It's been three days since we arrived. Dane and I have already started adjusting to life in the capital of Amara.
"Adeline, get some cloth from the back!"
"Yes!" I called out, hurrying to the back room. There, I saw Dane helping another worker. Just watching him work so diligently made me smile.
"Dane, can you get this for me?" I asked, handing him a piece of paper with a list. He scanned it quickly, then looked up at me.
"Yes, Mother. Just wait here," he said before turning to search through the shelves for the cloth. Within minutes, he returned with a basket full of fabric.
"Mother, here's everything on the list."
"Thank you, Dane," I said, patting his head affectionately.
We worked tirelessly throughout the entire morning. There were far more customers and orders than we were used to back in our hometown. The pace here was different—faster, more demanding.
"Dane, should we take our break now?" I asked, stretching my arms. He was doing the same, clearly worn out.
"Of course, Mother. We shouldn't neglect our health. I don't want to see you collapse from hunger."
"Come on, that won't happen," I said, ruffling his hair. It was smooth to the touch—jet black, just like his father's. After stretching our limbs, we stepped out of the shop and headed into a nearby restaurant.
"Hello, Adel and Dane!" greeted a woman with her hair tied in a neat bun.
"Adele, how's work?" asked a bearded man as he handed a tray of food to a customer. The woman was Cecilia, and the man was her husband, Robert. They were the owners of this small, welcoming restaurant. Friendly and warm toward their customers, they made Dane and me feel right at home. We discovered their place while exploring the capital. It was simple but had an inviting charm—and their food was surprisingly delicious.
"Work's been fine, just exhausting," I replied with a tired smile.
"You'll get used to it soon," Cecilia said kindly. I returned her smile in gratitude.
"Dane, what should we eat today?" I asked, watching as he scanned the menu with interest.
"This one... and this one," he said, pointing to a couple of dishes.
Once he finished, I called Robert over and placed our order. Within minutes, our food arrived, steaming and fragrant.
"That was great," I said contentedly as we stepped out of the restaurant afterward.
"You really like all kinds of food, Mother."
"Of course! It'd be a waste to leave anything uneaten," I replied. I heard him snicker beside me. I turned to glare at him playfully, and he quickly stopped, avoiding my gaze with a sheepish grin.
We decided to take a short walk to help digest the meal, stopping by various stalls as we passed the time.
"Oh, Mother, wait here for a moment," Dane said, then dashed off toward a blacksmith shop. He had made a friend there—an old man, surprisingly. Dane had always been fascinated by swords. I still remember him telling me, when he was just a small child, that he would become my knight and protect me for the rest of my life. The memory brought a warm smile to my face.
While I waited, something unusual caught my attention. A man was walking toward me, acting suspiciously. He kept glancing around nervously, clutching several packages tightly in his arms.
"Mother, let's go!" Dane called as he walked back toward me, smiling brightly. I was just about to respond when the suspicious man suddenly bumped into me. Startled, I turned around. It was the same man, but this time his expression was filled with panic.
Several green packages scattered across the ground. I instinctively bent down to pick one up, curious at first—until I realized what it was.
Drugs?!
I froze. Before I could react, the man grabbed me, wrenching my arm and wrapping one of his around my neck. Cold steel pressed against my skin.
"Ugh!" I gasped in pain, the knife digging lightly into my neck. One wrong move, and I knew it would go deeper.
"Mother!" I heard Dane shout, his voice filled with fear. I looked over and saw the horror in his eyes. Around us, the crowd had frozen—some people were panicking, others simply stared. Moments later, a group of city guards approached, surrounding the scene.
"Don't come any closer!" the man barked. "If you do,"—he pressed the knife harder—"she dies."
"Let go of my mother, you bastard!" Dane shouted, his voice trembling with rage. The man merely snorted in response.
"What can a kid like you possibly do, huh? If you come any closer, your precious mother will be dead in a second," the man sneered. "And by the way, it's her fault this happened. If she hadn't gotten in my way and seen those packages, none of this would've happened. A real shame, too... she's quite a beautiful woman."
I flinched as he licked the side of my face.
Disgusting. How dare he?! Goosebumps prickled my skin in revulsion.
"You bastard!" Dane growled. His eyes blazed with fury, fists clenched tight, teeth grinding as he glared at the man.
Then I felt it.
A heavy, dark presence radiated from my son. His aura—once calm and gentle—was now overflowing with raw, dangerous energy. My heart dropped.
No... not again.
It was just like four years ago. If this continued, he would lose control—and once that happened, he'd become something he couldn't come back from. Something monstrous.
