Chapter 522: The Scent of Deception

Before long, they finally arrived at the crossroads where their paths would diverge.

Sera’s carriage came to a stop, and she stepped down to face Adam and the others. Her expression was serious, but there was a hint of warmth in her eyes.

"Thank you for everything. You’ve helped us more than once, and I won’t forget that."

Behind her, Reith, Franc, and Bianca also bowed their heads respectfully.

"We are deeply grateful for your assistance," Reith said on behalf of the group.

"Thank you for saving us," Bianca added, while Franc simply nodded in agreement.

Adam waved his hand dismissively. "Don’t mention it. It’s not like we went out of our way to do anything."

Meanwhile, Ignis tilted her head, looking rather disappointed.

"Eh? Why don’t we camp together for a while before splitting up?"

Sera smiled apologetically.

"I’d like that, but we need to return as quickly as possible and report everything that’s happened. A letter won’t be enough this time. There are too many things the kingdom needs to know, and I need to explain them in person."

"I see." Ignis’s shoulders drooped slightly, but she eventually nodded. "Then I guess we can’t help it."

Adam gave Sera a casual wave.

"Well, in that case, take care. Try not to get into trouble again."

Isolde gave him an expressionless look.

"You are hardly in a position to say that."

"Hey, why are you always picking on me?"

"Because you keep giving me reasons to."

Sera couldn’t help letting out a small laugh at their exchange. She then turned back toward Adam, her expression softening.

"I’ll do my best to stay alive. So let’s meet again someday, all right?"

Adam grinned and looked at Sera’s face.

"Of course. But before we part ways, shouldn’t I get a farewell kiss?"

The moment those words left his mouth, Alice’s foot struck his shin.

"Ouch!!"

Before Adam could recover, Lilith stepped forward and kicked him in the other leg, seemingly finding the whole thing rather entertaining.

"How shameless. And here I thought you might behave yourself for once."

Isolde followed with a kick of her own.

"That was incredibly inappropriate."

Ignis, apparently deciding that kicking Adam was some kind of fun game, happily delivered another kick while giggling.

"Take that, Adam!"

Adam staggered backward, clutching his legs as the combined assault finally brought him down onto one knee. Azrynn watched from the side with a sympathetic expression, though she made no move to help him.

The entire scene left Sera’s subordinates staring in silence.

Reith looked at Adam with a complicated expression. Franc seemed unsure whether he should look away, while Bianca pressed her lips together, apparently struggling not to laugh.

The mighty dragon who had defeated countless enemies was now being bullied by the women traveling with him.

Somehow, he looked more pitiful than any defeated monster they had ever seen.

Sera covered her mouth, her shoulders shaking with a light laugh.

"Well," she said, still smiling, "maybe I’ll give you that kiss next time we meet."

With that, Sera quickly returned to her carriage before he could say anything else. Her companions followed, and soon their carriage began moving along the road toward Melium.

Sera leaned out of the window and waved.

"Take care, everyone!"

Ignis enthusiastically waved both hands in return.

"BYE, SERA! COME VISIT US AGAIN!"

The carriage gradually grew smaller in the distance until it finally disappeared beyond the road.

Adam remained on the ground for a moment, watching it leave. Then he slowly turned toward his companions, his face filled with the deepest sense of betrayal.

"You guys... please help me..."

Alice turned her face away and crossed her arms.

"I don’t care."

With that, she promptly returned to the carriage, leaving Adam behind.

Adam watched her go with a deeply wounded expression, clutching his chest as though his heart had been shattered.

"How cruel..."

Isolde sighed before reaching out to help him stand. She even brushed the dust off his clothes, seemingly the only person willing to show him a little kindness.

However, the moment she finished, her expression turned cold.

"Next time you pull a stunt like that, I’ll cut out your tongue."

Her crimson eyes locked onto his, carrying such a terrifying intensity that even Adam couldn’t help but straighten his back.

"Yes, ma’am..."

Lilith chuckled at the exchange, clearly amused.

"You’re still being too gentle with him, Isolde. If it were me, I’d cut off his family jewels if he ever tried something like that again."

As she spoke, she raised her fingers and mimicked a pair of scissors snipping shut.

Adam’s expression changed instantly.

Without thinking, he crossed his legs and discreetly covered his most vulnerable area with both hands.

Hey! That’s a little too extreme, don’t you think?!"

Lilith smiled sweetly.

"Then perhaps you should learn to behave yourself."

