With a great effort and a long time spent convincing, Aron lived to see the sunrise.

Of course, he had to acquiesce to Kasumi's request. Why wouldn't he? Kasumi was undeniably one of, if not the most beautiful among his girls, and her title, "The Flower of The East," was one she rightfully earned during a past mission for her clan.

That mission required her to infiltrate the capital's red-light district, where she became the paramount oiran—a term commonly used in the east to denote the highest-ranking courtesan—Due to her extraordinary beauty, even the emperor developed a fondness for her, bestowing upon her the title "The Flower of The East" and inviting her to reside in the palace as his concubine.

Fortunately for Kasumi, the emperor was obsessed with his bloodline. Convinced of his descent from a higher being due to a dream, the emperor never engaged with Kasumi physically. He merely kept her in the palace as a trophy or a caged bird.

For Kasumi, this was a positive outcome, as it made her mission relatively straightforward. All she had to do was gather information of any kind and report it back to her clan. However, it was during this time that Kasumi was betrayed by a friend who was responsible for delivering her reports.

Aron didn't know the identity of this friend, as Kasumi had only revealed a fragment of her past the night before. She felt the need to tell him about her time as Oiran since their relationship was bound to become physical. Kasumi felt compelled to inform Aron about this specific chapter of her life.

It was evident that the incident left a deep scar on Kasumi. Even though she was showing gradual improvement, Aron was aware that she was far from fully healed.

Now, regarding her request or reward, Aron agreed to it. However, he requested a brief postponement. This was Kasumi's first time, and Aron wanted to create an unforgettable romantic night. Because of this, she agreed to wait.

For the remainder of the morning, Aron focused on organizing the new watchers, dividing them into groups based on their race and magical abilities. He assigned specific training regimens to each group.

Following this, at Eldarion's behest, Aron opened the Watcher armory. Underground, beneath the old keep, there was a colossal chamber overflowing with all sorts of silver and steel weaponry and armor.

Only the Lord Commander could access the Watch Armory, not because it was forbidden or required his permission to be opened. Not at all. The reason was that they were physically incapable of opening it.

Even though Lieutenant Eamon was in charge of defending the wall last year and was in desperate need of weapons and armor, he couldn't open the Watch Armory. The reason was simple: he wasn't the Lord Commander.

The Watch Armory was magically sealed, and the key was the Lord Commander. There were certain sections and rooms within the keep that only the Lord Commander could access, and Aron, the current Lord Commander, possessed this ability. He gained this authority when Eldarion inscribed his name in that book when he first declared him Lord Commander.

As Aron stepped inside the armory, his heart nearly leaped out of his chest. The sight that greeted him, as a dragon, resembled a treasure trove.

'I LOVE IT!' Aron exclaimed silently, gazing upon the rows and rows of various weapon types and shapes. Thousands of silver and steel swords, spears, axes, bows, two-handed and one-handed crossbows, a colossal steel lance with a tower shield that reached Aron's height—and this was just what he could see directly in front of him.

Eldarion chuckled, observing the expression on Aron's face. He approached Aron and said, "Impressive, isn't it?" His voice echoed throughout the cavernous chamber.

Aron nodded, his gaze lingering on the rows of swords and spears. "Indeed. Very impressive," he concurred. He shifted his gaze to the left and saw five mannequins displaying five distinct types of armor.

The one on the far left was a massive suit of full plate armor, crafted from steel and adorned with spikes protruding from the shoulders, gauntlets, and greaves. The helmet was a closed one, reminiscent of the Northmen's style, with the only exposed area being the lower half of the face, which Aron was certain was designed to accommodate beards. A wolf pelt draped over the armor like a cloak, lending it the intimidating presence of a winter warrior or berserker.

'This armor looks soooo good!! I want it!....but it's too big for me' Aron sighed in disappointment. Just from a single glance, he recognized that this armor was designed for giants. Even with his height exceeding two meters, he wouldn't be able to wear it as the armor was twice his size.

'Hold on a moment! I don't necessarily need to wear this armor. Thyra's liquid metal can mimic its appearance,' he thought. With this realization, Aron approached the giant armor for a closer inspection. That's when he noticed the intricate runes etched all over the surface.

He turned to the elf beside him, and before he could even ask, Eldarion shook his head. "No, my Lord, it wasn't me. These runes were inscribed by the Watchers of old when they forged the armor."

"I see," Aron acknowledged thoughtfully, tracing his fingers over the intricate symbols etched into the massive armor. Each symbol seemed to pulsate with an ancient power.

The two following suits of armor next to it were identical but scaled down in size. One was clearly designed for humans, while the other was evidently for dwarves.

A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.

'Excellent! We have variations, and I can see these armors were intended for the vanguard,' Aron thought with satisfaction. He then proceeded to the right side to examine the last two sets.

Unlike the first three, the last two sets were crafted from leather or some kind of monster hide.

The first set consisted of a weathered long coat embellished with intricate stitching and runes, bearing an unmistakable insignia for a dragon. Beneath the coat lay a sturdy vest, providing essential protection without hindering mobility or agility. Completing the ensemble was a pair of leather trousers, reinforced boots, fingerless gloves, and an elegant, pointed leather hat resembling an eagle's beak, ensuring the wearer was both nimble and prepared for combat.

…

[A/N: To make things easy for the imagination, this armor is similar in design and based on the Hunter set from Bloodborne]

…

The last set resembled the leather one but was noticeably smaller, designed for a race shorter than humans.

