"Capture everyone," I ordered, my voice cutting through the chaos without the slightest tremor. "Those who fled. Those still hiding inside. Anyone who resists kill them."
A brief pause.
"I'll interrogate their corpses if I have to."
"What a psychopath."
Asier's voice came from behind me, casual, almost amused. I heard the dull crack of bone as he kicked aside a severed head lying in his path.
"I don't have time for your useless commentary," I replied flatly. "I warned you already."
Before Arthur could retreat another step, my hand closed around his throat and lifted him off the ground. His body jerked, fingers clawing at my wrist as I tightened my grip.
"You honestly believed you could run an illegal auction house like this…" I said, my tone devoid of anything resembling mercy, "…and not face consequences?"
I pressed harder. His breathing turned ragged, desperate.
"Tell me," I continued, eyes fixed on him, "who is the fool behind this operation? Who thought they would remain untouchable?"
"Like hell I'll tell you—" he choked out between gasps.
"Then die."
My hand tore through flesh and bone, ripping his heart free. I crushed it in my palm, the sound echoed as his body went limp.
"You crazy witch. Are you insane?"
He grabbed my wrist, his grip tight, "Why did you kill him? I needed the information he had."
I glanced at his hand on me, then at his calm, unbothered face.
"Let go," I said quietly. "He held no value. Nothing worth extracting."
"He held value to me," he shot back, tightening his grip.
Something in his tone had shifted subtly, but enough to register. Agitation.
I studied him for a moment. Whatever was driving him, it would eventually become a problem.
"I don't have time for this," I said, pulling my wrist free with force. "If you want to play games, find someone else."
I turned away.
"Nox," I called, "Take the east and west wings."
"And when I find the children, I'll send a signal," Nox replied.
"We regroup in exactly one hour."
"Wait."
I stopped, irritation flickering beneath the surface. "What now?"
"I'm coming with you," Asier said.
That made both Nox and me pause.
For a moment, I looked at him then spoke, my tone colder than before.
"Why?" I asked. "You can barely tolerate my existence. And now you want to involve yourself with me?"
He exhaled slowly, as if forcing the words out.
"I do despise you," he admitted. "That hasn't changed and never will." A brief pause. "But the children from the orphanage I grew up in were taken."
His jaw tightened.
"I'll do whatever it takes to make sure they're alive."
Silence settled between us.
Then—
"Fine, you can follow."
---
The moment I heard her mention rescuing the children, I changed my mind.
As much as I despised the idea, going with her was the more logical choice. Alone, my chances were limited. With her… they doubled. Maybe more. It was still a better option than choosing Cassian or Vivian, who would only slow things down in a situation like this.
So I asked.
And honestly, I expected her to refuse without a second thought.
But she didn't.
"Fine," she said. "You can follow."
It wasn't just the words that caught me off guard, it was her tone. Cold yet with a hint of gentleness behind it And her expression…There was something different about it. Something heavier.
"Take the east and west wings with Nox," she continued. "And when you find the children here…"
She didn't finish the sentence. Instead, she opened a subspace and handed over several high-grade healing potions before disappearing without another word.
The west wing turned out to be mostly empty either abandoned or used by staff who were nowhere to be found. There wasn't any trace of resistance. Which only made it more unsettling.
We moved toward the east wing.
As we advanced, the ground trembled faintly beneath our feet. From the north side of the complex, violent surges of mana erupted in waves, each one heavier than the last. Destruction raw and excessive.
"I've told her countless times to stop acting like a blood thirsty psychopath," Nox sighed, clearly resigned. Then, without missing a step, he added, "Three people around the next corner. Kill them."
He was right.
The moment we turned, they appeared and I didn't hesitate. The fight was over almost as soon as it began.
They didn't deserve mercy.
"Sheesh," Nox muttered, glancing at the aftermath. "How are you two so alike and still manage to despise each other? It makes no sense. Even the brutality is the same."
"I'd appreciate it if you didn't compare us," I said coldly. "A 'princess' like her isn't even close to my level."
Nox let out a short laugh.
"You think Lia is a princess?" he said, shaking his head. "How naïve… to believe something like that."
"How is she not a princess?" I shot back. "She's the named heiress of the margrave."
Nox didn't answer immediately. For a moment, he simply walked beside me.
"If only you knew what she's suffered," he muttered under his breath, almost to himself. "You wouldn't be calling her a princess."
I couldn't make out what he muttered at first just a low, indistinct whisper beneath his breath.
But the words that followed…
They settled wrong.
"Oh, she is," Nox said lightly, a faint smile playing on his lips yet something in his tone felt off. Subtle, but unmistakable. "My delicate little princess."
I turned to him sharply, my gaze hardening.
