"After passing through several hallways adorned with red-lacquered wood, Milli and Zafir finally arrived at the soldiers' training courtyard. The guards stationed at the entrance allowed them in without hesitation upon seeing Peng Xian’s palace token.

  They moved to an open section of the courtyard, preparing to spar. Nearby soldiers paused their training to observe, their curiosity piqued by the two outsiders and their combat prowess."

  Zafir drew his sword, surprising the soldiers slightly—they had never seen a beastman wield a weapon before. Moreover, the sword itself looked old and cheaply made.

  "Thank you for your guidance! I am ready!" Zafir declared.

  "Hmmm, here I go! Come out, Baltimore!" Milli took out a card, letting it hover in the air before tapping it with her staff.

  A shadow emerged from the card, swiftly taking form. In moments, a towering, two-and-a-half-meter-tall Taurus beastman stood before them, clad in battle-worn leather armor. His scarred, bullish face bore the marks of countless battles, and in his hands, he gripped a massive two-handed axe.

  The soldiers were taken aback—they had never seen a summoner before, let alone one so young. Moreover, the Taurus beastman exuded such a dominating aura that if they had to face him in battle, they might cower or flee from his presence.

  "Baltimore, please go easy on Zafir~" Milli called out, before casually taking a seat on a nearby tree stump.

  "Lord Baltimore, please take care of me!" Zafir said, addressing him as "lord" out of respect, as he had been told that Baltimore was the king of minotaurs.

  "Harummph!" Baltimore snorted, tilting his head back in a gesture that signaled Zafir to come at him.

  Zafir took a deep breath, his body tensing with anticipation. This wasn’t just a fight—it was his chance to prove himself worthy of Baltimore’s training. He’d heard stories of the minotaur king’s strength, and now it was his turn to show he had the will to stand against it.

  With a battle cry, Zafir lunged forward, sword aimed at Baltimore’s chest. The minotaur responded instantly, swinging his axe in a wide arc, the raw force of it nearly knocking Zafir off his feet. He managed to dodge at the last moment, but the wind from the swing ruffled his hair.

  The ground trembled beneath them as Baltimore readied his next move. Zafir’s heart pounded in his chest. He hadn’t expected the sheer power behind that swing. Without hesitation, he darted to the side, aiming for Baltimore’s exposed flank. But the minotaur was quicker than he appeared. With a fluid twist, Baltimore brought his axe around in a deadly horizontal arc, forcing Zafir to leap back just in time to avoid being cleaved in two.

  Zafir’s breath quickened. He wasn’t backing down. He had come here to be trained, to earn the right to stand alongside warriors like Baltimore. Gripping his sword tighter, he charged once more, this time aiming low to target the minotaur’s legs.

  Baltimore’s heavy hooves dug into the earth, and he sidestepped with ease, avoiding the strike. Then, with a roar, the minotaur swung his axe down toward Zafir, his massive frame moving with surprising agility. Zafir dove to the side, narrowly avoiding the strike that would have split him in half.

  Sweat beaded on Zafir’s forehead, but he didn’t falter. He was determined to prove he had the skill, the resolve, to train under Baltimore. This wasn’t just about winning; it was about showing his worth. With a grunt, he closed the distance again, slashing his sword toward Baltimore’s side. The minotaur blocked the blow with his axe, the force of the collision vibrating through Zafir’s arms.

  Zafir didn’t stop. With fluid motions, he swept the blade toward Baltimore’s legs again, this time landing a glancing blow against the tough leather armor. The cut wasn’t deep, but it was enough to show that Zafir could hold his ground.

  Baltimore paused, his eyes narrowing as he regarded the young warrior before him. No words passed between them, but the minotaur’s posture shifted, a silent acknowledgment of Zafir’s tenacity.

  Zafir stood tall, panting heavily, his sword at the ready. His muscles screamed from the effort, but he wasn’t finished. Not yet. He would prove that he had what it took.

