On the day of festival, Bellatrix, Ilario and Beatrice were riding on a carriage to go to the city of Fortis. Cornelius and other 4 knights were riding on their horses and escorting us. Ilario knew that all the knight escorts were great uncle’s people.

The city of Fortis was bigger than the city of Artis, a festival was grand, a variety of stalls crowded the sidewalks, a long row of food stalls was filled with every kind of food, and crowded with people. At the center area, there were a big fountain, many activities nearby, a ban was playing traditional music, many people were dancing, a clown show, a trick show, and drinking competition.

“Mom, Bia would like to eat an ice cream,” said Beatrice enthusiastically.

“All right,” said Beatrice kindly, she was holding Beatrice to an ice cream stall.

Beatrice really likes sweet. We followed her request and went everywhere with her. We looked around the festival and saw the art show. There were many painters in this area.

“Would you like to get a portrait, sir?” a painter asked Ilario “15 silver, I will draw your portrait perfectly.”

“Could you please draw the 3 of us?” Bellatrix asked.

“Of course, ma’am” said a painter politely.

A painter drew a portrait very quick. He has high skills, he spent time 30 minutes to finish our portrait, and it was perfect as he said. Bellatrix satisfied with the portrait and paid a painter money.

‘Boom’ a loud sound nearby.

Ilario saw black smoke at a restaurant, it was burning. Many people were running out of that area. They were frightening with the exploded sound and severe fire.

“Take care of Bia,” mind communicated Ilario, he knew that it was a sign of those guys plan.

‘Boom’ ‘Boom’ ‘Boom’ There were loud sounds from the same restaurant continually.

They were many people running toward us. Ilario was concerned for the safety of Bellatrix and Beatrice. Luna was staying with them. Ava and Vita were staying close to Beatrice. He could leave the safety matter to the spirits. He did not trust the knight escorts, they were pretending to guard and protect us.

It was chaotic situation; many people were running randomly. Ilario went with the flow as their plan, he guessed that they want to separate our group. He aimed to be a bait, he pretended to get lost in the crowd.

Ilario made himself lost in the area that have less people. There were a group of mercenaries, wearing cloak and covered their face, one of them used a cloth, with some kind of drug like anesthetic, to cover his nose and mouth to make him unconscious. Ilario could resist all kinds of drugs, poisons, and dark magic powers but he pretended to be unconscious.

On side of Bellatrix and Beatrice, the knights were blocking people who were running toward Bellatrix and Beatrice. Bellatrix was holding Beatrice tightly. Cornelius led them out of that area and went direct to the carriage, he thought that his plan has succeeded but his feeling has changed after he saw nothing after he turned back to look at them. He was confusing with the situation in front of him, he did not know why they went missing in a short period of time. He tried to find them because he planned to let them get attack on the way back to the castle.

Back in the time while Cornelius led Bellatrix and Beatrice the way to the carriage, Luna activated “Invisible” to both of Bellatrix and Beatrice.

“Bia, Go this way,” mind communicated Ava.

“Tell your mom and don’t make a loud voice,” mind communicated Vita.

Ava and Vita used ‘Telepathy’ to talk to Beatrice.

“Mom, angels told me to go this way.” Beatrice whispered to Bellatrix and pointed the way.

“What? But your great uncle…” said Bellatrix, she was surprised with a word of ‘angels’. She thought that it was Beatrice’s imagination.

“Don’t follow your great uncle, he is a bad guy,” mind communicated Ava.

“No, Mom, angels will protect us,” said Beatrice seriously.

Bellatrix has never seen her serious face before, she sensed that she must follow her word this time.

Luna led them to another carriage, which had no symbol of Fortis Family on it. Curtis was waiting for them, he disguised himself by wearing a merchant clothes. Luna let Curtis saw Bellatrix and Beatrice.

“It’s me, My Lady. Young Lord asked me to pick up Your Ladyship and Young Lady by myself. Please get in the carriage,” said Curtis politely.

Both of Bellatrix and Beatrice got in the carriage. Bellatrix was confusing with the situation. She looked at Beatrice.

“Bia, Do you have anything to talk to Mom?” Bellatrix asked her daughter.

“Angels always help and protect Bia,” said Beatrice honestly. “Ava, Vita, could you please show up to Mom?”

Ava and Vita showed up. Bellatrix was surprised but she recalled the memory when she was young, her grandmother had told her about spirits.

“Are you two the spirits?” Bellatrix asked curiously.

“Yes, we are. We made contract with Bia,” said Ava energetically.

“So, you are the angels that Bia always mention to,” said Bellatrix, she relieved her worry because her daughter was loved and protected by spirits, “Thank you two for always taking care of Bia.”

Bellatrix and Beatrice arrived at the castle safely.

“Where is Eli?” Bellatrix asked Curtis.

“Young Lord has some business to deal with today, he might come back late at night, My Lady” said Curtis politely.

“Since when does he has some business to deal with?” Bellatrix asked angrily.

“Young Lord will report everything to Your Ladyship after he came back,” said Curtis politely.

***

2 days ago, Solaris showed up at night. He found out a master of that guy who met Adrian at a hut in the forest several days ago.

“That guy was working under a noble, he called his master ‘Count Proelium’. I followed that guy and found out that they were trading illegally in the black market, especially, human trafficking. They kidnapped children and hided them in a warehouse, and sold them to other countries,” Solaris said.

“How many children in that warehouse?” Ilario asked.

“There are 5 children in the prison. They said they will kidnap more and send all the children out at the same ship. It might be you and your sister that they mentioned to,” Solaris said.

