The sunlight was bright and blazing, like golden clouds scattering warmth, shining onto the massive azure gate.
The blue teleportation gate slowly opened from the other side, and the first thing to step through was a pair of long, slender, firm, and striking legs.
Only after Zora's entire body crossed the portal did the unfamiliar and astonishing environnt in front of her make her mind fall blank again.
The scene before her felt like she had stepped into another world.
The old mansion looked especially grand, occupying an astonishing amount of land.
Though it didn't appear overly luxurious, it carried an unspoken nobility and a sense of history.
It was said that this was the old residence of the Clavenna family…
The royal capital and Braeston were hundreds of kiloters apart, and yet she had arrived in the blink of an eye?
If she hadn't experienced this magical journey herself, Zora would never have imagined that a teleportation spell could send soone so far!
She turned her head back and looked behind the portal.
All she saw was blue light rippling, like waves drifting across a lake.
After a mont, the ripples surged again.
From behind the gate, Liya stepped out first.
Then ca a huge tiger-man, following behind her.
The tiger-man crossed his arms, his sharp gaze casually sweeping over Zora.
Just that one glance made her feel a bit afraid.
Back then, this tiger-man had been the one she auctioned off.
If Viktor hadn't been there at the ti, this tiger-man might have taken her life on the spot.
But she rembered there had been two of them. Where was the other female tiger-man?
Had Viktor rcilessly separated them?
'Oh, what a pitiful story.'
Finally, Viktor stepped out, holding the deeply sleeping Cocotte in his arms, like a father carrying a child.
After flashing with a faint blue glow, the teleportation gate turned into scattered starlight and quietly dissipated.
Seeing Viktor, Zora finally recovered from the oppressive feeling brought by the tiger-man.
She was grateful to Viktor for giving her such a strong sense of safety.
But when she saw Cocotte in his arms, she spoke sowhat awkwardly, "I'm very sorry, Mr. Viktor…"
She didn't know what had gone wrong in her head earlier. She had clearly seen the long, pointed ears, yet still mistook her for Viktor's child.
That was clearly an elf.
After the misunderstanding was cleared, Zora's mind started wandering again.
Ever since arriving in the Empire, she had been hearing rumors everywhere that Viktor liked minors.
At first, Zora had been angry when she heard this, and she refused to believe it.
A man who was always upright and honorable, who even covered her with clothing when he saved her and never once looked at her improperly, how could Mr. Viktor be that kind of pervert?
Until she saw the elf Viktor was carrying…
No, this elf looked so small and delicate.
Zora had grown up listening to fairy tales. It was said that angering beings like elves would bring the wrath of nature.
Wouldn't she… feel pain?
Viktor glanced at Zora casually and said coldly, "I don't know what nonsense you're thinking in that head of yours."
"But you'd better put those thoughts away."
'Uh…'
Zora was startled by Viktor's tone and didn't even react imdiately.
At that mont, Liya beside her smiled slightly and explained in a gentle voice, "The one he's holding is the Queen of the Elves, and also a forr council mber of the Mage Council."
"It's just that, for so reason, she seems to have fallen into a deep sleep from so strange illness."
At this point, even Liya herself felt a bit puzzled.
Excessive sleepiness would be considered an illness for most people.
But when it ca to Cocotte, it felt a bit strange…
In any case, she quickly shook off the random thoughts in her head.
Then she leaned close to Zora's ear and whispered, "Viktor is saying that for your own good. She's a fifth-tier mage."
'Huh?'
Zora's eyes imdiately cleared as she looked at Cocotte in Viktor's arms with newfound respect.
From Liya's few words, she had already realized the seriousness of the situation.
In short, this elf's status was probably even more formidable than her father's.
And on top of that, she was a legendary fifth-tier mage.
If she really angered this elf, whether or not it would bring the wrath of nature was uncertain.
But she would definitely be taken out first by this fifth-tier mage.
Zora couldn't help feeling touched.
'This whole family… they were all good people…'
She leaned toward Liya as well and whispered softly, "Thank you, Miss Liya."
Liya smiled at her in response.
At that mont, Viktor also looked toward Liya and said calmly, "I'm going to the World Tree."
"If anything cos up, go find Halnarsen."
As he finished speaking, a fla ignited at the hem of Viktor's clothes.
This startled Zora.
She pointed at the fla on his clothes, about to say sothing.
But the fire had already spread across Viktor's entire body, wrapping Cocotte along with him.
When he was completely engulfed, the two of them vanished silently into the air like ashes.
Zora stood there, stunned, staring blankly in the direction Viktor had left, before suddenly realizing.
