Confused, enraged, and seething with hatred, Aron barely controlled himself from ripping Leo's heart out.

Instead, he carefully dragged Leo away from the lab, where his elf friend Lirael was waiting outside. Together, they took Leo to the infirmary, where a few of the newly transformed Watchers volunteered to care for him.

Healers were one of the most critical assets the Frostguard desperately needed. None of the one thousand eight hundred men under Aron's command were healers. The closest thing he got was two of the five elves who used nature magic with some healing properties, but their abilities paled in comparison to a dedicated healer.

Dropping Leo in the infirmary, Aron quickly returned to the lab, resuming the awakening ritual. His goal was to end it today, and he wouldn't rest or let Leo's incident affect his mind.

In truth, Aron had a hunch about his sudden loss of control over his actions and his urge to kill Leo, a hunch that he confirmed by recalling one of the two types of manas that were locked in a struggle within Leo's chest.

Holy Magic.

A switch flipped inside his mind. The moment Aron sensed holy magic, his dragon instincts took over, driving him to react with violence and aggression. It was a primal response ingrained deep within him.

Furthermore, the awakening potion itself reacted to the holy magic. Since Aron's blood was a key ingredient in the potion, his will and emotions were imbued within it. The moment Leo awakened the holy magic, the mana responsible for the transformation, it reacted instinctively based on Aron's will.

"Holy magic..." Aron muttered to himself as he settled back in his chair, observing the awakening ritual. His eyes widened in realization as a connection formed in his mind. "...Sol?"

'Sol is the aspect of the sun. Does holy magic come from her? Is Leo one of her followers? I doubt it. That boy doesn't strike me as a believer, in her or anything for that matter…wait. Valarian used holy magic in front of me. Why didn't I react to him the same way as Leo?'

As he watched the awakening ritual unfold, Aron couldn't shake the feeling of unease that gnawed at him. Just the thought of it made his blood boil. Sensing himself on the verge of losing control again, Aron took a deep breath to compose himself.

'I'll have my answers later when I finish my business in the southern city.'

…

Midnight.

Ernyndor slipped out of the barracks while everyone slept. The awakening rituals had concluded an hour before midnight, successfully transforming everyone into Watchers, with the sole exception of Luca.

Since the Watcher's awakening potion altered one's appearance, and Luca's unique magic was based on appearance, Aron didn't want to risk transforming Luca into a Watcher. The chance that Luca might lose his ability to switch faces was slim to none, and in fact, none of the newly transformed Watchers had lost their previous magic.

Despite this knowledge, Aron withheld the potion from him solely due to the Watchers' characteristics. He suspected that if Luca became a Watcher, his hair and eyes would forever remain silver and crimson even after switching faces. This likely wouldn't happen, and Luca would be able to use his magic as before. However, since there was a chance of something unexpected, Aron wasn't willing to take the risk, as one of his plans relied heavily on Luca.

Ernyndor moved stealthily through the darkened alley of the Frostguard Keep, his mind focused on his mission. He never guessed that his luck would be this good. His group happened to be inside the lab when the incident with Leo occurred.

While the Lord Commander was preoccupied with containing the violent energy from the cocoon, a Watcher awakening potion mysteriously fell to the floor near him. Just as he was about to leave the lab when they were ordered to evacuate.

Ernyndor didn't hesitate. Pretending to trip, he swiftly hid the potion under his shirt. He then slammed his head against the stone floor to fabricate an excuse to return to the barracks to clean his wound, where he concealed the potion.

Exhausted from the awakening, everyone was fast asleep. Reborn into new bodies consumed a lot of energy, taking a toll on them. Ernyndor took advantage of this with an important mission in hand; he refused to waste another second, slipping away unnoticed as his comrades succumbed to exhaustion.

Minutes later, Ernyndor successfully snuck behind the stable near the east wall. He raised his head towards the sky and whistled in a specific way, channeling mana into his mouth. This was one of the signals he learned in the army to identify himself among enemies.

"Hmm?" The moment he finished whistling, he heard a flapping of wings. His eyes darted across the night sky until he spotted a cerulean ethereal eagle.

The ethereal eagle was a familiar, a spirit of sorts that mages could form contracts with. Familiars had many uses: some excelled at scouting, others in combat, but the rarest were those that could transform into objects like weapons, armor, or jewelry that could enhance the user's magical powers.

Ernyndor's heart raced as the ethereal eagle descended gracefully from the sky With a sense of urgency, he approached the ethereal eagle holding in his hand the awakening potion.

With a sense of urgency, Ernyndor approached the ethereal eagle, holding in his hand the awakening potion. As the majestic bird landed before him, he extended the potion toward it, his eyes gleaming with determination.

"This is the potion. Take this to your master," Ernyndor commanded, his voice steady despite the adrenaline coursing through his veins.

The ethereal eagle regarded Ernyndor with its piercing blue eyes as if assessing the gravity of the task entrusted to it. Without hesitation, it gently accepted the potion in its talons, its ethereal form shimmering in the moonlight.

With a powerful beat of its wings, the ethereal eagle soared back into the night sky, its purpose resolute. Ernyndor watched as it disappeared into the distance, a surge of hope blossoming within him. He believed his actions would usher in a new era for the kingdom.

