The journey to the empire by carriage was an additional three days. By horse, it would''ve taken only a few hours depending on how stealth the stallion was. Despite the uncertainty of how long they''d be staying in the empire, the group packed light.


    Mirabelle remained behind in the Mavez Dukedom to oversee the implementation of the training system crafted by Killorn''s careful guidelines. Killorn made sure every singleponent was covered, from the budgets allocations to the soldier''s breaktimes and regiments, until not a single stone was left untouched.


    Killorn had taken Beetle with him, but left Gerald behind, for at least one of the other-inmands should stay. Gerald was best at being as stern as Killorn and was always known as the Beta, second-inmand, which meant he best suited the position. Besides, with the cheerful Mirabelle and solemn Gerald, there was a perfect bnce.


    "Mydy, mydy," Beetle cheerifully stated when he saw her curious expression. "Look, a flower bouquet for you."


    Ophelia quietly blinked at the sight of the strange nts of all shapes and sizes. She curiously tilted her head, wondering when he had the time to collect these. She nced at herp and saw that once again, the puppy did nothing, but eat dried meat and then sleep.


    With hesitation, Opehlia nced out the window, where her husband was leading the pack. Killorn was engrossed in a conversation with one of the soldiers, not even pausing to see someone else was wooing his woman.


    "T-thank you," Ophelia murmured, reaching out to grab it, but her attention was stuck on the beautiful scenery leading to the empire. The cold weather was melting the closer they traveled to the empire, but the trees and ground was still filled with a thinyer of snow.


    Suddenly, Beetle pulled his hand away. "You must be careful."


    Ophelia felt like a fool. Perhaps he was right, she looked like a shy maiden being courted. Awkwardly, she opened her mouth, but he shook his head.


    "You see this white flower that resembles baby puffs but are shaped like a hanging bell?" Beetle described. "This one is for coughs and colds. It grows primarily in the northern region, where the weather is often frigid."


    Ophelia blinked. Oh, a herb lesson, how fun. She peered closer at the nt.


    "And this nt right here with sandy petals are rare to the north, but can sometimes be found in the empire. They''re for sore throats and stuffy noses," Beetle continued.


    Ophelia wondered why the sudden introduction. Then, she peered out the window again and saw Killorn was still distracted. Her shoulders fell a bit.


    Throughout the entire journey, they had only stopped for breaks, food, or to sleep for a bit, but Killorn seldom interacted with her. He was often talking to the soldiers, instructing them on the proper method of this and that, or watching out for messenger birds. Perhaps this was Beetle''s attempt to cheer her up?


    "Lastly," Beetle mused, presenting her a white flower with blue inner petals and thin ck branches running through it.


    Ophelia was instantly bewitched. "This is a flower native to the Mavez Dukedom, buttely, they''ve been found a bit further from our territory. These are one of the more deadly nts."


    Ophelia pulled away, startled.


    "You can pry off these ck branches," Beetle murmured, demonstrating it for her and then he leaned real close and personal, dropping his voice. "Not many know the next part, can you keep a secret for me, mydy?"


    Ophelia naively peered up at him. His eyes were friendly, with specks of brown like swirling autumn leaves. His freckles became even more prominent, peppered across his tanned skin, with his curly brown hair grazing ever so slightly across his thin eyebrows.


    "Y-yes," Ophelia mumbled.


    "The nt itself is harmless to werewolves," Beetle proudly told her. "But rumor has it, if these ck parts are digested," he held up the ck stems he plucked from the petal. "They can kill a grown vampire."


    Ophelia''s breath died in her throat. Her head snapped up at him in disbelief. F-for a human girl to murder a vampire, that was a crime worthy of banishment or death by torture! She pulled away immediately, but Beetle brought his horse closer and continued poking his head inside.


    "I am telling you this mydy in the instance that you are ever attacked," Beetle murmured to her whilst sticking his hands inside.


    Ophelia shakingly stared at him in disbelief, suddenly not wanting the flowers anymore.


    "Take it and learn from these lessons, mydy. The empire is not kind to human girls—but neither is the world," Beetle stated.


    "Oye, Beetle! Quit harassing our Luna!" someone loudly shouted just to poke and tease at him. Nervous chuckles followed, but everyone silenced when Killorn sharply turned his head.


    Ophelia took the flowers with trembling hands. She breathed out, holding the flower native to Mavez Dukedom closer to her chest. She wanted to treasure such a flower, for she didn''t know how long it''d be before shest saw it.


    "What did he just say?" A deadly voice sliced through the frigid air. Someone gulped, not sure what to do.


