Ethan had returned to his tent alongside Theo. They both poured over the map as he had done countless times before. By now, he had almost committed it to heart, yet he still felt uneasy not having it open on the small table between them.

  “Where did they say they were attacked,” Theo said as he sat on a chair facing the map.

  Ethan didn't know why he cared as he couldn't see the map at all, yet he still chose to answer nonetheless, for he couldn't see the depths of this man. He may as well possess something allowing him to see—something that Ethan couldn't even conceive. This world had so many magical mysteries that not even the Imperium—the most advanced nation in magical studies—could even conceive.

  "Right here," Ethan replied, pointing at a minor road leading to the eastern fortress facing the Devil's Horns. "From what the report mentioned, they were less than an hour away from their destination when attacked."

  The map was quite simple. To the northeast of the Imperium was a large forest spanning over one-tenth of the Empire's domain. It was dense and lush but sparsely populated, except for the few villages around it that subsisted on what the forest could offer.

  From Ethan's current location, there were three roads they could take to reach their destination. The first was the main one—the one the army used most of the time—called the Eastern Imperial Road. It led slightly to the south, avoiding the forest's southern edge by quite a wide berth, following the edge of a large river until it veered northward to reach the fortress.

  It was by far the best path to take, seeing as the road was paved and often travelled, offering a non-insignificant amount of protection for travellers. Still, now that most of the Eastern Fortress was held back at the Devil’s Horn, the road’s security had become the least of their concerns.

  The second was the one Ethan had sent the party of five on. It dove deep into the forest, bypassing the need to make a detour. In regular times, this path would have been safe to walk, except for the occasional bear crossing your path, yet not much would come of it. Those living within the forest's periphery usually kept it clean and maintained, for it was used quite a bit by the numerous hunters and gatherers that had made it their homes.

  As for the last one, it led to the north. It was by far the longest route that reached the Imperial Northern Gate, which led into the Frigid Outskirts, a land devoid of most life where winter was the only constant. While not many humans lived in this land, they, too, had to contend with the occasional beast making their way southwards to escape the freezing cold.

  Once there, they would need to follow the mountain range south-eastward until they arrived at the Eastern Fortress. This would easily double the time needed to reach it, making it the less likely option unless both prior roads were deemed unsafe.

  "What did they face?" Theo asked. His expression remained utterly neutral as if the death of these three men were but numbers on a sheet of paper. As for Ethan, the guilt still gnawed at him, but he could only put it out of his mind, for his current charge took precedence.

  “From the eye-witness testimony, it should be lycans, yet they seemed mixed-breeds."

  "Which ones? Were they born within the fortress, or did they escape the Devil's Horns and bypass it?"

  "Seems to be a mix of wolves and bears," Ethan explained. "From what the letter says, they possess both the strength of a bear and a wolf's cunning and speed. Our only advantage is that we know now they exist and can prepare for them."

  "You seem to have a plan," Theo said with a slight smile, yet Ethan didn't share his enthusiasm.

  Following the main road seemed the safer option, yet there was no way to know if they would come across these creatures, much less know their true numbers. There was also the subject of his current company. While they had been trained in combat by one of the best the Imperium ever had, it was a fact that almost none of them had experience in group warfare—Ethan included. He wasn't about to send this group of young adults into battle without a surefire plan to overcome these difficulties. He wasn't about to watch others die on his watch.

  "We need more information," Ethan said as he sat on a chair facing Theo. "Is there anyone in your group proficient in wind magic or any other type that may be used for scouting?"

  “There's two, in fact. However, one of them doesn't exactly possess a wind spirit. The other you know quite well, actually."

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  Ethan frowned as he faced the man before him. He had a slight idea of who Theo was talking about, yet he felt strange entrusting this task to someone so young. She was undoubtedly talented, but the idea that such a critical mission would be thrust upon her tiny shoulders didn't sit well with him.

  “Who’s the other one?” Ethan asked. “What kind of spirit is it?”

  “He isn't that proficient in the martial ways, but he makes up for it with his quick wit and agile steps, making him perfect for the scout role. As for his spirit, ever seen a mermaid before?"

  A mermaid! What a rare spirit, Ethan thought, astonished. It was almost unrivalled in water, yet these spirits were known to be quite picky when choosing their contractors. It isn't rare for one of them to attack their own contractor if they become displeased. Their arrogance seems to be their biggest drawback. I wonder how this guy fares with one.

  “I obviously haven’t seen one. Don’t you remember who I am?” Ethan finally said, showing a displeased look. “Anyway, with these two, we may be able to fully scout the way before the convoy has to walk this path.”

