While Raum, Kasumi, and Viper slept soundly in their chambers, Aron took this opportunity to check on the girls in Larton. Apparently, Elina had begun executing her plans and had purchased not only the five shops next to Balin's workshop but the entire buildings as well.

'Don't want to draw attention, huh?'

Her objective was to transform the building into a living area for the workers she had recruited—only female workers for some reason—as well as a storage area for materials and finished products.

The shop next to Balin's workshop was slated to become an armory, selling Balin's handcrafted weapons and armor. The old Dwarf was thrilled with the idea and even inquired about hiring some of his dwarf companions to work alongside him. The girls readily agreed to his request.

The following shop would be a spell and scroll shop, offering a variety of magical items and services. At least, that was the plan. Currently, the only items they could sell were barrier scrolls crafted by the mage Aron had previously captured.

The man was overjoyed that he finally escaped from the White Falcons' clutches, and when he learned about the girl's idea for the spell shop, he jumped on the opportunity like a lion pouncing on its prey. With his expertise in barrier magic, he eagerly began crafting scrolls to stock the shelves of the new shop.

The third and largest building was designated to become a tavern and inn, providing a place for both travelers and locals to eat, drink, rest, and, more importantly, gather information. You have no idea how much information you could extract from the mouth of a drunk man, especially if the one doing the questioning is a beautiful woman.

The fourth building would function as a general store, offering a variety of goods and supplies for mercenaries and adventurers. Elina was actively reaching out to various merchants, caravans, and nearby towns to stock the shelves. Her efforts were proving successful; she had even established a basic agreement with two trading caravans, guaranteeing her first dibs on any new merchandise they brought to town.

Finally, the fifth building was one Elina requested to oversee personally. It presented a chance to fulfill one of her dreams, and she was determined to make it a reality. The building would be a beauty shop; she didn't give much detail to Aron, saying that she would keep it a secret until he sees it with his own eyes.

Aron couldn't help but be impressed. The girl was ablaze with ambition, working tirelessly on her project. When he inquired about security, Elina informed him that she was constructing a hidden passageway connecting all five shops and the workshop, creating a clandestine escape route for the workers in case of an emergency.

As for permanent security measures, she was still undecided. Options included forming a security force from the Previous Beta team or hiring entirely new staff. However, most of the girls preferred to keep things within their circle, at least regarding security.

Having completed his discussion with Elina about her project, Aron spent an hour in conversation with his daughter, Aurora.

Well, calling it a conversation would be a generous term as the little dhampir tended to be rather taciturn; few words to express herself. Yet, Aron didn't require words to understand how much she missed him. If not for Mia and her clever plan to keep Aurora occupied during the day with homework and lessons in reading and writing, the days would have been a living hell for the little dhampir.

Bidding his daughter goodnight, Aron exited his chamber, leaving the trio fast asleep. He wandered aimlessly within the keep, assessing the general state of affairs. Eventually, his steps led him to the Wall. The Everfrost.

A hundred-meter-tall and four-meter-wide massive wall of ancient stone. Standing against time, monsters, elements, and even the will of men. The Everfrost Wall loomed before Aron, a formidable barrier separating the civilized lands from the wild unknown beyond.

As he stepped inside, Aron was surprised to learn that the Wall had multiple levels. The underground level housed supplies, ammunition, weapons, and armor, along with the elevator mechanism.

Driven by curiosity to explore further, Aron took the elevator to the ground level, where he encountered something truly fascinating and awe-inspiring.

Before him stood rows of enormous ballistas, their metallic frames gleaming faintly in the dim light. These formidable weapons of war were poised and loaded with ten-meter-long steel bolts.

"Interesting," he murmured.

But it was the bolts themselves that caught Aron's attention. As he examined them closely, he couldn't help but notice their unusual properties. They appeared to be made of steel, yet there was something else, something he couldn't quite identify. It was as if they were infused with the essence of silver, lending them an otherworldly aura.

When he inquired about the bolts from the dwarf tasked with maintaining them, he learned that the metal was, in fact, a blend of steel and silver. Apparently, monsters possessed a weakness to silver.

"Silver for monsters. Huh!...Good to know"

However, since silver was expensive and hard to come by, they resorted to this tactic instead.

