"Over Beast?" Lucas repeated, confused.
He was also mildly irritated—his hard-earned moment of relaxation had been interrupted.
"I'll explain on the way. No time for questions now!" Aislyra said, grabbing Lucas by the arm and pulling him toward the door.
However—
Just as they were about to leave, Katerina appeared, having just returned.
She was carrying a picnic basket in her hands.
"Welcome back, Lady Aislyra," Katerina greeted her with her usual calm demeanor.
Then, she continued—
"Before you leave, could you tell me if the Rangers discovered anything about the assassin from yesterday morning?"
Aislyra blinked, then let out a small "Ah!" as if she had just remembered something important.
"Right, I almost forgot. Yes, actually—after analyzing the residual mana in the severed hand, the Rangers were able to identify him…
"One of the finest assassins from the Hashshashin Guild—The Silent Gate."
Katerina's expression darkened immediately.
"The Silent Gate…" she murmured. "This is a problem. He is infamous for his persistence.
"If he failed once—he'll definitely be back."
Lucas, who had been listening intently, furrowed his brows.
"The Hashshashin Guild?"
That name sounded oddly familiar.
However, he couldn't quite place where he had heard it before.
Aislyra turned to him.
"It's a guild of assassins that was founded over three hundred years ago by a hero from your world."
Lucas's eyes widened slightly.
"Wait—someone from my world?"
"Yes," Aislyra confirmed. "His name was Hasan al-Sabbah.
"He was a user of History Magic, so he should be quite famous in your world, Lucas.
"Have you ever heard of him?"
Lucas paused, thinking for a moment.
Then, he remembered.
He didn't know much about the guy—
But if he wasn't mistaken, he was somehow connected to the origin of the word "assassin."
"I think I've heard the name before," Lucas admitted. "But I don't know much about him.
"He wasn't exactly famous where I lived."
Aislyra shrugged.
"Doesn't matter. The founder has been dead for centuries.
"The real problem is that his organization still exists—
"And one of the best assassins in the entire guild is now targeting you."
A cold chill ran down Lucas's spine.
The mere thought that a highly skilled killer could strike at any moment—
It made his skin crawl.
Aislyra, noticing the fear flickering in his eyes, gave him the most reassuring smile she could muster.
"Don't worry, Your Majesty.
"If that bastard dares to show his face again—
"I'll wipe him off the face of the earth."
For a brief moment, Lucas felt a little more at ease.
But—
That moment didn't last long.
Aislyra's face lit up with excitement again.
"Anyway, there's no point in stressing over defenses against someone who can ignore both magical and physical barriers.
"So, let's stop wasting time and go hunt some Over Beasts!"
Before Lucas could even process what she had just said,
She had already started dragging him out of the room again.
"Lady Aislyra, take this."
Katerina's calm voice made them pause for a second.
She handed Aislyra the picnic basket she had been holding.
"Here's the packed lunch you requested."
"Ah, thanks, Katerina!" Aislyra said, accepting it.
Then, without missing a beat—
She resumed pulling Lucas along.
"Let's go!"
As they disappeared down the hallway,
Katerina gave a small bow and said—
"Good luck."
In an instant, Aislyra dragged Lucas into the teleportation room from yesterday.
Before he could even process what was happening—
They were teleported directly in front of the Seal Tree.
"Aislyra!" Lucas snapped, his irritation finally boiling over.
"Can you finally explain what these Over Beasts are and why we're hunting them?"
He shot her an exasperated glare as he followed her past the burnt soil and into the forest.
Aislyra, unbothered by his tone, casually responded as she walked ahead—
"Over Beasts are normal animals that have absorbed too much mana.
"Because of that, they become far more aggressive and much stronger than their regular counterparts."
She glanced back at him with a smirk before continuing—
"As for why we're hunting them today—
"From tomorrow onward, sneaking you out of the palace without causing a commotion will be almost impossible.
"So, this is the perfect chance to give you a taste of what it's like to fight an enraged beast."
Lucas's eye twitched.
That still didn't explain why he had to do it.
But before he could voice his complaint, Aislyra added—
"After all, if we ignore the exaggerated difference in size and power, facing an Over Beast is very similar to fighting Artema.
"So this is excellent training for you, considering our ultimate goal."
Then, as if it were just an afterthought, she casually threw in—
"Besides, they're dangerously aggressive.
"If left unchecked, they'd be a huge threat to people.
"So, it's always best to eliminate them."
Lucas did not like this plan.
Not one bit.
Even if it was good training, he hated the idea of killing an animal.
But if they were truly dangerous to people then, unfortunately, he had no choice.
Lucas sighed.
"…Fine. I'll do it."
"Perfect!" Aislyra said, grinning in excitement.
Then, turning forward again—
"We're almost at the area where they can appear."
