The night wind bit sharply against the skin of the townspeople. Amidst the ruined debris of the Edelweiss Estate, Nyx's words hung in the chilling air.
Rhea kept her gaze cast downward, remaining utterly motionless.
Nyx exhaled a heavy sigh. "Was it Honest?"
Rhea's eyes widened, her fingers tightening their grip around her skirt. "That..."
Nyx shifted his gaze toward his attendant. "Pakis, tail Honest."
"Right away, Master."
Without a moment's delay, Pakis rushed past Rhea and Nyx, setting off in pursuit of Honest. His silhouette gradually dissolved into the enveloping darkness of the city night.
"Rhea," Nyx began, "what did Honest do to you?"
A look of profound anguish washed over Rhea's face. "Forgive me... I..." She clutched her throat, gasping for air.
"Did you take an oath under him?"
"I..." Cough! Cough!
"Enough," Nyx interrupted, waving his hand. "Then tell me, who is that girl who keeps staring this way, Rhea?"
"I beg your pardon?"
"The one with the green eyes and brown hair."
Rhea bowed her head. "Master Charon, please forgive me. She is the girl I took under my care during my exile in Echo."
"Bring her here."
Rhea bit her lower lip. "Forgive me, but I—"
"Are you intending to defy me?"
"No, that is absolutely not my intention."
"Then fetch her immediately and bring her before me."
"Understood, Master Charon."
Turning away, Rhea walked toward the dense crowd of citizens to find Lena.
Surrounded by the bustling crowd, Lena paced back and forth, her hands tightly intertwined. Every now and then, she cast a glance toward Rhea's residence.
"Lady Rhea..."
Her eyes lit up as she spotted her mistress approaching.
Rhea offered a faint smile. "I am sorry, Lena. Could you come with me for a moment?"
Noticing the beads of cold sweat dotting Rhea's forehead, Lena stepped closer. "Lady Rhea, are you alright?"
Rhea offered a gentle nod.
Lena let out a long. "Thank goodness. But... that man still standing by your house..."
Rhea took Lena's hands in hers. "Lena, he is the one who wishes to see you."
"Me...?"
"Calm your heart. I will be right there with you."
"Very well, Lady Rhea."
The two women made their way back through the crowd, eventually standing before Nyx.
Rhea bowed. "Master Charon, this is Lena Delion."
Master? Is he someone of the same stature as Master Lian? Lena wondered.
Following Rhea's lead, Lena hurriedly mimicked the respectful gesture. "I am Lena Delion. It is an honor to meet you, sir."
"Raise your heads."
Both of them straightened, meeting Nyx's gaze.
Nyx's eyes locked onto Lena, unblinking. "Rhea, do you even have any inkling as to who it is you have been raising?"
"No, Master. I found Lena after both her parents tragically perished in an accident."
Lena remained silent, her eyes downcast toward the dirt.
Nyx pinched the bridge of his nose, exhaling. "Did you happen to find her alongside Honest?"
How could Master Charon possibly know that...? Rhea thought.
Lena's mistress opened her mouth to speak, but the words seemed to catch in her throat. Why can't I speak?
Lena leaned closer and tugged at the fabric of Rhea's dress. "Lady Rhea, what's wrong?"
A long breath escaped Nyx's lips. "Rest easy, Rhea. I have no intention of harming the child you cared for."
"Th—thank you, Master Charon."
"Lena Delion," Nyx called out.
"Yes, Master Charon!" Lena replied.
"We wait here until Pakis returns."
"Pakis?" Lena muttered.
Beside her, Rhea's eyes went wide. "Master Charon, could it be that Lena is..."
"Lady Rhea, what exactly are you two speaking about?" Lena whispered.
Nyx looked up at the vast, starless sky above. "Drop it. We shall simply wait for Honest and Pakis to return."
Rhea cast a sideways glance at the young girl. "I am so sorry, Lena..."
Lena offered a smile in return. "Lady Rhea, there is absolutely no need for you to apologize."
An heavy silence settled over the immediate area, standing in stark contrast to the chaotic noise echoing just outside Rhea's estate.
Why must you always insist on playing with fire, Honest? Nyx mused.
The sweeping night wind caused Honest's brown hair to flutter. Before long, he arrived at the dilapidated ruins of the hospital where Ashil and Vashil were being treated.
"So, this is the place?"
Honest swept his eyes across the rows of hospital beds lined up outdoors. "Ah, there they are."
The brown-haired man made his way toward the white-haired patients lying unconscious.
"Hold on, who goes there?" an attendant asked, stepping forward to block Honest's path.
"I am a relative of the twins."
"I see. Could you please sign your name here?" The attendant extended a clipboard with a registration form attached.
"Of course."
"Thank you."
Honest offered a thin smile as he handed it back. "The situation doesn't seem too dire, does it?"
"What do you mean by that?"
"Given the sheer magnitude of that tremendous earthquake, it appears there are no fatalities here."
"You are quite observant."
"Not at all. Anyone who takes a look at this row of surviving patients and the relieved expressions of the staff could easily deduce it."
"We are immensely grateful that the hospital building managed to withstand such violent tremors."
Honest smiled. Rhea...
He handed the clipboard back to the attendant.
