“Hmph!”

 

The fastest to react, Xiao Guang moved instantly, almost without opening her eyes. She appeared as if by teleportation in front of the attacked white fox girl, her fingers transforming into dragon claws as she struck heavily at the empty void!

 

“Swish!”

 

Accompanied by the crisp sound of fabric being sliced by a sharp blade, it seemed as if some invisible substance was abruptly severed into two halves. The impact and stinging sensation on the skin disappeared in an instant.

 

“Eh?”

 

Only at this moment did the battle inexperienced Theresa finally react. She opened her eyes in surprise and blinked at the two white-feathered girls beside her who had already drawn their weapons and were vigilantly scanning their surroundings.

 

“Miss Dawn, what exactly was that just now?”

 

“Well… what was it?”

 

As if answering her own question, the white fox girl exchanged glances with the dragon lady who had repelled the attacker, then slowly crouched down and began to search the somewhat soft and damp ground of the forest path.

 

“Oh, found it.”

 

After a moment, she stood up again, but now holding what seemed like an object in her hand. She gestured for the puzzled Theresa and the others to come closer and take a look.

 

“What exactly is it…?”

 

The green-haired girl curiously leaned in, and upon closer inspection, she discovered that what the white fox girl was holding was a collection of strange, fluffy, nearly transparent objects.

 

Before Theresa could voice her question, Leila’s expression turned to one of surprise as if she had finally understood.

 

“This is… silk thread?”

 

“Yes.”

 

A hint of amusement was evident in Violet’s voice.

 

“Now do you understand? This is the true nature of the invisible entity attacking the merchants on the 【Holy Spirit Trail】. It’s not some kind of monster or ghost, just a simple trick to confuse ordinary people. Except for Theresa, you all possess abilities that ordinary people don’t have, and with a little observation, you should have been able to notice this.”

 

As if implying something, the girl with the white fox mask said softly.

 

“Even fledgling eagles will one day spread their wings and soar. Relying too much on others is not a good habit, you know.”

 

“Ah?”

 

“Uh… Heh heh heh…”

 

The green-haired girl, who had been specifically named, tilted her head in confusion, while the more perceptive Rene, feeling somewhat embarrassed, stuck out her tongue. As for Leila, she gazed at the silk thread in the white fox girl’s hand for a while before suddenly looking up and saying:

 

“Miss Dawn, could you and Lady Xiao Guang please observe from the sidelines this time? Let us try to handle the situation ourselves.”

 

“Oh~?”

 

Seemingly surprised by this request, Violet did not immediately respond, only smiling as she said:

 

“So, you feel confident?”

 

“Yes. Although I can’t guarantee a perfect solution, as you mentioned, if we want to grow, we cannot always remain under protection. Though I have ascended to a higher realm, I believe… my own knowledge and experience still do not match the power you have bestowed upon me.”

 

Taking a deep breath, Leila expressed her thoughts clearly.

 

“… Since the beginning of our reconstruction, we have always been a burden to you, but even if it’s just a little, I want… to become more mature and to truly help you.”

 

“I see…”

 

In the white fox girl’s silver-blue eyes, a trace of subtle satisfaction flashed.

 

Although Violet had heard similar words from Leila before and knew that Leila had worked hard to advance to the higher realm in a short time, it seemed she had not become arrogant. Instead, she had become more aware of the true disparity between the strongest in this world.

 

This was a good thing.

 

“Since that’s the case, then this exploration will be up to you. You can decide how to proceed, but don’t push yourselves too hard, just do your best.”

 

“Yes!”

 

Nodding solemnly, Leila patted her younger sister on the shoulder and took the lead in turning away.

 

“Rene, get ready. Don’t disappoint Miss Dawn.”

 

“Huh? Do I… do I need to join the battle too?! But I’m not even at the higher realm yet… Oh, stop pulling! Alright, alright! I’ll go!”

 

The sisters, bickering playfully, left the group and moved forward. Even Theresa, though somewhat naive, understood the intent behind the priestess’s words after hearing Leila’s remarks, and her expression grew slightly uneasy.

 

“Miss Dawn, I…”

 

Gently ruffling the green-haired girl’s head, the white fox girl comforted her.

 

“It’s alright. Everyone has their own strengths, and their value isn’t solely based on combat. Leila and Rene are mythical beings with angel bloodlines, so you don’t have to push yourself to become as strong as them quickly. Don’t put too much pressure on yourself.”

 

“Hmm… Okay…”

 

The small matters within the team quickly settled, and it was time to address the real issue.

 

Violet’s earlier shout was not without reason. Every attack leaves traces, and while transparent silk threads as weapons may be hard to detect, once identified, the mystery is significantly diminished.

 

The key lies in the sound of the wind.

 

As a mythic angel who had reached the higher realm, Leila’s perception might not match the extremely high-level beings like Violet or Xiao Guang, but the sound of the wind during the previous attack was enough to determine the general direction of its source.

 

This was one of the reasons why Violet had asked them to close their eyes earlier—by closing off some sensory input, the remaining senses would become more sensitive and sharp.

 

【So do you understand now? Lady Violet has been giving us the opportunity to show our abilities from the beginning. Her steps are continually moving forward, and if we don’t make an effort to catch up and follow her, we’ll soon be left far behind and no longer have the qualification to keep up. Rene, you need to be more mature and attentive. We’re no longer children undergoing the trial of adulthood, and Lady Violet is not obligated to take care of us forever.】

 

As they walked through the lush forest, searching for traces of their target, Leila also patiently explained the situation to her younger sister through mental communication.

 

After breaking through to the higher realm, many high-level abilities of the angelic bloodline—such as this form of mental communication through bloodline connection—had awakened. This ability was a fundamental skill possessed by many mythic beings.

 

Of course, Rene, who had not yet reached that level, lacked the ability to engage in conversation and could only listen.

 

However, she was not foolish, with just a little guidance from her sister, she already realized the seriousness of the situation. Her gaze sharpened, and her fingers gripping the staff involuntarily tightened.

 

Seeing her sister nod seriously, Leila finally felt at ease. Her greatest concern was not the unknown enemies but the rare opportunity to prove themselves. If Rene’s typically lazy attitude caused any mistakes or foolish errors that displeased Lady Violet, it would be a real problem.

 

After giving the necessary instructions and waiting a moment until Violet and her companions caught up, the small team continued forward.

 

At this point, they had been away from the merchant caravan and deep into the 【Holy Spirit Trail】 for over half an hour. The forest was not very large, and after this time, they had almost reached a rarely-traveled area.

 

Although the previous attacks had been fierce, they had not encountered any new attacks during their subsequent movements.

 

It was unclear whether they had avoided certain taboos or if Miss Dragon’s decisive counterattacks had intimidated those controlling the threads from behind.

 

Regardless, their progress would not halt.

 

Eventually, the girls arrived at a seemingly ordinary, deep, and tranquil part of the forest.

 

“Mm…”

 

As if sensing something, Leila suddenly frowned, paused, and squatted down, placing her hand on the winter leaves. It was unclear what she was doing.

 

“What’s wrong, sister?”

 

Without answering her younger sister’s curious voice, the angelic lady stood up, glanced at the white fox girl nearby, and, seeing her still expressionless, pointed to the ground beneath her feet.

 

“Rene, use your most powerful magic to dig through the ground here.”

 

“Eh?!”