The atmosphere around us grew heavy. People started backing away, faces pale with fear. Even the guards—trained knights—trembled. The man holding me was shaking too, his knife-hand quivering. Dane was now fully cloaked in a dark, ominous aura.
"W-what... what are you?!" the man stammered, voice cracking.
Dane only smirked, tilting his head in a way that sent a chill down my spine.
This is bad. I need to stop him—now.
But I was still trapped in this bastard's grasp.
"Dane! Stop this right now!" I screamed, my voice desperate—but it was like shouting into the void. He couldn't hear me.
Then—"Die!" the man roared. He shoved me away and charged straight at Dane, knife raised.
No!
My body moved before I could think. I sprinted toward my son.
"A-ah..." I exhaled as I reached him, wrapping my arms around him and gently cupping his cheeks. My knees weakened as a burning pain stabbed through my side.
I looked down.
The knife was buried deep in me.
A warm rush spread through my abdomen. Blood welled up in my mouth. I coughed, staining my hand and Dane's shirt red.
But in that moment—I saw it.
Dane's aura flickered... then began to fade. His eyes widened in horror, staring at me.
He was back.
"Mother? M-Mother!"
I slowly collapsed to the ground, lying on my side as my son knelt beside me. Through my blurry vision, I caught a glimpse of the guards apprehending the man who attacked us.
Thank goodness. At least… he's safe.
"Mother! Please stay with me!" Dane's panicked voice trembled as he gently tapped my cheek, trying to keep me awake.
"Don't cry, dummy," I whispered, struggling to breathe. "I'll be fine…"
"You're not fine at all! Someone, please—please help my mother!"
"Dane…" I reached out and caressed his cheek with trembling fingers. "Mama will be fine. But… promise me something…"
"Anything, Mother. Anything!"
"Don't lose control… not again. Just now… I was scared. You almost—your aura, Dane. It's too strong. I've told you before…"
"I'm sorry, Mother. I'm sorry…" he sobbed beside me. My vision dimmed, everything becoming a blur of color and sound.
"Mother, stay with me…!"
"…"
"Mother!"
Meanwhile...
"Emelda, behave yourself this time. No more wandering off," the man with jet-black hair said calmly.
"Yes, Duke. It won't happen again," Emelda replied, sitting properly in the carriage beside him. They were passing near the area where the hostage incident had just occurred—mere meters away from where Adeline was bleeding out.
"That's goo—"
The Duke suddenly froze. A wave of overwhelming, dark energy swept through the area.
"D-Duke… what is this?!" Emelda gasped, clutching her chest. The maid seated in front was also struggling to breathe.
The Duke raised his hand, and a glowing magic circle appeared. Instantly, the pressure on them lifted. Both girls sighed in relief.
"Lance, head straight ahead. Kevin—find the source of that aura. Now."
"Yes, Your Excellency," they responded. The carriage surged forward toward the disturbance.
Moments later, they arrived.
"We're here," the Duke said as he stepped out of the carriage, eyes narrowing at the crowd gathered in alarm.
The aura… it's gone.
"Mother! Mother!"
He turned toward the desperate voice and spotted a boy kneeling beside a woman soaked in blood.
"Duke Draven!" the guards recognized him immediately and dropped to one knee.
"Duke?" the boy looked up at him with tear-filled eyes.
The Duke blinked.
Jet-black hair. Ruby eyes. Skin as pale as snow.
The resemblance was... unmistakable.
"Duke, I beg you—please help my mother! Please!" the boy lowered his head, his voice breaking with desperation.
"What happened here?" a girl's voice asked behind them. Emelda had stepped down from the carriage and stopped in shock as she saw the scene.
"You're that kid… and is that—!?"
Her eyes widened at the sight of Adeline's bleeding body.
"Duke, please help them! They were the ones who helped me when I got lost!" Emelda pleaded.
Without hesitation, the Duke knelt beside the woman, placing his hand above her wound. A golden magic circle appeared, and the torn flesh began to mend slowly before their eyes.
"She's healing…" Dane whispered.
"Kevin, take the woman to the mansion immediately," the Duke ordered. "This healing is only temporary—she needs full treatment."
"Yes, Sire," Kevin said, lifting Adeline gently in his arms and mounting his horse.
"What about the boy?"
"He'll come with us in the carriage."
"Yes, Sire." Kevin nodded and galloped away.
"Dane," Emelda said softly, "don't worry about your mother. She'll be okay. The Duke has great doctors—she'll wake up soon."
Dane looked down, trembling but silent. A thousand questions swirled in the Duke's mind as he studied the boy.
"…We should go back," the Duke finally said to the coachman.
The carriage rolled on toward the mansion—carrying a wounded woman, a boy with a terrifying aura, and a Duke who just might know more than he was letting on.