Lord: I can see loyalty.

"My Lord! This way!"

The old coachman, who was responsible for meeting Vio and Alec, had already heard the commotion upstairs. Now that he saw Vio and Alec running down the mountain, he quickly waved to them.

Without hesitation, Vio and his companion made a sharp turn on the mountain road and quickly changed direction, returning to the carriage within a few steps.

"Your Excellency, you..." The old coachman saw that the two were somewhat disheveled and stopped mid-sentence.

"You've got the goods, hurry back, and don't ask too many questions."

Vio interrupted him, shoved into the car, and plopped down in the seat, with Alec quickly following behind.

The old coachman was an experienced mercenary in his youth, so he naturally understood these principles. Without saying anything more, he cracked his whip and started to move on.

……

At full speed, they only rested for a few hours and spent two days reaching the border between the North and the South, in the Blackwood region.

Upon arriving at the nearest clearing in the Blackwood, one finds camps now erected, which serve as the base for the Grey Hyena mercenary group that has joined the Southern Territory.

The black smoke from the campfire shot straight into the sky, allowing the old driver to determine his location in the forest.

Once outside the forest, Vio and the others could already smell the aroma of food wafting from the camp.

"You gray hyenas seem to be doing quite well. Haven't you been affected by the recent turmoil in the North?"

Vio leaned out of the carriage, but didn't look at the old coachman. Instead, his gaze fell on the spot where the black smoke was rising, and he savored the aroma.

The old coachman was taken aback, then realized that the Earl was speaking to him. He quickly replied with a smile, "Your Excellency is too kind. I'm just doing some small business at the border on your orders. The affairs of those guys in the North don't concern me here..."

Vio nodded and didn't ask any more questions.

They had arrived at the gray hyena camp.

Ahead, a group of people were already waiting for Vio and his companions.

"My Lord Earl!"

As soon as the carriage stopped, before Vio could even get out, William Stanton, the leader of the gray hyenas among the group, rushed forward and quickly opened the carriage door for the Earl.

The other members of the Gray Hyena mercenary group quickly surrounded him. Some were survivors from the previous attack on Vio, some were veterans who hadn't participated in the attack, and some were newcomers who had just joined the group.

Of course, there's also Zane, who once joined the pirates to kill Vio in revenge.

"Greetings, Your Excellency." Zain also stepped forward and bowed, not daring to be negligent.

Vio simply nodded, glanced around to make sure loyalty hadn't decreased, and then, as usual, asked about border matters.

After a short while of questioning and answering, Vio and his companion were soon led to the two short-legged horses of the North, preparing to return to the southern city of Portol.

Before returning, Vio, mounted on his horse, glanced at Commander William and his men below, and finally spoke to William, who was leading the group.

"You've done a good job recently. I'll have Xavier select a group of militia members who are willing to join the Grey Hyenas. You can choose a few you like to join. I'll also have resources and funds sent over."

Vio didn't look at him. As he spoke, he and Alec turned around and began to walk slowly forward.

The group of gray hyena mercenaries who came to see him off were stunned, all in disbelief. Commander William was the first to react and decisively knelt down.

"Thank you, Your Excellency! I will certainly guard the Black Forest border and never let those griffon armies set foot inside!"

The other mercenaries also realized what was happening and immediately knelt down to express their gratitude, kowtowing repeatedly.

Vio simply waved his hand, gave a rare laugh, and replied, "Don't be too definitive, William. The Griffin Army is no pushover. If we encounter them, we should prioritize relaying the information."

That's what they say, but Vio knew that even if he didn't say it, the captain would still do it. No one would be foolish enough to challenge the Griffin family's knightly army with just a mercenary group.

After leaving a warning, Vio and Alec quickly continued their journey back to Portol in the south.

…………

After several more days, Vio and his companions finally returned to Portor City in the southern border.

The city of Bordeaux today is vastly different from what it once was.

Behind the magnificent city walls lies a bustling marketplace, where caravans from other cities and even foreign lands are passing through the city gates, undergoing inspection one by one.

Inside the city, countless local merchants and commoners thronged the streets, making it difficult to even find a place to step forward.

But upon hearing the news of the Earl's return to Bordore, Xavier had already arranged for a group of militia and guards to come to the city gate to maintain order and clear a road.

Merchants and nobles from other places also stopped and turned their attention to the carriage that was picking up Vio and his companion after hearing that the Earl of the South had returned to Portor. They all wanted to see the face of this legendary young earl.

Upon returning to his own Earl's castle, after assigning Xavier his new task, Vio addressed his Uncle Valentine, who was also remaining in the castle:

"Uncle Valentine, now that we have the most important Dragon Scale Magic Stone, it's time to prepare the rest."

"This time, we really owe a debt to the magic feather shield you crafted; it actually withstood the red dragon's breath," Vio casually remarked, while simultaneously taking out the list Daphne had prepared.

【Heart of the Icefield Giant Bear】

【Snowy Thunder Eagle Feathers】

Eyes of the giant deep-sea squid

Vio did study these materials, among which the processing of the giant deep-sea squid was undoubtedly the most difficult.

While the deep-sea giant squid may not be as powerful as the ice bear, the deadly poison it inflicts on its opponents during attacks, as well as the subsequent collection of its carcasses, are all problems.

If not handled properly, you'll end up like Vio last time, falling into the water and losing your sword.

"Alec."

"exist."

Vio called out Alec's name, and Alec responded decisively. Vio then continued, "Are you confident in handling the giant deep-sea squid? We need to remove its eyes."

"Giant deep-sea squid?" Alec repeated, seemingly searching his memory for relevant information, before quickly replying, "Your Excellency, don't worry about it. I dealt with two giant deep-sea squids with the old Earl of the West before, so it's no problem."

Vio nodded in satisfaction. He hadn't guessed wrong. Alec, as a knight who had lived in the Western Territory for many years, couldn't possibly be unaware of this sea beast that lived there.

"My lord, let me have the heart of this giant ice bear," Jimmy interjected.

"When I was young, I saw people from the White Horse family hunting this monster. All it takes is a few high-ranking knights from the Azure Peak Knights to deal with the giant bear."

This surprised Vio somewhat, as he had intended to leave the seemingly most troublesome Icefield Giant Bear to himself.

"In that case, you'll handle it. Prioritize your safety and don't fight that giant bear head-on."

"I understand."

Vio looked at the two lines crossed out on the list, nodded, and pondered.

Daphne has already collected most of the other materials and obtained the Dragon Scale Magic Stone. All that's missing is the [Snowfield Thunder Eagle].

According to Daphne's intelligence, the Snowfield Thunderhawk, although described as being in the Snowfield, actually inhabits the towering snow-capped mountains in the northeastern part of the Eastern Territory.

It is said to possess the ability to unleash lightning at an extremely high speed, and not only its feathers, but also its flesh and blood are excellent materials that can help knights break through.

Vio rolled up the list and turned his gaze toward the north.

He wanted to see whether the Snowfield Thunder Eagle, known for its speed, was faster, or his body, enhanced by the Sand Breathing Technique, was faster.

"Tell them to get ready, I'm going to the northern part of the East."