The day of departure has been set and Adelyn was with Adam. The two of them will be the first to depart to scout the area of Stygian ruins before they meet their client at the entrance.

So, for now, Adelyn pushed the thoughts about the Crown Prince and the issue at the Levingstone Kingdom.

​​

It seems that Evelyn will need to come back as Adelyn, her alias to infiltrate the Palace. But before that, she needs to face Silvester again, and pretend that she doesn't know him.

"Adam, and Princess. You need to be careful though I know that the both of you are strong… just be ready for what will happen there." Erick said as he stands at the door of the Monterio Guild to send them off for a mission that he can't say no because it was from the Crown Prince.

"Don't worry, I have Adam with me… He's the best shield that I can have." Adelyn smirks while Adam who started to walk from the two and was far away feels cold in his back.

"When I get back, I assume you have the information I need?" she said.

"Of course."

"Then, we're off"

Without delay, Adam and Adelyn were at the bottom and the entrance of the ruins. The pitch-black darkness can be seen in a faraway distance.

The ruins were located inside a forest and Adelyn and Adam who were at the entrance are looking at an arc like branches of the black trees that were intertwined and the dark path that seems to not know where it ends.

"It looks like monsters will pop out." She said without thought and Adam only looked at her as she said that.

He recalled the people that they exchange words with when they were gathering information said that the forest has been quiet for a while and that it seems eerie.

"We should scout the area for about an hour and wait here for the client to arrive." Adelyn nodded at what Adam said.

Sil and his knight have said that they will be at the entrance of the Stygian ruins at noon. Adam and Adelyn have quite a time as they arrive early as what is planned. So, they decided to inspect the area.

The two are quite agile as they have been in this line of work for a while and they know that every second counts and every information that they will gain will help them to be safe.

They needed to have more information about one of the three forbidden ruins that is in the Perspiru Kingdom.

The plan of Adelyn since she started to become an adventurer has always been her safety. Gil and Cassandra always said that her Plan A, B, C should always have to prioritize her safety and to come back alive.

And she always heeds their advice.

The vast land of the Perspiru Kingdom where mostly agriculture is the focus of the land as a means of their economic growth and in this Kingdom, three of the seven forbidden ruins are here.

And everything that is inside the forbidden ruins are monsters that have unknown physical strength and power, and mostly have mutated to survive in the land where black mana is in the air.

An hour had passed, and Adam and Adelyn went back at the entrance at the foot of the mountain.

"It's too quiet." They said in unison.

Their assessment of what the villagers said near the Stygian ruins were confirmed. And Adelyn has a bad feeling about it.

"We should be cautious. I don't like this quietness…" Adelyn said.

After a while of waiting Sil and his company are with him. Adelyn raised her brow at what she saw.

Silvester has four knights with him, contrary to what he said that he will only bring one trusted knight with him.

Adam and Adelyn glanced together. They have the same thought.

'What's the meaning of this?'

So, Adelyn speaks out her mind, though she has a gist of what his plan is.

"Sir Sil, this is not what we have agreed" Adelyn stated as she looked at the knight one by one.

She observed their outfit, though it doesn't look luxurious like what you see at the typical Royal knights of the Perspiru Kingdom, she can easily say that they were knights of a higher noble.

They're stiff and seem to be restrained like they were in boot camp.

'We'll it's to be expected, they are in front of their Crown Prince' she thought as she looked at their aura.

'Hmm, one has affinity to nature… must be a healer, and there's also a sword master, one is a mage, one is a hmmm? Black mana user?' Adelyn tilted her head before she focused her attention on Silvester.

'Where did he get a black mana user?' she thought.

It wasn't surprising about why he needs a black mana user, what surprised her is because he "found" a black mage that agreed to be by his side when this Kingdom was the one to kill his kin.

'Does he know that he's a black mana user?' she continued to think.

Silvester saw the confused eyes of Adelyn underneath her black mask. So, he gave her a reason as to why he needed these knights. It was his wrong because he changed the plans that they have agreed upon. 

"I think that you won't need to protect me if I have enough knights with me. They're my trusted knights."

"Hmm… Well, I can see why you brought then, Sir Sil. It would be the perfect line up" Adelyn said, and she saw that Silvester heaved a sigh of relief.

Adelyn was satisfied with the people he brought, and It also had an advantage to them seeing that his Knights are stronger than what she thought. 

'I will have five shields at my expense.' She grinned at the thought.

"First, introduction. I'm Adelyn and this guy is Adam." Adelyn said. The knights jerked as she didn't even formally introduce herself.

But Adelyn didn't care. Ever since she lives the life of adventure, she also tried to act like them. Adelyn has always been having a hard time keeping a façade of a noble lady as she was not like that in her past life. 

Silvester only smiled and introduced his knight.

"Let's start from my right, this is Sir George, a swordmaster. Sir Izzy, a mage, Sir Louise, a healer, and Sir Edrich a mage too." He said.

'Hmm, so I guess he knows.' Adelyn though.

"Let's go, we need to find a camp before the night comes." Adam said.

On their way, they didn't encounter any monsters. Adelyn was having a bad feeling about this but pushed the thought and heightened her senses. The others seem to also notice the unusual atmosphere.

'Let's stay vigilant.' She thought.

She stopped her tracks when she heard Adam's suggestion.

"We should stop here… Miss Adelyn and I will be responsible for the night watch today. So, Sir Sil and his company should take a rest."

A moment later, they decided to settle at a cave that they saw not so far away from the entrance of the forest where the Stygian ruins are located.

"No, we should split the time where everyone can have their sleep today." Silvester suggested.

Adelyn agreed. It's better to accept his offer where everyone will benefit.

They have settled inside and put a fire that was a bit in a distance from the opening of the cave, so the fire won't be attracting too many monsters

After they finished munching their rations, Adelyn was sitting a bit far away from the group and leaning at the hard-cold walls of the cave. While Adam is busy sharpening his sword.

She looked at him.

'He looks like his ready to murder someone,' she thought as she saw the some of Silvester's crew being wary with Adam.

'Well it's to be expected, his fierce face accompanied by his strong presence and aura of an S-rank, will definitely make you think that he's going to go berserk.' She grinned at her own assessment.

Footsteps were drawing near her and she looked up to see Silvester.

"It's been a while…" Silvester said that made Adelyn smile.

"Isn't it a bit late? We've been seeing each other since earlier" 

"Well, I figured that it would be a good word of excuse to talk to you"

She smiled again.

"Is that so?" 

He nodded and slowly sat down not so far from Adelyn.

"Do you have business with me, Sir Sil?"

"Nothing, you just remind me of my cousin."

Adelyn was shocked but she didn't let it show. And her black mask is still on her face so, she doubts that he can see it.

"Your cousin?" Adelyn… no, Evelyn decided to pretend that she didn't know what he was talking about.

She's Adelyn right now.

"What part of her reminds me of her?" she asked, intrigued about how he saw her during their time in the Academy.

~