The soldiers assembled all the villagers in one place. Everyone was confused as to why the army was there.

“What happened? Why are we being gathered here?” A tanned middle-aged man, who was standing beside Aunty Serda asked.

“We are searching for runaway slaves! All of you better be obedient!”

The people of the village looked confused. That middle-aged man asked again. “We didn’t see any slaves near our village!”

The knight just looked at the man with disdain. “Did you really expect that I would believe what you say, lowly peasant?”

The middle-aged man stopped himself from retorting back, enduring the insults thrown at him. He clenched his fist, knowing that these arrogant nobles wouldn't bother wanting to hear a commoner’s words.

“Calm down, dear…” Aunty Serda said as she tried to soothe his temper. He was actually Aunty Serda’s husband, Uncle Tias.

Uncle Tias calmed himself down, nodding his head.

“I’ll say this again. All villagers have to gather here. If any of you disobeys me, you’ll get punished!” The knight in charge of this mission was clearly a noble. He looked at every person, a look of contempt on his face.

“Go search the village!”

“Yes, sir!” His subordinates answered in unison as they started to disperse in teams.

In the crowd, Rebecca was hugging Ted tightly in her arms. They were standing beside Aunty Serda, who was also quite nervous about the situation. But the latter still tried to console the two siblings as she patted Rebecca’s shoulder with her trembling hand. “It’s going to be alright,” she reassured.

Rebecca nodded slowly. She tried her best to stay calm so her younger brother wouldn’t become more nervous. She looked at the man who was in charge and when her eyes met with him, she saw the man smirked evilly.

‘H-he smiled? I have a bad feeling about this…’ That smile sent shivers down her spine.

She knew who this man was. He was the leader of the knights of the House of Partdwin—Lord Millman.

Lord Millman was the right hand man of the head of the House of Partdwin— Lord Vanstorm.

Lord Vanstorm was known as a perverted and incompetent man that only cared about his well-being. He had many concubines, whom he would toss aside once he got bored with them. He would then sell them to the slave traders.

He was a devil in human skin.

Lord Millman was Lord Vanstorm’s most trusted subordinate. He was a tall man with fair skin, with a height of 190cm. However, despite his tall stature, he has a round belly, making him look ugly in his huge armor. And it seems like he didn’t seem the type who cleans after themselves, letting his beard grow wild, displaying a messy appearance.

When people saw him sitting on top of a horse, they couldn’t help but be sympathetic to the poor horse.

The villagers were all gathered at the village square, huddling close to one another with fear in their behavior and expressions. The weather was terrible as dark clouds loomed over the area, bringing strong wind with them.

A few hours later, the soldiers finally returned to the square.

“Sir, we found the two slaves that ran away!”

“WHAT?!” The villagers all looked confused and were in shock when they heard the soldier’s words. They looked around them, wondering who among them had helped the runaway slaves.

Rebecca and Ted’s faces went pale. They quickly lowered their heads.

Lord Millman smirked. “Bring the two slaves forward!”

“Go!” The soldiers pushed the two kids mercilessly to the front, making them fall to the ground. Lord Millman ignored the rough handling as he continued to order.

“Tell us who helped you!”

Ren and Mill kept quiet as they started to whimper, on the ground.

“Hey! Answer me!”

Ren and Mill looked conflicted but they didn’t say a word, despite the urging from Lord Millman. Seeing this, Millman was furious.

“Do whatever you can to make them talk!” He ordered his subordinates.

The soldiers walked forward and started to kick both Ren and Mill.

“Ah! Stop! We will tell you!” Ren was so scared that his brother would die if he had gotten beaten more.

“Should have done that from the beginning!” Lord Millman scoffed. “Now speak!”

Ren and Mill tried to catch their breath and looked towards the crowd.

“Forgive me…” Ren cried, feeling guilty that he could only comply. The wind continued to blow strongly at that moment and soon after, raindrops began to drop down from the skies.

“I-it was them who helped us…”

“Who?! Tell us the names!”

“Rebecca and her younger brother…” Ren cried harder as he clenched his fist, kneeling again facing the crowd— or to be precise, Rebecca and Ted. He continued to cry whilst muttering the same words over and over.

“I’m sorry… I’m sorry…”

Rebecca’s face went pale, holding Ted tightly in her arms as she lowered her head.

