Another Wave of Guests

Thinking of this, Hilton ignored Liam, who was still curiously sizing him up, and pulled out a whistle to blow a specific rhythm. Before long, two figures clad in black, tight-fitting leather armor appeared on the other side of the cave, their eyes questioning the reason for his summons.

"I still have to keep watch over the ritual. You two take them to see the Duke. Tell them... never mind, don't say anything at all. Just say someone is here to seek an audience."

The thought that he had been pushed into a corner where he had to ask for reinforcements from the manor was embarrassing; he would rather not expose his own shortcomings. Once these two lads were brought inside, they likely wouldn't mention what had happened here anyway, so he would let the past be the past. With the Duke present, he had no doubt they would spill every last secret they held.

Liam, following the two guards into the manor, had no idea of the complex mental gymnastics Hilton was performing, nor did he have a moment to check on Wilton, who was still being carried over a guard's shoulder. He was truly captivated by the scenery of the manor, his gaze darting around in every direction.

"Elf, this is not a place for a druid like you."

Watching the group walk away, Hilton turned to face the entrance of the cave.

"My apologies, I was merely entrusted to protect that young man; I meant no offense." A figure appeared at the corner of the cave entrance. Although the voice that emerged was a gentle male tone, the figure was a pitch-black panther. The crescent-shaped markings on the panther revealed its origin—a Druid of the Claw from the night elf race!

"Never try to show off your mediocre stealth skills in front of a rogue. Since they have arrived at the manor, their safety is no longer something you can influence. Please, return."

Hilton dismissed him, his tone far from polite. The druid knew this was not a place he could trespass upon, so he retreated outside the cave. With a shake of his body, he transformed into a raven and flew into the distance, heading in the direction of the Kingdom of Gilneas.

She had completed half of what she had promised; how things developed from here was beyond the reach of a high-ranking druid like her. She could only notify King Genn first.

As the two walked into the valley, the full view of Ravenholdt Manor finally revealed itself to Liam.

No one could have imagined that such a small valley hid the oldest organization in Azeroth, an ancient entity that predated the first human empire—the Arathor Empire—by 2,800 years, and one of the greatest powers lurking behind the chaotic situation of Azeroth.

All of this stemmed from the tradition upheld by the Assassin League: absolute neutrality!

Assassins from Ravenholdt might have their own allegiances or leanings, but the Assassin League itself never did. They were loyal only to the organization and the "commission." Even Jorach Ravenholdt, as the leader of the organization, could not force the loose structure of the Assassin League to take sides in any conflict; this was the foundation of their immortal legacy.

At the same time, the Assassin League's principle of only targeting high-profile figures ensured their continued existence. No matter how powerful their opponents were—even demigods or dragons—they dared to face them head-on, yet they never harmed the weak. This iron rule ensured the organization's secrets were never leaked, while also weeding out the truly wicked who might try to mingle within their ranks.

These two points were the main reasons Liam had decided to join; otherwise, no matter how powerful a backer might be, once a conflict of ideology arose, it would only become a shackle rather than an asset.

The manor before Liam was quite large, completely incomparable to the two-story building in the game. The main structure was a castle-style building covering nearly ten thousand square meters, its scale even larger than royal estates like Greymane.

In front of the castle lay a flat training ground, which was empty now that night had fallen, with no members training there.

Further ahead, near the entrance cave, was a lush herb garden. A large number of herbs were planted there, only a small portion of which were for healing; the largest section was dedicated to poisons! This herb garden was managed by a dedicated druid, providing an endless supply of materials for the Assassin League's poison research.

The entire manor was exceptionally quiet, yet Liam knew that countless rogues were likely lurking in the shadows around him, vigilantly watching him, the outsider.

Led by the two guards, Liam was brought directly to the second floor of the castle.

To Liam's surprise, the hall did not just contain Jorach Ravenholdt, who was waiting to receive them, but also a young man who looked to be under thirty and a little girl who appeared even younger than Tess and Lorna, both sitting to the side and observing them.

The guards tossed Wilton into a chair and turned to leave, leaving Liam standing in the center, curiously sizing up Jorach Ravenholdt.

With graying hair and a graying beard, the old man wore a tight-fitting formal suit, making him look more like a merchant than an assassin. He seemed to have had this appearance and attire since he first appeared, but in Liam's memory, he had another look—the combat stance of wearing Nightslayer armor and wielding Dal'Rend's Sacred Charge.

The old man always seemed to be at the forefront of the latest version, comparable to the legendary creatures known as "hardcore grinders."

Liam's scrutiny piqued the curiosity of Jorach Ravenholdt. With a faint smile, the old man spoke:

"So you're the lad who wants to join the Assassin League? And who is that person over there pretending to be unconscious?"

The Duke could naturally see that Wilton had woken up long before entering the castle and was merely feigning unconsciousness. Upon hearing this, Wilton showed no embarrassment at all; he simply climbed up and looked at Liam, waiting honestly for his response.

"This... he is a friend of mine. We have both come here today to join the Assassin League. We also hope to train under your tutelage, Duke, and learn how to become true assassins."

Before Jorach or the young man could say anything, the little girl to the side let out a giggle. The moment the sound escaped her, she was stopped by the young man, who made a gesture for her to be quiet.

The little girl, "reprimanded for no reason," glared fiercely at Liam for making her look foolish. She puffed up her cheeks, seemingly very dissatisfied with this arrogant boy.

However, the little girl's wild demeanor reminded Liam of his own sister, who was also quite the handful. On a whim, Liam smiled and winked at the little girl, which only made her cheeks puff up even further in anger.