***WARNING***

Nope. No smut scenes, but a warning. This arc contains a case of a psychopathic murderer who kills children. So I was just warning you guys, that's all.

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Now enjoy.

***

While Zion was going back to the inn and applying medicine to his wound, something unexpected happened in the village. An adult wearing a silver colored mask approached a child when all the shops were closed. This kid accidentally came out of the house to fetch his playing ball that had fallen outside the window. The man gave the kid the candy and said softly, "Do you want more?"

The child put the candy in his mouth as the sweet taste spread across his tongue that sent a warmth in his heart. He excitedly nodded while sucking juice from the piece of candy.

The man wearing a silver mask smiled. Only his lips could be seen at this time, and his smile felt like he was a father who was talking to his child. His voice had a touch of compassion that could make others feel like he loved children.

"Come with me. Uncle will give you a lot of candies." The man held out his hand in front of the child as he stood up, staring with a touch of affection in his eyes. There was also a trace of another feeling hidden deeply, but the man covered it up carefully. He pressed his lips to hide his turbulent emotion before blinking and staring at the child. It seemed as if a trace of another emotion that flashed in his eyes just now was merely a hallucination.

The kid looked at the hand while still sucking the candy and glanced at the man's face hidden behind the mask. He was curious about the mask earlier, but he didn't dare to ask about it. Now when he heard the man's voice that seemed to coax him, he smiled innocently as dimples appeared on his face. He placed his hands on the man's palms and tilted his head. His pinkish hair with highlights of white waved as a gust of wind passed through them. "I want more candy!"

Even though this child's mother had told him not to trust a stranger, he scoffed. Why would his mother think like that? The uncle in front of him was so good and even talked like a gentleman. The uncle even had an unlimited supply of candies! But there was one thing he was curious about.

"Uncle, can I ask you a question?" The kid asked as they continued to walk on the street. Since it was late evening, darkness spread around the place. Almost every citizen was inside their houses, so none of them knew that a kid from their locality was holding the hands of a stranger while walking to an unknown destination.

The man smiled and looked down affectionately. His green eyes flashed as he said, "Ask away."

"Why do you wear a mask?"

The man's smile vanished as the hand that kept holding the child started sweating nervously. It almost seemed as if this question had invoked a specific memory in the man's mind that made him nervous. But this didn't last long. He took a deep breath before he could recover the smiling face again. He took the child to a dark alley.

The kid finally seemed to realize something was off. He frowned and pulled out his hand. Since the man's hand had become sweaty, it became easier for the kid to snatch his hand back. He glanced at the man with a trace of fear in his eyes. "Uncle, where are you taking me? This place is so dark. I'm scared!"

The man ignored the sentence and squatted down before him, and caressed the child's head affectionately. "You asked me a question just now about my mask. Are you still curious?"

When he saw the child nodding at his words, the man's lips pursed. He raised his hand all of a sudden and hit the child's neck with force. The latter's eyes widened as a jolt of pain appeared on his neck before he went unconscious.

The man stroked the kid's fair cheeks and whispered, "Oh child, I wish you were my kid, but sadly, you had to see this day. I'm reluctant to do this, but…." He paused and sighed as if he couldn't think about it anymore and said, "I tried to make you smile before your end. As for your question, I don't want anyone to see my face. I really don't want to reveal that a person like me can commit such a heinous act in the middle of the night." He shook his head as he carried the child in his arms while patting the kid's back. It seemed as if he really were the little one's father. "I wish I didn't have to do this but sigh. I'm myself caught in a dilemma. Will you forgive me? I'll burn paper money in front of your grave."

The child was still unconscious as if asleep. After a while, it seemed the silence was eating the man alive. So the latter glanced at the sleeping face of the child as his eyes softened. "You're so innocent. I really don't have the heart to do this." He sighed and glanced at the moon. "Would you like to hear a song?"

Then, without waiting for a reply, the man started humming an old folk song as if he were putting up the child to sleep.

***

Zion had no idea that a strange man was habitual of showing affection to the children before abducting them like this. He woke up as usual, and the princess splashed water over his face early in the morning. After that, he went to practice until noon before taking the test. Surprisingly, he passed the test with top marks, and he even earned Lia's nod, which was as good as praise.

So Zion was in a good mood the entire time when he and Lia went back to the inn and walked downstairs to have a meal.

Just as they sat at the table and ordered some food, they heard a guest elf on a table beside them speaking.

"An extra kid died this week," a man said as he sighed.

"Again?" Another person sitting before him spoke up in shock. They both were young and were also waiting for the waiter to come and serve them food.

Zion's ears perked up at that. He focused on two things at this time: the death of an extra kid this week and the word 'again.' It seemed someone had committed a crime last night, and it also wasn't the first murder!