Mute was a name that meant little to Ambrose.

The last time the president of the Elegiac Society had shown himself, the member known as Mute had spoken barely a few lines in the group chat.

Undead were all mad in their own ways, each possessed by a different brand of obsession. Ambrose was not particularly adept at making friends, so he had never sought any of them out in private. It was better to avoid stepping on unspoken taboos.

He hadn't expected Black Rose to strike up a conversation with this Mute.

Yet even Black Rose didn't seem to know much about her true race. All she knew was that Mute claimed to wield considerable influence somewhere across the seas.

Ambrose could only marvel. There were incredible legends in the Elegiac Society. Had fortune not smiled upon him recently, he might well have been the most unimpressive one among them.

[Black Rose: I'll speak with Mute and arrange things. I'll contact you again afterward. Also, don't try to enter the City of Dawn. For a lich, that place is hell. It might be a haven for humans, but it won't last. One day, Lyon will destroy itself in its own madness.]

Ambrose dared not respond to that. He was, after all, still within the domain of the Lord of Dawn.

Still, Black Rose wasn't wrong. The madness had begun in the royal family of Lyon. Once the royalty and the nobility were corrupted, this kingdom would fall faster than any other.

The only question was when the final thread would snap.

Abandoning any thought of wandering through the City of Dawn, Ambrose quietly waited beside the teleportation array.

From time to time he traded barbs in the group chat with Heki Stone, coaxing the dwarven vampire into sending a few more "*******"s.

When the teleportation circle finally flared to life once more, Ambrose departed with Catherine.

The imperial capital of the Lyon Empire possessed a continental teleportation array that connected directly to the borderlands. Ambrose reappeared with the Emerald Dreamwood right before him.

Under the "protection" of a group of paladins, Ambrose and Catherine left the city. A sea of green lay as far as the eye could see.

From lifeless desert to primordial forest—Catherine's face lit up at once. As an elf, she felt far more at home in such vibrant surroundings.

"So what now?" Catherine asked. "Are we tricking people again?"

Ambrose shook his head. "No need. Things were troublesome only because Lyon and the undead are mortal enemies, and we had to fool the holy light. The Emerald Dreamwood is different. It's only a loose alliance, not a tightly monitored state like Lyon. We can alter our appearances and enter from anywhere. Our destination is the western coast."

Catherine's eyes sparkled. "Great! Then I'll keep using my identity as a runaway noble heiress. And I'll make sure to add more details this time!"

Ambrose: "..."

Just how strictly had the elven queen been raised, to take even make-believe this seriously?

Still, he cooperated, assuming human form once more and continuing his persona as Hawkeye Barton.

He then released Naomi from his extradimensional space. "The Emerald Dreamwood lies ahead," Ambrose told her. "You can enter with us under your druid identity or disguise yourself as my mount. But if you choose the latter, you'll have to remain in beast form the entire time."

Naomi was the key to this journey. Not only were they seeking the time dragon's artifact for her, she also needed to elevate her druidic abilities—at least to the level where she could transform into a dragon. Only then would she qualify to become a time dragon.

Under ordinary circumstances, that would take decades, perhaps centuries. But Ambrose's ranger ability allowed him to share his own power with his companion. Naomi had effectively skipped decades of accumulating raw strength. What she needed now was technique.

Thus, the form she chose upon entering the forest would be key to their subsequent plans.

To Ambrose, either option was manageable, so he left the choice to her.

Naomi answered without hesitation. "I would rather remain a beast."

Catherine frowned. "How can you say that? You're an independent person! Don't let this lich brainwash you—you're not some pet!"

Naomi smiled gratefully. "Thank you, Your Majesty. But this is my choice. I don't want to interact with other druids as one of them. I'd rather be a beast who doesn't have to think about anything. That's enough for me."

Only then did Catherine remember Naomi's past. The young woman clearly carried trauma regarding the druids. Realizing she had reopened an old wound, Catherine hurried to apologize. "I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking. Please forgive me."

Naomi's smile turned bittersweet. "Your Majesty, aside from Master, you've treated me better than anyone else."

She shifted forms, becoming a massive black panther, and swished her tail at Ambrose.

He swung onto her back and shrugged at Catherine, wearing an expression that clearly said, "Her choice."

