Among the pedestrians walking along the busy streets of Horn Lizard Town, an ordinary young woman moved quietly among them, her presence so subtle that it seemed to dissolve into the surrounding crowd.

Her pace was neither hurried nor slow, steady and unremarkable, allowing her to blend perfectly into the bustling flow of people.

At first glance, she appeared no different from the countless humans passing through the streets.

Nothing about her drew attention.

Her appearance was plain, her clothing unremarkable, and her posture entirely ordinary.

Yet something strange was happening.

Anyone who happened to be in her path moved aside without realizing it.

It simply happened, as though guided by an unseen force.

Each step she took caused the crowd to part before her, silently and naturally, while the street itself remained just as crowded as ever.

Her steps were slow and casual, yet each stride carried her three or four meters forward, far more than it should have.

Before long, she arrived a few meters away from the Horn Lizard King’s residence.

She stopped.

For several seconds, she stared at the massive structure without blinking.

Her gray eyes remained fixed, as though trying to uncover something hidden beyond the physical walls. Her pupils did not move.

They were perfectly still, almost as if they were seeing something others could not.

For a brief moment, an indescribable fluctuation passed through those emotionless eyes. Then she exhaled softly through her nose and shifted her gaze.

The Crimson Arc Guild stood at the entrance.

Her eyes swept across every member standing guard, observing each of them in silence. Nothing escaped her notice.

She saw Riven standing with a vigilant gaze, his shield held firmly while his other hand rested on his broadsword.

Nearby stood Kiera.

Even while waiting, Kiera could not remain still. She constantly shifted her massive axe from one shoulder to the other, her impatience obvious.

’Who would have expected the little guild would reach this level?’

A faint trace of contemplation flickered in the woman’s eyes. The Crimson Arc Guild had once been insignificant, nearly forgotten.

Yet now, everything has changed.

’What a surprise!’

For a brief moment, genuine surprise appeared on her face before disappearing just as quickly. Her expression returned to its usual indifference, as though that fleeting emotion had never existed.

’Now, they are trying to include the Horn Lizard King in their little scheme.’

Her gaze shifted back toward the residence. Everything unfolding before her seemed clear, almost painfully so, as if nothing could escape her understanding.

’Unfortunately, it’s useless.’

She shook her head slightly, watching the group with detached certainty.

There was no ridicule in her eyes.

No contempt.

She stood there like a spectator, observing the scene with a calm, distant expression.

A few minutes later, the gates of the Horn Lizard King’s residence slowly opened from within.

Solenne stepped out.

A faint smile rested on her face, and her expression was noticeably lighter than before. The anxiety she had carried earlier had vanished completely.

The meeting had gone smoothly better than expected and everything had unfolded according to plan.

She lifted her head, ready to share the good news with her guild members.

Then she felt it.

An unfamiliar presence.

It lasted only an instant, fleeting and subtle, yet it immediately captured all of her attention. Her head snapped toward a specific direction, and there she saw the young woman staring directly at her.

Their eyes met.

At that moment, time seemed to slow.

Those gray, emotionless eyes reflected her figure without the slightest ripple of feeling. There was no killing intent. No hostility. No emotion at all.

’T-This...’

Solenne froze.

She blinked, and a chill ran down her spine. Every instinct within her screamed that the woman before her was unimaginably dangerous.

And then, she was gone.

The street remained unchanged. Pedestrians continued walking. Merchants continued their business. There was no trace of the woman, no sign that she had ever been there at all.

It was as if she had vanished into thin air.

’How is this possible?!’

She took a step forward, wondering if she was hallucinating as doubt crept into her mind. It felt unreal.

Her eyes remained fixed on the exact spot where the mysterious young woman had stood only moments ago.

"Guild Master, are you okay?" Riven asked as concern filled his voice after noticing her unusual reaction. He was worried.

When Riven saw Solenne’s expression, he couldn’t help but become uneasy despite his usual composure.

Her normally calm and composed demeanor had completely disappeared, replaced by something far more tense.

Instead of answering, Solenne stared at the spot where the young woman had previously stood and thought for a moment before she averted her gaze.

"While you were waiting for me, did you detect anyone staring at you from that spot?" she asked while pointing to the exact location where the strange girl had been standing.

Her voice was unusually serious, carrying a weight that immediately caught everyone’s attention. It was different.

Hmm?

The reaction from the group was immediate as confusion spread among them. They did not understand.

They instinctively followed the direction of her finger, turning their heads toward the indicated spot. They looked carefully.

Riven shook his head after a brief moment of consideration, trusting what he had observed.

"I did not detect anyone staring at us. Since we arrived, that spot has always been empty," he said with confidence in his voice.

The others also nodded, agreeing with him after checking the area themselves. They saw nothing.

Listening and seeing their expressions, Solenne knew this was beyond them and that further questioning would be pointless. She understood.

She quietly fell into thought as she processed the implications of what she had witnessed.

"Alright. Let’s return," she said after making her decision, choosing not to dwell on it in front of them.

She waved her hand and led them back to their inn, maintaining her usual authority despite her inner turmoil.

’Cressida!’ The name echoed repeatedly within her thoughts as realization struck her.

’What is she doing here?’ she wondered as confusion and disbelief mixed together.

Her breathing unconsciously became heavier as tension built within her body. She felt strained.

’Why is she not dead?’ That single question refused to leave her mind no matter how much she tried to suppress it. It haunted her.

When they were purging Mantis Town for any future trouble, she was one of their targets and had been marked for elimination.

A few minutes later, they returned to the inn, with everyone quietly heading back to their respective rooms.

Inside her room, Solenne was pacing back and forth as her thoughts refused to settle. Her brow furrowed deeply as she struggled to process everything that had happened.

’This is bad...’ she muttered inwardly as the situation became clearer in her mind.

Knock! Knock!

The sudden sound broke the silence and pulled her out of her thoughts.

"Come in..." she said without looking at the door, keeping her voice steady despite everything. She remained composed.

The wooden door slowly opened as Riven entered the room with a careful and measured pace.

Riven walked in slowly and closed the door behind him.

"Guild Master, what is troubling you?" he asked, going straight to the question without hesitation.

He was direct.

Solenne raised her head and stared at her vice for a second before speaking, weighing her words carefully.

"Cressida is back." Her voice was steady despite the gravity of her statement.