Aron also learned that these ballistas don't act like traditional ones—shooting bolts. Instead, they operated more akin to a warrior thrusting a spear. When the monsters got close to the wall, the ballistas would propel their steel and silver-tipped bolts with incredible force, impaling any creature that dared to approach.

It was a clever and effective defense mechanism, one that played to the strengths of both the weapon and its ammunition—since the bolts were retrievable and functioned similarly to spears.

The second and third levels were filled with more ballistas, but these were more traditional, with few of them being magical ones. Using mana and spells instead of physical bolts.

Moving upward, Aron reached the summit of the wall, where he encountered yet another array of weapons of war. This time, the focus shifted to catapults, massive siege engines designed to hurl projectiles over vast distances with devastating power.

This narrative has been purloined without the author's approval. Report any appearances on Amazon.

The sight of these formidable weapons instilled a sense of reassurance in Aron. However, that reassurance swiftly dwindled as he grasped the sheer scale of the wall.

Spanning nearly four kilometers from mountain to mountain, the wall stretched out like a colossal fortification, a silent guardian towering over the landscape. Yet, as Aron stood atop the Everfrost Wall, gazing down at the land beyond, he couldn't shake the feeling of unease that gnawed at him.

"I need more men," Aron muttered to himself, his voice heavy with frustration. Despite these defenses, he had nowhere near half the manpower to adequately defend even a single section of the wall, let alone operate all the siege weaponry.

Fenris, the frozen wasteland that stretched out before him, appeared deceptively calm from this vantage point. A wide flat field of snow, it seemed almost tranquil in its desolation. But Aron knew better than to trust in appearances alone. Countless dangers lurked in the shadows and waited to strike.

Turning away from the edge of the wall, Aron noticed two colossal stone knight statues—each half the height of the wall—standing proudly on each end. Their stoic presence served as a reminder of the strength and resilience of the people who defend these lands.

As he descended from the wall and made his way back into the keep, Aron's mind was filled with thoughts of strategy and preparation. Then suddenly a peculiar light caught his eye, emanating from an unfamiliar structure.

A small stone room-sized structure that Aron somehow failed to notice before. Pushing the door open, he stepped inside.

"What in the...?" Confused by the sight before him, Aron retreated outside, casting a bewildered glance at the building. He swiftly circled the structure, searching for anything out of the ordinary, but finding nothing amiss, he ventured back inside.

"Well, this is strange..." Aron muttered to himself as he looked around. The space inside didn't match the outside at all.

Inside the small stone room-sized structure, Aron found himself surrounded by rows and rows of books. The shelves were filled with ancient tomes, scrolls, and manuscripts, their spines worn with age and their pages yellowed with time. The space was at least a hundred times the size of the building.

"Eh?" Aron muttered in surprise, his curiosity piqued by the unexpected discovery. He reached out to touch one of the books, feeling the rough texture of the weathered cover beneath his fingertips.

The book lacked a title, displaying only the letter "M" and the number "13." Intrigued, Aron opened the book, revealing detailed illustrations of unfamiliar creatures alongside descriptions of their behavior, strengths, weaknesses, and methods of slaying them.

As Aron flipped through the pages, a figure emerged from behind a shelf, carrying a few scrolls.

"Oh! Lord Commander!" the figure exclaimed.

"Hmm?...Keeper Eldarion, apologies for the intrusion, I'm just looking around," Aron replied, turning to face the newcomer.

Eldarion approached with a smile. "Nonsense, my Lord. You are always welcome here. This is the Watchers' Library and Archive…..Ah, I see you've stumbled upon one of our monster volumes."

Aron nodded. "Yes, the information here is fascinating, the level of detail is remarkable."

Eldarion beamed, a flicker of pride evident in his eyes. "The Watchers of Old were monster hunters; they have always dedicated themselves to cataloging every threat to our realm, ensuring that future generations are prepared to face whatever challenges may arise."

Aron nodded thoughtfully, appreciating the importance of such knowledge. "It's good to know that we have this wealth of information at our disposal."

Eldarion concurred. "Indeed, my Lord. Oh, and where are my manners? Would you care for some tea, my Lord? I assure you it's not poisoned."

