“But I must say, you truly value your honor, Alpha Silverfang,” Sokram remarked, nodding respectfully as he flashed the Alpha his most charming businessman’s smile.

“Such an insightful young dragon you are. Even though I won’t bow, please accept my apologies. My grandson has much to learn from you.” Kamal nodded approvingly at Sokram, his tone carrying a mix of sincerity and relief.

Seeing this exchange, it wasn’t just Kazzah who was appalled; everyone in the room shared similar thoughts.

It was as if two shrewd bankers were forging a business partnership rather than resolving a family dispute.

Licarus scratched the back of his head, still finding Sokram to be something of a mystery.

Only Hannah’s millennia-old wisdom seemed capable of glimpsing through Sokram’s actions, and even then, not entirely clearly.

‘Although war is a convenient excuse,’ she mused silently, ‘he has plans that extend far beyond that. And it seems the Silverfang family has become essential to those plans, or perhaps they always were.’

Her line of thought wasn’t far off the mark.

“Well, since we’ve all come to a consensus, all that’s left is for the two of you to apologize to your teammates,” Licarus declared, turning his gaze toward Timothy and Kazzah.

It was evident neither of them wanted to apologize, but this time, Kamal didn’t intervene on their behalf.

With dark expressions etched onto their faces, Timothy and Kazzah lowered their heads, raised their right fists to their hearts, and muttered a perfunctory apology: “We’re sorry to have caused you so much grievance.”

Licarus was about to remark that the apology wasn’t sufficient, but Sokram acted faster.

“We’re cool, pup, don’t worry. When I’m captain, I’ll make sure to put you back on track, haha.”

His tone shifted abruptly as he turned to Timothy, his face growing somber.

“As for you, I never did anything against you, but it seems you’re so enamored with this pup here that you started making his grievances your own.”

Timothy’s face flushed crimson within seconds.

Sokram pointed back at Lucy, his wicked grin widening. “I don’t see any other reason you’d leave your girl behind to take his side unless that wasn’t the case. So take it as advice: don’t let your true emotions cloud your judgment next time, alright?”

The knife-twisting effect of Sokram’s words was undeniable.

"I DON’T SWING THAT WAY, YOU DAMN LIZARD!" Timothy erupted, losing control in an instant.

But just as quickly, realization dawned on him, and the damage was already done.

“Heh,” Sokram chuckled, and the rest of the team joined in, grimacing at Timothy’s exaggerated reaction.

But Sokram wasn’t finished yet. “No need to get so worked up. Maybe I’m wrong. Perhaps you’re afflicted by Magnus’ curse or something, though Kazzah isn’t exactly a Brutus. But leaving your girl alone with a dragon, even a young one…”

Before Sokram could finish, Lucy cut him off with a frown. “I’m not his girl!”

Her words shocked everyone and shattered Timothy’s heart.

With his goal achieved, Sokram flashed Lucy a proud smile before turning back to Timothy.

Offering a knowing smirk, he shrugged casually. "Well, it is what it is."

The palpable awkwardness hung heavy in the air, prompting Licarus to conclude the meeting rather than delve further into the youths’ personal matters.

But as he dismissed them, he couldn’t shake the realization that Sokram would grow into someone truly dangerous, not just on the battlefield, but in every aspect of life.

After sending Sokram and his team to wait outside, including Kazzah and Timothy, the elders from each family remained behind to discuss matters with the City Lord.

Sokram checked the spatial ring containing the boars, briefly recalling that he needed a bath.

The stench of blood clung heavily to him, seeping into his clothes, armor, and skin.

But he was grateful that the boars’ flesh remained preserved inside the spatial device, a small mercy in an otherwise grueling day.

Not because he feared losing profit, with the windfall he’d secured for his team, he doubted they’d care, but because he definitely wouldn’t want to lose his favorite meal.

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Soon after, Layca, Karini, and Leona emerged from the City Lord’s office alongside the Silverfang elders.

Layca approached Sokram, ignoring her son’s pleading gaze, and bowed deeply. “I apologize, young dragon. My son’s behavior was unacceptable…”

But before she could finish, Sokram gently placed his hands on her shoulders and guided her upright. "There, much better. No elder should bow to a youngster, especially not someone as beautiful as you, Auntie."

Sokram wasn’t lying when he called her beautiful.

Though she wasn’t as striking as Moira or Hilda, Layca possessed a unique charm.

She stood tall at 1.8 meters, with long, wavy black hair, clear green eyes, plump lips, and wide hips that swayed gracefully with her tail.

Her snow-white furred ears and tail matched Karini’s, marking her as part of the Snow-fur clan.

Everyone around was taken aback by Sokram’s flirtatious words.

Layca was known for her fiery temper and battlefield ruthlessness.

Yet Sokram openly flirted with Kazzah’s mother right in front of him, a move that felt like another slap to Kazzah’s pride.

After everything that had transpired inside the City Lord’s office, Kazzah no longer had the standing to protest.

Layca, caught off guard by his compliment, remembered Karini’s earlier remarks about Sokram’s mischievous nature.

She smiled faintly. “Please teach my son well from here on out. I wish he’d grown to embody the values of the Snow-fur clan, but… sigh, his father, like the Silverfang Alpha, had other plans.”

