**********
The young master exhaled slowly, forcing the lingering weight of his thoughts back into order, and snapped fully into the present. He adjusted his posture, preparing himself to face Scarlette and the people who had come with her—only to halt mid-step as a realization struck him.
Wait… since when did Scarlette take companions with her?
The question echoed sharply in his mind. Reports from his father's subordinates rose to the surface almost immediately, clear and undeniable. Scarlette Overland had not arrived alone this time.
Companions. Plural.
That alone unsettled him.
Scarlette Overland was infamous for her solitude. She never formed parties. She never allowed others to fight by her side. More importantly, she never let anyone past the invisible wall she maintained around herself—a boundary that could not be crossed no matter how persistent or influential the individual.
And yet—
Who are they?
