The next day, Evangeline was ready to depart with Nix and Lachlan.

She thought Thorne was still sulking and wouldn’t come to see her off. To her surprise, when she opened the door early in the morning, she saw him standing there holding wild fruit. His sharp eyebrows were even beaded with morning dew; he must have been waiting for who knew how long.

Evangeline’s eyelashes fluttered. She stepped forward, handkerchief in hand, and gently wiped the dew from his brow.

She felt the coolness seep into her fingertips. After a moment, she looked up into his gentle, dark green eyes, a smile playing on her lips. "Not angry anymore?"

’What could Caden Albright have said to soothe this stubborn man?’ she wondered.

Thorne shook his head and gently placed the washed wild fruit into Evangeline’s palm.

His gaze traced her enchanting features. His Adam’s apple bobbed, his voice still thick with the morning mist. "I’m not angry, but you have to come back soon."

A ripple went through Evangeline’s eyes. A faint smile bloomed on her lips as she nodded. "Alright."

Caden Albright also came out to see them off, holding Bunny. The little girl must have known her mommy was leaving for a long journey. Her amber eyes, a trait inherited from her father, were red-rimmed, and even the tips of her fluffy ears drooped listlessly.

Evangeline reached out and pinched her soft ear. The warm touch softened her heart.

She bent down to meet the little girl’s tear-filled gaze and said softly, "Mommy will be back in a couple of days. Bunny, you have to look after the house, listen to your daddy and Daddy Thorne, and don’t cause any trouble, okay?"

As she spoke, she lightly tapped the little girl’s reddened nose.

"Mommy..." Bunny whimpered between sobs. Her silvery-white tail curled around Evangeline’s wrist. As she cried, her little symmetrical fangs peeked out from between her pink lips, looking all the more childish and adorable.

Evangeline stroked her fluffy head, then turned to Lachlan and Nix. "Let’s go."

Lachlan gave a slight nod. The bones throughout his body emitted a series of soft cracks as they stretched and transformed under the morning sun.

In the blink of an eye, an elegant and powerful Snow Leopard was crouching on the ground, its belly nearly touching the dirt. Evangeline lightly mounted its back, and with Nix silently accompanying them, they sped off toward the tribal trade meet.

This tribal trade meet was a joint effort by several Norfell tribes. Unlike smaller trading events, she saw many Beastmen hurrying along the road, and even some tribal caravans! Judging by their direction, they were headed the same way.

Evangeline leaned against Lachlan, munching on the roasted meat Nix had prepared.

She squinted at the winding caravan ahead. Beastmen in their animal forms carried goods on their backs. Whatever heavy loads they were carrying made their steps heavy, causing the ground to tremble slightly.

Evangeline watched with great interest as they raised their tribal totem flags.

"So many tribal caravans. It seems this trade meet is truly renowned."

She bit into the crisp roasted meat, the sweet juices flooding her mouth.

Just then, a peculiar tribe passed slowly before her eyes.

Evangeline’s eyes flashed. She sat up a little straighter, no longer eating the meat in her hand.

It was a striking tribe, the males handsome and the females beautiful, like a flowing landscape painting.

The "beast skins" they wore were light and airy, seeming to dance as they walked.

The females covered their chests with beautiful shells and wore other ornaments, adding to their mysterious allure.

The males carried bamboo baskets on their backs. The wind lifted a corner of the "beast skin" covering one, revealing iridescent pearls and coral within, which refracted the sunlight into a dreamlike halo.

Lachlan’s ears twitched slightly, and his nostrils flared. "They’re Tideborn Beastmen."

Evangeline hummed in agreement. As this tribe moved, they brought with them a faint, salty sea breeze—it was very distinctive.

She was very familiar with the Merweave Gossamer they wore; it was a treasure only the Mer Clan could weave.

