Reborn as the General's Useless Daughter-Chapter 192: The Blue rank Mission (Part-3)

Sensing the sudden shift in Prince Kael’s aura, Zora paused slightly. When she turned to look at him, she found that the lazy curve at the corner of his lips had sharpened, his gaze sinking into something dark and restrained.

"If you survive a great calamity, you’re bound to be blessed afterward," she said softly.

Her voice was gentle, calm, as if smoothing ripples on water. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

She already understood that the incident with the monster beasts had left a knot in Prince Kael’s heart.

Every time the subject surfaced, his emotions inevitably fluctuated, and this change... she could not help but feel it was connected to her.

Prince Kael looked at her deeply, as though trying to carve her image into his very soul. After a brief moment, he nodded.

The suppressed heaviness around him gradually dissipated, and the familiar, slightly wicked smile returned to his peerless face.

Only then did Zora relax inwardly.

She had never truly seen Prince Kael lose his temper, but she was certain that if he ever did, the consequences would be terrifying.

As the group ventured deeper into the White Mountain Range, the number of people around them steadily decreased. Aside from the occasional mercenary team also heading toward the suffocating forest, they rarely encountered anyone else.

Along the way, clashes with monster beasts were unavoidable.

However, the group’s awareness was sharp, often detecting danger at the earliest moment.

Marcus and Alaric Von Seraph, in particular, demonstrated the value of their experience in navigating the White Mountains, reacting swiftly and decisively whenever danger appeared.

As a result, not only did the team suffer no losses, but they even gained quite a few spoils along the way.

Reesa’s eyes sparkled with excitement the entire time. Whenever a monster appeared, she looked more thrilled than nervous, her eagerness barely contained.

Zora, on the other hand, remained as composed as ever.

As an Alchemist, her mental strength far exceeded that of ordinary spirit warriors, and with the memories of another lifetime layered atop it, her perception was undoubtedly among the strongest in the group. Combined with the keen senses of Black, White, and Shihtzu, she was often the first to detect traces of monster activity.

Even so, she deliberately refrained from making a move in most situations. She had no intention of stealing the spotlight; this journey was meant to be a collective experience, not a personal showcase.

Prince Kael was the same. Even when monster beasts appeared, his handsome, composed expression never wavered, as though nothing in this mountain range was worthy of disturbing his calm.

Overall, their journey scarcely felt like a perilous expedition. Instead, it resembled a leisurely outing, largely because the monsters on the outer edges of the White Mountains were still within everyone’s ability to handle.

Only when the beasts they encountered began to grow stronger did the group gradually become more cautious, adjusting their pace and formation.

As night fell, darkness enveloped the White Mountains. One beastly roar followed another, echoing through the forest and giving rise to an oppressive, ominous atmosphere.

"It’s already dark. Let’s find a place to rest," Marcus said to all, raising his voice. "The mountains are most dangerous at night. If we continue pushing forward and run into a powerful monster, things could get troublesome."

Everyone nodded in agreement. At night, a spirit warrior’s strength was often at a disadvantage compared to monster beasts, and countless mercenaries had lost their lives in the White Mountains because they underestimated that fact.

"I’ve been here before," Raphael spoke up. "There’s a spot nearby that’s suitable for camping overnight."

"That’s perfect," Marcus replied with a smile. "Raphael, lead the way."

"Alright."

Raphael moved to the front of the group and guided everyone forward. After walking for a short while, they finally reached the location he mentioned.

It was a stretch of elevated ground with an open field of vision all around. Any approaching monster would be spotted long before it could get close, making it an ideal place to rest for the night.

"This really is a good spot."

Marcus smiled as he spoke, casually settling down against the trunk of a tree. The elevated ground offered a clear view of the surroundings, and even at a glance, it inspired a sense of security.

Everyone followed suit and sat down one after another. After traveling the entire day, fatigue inevitably crept in. The moment they rested, several people let out quiet sighs of relief, shoulders loosening as the tension finally eased.

