Chương 430: Chapter : 430

It was a highly detailed, hand-drawn map of the border provinces. It showed the mountains, the narrow rivers, the thick forests, and the small defensive outposts. The lines were drawn with absolute, military precision. The girls gathered around the table. They looked at the map. Ken did not stand up. He stayed slouched in his chair, leaning his head back again. He took another bite of his cookie. But behind his half-closed, sleepy eyes, he was watching her very closely.

"She is very professional," Ken thought. He chewed his cookie slowly.

"She has perfect posture. She does not waste any words. She is a real soldier. That is great. If she is this reliable, she can do all the hard work during our next mission. I can just sit in the back and eat my snacks. This is a very good development for my sleep schedule." Olivia pointed a long, wooden rod at a blue line on the map.

"The border patrols have been active," Olivia explained. Her voice was clear and simple.

"We monitored the forest paths every six hours. The rogue beasts are still hiding in the deep woods. They have not crossed the boundary line. But the ambient mana in the area is shifting. It is making the animals restless." Sayma pushed her glasses up. She looked at the map.

"Is the mana shifting because of the wild leylines?"

"Yes," Olivia nodded.

"The natural energy of the forest is highly unstable right now. We had to reinforce the guards at the third outpost. I conducted three separate security assessments of the region to ensure there were no gaps in our defense." During her detailed report, Olivia demonstrated exceptional tactical discipline. She did not look at the snacks on the table. She did not look at Luna sleeping on the bench. She kept her eyes fixed on the map and the Princess. Her mind was sharp. Her analytical awareness was incredible.

She had cataloged every single beast sighting, every patrol delay, and every minor mana fluctuation. Naomi leaned over the table. Her green eyes scanned the red markers Olivia had drawn.

"Did you see any signs of the other Royal units near the border?"

"No," Olivia answered.

"The other factions are focused entirely on the capital. They have not sent any scouts to the eastern provinces. But we must not get comfortable. The border is a critical zone. If the barrier fails there, the capital will be exposed." Ken watched her. He liked her focus. She did not try to look fancy. She did not wear gold armor like the 7th Prince. She did not use big, confusing words like the wealthy nobles in the Inner City. She just spoke the plain truth. She was mature. She was reliable.

"I think she needs a snack," Ken mumbled. He reached into his pocket. He pulled out a small, wrapped strawberry candy. He tossed it casually across the table. It landed right on the map, exactly on the red line marking the border. The story has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the violation.

"Here," Ken said with a goofy smile.

"For the long trip. It is strawberry. It is very good for the brain. It has a lot of sugar." Olivia stopped speaking. She stared at the small candy sitting on her map. She looked at Ken. Her strict face twitched just a tiny bit. She looked completely confused by his behavior.

"Ken, stop interrupting," Naomi said, but she was smiling. She reached over and lightly nudged his arm again. Her touch was warm.

"Olivia is delivering an important report."

"I am helping!" Ken protested.

"I am providing nutritional support! It is a very important part of the mission!" Olivia picked up the candy slowly. She set it on the edge of the table.

"Thank you," she said stiffly. She turned her eyes back to the map.

"As I was saying, the eastern outpost is secure. But the western ridge is our biggest vulnerability."

Olivia continued her detailed report. She did not let Ken's silly interruption distract her. She pointed the wooden rod toward the top edge of the map, where a series of jagged black lines marked a steep mountain ridge.

"The western ridge is highly hazardous," Olivia explained. Her voice was steady and clear.

"The rocky terrain makes normal patrols impossible. There are too many loose stones, and the paths are too narrow. If the rogue beasts decide to launch a coordinated attack, they will use this ridge to bypass our guards." She looked directly at Princess Iris. Her sharp, dark eyes were full of absolute, professional focus.

"Princess Iris," Olivia said.

"If your long-term objective is to secure the outer districts, you must control this mountain path. The western ridge is the shield of the valley. If the beasts break through there, they will reach the commoner villages in less than a day. We cannot let that happen." Princess Iris nodded slowly. Her violet eyes were serious.

"What do you recommend, Olivia?" Olivia stood up even straighter. She presented concrete strategic recommendations to actively support Iris's long-term objectives. She showcased her deep operational experience.

"We must reinforce the supply lines first," Olivia recommended. She traced a path along the river with her finger.

"If the guards at the outposts run out of food or magic potions, they cannot hold the line. We must establish three secret storage depots along the lower ridge. And we must utilize fast, light scouts to monitor the mountain passes. We need to see the beasts before they even reach the cliffs." Laxmi leaned forward, her eyes wide.

"Did you actually fight any of those beasts, Olivia? Or did you just watch them through binoculars?" Olivia looked at the hot-headed fire user.

"I fought them."

"Two weeks ago, my squad was patrolling the lower valley," Olivia explained. Her voice was completely calm. She did not sound like she was bragging. She just stated the facts.

"We encountered a giant, mutated wolf. It was twice the size of a normal beast. Its skin was as hard as stone, and its claws were covered in poison. It attacked our rear guard. My men panicked." Naomi held her breath.

"What did you do?"

"I ordered them to fall back and form a defensive circle," Olivia said.

"I used my wind-spear technique to distract the beast. I jumped onto a rock, used the wind to boost my speed, and drove my spear directly through its shoulder joint. The beast collapsed, and my squad secured the target without losing a single man." To prove her point, Olivia reached behind her back. With a swift, smooth motion, she untied her long, silver-tipped spear. She stepped away from the table, standing in the center of the strategy room. She did not ask for space. She just took it.

Olivia dropped into a perfect, low combat stance. Her boots were planted firmly on the wooden floor. She held the spear with both hands, her body perfectly balanced. She moved.