"I shall take my leave then. Please, feel free to check on your relatives."
With a nod, the staff member walked away to attend to the other patients.
Honest's gaze fell upon Ashil and Vashil. "You two... I commanded you only to apprehend Rhea, yet you went out of your way to cause unnecessary trouble."
Placing his hands upon the heads of the twins, Honest whispered a solemn incantation: "By the breath that flows, and by every drop of blood that courses through each vein and nerve, awaken from your deep slumber. Bless!"
Ashil's eyelids fluttered, slowly parting. "This... Young Master...?" His eyes snapped wide open, and he bolted upright by sheer reflex. "Young Master! Please forgive me!"
Ashil glanced over at his twin, Vashil, who had also pushed himself up into a sitting position. Thank heavens.
"Ashil, Vashil, what exactly were my orders to you?"
"Y—You commanded us to capture Rhea," Ashil answered.
Honest stroked his chin, his gaze shifting toward Vashil. "Then why did you engage in a brawl with Esculenta's subordinates?"
"They were the ones who ganged up on Vashil first!" Ashil defended.
Vashil remained silent, his shaking hands gripping the hospital blanket.
"Is that how it truly transpired, Vashil?"
"I... I merely remarked to that imposter that the Eosvile line is nothing but a mixed breed."
"Ah. Your tongue remains as sharp and reckless as ever, Vashil."
Vashil lowered his head, unable to meet his master's gaze.
"Vashil..." Ashil murmured.
"Enough. At the very least, you didn't completely perish at the hands of Esculenta."
The twins exchanged a glance before speaking in unison, "We are deeply sorry."
"You should be directing that apology to Esculenta's subordinates."
Vashil lifted his head. "Why did you have to resort to that?"
Honest's garnet-brown eyes flared. A chill ran down the twins' spines, but terror rendered them completely speechless as their lips moved frantically.
"Vashil," Honest warned, "guard your tongue. This is your final warning."
"Y—Yes, I acknowledge my grave error. I will apologize."
Honest then turned his sharp gaze toward the other twin. "You must also do a better job of reminding your brother to watch his words, Ashil."
"I am deeply sorry for my negligence in supervising him, Young Master."
In an instant, Honest's eyes returned to normal, and his customary smile returned to his face. "Because of your foolishness, this entire area has been turned upside down..."
The twins surveyed their surroundings.
"This destruction... could it be the work of Master Leuliang?" Vashil muttered.
"No... Master Leuliang would certainly have left absolutely nothing behind," Ashil countered.
Honest clapped his hands together once. "Clever boy, Ashil. Master Aidin has personally gone to retrieve Esculenta."
Ashil and Vashil's eyes widened to the size of saucers, their mouths hanging agape in sheer disbelief.
"Master Aidin has awakened from his slumber?" Ashil gasped.
Honest turned his back to them, his eyes scanning the rows of resting patients. "Indeed he has."
"Forgive me, Young Master, but we never intended to offend Master Leuliang," Vashil pleaded.
"Vashil speaks the truth, Young Master," Ashil echoed.
"You were punished by Esculenta, were you not?"
Vashil averted his gaze. "That... is true."
"We..." Ashil muttered, looking down.
"Was it because we laid hands on Master Leuliang's subordinates?" Vashil inquired further.
Honest wagged his index finger from side to side. "No."
Ashil looked up at his master. "Then, Young Master, what was the reason?"
"It was precisely because of the punishment inflicted upon you that Master Aidin was able to pinpoint Esculenta's exact location—even after I went through the trouble of concealing it."
Vashil shot a bewildered look at his twin. "Concealed it?"
"That agonizing pain..." Ashil remarked.
"I am glad to see my guardians are quick on the uptake."
"But how could mere pain serve to hide it?" Vashil pressed.
Ashil glared at his brother. "Vashil, compose yourself! If it weren't for the Young Master's intervention, how could we have possibly gotten our powers back?"
Vashil looked down at his own hands, then back at Ashil. "But that pain... it felt entirely real."
"That is simply the price we must pay to retain our capabilities. Am I correct, Young Master?"
Honest smiled. "Sufficient. I do not wish to hear another word regarding this matter."
"Understood, Young Master," the twins responded in perfect unison.
The echo of their voices was suddenly joined by the distinct sound of approaching footsteps drawing near the trio.
"Oh? Pakis, have you been tailing me?"
Pakis bowed his head. "If that is how it feels to you, then you have my apologies, Young Master. I am just executing my directives."
"Grandfather's orders, I assume..."
The twins swung their legs off their beds and stood in front of Honest.
"You two may lower your guard," Pakis assured. "I am only here to keep an eye on Young Master Honest."
Honest placed a hand on the shoulders of both Ashil and Vashil. "Do not show disrespect to Pakis."
The twins immediately bowed their heads. "Our apologies, Sir Pakis," they said together.
"Young Master, it is time for us to head back," Pakis urged.
"And what if I refuse?"
"Has your primary objective not already been fulfilled?" Pakis countered.
"Just a little bit more."
"In that case, pray allow me to accompany you, Young Master."
Honest's smile widened. Pakis, I have quite the surprise in store for you as well. Just you wait and see.
To be continued...