Chapter 350: Waiting for the Tear Drop After letting out that final verbal shot at the fox, Lola waited for the inevitable comeback. But surprisingly, the two-tailed creature simply remained in her position, her silver eyes glittering with cold calculation rather than responding to the provocation. The fox had apparently decided that words were no longer worth the effort. Noah turned to Lola with a practical question that had been on his mind. "It’s not ripe yet, I assume?" "It’s not, otherwise they would have already taken it," Lola confirmed with a slight nod. This time, Lola made certain to establish a sound barrier around their conversation using mana manipulation, deliberately hiding their discussion just to annoy the fox more. The petty manoeuvre worked perfectly. Although they weren’t saying anything particularly secretive or strategic, the fox’s ears flattened slightly with obvious irritation at being excluded from their exchange. However, she didn’t push the issue or attempt to break through the barrier, apparently choosing to maintain her dignity rather than appear desperate to know what a human and a demon were going to say. "How long until it ripens?" Noah asked, studying the glowing teardrop fruit in the distance. Lola shook her head with uncertainty. "I’m not exactly sure, but based on the mana fluctuation patterns and the fruit’s current luminosity, I’d estimate maybe a few hours at most. Possibly less, depending on variables I can’t accurately measure from this distance." Noah nodded at the assessment and decided how to spend the waiting period. He settled down onto the grass in a comfortable seated position, recognising that standing around tensely for hours would only waste energy they might need later. Seeing him take a seat on the ground, Lola followed suit and positioned herself next to him. Their proximity was close enough to maintain easy conversation while allowing both of them to keep visual contact with all five grandmaster beasts surrounding the tree. Time passed slowly as Noah and Lola maintained their position, the tension in the clearing thick despite the lack of immediate action. Then Noah began noticing movement at the periphery of the area, more presences arriving with varying levels of power. Additional beasts started appearing from the dense forest, drawn by the World Tree’s overwhelming magical signature and the promise of the ripening teardrop fruit. However, these newcomers didn’t approach the inner circle where Lola, Noah, and the five grandmaster-rank beasts held their positions. Instead, they remained cautiously at the edges, approximately a hundred meters away from the tree itself. The arriving creatures seemed to understand their limitations instinctively. They positioned themselves in a loose outer ring, maintaining respectful distance from the far more powerful entities that had claimed the prime territory. Their body language showed awareness that entering the inner circle would be nothing short of a death wish, given the overwhelming power disparity. Still, they remained at the edges, their eyes fixed on the glowing fruit with obvious hunger and desperate hope. Perhaps they believed an opportunity might present itself—a moment of distraction among the stronger competitors, or maybe scraps of power that might be released when the fruit was finally claimed. Noah observed the gathering crowd with curiosity, counting perhaps a dozen additional beasts of various species taking positions around the clearing’s perimeter. "Why are they staying so far back?" Lola followed his gaze and nodded, keeping her voice low despite the sound barrier. "Those are master-level beasts, ranging from mid to peak master rank. A few might be at the lower end of master rank, though those have practically no chance of gaining anything meaningful from this situation." She gestured subtly toward the outer ring. "They understand the hierarchy clearly enough. Any master-rank creature that tried to enter this inner circle with us and the five grandmaster guardians would be eliminated immediately. The power gap is simply too vast to bridge through courage or desperation alone." Noah nodded thoughtfully. It made perfect sense from a survival perspective. Even if the master-rank beasts’ numbers grew significantly, compared to these five grandmaster guardians, they represented virtually no threat. Even including himself and Lola in the calculation, the power hierarchy was brutally clear. Noah estimated he could take on a mid-master-rank opponent, albeit with slight difficulty. As for peak master rank, that still remained a significant issue he couldn’t reliably overcome. Still maintaining their hidden conversation, Noah raised a strategic question that had been brewing in his mind. "You’re concealing your peak grandmaster rank status. Why not simply reveal your true power and dominate them into submission? You could probably intimidate them into backing down entirely." Lola shook her head with a slight frown, her thinking clearly more nuanced than simple displays of overwhelming force. "That approach isn’t ideal for several reasons. While revealing my actual rank would certainly make them fearful, that little fox with two tails certainly wouldn’t have dared say what she said if she knew the truth. However, that fear doesn’t exactly translate into a strategic advantage for us." She glanced toward the five guardians