Aunty Serda and Uncle Tias were shocked. They looked at Rebecca. “Yo-you…”

“I-I’m sorry, uncle, aunty…” Rebecca continued to keep her head down, but then she looked them in their eyes. “But I don’t regret it. I did what any human being should do.” She said firmly with tears forming in the corner of her eyes.

“B-but… Rebecca…”

“It’s okay, aunty.” Rebecca wiped the tears from her eyes. “Please take care of Ted and thank you…”

Rebecca looked at Millman with determination in her eyes. “My brother has nothing to do with this. It was my decision to help them.”

“Si-sister!” Ted was frightened. He let go of his sister's arms, with tears in his eyes. He quickly kneeled down on the ground. “It was me! I forced my sister to help them when she didn’t want to!”

Millman snorted. “I don’t care. We will just take the two of you!” He looked at the soldiers. “Get them!”

“Yes, sir!” The soldier walked toward Rebecca and Ted, but a man and a woman got in their way.

“No, sir! Those slaves are lying! We were the ones who helped them!” They were Uncle Tias and Aunty Serda. The two of them kneeled on the ground. “Rebecca and her brother know nothing!”

“Un-uncle… aunty…” Tears fell from Rebecca and Ted’s cheeks. This married couple was really treating them like their own children.

Aunty Serda and Uncle Tias were old friends of Rebecca and Ted’s late parents. They had all grown up together since they were kids. The four of them were literally the best of friends.

However the siblings’ parents left the world before they could see their children grow up into fine adults.

Aunty Serda and Uncle Tias didn’t have any children. The married couple took care of them since they were kids when their parents died. They too see the two siblings as their own children.

They really cared about them to the point that they were ready to sacrifice themselves for their well-being.

Just like now.

“They have nothing to do with it! It was only me!” Rebecca shouted toward Millman. “Take me! Don’t do anything to them!”

“Shut up!” Millman shouted. “Take that woman and that brat!”

“Yes!” The soldiers started to walk toward the crowd, but when they wanted to apprehend the siblings, Uncle Tias and Aunty Serda quickly grabbed one of the soldiers’ legs and begged.

“Please take us instead! It was us who helped those slaves!”

“Scram!” The soldiers roughly kick the married couple away.

“Ah!”

The villagers, who were hesitating, finally couldn’t hold back anymore. They helped the married couple and shouted. “That’s going too far!”

“We don’t even know if those slaves are telling the truth!”

“We have enough of your oppression!”

Bang!

Thunder rang loudly in the sky and it started raining heavily than before, making the scene more chaotic than it already had.

Millman was getting irritated. He roared, “Shut the f*ck up! Anyone who resists shall be harshly dealt with!”

The male villagers began to bravely block all the soldiers’ way. “We are not going to let you do as you please!”

“Tsk! Go get them by all means! Quick! I don’t want to be in this rain for long!” Millman shouted angrily, feeling even more irritated.

‘If we let them get away, I will be the one who bears Lord Vanstorm’s wrath! That Rebecca girl has been his prey ever since he saw her.’ Millman thought to himself as he scoffed in irritation.

“Yes, sir!” The soldiers started using violence without reserve. They pushed, kicked and hit away every person on their path.

“Agh!” Screams of pain were heard throughout the village square.

“Don’t hold back! If anyone wants to hold back the knight's job to uphold the law, do as I say!” Millman shouted again with his nonsense.

The soldiers really didn’t hold back at all. They continued to use violence without hesitation, hitting them until they fell to the ground, leaving injuries in every one of them.

Rebecca, who was watching this scene, couldn’t take it any longer. She shouted. “Everyone, please stop! It’s okay! You’ll only get hurt if this continues!”

The villagers, who were trying their best to block the soldiers, looked at Rebecca. “It’s alright! We know you are a good person, just like your parents. We won’t let them do as they like anymore!”

“Yeah! What the heck is that rule anyway? It doesn’t make sense!”

“Everyone…” Rebecca began to tear up. This village was really a good place filled with good people.

“Back off!” The soldiers with their full equipment easily got through the villagers and finally reached Rebecca and Ted.

“You will come with us!” They forcefully took Rebecca and Ted with them. The villagers were still trying to help them, but they were powerless against the fully equipped soldiers.