The streets of Valefort were alive with morning activity, merchants shouting their wares while travelers moved between shops and taverns. The scent of fresh bread mingled with the metallic tang of sharpened weapons, a mix of civilization and caution that marked a border town.
Seraphina walked with steady purpose, her hood drawn low, with Leon secured in a sling wrapped around her chest. To most, she was just another traveler, another mother protecting her child. But those who knew how to look—those who understood power—would recognize the way she moved, the way her presence commanded a quiet authority.
Leon, despite appearing content in her embrace, remained focused. The events of the previous night had solidified one thing: they were being watched.
And their watcher was intelligent.
Eon, track the signature from last night.
[ Searching... Residual traces detected. Subject's presence is intermittent, avoiding direct contact. Conclusion: Observer remains within proximity but is employing advanced concealment techniques. ]
So they were still here, lurking just beyond sight. That wasn't surprising, but it raised more questions than it answered.
What did they want? Information? Observation? Or was this the prelude to something more?
Regardless, they couldn't afford to be careless.
-----
Seraphina moved toward the marketplace, blending into the crowd with ease. Her goal was simple—listen, observe, and learn. Border towns were filled with rumors, and even the most guarded secrets had a way of slipping into casual conversation.
Leon, meanwhile, absorbed everything around them. His mind, sharper than any ordinary infant's, processed details at an alarming rate. The way the guards patrolled, the shifts in mana density, the hidden figures within the alleys—all of it painted a picture of a town that wasn't as simple as it appeared.
As Seraphina stopped by a stall selling dried meats, a conversation caught her ear.
"…Did you hear? Another merchant caravan went missing near the western pass."
"Hah! Another one? That's the third this month."
"Bandits?"
"If only. The bodies were found, but the cargo was untouched."
Silence fell between the speakers, an unspoken weight settling over their words.
Leon frowned internally. Cargo left behind meant it wasn't about money. Either it was a message, or—
A predator hunting for something other than wealth.
Seraphina took note but didn't react. Instead, she continued browsing, making small purchases while keeping her ears open.
It didn't take long for more pieces to fall into place. Whispers of disappearances, of creatures seen in the dead of night. And, most importantly, of the rising tension between Astralis and its neighboring territories.
Something was happening beneath the surface of this kingdom.
And they had just stepped into the middle of it.
-----
As the afternoon sun began to dip, Seraphina made her way back toward their rented room, her instincts alert.
Leon, however, had already sensed it.
Their silent observer had grown bold.
He could feel them now, trailing just far enough behind that an ordinary person wouldn't notice. But Leon was no ordinary person.
And he was done waiting.
Eon, send out a pulse. Subtle, just enough to disrupt their concealment.
[ Executing... ]
A barely perceptible shift in the mana around them. A ripple—like a pebble dropped into a still pond.
And in the reflection of a nearby shop's glass window, Leon saw it.
A figure, momentarily revealed—a slender silhouette cloaked in dark fabric, moving with unnatural grace.
And, for the briefest moment, crimson eyes met gold.
Caught.
The figure froze, as if realizing they had been noticed. Then, in a blur, they vanished down an alleyway.
Leon suppressed a smirk.
They had taken the bait.
Seraphina, unaware of the silent exchange, turned down the street leading to their inn. But Leon had already made up his mind.
Tonight, the game would change.
An Unexpected Encounter
Night fell, casting Valefort in flickering lantern light. The streets grew quieter, shadows stretching across cobblestone as the town settled into an uneasy stillness.
Within their rented room, Leon remained awake, waiting.
And then, it happened.
A whisper of movement outside the window.
A presence.
Close.
Deliberate.
Leon's golden eyes gleamed faintly in the darkness.
You finally decided to come to me.
The lock on the window clicked softly. The latch lifted. And then—
A shadow slipped inside.
Silent. Graceful. Lethal.
For a moment, neither of them moved.
Then, moonlight caught their features—revealing a young woman with striking crimson eyes.
Not human.
Not beast.
But something in between.
Leon's gaze didn't waver. He had already known.
A hybrid.
And now, he would learn why she was here.