He retrieved the communication orb from his pocket, leaving a message for the king's advisor confirming the mission's success. As he reached to return the orb, a shadowy hand materialized from beneath it, snatching the orb before it vanished completely. In its place, the shadowy hand deposited another orb, identical to the first, all without Ernyndor noticing.

Elated, Ernyndor made his way back to the barracks, hoping to catch some sleep. He remained blissfully unaware that his every move had been meticulously observed.

…

In the Lord's office.

Aron was engrossed in a draconic tome when his head snapped up, his gaze flickering towards the door.

A shadow, swift as a serpent pursuing prey, slithered in from beneath the door, engulfing his desk and his lower body in its inky embrace.

A chuckle escaped Aron's lips as Kasumi slowly emerged from the shadow right into his lap, her movements fluid and silent. She seemed to materialize seamlessly as if the darkness itself had birthed her presence.

She twined her arms around his neck, nuzzling her head against his chest, a purr rumbling in her throat as if seeking solace in his presence.

"Master…Master," she murmured, her voice low and warm with affection.

Aron gently stroked her raven hair, inquiring, "Is it done?"

"Mm." A barely perceptible nod followed, her eyes fluttering closed as she reveled in the rhythm of his powerful heartbeat. A comfortable silence settled between them, a shared moment of intimacy. Then, Kasumi abruptly spoke.

"Master, why don't we kill that man or toss him in the dungeon? I mean, we're done with him right?"

Aron's fingers continued to trace soothing patterns along Kasumi's back as he contemplated her question. The warmth of her presence enveloped him, offering a comforting anchor amidst the storm of his thoughts.

"Not yet," he replied, shaking his head. "He still serves a purpose. Besides, I'm rather curious to see the expression on his face when he realizes his actions have condemned thousands."

A mischievous glint sparked in Kasumi's eyes at the memory. "Heheh~ too bad you didn't see his face when I 'accidentally' dropped that potion near him, Master."

Aron's lips curled into a sly smile at Kasumi's words. "Oh? Do tell, Little fox."

She giggled, saying. "His eyes nearly bulged from their sockets, Master. He couldn't believe his luck, and the way he trembled, trying to contain his glee... it was quite..." she trailed off, a smirk playing on her lips, "entertaining to watch, to say the least."

Aron laughed softly, imagining the scene; Ernyndor had been dancing on his strings since their very first encounter. "Indeed, it seems our little pawn deserves a reward," Aron remarked, amusement coloring his tone.

"!!!" Kasumi's eyes widened at the word "reward." With lightning speed, she seized Aron's shoulders, rocking him back and forth playfully. "Master! Me! Me! Reward me! You promised a reward for a successful mission!"

'Did I say that? When?' Aron chuckled at Kasumi's sudden burst of enthusiasm, her eagerness as infectious as ever, especially when it came to something she desired.

"Of course, my dear Kasumi," he reassured her, his tone indulgent.

Kasumi's eyes sparkled with anticipation, a wide grin spreading across her face. "Oh, thank you, Master! Thank you!" she exclaimed, her excitement palpable.

"So what do you want as a reward?" he asked.

"!!!" Kasumi froze, momentarily speechless. After a pause, she lowered her head, burying her face in her cascading dark hair, mumbling unintelligible words.

Aron watched with amusement as Kasumi seemed momentarily flustered by his question. He leaned closer, attempting to decipher her muffled words.

"Kasumi? Do you have something to say?" he asked gently, his voice laced with amusement. When he tried to reach for her chin, Kasumi abruptly lifted her head. Her gaze met his, blazing with an unfamiliar intensity. A flush crept up her neck, painting her cheeks a vibrant crimson.

"I want what you did with Scarlett-dono!" she blurted out, her voice trembling slightly.

"Cough!…Cough!" Stunned at her bold request, Aron couldn't help but cough. "W-What?" he stammered, blinking rapidly in disbelief. "How?"

Thud! Thud!

The reply came in the form of a barrage of punches, surprisingly forceful, rained down on his chest. "Bastard, asshole!... A m-mean Master, h-how could you do this to me?" Kasumi sputtered, her face burning with embarrassment. "Do you have any idea what I went through that night? Did you forget that all of your thoughts and emotions could be transferred to me?"

The revelation struck Aron like a bolt of lightning. His eyes widened in horror as Kasumi's punches continued, her words stinging like arrows. He lost his balance and tumbled backward, falling on the floor.

Kasumi landed on top of him, her normally playful eyes now dark and devoid of their usual spark. In a voice devoid of warmth, she uttered a single word. "Master."

"!!!" The hollow echo of the title sent shivers down Aron's spine. The look on her face was SCARY! Aron even second-guessed that the person on top of him was actually the gentle Kasumi he knew.

"Master," she repeated, her voice low and dangerous. "You either grant my request or..." a chilling smile played on her lips, devoid of any humor, "...for your own safety, you'd better agree. Okay?"

At that moment, a single thought echoed relentlessly in Aron's mind.

''Women are truly terrifying creatures.'

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