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"My lord, this forest could make an excellent hunting ground. It might even draw travelers from afar," Spencer said, ducking under a low-hanging branch.

Vyan shot him a sidelong glance, shaking his head playfully. "Thank you for the business idea, Spence, but we lack the resources to clear tens of thousands of monsters."

Spencer laughed, his voice bright and carefree. "Then it seems I shall enjoy this place\'s natural beauty alone, year after year, making my wife envious. She adores such spots."

Vyan threw him an amused look. "I suspect your jealousy plan might backfire, and soon enough, you will be taking Miss Lisa on a tour."

"Actually, I have been meaning to," Spencer replied cheerfully. "We have considered a trip to Myca."

"Oh, really? Clyde mentioned that Myca is quite lovely," Vyan remarked.

"It is! You should accompany Lord Clyde on his impromptu vacations, my lord. I rarely see you take a break," Spencer suggested, his voice tinged with concern.

"Well—"

"Please don\'t say your idea of a break is sleeping the day away," Spencer interrupted, and Vyan gave him a sheepish look.

As they pressed deeper into the forest, the canopy thickened, casting eerie shadows over the forest floor. Suddenly, Vyan sensed something.

"Hold up," Vyan whispered, raising a hand.

Spencer\'s eyes lit up with excitement. "What is it? Another critter for us to net?"

Vyan\'s eyes narrowed as he focused. "No... something bigger. To the left."

They moved stealthily, Vyan leading them toward the source of the disturbance.

As they rounded a massive tree trunk, they saw it: a hulking beast, twice the size of a man, with thick fur and glowing eyes. It was rooting through the underbrush, oblivious to their presence.

"Wow, that one is definitely a B-grade," Spencer whispered, bouncing slightly on his toes. "The usual plan, my lord?"

Vyan smirked. "Yes."

Spencer nodded, already moving into position.

Vyan stepped forward, and with a flick of his wrist, a burst of bright light shot illuminated in front of the beast and startled it.

However, it didn\'t take the beast even two seconds to recover and lock eyes with Spencer.

"Hey there, mighty beast!" Vyan called out, waving his hand to catch the monster\'s attention. "Over here!"

As the beast roared and lunged at Vyan, Spencer darted around its side with the grace and speed of a seasoned swordsman. With a swift motion, he flung the net over the creature, the enchanted ropes tightening around it.

"Got you!" Spencer shouted triumphantly, his face beaming with joy.

The beast struggled, but the net held firm, its enchantments glowing faintly. Vyan approached cautiously and touched the beast\'s arm, casting a spell to put it into a deep sleep.

"Well done, Spencer," Vyan said, nodding in approval. "I will teleport it into the B-grade cage."

With a snap of his fingers, the beast vanished.

Vyan sighed in satisfaction and turned to Spencer, only to find him staring quizzically.

"My lord, are you not weary?" Spencer asked, tilting his head.

"No, why?" Vyan frowned.

"Didn\'t you suffer from mana exhaustion recently? You have been casting spells relentlessly for four hours now. Are you certain you are not overworking yourself again?" Spencer inquired, his eyes inspecting Vyan closely.

"No, Spence. You worry over nothing. I have merely been using low-grade spells. They scarcely use an ounce of my mana," Vyan lied smoothly, waving a dismissive hand.

Spencer regarded him with suspicion and finally mumbled, "As long as you are certain."

"Now that I think of it," Vyan spoke up, pretending to roll his arm to release some tension, "I am a bit tired. Perhaps we should return. The sun is close to setting."

"About time, my lord," Spencer sighed, then perked up. "Let\'s go."

Vyan nodded, guilt gnawing at him as he followed Spencer toward the exit.

Lying to his close people tore at him, but he had no choice. He could never confess that he had restored and expanded his mana reserves through a deal with Goddess Hecate. If Clyde ever found out...

Goosebumps.

Vyan shook his head vigorously, refusing to even entertain the thought. This was a secret he would carry to his grave. On the bright side, he only had to lie for ten fewer years now.

Just then, something caught Vyan\'s eye, and he came to an abrupt stop and called out, "Spence, wait!"

———

Iyana was bored out of her mind, stuck at the medical facility. The afternoon had been bearable with the company of the kind nurse, Priscilla, and Harvey.

