"How can I find a true romance story?" The puppet mused to himself. "Hmm… maybe Earth would be a good place to start."
He looked around, standing invisibly in the very city where Sam and William had once lived.
He shifted his appearance to blend in, materializing on the sidewalk in modern attire.
Everywhere, couples walked hand in hand, laughing and whispering sweet words. But as Puppet gazed deeper, he could see their futures most would break up, some would find true happiness, and others would live with regret.
"Useless," he sighed, kicking a pebble in with a sigh of disappointment, Puppet shook his head. "Looks like the search continues."
After walking in circles for hours, he finally found a bench to sit and rest. Just as he was about to close his eyes and think, an elderly man's loud laughter caught his attention.
"Ganesh, my son, when will you find a partner?" the old man in a wheelchair chuckled, his voice carrying across the park. "I want to see you married before I go!"
His wife assisting him added, "Your father is right. You're in your mid thirties you need to find a wife! Look at your sister. She's happily married."
Ganesh groaned, rubbing his temples. who's here helping you two? Not *her*." And besides, Dad, you know most women are only interested in me because of my fame and money!"
Ishan, still laughing, waved a hand. "Hahaha! How can you be so mature yet so childish at the same time?"
Suddenly, he choked on his own laughter, coughing violently.
His wife, Radhika, immediately scolded him. "Honey! The doctor said you shouldn't laugh so much!"
Ishan finally calmed down, wiping a tear from his eye. "Alright, alright, I'm fine. Don't be such a killjoy, Radhika. Anyway, Ganesh, what book will you be reading at William's grave this time?"
Ganesh scratched his head. "There's one book I'm really interested in, but I haven't been able to find a copy yet."
Before they could continue, a sudden shriek echoed through the park.
A massive group of women came sprinting toward them, waving banners that read "PLEASE MARRY ME, GANESH!" while others screamed his name at the top of their lungs.
"God, not again!" Ganesh kissed his parents' cheeks "Love you! Bye!" Ganesh bolted at full speed, disappearing in a blink.
But his fan girls weren't far behind.
Meanwhile, Puppet remained seated, watching the spectacle with amusement. Above Ganesh's head, he saw glowing titles: "Young Success," "Golden Boy," and "True Romance."
As he looked closer, he realized something crucial. Ganesh had yet to experience true love.
A grin spread across the Puppet's face.
"He could be the one to fulfill my story."
---
Back to the story.
Sam's family sat together, speaking in hushed tones while young Sam slept peacefully in the corner.
Unseen and unable to interact with the world, Sam's ghostly form could only watch.
"Father, what are we going to do?" Ina asked, frustration evident in her voice. "Even if we somehow manage to pay the 20 silver this time, we won't be able to next time!"
Her father, Sven, let out a weary sigh, rubbing his temples. He glanced at his wife and daughter, then made a decision.
"Ina, I know you're worried, and you have every right to be," he said. "We set aside a small amount for your future… for your marriage. We'll use that for now."
Ina opened her mouth to protest, but he held up a hand.
"In the meantime, you need to start learning swordsmanship."
Before she could respond, a sharp knock, knock, knock echoed from the door.
Ina moved to open it, but Sven was faster, stepping in front of her and pulling the door open himself.
Standing outside was Redrick, the royal messenger. That was in the middle of the town square today.
"Hello, Sven!" Redrick greeted with a smirk.
Sven immediately stepped outside, shutting the door behind him. His eyes burned with suspicion.
"What do you want, Redrick?" he asked coldly.
Redrick's smirk only widened. "Oh, don't play dumb. You know exactly why I'm here. You have such a lovely family, don't you?"
Sven's jaw clenched, his hand twitching toward his belt. The way Redrick said family made his blood boil.
"Don't you dare threaten my family, or I swear I'll kill you!"
In a flash, Sven grabbed Redrick by the collar, his grip tightening with rage.
But before he could do anything, a cold blade pressed against his throat.
"Hello, brother," a calm voice greeted him.
Sven's body stiffened. He turned his head slightly, and there stood Greg a man clad in a decorated military uniform, his sword steady against Sven's neck.
Sven's grip loosened on Redrick, his expression hardening.
"I'm not your brother anymore," he spat. "I cut ties with you a long time ago, Greg."
As they spoke, Ina turned to her mother, desperation in her eyes.
"Mom, tell me! Is it true what Dad said? Do we really have enough for the 20 silver coins?"
