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nThe director looked at Ning with half his body inside the door. “No, this is private,” the old man said. “Please step out.”

nNing looked at the director and then over to Shara. “Oh… Shara, do you want me to leave?”

n“No, I want him to be here too,” Shara said.

nNing had taught her a few things yesterday, especially regarding the uniqueness of her situation and how whatever was happening to her may not just be a good thing.

nHe had repeated those words this morning before he left her, so she knew not to be alone with strangers. The gold she carried wasn’t even the most precious thing about her anymore.

nThe old man looked at her with an awkward smile. “But this is important,” he said. “This is about your father.”

nShara’s eyes widened. “My… father?”

nAll thoughts seem to go out of her head when hearing that. She had barely ever known her father and had never known more than she wanted to. And now… was the thing happening to her something related to her father?

nThe old man nodded. “We must speak in private about this. If you still wish to relay this information to the young man, you are free to do so afterward.”

nShara looked toward Ning, an expression of plea appearing on her face.

nNing sighed. “I’ll wait outside the,” he said, closing the door shut. She stood outside, trying to listen to the words inside, but aside from basic murmurs, he couldn’t make out much of what they were saying at all.

n‘Curse this body,’ Ning thought. He tried leaning against the door to hear things clearer, but the footsteps he heard were louder than the soft whispers inside.

nNing waited for the footsteps to pass, but it didn’t. It stopped right next to him. He looked to the side and saw two men standing next to him.

nOne of the men was tall with broad shoulders, carrying a sword on his back. His eyes were… sunken wasn’t even the right word. It was outright hollow.

nThe man… was not a man at all. It was an undead. A dead summoned by necromancers.

nNext to him was the bald man that Ning had seen the other day was there as well. Ning couldn’t help but frown at the sight of him.

n“You shouldn’t be eavesdropping on the director’s conversation,” the bald man said, leaning on the side of the hallway. “That’s bad manners.”

n“I guess,” Ning said. “Who’s this?”

nThe man looked at the dead next to him. “I call him Niu,” he said. “He was someone from the Golden Republic, died in a battle in the Largan’s Pass. I bonded his spirit and had someone make him an undead.”

n“Largan’s pass… that’s a long way from here,” Ning said.

n“Not that long,” the man said. “Not when you walk around, being an Overtaker. I’m used to traveling most of the Empire.”

n“I see,” Ning said. “What are you doing here?” Saʀch* Th NovelFull.net website on Ggl to access chapters of nvels early and in the highest quality.

n“I’m the Director’s guard today. I go where he goes,” the man said. “Is he talking to the girl inside?”

nNing nodded. “He said something about her Father. What did you guys find about her?”

n“Not sure,” the man said. “We sent a message yesterday afternoon to the empire and got back

na message this morning. I didn’t get to hear what the message was about.”

n“Oh?” Ning said. “What prompted you to contact the empire?”

n“We found a potential answer to her situation,” the man said.

n“Which is…?”

n“Did the director not tell you?” he asked.

n“Not really,” Ning said. “He is rather tight-lipped about it all.”

n“Then it’s best if I don’t let mine loose,” the bald man said. “I could get in trouble.”

nNing frowned. His 20 points were right there and neither of them was saying anything at all. If only he found out something, he could be done with that quest.

nThe door opened and the old man walked out. He looked at Ning and the bald man leaning against the wall and the undead standing tall. The old man ignored Ning and turned toward the bald man. “How many more came?”

nThe bald man frowned. “There are 3 more waiting for you down below,” he said.

n“And is the carriage ready to leave?” the old man asked.

n“Anytime,” he said.

n“Good, we’ll be leaving now,” he said. “Have Niu bring her down.”

nNing frowned. “You’re taking Shara somewhere?” he asked, getting up to reach for the door.

nThe old man grabbed his hand. “I’m sorry, but I cannot let you go in there. The situation has changed. This is no longer the business of a single Spirit Department or even the Grand Duchy. Even if you were the Duke himself, I would have to ask you to stay out of this.”

n“What are you talking about?” Ning asked, frowning. He felt really bad about this.

n“This is the Empire’s matter, so people from the Empire will come by in a few days to settle this. If you want to get out of this scot-free, you better not involve yourself any more than you already have.”

nNing pulled his hand out of the man’s grasp and pushed open the door, entering to see Shara fast asleep on the bed.

n“What did you do to her?” Ning asked.

n“Nothing. It’s just my power,” the old man said. “She’s fast asleep is all.”

n“Why?” Ning asked, turning around.

n“So we can take her to the department without any trouble,” the old man said. “Young man, you should really stay away from this situation. You do not understand what you’re getting

nyourself into.”

nNing started getting angry. “Are you going to kill her?” he asked.

n“What? No!” the man nearly shouted. “I don’t know what the empire will do about her. She

nwill be their trouble once they get her.”

n“Why? Why the empire?” Ning asked. “What does the empire have anything to do with a girl that has to work in taverns to make ends meet?”

nThe old man said. “Because… her lineage may not be as simple as it seems.”

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