Late Night, Silver Dragon Sanctuary – Maid Quarters.

Shirley agilely climbed through the window, her movements precise and silent as she landed on the floor without a sound.

Entering the hallway, Shirley crouched low, her eyes scanning both sides cautiously.

Once she was certain that she had avoided the guards' patrol, she stealthily made her way deeper into the maid quarters.

Tonight, she wore a tight-fitting night outfit that revealed her graceful figure, her long brown ponytail swaying under the faint moonlight.

Shirley was one of the finest forward scouts trained by the Queen of the Silver Dragon Clan, so a mission like this was child’s play for her.

Using the dim moonlight seeping in from outside, Shirley examined the nameplates on each of the doors in the maid quarters.

Finally, she found the name she was looking for on one of the doors:

**Maureen.**

A nameless, low-ranking maid in the maidservants' group. Shirley didn’t have much of a relationship with her—neither good nor bad. They were more like acquaintances who nodded to each other in passing.

Maureen would sometimes call her "Sister Shirley" out of respect.

Standing at Maureen’s door, Shirley checked her surroundings one last time. Once she confirmed the coast was clear, she gently knocked on the door.

A dull thud came from inside the room, indicating that Maureen was still awake.

However, she didn’t immediately respond. After a few seconds of silence, she cautiously asked, "Who is it?"

Shirley lowered her voice. "It's me, Shirley."

There was the soft sound of footsteps from within.

*Click.*

The door lock turned, and the door opened slightly inward, revealing only one side of Maureen's face.

Maureen wasn't particularly pretty, just average, with a somewhat anxious expression on her face, as if she hadn’t been asleep at all.

Her gaze quickly flitted over Shirley’s face before she lowered her eyes, speaking quietly, "Sister Shirley, what brings you here so late?"

Shirley crossed her arms over her chest, her gaze cold, her tone even colder. "Constantine is dead. There's no reason for us to stay here anymore. With only a few guards on patrol tonight, we should escape while we can."

Maureen’s body stiffened slightly, clearly startled by Shirley’s abrupt statement.

She quickly turned her head away, her voice small and hesitant. "Sister Shirley, I don’t understand what you’re saying... I… I don’t get it."

Shirley scoffed. "Constantine never told you? Hmph, not that he had the chance to. Did you really think he sent only you to gather intel within the Silver Dragon Clan? If you’re found out, you won’t escape with your life."

Upon hearing this, Maureen bit her lip hard, her hand gripping the edge of her dress tightly, forming a fist.

After a moment of internal struggle, Maureen finally gathered the courage to raise her head and look at Shirley. "Sister Shirley, I really don’t understand what you’re talking about. I won’t tell anyone about what you said tonight. Please go back. I… I need to sleep now."

With that, Maureen tried to close the door.

But Shirley was quicker, slamming her hand onto the door.

The sharp sound startled Maureen, causing her to flinch.

She shrank back, her voice trembling slightly. "Sister Shirley…"

"I've received word that Rosvisser and Leon are about to conduct a full investigation of the entire Silver Dragon Clan. You and I both know what happens to spies when they’re caught under dragon law. If we don’t leave now, we’ll never have another chance."

"I… I…" Maureen faltered, her eyes filled with panic, unsure of what to do.

"By tomorrow morning, Anna will gather all the maids and Silver Dragon guards, and then each one of them will be questioned and investigated."

"Maureen, are you sure that after all these years of passing on information, you haven't left any trace? Are you absolutely sure no one will find out?"

Shirley pressed forward, her voice speeding up. "Even I can't guarantee that, which is why I’m planning to run tonight."

"If we escape, there’s a slim chance of survival. But if we stay here and get caught, it’s a dead end. Don’t you get it, Maureen?"

"I know you might be clinging to the hope that if you’re discovered, Rosvisser might show some mercy and spare your life because of old ties. But we can’t put our lives in the hands of luck or someone else's kindness."

"Our lives… the only way to keep them safe is to hold them in our own hands."

As Shirley finished speaking, she placed her hand firmly on Maureen's shoulder, her grip strong and resolute.

"I’ll be waiting for you at the back of the sanctuary. You have ten minutes to decide. If I don’t see you in ten minutes, I’ll leave on my own. Whether you live or die is up to you."

With that, Shirley said no more. She turned and walked back into the hallway, once again slipping out the window.

The soft sound of her footsteps faded into the distance. Maureen stood frozen in the doorway, a chilling sensation creeping through her body.

That chill came from fear.

…

Ten minutes later, at the back of the sanctuary, under the cherry blossom tree, Shirley finally saw the frail figure she had been waiting for.

Maureen cautiously approached, the tip of her tail curling slightly, her eyes scanning the surroundings with vigilance.

Once she got closer to Shirley, she exhaled a sigh of relief.

"Have you made up your mind?" Shirley crossed her arms, tilting her head as she asked.

"Yes, I’ve made up my mind," Maureen replied. "If I stay here and get caught, I won’t escape death… Besides, Constantine promised me that if we succeeded in eliminating Rosvisser, I’d get a portion of the Silver Dragon territory. But now that he’s dead, there’s no point in me staying here."

Her tone was flat, and when she mentioned "eliminating Rosvisser," there was no hint of emotion.

It was as if this was an ordinary matter, no different from asking, "Have you had breakfast?"

Shirley raised an eyebrow slightly. "How long have you been following Rosvisser?"

Maureen thought for a moment. "More than ten years, I suppose."

More than ten years under the guidance of a queen who was fair and just, and yet she chose to betray her for the empty promises of someone else.

Shirley didn’t dwell on the thought.

After all, her task for the night was now complete.

"Let’s get out of here quickly, Sister Shirley. We can talk more after we’ve left." Maureen stepped forward, trying to grab Shirley’s arm to lead her away.

But Shirley took a step back, brushing Maureen’s hand aside.

Maureen froze for a moment, her face showing confusion. "Sister Shirley, what are you—"

Before she could finish her sentence, the previously dark night sky was suddenly illuminated by several bursts of dragon fire.

Following that, a group of people carrying torches emerged from the cherry blossom forest.

And among them was Rosvisser herself.

Silver hair, silver tail, a long gown trailing on the ground, her cold, indifferent gaze, and an expression frozen like ice—everything about her radiated the aura of a queen.

The moment Maureen locked eyes with those majestic dragon eyes, her mind went completely blank.

A cold sweat instantly drenched her body, and her ears buzzed incessantly.

*Thump, thump—thump, thump—*

Her heart pounded heavily in her chest, and Maureen could hear it clearly.

At that moment, all her senses seemed to heighten from the tension, shock, panic, and fear.

Even the air she breathed in felt like knives slicing her lips.

"Ros… visser…"