After walking a few more steps,
Lucas suddenly felt a strange sensation course through his body.
It was like a static shock, faint but noticeable.
It didn't hurt—but it was definitely weird.
Noticing his confusion, Aislyra quickly explained—
"That feeling you just experienced.
"It means we've crossed the magic barrier that prevents any living being—aside from members of the royal family—from getting close to the Seal Tree."
Then, her lips curled into an exited grin.
"From this point on—
"An encounter is guaranteed."
Lucas's stomach twisted in dread.
His breath hitched.
Cold sweat began to form on his skin.
His eyes dilated.
After a few minutes of tense walking, a distant, strange howling sound echoed through the forest.
It carried an eerie, unnatural reverberation.
Aislyra's grin widened.
"Perfect. That's the howl of some type of Over Wolf.
"They have an excellent sense of smell—so they will find us soon enough."
She suddenly threw out her arm, stopping Lucas in his tracks.
"Get ready."
Lucas froze.
His heart pounded violently in his chest.
His breath grew unsteady.
'Shit! I'm not ready for this!' Lucas thought frantically as he activated Physical Enhancement Magic.
The forest fell into an eerie silence.
Then a massive wolf, standing at least two meters tall, emerged from the shadows, blocking their path.
Its fur ranged from light brown to white, and its body was several times larger than an ordinary wolf.
But the most striking feature—
Three large, prism-shaped rock pillars protruded from its back, and its red eyes glowed with a faint brown light.
"Huh, an Earth Over Wolf... and not too big." Aislyra murmured, analyzing the creature.
Then, nodding to herself, she grinned.
"Perfect! Lucas, you're taking this one on your own."
Lucas's stomach dropped.
"WHAT?!" he shouted, whipping around to face her.
But Aislyra had already leaned casually against a tree, crossing her arms.
"You'll be fine," she said lightly. "From what I saw in yesterday's training, you should be able to handle it.
"I'll only step in if your life is in danger."
Lucas gawked at her, terror flashing across his face.
"SERIOUSLY!?"
Aislyra simply nodded.
Lucas barely had time to process her words before the beast charged straight at him.
Fortunately, It wasn't as fast as Aislyra had been during training.
"Damn it!" Lucas cursed, his instincts taking over.
"Light Daggers!"
Immediately, two daggers of pure light materialized in his sweaty hands.
Without hesitation, he threw one straight at the beast's face.
The wolf dodged with ease—
But at the last moment, the dagger changed direction mid-air, striking its face and exploding on impact.
The wolf stumbled back, momentarily stunned.
Lucas took advantage of its daze, launching the second dagger, further disorienting the beast.
Then a bow of golden light formed in his hands.
The Over Wolf shook off its confusion, its glowing brown eyes locking onto Lucas.
Noticing the glowing bow in his opponent's hands, the wolf halted its charge.
Instead—
It opened its enormous maw, the inside beginning to glow.
'Shit—it's about to fire something!' tough Lucas.
And sure enough—
A massive boulder shot out of the beast's mouth at a terrifying speed.
Lucas's heart pounded.
But—
He was already prepared.
"Light Arrow!"
He released the arrow, sending it soaring toward the incoming projectile.
The two attacks collided mid-air, Lucas's arrow piercing straight through the boulder and continuing on—
Striking the Over Wolf's shoulder.
The beast howled in agony.
However—
It wasn't done yet.
It prepared another attack.
"No, I won't let you do that!" Lucas shouted.
He didn't have enough time to fire another Arrow of Light.
So, he changed tactics.
"Rain of Light!"
Instantly—
A myriad of glowing arrows appeared above the Over Wolf, hovering ominously.
And in the next second they rained down mercilessly.
One of them pierced through the beast's skull, ending the fight in an instant.
Lucas stood there, panting.
His hands trembled slightly, his body aching from exhaustion.
Then a wave of relief washed over him.
"I... I did it!" he gasped, mentally drained but filled with satisfaction.
Aislyra approached him, clapping him on the back.
"Good job, Your Majesty."
Lucas staggered slightly from the force of the pat.
"That was a pretty strong Over Beast. Normally, a beginner wouldn't stand a chance against it."
She grinned.
"But after seeing your magic training yesterday, I knew you'd be able to handle it."
Lucas opened his mouth to complain—
But—
A massive shadow suddenly loomed over them.
A New Threat Appears
Lucas's breath caught in his throat.
Slowly, he looked up.
A creature very similar to the Over Wolf he had just killed hovered above them.
But this one, had enormous angelic wings.
Its bloodshot eyes burned with rage.
Aislyra's expression darkened, her posture shifting into battle stance.
Then—
A small, confident smirk appeared on her lips.
"I'm sorry, Your Majesty, but today's practical lesson is over."
She glanced at Lucas, her smirk widening slightly.
"Now, stay alert—
"And watch me work."