A chuckle escaped Aron's lips. "Sure, why not."

As Eldarion busied himself with preparing the tea, Aron continued to peruse the ancient tomes and scrolls, marveling at the depth of knowledge contained within the Watchers' Library and Archive.

Once the tea was ready, Eldarion poured a steaming cup for Aron and handed it to him with a respectful bow. "Here you go, my Lord. Please, enjoy."

It was at this moment that Aron's gaze fell upon the exposed ear of Eldarion as he bent low. 'An Elf'

"Thank you, Keeper Eldarion," Aron said gratefully, taking a sip of the fragrant brew. The warmth of the tea was comforting, soothing his mind.

"How fares the progress on the cure? Did you find anything?" he asked.

Eldarion shook his head as they both sat at a small round table. "Not yet, my lord. Whoever chose this parasite knew exactly that we don't have the means to cure it."

"What do you mean?" Aron pressed for clarification.

Eldarion elaborated. "When the parasite is in the process of growing, it takes the properties of the host, almost becoming a part of him so healing spells and purification won't work." He paused, collecting his thoughts.

"While I can create an antidote with the clean sample to fortify our bodies against future infestations, a complete cure for the existing ones requires either powerful holy magic wielded by a high-ranking Sun Priest or the execution of the Watchers' awakening rituals."

Aron listened intently to Eldarion's explanation, his brow furrowing in concern. The situation seemed more dire than he had anticipated. The parasite's ability to integrate itself with its host presented a significant challenge in finding a cure on top of the already existing one.

"Watchers' awakening rituals? What's that?" Aron inquired, seeking further information.

Eldarion hesitated for a moment, considering his response carefully before speaking. "The Watchers' awakening rituals are ancient ceremonies performed by our order for new members. These rituals essentially reconstructed a whole new body."

"So with a new body, the parasite would have nothing to hold on to, thus curing the host," Aron concluded, understanding the implication. "So why can't we utilize them then?"

Eldarion sighed heavily, explaining, "The rituals were lost a millennium ago when the Keeper of that time perished beyond the wall. He was the sole bearer of the rituals' secrets. I was a Keeper-in-training back then; I got busy with some stupid things at home and ended up missing my ride here."

He leaned closer, a flicker of guilt in his eyes. "You see Grandmaster, because I missed the opportunity to meet the Keeper, I didn't get the secret of the rituals, and because I didn't get it, the watchers ended with the keeper's death, ironic yes? Because of the actions of the 18-year-old me, the most powerful order in the world ended."

Aron listened with a mixture of sympathy and understanding as Eldarion recounted the tragic loss of the Watchers' awakening rituals. The weight of responsibility seems to hang heavily upon Eldarion's shoulders, burdened by the consequences of his past actions.

"For the past eight hundred years, I've relentlessly pursued the secrets within leftover notes and scrolls, but fortune hasn't been on my side. Additionally, testing the potions on myself has shortened my lifespan."

"Potion?" Aron raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"Aye," Eldarion confirmed. "A potion that can give you a whole new and better body, the closest thing the potion I created was giving me the signature silver hair and red eyes of the Watchers but it has aged me considerably. In elf years I'm supposed to be a young elf, but the potion made me look like an elder though I'm only a thousand years old."

Aron nodded solemnly, understanding the gravity of Eldarion's predicament. "It's a heavy burden you carry, Keeper Eldarion. But your dedication to finding a solution speaks volumes of your character."

Eldarion gave a weary smile, his eyes reflecting a mixture of determination and regret. "Thank you, my Lord."

Aron, with a gesture of support, placed his hand on Eldarion's forehead. "Consider this a token of appreciation for your tireless efforts. May it be of some assistance."

"huh?"

"Cure" He uttered in draconic, focusing on the parasite inside the Keeper curing him completely.

Eldarion's eyes widened in shock. He stumbled backward, losing his balance and crashing onto the floor with a thud.

Gasping for breath, he pointed a trembling finger at Aron, struggling to speak. "Y-You….A-Are you???"

'OH shit' Aron cursed inwardly, realizing his mistake.

"...Dragonblood?"