A beautiful life—one filled with laughter, love,and the warmth of those you cherish beneath a clear blue sky—is what everyone dreams of.
But now...
“Huff... huff... haa...”
That dream was shattered.
The masked man stepped closer to Yinzu—each slow, deliberate stride pressing down on his spirit,as though he intended to crush the boy’s will before ending him.
Behind him, a pillar of fire erupted,piercing the calm night sky with blazing fury.
The inferno twisted—morphing into the form of a serpent,its massive body wreathed in roaring flame.
It lunged forward, hissing toward Yinzu.
“STOP!”
A voice thundered through the chaos.
Kamael, battered and bloodied, raised his hand toward the heavens.
“Gather, O winds—pierce through all before you!WIND ARROW!”
The air surged and spiraled,forming a massive arrow of compressed wind that shot forward like a spear of light.
The masked figure lifted his hand—and in an instant, a wall of fire rose before him,swallowing the arrow whole in an explosion of heat and sparks.
As he prepared another strike toward Yinzu,Kamael dashed forward, seizing the boy just in time.
“Are you all right, young master!?” Yinzu gasped,holding Kamael’s weakened body.
“I’m fine,” Kamael coughed, a faint smile on his lips.“But that bastard… he’s not going to stop.”
BOOM!
Another wave of fire fell from above,illuminating the masked man’s furious expression beneath the night’s gloom.
“Ha... haha... coughcough... ha... so this is how it is...”Kamael laughed weakly.“Seems I’ll have to use the relic Father gave me.”
“But, young master!” Yinzu protested.“That relic—it's your reward!”
“I know,” Kamael replied,“but we’re out of time.”
As they spoke, the masked man raised both hands.Flames surged from the ground like rivers of molten light,burning everything in their path.
Kamael clenched his fist around the relic.
“O flame, gift of destruction and creation—light of the heavens that pierces the darkened earth,grant us your strength to banish the evil before us!Shine upon our path... GAMMA NIHILITION!”
A blinding light burst from the relic,its brilliance cutting through the night.
The masked man’s eyes widened—he didn’t block this time.He dodged.
The beam of light surged forward like divine wrath,slicing through the forest beyond.And then—
BOOOOM!
The explosion consumed the woods in golden fire,turning everything—trees, beasts, even the air—into ash.
...
When the light faded,the figure was gone.
He had escaped—but not unscathed.
One of his arms had vanished. He disappeared into the night,leaving behind ruin, smoke, and silence.
I stood frozen, staring at the aftermath before me.
Only after a moment did I regain my senses, forcing my trembling legs to move.I knelt down, lifting the young master’s weakened body into my arms.
As I carried him, he spoke in a faint, wavering voice.
“Why would… a child like you… coughcough… be in such a dangerous place?”
“I went there to find my mother,” I replied quietly.
“Your mother… she’s one of the servants, isn’t she?”He coughed again, his breath uneven.“Don’t worry… all the servants were called to the banquet hall tonight.”
“Is that true? Thank goodness…”
Relief washed over me like a fading warmth.
“For now,” I said, trying to steady my voice, “I must take you to the medical ward in the main house.”
“...Yes,” he murmured, barely audible.“I’ll be… counting on you.”
Those were his last words before his eyes closed, and he fell into unconsciousness.
I tightened my grip and ran—my legs heavy, my lungs burning.The exhaustion from my training, the chaos, and the weight of fear all pressed down on me.
By the time I neared the main path, I could barely stand.
That was when Lord Aelfric de Skylark appeared—his presence overwhelming, surrounded by knights in shining armor.
“Ha... haa... L-Lord Aelfric...” I gasped, my vision blurring.
“What... what in the world happened here!?” His voice thundered with fury and disbelief.“Why is there such destruction in my estate!?”
“I-I’m sorry, my lord,” I stammered.“There was an intruder—someone attacked and detonated an explosion at the servants’ quarters... and the young master Kamael... he’s gravely injured.”