But now that night had fallen, it was just her and her somber thoughts.

She let out a loud sigh, sinking deeper into her bed. Her shoulder felt significantly better since this morning, thanks to Harvey\'s magical herbs and miraculous potions.

In the silence, her mind began to wander. She couldn\'t help but think of her family. An uneasy feeling gnawed at her chest whenever they came to mind, as if something terrible was happening to them.

Ugh, but she had no way of contacting them.

"All I can do is wish for their safety. Please, Goddess, keep my family safe," she prayed sincerely. Just then, another person popped into her head. "Oh, and keep Vyan safe too."

The Forest of Beasts was a perilous territory with unknown and unpredictable dangers, after all. She couldn\'t help but worry about him as well.

Just then, there was a soft knock on her ward door. Iyana turned towards the sound, and her eyes met those of the person who had been living rent-free in her head lately.

"Wow, did I just conjure you or something?" Iyana blurted out in surprise as Vyan stepped inside with a soft chuckle.

"Why? Were you thinking about me?" he teased.

"Yep. I was starting to wonder if some monster finally got tired of you and decided to gobble you up," she quipped back.

"Well, too bad that didn\'t happen. But you know what they say, evil people die late," he shot back with a grin.

"In that case, you must be on your way to immortality," she teased, and they both laughed lightly. Suddenly, her curiosity piqued as she noticed one of his hands tucked behind him. "By the way, what is that behind you?" she asked.

A tender smile formed on Vyan\'s face as he brought out his hand, revealing a gorgeous bundle of purple hydrangeas. Iyana\'s heart skipped a beat at the sight.

"They caught my eye at the Forest of Beasts, and they instantly reminded me of you," he mumbled, his voice low and almost shy.

Iyana cupped her mouth, speechless. "They are the most beautiful flowers I have ever laid my eyes on," she breathed out, feeling a warm glow in her chest.

"Of course, you find them the most beautiful. They are your favorite flowers, after all," he said with a knowing smile, handing them to her.

She cradled the bouquet in her arms, inhaling its delicate, enchanting scent. These hydrangeas smelled unlike any she had encountered before, their fragrance richer and more vibrant, perhaps because they had blossomed in a wild, untouched forest rather than a manicured garden.

Her heart fluttered with a giddy excitement as she admired the flowers, reminiscing about the countless hours she had spent trying to identify her favorite among the abundant blooms Easton had lavished upon her. Despite her efforts, she had never found the answer.

How could she, when her true favorites weren\'t among them at all?

Hugging the flowers close, she felt the uneasiness that had knotted her chest all day melt away.

"Do you like them that much?" Vyan asked, a teasing smile playing on his lips.

Iyana nodded enthusiastically. "I love them."

Vyan laughed softly. "Good thing I got them, then." With a flick of his wrist, he conjured a vase on the small nightstand and gestured for her to hand the flowers back to him.

Once she did, Vyan began arranging the flowers with expert precision.

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"You\'re quite skilled with those flowers," she remarked, admiring both the blossoms and the man handling them. It was an utterly charming sight.

"Well, it\'s not my first time doing this," he said, grinning.

She wondered what he meant—was it not the first time he was bringing her flowers or not the first time arranging them in a vase? She didn\'t dare to ask, not wanting to disrupt the sweetness of the moment.

"How did the monster capture go today?" she inquired, hoping to keep the conversation flowing.

"It was a bit tough, actually," he replied. "The rain drove many monsters into hiding in caves, making them harder to find. Plus, the paths were quite slippery…"

As Vyan spoke, Iyana listened intently, a smile unknowingly gracing her lips, completely oblivious to the chaos unfolding in the capital.

In the middle of their warm conversation, Priscilla returned to check on Iyana and a surprised expression crossed Iyana\'s face.

"I thought you said your son was sick and you had to be home?" Iyana asked, puzzled.

"Yes, but he\'s feeling much better now," the nurse replied with a warm smile.

"Oh, I see. Thank goodness then," Iyana returned her smile and quickly resumed her chat with Vyan.

Unbeknownst to them both, a shadow crossed Priscilla\'s face. She thought darkly, Everything is in ruins, and here you are, chatting merrily with the man responsible for it? I will teach you a lesson this time, Iyana.