The sewer tunnel was still thick with tension.
Draven suddenly moved.
He removed the small earring from his ear and brought it to his mouth. Without hesitation, he pressed the sharp end into the tip of his tongue, pinning it there.
Then he spat lightly to the side and turned toward Aldric.
"Hand me your magical item."
Aldric blinked, clearly puzzled.
"You want me to give you **what**?"
He folded his arms.
"And why exactly would I do that?"
His eyes narrowed slightly.
"What do you even want it for?"
Draven didn't answer him immediately.
Instead, he called out—
"Lyriana."
She walked over without hesitation.
Draven reached into his cloak and began removing items.
First the gloves.
Then his bow.
He handed both to her.
Next, he pulled out the small cat curled inside his cloak and the slime clinging near his collar, passing them over as well.
Lyriana took everything but frowned slightly.
"What is it?"
Her eyes studied him carefully.
"Why are you giving me all of these?"
She paused.
"What are you about to do, Your Highness?"
Draven answered calmly.
"I'm going to save the one he wants to save."
The wolfkin boy stiffened instantly.
His ears twitched.
Draven continued.
"While I do that, he will tell me where the ship is."
His gaze shifted briefly toward the boy.
"I'll relay the information to Vaelith."
He then glanced toward the others.
"And you can go find it."
The boy's ears twitched again.
His body tensed.
"They're coming."
His voice was low but urgent.
Draven turned back toward Aldric.
"Your magical item."
He held out his hand.
"Using it, I can hide my appearance."
"Everything will be easier."
Aldric groaned loudly.
"You're seriously doing this?"
But after a moment, he still reached into his coat and pulled out the ring.
"Damn it."
He tossed it toward Draven.
"Don't lose it."
Draven caught the ring easily.
He slipped it onto his finger.
Then he looked at the others.
"You should hide now."
His eyes shifted toward Vaelith.
"Take care of them."
He didn't need to explain who he meant.
Vaelith nodded calmly, holding the two children securely in her arms.
"Yes, my lord."
Her voice remained steady.
"I'll do that."
"Just as I have been doing so far."
The moment Draven finished speaking, the group began moving without further discussion.
The cultist stepped forward slightly.
"I'll hide us," she said calmly.
Dark mana began to gather around her fingers as faint runic patterns flickered in the air.
"Stay close."
A thin veil of shadow spread outward, swallowing the surrounding tunnel in distorted darkness. Their presence became muted, their mana signatures fading as if the space itself had folded around them.
Within seconds, the group vanished from open sight.
Draven, meanwhile, slipped Aldric's ring onto his finger.
The metal settled firmly against his skin.
But it was impossible to tell if anything had changed.
His body was still concealed beneath the dark cloak draped over him, the hood casting deep shadows over his face.
He slowly turned toward the tunnel ahead.
Then he began walking.
His steps were calm.
Unhurried.
"Let's go."
The boy stared at him for a brief moment, ears twitching with uncertainty.
But he didn't argue.
After a short pause—
He turned and followed.
The tunnel stretched ahead in dim, damp silence.
Water dripped slowly from the stone ceiling.
Draven walked at a steady pace, his cloak brushing lightly against the sewer floor with each step. His presence felt calm… almost indifferent.
Behind him, the beastkin boy followed cautiously.
His ears twitched constantly.
Listening.
His nose picked up the faint scent of blood from earlier, mixed with the rot of the sewer.
But beneath that—
Other scents.
The same ones he had been running from.
He suddenly slowed.
"They're close."
Draven didn't stop walking.
"How many?"
"Six."
The boy's voice was quiet but certain.
"And her."
Draven gave a small nod.
Ahead, the tunnel widened into another intersection.
At the same moment—
Footsteps echoed from the opposite side.
Heavy.
Armored.
The first man stepped into view.
Then another.
And another.
Six figures emerged from the darkness, spreading slightly as they advanced.
At their center stood the woman with purple hair.
Her sharp eyes immediately locked onto the boy.
A slow smile curved across her lips.
"Well…"
Her voice echoed softly through the tunnel.
"So this is where you ran off to, darling."
The boy's claws clenched.
His ears flattened.
The woman tilted her head slightly.
"But now I see you've brought company."
Her gaze slid toward Draven.
She studied the cloaked figure for a moment.
Then her smile widened slightly.
"…How interesting."
One of the men stepped forward, gripping his blade.
"Madam, should we—"
She raised a hand.
Stopping him.
Her eyes never left Draven.
"Tell me," she said lightly.
"Are you the one who helped my little runaway?"
The tunnel grew quiet again.
Draven stopped walking.
For a moment, he said nothing.
Then—
"I guess."
His answer was simple.
Calm.
The woman's smile grew colder.
"Then I suppose…"
Mana began gathering faintly around her.
"…you'll be returning him to me."
The boy stepped slightly behind Draven without realizing it.
Draven didn't move.
Didn't reach for a weapon.
He only spoke.
"No. We have something we need to do."
The woman's smile vanished.
"Then I'll just have to take him back."
Her hand lowered.
"Kill him."
The six men moved instantly.
Steel flashed in the dark sewer tunnel.
They rushed forward—
But Draven had already stepped toward them.