Chapter 159: Confrontation After hearing the report from Noah, King Aldric’s expression hardened with the decisive authority of someone confronting a clear threat to his kingdom’s security. The evidence of treason demanded immediate action rather than delays. He turned toward Lola with the respectful tone of someone addressing a capable ally rather than a subordinate. "Would you mind leading us to where they will conduct their meeting?" The king’s tone was appropriate in weight. His willingness to personally investigate rather than delegating to subordinates demonstrated the seriousness with which he viewed the threat. Lola glanced toward Noah, seeking confirmation before committing to assist in what could become a dangerous confrontation. Her loyalty lay with her employer rather than the crown, making Noah’s approval essential for her participation. The king spotted the exchange and his eyes flickered softly. The fact that a master-level demon was this loyal to Noah was baffling, but after seeing the items in his hands, it made sense. The man in front of him wasn’t simple at all! Noah signalled his approval with a slight nod, understanding that this represented exactly the kind of evidence-gathering opportunity they’d been hoping to achieve. "Let’s all go together," Noah announced with obvious satisfaction, his smile reflecting confidence in their ability to handle whatever they might encounter. With a master-level demon, adept-level princess and an archmage? Noah doubted that the so-called extremists would be able to do anything. The prospect of personally witnessing extremist-noble collaboration while backed by royal authority represented the ideal scenario for exposing Baron Richard’s criminal network and taking his assets. Noah moved toward the counter where Leo had been quietly observing the adult conversations. The young lion’s senses had undoubtedly detected the tension in the room, but his trust in Noah kept him calm despite the obvious preparation for potentially dangerous activity. "Come on, Leo," Noah said gently, scooping up the golden-maned cub with affection. "Time for a field trip." Leo purred with contentment at being included in the group’s activities, his enthusiasm undiminished by any understanding of the serious nature of their mission. King Aldric observed the interaction with obvious interest. He knew that specific species of golden mane lions, and that specific species were powerful and very loyal. Princess Elara’s expression reflected growing anticipation mixed with appropriate concern about personally investigating treasonous activities. Lola took point position as they prepared to depart. "The meeting location is approximately five minutes from here. We’ll need to maintain concealment once we approach the area; they have two adept-level mages on watch duty," she informed the group. ... As they left the kingdom through the gate whilst concealed by a spell that King Aldric had conjured, their party had moved through the kingdom quietly and efficiently. The royal concealment magic wrapped around them like invisible silk, rendering them completely undetectable to even the powerful mages inside the kingdom, except for a few mages whom they passed by, once they realised it was the king, simply ignored it and didn’t ask. Lola gestured ahead with her slender fingers. "It’s about two minutes away. Over there," she said, pointing toward a seemingly ordinary section of countryside that appeared unremarkable to casual observation. Two minutes of careful movement brought them to their destination. The location was actually hidden yet visible, a perfect example of concealment through misdirection rather than just magical invisibility. "These demons were incredibly courageous, picking a place in plain sight," Noah observed with grudging admiration for their boldness. Lola pointed toward what appeared to be an abandoned water well, its stone construction weathered by time. "Over there," she said simply. The king nodded and extended his senses to scan the area thoroughly. His magical perception confirmed Lola’s assessment; the demons had established a complete operational base beneath the well structure. The location was brilliant in its simplicity. Hidden in plain sight, where nobody would think to conduct revealing spells, the well provided perfect cover for clandestine operations. King Aldric’s magical senses also detected sophisticated protective measures layered throughout the underground facility. The defensive enchantments were subtle but powerful, designed to deflect casual magical investigation while maintaining the appearance of an ordinary well. "Only master-level mages or above could detect these protections, which means at least one of the demons inside that place has master-level capabilities," he murmured with a frown on his face from the magical expertise involved. The implications were clear—this wasn’t a simple meeting between Baron Richard’s guard and low-level extremist operatives. The presence of master-level demons suggested a significant conspiracy with resources and expertise that posed genuine threats to the kingdom’s security. "We’re dealing with powerful enemies, they might have a master-level threat or perhaps higher, be careful. But still, they shouldn’t have more than one. Otherwise, the measures against finding them would have been stronger and harder to find," King Aldric concluded. The hidden base represented exactly the kind of sophisticated enemy installation that could coordinate complex operations against both human and legitimate demon territories. ... The king’s magical perception continued scanning the well structure, revealing additional layers of security that confirmed the sophistication of the extremist operation. "There are two adept-rank extremists positioned as lookouts, just like your friend had said," King Aldric whispered, his voice barely audible. "They’re actually hidden within the well itself, but unlike the others who are deep underground, these two are stationed near the actual water level." His magical senses allowed him to analyse the defensive positioning of the enemies as if he were able to see them with his naked eyes. The placement of guards at different depths created overlapping security zones that would detect threats approaching from multiple angles. Noah raised an eyebrow. "Smart positioning. The water naturally muffles sound while offering a clear line of sight to the surface. Anyone approaching the well would be detected instantly through their magical senses. It’s a built-in early warning system. If anything feels off, they can alert those deeper inside before an ambush even begins. Normal Awakeners wouldn’t stand a chance sneaking in; it would take at least a master-level mage to pull that off. Luckily, we don’t only have one but two."