Chapter 523: Exploring the surroundings

"There's nothing that way, but more of this scorching heat! What are you hoping to find anyway?" Sara exclaimed with frustration. 

For the last hour or so, she was paired with the royal siblings, Scarlet and Drake, and was exploring the area roughly towards the southwest of their temporary base camp. She felt tired and utterly disgusted about herself. Her clothes were drenched with sweat, which to a young and delicate lady like herself was anything but acceptable.

Though she was sure that Scarlet shared her feelings, the brother and sister duo was acting strangely. For one, Drake seemed to be filled with determination, as if he already knew all the little corners and secrets of his surroundings were marching straight, further and further beyond what they agreed to cover. 

Scarlet, though tired herself as well, wasn't like the Young Noble-blooded Examiner lady, despite her royalty, or most likely because of it, she spent most of her teenage life sleeping in filth and drudge. Though she already left that life behind, she could grit her teeth and endure for the sake of her brother.

Yet, even she didn't know what has gotten into Drake. His gaze was fixed towards the distance, like a predator who have already honed in on his prey. Everything and everyone around him was locked out, the only thing that mattered was whatever they were steadily marching towards. 

Roughly for the last hour, the girls no matter how much they tried to reach out to the silver-haired prince, no matter how they complained or argued, could do nothing but follow the young man. 

Eventually, they mostly accepted the fact that unless they reach the destination Drake was honing onto, there would be no chance to snap him out of his trance.

'Well… Aiden could probably think of something…' Sara sighed, thinking about their missing leader once more. 'Wonder what those two are doing. They seemed to be adamant in going towards the northeast, the direction they felt him be at currently…' 

Gritting her teeth with frustration, she grumbled more as she smeared some more of the sand onto her sweat-covered, glistening forehead and hasten her steps to close the growing distance between her and the siblings.

…

Under the scorching, blistering sun, a strange group could be seen marching steadily forward, seemingly ignorant of the threats of the desert. A group of four, two angelic girls, no, Maiden Beauties, were keeping a steady constant pace as they marched towards the north, northeast direction. Closely following them, two large-bodied dogs with short, dark furs were walking along whilst happily panting. Their clearly defined, robust muscles made it obvious they were vastly more than just decorative little breathing toys.

"I don't think, we can make contact with him, big sis." The girl on the right, with long black hair and a milky white, supple, healthy skin suddenly stopped his steps, gazing at a particular direction in the horizon. Her mouth turned into a pouting circular shape as she remarked with her thin, furrowed, frowning eyebrows. 

Hearing her remark, the other girl also paused his steps. Her light blue eyes scanned towards the same direction as her 'sister'. She flicked her golden, blond long silky hair to the back as she responded with a heavier sigh.

"Yeah… I am aware." Then, as if recalling something, she clenched her small fists and shook his head. "Still… I need to try it at least. I want to know if he is really fine."

The black-haired girl, Galina, took a step forward as she looked at the little girl. She felt her heart reach out in pain as she saw the tears swelling at the corners of her big sister's eyes. 

She reached out, gently tapped, and caressed the blonde-haired, half-elven girl's shoulder as she spoke with a familial warmth in her tone, giving a remark as well as a reassurance to the girl she now looked up to truly as an older member of their new family.

"No, Lily. You are wrong. You will not try, or to be more precise, WE will not try. We WILL make contact and talk to him. If he knows what's good for him he WILL respond to our call!" She said, pushing some of the words to give them a bit more weight. 

She looked at the blonde girl, donning the best smile she could under the heavy exhaustion she was feeling from withstanding the constant attacks of this blazing sun. 

As their eyes met, she raised the edges of her lips even higher, forming small crescents with her eyes.

Listening to her, Lilly gradually managed to calm the agitated storm in her heart and reign in her nervousness ever so slightly. Gently, she reached out for Galina's caressing hand, gave a light squeeze, as she looked back at her and flashed a strained smile.

"Y-yes…" She gave Galina a nod before she shifted her focus back on the distant horizon once more.  "He better respond to our call, lest he wants a big beating from his sisters!" She harrumphed, squeezing her sister's hand again. 

"Let's go, we should at least reach a bit further to give ourselves more chance. Then we will follow what you suggested." Lilly said as she resumed her steps and slowly began to walk away. 

Galina didn't speak anything more, but just smiled at her big sister, and whilst gently patting the heads of the two hounds that guarded their sides, she followed after the blonde girl.

…

Eventually, they reached what seemed to be the edges of this strange, and empty desert. Some sparse vegetation slowly began to mix in to the yellow lifeless sand, turning it gradually darker as they trekked further and further from their temporary base. 

Though they had more stamina to venture further, they did not want to go against the orders of their current leader, Captain Don, right at the start.

Thus, though slightly unwilling, they stopped, taking their well-earned rest next to a large cluster of rocks. They bot sat on top of a large-bodied light gray rock and took a bit of time to recoup the lost air and stamina.

After a minute or so, Lilly spoke up fixating her attention on the direction they felt their brother was in.

"So… are you ready to do this, little sis?" She asked. Giving it one last sigh to recompose herself, Lily slowly closed her eyes and, as she was instructed, concentrated on the mysterious connection she shared with her beloved brother. 

Her lips parted slightly, as she muttered something under her breath. Though it wasn't truly audible, Galina was well aware of the name she kept repeating. 

After all, it was a name, well carved into her heart. It was the name of her Young Lord, her Master… her beloved. 

Without wasting any more time, she joined her sister, focusing on opening up the connection and reaching out to Aiden…

---

AN: Hey there Readers!

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