs of delight.
As the horse gradually settled down, finding solace by the river while savoring the cool water, Rian made his way unhurriedly toward the inviting shade of the luxuriant tree.
Taking a seat at its center, he let out a sigh.
"Huft! Was I too consumed by haste?" Rian pondered inwardly, leaning against the tree with one leg raised and the other stretched out before him.
In truth, Rian felt thoroughly fatigued from the relentless night-long ride, and if given the opportunity, he would have preferred to employ the teleportation ability bestowed upon elemental saints.
Yet, activating teleportation at his current stage as an elemental saint took an immense toll on his mana reserves.
Furthermore, he couldn't employ teleportation to a destination he had never previously visited.
Indeed, the power of teleportation is marked by a multitude of limitations, and in this world, its mastery is restricted to individuals who possess a natural affinity for space elements.
Even for highly skilled and experienced high-level elemental saints, mastering the art of teleportation presents a formidable challenge due to the significant mana expenditure it necessitates.
It is true that individuals of exceptional talent and those fortunate enough to ascend to the legendary Supreme level may exhibit a heightened proficiency in utilizing teleportation compared to most elemental saints.
The perplexing aspect lies in their seemingly boundless mana reserves, defying all conventional understanding.
"It appears that even with the aid of wind elemental arts to hasten my journey, it might still take us three days to reach Arkham," Rian murmured, his gaze shifting towards his horse, which continued to drink from the river with contentment.
Suddenly, a recollection sparked within him, prompting him to retrieve his space pouch.
Swiftly, he retrieved a scroll from his space pouch, its presence suddenly materializing in his palm.
Unfolding the scroll, Rian's eyes fixed upon a marked location—a distinctive red circle indicating the village of Fluhxly, capturing his immediate attention.
"My wife and daughter..." Rian muttered, his thoughts consumed by the sole woman and daughter who held a special place in his heart.
Tormented by the ghosts of his past selfishness, Rian was unable to shake off the burden of reflection that haunted him, reminding him of the painful time when he had callously abandoned his wife and daughter in his relentless pursuit of the power he had once coveted.
Yet, despite attaining everything he had desired, he had forgotten about them both and found himself in his present state.
Perhaps if he had not encountered Arthur, he would have remained oblivious to how to locate them.
Suddenly, his gaze shifted in the direction of Fluhxly village, which, to his surprise, lay just a few hundred miles from his current location.
Notably, it also aligned with the path towards Arkham.
Realizing that with the assistance of the wind elemental arts, his horse could carry him swiftly, Rian calculated that he could reach Fluhxly village in just a single day.
"It seems I must face them and confess my sins," Rian acknowledged, a heavy realization settling upon him.
"Regardless of whether they choose to forgive me or not, I must be prepared to accept the consequences," he resolved, taking a deep breath and steeling himself to rise and resume his journey.
However, a sudden chill sent shivers down his spine from behind!
"Killing intent! This is not good!" He exclaimed, swiftly channeling his mana towards his legs and propelling himself high into the air, aiming to reach his horse.
"Boom!"
In the blink of an eye, a ferocious attack struck the very spot where he had been seated, unleashing a devastating impact.
Rian swiftly landed beside his horse, which had also sensed the imminent danger.
"Hikkikikk!"
The horse cried out in distress, lifting its front legs in a state of panic.
"Calm down, don't worry..." Rian reassured him, quickly moving to comfort his horse, soothing it with gentle strokes and reassuring words.
Gradually, the horse also settled, and Rian turned his attention towards the source of the intense killing intent emanating from the treetop.
As the smoke from the attack he narrowly evaded dissipated, Rian's gaze fell upon five individuals perched on the tree branches, their presence ominous.
"You...?" Rian's voice carried a deep tone as he observed their figures clad in black robes, concealing their identities entirely.
On each of their waists, Rian noticed a badge displaying an emblem he immediately recognized.
"The emblem of the Light-Eater Organization?!" Rian exclaimed, taken aback, and instinctively took a step back.
Sensing Rian's gaze upon them, the five individuals gracefully descended from the tree branches, landing approximately twenty meters away from Rian's position.
"You... who are you all?" Rian's voice carried a tone of caution as he locked eyes with the five mysterious figures.
"Why would you attack me?" he demanded, his wariness evident in his expression.
Being the former leader of the Black Swan Organization, Rian was intimately familiar with the notorious Light-Eater Organization that had gained infamy several centuries ago.
The Light-Eater organization was known for harnessing forbidden powers, specifically the dark arts.
Rumors circulated that the Light-Eater Organization had conducted extensive research, culminating in the creation of an army capable of wielding the dark elemental arts they had devised.
Their activities had become such a menace that powerful individuals across the human continent banded together, launching a concerted attack to eradicate this nefarious organization.
The extent of their power during that era was truly unimaginable, and the far-reaching influence of their network was not to be underestimated.
As Rian laid eyes on the five individuals adorned with the forbidden emblem, a shiver ran down his spine.
Suddenly, one of the figures stepped forward slightly, positioning themselves at the center of the group.
"Are you Rian Fanhard?" A voice, indistinguishable in gender, emanated from beneath the cloak of the figure.
Observing this, Rian surmised that this individual was likely the leader of the group.
Rian took a deep breath, mustering his composure, and responded, "Yes, I am."
"Do you have any business with me?" Rian's tone remained composed, devoid of fear or panic.
Though he was indeed cautious, his background as a former leader of an organization of assassins had honed his ability to handle such situations.
Upon hearing Rian's response, the cloaked figure nodded slightly and remarked, "So it is indeed you."
"That information was obtained, indicating your presence in the southern region of the Balka Empire," the cloaked figure continued.
Rian furrowed his brow, contemplating the situation.
"According to the information?" he pondered.
As he clenched his fist, a man's face appeared in his mind.
"Was it you?!" Rian cursed inwardly, realizing that the subordinate who had betrayed him had likely sought assistance from these five individuals to track him down!
Rian took a deep breath to steady himself and asked in a hoarse voice, "What is your purpose in seeking me out?"
In response to his question, the cloaked figure raised a hand, prompting the four individuals behind it to assume aggressive stances.
"Of course, our purpose is to eliminate you!" the figure declared with chilling certainty.
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