Catherine ground her teeth. This was the first time in her life that she had encountered someone this infuriating. Worse still, she couldn't even accuse him of wrongdoing.

The elven elders had told her tales of undead who plundered and slaughtered to seize what they wanted. Yet this lich required none of that. Wealth and beauty seemed to deliver themselves willingly into his hands.

Since working for Ambrose, Catherine had not seen him kill a single human, yet he had amassed tens of millions of gold, gained a druid who willingly became his beast companion, and even forced a group of paladins to kneel before him.

He had extorted paladins inside the Lord of Dawn's own temple and walked out unscathed.

The more she thought about it, the more terrifying he seemed. Even the God of Liches might not dare act so brazenly before the Lord of Dawn.

With a trace of unease, Catherine mounted the second black panther. Together, they entered the lush forest.

Halfway through their run, she asked, "We're not far from the coastline, right? Why don't we just fly?"

If they rode giant eagles, they could reach the western coast in two days at most and head straight out to sea, bypassing teleportation entirely.

Ambrose replied, "Would the Court of the Silver Moon allow strangers to fly over its skies?"

Catherine paused, then nodded. "I understand. The airspace must be restricted."

There were many ways to fly: mages' flight spells, rangers' aerial mounts, druids' avian transformations, and even alchemical airships. Naturally, kingdoms had developed anti-air defenses in response.

Though the Emerald Dreamwood was loosely organized, certain critical regions were surely designated no-fly zones. A careless intrusion could spark war.

"Our goal is to find a guide," Ambrose said. "Once we locate a suitable route, we'll head straight for the sea, avoiding any entanglements."

Catherine dutifully recorded his words in a small notebook. This was precious adventuring experience. In self-imposed exile from the Court of the Silver Moon, she had no idea how many years would pass before she returned. Ambrose's experience could well save her someday.

The two riders and two panthers sped through the forest. Dense foliage could not hinder them; if anything, it made them faster.

Yet the Emerald Dreamwood differed from other forests. The moment he entered, Ambrose felt discomfited.

Life energy saturated the air, repelling the dark magic within him. Not violently, as holy light would, but persistently enough to unsettle him.

All he could do was suppress his dark power and avoid clashing with the environment.

Though unfriendly to undead, the forest's vitality nourished its inhabitants.

Towering trees rose forty to fifty meters high, trunks thicker than houses. Creatures here were larger as well. There were squirrels the size of cats, butterflies whose outstretched wings could cover a human face.

The harmony of this woodland stood in stark contrast to the Golden Desert.

Ambrose let Naomi steer her own path. In a jungle, a beast's nose surpassed his own.

She did not disappoint. After only a dozen kilometers, they discovered a settlement.

Thin plumes of smoke rose in the distance.

The tribe was small. The settlement consisted of perhaps thirty or forty wooden huts, rough and primitive in style. It resembled a druid settlement, yet a faint stench of blood and rot drifted through the air, making both Naomi and Catherine's mount sneeze in discomfort.

Druids revered nature and balance. They avoided cities, yes, but not hygiene. How could they endure such foulness? Transforming into beasts would only make it worse.

Smell aside, living inhabitants meant a source of information.

"Let's go. No wasting time," Ambrose urged, ignoring Catherine's obvious disgust.

The closer they approached, the stronger the stench grew. Ambrose endured it. Catherine cast an air-purification spell over herself and the panthers.

While they were still several dozen meters away, an arrow struck the ground before them.

A shrill voice cried out, "Do not approach!"

Ambrose's expression darkened instantly.

"What is it?" Catherine asked.

He sighed. "It's a goblin tribe."

"Goblins?"

Catherine had never seen one before. She looked toward the watchtower at the settlement's entrance. There stood a filthy green creature: hideous, with a hooked nose, protruding fangs, wrinkled skin covered in coarse hair and lumps. The sight alone turned her stomach.

Catherine grimaced. "What a disgusting species."

They weren't just ugly. Their bodies appeared to be smeared in grime and filth, and were offensive even to behold.

Ambrose glanced at the goblins, then at Catherine.

Despite the fact that he was traveling with an elven queen, the first living beings they encountered in the Emerald Dreamwood were goblins.

This was an exceedingly ill omen.