While walking in the jungle significantly slowed their progress, they managed to do so without incident.

Three days later, Yokou and his party unexpectedly encountered a team of Graycastle soldiers searching along the road a few miles from the border. He immediately recognized them by their distinctive brown fur uniforms and the metal tubes on their backs.

After returning to Evernight City with the army and meeting with Duke Kant, he finally understood what had happened. Upon receiving Hill's report, His Majesty Roland directly issued two secret letters. One instructed the First Army detachment originally stationed in Yougu Town to divide into four teams and enter Dawn from the four intersections along the border between the two countries, to receive the withdrawing diplomatic personnel. The other notified the Duke of the Northern Lands to enter a state of combat readiness, which meant preparing food, cotton cloth, carriages, and other supplies needed for combat. Once the main force arrived in the Northern Lands, they could directly set off for battle.

Fortunately, the envoy group was safe and sound.

The Duke even let out a sigh of relief as he said this, making Yokou feel flattered.

However, what moved him the most was his old friend's reaction to the matter.

Although he knew that the four witches in the team accounted for a large proportion, the secret letter still mentioned the name of Ambassador Yokou and ranked him first. This treatment alone made him feel that the fright and trouble he had suffered along the way were worth it.

Yokou wrote a long letter about the events that occurred during the evacuation and handed it to the Duke, hoping that His Majesty would lift the state of combat readiness in the Northern Lands after receiving the letter. Now he finally knew that Hill was not mistaken; His Majesty's attitude towards this matter was not just lip service.

He was also surprised by the First Army's speed of response. Subtracting the time it took for the flying messenger to send the message back and forth, it meant that the unit, originally used to guard against the remnants of the church and the evil beasts, began to take action on the same day it received the order. He had seen nobles mobilize troops for battle before, and it would take half a month just to gather knights, mercenaries, and freemen, let alone divide into groups to carry out tasks. As soon as the team dispersed, with fewer people supervising, those mercenaries who had received advance payments would probably run away overnight.

This was probably why his old friend could capture the royal capital in a day.

Yokou now vaguely understood that His Majesty's army was different from anything he had seen before not only in terms of weapons, but also in every aspect, it was far superior to those noble vassals.

At the same time, as an ambassador, he was not an isolated individual; the entire kingdom was not only his backing but also his blade. Thinking of this, he felt a surge in his chest, as if a flame was burning.

Now, the only thing Yokou was worried about was 76 alone.

According to the prior agreement, the first to arrive would hang a four-color flag in a conspicuous location at their residence. Duke Kant had people search all over Evernight City, but they did not see a similar sign. Now that they were staying in the mansion arranged by the Duke, they simply erected a flagpole at the gate, allowing the bright four-color canvas to flutter in the wind. As long as one entered the inner city, they would be able to see this marker at a glance.

In fact, he was not the only one worried about her. Through the window, Yokou often saw Annie and Amy standing under the flagpole, clearly wanting to see 76 return safely as soon as possible. As their interaction deepened, Annie's attitude towards him was gradually changing; at least she wouldn't glare at him warily like before.

Hill's subordinates had approached him more than once, hoping that he would set off for the Western Region as soon as possible. The magician even told him bluntly that as a decoy, 76's chances of survival were slim. If those knights had not been chasing after them, she should have arrived at the border village in a day, and then reached Evernight City faster than their group. Now that their agreed meeting place was still showing no signs of activity, the result was basically already determined.

Yokou also understood this, but he still wanted to wait a few more days, if only for that one sentence she said when they parted.

After the storm has passed, I will go and join you in the border city of Graycastle. Remember to wait for me there.

In the days after their separation, he finally understood where that strange feeling came from.

Although 76 was nominally a slave, he had never treated her as such, neither in Blackmoney nor in the Kingdom of Dawn.

Yokou had decided that if she could come back alive, he would grant her freedom.

Unfortunately, this realization came too late.

Three more days passed, and just as he was planning to leave the Northern Lands the next day, things suddenly took a turn for the better. A carriage stopped by the flagpole. The coachman seemed quite anxious and wanted to say something to the guards at the gate, but hesitated to step forward. Yokou, who witnessed all this from the window, didn't even have time to go out before Annie and Amy's figures appeared beside the carriage.

76 is back!

The news quickly spread to every member of the envoy group, and even Duke Kant rushed over out of curiosity, wanting to meet this courageous maid who had sacrificed herself.

But her condition was not good.

When Yokou saw 76, she was covered in wounds, her right hand and left foot were broken, and she could barely move.

"Master..." 76 blinked and forced a smile, "Sorry to keep you waiting."

In that instant, he felt his whole body relax.

"It's good that you're back."

Next, the group stayed in Evernight City for another week until 76's condition stabilized before setting off for Yougu Town, taking a boat to leave the Northern Lands.

During this time, Yokou also asked clearly about what happened after the two separated.

She was caught up by the Radiant City knights before sunset. In order to delay them as much as possible, she untied all the horses' reins and drove them to run in the opposite direction, blocking the accelerating knights. At the same time, she switched to riding alone and fled towards the mountains beside the road. However, before she could run far, she was blocked by a mountain stream.

Thinking that being caught would only lead to death, she directly jumped off a cliff more than ten zhang deep with her horse. Fortunately, there were branches and vines on both sides of the cliff to block her, so she was not smashed to pieces, but in the process of rolling down, she cracked her head, and her hands and feet were broken by the protruding rocks. When she fell beside the stream, she had already passed out.

Probably because they couldn't find a suitable way down the mountain, or because they thought she was already dead, the knights did not continue to pursue. She woke up in the middle of the night and relied on the cold stream water to stay awake, occasionally managing to catch one or two small fish and shrimp.

Two days later, 76 was discovered by nearby villagers who were fishing and was able to save her life.

Heroes can transfer pain, but they cannot heal wounds. Only by sending her to the Western Region to see if the witches there have any way to restore her health.

In any case, she came back alive!

Yokou stood contentedly at the bow of the boat, standing against the wind. The sailboat raised its sails and sailed towards Neverwinter City.