    Ophelia''s heart skipped at the ferocity of her husband''s voice. She quickly poked her head out. Immediately, she regretted the action, but seeing Beetle''s wry smile, she knew she had to step in.


    "L-look, f-flowers," Ophelia shyly admitted, holding it out for him to see alongside her face.


    Killorn narrowed his eyes. He gestured for his men to ride onwards, whilst hegged his horse behind. Beetle smiled to himself and before Killorn could whack him on the head, the man rode faster to the frontlines. It was almost as if Beetle''s intentions were to get Killorn closer to Ophelia.


    "They''re ugly," Killorn said the second he reached her side by the carriage window.


    Ophelia''s lips parted in confusion and she nced down at the flowers. "N-no, they''re not. L-look, t-this one is n-native to Mavez Dukedom."


    Killorn''s lips twitched. "You think I wouldn''t recognize a flower I grew up seeing?"


    Ophelia''s face turned red at his words. She pulled away from the window and nced at herp to hide her embarrassment. Of course he knew. Here she was, being excited like a child to show him the gift, but he reminded her of the truth. Suddenly, her handsome husband let out a soft chuckle.


    "I''ve neglected you, my lovely wife."


    Ophelia''s head snapped up. Her heart melted at the sight of his majestic face. "O-oh no, y-you''ve been s-so amodating…"


    Killorn offered her a shake of his head. He reached for her hood and pulled it down, catching her by surprise. Then, he tenderly stroked her hair, his ck gloves a sharp contrast to her pale hair. The weather was warmer in the empire than it was in the Dukedom, filling her silver hair with a slight yellow tinge. If he didn''t know correctly, he thought he was stroking white gold.


    "We''re almost there, Ophelia. Just a few hours away," Killorn spoke in a patient and low voice. She timidly nced up at him, her eyes bewitching him within seconds. There was a twinge of excitement within those amethyst gaze that peered up at him with too much earnesty.


    "W-won''t j-join me in the carriage?" Ophelia nervously asks him. "I-it''s sorge and g-grand for one person."


    Killorn paused and nced in her direction. Then, he slowly shook his head, his hair moving with him. "No, I must continue leading my men."


    "O-oh…" Ophelia murmured. "A-are you going to stay by my s-side for a bit l-longer? We haven''t had a proper conversation f-for three days."


    Killorn quirked a perfect brow. "We did. I asked what you wanted every meal time, if you''d like a snack, or if you werefortable."


    Ophelia''s shoulders dropped. That wasn''t what she meant. "I-I wanted an a-actual conversation."


    "When we get to the castle, you will always have my attention when I am avable," Killorn reminded her in a patient andposed voice. She peered up at him, almost ecstatic by the thought. He felt his chest ache.


    Ophelia was tragically beautiful. There was not a single moment where he was lost admiring her looks, whether it was her adorable button nose, or the slight flush of her milky cheeks, or perhaps, when her gaze were lit up to rival stars upon the night skies.


    "And when we''re there, we shall rest for as long as you please, before I entertain you in bed—" he cut himself off.


    "HALT!" Killornmanded and immediately, everyone came to a stop.


    Killorn''s grip tightened on the reins of Eggshell when he saw the red banners approaching closer. Irritation filled his eyes as he roughly yanked the curtains of the enormous carriage shut.


    "Everest," Killorn gritted out at the sight of the man dressed in gold and red.


    Everest sat proud and regal upon his white horse, his blond hair like gold under the sunlight. He tilted his head, his ruby red eyes surveying them.


    "I''vee to greet you into the empire, we have a surprise awaiting you," Everest mused, but his attention was stuck to the carriage, where he could''ve sworn he caught a glimpse of the white hair and purple eyed-beauty.


    "Whatever it is, shove it back to where we came from," Killorn deadpanned. "I have no need for it."


    "Ah, but we prepared it especially to wee the new defenders of the Empire''sst defense, the Mavez Dukedom. You know, ever since you took the status of Alpha a few months ago with your Forest of Blood incident, we never got to properly congratte and crown you—"


    "Alpha!" a voice cried out in disbelief.


    Immediately, Killorn''s head snapped up in time to feel the ground tremble, wicked giggles filling the air, and then, the sh of horrid green skin.


    "You''ve gotta be kidding me," Everest murmured, his attention aligning in the same direction. It was a good thing he came with his soldiers as well—all of whom bear an irritable loyalty to the Mavez Dukedom.


    Everest drew his sword at the same time that Killorn took him out.


    "An ambush on all sides… there''s hoards of goblins heading our way!"