Her mother's expression darkened. "Ina, you know he lied to you," she whispered. "He barely eats as it is just to scrape together the 4 silver for taxes."
She pulled out a small, worn-out piece of parchment and handed it to Ina.
"At 6 o'clock, the guards will switch shifts. Follow this map. There's an old house between the demon and human borders. Go there."
Ina stared at her in shock. "Mom! How can I leave when it means letting everyone else die?"
Her mother's gaze softened, but her voice remained firm.
"Ina, my daughter… we know that even after slaying the great demon, nothing will change. But there are people who believe it will."
Ina's hands trembled. "You're telling me to leave everything behind! How can I abandon the only thing I have left?"
Tears welled in her eyes, threatening to spill, but before she could say another word—
Slap!
The sharp sting on her cheek stunned her into silence.
"Ina Sven," her mother said in a cold, detached voice, "I disown you and your brother, Sam Sven. You two are no longer welcome in this household. I want you both gone before 6 o'clock."
Quietly, she made her way to her younger brother's room and gently shook him awake.
"Ughhh… it's still night… What do you want, sis?" Little Sam groaned, his voice groggy with sleep.
"Sam, grab a few things that are important to you. We have to leave."
He was too tired to notice the cracks in her voice, the silent tears dripping down her cheeks.
Ghostly Sam, watching helplessly, clenched his fists. He wanted to kill his younger self for being so oblivious. But he couldn't. All he could do was reach out in a futile attempt to hug his sister one she would never feel.
After a few more shakes, young Sam finally stirred enough to comply. Even as he groggily gathered his things, he soon drifted back into sleep.
Ina sat beside him, watching the clock. Tick tock. Tick tock. Each second that passed dug into her mind like sharp claws.
Needing air, she cracked the window open slightly. That's when she heard it
"I cut my ties with you, Greg!"
Her father's voice.
Ina froze.
"Oh? Still mad at me for stealing your girlfriend?" The smug tone made her stomach churn.
Through the crack in the window, she peeked outside just in time to see her father punch the man in the face with everything he had.
Not wanting to be seen, Ina quickly shut the window.
"Oh, you wanna talk about the past, huh!?" Sven's voice roared with rage. "LET'S TALK ABOUT IT! LIKE HOW YOU USED HER AND LEFT HER TO DIE JUST BECAUSE YOU COULDN'T BEAR THE RESPONSIBILITY?! OR HOW YOU BEAT HER EVERY DAMN DAY JUST BECAUSE YOU COULD?!"
Each word came with another punch, raw with anger and pain.
Ina's slowly opened the window just slightly to see what was happening outside.
Greg, blood dripping from his nose, grinned.
"Hahaha… Sven… You do know Ina is my daughter, right?"
Ina's entire world shattered.
Tears streamed down her face as Greg smirked, blood smeared across his teeth.
"How are you gonna call another man's kid your own?" He laughed, cruel and mocking. "Pathetic."
Ina's knees buckled. Her mind spiraled.
Her mother's words from earlier… Were they true? Was she really not my mother's daughter?
The weight of it crushed her. She barely had the strength to close the window, barely managed to hug her still-sleeping little brother as silent sobs wracked her body.
Ghost Sam, watching helplessly, clenched his fists. He couldn't touch her, couldn't reassure her. All he could do was listen to the conversation outside.
Meanwhile, Sven who had momentarily frozen suddenly burst into laughter.
Greg's smirk faltered.
Why is he laughing?
"Pahahaha! You really don't know, huh?" Sven grinned, his voice filled with something danger.
Greg's smug confidence wavered. His instincts screamed at him he had forgotten something important. His mood soured instantly.
Sven leaned in closer, locking eyes with Redrick instead of Greg.
"Let me tell you a secret." His voice dropped, filled with quiet menace.
Greg stiffened.
Sven's next words struck like a blade.
"Greg you aren't her father."
Silence.
Redrick's eyes widened. Greg's face twisted in confusion.
"…What?"
Sven's gaze darkened. "And tell that retarded king of yours, if he dares to act brave… I will come for his head."
The air grew heavy.
Redrick and Greg stood frozen, their minds racing.
'What does he mean?
If Greg isn't the father, then who is?
Does this mean their entire plan to use the law to claim Ina was flawed from the start?'
The realization hit them like a crashing wave.
