Edgar was deep in conversation with a middle-aged man named Nate.
Nate said in a heavy tone, "Sir, the forces are ready, and the young master and his family have left the city.
All the preparations are complete; we just need your order."
Edgar replied, "Not now. We should minimize damage and the loss of life."
Rose Tavern
A man with black hair and average height sat on a chair before three men kneeling on the floor. This was Frig, the boss of the Red Eagle Gang.
Frig spoke sternly, "What do you have to say for yourselves?"
The three men—who had recently beaten Rain and forced her to befriend Vedik—remained silent, not knowing what they had done wrong.
Only moments ago, they'd been enjoying drinks and the company of girls in the tavern when Frig suddenly summoned them.
Now, sensing something was very wrong, sweat poured down their faces.
Frig mumbled something, conjuring a sphere of water. Without another word, he hurled it at one of the men, who died gruesomely from suffocation.
The two survivors collapsed in terror. Seconds later, they started crying and begging with snot streaming down their faces.
"Boss, please tell us what we did wrong! We'll fix it!" pleaded one.
"Whatever we did was for the Red Eagle Gang!" added the other, his voice shaking.
Frig coldly demanded, "Tell me everything that happened yesterday and the day before yesterday. Miss no details."
Nervously, they recounted everything:
"The guards told us a noble family entered the city, so, like always, we tried to extort some money from them.
Since everyone knows the Red Eagle Gang is protected by a powerful noble house, the families just have to pay a small fee—five gold coins. Nobody wants an enemy out of a great noble house over such a trivial amount.
Atleast it was trivial for the Noble families.
But as you know, business was bad. So we decided to kidnap the boy, Vedik, and try to squeeze much more money from them."
Frig stood and laughed maniacally. "And? Did you fools succeed?"
"We would have, if that boy Ray hadn't betrayed us—and there was also a very scary old man, so we didn't try after the incident."
Suddenly they realized, everything that was happening to them was because they had clashed with that old man.
"Please forgive us–give us another chance! We've always been loyal to you and the gang," they begged.
Frig sneered, "That's why I hate humans. What a stupid race."
Seeing Frig's chilling demeanor, both men realized they were doomed. In a final act of desperation, they attempted to rush him.
But before they could move, Frig conjured another water ball, killing both in an agonizing instant.
Then, a person emerged from the shadows and sat in Frig's chair. This mysterious figure, referred to as "Miss," carried herself with an air of authority.
Calmly, Frig turned to her and asked, "So, what should we do now, Miss?"
Her face was tense. "Before, only the Verna family watched the city. Now, because of their blunders, even the Royal Guards are coming.
The Verna and Royal families have probably collected almost all the information on us except our deepest secrets."
The mysterious figure stood up and said, "But our plan is already in motion. It's time to carry it out."
Frig hesitated. "But Miss, this could endanger your life."
She threw aside the chair and shouted, "Do you know how important this city is? It's the gateway for all traveling to the capital. This city could become an economic pillar. If we seize it, we'll have a way to counteract the Verna family's influence."
Frig nodded. "I understand, Miss."
Inside the Carriage
Rain was quietly crying on Vedik's shoulder as he gently patted her back. Both William and Jasmin sat in silence.
After a while, Rain calmed down. She spoke, her voice thick with emotion, "I don't know why they did this after all my parents did for our house.
Living as a girl in the slums is horrible. That's why I changed my appearance. I didn't want the Apothecary House to find me or my sister."
Jasmin asked gently, "What do you want to do now?"
Rain answered, "I only want my sister to grow up safely. I haven't thought about revenge—I know it's impossible against a great noble family. But someday, maybe, I will try. But I swear I'll never betray you, Vedik, or the Verna family."
William spoke softly, "It's good to know your limits, but don't let anger consume you or let revenge become your life's goal. Trust me, I learned that the hard way."
Rain nodded gratefully, determination quietly forming behind her eyes.
Jasmin and William exchanged glances.
Jasmin then nodded and quietly cast a tier 5 barrier spell, sweat beading on her brow from the immense strain—she hadn't used so much power in years.
She took a deep breath. "As you've told us your story, it's only fair we share ours. But remember, if you ever reveal this, the consequences could be... dire."
Jasmin glanced at Vedik with affection. "Vedik is our adopted son. William adopted him from a rural village. Honestly, when I first met him, I didn't like him—he felt like a stranger. But now, from the bottom of my heart, I love him as my own.
We couldn't bear a child of our own, so perhaps Vedik is a gift from the gods."
She continued, "Vedik can use both Arcane magic and Qi."
Rain looked at Vedik in disbelief. "That's impossible! Even I could only learn one spell, and it always wrecked my qi. You're saying Vedik can really use both?"
"Yes, that's right," Jasmin replied. "He can use both mana and qi. Here, hold my hand."
Rain complied, and Jasmin guided her hand to Vedik's chest. Through their linked touch and a gentle surge of magic, Rain could clearly sense the mysterious fusion of qi points and mana veins.
Rain was thunderstruck. "This... this isn't just a dual core. This is legendary. I've read that those who attempted such a thing died in agony. I've never once heard of qi points and mana veins merging! otherwise the Great Noble families would have done so already"
William added quietly, "We don't know how or why—but Vedik's life is in danger. The Church and others may already suspect his godly physique. That's why we must make our way back to House Verna—it's the safest place for now."
Rain nodded, her determination now firm, while William and Vedik watched the road ahead, their thoughts consumed by the challenges and dangers they still faced.