Aelfric’s eyes widened slightly, then hardened like steel.
“I see... Knights, take my son to the medical hall—immediately.”He paused for a brief moment, then added,“...And take the boy with him.”
“YES, MY LORD!” the knights responded in unison.
In the midst of the grand celebration, the guests grew restless as the sound of an explosion echoed through the night.The head butler tried to calm everyone, but unease quickly turned into whispered gossip among the nobles.
“Hey, hey—wasn’t that an explosion just now?”“Yes, I heard it too. It was loud.”“I even saw a flash of light.”“Could it be that the Skylark estate is under attack?”“If so, their security must be terrible…”
The murmurs grew louder, filling the hall like a low storm.
Then, a sharp voice broke through the noise—“Hey, all of you… can you shut up!?”
It was Lanasel le Skylark, the second daughter of the family.Her voice carried authority and anger, resonating through the grand ballroom.
“Who do you think you are, belittling my family like that? Do you doubt the very house that has protected this kingdom for generations? If you’re so afraid—then leave the party!”
The room fell silent, tension thick as frost.
But then, a young noble raised his hand, smiling smugly.“Can you take responsibility for those words, Lady Lanasel? You’ve just insulted everyone here. I, for one, am offended.”
The air turned cold.Before the confrontation could escalate, the head butler stepped forward and bowed.
“Please, everyone, do not worry. Lord Aelfric and the royal knights have already gone to investigate. I ask that the honored guests continue to enjoy the celebration.”
The young noble chuckled softly.“Oh? In that case, I must apologize to Lady Lanasel. I spoke too rashly.”
Lanasel sighed and composed herself.“Then I, too, apologize for my words. I am Lanasel le Skylark—please forgive my outburst.”
The young man bowed with a grin.“I am Hankent von Garburos, heir to House Garburos. A pleasure, my lady.”
Lanasel nodded, a faint smile returning to her face.“Then… shall we continue the festivities?”
The musicians struck their strings again, and the ballroom’s tension eased back into song and laughter.
A few hours later, inside the Skylark family’s medical chamber—
The room smelled faintly of herbs and incense, the first rays of dawn spilling through the tall windows.On one of the beds, Yinzu stirred from his unconscious state.
His vision was blurry at first, but he soon noticed his mother—Laura—sitting beside him, fast asleep, her hand still clutching his.
“Mother…” he whispered.
Laura’s eyes opened instantly.“Yinzu—you’re awake!” she exclaimed, hugging him tightly.“I was so worried when I heard you collapsed.”
“I’m sorry, Mother… for worrying you.”
“It’s all right, dear. As long as you’re safe.”
The tender moment didn’t last long.The door opened with a creak.
A man entered—black hair, a low-brimmed hat, and a fringe that hid one of his eyes. Several guards followed behind him.
“Forgive me for interrupting such a touching scene,” he said coldly.“I am Vaskal Lawrance, head of the Skylark Investigation Division. I’m here to interrogate the boy—Yinzu Glynne.”
“What?!” Laura’s voice rose in protest.“He just woke up! You can’t possibly question him now!”
Vaskal’s expression remained unmoved.“I don’t care if he just woke up. You have no authority to interfere. This is a direct order from Lord Aelfric himself.If you’re unhappy, take it up with him.”
“B-but…”
“Mother,” Yinzu said softly, holding her hand, “it’s fine. Please… go.”
Laura hesitated, then nodded with a trembling sigh before leaving the room.
Vaskal pulled a chair and sat beside the bed. His tone was calm, but his eyes were sharp.“Now then… tell me. What exactly happened? And who caused the destruction?”
Yinzu recounted everything he remembered—the explosion, the mysterious figure, and the chaos that followed.
“I see…” Vaskal muttered.“Is that all? Nothing else suspicious about this man?”
Yinzu frowned, trying to recall.There was something—something in the man’s hand when he first appeared.
It suddenly clicked.
“A… book,” he whispered.“HE WAS HOLDING A BOOK!”