I exhaled a long breath, wiping the remaining panic from my face before turning to look at Lilia, who was walking submissively by my side.
"We will make our way toward the eastern border, and then we will cross directly into the Venix Kingdom," I explained smoothly, keeping our pace quick.
"I have reliable information that my mother and sister might currently be located in Vels City within that territory."
Lilia looked up into my eyes with quiet, unwavering determination, completely accepting her new reality as my property.
Perhaps the incident at the city gate made her realize how dangerous her situation truly was if she didn't disguise herself as my slave.
She nodded submissively at my words, silently communicating that she would faithfully follow me wherever I chose to go.
She fell into perfect step beside me, her eyes scanning the dark, sweeping landscape that stretched out before us.
The road ahead was undeniably fraught with extreme danger and lawless uncertainty, but Lilia seemed entirely undeterred by the immense challenges.
As we continued walking down the lonely path, the heavy silence between us was eventually broken by her softly spoken question.
"Landra, do you... do you have a concrete plan once we finally reach the Venix Kingdom?" she asked, her tone deeply cautious.
"I mean, do we actually know anyone over there who can help us locate your family?"
Her genuine concern for the success of our mission was evident in her words, presenting a stark contrast to the arrogant, selfish princess who had falsely accused me a year ago.
Despite the harsh reality of her current situation, Lilia seemed to be rapidly finding her footing, drawing unexpected strength from the singular purpose that now drove her forward.