Adam opened his mouth to argue, then slowly closed it again.

After a moment’s consideration, he decided that silence was probably the wisest choice.

Ignis, who had been waving at Sera’s train even though it was already out of sight, turned around and patted Adam on the back with a cheerful smile.

"Come on, come on! Let’s continue our journey!"

With Ignis practically dragging him back toward the carriage, their journey continued.

The group traveled for several more hours until the sky gradually darkened, the last traces of sunlight disappearing beyond the distant horizon. Eventually, they found a suitable clearing where they could spend the night. After making sure the surroundings were relatively safe, they began setting up camp and lighting a fire.

Ignis, meanwhile, had already settled down with a handful of sweets she had bought in Myrta.

She popped another piece into her mouth, her eyes lighting up with satisfaction as she chewed happily.

Adam watched her from the other side of the campfire.

’At first, she only liked raisins. Now she’s becoming more and more of a glutton.’

He couldn’t help wondering how much worse her appetite would become in the future. Considering she was a dragon, the answer probably wasn’t very reassuring.

Just as Adam was about to tease her about it, he sensed several presences approaching their camp.

His expression remained relaxed, but his attention shifted toward the darkness beyond the trees.

The others noticed them as well. Isolde quietly put aside what she had been doing, while Lilith lifted her gaze from her book. Azrynn’s ears twitched slightly as she listened to the approaching footsteps.

A few moments later, several figures emerged from the darkness.

They wore practical clothing and carried the usual equipment of adventurers, including weapons, backpacks, and various tools for traveling through dangerous areas. Judging by their appearance, they seemed to be a group operating near a nearby town.

The moment they noticed Adam’s party, they stopped.

One of them immediately raised both hands, showing that he had no intention of starting a fight.

"Please don’t misunderstand! We’re not here to cause any trouble."

He glanced toward the campfire before offering an awkward smile.

"We saw the smoke from a distance and thought someone might be camping here. We figured we’d come over and check. We didn’t mean to disturb you."

Adam didn’t immediately respond to the adventurer’s explanation. Instead, he casually studied the group from head to toe, paying particular attention to their weapons and equipment.

Something about them felt off.

"An adventuring party, huh?" he said. "And what exactly are you doing out here at this hour?"

The man who had spoken earlier nodded quickly.

"We’re dealing with a goblin nest nearby. Those bastards attacked a village and killed several people. We’re trying to wipe them out before they can cause any more trouble."

"Is that so?"

Adam’s expression remained relaxed, giving no indication of whether he believed them.

While their apparent leader continued explaining, several of the adventurers began stealing glances at the women sitting around the campfire.

It was difficult not to notice them. Lilith’s striking beauty, Isolde’s elegant appearance, Alice’s unusual features, and Azrynn’s exotic looks would have attracted attention almost anywhere. Even Ignis, who was busy enjoying her sweets, stood out from the others.

The adventurers exchanged a few whispers among themselves.

"Where did they find women like those?"

"Look at the elf. I’ve never seen one that beautiful before."

"Keep your voice down, idiot."

Unfortunately for them, their whispers were perfectly audible to everyone in Adam’s party.

Several pairs of eyes slowly turned toward them.

The adventurers stiffened.

’Shit. Did they hear us?’

Judging from the expressions on the women’s faces, they had.

Lilith closed her book and regarded the newcomers with a faint smile.

"You’re claiming to have been exterminating goblins, but I don’t see any evidence of that."

The apparent leader frowned. "What do you mean?"

Lilith tilted her head toward their equipment.

"The blood on your weapons and clothes. It doesn’t belong to goblins. It’s human blood."

The atmosphere around the campfire immediately changed.

The adventurers exchanged uneasy glances, and one of them instinctively shifted his hand toward the weapon at his waist.

Isolde, who had been observing them in silence, spoke up.

"She’s right. That’s human blood."

She glanced at the stains on their equipment, her crimson eyes narrowing slightly.

"As a vampire, distinguishing blood isn’t particularly difficult for me. I can tell the difference between the blood of different species, and that definitely isn’t goblin blood."

Then Isolde turned toward Lilith, looking genuinely curious.

"But I’m surprised you could tell as well. How did you figure it out?"

Lilith smiled pleasantly.

"Oh, that’s simple. I remember the scent of blood from people I’ve tortured before."

Isolde stared at her.

"...What an unusual reason."

She turned away with a faint frown.

"I regret being impressed."