Passing through the grand entrance of the mansion, Aron and Kasumi spotted three figures poised to knock on the door. Two men and a woman.

"Who are they?" Kasumi pondered, stealing a glance at her master. Upon witnessing the intensity of his gaze, she instinctively retreated a few steps.

Aron was pissed, it didn't stop at the recent revelations that really got under his skin. Mainly Sol and the concealed names of him and his brother, at the end of the vision. Which led Aron to suspect that there was more to the loss of his name than mere memory.

As for Sol. Aron knew himself well enough to understand he wasn't the type to enter into a marriage for political gain or alliance.

Initially, he thought that the marriage hadn't transpired, or at least he hoped, however, the fury and sorrow he experienced in his vision hinted otherwise.

For Sol's betrayal to cut this deep, Aron deduced that they must have been involved romantically or had wedded at some point.

To exacerbate matters, an audacious trio dared to encroach upon his domain, the Dragon's lair. For that, Aron didn't hesitate to unleash his skill [Ancient Dominance] to instill fear in their hearts.

"!!!" Aron's aura, amplified by his skill [Ancient Dominance], descended upon the trio like a suffocating blanket of dread. Sensing the impending danger, the two men clad in elegant steel armor with crimson caps sprang into action, reacting swiftly to protect their companion.

With practiced precision, they cast a protective barrier around the woman, their movements fluid and synchronized. The barrier shimmered with magical energy shielding the woman from the terrifying aura.

Despite the protective barrier, the woman's expression betrayed her, especially when she saw her bodyguards kissing the ground.

The bodyguards weren't exactly weak by any means. No, they were strong and talented enough to catch her eyes and win a sponsorship.

She provided them with the best gear, training, and supplements that money could buy. The woman couldn't even count the time that her bodyguard saved her life, yet those same men were kissing the ground unable to do anything against the pale man.

"W-Who are you?" she stammered, her voice trembling with a mixture of fear and uncertainty. Her gaze darted nervously between Aron and her men.

"My question exactly. You stand upon my domain. State your purpose!" Aron's voice sliced through the tension like a razor, its cold, commanding tone leaving no room for misunderstanding. He stood tall and imposing, his crimson eyes flashing with an intensity that sent shivers down the woman's spine.

The woman opened her eyes wide hearing his words. 'This is him!' she thought, swallowing hard as her heart raced. She hastily bowed in deference, placing a hand over her chest.

"I-I apologize," she stammered, her voice faltering as she attempted to find the right words. "We meant no disrespect. We come seeking an audience with you, bearing a proposition that we believe could be of mutual benefit."

Aron regarded the woman with a stern expression, maintaining a silence that only added to her discomfort.

She prepared herself for escape should Aron decide to dig a grave for her and her men. She didn't question for a second that he wouldn't do it; now she knew he had the guts to kill anyone with cold blood. After all, that was precisely why she sought him out.

Little did she know that she was surrounded from all sides by the Alpha Team.

After eliminating the White Falcons, Scarlett and Kasumi decided to make the Alpha team a permanent one, tasking them with safeguarding the mansion for the time being.

From the moment the trio set foot on the premises, they had been under close surveillance. The Tigress was perfectly blended with the bushes around the mansion, allowing her to move freely and stealthily.

Even if the trio managed to escape the mansion, their only logical path is the forest on the right side of the mansion.

However lurking inside the forest was a more terrifying woman than the Tigress, a Royal Aranchane. Aria was slowly expanding her influence in the forest.

Finally breaking the silence, Aron spoke, his voice cutting through the silence like a blade.

"Speak," he commanded, his tone cold and unwavering.

Before the woman could respond, the mansion door swung open, allowing Scarlett to step forward.

"Boss, I understand your frustration, but we should at least entertain her proposal," she urged, gesturing toward the entrance. "Please, come inside."

Scarlett's presence seemed to ease the tension slightly, though Aron's gaze remained fixed on the woman and her companions. He took a deep breath, deactivating his skill, and allowing the two men to catch their breath. He gestured for them to enter and the woman complied, offering a silent expression of gratitude as she passed Scarlett.

The two men exchanged a silent look, their expressions mirroring the uncertainty; however, they followed their employer.

Once inside, the woman navigated the corridors with practiced ease, as if she knew the layout of the mansion. She sat quietly on the couch waiting for Aron, her bodyguards positioned themselves dutifully behind her.

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The two guards didn't know what was wrong with their employer; ever since she stepped inside the mansion, she kept glancing around, with a sense of nostalgia, she even stopped for a moment staring at a simple painting of an apple tree in a green field.

"Here you go" Mai approached, placing a cold drink for the woman to calm her nerves. She even gave the two guards a drink, which they happily accepted.

Step. Step.

Stepping inside the room. Aron immediately sat on the opposite couch from the woman. Behind him stood Kasumi, Scarlett, and Elina.

Aron thought that if he was to decide something regarding the woman's offer, then the three girls must be present, given their roles within his lair.

As Aron settled into his seat, his crimson eyes bore into the woman, assessing her. She was wearing an elegant one-piece olive dress that draped gracefully around her figure. Her light-brown hair was covered by a scarf of the same olive hue, giving her a mysterious yet refined appearance. She was also carrying an umbrella in the same color. Her eyes, a captivating shade of emerald green, held a glint of determination for the first time as she met Aron's gaze.

"I appreciate your willingness to hear me out, my name is Isobel Carter, a member of Larton council" she introduced herself with a steady voice despite the intensity of the situation.

Returning the gesture, Aron introduced himself "My name is Aron and these are my family" pointing to the girls behind him, he intentionally did not tell Isobel their names.

"Now, pray tell, why have you come?" he inquired, his tone measured yet authoritative.