  Before Ethan could continue, he felt someone at the door, as did Theo, yet neither of them was inclined to move. They only waited until they heard a knock on one of the tents' posts.

  “What is it?” Ethan asked.

  “Sir, breakfast is almost ready. Do you wish for me to bring it to you?"

  The voice came from the same middle-aged woman he had encountered at the break of dawn. Ethan paused for a second before replying, “Yes, please.”

  He turned to face Theo and said, "Bring those two here. We'll discuss this as we eat."

  A few minutes later, all four were seated at the same table with bowls containing a white substance before them. Ethan plunged his spoon within and took a bite, only to find that its flavour was lacking compared to what the Academy usually served its students. Yet it was still miles ahead of what the common populace, other than those in the capital, could afford.

  Ethan ate without complaint, for he knew how vital sustenance was for a marching army. However, his companions didn't seem to share the same sentiment. Celena was there, looking deep into her bowl. Her spoon barely moved, only letting the plain oatmeal fall back down into the sludge without a word.

  On the other hand, Theo didn't seem to care. He took one bite after another, not bothering to chew as he let the food flow down his throat. As for the last one, it was a young man. He was short and lacked the muscles his fellow male students possessed. He seemed wholly out of place among them. Still, his face made up for it. If Ethan hadn't seen his Adam's apple and confirmed it with Theo, he could have sworn the man to be a woman. Despite being in his senior year, he didn't seem any older than Celena.

  The books did say mermaid spirits had peculiar tastes when choosing a contractor.

  Despite many centuries of studies on the subject, the way spirits chose their contractors had always been veiled in mysteries. There was no grand design. In fact, some seemed to be based on the spirit's whim, while it was lineage for others.

  Take the Lancasters, for example. For the entirety of their existence, they have had an extreme affinity toward light spirits, yet there were times when other spirits were mixed within. In order to keep the line pure, these people were sent away to create their own line, which resulted in many branch houses that all reported to the head of the main one, namely Ethan's father.

  Such customs were practised by nearly all other Magisters' families. They were hardly unique, except that Ethan was born as a Sundered. In the Imperium's history, such a thing had only happened once before, at the very birth of the Empire. Yet, that individual's name had become taboo, leading many to reject the Sundered as omens of bad luck.

  As Ethan finished his bowl, he put down his spoon and spoke.

  “I asked you here concerning an operation I am planning. I need your abilities to scout the road ahead.”

  "Why should I obey you?" Celena spat spitefully as she dropped her spoon into her bowl.

  Theo showed no reaction to her insubordination, while the other man to her side couldn't help but shudder. Ethan remained utterly calm, showing no anger or frustration. He only stared at her in silence, making her uncomfortable.

  "Stop this!" she barked, unable to sustain his gaze. "I refuse to bow down to someone so weak when you only have this post because of your sister!"

  “You seem to be mistaken in thinking I wanted this job in the first place," Ethan said calmly. "The Endless Library was such a cushy job. I had all the time in the world to do my own thing, but now I need to babysit a bunch of spoiled brats. Given the chance, I'd rather return to the Academy right now, but that's not how it works—not how the military works. Like it or not, you are now a soldier and will heed the orders of your commanding officer. Is that clear?”

  His tone was neither domineering nor harsh. He spoke in a steady and even voice, yet this serenity had the intended effect. Celena couldn't help but frown as she couldn't get a rise out of him. She crossed her arms, showing her stance, yet she listened nonetheless. However, as Ethan was about to continue, someone else cut him off.

  "Excuse me... sir," the young man said. "I'd like to ask why am I here? If you are in need of scouts, aren't there better choices than me?"

  Somehow, his mannerisms suited his appearance exceptionally well. He seemed timid and introverted, unsuitable for a life in the military. Ethan couldn't help but face Theo, and the man seemed to have sensed his gaze, offering a slight smile and then a nod. After a slight sigh, Ethan turned back to the young man.

  "Your current leader has already briefed me on the kind of spirit you possess," Ethan said. "We'll be scouting along the main road, where one of the main arteries of the Empire flows. My map shows that many smaller streams flow from the forest's core. By using your spirits and these streams, we'll better understand what's happening within the forest. We can't allow anything to happen to the convoy."

  “Wait!” Celena said, frowning deeply as she found something strange. “Did you just say we?”

  Theo and the young man also turned to face Ethan, looking slightly dumbfounded, only for Ethan to nod.

  “I’ll be going with you,” he said. “I need to see this for myself.”