Sven didn't wait for them to piece it together. Without another word, he turned and walked toward his house.
Greg and Redrick hesitated, their confidence shaken.
"…What do we do now?" Redrick muttered under his breath.
Greg didn't answer. For the first time, he had no smug remark. No clever insult.
Greg, seething with frustration, clenched his fists before slamming one into the ground. His breath came in ragged, furious gasps.
"Where's that bitch?" he snarled, eyes flashing with uncontained rage. "I need to vent."
Redrick smirked and gestured toward a small house at the end of the street the home of the woman who had lost her husband earlier that day.
The guards, who were supposed to be on patrol, had already gathered outside. Some wore twisted grins, others chuckled under their breath, their eyes filled with cruel anticipation.
Greg and Redrick stepped inside.
Screams echoed through the thin walls.
Desperate. Pleading.
But no one came to help. If anything, the sounds only seemed to amuse those waiting outside.
Then crack.
Silence.
Moments later, Greg emerged, dragging the woman's lifeless body by the throat. He tossed her toward the waiting soldiers as if discarding a broken doll.
"Do what you want with her," he said, voice empty, almost bored.
At that command a few soldiers grabbed her body and dragged her to the camp and ravaged her, every soldier having their share of her.
After they had fun with her.
She was fed to the dogs, the dogs also abused her lifeless corpse before eating her, only leaving her bones.
---
After stepping inside, Sven's gaze fell upon Natalie.
His wife, though they both knew that title had always been a lie, looked at him with sorrow in her eyes.
"Master Sven… I'm sorry, but I think it's time," she said softly. "They deserve to know the truth."
Sven exhaled deeply, rubbing his temples. "I had hoped this day would never come."
Placing a gentle hand on her shoulder, he continued, "Natalie, you sacrificed twenty years of your youth for my selfish request. I can never repay you for that."
Natalie gave him a small, bittersweet smile. "Being the old king's grand mage, this was bound to happen eventually. But for now… go to them. Ex-General Sven."
With a respectful bow, she stepped aside.
Sven hesitated, his usual steady stride now slow and uncertain. His fingers twitched as they reached for the door handle.
He had faced death, betrayal, and war without a second thought but now, standing at this threshold, preparing to say his last goodbye to the children he had raised for eighteen years, he felt truly weak.
Forcing himself, he pushed the door open.
The room was empty.
Confused, he stepped inside, glancing around. "Ina? Sam?"
Silence.
His pulse quickened. He checked the other rooms, his urgency growing with each empty room he found.
By the time he stormed back to Natalie, his breath was ragged. "They're gone!"
She glanced at the clock just past midnight. Too early for them to leave.
Sven's hands trembled as he overturned furniture, searching frantically, as if they might simply be hiding. "Damn it! Where could they have gone?"
Natalie, though visibly saddened, answered without hesitation.
"They're going to the garden."
Sven froze.
Her voice was calm, but there was a finality to it. A quiet sorrow.
She didn't expect them to slip away without saying goodbye.
Even if what she had done was wrong… she had still hoped they would say they're farewell.
Sven frantically searched for the map, rifling through drawers and overturning objects, but it was nowhere to be found.
"Don't worry," Natalie said calmly, watching his panic. "They have it."
Her reassurance settled his nerves even slightly. But when his eyes flicked to the clock, his stomach dropped.
1 AM.
The children were in danger. If the guards spotted them fleeing the town, it would be over.
He turned on his heel, ready to chase after them, only for Natalie to step in his path.
"Let me handle this," she said, her voice steady.
As she closed her eyes, intricate magical circles burst to life around her, layering upon one another, expanding in size until they filled the entire room.
No one in town noticed.
But every mage in the kingdom did.
Power surged outward, sweeping across the entire human continent, its influence spreading unseen. Deep within the royal castle, the magical barrier that monitored border crossings flickered—then went dark.
Far beyond, as Ina and Sam sprinted through the wilderness, Sam's necklace pulsed with an unnatural blue glow.
In the next instant, their bodies vanished.
They didn't notice. They were too focused on running.
Through dense forests and rugged terrain, they pushed forward, unaware of the magic shielding them.
Hours passed. Dawn began to break over the horizon.
They had covered nearly forty kilometers in just five hours.
And yet, the location that was marked on the map… was still a few kilometers away.
A/N: sorry for taking long (I mean it)
Also next episode will be about puppet and Ganesh's love story.