Lady Deepwinter was not from Free City, after all. Annan always felt a little guilty asking her to do things...
When he assessed Free City's strength, he usually left her and her people out of the calculation.
"What are you worried about?"
Beneath Lady Deepwinter's frost-flower beauty lay a thoughtful heart.
Annan told her his concerns. Lady Deepwinter smiled. "You don't need to draw such a fine line."
"I don't?"
"You rescued Princess Sails, revived Vitalig, helped the Kingdom purge its traitors, and didn't even seize the Montreal family's holdings... How am I supposed to repay you for all that?" Annan's reflection shimmered in Lady Deepwinter's icy eyes.
"I was just... All right, my mistake."
Annan and Lady Deepwinter smiled at each other. He felt he had been treating her like an outsider.
"Then I'll leave Lake of a Thousand Lakes to you."
Lady Deepwinter went to make preparations. Relieved to have found the right person by chance, Annan turned to Illymoyas, who had stayed behind.
She looked distinctly unhappy.
"Who upset you?"
Illymoyas said nothing. She just kept her dragon eyes fixed on Annan.
"Me?"
Annan searched his memory, but he hadn't touched her treasure hoard during this trip to the Crystal Lair...
"Luoxi, what happened?" Annan had no choice but to ask the Legion Commander lurking outside the door.
"Uh..."
Luoxi hesitated.
"What is it?"
Luoxi stole a glance at the Blue Dragon girl, then admitted he had seen Illymoyas come out of the Magic Shop. She seemed to have sold something there.
"What did she sell?"
"I think it was... dragon droppings or something..."
"You can go."
"Oh..."
Luoxi's legs carried him away in a hurry.
Annan looked at Illymoyas, who guiltily averted her gaze. He understood. She was embarrassed.
"Why would you go and do that?"