"Make sure you don't forget anything," Matthias leaned on the railing of the ship's deck as he watched Rasmus and the others board the ship. "This is going to be a long journey, this is going to look too suspicious," he pushed himself away from the railing and approached Rasmus. "Is this really necessary?" He arched his brows and glanced at the four navy ships that were going to escort his ship and Ferdinand's ship.

"It is, it should be enough to make us feel safe. After all, the Asghar family wants Anastasha dead," Rasmus answered and watched Anastasha and her people go down into the ship's cabin.

"I don't think the Navy would be able to stop the assassins. If those assassins had decided to kill those marines, they would kill them without a problem," Matthias pointed out and glanced at the naval ships with their magic weapons ready.

"That makes it even better. If the assassins killed them, I could use it against the Asghar family. But, I don't think they would be stupid enough to involve the whole navy fleet. So, as I said, it should be enough to make us feel safe. The journey should be smooth without any problems," Rasmus patted Matthias on the shoulder and walked to the edge of the deck, looking at the dock where Carrion and Erlina stood.

Rasmus stared at them without showing any expression, but Erlina's was different. She was still staring at him with a cold expression, especially after their private conversation. Nobody knew what had happened between them, but it was obvious that Erlina was angry with him. When Rasmus nodded at them, Erlina looked away as if she didn't want to acknowledge it.

Carrion glanced at Erlina and could see the glimpse of pain, sadness, and perhaps betrayal. He had never seen Erlina be so emotional toward anything or anyone, not even toward him, not at this level. But seeing her like that, Carrion realized how much Rasmus meant to her.

"I don't know what's happening between you two, but are you sure you want to see him off like that?" Carrion asked in a gentle voice.

Erlina shot a glare at Carrion for a moment, but then she closed her eyes as if she was regretting it. She took a deep breath and placed her hand on his chest as an act of apology. She sighed as she slowly opened her eyes and turned her head to look at Rasmus. Unfortunately, Rasmus was no longer there, he had gone into the ship's cabin.

"IF I EVER SEE YOU AGAIN, YOU OWE ME AN APOLOGY!" Erlina shouted her lungs out as she stared at the ship, everyone was startled by her voice and looked at her with a confused look, even Carrion was baffled and tried to calm her down by placing his hand on her arm. "DO YOU HEAR ME! RASMUS!" She shouted once again, but this time her voice trembled as if a dam was about to break.

Rasmus smiled as he walked into the cabin, he could hear Erlina's voice loud and clear since he had sensitive ears.

When the ship began to sail, Erlina couldn't help but shed a single tear that she immediately wiped away before Carrion could notice it. She sought Carrion's hand and held it as tightly as she could, because she didn't want to feel alone. Carrion looked at her with his aching heart, and he slowly wrapped his arms around her and caressed her back silently.

"Why did you shout like that?" Carrion asked, his voice barely above a whisper as he looked down at Erlina. "Why did it sound like he wouldn't come back?" He furrowed his brows and made Erlina look up at his eyes. 𝙛𝒓𝒆𝙚𝒘𝒆𝓫𝙣𝓸𝙫𝓮𝒍.𝒄𝒐𝓶

"I don't want to talk about it right now, please?" Erlina muttered and clenched her fists on Carrion's chest.

"Okay, let's head back..." Carrion nodded with understanding and guided Erlina home.

Matthias put down the East Neva map on the big square table where Rasmus, Anastasha, Aris, Rullein, Serena, and Javi were standing around it. The map was the newest edition based on territorial wars that had been happening in the past year.

"So, the main question is where are we going to land this ship?" Matthias asked as he looked at Anastasha and Rasmus. "I'm pretty sure that we won't be going straight to the Asghar territory, right? I mean we could use this strait to go straight to the Asghar's territory, but I don't think that's a good idea," he added.

"Why is that? Is it because you're scared?" Rullein chuckled.

"Well, that's the main reason, but because right now there's a conflict between the Khan Empire and the Sultans. The Khan Empire has been trying to expand its territory, using this strait as a passage for them to go straight to the lands that owned by the Sultans without having to go through land where the Asghar family owned. At the same time, both the Khan Empire and the Sultans have reinforced their walls along the shoreline, and every ship that goes there would be destroyed. The only ships that allow to move in and out the strait are the navy ships," he explained.

Rasmus hummed and looked at the waterway that went deep into the Khan Empire's land and at the same time, the exit was where the lands that the Sultans owned while the middle belonged to the Asghar family. He looked at the northeast area of the map beyond the land that was owned by the Asghar family, and that border was where the main conflict was.

"What's your plan? Which side do you favor the most? The Sultans or the Khan Empire?" Rasmus glanced at Anastasha with his brows raised.

"Neither, but my plan is to go... here..." Anastasha tapped the map to see where a piece of land was in the Sultans territory, and it was written on the map that the land belonged to the Ashenvale family.

"The Ashenvale? For what reason?" Rasmus furrowed his brows because one of his former students, Valari was an Ashenvale. "You're using my connection to secure yourself from problems?"

"Our problems, Count... our problems," Anastasha smiled, the smile that didn't reach her eyes. "Well, I did my research on your past when you taught those extraordinary students of yours, the Angelis, the Sancticus, the Ashenvale, the Ravenshroud, the Suncrown, and the Wyverncrest. Six young figures that you have taught, somehow, they have become a part of the history you're trying to write. You have most of them in the history, I guess isn't it time to add the last one in the book?" She playfully smirked at Rasmus.

Rasmus thought about it for a second and then he nodded in agreement. Anastasha winked at him, knowing exactly how he thought of the situation and knowing that he wouldn't mind it at all because he would gain a lot of things from this as well.

"Well, now it's my turn to ask you, Count. How are you going to play the board? To be the hand that moved the pawn or be the king in the board? Just a heads-up, playing behind the curtain will gain you zero impact on this continent because all the power comes from the crown everyone wears not the whispers," Anastasha stared right into Rasmus's eyes with a serious expression as she pointed at her head.

"Then I'll play along," Rasmus answered without hesitation and stared back at Anastasha.