"Delicate?" I repeated, the word laced with quiet disbelief. "Someone like her?"
My eyes drifted back to the scene ahead, watching as another life ended without hesitation.
"The way she kills…" I said coldly, voice lowering. "There's no hesitation. No restraint. That's not how a sheltered princess fights."
A brief pause.
Then, quieter, "...No. Not even a veteran."
My gaze narrowed slightly.
"Worse. She fights like someone who stopped caring a long time ago."
He chuckled under his breath but this time he didn't deny it.
We moved deeper into the east wing.
The further we went, the thicker the resistance became. Guards began appearing in greater numbers, stepping out from hidden corridors, emerging from reinforced doors. One after another, they fell fast, brutal, and efficiently. Steel met flesh, and the path ahead cleared just as quickly as it filled.
Yet something was wrong.
I hadn't seen a single one of those who were meant to be auctioned. Nor anyone from the orphanage among those who were earlier presented to be auctioned.
The worry for them kept lingering in my heart. What if I was already too late?
They have to be here.
I tightened my grip on my sword, knuckles whitening.
They have
to be.
"Damn it… How many are stationed in this place?" I muttered, flicking blood from my blade before casting an irritated glance at Nox. "If you used your hands as much as your mouth, we'd be moving twice as fast."
He smirked. "Unlike you, Lia doesn't need backup. She's faster, more efficient and she fights alone."
I exhaled sharply, already tired of the constant exaggeration. Yes, she was strong. Yes, she was dangerous. I get it but this blind glorification. It was irritating.
Before I could respond, a sound cut through the corridor.
Faint at first. Then clearer, the sound of children crying echoed throughout the hallway.
My body moved before my mind could catch up. I broke into a run, following the sound as it bounced and twisted through the halls, growing louder with every step.
And then—I reached the source.
I stopped. For a moment, everything in me went still.
The room…It was worse than I had imagined.
Chains lined the walls heavy, reinforced, etched with suppressive markings. Children were shackled in place, their small frames trembling, wrists bruised and raw from struggling. My jaw tightened. Some looked up at the sudden intrusion with wide, terrified eyes. Others didn't react at all, their expressions hollow, distant… broken.
The sight of it settled into my chest like something cold and sharp.
They were divided into two groups depending on their condition.
The newer ones were still responsive, still crying, still clinging to each other in fear, still there. Still present enough to be afraid.
And then there were the others. The ones who had stopped crying altogether.
They were in far worse condition.
Thinner. Weaker. Some were barely conscious, their bodies marked with signs of prolonged abuse. Their chains were tighter, layered with stronger seals, as if they had already tried and failed to resist. A few didn't even have the strength to lift their heads.
The ones who were crying flinched at the sound of my footsteps.
The older ones didn't move at all.
My grip on my sword tightened.
A cold, suffocating anger settled deep in my chest far sharper than anything I'd felt until now.
This wasn't just a simple case of trafficking. This was something far worse.
How could anyone still call themselves sane and do something like this?
To children, children who know nothing of the world beyond fear and hunger.
Even demons… even monsters protect their young.
And yet—
"What the hell are you doing here? Who are you?" a voice barked from behind.
I didn't even turn fully. My gaze shifted just enough to acknowledge him.
"How dare a nameless bastard like you stand in my way," I said coldly, "and spew such worthless noise."
He didn't get another word out.
Steel flashed.
His body dropped.
Warm, vulgar blood splattered across my clothes, but I didn't bother looking down. If anything, it only sharpened the disgust already clawing at my chest.
This is it?
This is how confident those monsters are? Only a handful of guards to watch over something like this?
"Asier! Get us out of here, please!"
The voice snapped my focus back.
I turned instantly.
"Zachary… Ivor—"
I was at their side in seconds, dropping to one knee in front of them, hands moving quickly as I checked for injuries.
"Are you hurt? Anywhere?" I asked, my voice steadier than I felt. I wasn't sure if I was reassuring them or myself.
"Get back," I said, rising.
The restraints didn't last more than a moment. I shattered the locks and tore through the reinforced gates as if they were nothing.
The instant they were free, both of them stumbled forward and threw themselves into my arms, clinging tightly as they broke down.
I held them without hesitation.
For the first time since entering this place… something in my chest eased.
"You're safe now," I said quietly, resting a hand on their heads.
They trembled, but they didn't pull away.
"Do you know where Tia, Meris, and Renna are?" I asked after a moment. "And who brought you here?"
They shook their heads weakly.
"We don't know where they are…" one of them said, voice shaking. "But we know who's behind this."
My grip tightened slightly.
"Did you see them?"
"No… we never saw their faces." A pause. "But they had the same insignia as you."
I frowned. "The academy?"
They shook their heads again.