The people of this tribe, even if they weren’t the Mer Clan, who were known for their weaving and singing, had to be another clan from the Deep Sea. 𝒇𝒓𝙚𝒆𝔀𝓮𝓫𝒏𝓸𝙫𝓮𝓵.𝓬𝙤𝙢

Nix merely lifted his eyes, his purple gaze sweeping over the Tideborn tribe before he looked away, completely uninterested. He turned to Evangeline. "Are you full?"

The corners of Evangeline’s eyes lifted. "Why don’t we travel with them for a while?" she asked softly.

On land, the Tideborn were always difficult to find. Now that she had stumbled upon them, she couldn’t let this opportunity pass.

Danton’s whereabouts were still unknown. The Contract Mark’s positioning was extremely distant; if she didn’t still have his Mermaid Tail, she might have thought he’d already returned to the sea.

The Mer Clan held a respected position among the Tideborn. She should be able to find out some news about him.

Nix’s brow furrowed, a cold glint flashing in his purple eyes.

His gaze swept coldly over the males of the Tideborn tribe. They were bare-chested, with colorful shell ornaments hanging from their necks. Each one was remarkably handsome, with scale-like patterns at the corners of their eyes.

Nix’s lifeless purple eyes narrowed. He silently took a step to the side, blocking most of Evangeline’s view.

A cold sneer twisted his lips. "I’m not traveling with a bunch of reeking shellfish."

Evangeline was surprised. Before she could speak, a sharp, imperious female voice rang out, "Who told you we’re shellfish?!"

A shadow suddenly fell over them. Evangeline tilted her head and peered over Nix’s shoulder to see a slender female with her hands on her hips, her lips pressed into a sharp line.

Her long, vibrant pink hair was dazzling, adorned with pearls that made her exceptionally eye-catching.

When Evangeline had first noticed the Tideborn tribe, this female was leading the way. She was likely the group’s leader. Right now, her brows were fiercely arched and her almond-shaped eyes were wide, looking as if she were bristling with spines.

Evangeline stood up, a smile playing on her lips. "You must be from the Urchin Clan, right?"

"Urchin? What’s that?" Coral Cetus tilted her head, her pretty face filled with confusion.

She was one of the Tideborn, but she’d never heard of an "urchin." After a moment, she lifted her chin, straightened her back, and announced proudly, "We are the noble Mysticeti Tribe of the sea, the Great Fish Clan!"

"Great Fish?" Evangeline’s gaze shifted. A smile curved her lips as she deliberately drew out the words, tapping her chin with a fingertip. "You mean the kind of great fish that can stir up monstrous waves in the sea?"

The "Great Fish," were, in fact, whales.

However, the term wasn’t specific. It could mean blue whales, sperm whales, or even killer whales.

Upon hearing this, Coral Cetus’s eyes instantly lit up with a brilliant sparkle.

She immediately threw her chin high. Her pink hair billowed with the movement like a wave, resembling a sea anemone swaying in the current. "Well, I underestimated you. When I tell ordinary Terrestrial Beastmen about the Great Fish Clan, nine out of ten just scratch their heads!"

A faint smile touched Evangeline’s lips as she lightly scratched the palm of Nix’s hand.

She then turned to Coral Cetus and said, "Since fate has brought us together, why don’t we travel to the tribal trade meet together?"

A hint of wariness appeared in Coral Cetus’s eyes, and she took a step back.

’We Tideborn rarely associate with Terrestrial Beastmen. For her to suddenly be so friendly... could she have her eyes on the goods we’ve brought?’

Evangeline pretended not to notice her guardedness, her lips curving into an even more harmless-looking smile.

"We are unfamiliar with the seas, and you are unfamiliar with the land. As it happens, we know every road here. Besides," she added, "traveling with such beautiful and dazzling Tideborn, I’m sure the journey will be much smoother."

Hearing this, Coral Cetus couldn’t help but puff out her chest.

Her eyes darted around, carefully scrutinizing Evangeline and her two companions one more time. Suppressing her smugness, she feigned nonchalance, lifted her chin, and said, "Well... alright then."