In the midst of speaking, Elora stopped, peering at her brother who stood with tattered clothes and bloody smudges visible all over him. Though she could tell that he wasn't wounded as she failed to see any gash on his body. Blood had dried since long.

"Father was... here? Then why did he leave?" Kadyn scurried at his sister and shook her shoulder agitatedly.

"You are hurting me." She complained, feeling a pang on her shoulders.

"Oh, I'm sorry," he drew his hands off her shoulders and apologised in embarrassment.

Elora sighed in relief and said. "He found mother's whereabouts and came to tell us we don't need to worry, and went after those kidnappers. Though father waited for you for two hours, but you never showed up, so he left."

"So that's what happened." Kadyn muttered. He was worried about his mother and didn't know how to find her. This news was akin to the rain in the desert for him. However, he still felt as if something was amiss. He eyed his sister and asked. "Why would someone kidnap mother?"

There must be something I am unaware of.

Who could that be?

Are they father's enemies?

Maybe those two shadows I saw that night.

Elora shook her head at his query. She was as clueless as Kadyn.

Kadyn hesitated for a moment before asking. "Don't you think father is a little mysterious?"

"What mysterious?" Elora rolled her eyes at her brother. "I have felt nothing like that from him. He is a caring and a loving and normal father. Don't think too much."

After that she gazed at his shabby condition and asked. "How did you turn to this?"

He looked at his clothes and scratched his head, embarrassed. Even beggars wore better clothes than this. Furthermore, he could not tell the reason behind his condition and the fight he went through recently. "It's nothing. Did any customer come?" he tried to change the topic, and it worked.

Elora became excited at his query but then sighed. "There were over ten customers. But you have told me to close the shop. Therefore, everyone left after I informed them."

"What a waste." Kadyn shook his head. If he knew that something like this would happen, he had never left. Pengolla Portal could be opened anytime if he had [Energy Points] but he can't get customers with his will.

"Alright, I have some work to do. I will be in the [Potion Making Hall]. You can rest anywhere you want."

Elora watched Kadyn as he padded towards the [Potion Making Hall] with two bags on either side of him. Not thinking much into this, she slouched in the chair, and drowsiness engulfed her senses.

— —

The two shadows bolted under the curtains of night in a certain direction. Their speed was unbelievable, and the duo looked as if they had melded into the darkness itself. No matter how many hurdles appeared in front of them, they avoided without any hindrance. No matter how densely packed the trees blocked their path, the duo never seemed to slow down.

"If I realise your hand was behind this. I will never forgive you." Magnus said coldly, looking at the beautiful woman at his right side.

"How could you say that? I would never do such a thing." Eddena said, pretending to be hurt. Her silver locks danced with every passing gust. Her red eyes flickered like a bloody gem—if Kadyn was here, he would have been shocked seeing this, because the last time he met her, the lady had beautiful black locks and brown eyes.

"After your departure, our household went through many tribulations. The majestic Von Hagen Household you knew, is the matter of the past now." Eddena Von Hagen said with grief.

Magnus snorted, pretending as if he did not care, but his heart fluttered with many emotions at the mentioning of his household. Von Hagen.

"We have caught up with them!" a sudden shout brought him back from the memories of the past. The duo stopped and peered amidst the copse of the tree. They saw a camp in front of them. Around twenty guards standing outside and guarding the tent and a large campfire burned as the few men sat around and talking, laughing, cursing with each other.

Every guard had an insignia crafted over their chest pocket. Magnus eyed the mark and gritted his teeth in hatred. "Awnais Clan!"

"Calm down." Eddena patted Magnus' shoulder and teased. "I never knew the bloodthirsty, emotionless vampire Magnus Von Hagen could show such emotions for a mere human woman."

"You would never understand." Magnus calmed down, hearing her words. "Because you never fell in love."

"Isn't it just sleeping with someone?" Eddena snorted disdainfully.

"I won't deny it, as it is a part of love. It's the most direct way to show affection to our partner. However just as I said, it is but a small part. Otherwise every person who fuck a whore can justify it as a love."

"Whatever…" Magnus left her completely speechless. She did not reply and turned her gaze to the tent in the distance.

——

Inside the tent—Salona peered at the man in front of her and snorted. "I never thought a carefree Oswyn Everson would become Awnais Clan's dog."

Oswyn cared a little about her taunting. He sat at the table and looked down at the beautiful lady in front of him and sighed in admiration. "So many years have passed, yet you are still as beautiful as before."

Salona spat on the ground, hearing his words. "Do you realise how disgusting your words sound?"

"You are still as before, proud, arrogant, untouchable." The man sighed when he said. "However, his majesty knows your whereabouts. He would never let you live a peaceful life, not after how you humiliated him."

"You mean…" a sudden possibility stuck Salona and her eyes widened in surprise.

"I'm not working for the Awnais Clan but the Royals."

"Hahaha," hearing his words, Salona burst into a peal of laughter as if she had heard a marvellous joke of the decade.

Oswyn frowned, hearing her laugh. "What's so funny about it?"

She stopped laughing and ridiculed the man. "One of the proudest men I met in my life, has become nothing but someone's dog. Don't you think it's amusing?"

"Indeed." Surprisingly, the man did not deny her and instead nodded. That caught her by surprise. She eyed him and thought there must be a story behind him, but she cared a little about his story. Every person has his own story, his own grief, and his own struggle. She had no interest in anyone's life.

"Do you think your so-called husband would come to save you?" he suddenly asked.

"He will." She replied without any hesitation and glanced at Oswyn disdainfully. "And when he does, you won't have anywhere to run."

"You seem quite confident in him," he said annoyedly

"But of course." There was an arrogant aura around her that gave her a noble air. Oswyn felt the urge to pounce on her. But when he remembered about that person's command, he controlled himself and grunted. "He is but a lowly hunter, a commoner. He is just handing his life by coming here."

Salona peered at him and shook her head. "You are as ignorant as a two-year-old child. I never thought you would turn into such an imbecile." Though he hid the change in his expression just a moment before, her eyes still caught it.

"Boom!"

Before he could reply, a thunderous sound interrupted his train of thought.