'Hmm? I wonder... these don't seem like dwarf-sized armors,' Aron thought as he stroked his chin. 'No dwarf would be able to fit in this armor'

Although the armor was made for a race the height of dwarves, Aron was absolutely sure that it wasn't for them, after all, he never saw a slim dwarf. The armor was fit for more like human children.

When Eldarion observed his puzzled expression, he chuckled slightly and explained, "This armor, my Lord, is crafted for Halflings or Hobbits."

"Halflings?" Aron repeated, surprised.

"Indeed," Eldarion confirmed, a faint smile playing on his lips. "Hobbits are small folk, often mistaken for children. They are renowned for their agility and stealth. This armor set is tailored to their unique physique and combat style."

"I haven't encountered any hobbits within the keep or anywhere for that matter," Aron admitted. He had come across many races so far, but none of them were hobbits. He questioned whether he had missed them somehow or simply mistaken them for small children.

Eldarion nodded. "Of course, my Lord. I would be surprised if you had encountered a hobbit here in Arcadia." He paused, recollecting something. "Hobbits no longer reside in Arcadia. After a past incident that jeopardized their entire race, they migrated to the continent west of Arcadia."

Aron listened intently, his brow furrowed in curiosity as Eldarion explained the situation. The absence of hobbits in Arcadia piqued his interest, but he decided to address it later as more pressing matters demanded his attention.

"Alright, Keeper Eldarion," he instructed. "I want you to put this equipment to good use. Equip our new watchers to the teeth. I want them battle-ready by the time I return, understood?"

Eldarion bowed. "Understood, my Lord. But... return? What do you mean?"

Aron didn't hesitate to inform the elf about his destination. "I'm heading south to the city for a few days. If anyone inquires about me, simply say I've entered a period of secluded training."

Eldarion nodded, comprehending the need for discretion. "As you wish, my Lord. Are you departing now?"

Aron pondered for a moment. Initially, he had planned to leave for the city tomorrow. However, since he had finished everything he had intended to do and still had half a day remaining, he decided to set out immediately to avoid wasting any more time.

Thirty minutes later.

Lieutenant Eamon guided both Aron and another young man through a hidden passage located in the west wall. He recognized the young man—the thief who had supplied the parasite to the cooks and the same one who had attempted to escape from Aron.

As Eamon scrutinized him from head to toe, he noticed that the man appeared unharmed, his wounds completely healed. The expression on his face conveyed neither fear nor any other emotion.

'Did he strike some kind of bargain with Lord Aron?' Eamon thought to himself, yet he remained silent.

Unbeknownst to him, the man wasn't the thief; he was Luca, who had switched faces with the thief in the dungeons on Aron's orders.

'So, the Lord Commander is using me to sniff out the traitors behind the poisoning,' Luca deduced as he switched faces with the thief. However, he didn't mind being used by the Lord Commander. On the contrary, he was eager to utilize his magic to assist a man he respected. To make things even better, Aron had promised to aid Luca in his quest for revenge.

As they emerged from the hidden passage, Aron stopped abruptly and turned to face Eamon, leaving him with a few final instructions. "Ensure everything runs smoothly while I'm away. If anything urgent arises, don't hesitate to contact me."

Lieutenant Eamon stood rigidly at attention, his expression solemn as he acknowledged Aron's orders with a nod. "Yes, my Lord. I'll guarantee everything operates without a hitch in your absence."

Aron offered him a cured node before setting off towards the nearby forest with Luca by his side.

Once they were concealed within the forest's depths, Aron stopped and scanned the area. "This seems like a suitable spot," he murmured, turning to Luca. "Boy, close your eyes for a moment."

Luca complied without hesitation. As he closed his eyes, he felt a finger touch his forehead, followed by the Lord Commander speaking in an unfamiliar language.

"Sleep"

The moment Aron uttered this draconic word, Luca felt a sudden wave of drowsiness wash over him. Within seconds, he slumped to the ground, fast asleep. Aron observed him for a brief moment, ensuring he was truly unconscious, before speaking another draconic word.

"Cure"

The parasite lodged within Luca vanished instantly. Since Luca wasn't awakened as a Watcher, Aron had to employ the word of power to purge the parasite from him.

Step. Step.

"I'm here," a familiar voice materialized from his side.

Aron shifted his attention towards the approaching figure—a woman with short, wine-colored hair and piercing gray eyes. She donned a full black leather bodysuit and a matching half-mask.

"Good," Aron acknowledged with a nod as he crouched down and hoisted Luca onto his left arm like a sack of potatoes. He then extended his right arm towards Viper. "Let's go."

"..." A blush crept across Viper's cheeks. She hesitated for a moment before cautiously approaching him. She wrapped her arms around his neck, her heart pounding rapidly as she felt his arm secure around her waist.

For a fleeting moment, Viper experienced a sense of comfort and safety in his embrace, a feeling she hadn't known in a long time. However, the sensation was short-lived. Suddenly, a terrifying, dark head with violet eyes emerged from Aron's chest.

"I'm watching you!" the voice hissed, sending shivers down Viper's spine. She blinked, only to find the head had vanished.

Gulp

Her heart hammered in her chest as she gulped, trying to comprehend what she had just witnessed. 'Am I hallucinating?'

Aron chuckled silently, keeping his amusement to himself. He knew precisely why Kasumi was attempting to frighten Viper. The little Yokai fox had been on edge ever since Aron informed her that Viper would be accompanying them on their journey to the city.

"Conceal," he commanded in his draconic tongue. A barrier materialized around Aron, cloaking his presence as two magnificent, crimson wings erupted from his back.

"Hold on tight," he instructed.

With those words, Aron launched himself and his companions into the sky, soaring towards the southern city, with a bloodthirsty smile on his face.

"I'm coming for you"