"'Grey Wolf Mercenary Group'—was that the mercenary group Miss Qian used to belong to?" Young Lady Dirfiel, the daughter of the Earl of Yanbao, sat in a high-backed chair. She closed the book in her hands and asked, gazing at the girl before her with eyes as gentle as water.:..／
Qian nodded. She arched her back, bit her lower lip with her sharp canine, and reached behind her waist to take hold of the straps on her knight's battle attire. Her pale fingers fiddled with them twice, but failed to undo them. "Dirfiel, help me with this."
Dirfiel reached out, took hold of the strap, and handed it to her.
"Thanks." Qian sighed in relief. She wound the strap around her fingers, bent it back and forth, and deftly tied it into a knot. Then she picked up the soft leather armor resting on the desk beside her and pulled it over her head. Reaching both hands behind her slender neck, she lifted her scarlet hair, which spread out like a waterfall of flowing flames.
With one hand, she gathered up her long hair. With the other, she wound a blue ribbon around it several times, tied it, and bound her long ponytail.
Ouvina leaned against the doorframe with her arms folded, leisurely watching Qian prepare her equipment.
"Will you be gone for a long time?" Dirfiel asked, looking up at Qian's back.
"Mm."
"What if the Earl returns while you're away?"
The girl's back stiffened slightly. She shook her head gently, picked up the breastplate from the floor, crossed the two leather straps around her back, and wound them around her sturdy, powerful waist. She tightened them, then fastened them together with metal buckles.
Next came the backplate. She turned around and looked at the girl curled up in