  Baltimore gave a low grunt, not of annoyance but of approval, before turning away. He hadn’t spoken, but his actions said everything. Zafir had earned his attention, and that was the first step toward becoming a true warrior under Baltimore’s guidance.

  Milli, watching from her seat on a tree stump, smiled. "You’ve earned it, Zafir," she said, her voice light. "Baltimore’s training isn’t easy, but you’ve got his respect."

  "Way to go, beastman!" The soldiers clapped and cheered, their voices loud with admiration. They had witnessed Baltimore's incredible strength, but even more impressive was Zafir’s unyielding determination. They hadn’t expected a beastman to possess such resolve—especially not one who stood his ground against the mighty Baltimore. His spirit had earned their respect as much as his combat skills.

  This book was originally published on Royal Road. Check it out there for the real experience.

  In the Queen’s chamber, Wu Zhao drifted into a deep sleep, her mind clouded with a strange, vivid dream. Before her stood Gilles, his figure clear but his presence unsettling. He spoke with a chilling calmness, his words echoing in the dreamlike haze.

  “You will be the Queen of Luo Yang,” Gilles declared, his voice smooth and assured. “With my guidance, I will help you control the future of this city.”

  “Gilles? Is this a dream?” Wu Zhao thought, her mind clouded with confusion. She felt disconnected, unsure whether the words were reality or a product of her subconscious.

  The Gilles in her dream continued, his voice becoming more urgent. “The Dragon King plans to invade Luo Yang. He intends to turn it into a wasteland, a broken ruin.”

  Wu Zhao’s heart raced, the weight of the words sinking into her chest. Yet, she couldn’t quite make sense of it—everything around her felt distant, unreal.

  “Father…” her voice called out softly, the word slipping from her lips before she could fully comprehend it. "Did I just call him father…?" Wu Zhao’s mind spun in confusion. She couldn’t tell whether it was her own voice or a distant echo of someone else’s. “Is this Annie’s dream or past?” she wondered, the thought pressing heavily on her chest.

  Gilles, in the dreamlike haze, continued, his tone now filled with pride. "If we take hold of Luo Yang, then surrender to Azevaria and become one of its vassal states, we can still rule. The Dragon King would not dare to attack us!"

  His words were filled with a twisted sense of confidence, as if the plan had already been set in motion, as if nothing could stand in their way.

  “My dear father… we shall control Luo Yang together... I’m sure Master Hassan would support you as well…” Wu Zhao’s voice replied, the words flowing from her lips with an eerie sense of certainty. It was as if someone else’s thoughts had taken control of her, a feeling that unsettled her deeply. The words felt distant, not entirely her own, as if they were echoes from another time, from another life.

  She stood frozen in the dream, the haze thickening around her as she struggled to piece together her thoughts. Was this truly her voice speaking? Or was it Annie's, or perhaps someone else's? The dream was slipping further out of her grasp, leaving her questioning what parts of it were real and what parts had been implanted in her mind.

  “Dragon King… invasion…?” Wu Zhao thought, her mind racing as the weight of the dream began to settle over her. What was real, and what was illusion? The line between them was becoming harder to discern.

  Suddenly, another Wu Zhao appeared before her, standing in the midst of the swirling dreamscape. Her heart skipped a beat as she stared at the figure. “Is that me…?” she thought, her mind spinning with disbelief.

  The other Wu Zhao spoke with a quiet certainty, her voice carrying a weight of knowledge. "As you may have seen, Luo Yang will fall. You won’t be able to save it."

  Wu Zhao's chest tightened as the words struck deep. The figure continued, her expression cold and knowing. "Even with my dear father’s wits, he still planned to surrender to the Azevaria Empire. He knew the difference in strength between this kingdom and the Azevaria Empire."

  The words felt like a punch to her gut. The other Wu Zhao’s eyes seemed to pierce through her, as if trying to impart a grim truth. "Run. Escape from this place. You will die if you don’t."