Isobel took a deep breath collecting her thoughts, she gazed at Aron with determination and said. "I want you to eliminate a few nobles for me. In exchange, I'll give you everything I possess."

Of all the things Aron and the girls expected from the woman's proposition, killing was at the bottom of the list.

"Killing nobles…Interesting" Aron mused, his tone neutral yet contemplative. He leaned back slightly, folding his hands in front of him as he regarded Isobel with a measured gaze. Behind him, Kasumi, Scarlett, and Elina exchanged uneasy glances, silently communicating their thoughts.

"Why me? And why kill?" He pressed, his curiosity piqued.

"Why you? hmm…" Isobel reached for the cup and took a sip from that cold drink. Then she flashed a sadistic smile for some reason as she gazed at Aron.

"...because you've done it before, you killed three nobles with cold blood, and when I heard that I was intrigued."

Aron's eyebrow twitched when she heard that, and Isobel noticed it, but she didn't say anything and took another sip before continuing.

"And for the nobles well…they killed my father, so it's only natural that I want them dead, right?"

Aron's expression remained unreadable as he listened to Isobel's explanation. The revelation that he had been linked to the deaths of three nobles was unsettling, not that he cared about it, it was more about the safety of the girls and the Lair.

"I see," Aron replied, his voice measured. "Revenge can be a powerful motivator."

However, before he could ask how she found out about the nobles.

BAAM!

The door swung open and a woman with white platinum hair and azure eyes strode in. "There you are, I've been looking for you,"

"Oh, Thyra, you're back,"

"!!!" Instantly Isobel and her bodyguards froze at the sight of Thyra, one of them instinctively tried to grab the hilt of his sword, but his friend quickly stopped him from doing so, whispering in his ear.

"Don't or we'll die"

'Shit! Shit! Shit!....why is she here?!' Isobel felt like she lost a few years of her life, just being in the same room with a woman that could erase her from existence with just the tip of her finger.

"Oh, you have guests?" Thyra gazed at the woman sitting on the couch and flashed a 'gentle' smile. "Sorry I didn't mean to interrupt, I hope you don't mind"

The sight of Thyra's smile, though seemingly gentle, only added to Isobel's sense of dread. She felt as though she were in the presence of a predator, her instincts screaming at her to flee.

"N-No…Of course, I don't mind…In fact it's an honor to be in the same room with Thyra Sapphire the strongest of the five"

Isobel's voice trembled as she spoke but despite her terror, she managed to feign respect and admiration, hoping to appease the formidable woman before her. She knew the danger of displeasing someone as powerful as Thyra Sapphire.

Surprisingly that worked, drawing a wide smile on Thyra's lips before turning her attention to Aron. "You see," she remarked, gesturing toward Isobel "This is the appropriate response, not punching me in the face like you did."

'HE DID WHAT!!!' the trio exclaimed in their mind, gazing with a mix of terror and shock at Aron. They couldn't believe that he assaulted someone as powerful as Thyra and was still alive and breathing.

In that moment the two bodyguards inwardly offered a salute to Aron's courage, silently acknowledging the sheer audacity it took to confront someone of Thyra's caliber.

While Isobel instantly changed her goal from trying to make Aron her precious hunting hound, to a potential ally for life.

Kasumi, Scarlett, and Elina exchanged amused glances at the turn of events, struggling to contain their laughter at the expressions of shock and disbelief on the faces of Isobel and her bodyguards.

"Don't just stand there and take a seat, I want your opinion on the matter at hand" Aron moved a little to the right making some room for Thyra to sit next to him.

"This is Isobel Carter from Larton council and she wants to make a deal with me" Aron explained "In exchange for eliminating some noble who killed her father, she's prepared to give me everything she possesses"

Thyra crossed her legs, leaning back on the couch, pondering on the proposal. While Isobel shifted her gaze between them nervously.

A few seconds later Thyra spoke "If you want to do it, then go for it. However, to go blind, you need information, but I can see you already made your decision"

Aron nodded "I did, Yes" he then turned to Isobel "I need time to think about your proposal as well as finish some important things I must do, are you okay with that?"

Isobel shook her head "No, I'm fine with it, I can wait"

"Excellent, now I need you to give me all the information about those nobles, I want to know everything about them, Understood?"

"Understood"

Aron then turned to the redhead behind him "Scarlett, escort the Lady here, and make sure to establish a communication link between us"

"Got it, Boss"

With that, Isobel stood up, offering a slight bow in respect "Thank you for your time Lord Aron, I wish you good fortune in your quests"

With a final nod from Aron, Scarlett escorted Isobel outside the room, her bodyguards following closely behind.

When she left, Aron turned to Thyra asking "So tell me why are you looking for me?"

"Oh Yeah!" Thyra immediately stood up, retrieving a leather scroll from her storage ring.

Kasumi and Elina recognized the scroll, but they couldn't help but ask, "A royal decree?"

Thyra nodded "Yes, so Aron you should kneel when receiving a royal decree"

"..."

"I Bow To No Man" Aron's voice was firm, his expression unyielding as he spoke those words in response to Thyra's instruction to kneel.

"Heh! Arrogance"

Aron chuckled, "Well I'm a dragon"

"Tsk" Thyra clicked her tongue "You're right, okay, just take the damn orders"

She opened the royal scroll and began to read aloud the contents of the decree.

"In the name of Eleanora Van Avaloria, First of her name, High Queen of Avaloria and the Arch-Magus of the Arcane Tower, I, Thyra Sapphire, acting in her stead, do hereby decree that Aron, disciple of Thyra Sapphire, is hereby granted full command over the northern region. Henceforth, he shall bear the honored titles of Aron, Lord Commander of The Frostguard Keep, and Grandmaster of the Ancient Order of the Watchers. Let this proclamation be known throughout the lands."

"I REFUSE!"

"..."