Adrian appeared behind the Wainwright couple. Larissa swiftly turned to face him, while Marc also directed his attention toward Adrian.

"What's the matter? Any objections?" Adrian inquired.

Marc wore a wry smile as he cautiously said, "Nearly all of the one hundred individuals who fled hold positions in the upper echelons of the empire, or at the very least, they have connections with prominent noble families..."

"So what?" Adrian waved his hand.

"So what?" Adrian waved dismissively.

Lucy and Sammy approached, both casting curious glances at Adrian. Larissa signaled to Marc, silently encouraging him to speak. However, Marc found himself momentarily speechless. Adrian stood apart from anyone they had encountered before. Unpersuadable and resolute in his methods, he posed a unique challenge. Marc hadn't encountered someone quite like him before and feared saying the wrong thing, potentially jeopardizing this hard-won opportunity.

Adrian regarded the Wainwrights with a faint smile.