“We need a plan. Luna, please come here,” mind communicated Ilario, Ilario used ‘Telepathy’ with Luna. She showed up after called. Solaris told her everything.

“Luna, on a festival day, please take care of Bia, stay with her all the time. Make her invisible and take her home if the situation could not be controlled. I will be a bait and let them kidnap me. Solaris, please follow that guy continually, I need more information of their trading root. I will call you after I got kidnapped” Ilario said.

The next day, Ilario called Curtis to meet him at his room.

“Do you have any information about Count Proelium?” Ilario asked.

“Count Proelium is a vassal and a distance relative to The Duke of Mercatura. He is famous for trading, he got a right to trade with Vetus Empire, at the West world and the three kingdoms, Novus, Artem, Sacrum, at the East world,” Curtis said.

“Did he have any bad rumors?” Ilario asked.

“As the official information, there is no bad rumor relate to The Proelium Family,” Curtis said.

“What about the unofficial information?” Ilario asked curiously. Curtis had intention to give him a clue on his word.

“…There is a rumor that many orphans were missing periodically in Mercatura Territory but the official officers could not arrest the culprit yet. They were missing without trace and the official officers had found no evidence. In addition to the kidnapped cases, Count Proelium always responded for searching all the missing children but there was no progress and everything were silent, even the public news,” Curtis said, “this is a story that I had heard from the chief at orphanage.”

“Did father know about this information?” Ilario asked.

“Yes, Lord Lucifer was well aware of the information but the incidents had been happening in another territory,” Curtis said.

“Thank you. Don’t tell anyone that I asked you about this information,” said Ilario seriously. “One more thing, …”

“Yes, Young Lord” said Curtis, he accepted his request and left.

***

Back to present, Ilario was carried by a mercenary. They put the shackles on his wrists and put him inside the prison in the basement, one of warehouses. There were 5 children inside, their age might be around 7-8 years old, they seemed to be hopeless and hurt from severe hit. Ilario sat on the floor and prepared himself to collect the evidences.

“Solaris, please come here,” mind communicated Ilario.

“Here you are. That guy is coming here,” mind communicated Solaris.

“Count Proelium? Did he come?” mind communicated Ilario.

“No, he didn’t come. He’s very cautious. He told that guy to manage everything,” mind communicated Solaris.

A group of mercenaries who kidnapped Ilario, that guy, Cornelius, and Adrian were coming inside a warehouse. Ilario could detect all of them. He prepared a Memoria, activated it, and made it invisible.

They went down to the basement and came inside the prison area. Ilario pretended that he has just got his consciousness. Cornelius, Adrian, and that guy were standing in front of the prison.

“Where is the girl?” That guy asked Cornelius.

“I thought you had kidnapped her. That’s why I came here to check by myself,” said Cornelius anxiously, he confused with the unexpected situation.

“Why I got lock up here, Great Uncle? Did you come to help me?” Ilario asked innocently.

“Hah…That’s right, I came here for you…but to send you away. Hahaha…” said Cornelius, he laughed at Ilario.

“What do you mean, Great Uncle?” Ilario asked innocently.

“How could you be so stupid? Hah…the right heir, I don’t like you since you were born,” said Cornelius hatefully.

“Why? I always respect you,” said Ilario sadly, he continued to deceive him.

“You got everything easily. I just want to make you disappear,” said Cornelius hatefully.

“What about Father? He loves you,” Ilario asked.

“Hah, loves. He’s a fool. I’ve just made him think that I’m a good uncle for him. Shut your mouth up! You will be gone for good, hahaha” said Cornelius satisfyingly. He left with Adrian, and that guy.

Ilario kept a Memoria inside his bracelet. He broke the shackles and used “Telepathy” with Solaris.

“Kill all of the mercenaries and take care the children. I will catch that guy,” mind communicated Ilario.

Ilario activated “Invisible” and used “Teleport” out of the prison, he followed Cornelius, Adrian and that guy. He heard their conversation.

“Have you prepared The Sicarii? It must be the end tonight,” Cornelius asked that guy coldly.

“Yes, everything is ready. They are waiting for your signal,” that guy said.

“Do whatever you want with the boy and make sure he could not come back alive. I will let them take the girl tonight,” Cornelius told that guy and left with Adrian.

‘A Sicarius / The Sicarii’ is / are an assassin / the assassins who uses dark magic power and poisonous weapons to kill the target. Ilario had heard from Antlia, a young elf.

Ilario hit on the neck of that guy to make him lost consciousness, and tied him with rope. He used wind magic power to make that guy’s body floating and moved him to the basement. He saw the dead bodies of mercenaries on the floor, Solaris had killed them all. He broke the prison to let the children out and put that guy inside the prison instead.

He healed all the children and talked to them.

“Do you have family?” Ilario asked the children kindly.

“No, we don’t. We were staying at the orphanage in the city of Mercatura,” a boy said.

“He has contacted the chief of the orphanage. He said he wanted to sponsor us and be our foster,” a girl said, she pointed at that guy.

“Do you want to go back to that orphanage?” Ilario asked.

“No, we don’t. The chief had told me, he could not protect us because he can’t oppose the nobles, and our friends always went missing when they went outside,” a girl said.

“All right. I came from Fortis. There is the orphanage which was being supported by Fortis Family. I can take you there. What do you think?” Ilario asked the children.

“I’ve read it. It’s a hero family,” a girl said excitingly.

“Really? I want to go there,” a boy said excitingly.

They looked at each other and everyone agreed to go to the orphanage in Fortis Territory.

“Okay. Can you wait outside for a moment? I have something to talk with that guy.” Ilario asked the children, he did not want the children to see the violent scene.

“Please take care of them,” mind communicated Ilario.

***