"This is the main area where you will be active from now on," the instructor’s voice brought everyone’s attention back, "The barracks on the west side have already been allocated for you, two people per room. Daily training, patrols, mission assignments will all take place here. Remember, you are now part of the outer circle of Miss Lilandra’s elite guard, representing the face of the lady and the clan. You must strictly adhere to every rule here, train diligently, and perform duties loyally. Any negligence or overstep will be severely punished."

He paused, his gaze sweeping across everyone: "Now, put down your belongings, tidy your appearance. Gather at the training ground later, Miss Lilandra will personally meet you."

Miss Lilandra will personally meet us! Everyone’s spirits lifted, showing expressions of excitement or nervousness.

Duke also aptly displayed a mix of honor and a hint of apprehension befitting his status.

Soon, everyone settled in.

The rooms were much more comfortable than the tree holes at the refugee camp, clean and tidy, equipped with simple furniture and independent moonlight stone lighting.

After quickly organizing their straightforward luggage and changing into the uniformly issued, superior-quality dark green uniforms with silver trim, the eight quickly returned to the training ground, standing in formation according to the instructor’s instructions, standing upright and looking straight ahead.

The waiting time was not long; about ten minutes later, from the direction of Moonwatch Castle, came a gentle and rhythmic sound of footsteps.

Accompanied by two female High-level Royal Guards dressed in light silver armor, a slender figure slowly approached.

Lilandra wore a moon-white hunting outfit, tailored to be flexible, covered by a light, faint purple cloak embroidered with silver silk patterns.

Her silver hair was not overly decorated, simply pinned up with a basic moonlight stone hairpin, the rest cascading down like a waterfall over her shoulders.

Her skin, under the intense infusion of moonlight energy, looked even more translucent, as if glowing with a faint light.

Those light purple eyes, clear and bright, carried the unique liveliness and curiosity of a young girl, but upon closer inspection, there seemed to be a hint carefully protected deep within her eyes, a naivety and unease towards the unknown world, especially towards the brutal wars.

Her arrival seemed to infuse a fresh vitality into the training ground filled with a stern atmosphere.

The instructor immediately bowed in salute: "Miss."

The eight new elite guards uniformly dropped to one knee, right hand on chest, bowing their heads in salute: "Greetings, Miss Lilandra!"

Lilandra walked to the front of the lineup, curiously scanning these new faces, her gaze pausing on each of them.

"Rise." Her voice was crisp and pleasant, like a stream in the forest, carrying a natural affinity without much arrogance of a higher status.

Everyone rose, still standing with heads bowed solemnly.

"Welcome to the team." Lilandra said with a smile, a clean and sincere grin, "I heard from Priest Moran and the instructors that you all have been rigorously selected, outstanding warriors among many comrades. Having warriors like you who are experienced in battle and have unwavering will to protect me, I feel very at ease, and honored."

Her words were simple and direct, yet they stirred a warm current and strong sense of belonging in the hearts of these young elves, who mostly came from ordinary backgrounds, even broken homes.

"I know you come from different places, with different pasts," Lilandra continued, her tone slightly low, "But here, in the Moonlit Clan, we have a common goal - to protect our home, to drive out those invaders who bring destruction. I hope this place can become your new home, and you can become my, become the trusted partners and sharp blades of the Moonlit Clan."

She paused again, her gaze once more sweeping across everyone: "I may not be as powerful as my mother and the elders, nor can I personally experience every battle on the front lines. But I will try my best to understand you, support you. I also hope you can help me, allowing me to better contribute my strength to the clan."

These words both expressed reliance and gave respect, with the balance perfectly handled.

"Willing to serve the lady! Willing to fight for the clan!" The eight elite guards roared in unison, their voices filled with the excitement of recognition and determination to pledge loyalty.

Lilandra nodded with satisfaction, her smile becoming brighter.

She whispered a few words to the female High-level Royal Guards beside her, then said to everyone, "Today is mainly about getting to know each other. Next, the instructor will arrange your specific duties and training. Work hard, I’m looking forward to seeing your performance."

After speaking, she gave everyone another look before turning around and leaving slowly with the High Guards, returning to Moonwatch Castle.

It wasn’t until her figure disappeared inside the castle gate that the instructor signaled everyone to relax.

"You all saw? The lady has high expectations of you," the instructor said sternly, "Don’t betray this trust. Now, allocate specific posts and patrol shifts..."

...

After several days of adaptation and rigorous training, Duke gradually familiarized himself with the daily rhythm of the outer members of the elite guard and the basic layout around Moonwatch Castle.

He was assigned to the night patrol team, which suited him perfectly—the nighttime, especially under certain phases of the moon, was the best time to execute that critical mission.

Based on his observations and intelligence analysis over the past few days, the most suitable time for action was when the blood-red Shal moon alone hung high, reaching the zenith, and its light absorption and shadow erosion characteristics reached their peak.