"I’ve heard for a long time that monster beasts roam the White Mountains everywhere and that you have to stay alert at all times," Reesa said while taking food out of her storage pouch. She munched as she spoke, half-sighing, half-laughing. "Now that I’m actually here, I realize it’s no exaggeration at all. My nerves have been tight the entire day."

Zora curved her lips faintly. "You didn’t look nervous at all. If anything, you seemed more excited than anyone."

"Heh." Reesa grinned without the slightest embarrassment. "This is my first real expedition into the White Mountains. Of course I’m curious."

She shuffled closer to Zora, lowering her voice with barely contained excitement. "Zora, you don’t know this, but everyone already knows I passed the assessment and became a special enrollment student."

She laughed happily. "The girls in my dorm are practically green with envy. This trip means a lot to me."

Zora nodded lightly. She could easily imagine how ordinary-class students viewed special enrollment students. Reesa was, after all, the first among the freshmen to successfully pass the assessment.

"Rest well tonight," Zora reminded her. "The dangers ahead won’t be as simple as what we encountered today."

"I know." Reesa nodded seriously.

"Nighttime is when monster beasts are most active," Alaric Von Seraph said after surveying the area. "Even though this location is excellent, we can’t let our guard down. I suggest we take turns keeping watch, two people at a time. What do you think?"

"No problem," everyone agreed without hesitation.

Since they were acting as a team, shared responsibility for safety was only natural.

"I’ll take the first watch with Raphael," Alaric Von Seraph continued. "Everyone else should rest."

With Alaric Von Seraph and Marcus coordinating efficiently, the watch schedule was quickly arranged.

Zora leaned back against the tree and slowly closed her eyes. Instead of sleeping, she circulated her cultivation technique. The spiritual energy in the White Mountains was dense and abundant, one of the reasons so many powerful spirit warriors preferred remote mountain regions for cultivation.

Since the night would pass quickly anyway, she might as well cultivate and wake up refreshed the next morning.

Shihtzu lay quietly in her arms, eyes closed as though asleep, yet its breathing was steady and rhythmic. As a beast king, it consumed demon crystals daily, and the energy accumulated within it needed to be refined gradually through cultivation.

Black and White were no exception. Years spent within the Ring of Chaos had turned cultivation into second nature for them.

Prince Kael sat beside Zora, his gaze lingering briefly on her calm, delicate features. A faint, affectionate smile flickered in his eyes before he, too, closed them.

The area soon fell into silence. Only Alaric Von Seraph and Raphael remained alert, eyes scanning the darkness with unwavering focus.

*

When it came time to change shifts, Zora and Prince Kael rose to keep watch.

Moonlight bathed the two figures, their shadows stretching long across the ground, close enough to seem intertwined.

"If my lady is tired, you can rest," Prince Kael said softly. "I can handle the watch alone."

Concern glimmered in his eyes, his voice warm and gentle.

Zora smiled faintly and met his gaze. "It’s fine. I’m not tired."

Prince Kael let out a low chuckle, clearly pleased. "I knew it. My lady just can’t bear to let me keep watch by myself."

His smile deepened, handsome and unrestrained beneath the moonlight, carrying a quiet, irresistible charm.

Zora shot Prince Kael a sidelong glance. This man’s confidence had long surpassed the realm of ordinary narcissism.

"I’m just worried you’ll fall asleep halfway through the night," she said coolly. "If something happens to our teammates then, it won’t be a laughing matter."

Prince Kael’s lips curved upward, the familiar wicked smile returning. His eyes carried an unmistakable warmth, mixed with amusement. "Darling, I know it. You just don’t want to admit that you’re concerned about me."

"..." Zora fell silent, thoroughly defeated. As expected, this man simply could not be reasoned with using common logic.

Just as she was about to turn away, her expression suddenly tightened.