Furiana walked back towards the carriage. Noticing the mischievous smile on Althea's face, she softly rapped on her head, "What is going on inside that small head of yours?"
Quickly raising her hand to cover her head, Althea answered back with a question, "Mother, what do you think ?"
"Probably thinking about stealing my token so that you can sneak out and play", answered Furiana.
Althea leaned back and said, "Now that Mother looked through my thoughts, I have no choice but to give up"
The Carriage entered the mountain as the mother and daughter chatted happily.
After half an hour, the Coachman said, "My Lady, we are here"
Following this, Althea and Furiana got out of the carriage.
"Eldest Miss has arrived, quickly informed the Clan leader"
"Greetings to Eldest Miss and Young miss"
One of the guards shouted to the nearby servant and quickly went over to greet them.
Althea and Furiana both nodded and walked towards the clan's main hall.
Inside the main hall, Hruth Baro was sitting in the middle of the high-raised platform. A little further down were four elders and in the hall, several clan members were standing.
Hruth Baro looked down and sweeping his gaze on the clan members he stood up and his gaze paused at the younger generations of the clan.
He was wearing a dark blue robe with a golden rim, with one hand on his back he exerted his momentum and said, "This time, if anyone of you dared to pull tricks on Althea behind my back, I won't let it go easily"
Cold sweat started to form on the foreheads of the young people. No one dared to utter a single word. At this moment, a servant rushed inside the main hall, and with his head lowered, he reported.
"Clan Leader, the Lady, and Young Miss have arrived and are on the way to the main hall"
Hearing the report, Hruth Baro's fierce attitude softens and he withdrew his momentum, "Okay, let them come in once they reach."
All the younger generations secretly heaved a relief inside their mind.
"I felt like a huge mountain was pressing over my shoulder. Scared me to death", said a teenage girl wearing a yellow dress in a low voice. She looked to be around sixteen to seventeen years old.
" Sister Eliav, you at least broke through to mid-level. With my fifth stage low-level strength, I didn't even dare to breath", said the other girl in pink dress gasping for breath.
Similar discussions were going on among the other young people in low voice.
After a short while, the mother and daughter pair arrived at the main hall. Looking at the tense atmosphere in the hall, Althea raised the corners of her mouth.
'looks like something interesting happened before I arrived' thought Althea as she strode inside the main hall with her mother with a slight smile on her face.
"Furiana, Althea!" There was a joy in his voice. Hruth got up and went down the platform. At this moment, he longer looked like a clan leader but a doting father.
"Greetings to Father"
"Greetings to Grandfather"
Both Althea and Furiana bowed towards Hruth Baro.
"Welcome back to clan Eldest Miss and young miss"
The Elders and other clan members warmly welcomed them.
"How was the journey? did anything happen on the way?", asked Hruth Baro.
"Relax father, nothing happened. Look at us, aren't we standing in front of you fully intact!" said Furiana.
"It's good that nothing happened. It's already late, take Althea and go rest. We will talk tomorrow. Both of you might be tired of the long journey" said Hruth Baro.
Althea and Furiana went to their courtyard. Furiana has her courtyard still maintained even after she got married. Hruth Baro ordered that the courtyard be maintained as it is like before so that his daughter could use it when she comes back to the clan for a visit.
After taking a warm bath, the mother and daughter ate a hearty meal and went to sleep.
At midnight, Althea who was sleeping suddenly open her eyes and got up. She quickly dressed up and tied up her hair with a white ribbon.
Althea slowly opened the door and walked out. She looked towards the door where her mother was sleeping and released her divine sense to probe. After confirming that Furiana was sleeping peacefully, she withdrew her divine sense and walked out of the courtyard.
After that, she waved her hand towards one of the dark corners.
Within a second, Northem flashed out and half kneeled towards Althea.
"Young Miss, what is your order?"
"Get up and follow me"
Avoiding the patrolling guards, Althea went down the mountain steadily.
Northem didn't question anything and simply followed behind Althea. If it was before, he would not casually follow the orders of a mere sixteen-year-old girl but after following and observing Althea during the journey, his impression about Althea took a three-sixty degrees turn.
They soon arrived at the bottom of the mountain.
There were few patrolling guards at the foot of the mountain. Althea took out a black incense stick and burn the incense using her flame. She turned back and motioned towards Northem to hold his breath which the latter quickly comply.
Using her energy, Althea guided the smoke produced from the incense towards the patrolling guards. Soon, after inhaling the smoke, the guards fell one by one unconscious.
After taking care of the guards, Althea quickly put out the incense and keep it back on her.
Then, she got out of the hiding place and started to do her work.
Althea lowered her head and walked left and right at the foot of the mountain. Sometimes bending and picking up something, sometimes throwing something in a certain direction, sometimes squatting down and arranging something. This went on for an hour.
Northem didn't complain or utter a single word. He simply guarded Althea and keep a lookout in case someone bumped into them.
After a while, Northem saw that Althea who was squatting down and arranging something suddenly got up and motioned at him to come.
Northem quickly went over, "Young Miss, is there anything I can help you with!"
Althea nodded and pointing at small pieces of rock embedded on the earth at her feet, she said, "Look closely at this, focus on that heptagon shape stone and pour all your energy into that small stone"
Northem didn't question anything and did as he was told. He continued to pour all his energy into that heptagon shape stone. After a while when his energy was about to drain out completely, he saw a faint blue light emerged from the small stones and it started to stretch it towards both left and right direction forming intricate designs.
Only after witnessing this scene did Northem finally understood what Althea was doing before.
He turned towards Althea with shock and said with a stammer, " Young..miss, this....this is...."
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The author has something to say: To all my loyal readers, this Grandaunt apologizes for not updating for nearly two weeks. I am sorry ×.× I was busy with the University exams.