'Oh right, Mr. Viktor is a mage. That shouldn't be a problem.'
'But who was this Halnarsen he ntioned?'
Just then, Zora felt the ground tremble slightly.
Then ca another tremor, and another.
Once, twice.
Standing there, Zora grew curious.
'Hm? An earthquake?'
Suddenly, the tiger-man behind Liya seed to sense so extrely terrifying danger.
Its tail shot straight up, and its fur stood on end.
Its sharp eyes locked tightly onto the mansion gate.
Finally, the gate opened.
It was as if so massive being had suddenly blocked out the sun.
Zora stared blankly at the figure before her, so tall it didn't seem human, her mind going blank.
He had white hair, and his body was covered in thick fur, yet his fra was enormous.
The muscles on his arms bulged powerfully, far stronger than the tiger-man.
There was no sign of frailty at all.
"B-bear… bear-man!?"
Zora wasn't particularly worldly, but she had followed her family in trading demi-humans before. She recognized his race at a glance.
Bear-n were extrely rare and highly valuable. Just one bear-man could be sold for the price of those two tiger demi-humans combined.
But such a thing was nearly impossible to co across.
And yet, the Clavenna family's old residence actually had one?
And this bear-man looked even stronger than any she had ever seen.
Suddenly, Zora noticed sothing.
The bear-man's eyes were clear, without the slightest trace of wildness.
He wore a custom-made, thick butler uniform, though it still didn't seem large enough, as if it might burst from his body.
The mont the bear-man appeared before them, he bowed respectfully and spoke in a deep voice, "Miss Liya."
"And to our guest who has co from afar, welco."
'This…'
Zora was completely stunned by the bear-man's politeness.
Although bear-n were rare and expensive, they were absolutely not suitable as slaves or workers.
Because of their unerasable wild nature and imnse strength, they would never obey humans.
Yet she had just arrived at the Clavenna residence, and they had already given her a shocking "surprise."
A bear-man who understood human speech and was even polite!?
"He is our family's butler, Mr. Halnarsen.", Liya patiently explained to Zora again.
"Please rest assured, he is not dangerous."
Zora suddenly felt like she was in a dream.
Before coming to the Clavenna family, she had carried a certain sense of superiority.
After all, her family was the largest financial group in the world.
She had seen countless wealth and prosperity in her life.
But after arriving here, she felt like an ignorant country bumpkin instead.
Mass-produced weapons she had never seen before.
A fifth-tier mage allied with the Clavenna family, who was also the Queen of the Elves.
And now… A bear-man butler.
Since when could "bear-man" and "butler" even be put together?
She finally understood what her father once said.
'So things can never be bought, no matter how much money you have.'
At that mont, Liya looked up at Halnarsen, bent her arm, and pointed her thumb over her shoulder at the tiger-man behind her.
"Halnarsen, this was brought back by Viktor."
"From now on, I'll leave it to you."
Zora's attention was drawn over as she looked.
Liya was, of course, referring to the tiger-man.
Though it was large, it looked pitifully small in front of the bear-man.
At that mont, the tiger-man seed to recognize an enemy.
Its fur stood on end, baring its sharp fangs.
It looked extrely ferocious.
But the bear-man called Halnarsen didn't treat it as a threat at all. Instead, he calmly bowed slightly to Liya.
"Please rest assured, Miss Liya."
"I will train it properly."
The mont he finished speaking, Halnarsen extended one hand.
It was so fast that Zora couldn't even see it clearly.
It felt like only a slight gust of wind had stirred. She just heard a "smack."
His palm had already struck the tiger-man's neck.
The tiger-man's sharp eyes rolled back.
With a thud, it collapsed to the ground like limp mud, kicking up dust.
Zora, "..."
Looking at the fallen tiger-man, Zora stiffly turned her head to Liya.
'That tiger-man had nearly thrown the entire royal capital of the Cant Kingdom into chaos.'
'And your family's butler knocked it out with a single chop?'
'And you're telling this is not dangerous?'
Halnarsen bent down and hoisted the unconscious tiger-man onto his shoulder.
Liya nodded in satisfaction, then looked at the still dumbfounded Zora and said with a light smile, "Oh right, Miss Zora."
"The wall you blew up at our place earlier, don't forget to settle the paynt later."
Zora straightened up and said seriously, "Please rest assured, Miss Liya."
"Our chamber of comrce never defaults on debts."
Liya smiled and extended her hand, "Then shall we?"
Zora understood and extended her hand as well, shaking Liya's.
"Pleasure working with you!"
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