  “Huh…? What are you talking about?” Wu Zhao’s voice cracked with confusion and disbelief, but before she could process any further, everything around her dissolved into a thick mist.

  The swirling fog closed in on her, suffocating, and in an instant, she jolted awake.

  She was back in her chamber, the silence of the real world settling in around her. The dream lingered, unsettling and vivid, but the mysterious figure, the warnings, and the haunting words were gone. Yet, something about the dream stayed with her, a sense of dread, an uneasy knowing. She could still feel the echo of the other Wu Zhao's words, like a warning she couldn't ignore.

  “Queen Wu, you have awoken!” the chambermaid called out, her voice loud enough to alert the other servants. “Would you like to refresh yourself?” she asked, her tone respectful.

  “Hmm, I guess so,” Wu Zhao replied, her mind still lingering on the strange dream. The chambermaids moved swiftly, preparing a bath and assisting her as she changed into fresh clothing.

  Once she had refreshed herself, the servant outside the door announced the arrival of Peng Xian and Xiao Jie.

  After thinking about what had happened, Wu Zhao realized her arm no longer hurt. She flexed it dramatically, testing its movement. “Yeah, it doesn’t hurt anymore… But how did I return? I don’t remember anything after the trial.”

  “Heh, aren’t we powerful for healing your injuries?”

  Two voices spoke in unison from above. Startled, Wu Zhao looked up just as two magpies fluttered down from the ceiling, their small forms shifting mid-air into a young girl and a young boy.

  “HAH?!” Wu Zhao gasped before she could even process what had just happened. Then, forcing herself to stay calm, she quickly steadied her breath.

  “Is everything alright, Your Majesty?!”

  Xiao Jie and Peng Xian burst through the doors, their eyes scanning the room, ready for danger.

  “No need to thank us, we are very humble birds,” Xiao Que boasted, placing her hands on her waist.

  “Verily so!” Xiao Xi added, mimicking her pose with a proud grin.

  “Intruders?!” Xiao Jie exclaimed, his hand instinctively moving toward his weapon.

  “No, these two are our Queen’s benefactors,” Peng Xian interjected calmly. “They carried her back to the base of the mountain and healed her injuries while the carriage was on its way back to the capital.”

  “Hehe, we are strong, aren’t we?” Xiao Que boasted again, striking a triumphant pose.

  “Verily so!” Xiao Xi added, copying her stance with equal enthusiasm.

  After taking a moment to process everything, Wu Zhao narrowed her eyes at them. “Aren’t you two the gatekeepers of Mt. Kun Lun? Why are you here?”

  “Our rulers granted us permission to stay with you!” Xiao Xi declared proudly.

  “Be grateful, scandalous queen, for we will stick with you!” Xiao Que added with a mischievous grin.

  “Scandalous queen…?” Peng Xian repeated, raising a brow in confusion.

  Wu Zhao let out a deep sigh. “Will you stop calling me that? Others will misunderstand.”

  “Should we?” Xiao Que tilted her head.

  “Hmmm… Maybe so?” Xiao Xi mirrored her gesture, looking just as thoughtful.

  “Hah… If you stop calling me that, I’ll give you more tasty fruits.” Wu Zhao bargained, rubbing her temple.

  “We should!” Xiao Que declared.

  “Verily so!” Xiao Xi agreed.

  Then, in perfect unison, they both exclaimed, “Where’s the fruit?!”

  Wu Zhao sighed again, this time in complete resignation. “Somebody please get these two some fruits from the kitchen… Or rather, just take them there and let them choose.”

  “Yes, Your Majesty,” the maid servant replied before promptly escorting the two excitable magpies to the royal kitchen.

  “Peng Xian and Xiao Jie, you two came just in time. I have something to discuss with you,” Wu Zhao said after regaining her composure.

  “Your Majesty, we also have someone we would like you to meet and something important to discuss,” Xiao Jie replied.