Althea knew that her name would trigger some not-so-pleasant memories if uttered in front of the people from five great powers.
"Is there anything wrong with my name, Master Ociath!" asked Althea with her 'I don't know anything' expression plastered on her face.
Ociath quickly pulled himself back from the shock, "It's nothing, your name just reminded me of my benefactor"
He sighed and continued, " too bad. I never got to repay her.
"So, it was like that," said Althea with a calm expression, but underneath that, her mind was in chaos.
"Miss Luvan, I hope you change your mind and join our force. Have a good rest, I will be taking my leave now"
After a few words of pleasantries, Ociath left the inn and Althea went to the room along with her mother.
"Do you want to take a warm bath first or dinner?" asked Furiana while taking out the spare dress.
Althea didn't hear what Furiana just said.
She was currently sitting on the table in the middle of the room with her eyebrows furrowed, her thumb and index fingers were pressing on the temple. She seemed to be lost in thoughts.
'Ociath Dann, have I met him before!"
Althea had an intuition that the benefactor Ociath mentioned was her. But Ociath was from Rainbow cloud Academy, and as far as she remembered, she had not to help anyone from the four great powers besides those from The Hall of the mage.
Also, Ociath left a good impression on her. He was neither haughty nor arrogant like others who hold high positions in the five great powers.
Not getting a reply from Althea, Furiana shakes her head and walked towards Althea.
Placing her hand on Althea's shoulder, she said, "Is there anything troubling you!"
"If you are thinking about Mori Clan's impudent act, I will let your grandfather handle it"
Althea snapped out of her thoughts and realized that she had let her mother misunderstood.
"I am sorry Mother, I was lost in some thoughts. It's not what you think. Of course, there will be retribution for Mori Clan but I will settle the score myself, I don't want to drag grandfather and Baro clan into this"
Furiana looked at her daughter with a stiff smile on her face. She felt like her daughter whom she had always pampered, spoiled, and raise without letting her involved in any kind of power struggle or mess was now exuding an aura of maturity and superiority.
She won't know why but she felt that the current Althea was quick-witted, fearless, decisive, and strong. She was no more the weak girl who always needed protection from her family. Her pitch-black eyes look like an endless abyss that is holding something unfathomable and capable of intimidating even the strongest existence under the heavens.
Furiana gently rubbed Althea's head with her palm and said with a smile, "You have grown up, Mother will listen to you"
After resting at the Starry inn for a night, they continued with the journey the next morning.
After passing the Pinewood town, they entered the Hollow Mountain range. It will take another five days to reach Twin Lake city. The Baro clan is under the Twin Lake city, it is right behind the Hollow Mountain range.
The outer edge of the Hollow Mountain range is used by the Baro clan to train and hone the skills of their younger generation. It is also the place where Althea nearly lost her life months back.
Aside from meeting few mountain bandits which Northem took care of, they didn't meet with any dangers on the way.
On the fifth day, by the time the sun started to look like a ripe tangerine placed on the peak of the mountain, a carriage made of rosewood came to a halt near the city gate of Twin Lake City.
"Five rizas per head if you want to enter the Twin Lake City", yelled one of the guards who was standing at the feet of the huge gate made of cyan-colored stone.
It is the cyan-colored stone that made Twin Lake city one of the prosperous cities in the Southern region. This stone is found only under the lake beds of Twin lake city. The demand for cyan-colored stones is high and so is the price.
From the carriage window, a pretty hand similar to that of a porcelain doll stretched out and showed a token made of black wood instead of handing out the money.
Recognizing the token, the guard immediately became respectful and bowed.
"This lowly one didn't know that it was the Lady of the Baro clan. Forgive me for my lack of sight"
Then he turned around and shouted, "Open the gate, it's the lady of the Baro clan"
The carriage entered Twin Lake city and took a left turn after entering the gate and traveled along the city walls.
After traveling for an hour, the carriage once again halted at the foot of a mountain.
The sun had already set and it was near dusk, with the sky growing dark in the distance.
"We are finally here", Furiana smiled and got out of the carriage.
Taking out the token which was made of black wood once again, she infused her energy inside the token and after that, she tossed it on the empty air.
After a while, the normal-looking mountain underwent a huge change. The green trees were no more in the sight instead, it was replaced by buildings of different sizes.
Althea looked at the mountain from the carriage window and muttered 'The Deception Formation'
Looking at the energy ripples, Althea easily recognized what kind of mountain formation the Baro clan had set up. She also knew that the formation was made by a Mage at the senior level possessing both Red and Orange spirit lights.
Those below senior level will not be able to look through the mountain but those at the senior level and above can easily look through it.
Althea furrowed her brows, she knows that in the Southern region, the highest level experts are only those at peak high level so there isn't much to worry about but there is always what if in every situation.
After a while, Althea's furrowed eyebrows relaxed and her eyes turned into the shape of a crescent moon and she said to herself in a soft voice with a chuckle,
"Looks like I can never abandon my old hobby"
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The Author has something to say: If you are yet to realize what old hobby our MC is talking about... (/'3') go face the wall and reflect upon yourself.
And if you have got it...comment down
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