“Well, aren’t you also a Silverfang?” Sokram asked, genuinely confused.

“No, his father and I were never married, almost, but I woke up before it was too late…” Layca trailed off absentmindedly, then snapped back to attention. “It’s complicated…”

But Sokram’s eyes gleamed with curiosity.

Interrupting her again, he reassured her warmly. “You don’t have to explain. I’ll do my best to show the pup, I mean, your son, the ropes while I can. This way I can turn that frown back into a beautiful smile.”

Just then, Karini joined the conversation. “See? I told you he’s too mature for his age. A little too much of a flirt for someone so young. But yes, I also agree that Kazzah has been acting like a spoiled pup.”

Layca nodded in understanding, though the sadness and disappointment in her eyes were plain for all to see.

“I’ll talk to him, big sis,” Layca said softly, giving Sokram one last nod before walking over to Kazzah.

“And here I thought you wouldn’t talk to me again, Auntie. Did you believe I was guilty?” Sokram asked with mock sadness.

Karini grinned slightly at his antics and pinched his cheek teasingly. “Leona keeps calling you a true dragon of the north, but you’re a dog at heart, aren’t you? So shameless…”

Releasing his cheek, she added, “Though I haven’t known you for long, based on what your mother and Master tell me, I never believed the man, or dragon, I crossed blades with was as reckless as he was accused of being. Instead, you're quite the calculating one behind that façade you like to put on, aren’t you?”

Sokram grinned, nodding in agreement.

“Well, we all wear masks. I merely prefer the grinning one, it makes beautiful women blush, haha.”

“My disciple used to be so cute, but now he’s a shameless dragon,” Leona quipped, appearing behind Karini and pulling her close by the waist. “And one that likes to flirt with his master’s wives, no less.”

But Sokram didn’t back down. “Well, it’s not like I don’t flirt with you, too, Master. No need to be jealous.”

He winked playfully and tried to flee, but Leona reacted faster, locking him in a one-arm chokehold.

“Heh, if you were only a little older… But until then, don’t cross the line. I love you like a son, but you still owe me proper respect, kiddo.”

“I was joking, Master, I’m sorry!” Sokram pretended to struggle, eliciting laughter from his teammates, who thoroughly enjoyed the scene.

While Sokram was distracted with Karini and Leona, Timothy approached Lucy hesitantly.

“Lucy, what did you mean by what you said earlier?”

Lucy looked at him, memories of their shared moments flooding back. There had been laughter, fleeting happiness, and even dreams of a future together. Yet now, with her Devotion irrevocably tied to Sokram, those memories felt hollow, distant, almost insignificant.

Devotion wasn’t merely a simple innate skill; it was a conscious choice to dedicate one’s life to a single being.

Every race had survival instincts embedded in their innate skills, abilities designed not only to ensure survival but also to propel each race forward along the Path of Evolution.

The difference between most races and the Nymphic races lies in the activation of these skills.

While others relied on passive abilities, Nymphic races actively wielded theirs.

When Lucy’s Devotion activated, it emerged from a subconscious drive, an unshakable yearning, as if some primal instinct had seized hold of her and steered her toward a higher purpose.

Moreover, she could only activate Devotion again if Sokram were to die.

Until then, he would bear an unyielding desire to protect her, while she devoted herself wholeheartedly to him.

This newfound Devotion rewrote some of her emotions, clearing away everything irrelevant to her new purpose, including her past relationship with Timothy.

After a brief pause to collect herself, she answered nonchalantly. “We’re over. That’s what I meant. Besides, you seem far more interested in being with Kazzah, don’t you?”

Hearing Lucy’s biting words, the team awkwardly stepped back, though they stayed within earshot to offer silent support.

Timothy noticed their retreat but couldn’t muster the focus to process it. His mind spiraled, replaying Lucy’s words over and over until they became a suffocating loop of doubt and despair.

Then he remembered what Sokram had said when Lucy attempted to charm him earlier.

“Is it the Call of the Blood?”

Hearing that, Lucy burst into laughter.

“Haha, no, it’s not. Is that why you got involved in a fight that was never yours? But Sokram wasn’t flirting with me at first. I was the one flirting with him. You know how dragons and foxes are; we can’t help ourselves.”

“STOP JOKING, LUCY!”

Timothy lost his composure, quickly regaining it as embarrassment washed over him.

“You can’t be serious right now. Don’t you remember it was Kazzah who recruited us when no team wanted anything to do with kids from the slums?”

“It wasn’t,” Lucy countered sharply.

“He only recruited us because of Savannah. It was she who refused to leave us behind. You can’t even remember that, can you? Heh, maybe the love Kazzah hoped to find in Savannah, he found in someone else.”

Her venomous words struck like a dagger to his core.

“I TOLD YOU IT’S NOT LIKE THAT! I DON’T SWING THAT WAY, DAMMIT!” Timothy flushed with anger and humiliation.

“Hah, the more you deny it like that, the less I believe you,” Lucy replied, shaking her head in disappointment.

When Sokram joked about it in the office, she thought it was absurd.

But seeing Timothy’s overreaction planted a seed of doubt in her mind, one that was beginning to take root.