"No… not that one."
A brief silence.
"It was the temple's insignia."
For a moment—
Everything went still.
"…I see."
The air shifted, growing heavier… colder, as something unseen had just tightened its grip around the situation.
"Oh, this just got worse," Nox muttered under his breath.
"We don't have time to waste. We leave. Now."
"And leave them behind?" I snapped, my grip tightening instinctively around the children.
"They won't be alone," Nox replied, his tone unusually firm. "Not anymore. This just became far more complicated than we anticipated."
Before I could respond, the sound of armoured footsteps echoed down the corridor.
Figures emerged disciplined, precise, clad in the unmistakable armour of trained knights. They moved with purpose, weapons lowered but ready.
"My lord," one of them spoke, stepping forward with a respectful bow. "We've been dispatched to escort the children to safety, under the orders of the Liege."
My eyes narrowed. "Lia sent you?"
"Yes," the knight confirmed. "She was… quite enraged." He hesitated for a fraction of a second. "She made it very clear that every child was to be evacuated before she unleashed her wrath upon the heretics."
That sounded like her.
"Alright," he said after a brief pause. "Be gentle with them."
"Of course."
"Leave the children with them," Nox added quietly beside me. "They'll take good care of them. We need to head towards the north wing."
I didn't like it. Not one bit.
Leaving them especially after just finding them felt wrong. The timing, the sudden appearance of these knights… it gnawed at the back of my mind. But I didn't have the luxury of hesitation.
Three were still missing.
And every second mattered.
I crouched down again, meeting their eyes.
"Stay with them," I said, keeping my voice firm despite the unease lingering beneath it. "I'll be back soon. I promise."
They clung to me for a moment longer before slowly letting go.
"Asier…" Zachary whispered, voice trembling. "Please… find Tia, Meris, and Renna."
I nodded once.
"I will."
"Let's go,"
And without another glance back, we headed toward the north wing—
where the storm had already begun.
As we moved toward the north wing, the difference was immediate.
Bodies.
Everywhere.
Guards lay scattered across the halls twisted, broken, some barely recognizable. The air itself felt heavy with the aftermath of violence. Compared to the east and west wings, where resistance had been sparse, this… this was something else entirely.
We had encountered only a handful before. Here, they were piled.
A silent testament to something far more brutal was unfolding ahead indicating something important was hidden here.
---
"Persistent parasites," I muttered coldly, tightening my grip as I snapped another man's neck. The crack echoed briefly before his body went limp.
"They just don't know when to stop clinging to life."
I let the corpse fall without another glance. How many have I killed so far?
I'd lost count.
And yet it still wasn't enough. Not when the thought kept gnawing at the back of my mind—
What if they're using the children? For sacrifices… for experiments…
My jaw tightened. If that were true—
I wouldn't just lose control. I would burn this entire place to the ground.
"…Is anyone here?"
The voice was faint. Broken. Muffled behind the stone wall.
"Please… help us…"
I froze.
"Get back," I said sharply, stepping toward the wall the sound was coming from.
I didn't wait for a response. Mana surged through as the wall shattered.
Stone and debris blasted outward, revealing a hidden chamber behind it.
Children.
Huddled together.
Terrified.
"Is anyone hurt?" I asked immediately, scanning them, my voice firm.
"N-No…" one of them managed, though their voice trembled.
"Are you the only ones being held here?"
They shook their heads.
"There were more of us," another said quietly. "But… someone came and took them somewhere else."
A cold weight settled in my chest.
"I'll find them," I said without hesitation. "Do any of you know the names of those who were taken?"
A small hand rose hesitantly.
"I do…"
A fragile-looking girl stepped forward, her movements cautious.
"Tell me," I said, kneeling slightly to meet her gaze. "Big sister here will go save them."
Her eyes widened just a little. "Can you really save big sister Tia… and Renna?"
"Of course," I replied, placing a reassuring hand on her head. "This big sister happens to be the strongest at the Imperial Academy."
It was the truth.
And they needed something to hold onto.
"My big brother goes there too," she said, a faint spark returning to her eyes.
I let out a small chuckle. "Is that so? Maybe I know him. What's his name?"
"My brother's name is Asier."
For a brief second, I paused. She has to be joking right? A jerk like him has a cute sister like this?
Unbelievable.
"I see," I said, masking the thought as I straightened.
There wasn't time to dwell on it.
"Knight Cavalry Unit Two," I called, my voice carrying authority.
In an instant, armoured figures emerged behind me.
"You called for us, Liege."
"Escort these children to a secure location," I ordered. "Ensure none are left behind and the group Nox has rescued."
"As you command."
As the knights moved in, careful and disciplined, the little girl tugged lightly at my sleeve.
