"Do you see it now, My Lady?" Hassan asked as he stood on the highest tree he had found in the forest.

In front of him was the majestic stone fortress of the Aslan Tribe, which was perched in the middle of Grimjaw Mountain. A feat that no barbarian tribe had managed to achieve in the past.

"Impressive." Lady Helen’s voice sounded from the obsidian crystal. "Unless a high-ranking tribe of the barbarians lay siege on this fortress, the Aslan Tribe can withstand any invasion.

"My son has gained a truly exceptional ability. Perhaps a Goddess took pity on him and allowed him to meet Daedalus."

"My Lady, who is Daedalus?" Hassan asked in a curious tone.

"You will know when the time is right," Helen answered. "Once you gain Leone’s trust, he will let you know about the secrets he has been keeping to himself. All I can say is that my son has gained an ability akin to a miracle. So, make sure to protect him at all costs."

"As you command, My Lady," Hassan promised. "Do you have any further orders for me?"

"No." Helen shook his head. "Thank you, Hassan, for finding my son. You don’t know how much this means to me."

"As long as My Lady is satisfied, then I am also happy." Hassan bowed respectfully. "Worry not. Even if the Aslan Tribe were to fall in the future, I promise to keep the Young Master safe."

"It won’t fall."

"Pardon?"

Lady Helen smiled faintly. "The kingdom my son is building won’t fall. I believe in him."

Hassan could only smile wryly at his Master’s words. For him, Leone becoming a King in the Borderlands was an impossible goal.

After all, the moment the high-ranking tribes saw him as a threat, they would move to eliminate him at once.

They would not allow a King to rise in the Borderlands, especially one who wasn’t even born a barbarian.

However, he kept these thoughts inside his heart. Deep down, Hassan knew his Master already knew this.

"There is one other thing I forgot to report earlier, My Lady," Hassan stated. "It’s about..."

The masked man suddenly shuddered as he felt something lock onto his body. At that moment, he felt like a hand had gripped his heart. That feeling made him think that if he said one wrong word, that same hand would crush it instantly.

"What is it, Hassan?" Helen asked.

"Nothing, My Lady," Hassan replied as beads of sweat formed on his forehead. "Forget what I said earlier."

Helen frowned, but decided to not pry on the matter.

"Report to me in the next new moon," Helen stated. "Until then, keep my son safe. I still haven’t met his girl friend... or girl friends."

"H-Hahaha... the Young Master is an exceptional young man." Hassan did his best to regain his previous calm. "I even heard that the previous Chieftain of the Riverfang Tribe is doing his best to present his granddaughter as the Young Master’s bed warmer."

"Oh my! I don’t know who that is, but they sure know what they’re doing." Helen giggled. "My son is so charming, even the barbarian girls can’t possibly resist him."

After thanking Hassan one more time, Helen finally ended the transmission as the obsidian crystal lost its spark.

It would remain dormant until the next full moon. By then, many things would have already happened in the Borderlands.

"Good evening, Great Shaman." Hassan bowed respectfully to a tree in the distance, where he sensed the presence of someone more powerful than him.

Gundar didn’t reply right away and quietly moved from behind the tree to step on one of its branches.

He then placed his hands behind his back and looked at Hassan, wondering if he should eliminate the masked man or not.

"If I weren’t worried about Leone, I would have already crushed your heart," Gundar declared. "From now on, you are only to report Leone’s growth, as well as matters related to the Aslan Tribe.

"You are not to tell his mother about me nor the matters of the high-ranking tribes. Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Great Shaman," Hassan replied as sweat streaked down the side of his face. He had faced many life and death situations before. Yet, he had never felt the sureness of death so intensely until he came face to face with this old man.

His ability to escape by turning into mist was useless against Gundar, who walked the path of spirits.

If he wished to, the Great Shaman could crush Hassan’s spirit, leaving only his body behind. Though his body might continue to function, it would no longer have a soul in it.

Instead, it would just be a vegetable waiting for its physical death.

A moment later, Gundar jumped off the tree and landed gently on the ground. He then walked back to the fortress with his hands behind his back, like an old man taking a stroll under the moonless night.

Only when Hassan was certain that the old man was already far away and would no longer pose a threat to him did he finally let out a sigh of relief.

"I have only heard stories about the strongest shaman of the Borderlands," Hassan muttered. "Those stories don’t give this old man justice. If anything, his strength is similar to the Kingdom’s Guardian."

The Kingdom of Britannia had its own Guardian, as well as Protectors, who ensured the safety of the royal family.

Because of this, Helen didn’t target any of them when she enacted her revenge. She focused only on those who had conspired to have her son sent into exile.

However, if asked if she was afraid of the Kingdom’s Guardian and its Protectors, her answer would be no.

She wasn’t afraid of the Kingdom’s Guardian at all. In fact, she didn’t even care if her revenge would lead to mutual destruction.

Helen had sent Hassan to confirm her son’s fate in the Borderlands, and the result of his investigation would affect her decision.

Fortunately, Leone was alive and well.

If Helen found out that her son had died during his exile, then she would stop at nothing until she personally killed every member of the royal family of Britannia with her own two hands.

Marco might only be a Viscount, but Helen’s background was something even the Royal Family of Britannia couldn’t threaten nor be aware of.

She hailed from a clan of Assassins. The mere mention of their name was enough to make any ruler of a kingdom tremble in their sleep.

If only they knew she was a member of this clan, they would not have dared to touch her family in the first place!

Hassan leaned against the tree he was standing on and heaved a long sigh.

He hoped there would no longer be any monsters hiding in human skin in the Borderlands like Gundar.

Any more, and he would need at least nine lives to protect both Leone and himself. Fortunately, there might not be a lot of others like the great shaman who was wondering what kind of late-night snack he should eat at that moment.