the stairs leading to the basement were guarded by knights so that no one could enter. they wanted to preserve the clues inside as much as possible until aven returned. hul stayed outside, and only aven and baron went underground. he was as alert as he was when facing the guardian.

    baron was careful to light fire, so he scanned the dark space without candles or magic tools. they passed a candlestick on the floor and took a few more steps inside. as they stopped in front of a liquor-filled oak barrel, they could feel the faint remnants of magical power.

    “it feels similar to you, but still quite different,” baron said, “weren’t there any other blood relatives alive besides you?”

    “…no.”

    in the pitch of darkness, aven looked straight into baron’s beastly bright yellow eyes and said, “the magic remnants don’t seem like it belonged to the helfords.”

    “then?”

    “i am the adopted son of the former count helford. my parents and origins are unknown.”

    “…what?”

    baron couldn’t speak straight with surprise. aven was a rarity as he reached master-class level at his early 20s since he didn’t come from either viseltium, askan, franto, and jeff. but it wasn’t impossible to say the least, since the helford family were rooted in askan.

    but now he confessed he wasn’t even from the blood of helfords? it was unbelievable considering aven’s skills.

    ‘no, that’s not the point now.’

    they had no clue to seira’s captor except that the nature of his magic was similar to aven’s. baron was at a loss where and how to begin tracking.

    “it looked like she thought it was me and didn’t resist.”

    there was only one type of mana left behind. there was no trace of seira using her powers either.

    baron frowned as he looked around the liquor store and said, “perhaps franto’s fox may know something.”

    baron naturally heard of what seira and louis were doing and where they were after their boisterous dating in the commercial district.

    “i’ll meet with him, so you go search around the mansion. if my hunch is right, his power would’ve been similar to yours being able to move between spaces, at which point even seira wouldn’t have noticed it wasn’t you. her kidnapper must surely leave a mark.”

    “i see.”

    at his late reply, baron turned his gaze to aven.

    ‘this man…’

    even in the dark, baron could gauge his state.

    aven’s clenched fists, no, his entire body was shaking. a cold-hearted man, who never showed emotion in any crisis, lost his reason as he couldn’t endure the thought of losing seira.

    “aven, calm down. your master, duchess of askan, is a master-class slayer. do you think she’d be beaten so easily?”

    “…”

    “don’t worry,” baron tried to console him, despite him feeling distraught as well, “she’ll be able to cope well on her own until we find her.”

    the duke of jeff was strangled with anxiety, but times like this needed his calmness. he couldn’t afford to make a mistake and put seira in more danger if he panicked.

    “you have a telegraph in askan already, right? share whatever clues you find as soon as you can.”

    baron quickly climbed the stairs after he finished speaking, when aven called out to him, “your excellency.”

    “what?”

    “if his majesty had intervened in this… what would your excellency do?”

    “is there any reason to assume that?”

    “there are only four days left until the conference. an absence would mean treason,” aven trailed, “i know it’s a disrespectful thought, but his majesty has done many harm to the duchess lately.”

    baron had to swallow the curses that rose in his throat. aven was right.

    ‘come to think of it, that was written in the official letter.’

    he thought what could be so scary, but then seira came to mind, and he couldn’t help himself from laughing.

    ‘no, his majesty wouldn’t go that far…’

    but was he really sure? baron asked himself and instantly knew the answer. apart from putting his faith and following calrad to whom he swore his loyalty, the emperor was the only one they should be most wary of when it came to things relating to seira.

    “of course, seira’s safety comes first.”

    aven bowed with baron’s unhesitating answer.

    “thank you. then i trust your excellency and am willing to lend you my assistance.”

    it was an indication that if baron had refused and stood by calrad even a little, aven would’ve refused to help him. he must be confident he could bring back seira on his own.

    “okay.”

    he thought he had been afraid that something would go wrong, but it didn’t seem that way. aven’s voice was full of hostility and clear anger. he would definitely find the person responsible for kidnapping his master, and pay him back.

    ‘it was pointless to worry,’ baron smiled and strode up the stairs.

    now that jeff was strongly hated by askan, he was in a position where he had to insist on helping even if they refused. anyway, he still found himself fortunate.

    * * *