Sokram gave an awkward wave to his grandmother and nodded respectfully toward his Master.

But he stayed firmly by his team’s side.

He tried to greet Karini too, but she ignored him completely, engrossed in a deep conversation with Layca and the Silverfang patriarch.

The door creaked open, revealing Licarus, his face stern and unwelcoming.

“Come on in,” he snapped, his piercing glare locking onto Sokram.

Once everyone had filed into the office, Licarus settled behind his massive reddish wooden desk, clearly a new and magically reinforced desk, and began speaking, his eyes locked onto Sokram.

“Do you know why you’re here?”

Sokram nodded promptly, his voice steady and confident.

“Yes, City Lord. The guard mentioned that the pup over there raised a complaint of insubordination against me, and Uncle Lycius kindly clarified it was directed solely at me.”

Licarus ignored Sokram’s playful jab about Kazzah being a ‘pup,’ though inwardly he sighed, recalling memories of Hilda in her younger days.

“You’re an avid reader, aren’t you? Surely, then, you must know what the penalty for insubordination entails, correct?”

Sokram nodded again, his confidence unwavering. “Yes, City Lord. According to Hunter's hall rules, penalties range from one month of imprisonment to having a year added to one’s obligatory service.”

Licarus maintained his impatient expression, nodding curtly. “Good. Then why did you do it?”

But Sokram’s response caught everyone off guard.

“Have I been judged already? Both Norwinter’s and Eversnow’s laws clearly state that no trial should proceed without the presence of the accused party, everyone has the right to defend themselves.”

He paused thoughtfully before continuing, his tone calm yet firm.

“Even within the Hunter’s Hall regulations, certain norms align with these principles. So, how exactly was I convicted already?”

Hannah smirked knowingly; she’d expected nothing less from her grandson.

Leona nodded proudly, while Karini and Layca exchanged surprised glances.

Sokram’s teammates were equally astonished by his boldness in front of the City Lord.

Contrastingly, the wolves of the Silverfang clan frowned, glaring at him disapprovingly.

Licarus, momentarily caught off guard, backtracked hastily. “I... I misspoke. What I meant to ask is whether you have anything to say in your defense regarding the accusations brought against you.”

Sokram raised his hands innocently, tilting his head with a feigned look of confusion.

“I’m not entirely sure when I supposedly acted insubordinately, City Lord. Was it perhaps the jokes I made during our team meeting? Were they too much for the pup to handle?”

Licarus turned to Sokram’s team, his gaze sweeping across their faces. “Did any of you witness anything that could be considered insubordination against your captain?”

“No, City Lord!” they chorused in unison, their voices echoing like obedient students responding to an authoritative teacher.

Licarus shifted his attention to Kazzah, his expression hardening further as veins began throbbing visibly on his forehead. “You, whelp, step forward.”

Kazzah moved to stand beside Sokram in front of the desk.

Licarus addressed him directly. “Alright, speak. When exactly did he act insubordinately toward you?”

Kazzah cleared his throat, reciting his rehearsed lines with practiced precision.

“Reporting to the City Lord, I first ask that you disregard the testimonies of my teammates, as they were promised benefits by this dragon. As for the insubordination, it occurred when I presented the carefully planned strategy for the hunt. Instead of following it, he acted recklessly, nearly costing several teammates their lives. As proof, I present Timothy, the only member who refused his bribes and remained loyal to me.”

The narrative has been taken without permission. Report any sightings.

Sokram chuckled softly at the absurdity of Kazzah’s claims.

His teammates shot daggers at Kazzah but refrained from arguing in front of the City Lord.

Hannah raised an eyebrow, recognizing this behavior as highly uncharacteristic of Sokram.

Even Leona found it laughable; her disciple would never behave so irresponsibly.

Licarus’s glare returned to Sokram, but Sokram’s confident grin remained firmly in place.

“So,” Licarus pressed, “What do you have to say in your defense?”

Sokram’s grin softened into a reassuring smile.

“First, it’s true that I offered some business opportunities to my teammates. Therefore, I agree with the pup, my teammates’ testimonies should indeed be invalidated.”

“Sokram, what are you doing?” Savannah whispered, her voice tinged with disbelief.

But all she received in return was Sokram’s trademark confident grin.

“Don’t worry, big sis,” Sokram reassured her calmly. “There’s something everyone in this room should know: I come from a family where every member has served on a hunting team at some point. I’ve received countless pieces of advice, but one piece of wisdom from my grandmother, Brunhild, stuck with me most.”

Reaching behind his neck, Sokram pulled on a cord, revealing a bluish crystal attached to its end.