"Big sister…"
I looked down.
"I remember something," she said. "The ones who took big sister Tia and Renna… I saw their insignia."
My expression hardened.
"What was it?"
She hesitated for only a moment.
"It was the same insignia… as the priests from the temple."
Of course it was.
Who else could be behind something this vile?
Suddenly, everything began to fall into place. The cults, the disappearances… and now this. Threads that once seemed scattered were weaving into something far more sinister.
What was that bishop planning… that he would turn an entire temple that once preached salvation into something that sacrificed innocent children?
My jaw tightened.
Wasn't what they did to me enough?
"S-Sister…"
The small voice pulled me back.
The little girl hesitated, her hands trembling as she looked up at me.
I reached out and gently patted her head.
"They'll keep you safe until I return," I said, keeping my tone steady despite the storm building beneath it.
Then I straightened.
"Take them."
The knights moved without question, guiding the children away.
Now…
There were no more restraints. Anyone standing in my way. I could kill without pause.
The deeper I went, the worse it became. The number of guards alone confirmed that this wing wasn't just important.
This was the center of their operation.
My instincts had been right.
And yet…
Even after pushing this far inside, there was still no trace of Tia and Renna
Damn it.
"—Stop!"
The voice echoed faintly ahead.
"Please… it hurts… I'm scared…"
My body moved before thought could catch up.
"Just close your eyes," another voice said coldly. "You won't feel a thing."
"The girl told you no."
My voice cut through the space like a blade low, sharp, and absolute.
The man turned.
I was already moving.
My hand closed around his throat before he could draw a breath, and I drove him back into the stone wall hard enough to crack it. His head bounced off the surface with a wet sound. His fingers clawed at my wrist, desperate, pathetic.
I looked at him.
There was no remorse or guilt behind his eyes. The way he was already trying to find a way to negotiate, as if I might be someone he could bargain with.
I was not.
I wrenched him sideways and slammed him into the floor face-first. The crack of his nose against the stone echoed sharply. Blood spread beneath him in a dark halo.
He tried to push himself up.
I planted my knee into his spine and felt something give.
His scream came out broken.
"Wait—" he gurgled. "Wait, I can—"
I grabbed his arm and bent it the wrong direction at the elbow.
The joint didn't just dislocate. It separated. Tendon and tissue tore with a sound like wet rope snapping, and the lower half of his arm hung at an angle that made no anatomical sense. He writhed beneath me, shrieking now a high, animal sound.
I wanted him to understand, in whatever time he had left, that he would not be getting out of this room.
I hauled him upright by what was left of that arm, letting him dangle, his legs scrambling uselessly beneath him as I tightened my grip. The fractured bones ground against each other. I could feel them splinter by splinter compressing under the pressure of my fingers, folding inward, puncturing from the inside out.
He vomited from the pain.
I didn't stop.
I shifted my grip to his ribcage and squeezed.
Slowly.
One rib buckled. Then another. A third caved inward with a sound like green wood splitting, and he stopped screaming lungs too compromised to sustain it. His mouth worked soundlessly. His eyes had gone somewhere distant and glassy.
Still, I didn't stop.
I felt the moment his heart gave out a final, irregular spasm beneath my palm and only then did I release him.
He crumpled.
I stood over what remained of him and felt nothing. No satisfaction. No revulsion. The rage that had moved my hands had already receded into something cold and purposeful.
He had gotten more time than he deserved.
I tossed the corpse aside like it meant nothing and turned away.
"You're safe now." I stepped toward the girl, my voice softer now controlled.
"Are you hurt anywhere?" I asked.
She didn't answer.
Instead, she rushed forward and clung to me, her small frame shaking violently as sobs broke free.
"I was so scared…" she cried. "They were trying to—"
"I know," I said quietly, cutting her off before she had to say it.
I pulled a cloak from the subspace and wrapped it around her, shielding her from the cold and from what had just happened.
"You're safe now," I repeated, lifting her gently into my arms. "No one will touch you again."
Her grip tightened as she buried her face against me.
After a moment, I reached up and wiped the tears from her cheeks.
"What's your name?" I asked softly.
"…Renna."
I found one. Now only Tia remained.
"Renna," I said, steadying my voice, "do you know where they took Tia?"
She pulled back slightly, her eyes flickering with sudden caution.
"How do you know big sister Tia?"
For a moment, I hesitated.
Then—
"I'm… a friend of your big brother, Asier."
The words tasted bitter the moment they left my mouth.
Disgusting.
Me? Friends with that vermin? I'd sooner swallow poison than be friends with him.
I could have said I was the lord of Luton. That would have been simpler and it was the truth.
So why did I say that? Why did I have to lie? I had no reason to do it.
To be continued....