Rising from the Ashes (Andrew and Lauren)

Andrew shook his head. "Don't waste your time trying to dig into my background. Even if I told you, you wouldn't understand."

Chantelle let out a cold laugh. "Come on, Mr. Lloyd, that's a bit much. You think I can't find out? Unless you're from one of Holtrien's top-tier noble families or one of the nation's real powerhouses the kind who sit at the top of the decision-making pyramid—I can and will dig up your history."

Andrew replied coolly, "Alright then, here's a little hint. I used to serve in Holtrien's military. If you want to investigate, be my guest."

Chantelle froze, and her eyes widened in shock. "Military? You were in the armed forces?"

Andrew corrected her without hesitation. "Not a soldier-I commanded them."

That shut her up immediately. Her stunned gaze locked onto him. She paused for a second, then asked more urgently, "Wait, seriously? You led troops? Then that must mean... your rank wasn't low, was it?"

After all, there was a massive difference between serving in the military and actually leading.noveldrama

Andrew grinned. "I've already given you more than enough clues. The rest? Classified."

Chantelle's brows furrowed deeply. She stared at Andrew in disbelief. "So when you said you were in the government, you meant that part... the military wing, and a high-level one at that.

"Mr. Lloyd, Governor McCormick has long suspected your past wasn't ordinary. I used to think he was overthinking it. But now, looking at you—someone with both edge and discipline-turns out your roots are in one of the most elite departments out there."

Andrew shrugged. "Enough about me. Let's talk business. Tell me interested in exploring a treasure that dates all the way back to the Fallen Crimson Dynasty?"

Chantelle immediately shook her head. "Not really. Sounds more like a fantasy than anything else. Come on, it's the modern age. Who still believes in ancient treasures?"

Andrew chuckled. "That's exactly what I thought at first."

"But take a look at this, and then tell me again if you still think it's all just a myth." Chantelle stepped closer. "What is it?"

On the desk in front of Andrew lay a weathered piece of parchment-a fragment from the Rhodes family. He picked up a small vial beside it and let a few drops of fresh blood fall onto the surface.

Immediately, faint lines began to emerge from the blank parchment.

Chantelle blinked, intrigued. "Is this written in invisible ink? That's... kind of impressive."

Andrew smiled. "This sheet is at least 100 years old. And back then, invisible ink wasn't exactly a thing."

Chantelle's eyes widened. "A hundred-year-old parchment... Wait... is this the map you were talking about?"

Andrew did not answer. Instead, he poured out the entire vial of the virgin's blood across the parchment. The page soaked it up instantly, and as it did, dense markings and

symbols began to appear across the once-empty surface.

Chantelle was mesmerized. "These markings... the terrain, the place names—they're all in ancient script And what's even more interesting is that the locations drawn match records from the Fallen Crimson

Dynasty, maybe even earlier."

Andrew nodded. "That's why I said—it's no bluff. This is only one piece of the treasure map."

Chantelle asked instinctively, "Where are the rest of the fragments?"

Andrew answered, "Rafael and Mosby have them, and they're already planning to unlock the treasure left behind by the Fallen Crimson Dynasty."

Chantelle's expression shifted as she slowly nodded. "Alright... I'm starting to believe you."