Chapter 7

After a moment's thought, Milia had a clear idea. She reached into her pocket and took out a gold nugget. "If you truly believe Kenny is alive, then we have a common goal. I want to find him too."

Ethan remained silent, looking at her.

"You planned to join the Chenoss as a guard and assistant for gold. Why can't I buy your services?" Ethan was speechless. Her reasoning was irrefutable. Wanderer werewolves like him often worked as mercenaries.

Milia pressed the gold into Ethan's hand. "Don't worry. If my husband truly harmed the wolf clan, I'll turn him over to the elders and the high priest."

Ethan smiled and struggled to stand, using a nearby tree for support. Milia reached out to help him, and he didn't refuse. The two silently left the valley, heading for Lawrence Castle.

On the way, they encountered a group of Lawrence guards in the forest, led by Captain Liam. Liam, surprised to see them, explained that he was sent by Alec to ensure Milia, "roaming" alone in the forest, was safe. Liam had noticed Ethan's bandaged chest and walked beside Milia, inquiring about it.

After thinking for a moment, Milia explained that she found Ethan injured outside, likely in conflict with forest beasts during the full moon. Liam frowned. "Milia, be careful with Ethan. He's notorious in the river domain."

"Oh, you know about him?" Milia asked quietly.

"He's quite a troublemaker in the river domain, sought after by many factions. Hmph, wanderer werewolves have no tribes, hence no loyalty," Liam grumbled. He not only disliked mercenaries like Ethan but also distrusted outsiders.

Back at Lawrence Castle, Ethan haughtily left them and headed toward the tavern in the square. Liam insisted on escorting Milia to the Olive Courtyard. Milia, not wanting to explain her temporary plans, let Liam and his men take her home.

After thanking and bidding farewell to the guards at the door, Milia pushed open the courtyard gate and was surprised to find it unusually tidy and clean. The air even carried the scent of freshly baked bread. She walked briskly toward the dining room and saw Mrs. An busy at the stove, bringing out a plate of round bread.

Seeing Milia enter, Mrs. An's face lit up. "You're back! Oh, thank goodness. I was worried sick about you, my dear, out there all alone," she said, quickly slicing the bread and spreading butter on it, then pouring a large glass of fresh milk for Milia.

Milia, famished from her long day in the forest, eagerly accepted and bit into the soft bread before realizing she hadn't asked, "Did you do housework while I was away? Thank you so much, Mrs. An."

Mrs. An smiled and waved it off, then turned back to her work.

After eating, and feeling sleepy, Milia decided to take a nap in her bedroom and return to the shack later that night. Perhaps due to exhaustion, she woke up to find it completely dark. She groped for a candle on the bedside table but found nothing. Slowly getting up, she opened the bedroom door to faint light downstairs, possibly from a room.

Milia became wary, knowing Mrs. An must have gone home to care for her paralyzed father. The image of the mysterious intruder from a few days ago reappeared in her mind. She grabbed her gear and quietly descended the stairs. As expected, the living room candles were lit, and the lamp in the separate archery room leading to the courtyard was also on, as if someone was waiting for her.

Taking a deep breath, Milia approached the small wooden room where she kept her bow and arrows. Pushing the door open with a creak, she saw a tall werewolf standing under the light. Thomas, the leader of the southern Chenoss, looked at her with his head tilted and eyes lowered, showing no signs of evasion. His gaze was hostile, and the imposing figure wrapped in his robe did not seem to come with good intentions.

In front of him was the exquisite black wooden box containing the bracelet and gold nugget that Milia had hidden in the archery cabinet before leaving. So, this guy was here for the gold. Interestingly, this indicated a vulnerability if he had a motive.

"Hello, Ms. Milia, we meet again. I suppose I don't need to introduce myself," Thomas said.

"A chief sneaking into someone's house at night without an invitation. The Chenoss are indeed different," Milia remarked.

"Don't be angry, Ms. Milia, I have my reasons. It's all because of your husband," Thomas coldly laughed, a strange expression that was hard to interpret, whether mocking or angry.

