This was the newly established Griffin Station in Lakefront Town.

The station was manned by a dozen or so staff members clad in standard-issue Empire leather armor. They were all Griffin Trainers and guards under the direct jurisdiction of the military command.

At that moment, they were bustling around a majestic griffin. Some were grooming its golden-brown feathers, while others maintained its equipment, such as the saddle and leather reins.

The griffin was nearly four meters long. Even crouching, it possessed the imposing presence of a supreme raptor. As its pale golden eyes scanned the surroundings, it exuded an air of haughty confidence.

Lynch had applied to the legion’s quartermaster department to establish this Griffin Station, citing the need to "strengthen communication links within the defense zone and improve emergency response times."

For this service, Lakefront Town had to pay the military command a monthly maintenance fee of a hefty one hundred Gold Coins.

Lynch grumbled internally about the exorbitant price, but considering the convenience it offered, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and accept it.

The greatest benefit of having the station was that, when necessary, Lynch had the right to use this military Griffin for rapid travel between pre-registered, fixed routes.

Of course, its use was limited to a single person, or two individuals who weren’t too heavy.

Furthermore, these military Griffins were strictly trained and managed. They could only fly along fixed routes that had been repeatedly surveyed and confirmed as safe; deviating from the flight path for personal combat or travel was strictly forbidden.

This was both a safety precaution and a means for the military command to control such an important strategic asset.

Still, at least now if Raymond wanted to visit Lakefront Town again, or if Lynch needed to travel quickly to certain fixed locations, it would be much more efficient.

The only thing that left Lynch a bit speechless was that because the station was so new, the prime male Griffin housed there had only "learned" and familiarized itself with two flight routes so far.

One was the round-trip route to Red Ridge Castle, the headquarters of the Thirteenth Battle Group.

The other led to Orlando, a key military city on the border of Valencia Province and Sardinia Province, which currently served as the headquarters for the North Wind Legion.

The border between two provinces sounded very far away.

In reality, however, the Red Ridge Mountain region itself was located roughly at the confluence of three provinces: Valencia, Sardinia, and Lorraine.

The flight from Lakefront Town to Orlando was only a straight-line distance of two to three hundred miles.

Traveling by land, of course, would mean crossing mountains, bypassing numerous checkpoints, and navigating regions potentially infested with bandits. The journey would not only be time-consuming but also fraught with trouble and unforeseen dangers.

The advantage of air travel was now plainly evident.

"Good afternoon, Sir."

Seeing Lynch approach, the lead Griffin Trainer immediately put down his brush and greeted him respectfully.

Although they were officially part of the military, a significant portion of their stipends and benefits were paid directly by Lakefront Town. As such, they showed due respect to Lynch, their patron and the highest-ranking local official.

"Good afternoon," Lynch replied with a nod. "Is now a good time? I need to take a trip to the military command."

"At your service, Sir," the trainer replied instantly. He turned and gestured for his men to hurry their preparations. "The Griffin, ’Thunderclaw,’ is in excellent condition. The weather along the route to Orlando is clear today, and the air currents are stable. It’s perfect for flying."

Just as the trainer was about to help Lynch into the saddle, a crisp, girlish voice called out from behind him.

"Senior, wait!"

Lynch turned to see a young female Priest with silky silver hair jogging toward him.

With her lovely features and pure aura, it was none other than Avril Grant, the assigned Priest for the Ninth Battalion.

Seeing it was her, Lynch felt a headache coming on.

The Avril of today was a far cry from the little Priest apprentice who had been sent running for her life by goblins outside Stone Crow Town.

She had somehow heard the news that "Ice Rose" Catherine was staying indefinitely in Lynch’s Lakefront Town.

After that, as if spurred on by something, the girl began training with desperate intensity. In less than half a year, through a combination of talent, diligence, and abundant resources, she had actually managed to reach the level of a Tier One Priest.

Subsequently, she pulled some strings through her family to apply for an internship with the North Wind Legion and precisely "parachuted" into the Ninth Battalion of Lynch’s Thirteenth Battle Group, becoming the battalion’s assigned Priest.

What gave Lynch a major headache was that ever since arriving in Lakefront Town, Avril seemed to be locked in a rivalry with Catherine.

One girl was icy, proud, and assertive; the other appeared gentle but was stubborn to the core. They were constantly trying to one-up each other in all sorts of situations. Over the past month, they had caused several incidents that left Lynch not knowing whether to laugh or cry.

’Of the three of them, why is it that Ophelia and Lilith don’t cause so much trouble? It’s always you, Avril, making a scene all day.’

"What are you going to the military command for?" Lynch asked irritably.

Avril caught her breath and said with a faint smile, "I’m going to pick up Lilith and Ophelia. They were recently promoted and applied for internships, too. They should have just reported to the military command today."

A sudden, ominous feeling washed over Lynch. "They... didn’t apply for an internship here in Lakefront Town, did they? I haven’t received any related documents."

"They only just arrived at the military command. The official transfer orders are probably still being processed. You’ll receive them soon, Senior." A small smile played on Avril’s lips. "The three of us really admire and look up to you, Senior. We want to learn under your command and accomplish great things together... Oh, right. Instructor Annabella approved it, too."