The morning sun had only just begun to rise, casting warm, golden light over the inn's worn floorboards, but neither Adrian nor Isabel stirred for a moment.

  Despite the te hour they had kept, Adrian felt a refreshing energy coursing through him.

  By his side, Isabel rested her head on his chest, looking as if she had finally slept off years of lingering burdens.

  Last night had been as invigorating for her as it had been bonding for him. Through their shared connection, Adrian had used the Eternal Yin-Yang Harmony Technique, allowing Isabel to absorb an impressive amount of attribute points.

  She felt stronger, steadier, as though she'd evolved through years of rigorous training in a single night.

  After a moment, Isabel stretched, a warm smile curving her lips as she looked up at him.

  "I feel like I could take on the world today, Adrian," she murmured. He chuckled softly, brushing his fingers through her hair.

  "Then let's start with getting back home," he said. "We have a few matters to attend to, and I suspect we've been missed."

  They dressed, preparing for the journey back to the manor.

  With a satisfied sigh, Isabel looped her arm through his as they made their way down the inn's stairway, stepping out into the cool morning air.

  The town bustled with early risers, the faint sound of merchants setting up their wares echoing through the narrow streets.

  The journey back was uneventful but pleasant, and it gave them time to talk about the events at the circus—the sudden attack and the ominous presence of the bck magician.

  Adrian's brow furrowed in thought. There was something about the attacker's energy that didn't sit right with him, and he knew the others would need to be briefed.

  When the familiar gates of Everhart Manor came into view, Isabel felt a sense of pride and relief wash over her.

  This pce was becoming more than just a residence; it was a sanctuary, fortified by people who had become family.

  The grand double doors swung open to reveal Sophia standing in the entryway, her arms crossed, her eyes narrowed in pyful reproach.

  She had her usual lively expression but couldn't quite mask the pout tugging at her lips.

  "So," she said, her tone ced with feigned offense, "the two of you decide not to come back yesterday and leave me to fend off everyone's questions alone? Not fair, Adrian."

  Her eyes flicked from Adrian to Isabel, catching the subtle shift in Isabel's posture and the newfound strength that radiated from her.

  Adrian stifled a smile, leaning forward to kiss her forehead, his gaze warm and reassuring.

  "Don't worry, Sophia. I'll make up for it. Everything I did with Mom yesterday, I'll do with you too," he teased, earning a grin from Sophia.

  Her pout dissolved into a smile, and she wrapped her arms around him, leaning into his chest,"Good. I'll hold you to that."

  Then Sophia mentioned about yesterday's attack of the bck magician in the circus. Adrian stopped her and told her they were there and he was the one who stopped that bck magician.

  Adrian then let go of Sophia and said, "Alright, since we don't want anyone to know about we disguising ourselves, let's gather all the soldiers that were on site and have them brief us."

  With a nod, Sophia set off to assemble the soldiers and officers who had been present during the events.

  Adrian and Isabel made their way to the manor's briefing room, where maps and reports were already spread across the rge oak table.

  One by one, the soldiers filed in, each taking a respectful position around the room.

  They wore expressions of mixed anticipation and determination, each person clearly ready to recount their side of the confrontation.

  Once everyone had gathered, Adrian took his pce at the head of the table, his sharp gaze scanning the room.

  "Thank you all for coming," he began.

  "As many of you witnessed yesterday , the attack was neither random nor isoted. It was orchestrated by someone highly skilled in dark magic, and it's likely they were sent with a specific purpose. I also suspect these are the guys we had been searching and reted to Chris's mothers curse."

  Isabel, who had taken her pce beside him, nodded. "The bck magician presence suggests someone is either targeting us directly or is pnning something rger in the region."

  One of the soldiers, a man named Marcus who had sustained a minor injury during the skirmish afterwards with the monsters from circus, stepped forward.

  Marcus cleared his throat and gnced around before he began. "Unfortunately, we weren't able to gather much information about the culprit himself," he admitted, frustration lining his brow. "We have all the monsters and creatures used in the circus safely contained in cages, but as for the bck magician, they,slipped away before we could arrive."

  He hesitated, then added, "The only thing we know is that he was injured—apparently by a bystander in the crowd. That person seemed to manage the situation and calm the audience before we arrived."

  Adrian nodded thoughtfully, careful to keep his expression neutral. He recalled the night vividly, though, knowing it was his own handiwork, disguised and working from the shadows to bring the magician's rampage to an end.

  But for now, the others didn't need to know the extent of his involvement.

  "Well done, Marcus," he replied, his voice calm and authoritative.

  "Containing the circus creatures was no small feat, and keeping the public from panicking was equally important. Whoever that bystander was, they did good work. I would like to extend invitation to reward them."

  He gnced over the gathered soldiers, letting a hint of pride shine in his eyes. "The circus attack was no easy incident to control, and you all did well under the circumstances."

  The soldiers stood straighter, bolstered by his praise, but there was still a faint undercurrent of disappointment that they hadn't apprehended the magician. Adrian let the silence hang, allowing the tension to settle.

  Then, he turned to Isabel, whose eyes were steady and thoughtful, reading the room as he was.

  "We'll have time to look deeper into the magician's identity ter. For now, we focus on strengthening our defenses and being prepared in case there's a follow-up attack," he said.

  "I'd like regur patrols set up around the castle town, with more of our detection based awakened searching for any traces of the bck magician."

  The soldiers murmured in agreement, nodding as they absorbed their new responsibilities. A few shared determined gnces, no doubt eager to prevent any future threats from slipping past them again.

  One of the younger soldiers, a fresh recruit named Evan, raised a tentative hand. "Lord Baron, with all due respect, if the culprit was injured, is there any chance they might be hiding out nearby? Maybe waiting for an opportunity to strike again? And like you mention, these are the guys we have been searching for from before curse incidents, then they would not likely give up their pn jsut that easily."

  "Good question, Evan," Adrian replied, impressed with the recruit's thinking.

  "It's certainly possible. Our scouts will need to sweep the surrounding areas, especially any pces that offer cover. Mom, could you organize a few small teams to investigate the likely hiding spots?"