"My husband has passed away. His debts are also settled," Milia replied calmly.

"Hahaha," Thomas laughed heartily, "Your high priestess wants to deceive me, but it's not that easy. Let me be clear, your husband owes me a large sum of money, far more than the five hundred standard gold nuggets in the contract. Now he wants to pretend to be dead to avoid paying?"

"He is indeed deceased. Were you not present when the moonstone ring was removed from his body?" Milia countered calmly. "Furthermore, if you believe he is alive, you should find him in person to settle any debts. Do you think you can find him here?"

"Ms. Milia, you are not as smart as you appear," Thomas looked Milia up and down, his twisted smirk disgustingly contemptuous. "Your husband wouldn't abandon such a beauty like you." Thomas picked up the gem bracelet from the table. "Isn't this the gift your husband sent 'after' his death? Hahaha." Thomas put away the smile and opened the black wooden box on the table, revealing the gold nuggets inside. "I entrusted these gold nuggets to your husband because I trusted him, not just for the five hundred nuggets he borrowed. It was eight thousand standard gold nuggets. He must have entrusted them to you."

Thomas leisurely closed the lid of the black wooden box. "Here are only two hundred standard gold nuggets, which I'll take now. For the rest of the money, my son will come to collect it from you within a month. If you can't pay,..." Thomas stared at her coldly, his mouth shut.

"What, are you threatening me?"

"My son, Walker, still needs a few female slaves. I think you're suitable," Thomas smirked, picked up the box, and swaggered out.

Watching Thomas's receding figure, Milia's heart churned like flames. She turned and went upstairs, searching for the large wooden box she had brought back from Kenny's office, hoping to find more evidence. Was Kenny the person they described, colluding with Thomas in the river domain?

The large box contained many of Kenny's daily items. Touching those things, Milia shed tears. She didn't know if Kenny was dead, what Ethan meant by Josephine's involvement, or if Thomas' claim of entrusting eight thousand gold nuggets to Kenny was extortion or true. In this fog of confusion, Milia felt lonelier than ever.

Milia's tears fell on the back of her hand. She stopped her frantic search, sat on the floor, leaned her head on her knees, and pondered quietly in this curled-up position for a long time. Slowly, she lay down and fell into a deep sleep in the darkness.

The early morning was shrouded in rain, with dark clouds veiling the sky. Milia readied herself, wearing leather boots and a backpack suited for a long journey. Leading her horse from the stable, she crossed the olive tree courtyard, heading towards the temple.

Inside the temple's dimly lit basement, two figures stood silently. The High Priest already knew why Milia had come.

"Milia, you're not one of us, the Wolf Clan. You never met Kenny's father, Chief Dade," the High Priest said, rising. Facing a wall adorned with portraits of past Lawrence chiefs, including one of Kenny's father, he stood before it, gazing up at the figure.

Milia had heard many legends about him, the renowned hero who restored Lawrence's ancient glory and secured dominance in the River Domain. The priest spoke slowly and heavily, admitting to using divine power to deceive the tribe, a betrayal he deemed unforgivable as a representative of the gods.

"When I saw Liam and the others bring back the body, I knew it wasn't Kenny. The ring on the body was not the real Moonstone Ring," the High Priest continued, his voice filled with pain and deep regret. "I kept this secret, committing an unforgivable sin. It was because of a promise I made to old Dade on his deathbed to take care of his only son."

Three years ago, Kenny had stood before him, holding Milia's hand, insisting on marrying her, even though she was not a werewolf. Surprisingly, the High Priest did not oppose but instead defended Kenny's authority as a leader and his choice of marriage in front of the elders. He was Dade's best friend, a legend of the previous generation. After Dade's death, the High Priest became like a godfather to Kenny. Thus, it was not hard to imagine that in the end, he had violated his oath to the gods and helped Kenny fake his death.

The truth was sometimes that simple. When everyone unconditionally trusted the High Priest, his words became an irrefutable truth. The deceased, with his real name and truth, was reduced to ashes in the flames.