“She advised me to record every single hunt operation. By doing so, I can analyze both my and my teammates' form and performance during the hunt, allowing us to see where we need to improve.”

With deliberate care, Sokram untied the knot and fully extracted the cord, holding up the crystal for all to see.

“Imagine my luck when, upon leaving town, I stumbled upon a magic supply store near the southern gates selling recording crystals for half a silver apiece! Some of them could even record up to seventy-two hours. Isn’t it remarkable what you can find when you’re in the right place at the right time, Great Uncle?”

Licarus studied the crystal, then glanced at Kazzah, whose eyes widened in shock as cold sweat trickled down his face.

Sensing the impending danger after his grandson's reaction, the Silverfang Alpha looked at the crystal; the intent in his eyes was as clear as day.

But before he could so much as twitch toward the crystal, the room froze instantly, filled with an overwhelming killing intent.

Only the elders present could perceive it, and their gazes converged on the same person: Hannah.

“Play it, darling,” Hannah said sweetly, though her tone carried an unmistakable edge.

No one dared to interfere.

Sokram placed the crystal on Licarus’s desk and waved his hand over it.

A holographic image emerged, sharp and vivid despite its blue-and-white hues.

It depicted the interior of the magic supply store, showing Sokram conversing with the attendant.

“The spell I used to activate the recording, you mean this one?” Sokram asked the attendant in the recording.

“Yes, young one. I’ve never seen anyone activate a recording crystal quite like that before,” the attendant replied, greed gleaming in his eyes.

“Well, it’s quite useful. You see, the spell reacts to the caster’s intent…” The recording abruptly cut off, only to resume moments later. “…and when I will it, the recording resumes. Amazing, isn’t it?”

The attendant nodded enthusiastically. “So, how about teaching this old woman that spell?”

Sokram feigned surprise, then adopted a regretful expression. “You see, Auntie, I’d love to teach you, but my mom forbade me from teaching magic for free…”

What followed was a negotiation similar to the one Sokram had with Mr. Oliver.

This time, though, Sokram showed no mercy.

Over the next few minutes, Sokram drove a hard bargain, walking away with a hundred moonstones, thirty blank scrolls, five hundred grams of silver dust, three gallons of monster blood, and fifteen additional recording crystals.

“That seems fair to me, Auntie. By the way, do you happen to know what day it is today?” Sokram asked casually.

The attendant, exhausted but satisfied, read the spell inscribed on the scroll she’d provided. “Ah… Wow, that spell is surprisingly simple to learn. What did you ask? Oh, today’s date is…”

Thus, Sokram demonstrated the origin and when the acquisition of the recording crystals occurred.

The footage showed him leaving the store, tying the crystal to a cord, and placing it around his neck.

He cast another spell, expanding the recording radius from twenty to two hundred meters.

“Wow, I didn’t realize recording crystals could be utilized like that,” Leona remarked absently.

Sokram smiled at her. “They can, but only with those capable of storing more than a day’s worth of recordings.”

After another brief cut, the recording resumed, showing Sokram’s initial meeting with Savannah.

Their interaction unfolded naturally until Kazzah arrived, cracking a joke about Sokram’s Peko.

Sokram’s witty retort elicited a stifled chuckle even from Licarus himself.

“That’s why I asked if it was the jokes, City Lord. Since he joked back, there is no insubordination there, right?” Sokram inquired lightly.

Licarus nodded nonchalantly. “Indeed. Jokes like that foster camaraderie and healthy rivalry, a lesson every true wolf of the north understands.”

Sokram's grin widened slightly, knowing the next segment of the recording would be the start of Kazzah’s downfall.

It depicted Kazzah growing increasingly agitated as Sokram asked Kan and Kiana about his family.

“You shameless...” Kazzah’s eyes flared wildly as he recalled the humiliating exchange.

In the recording, Sokram replied coolly, showing Layca he knew who she was from the start, "We weren’t talking behind your back. We all knew you could hear us; it’s no secret. You’re Layca’s son, and Karini spoke with pride about you leading this team. I was just curious why you act so differently from most wolves.”

“Just because a wolf doesn’t indulge in mockery doesn’t make him any less of a wolf,” Kazzah retorted defiantly.

However, Kazzah’s words contradicted Licarus’s earlier statement, making him appear foolish.

Even Layca frowned deeply; though not a Silverfang herself, she embodied the Snow-fur clan's spirit entirely.

Hearing her cherished son speak in such a manner, and worse, being mocked by someone far younger, left her thoroughly disappointed.