Several hours later, night had fallen once again.
They stopped in a flat, grassy field, where Xenon ordered the Shadow Legion to grill a boar.
The night was a little cold. Shoko sat beside the bonfire, gazing at the dark horizon.
Meanwhile, Iris remained inside the carriage. Ever since Xenon told her his name, they hadn't spoken again.
Although she had been surprised, she hadn't asked any more questions. She simply couldn't believe that the man Karina had told her about last week was the same one who had saved her—albeit unintentionally—only to demand a payment of two million gold coins.
That was now her problem. Even though her father was an Imperial Guardian, she had no idea if he could come up with that much money.
As she looked out the carriage window, her body tensed when she saw Xenon walking toward her.
A moment later, he called out, "Let's eat."
"I'm not hungry. I'm fine here," Iris replied. In truth, she was starving, but she refused to eat Xenon's food.
What if she agreed to eat, only for him to say, 'That'll be another million gold coins.'
No, she wouldn't take the risk. She would endure until morning—by then, they would surely reach Tazar City.
Xenon, however, met her gaze, his eyes lingering on her striking purple irises before he chuckled. He already knew what she was thinking.
"Don't worry. The food is included in the one-million-gold-coin escort package," he said. "But if you really don't want to eat, that's fine. Join us if you change your mind."
With that, he turned and walked back to the bonfire, where he ate the grilled meat prepared by his subordinates.
The Shadow Legion didn't need food to sustain themselves, yet they ate anyway. As for Xenon, he could feel hunger, but as a Martial Apprentice at Stage Four, his endurance was exceptional. He could survive for a month without eating.
Iris, on the other hand, was just an ordinary human—and right now, her hunger was unbearable.
She watched from a distance before finally giving in. She walked over, grabbed some meat, then quickly returned to the carriage to eat in private.
An hour passed. The night deepened, and the stars shone brightly in the sky.
Inside the carriage, Iris was still awake, writing under the dim glow of a lantern.
She paused when she noticed Xenon entering.
"W-what are you doing here?" she stammered.
"Nothing. Just checking on you." His gaze flickered to the papers in her hands. "What's that?"
"My research. As a scholar, I study and document knowledge about this world." She resumed writing.
"Knowledge about this world, huh…" Xenon mused. A faint smile crossed his lips. "I have that knowledge. Do you want to learn?"
Iris looked up at him, scrutinizing his expression. She didn't doubt his words. Xenon was a mystery—too powerful, too well-connected. His subordinates were strong enough to rival the Imperial Family. He was clearly no ordinary man.
She narrowed her eyes. "Will I have to pay another million gold coins for that knowledge?"
Xenon laughed.
"Of course not. It's still part of the escort package." He extended a hand toward her. "Come on, let's talk outside. The night is beautiful."