All the strongest men from the forbidden village advanced to attack Lynaria. However, Lynaria remained calm and used her powers to command the monster to stop time. In an instant, everything froze. The villagers were turned into statues, and the wind ceased to move. Only Lynaria, the village chief, and the monster were still able to move.
Lynaria approached the frozen chief with deliberate steps, maintaining her composure as she asked him if he admitted his involvement in the events that had occurred. The chief, his pride unyielding, denied any wrongdoing and refused to admit anything to Lynaria. In response, he tried to strike her with a knife, but she swiftly avoided his attacks with ease. Each time he lunged at her, Lynaria effortlessly dodged. His frustration grew, and in his desperation, he began chanting a spell in an attempt to control the monster that had sided with Lynaria.
Before the chief could complete his incantation, Lynaria moved quickly, grabbing him by the throat and lifting him off the ground. With a powerful throw, she slammed him into the dirt, knocking the air from his lungs. Despite the pain, the chief struggled to escape, but Lynaria wasted no time. She gave the monster a command to take the chief away.
She instructed the monster to exact revenge, telling it to do whatever it wished to the chief. The monster, understanding her order, showed gratitude and swiftly carried the chief off toward the forbidden forest. Lynaria then restored time to its normal flow, and the villagers, who had been frozen in place, began to stir. Confused and disoriented, they looked around, unsure of what had just happened. Lynaria calmly explained the truth, revealing that the chief was the one responsible for the turmoil in their village. As the villagers listened, they began to understand the strange events that had unfolded around them.
After completing her mission, Lynaria returned to the palace. She made her way through the hall to report her task to the king. However, upon entering the room, her attention was drawn to a woman standing next to Kaelron—Azura, her half-sister.
Lynaria's presence caught Azura's attention, and with a dismissive attitude, Azura responded to Lynaria's cold gaze. Azura, in her usual haughty manner, questioned Lynaria about her appearance and actions, clearly enjoying the tension between them. Lynaria, in turn, rejected the idea of considering Azura a true sister, reminding her that she was an adopted child, not a blood relative. This declaration only served to infuriate Azura further.
Lynaria then turned her focus to Kaelron, setting aside her personal grievances. She reported the completion of her mission, revealing that the village chief was the true culprit and that he was now being taken by the wolf monster to the forbidden forest. Kaelron, listening to her report with his usual cold demeanor, gave her a simple order to clean herself up before resuming her duties at the security post.
As Lynaria made her way to her quarters, she was intercepted by Rivan, who, with a teasing smile, made a remark about Kaelron's new "toy." He asked if Lynaria was considering confronting Azura. In response, Lynaria, maintaining a composed expression, gently teased Rivan, asking if he had nothing better to do than meddle in her personal affairs. Rivan, though visibly irritated, brushed off her comments and walked away, leaving Lynaria to watch him with a faint, calculating gaze.
However, before Lynaria could continue, a familiar voice called out to her. It was Levin, not Rivan. After the brief misunderstanding, they exchanged words. Levin shared his frustrations about Azura's behavior, revealing that she acted as though she owned the place, behaving with the arrogance of a queen. Lynaria, in turn, laughed lightly at his complaints, remarking that Azura had always been this way since childhood.
Levin, still curious, asked about Lynaria's upbringing. She explained that while Azura had been pampered by their parents, she had been forced to work hard to help the family, spending her days gathering firewood and doing chores. Despite the unfairness of the situation, Lynaria never felt angry or jealous of Azura. She understood the differences in their positions—Azura was the biological child, and Lynaria was the adopted one. Nevertheless, their parents had treated them equally when it came to their needs.
Levin expressed sympathy for Lynaria's past, acknowledging the unfairness of her childhood. Yet, this sympathy was quickly overshadowed by Azura's dismissive remarks. Azura claimed that Lynaria should be grateful for being adopted by their parents, implying that she owed them something in return. Furious at Azura's attitude, Levin stood up for Lynaria, challenging Azura's harsh words. He pointed out that Lynaria had worked tirelessly for their family without ever demanding anything in return, and yet Azura was dismissing her efforts as though they meant nothing.
Azura, unrelenting, threatened to report Levin to Kaelron, but he remained unfazed, daring her to do so. Just as the tension between them began to escalate, Kaelron appeared, his presence immediately silencing the confrontation. Azura, sensing an opportunity, tried to twist the situation by accusing Levin and Lynaria of cornering her and claiming that Kaelron would soon marry another woman. However, Kaelron ignored Azura completely, addressing Lynaria instead.
Kaelron asked why she wasn't at her assigned post, and Lynaria, ever composed, apologized and explained she was about to leave. Kaelron, seemingly indifferent to the ongoing argument, stopped her before she could go. He instructed her to come with him, leaving everyone in the room to wonder what would happen next.