positioned around the tree. "These beasts operate on survival instincts honed over centuries. Once they recognise something as significantly stronger than themselves, their response isn’t submission or retreat. They gang up on the greatest threat and attack collectively. Eliminate the strongest competitor first, then compete among themselves for whatever remains." Noah’s expression darkened with a frown as he processed the implications. That made unfortunate sense from an evolutionary perspective. Intelligent predators wouldn’t simply accept defeat when faced with superior individual power—they’d coordinate to remove the threat before it could pick them off one by one. "Although I could handle their combined assault," Lola continued with quiet confidence, "it still wouldn’t be worth the expenditure of energy and mana required. It’s far better strategically to keep my true capabilities hidden until the critical moment. As long as they perceive me as merely peak archmage rather than peak grandmaster, they won’t feel sufficiently threatened to abandon their territorial competition and unite against me." She smiled slightly, her tactical mind clearly working through various scenarios. "This way, when the fruit finally ripens and conflict becomes inevitable, I can eliminate one of them decisively before the others fully understand what’s happening. That transforms the situation from a potential five versus one scenario into a much more manageable four versus one confrontation." ... Inside the light elven kingdom’s grand palace, the throne room’s massive doors opened to admit a royal guard who approached with calm steps. The elf dropped to one knee before the elevated throne, his expression carefully neutral despite the tension evident in his posture. "Your Highness, he is ready," the guard reported, his voice steady. The "he" in question was Adrian Silveroak, the former captain of the royal guards whose betrayal had shaken the kingdom’s security to its foundations. The questioning that was about to begin would determine the full extent of the damage his treachery had caused. Queen Seraphina nodded with cold acknowledgement, rising gracefully from her throne of living wood and exotic stones. Her movements carried the supernatural elegance that her consumption of the rose petal candy had amplified beyond natural levels, every gesture seeming choreographed by invisible forces. She walked past the kneeling guard, her presence so overwhelming that he couldn’t help but gulp involuntarily. Her beauty was almost painful to behold at close proximity, the enhanced charisma creating an aura that affected everyone nearby regardless of their actual feelings toward her. Her scent carried hints of flowers and magic that seemed designed to intoxicate the senses. Even though he revered her far beyond mere romantic attraction and had never harbored such inappropriate intentions toward his queen, the guard found himself struggling to maintain composure. The supernatural enhancement she had undergone transformed simple proximity into something that tested the mental fortitude of even her most loyal servants. Seraphina paid no attention to his reaction, having grown accustomed to the effect her presence had on those around her. She moved through the palace corridors with purpose, her expression calm but carrying undertones of cold determination that suggested the upcoming interrogation would be thorough and merciless. 𝘧𝘳𝘦ℯ𝓌𝘦𝒷𝘯𝑜𝑣𝘦𝓁.𝒸𝘰𝓂 Guards stationed along her path bowed deeply as she passed, none daring to meet her eyes directly. The queen’s mood was clearly focused and dangerous, and everyone with survival instincts recognized that this was not a moment for unnecessary interaction. She descended stone stairs that led to the palace’s lower levels, where the interrogation chambers were located. The temperature dropped noticeably as she went deeper underground, the dampness and chill serving practical purposes for the unpleasant work conducted in these spaces. Finally, she reached a reinforced door guarded by two elite warriors who immediately stood at attention upon her arrival. They opened the heavy portal without requiring verbal command, revealing the chamber beyond. Adrian Silveroak sat bound to a chair in the centre of the stone room, his body showing clear signs of the "preparation" the archmage had administered. Bruises covered visible skin, and his breathing came in shallow gasps that suggested broken ribs. His proud bearing as captain of the guards had been dismantled through the application of pain and magical coercion. Yet his eyes still carried defiance when they met Seraphina’s gaze, some core of stubbornness refusing to break despite the obvious suffering he had endured. The queen entered the chamber with measured steps, her expression revealing nothing as she assessed her nephew’s condition. The archmage who had conducted the initial preparations stood to the side, awaiting further instructions. "Leave us," Seraphina commanded quietly, her voice carrying absolute authority that brooked no discussion. The archmage and guards departed immediately, closing the heavy door behind them. The soundproofing enchantments activated automatically, ensuring complete privacy for whatever was about to occur. Seraphina stood before her bound nephew, studying him with cold calculation. "Adrian. We have much to discuss about your choices and their consequences."