This made Lorgar's heart sink.

She also knew what her body looked like. In Iron Sand City, she had heard plenty of terms like "wolf-shaped monster," "half-beast," and "God-forsaken creature." Back then, she was at least the Third Princess of the clan, and these words were usually spread in secret, with no one daring to mention them in front of her.

But this was not Iron Sand City, and she was no longer the Blazing Flame Princess. Without the protection of her clan, she would soon have to face these harsh words alone.

"Your ears... and tail, are they real?" the Chieftain asked, his expression hesitant, but ultimately unable to restrain himself. "Do they need magic to maintain, or have they become part of your body?"

Lorgar bit her lip, lifted her hair, and showed him the empty side of her face – the place where her ear should have been was now smooth and flat, answering his question without words. "I can't retract them, Your Majesty. Although they look strange, they are my true form, and I don't want to hide these flaws... If you require it, I will try to minimize my time in public view, so as not to frighten them."

Despite having made the decision to face herself directly, she still felt a sense of inferiority at this moment. The Divine Maidens were originally regarded by the Mojin people as the union of strength and beauty, the pride of each tribe, and were almost universally sought after by young warriors, but she was an exception.

Not only was she ignored after her awakening, but there were even rumors questioning her within the clan, which was why her father was determined to let her take over as the clan leader. Lorgar put all her energy into combat training, pretending to be indifferent, but hearing it often still affected her.

Of course, these situations were all within her expectations. Since she had chosen the path she wanted to take, she should not give up easily, no matter what obstacles she encountered. The sand path of single-minded advance in her dream had already pointed her in the direction. Thinking of this, the wolf girl couldn't help but straighten her chest even more.

"Strange?" the Chieftain clicked his tongue. "Why do you say that?"

"Eh?" Lorgar, who had been secretly preparing herself, couldn't help but be stunned. "Isn't it because..."

"It doesn't look like a normal person's ear?" Roland shrugged. "Normal people don't have magic. Besides, they don't affect your actions or hearing at all, so how can they be considered flaws? At most, they can only be regarded as a feature of your body – and a very interesting feature at that. Don't you think these ears look very beautiful?"

"Ahem, Your Majesty, please watch your words." At the same time, a woman's voice came from behind him, though it was very low, she still caught it.

However, Lorgar's attention was completely drawn by the Chieftain's words, and she had no time to pay attention to anything else.

Beautiful?

She felt that this word could not be used on her at all, and she didn't know what to say for a moment. The emotions she had been brewing were unconsciously dissipated by more than half, and she felt a surge of heat on her cheeks.

How could a half-human, half-beast be beautiful?

"In any case, I won't ask you to cover it up, or try to wear a hood when you go out... You can do as you please," Roland continued. "Maybe some people will point and stare, but over time, they will slowly accept it. At worst, let Soroya draw a series of comics about you, or join the Star Flower Troupe to perform a play – after all, becoming an idol is the best way to make the public familiar with you quickly."

Comics? Star Flower Troupe? Idol? Lorgar felt that her brain was about to shut down. She could only stand there, unable to say a word. Fortunately, at this time, the other party finally turned the topic back to the original track.

"By the way, Ash told me that you came here to fight the devils?"

The wolf girl breathed a sigh of relief. "At the same time, it is also to hone my skills, Your Majesty. I heard that there is a witch named Nana Wa xiaojie in Neverwinter City who can heal the injuries left by battles, which is especially important for a warrior. You should understand that being able to accumulate combat experience without any worries is something every warrior dreams of. Of course, in addition to fighting those strong enemies for you, I will also pay the full amount for treatment."

"I see," Roland nodded. "If you are willing to join the Witch Union, you will have many opportunities to fight them in the future—"

"But I prefer to fight alone, Your Majesty," Lorgar interrupted softly. "Like a mercenary, I don't want to be distracted by anything other than fighting."

She knew that these were just excuses. Her real purpose was just that she didn't want to pledge allegiance to the Chieftain before she fully understood the Northern Kingdom. She had not forgotten her identity as a sand person. If the other party could not fulfill the promise made in the Scorching Land, the southward-moving sand people would sooner or later be separated from Graycastle. If that moment really came, the King of Graycastle would become her enemy, so she could not make a rash decision.

"Is that so..." Roland thought for a moment, then spread his hands with a hint of regret. "Then I can't agree to your request."

"Why?" Lorgar asked in surprise. According to her thinking, a highly skilled mercenary should be in demand anywhere, not to mention that she had not even mentioned the fee! Not only fighting for free, but also paying for treatment herself, this was simply a good thing delivered to her door, and he actually refused! How was this possible?

"Because we are facing a full-scale war, not a small fight between a few tribes."

Was he saying that the sand people's battles were child's play! Lorgar immediately felt a surge of heat rushing to her head. She raised her tail and was about to retort, but the other party suddenly changed the topic. "You should have fought with Ash already, right? How is her strength?"

The wolf girl forcibly suppressed the dissatisfaction in her heart and replied angrily, "Very powerful, even in the Far South, she is a first-class warrior."

"This is the power of Extraordinary Witches," Roland said slowly. "And one step further, there is an even more incredible Transcendent. The latter completely breaks through the limits of the human body, and there are no more obstacles to growth after that. There is a world of difference between them and the Extraordinary."

Transcendent...? Lorgar couldn't help but be attracted by what he said. What kind of realm was that, that even Ash could only look up to?

"However, three Transcendents, dozens of Extraordinary, and thousands of combat witches failed to stop the devils' offensive. A huge empire also collapsed and disappeared. Now, it's our turn." Every word from the Chieftain's mouth seemed to resonate in her heart. "The reason I can't agree to your request is very simple. This is not a one-on-one fair competition, but a battle for survival that determines which of the two civilizations can continue. No matter how strong an individual's ability is, the role played by fighting alone is negligible... More importantly, I don't want you to go to your death."