Jediel had so many things he wanted to show and say to Luisa and Hugo, whom he hadn’t seen in a long time.

“This is a drawing of grandma, grandpa, mom, and me!”

“Your drawing skills have improved a lot, you cute little thing!”

“Oh dear, our Jediel is quick to learn anything, isn’t he?”

“Well, that’s true.”

Jediel kept smiling brightly and jumping up and down. He played a children’s song that his grandmother often sang for him on his newly learned violin, and he even read his grandfather’s newspaper aloud, saying he had learned all the letters.

“Grandma Luisa’s beef stew is the best in the world!”

Jediel exclaimed, wiggling his bottom after taking a spoonful of stew. Then he glanced at the servant and maid sitting next to him and whispered quietly.

“It’s a secret from our chef. Shh!”

“Of course, young master.”

“Don’t worry.”

Everyone burst into laughter at the sight of the child putting his short index finger to his lips, looking so adorable as he made his request.

The time spent with grandmother and grandfather passed very quickly. Before they knew it, night had fallen, and Jediel settled himself comfortably between his grandmother and grandfather.

“Grandpa, tell me a story from the old days!”

“Hmm… What story would you like?”

“The one where the bear and the stork team up to defeat the villain monkey!”

“Ho ho, that one again?”

“It’s the most interesting story!”

It was Jediel’s favorite story. He had heard it over a hundred times, but he still wanted to hear it again. Hugo cleared his throat and began the story in a quiet voice.

“Once upon a time, there was a round and cute bear and a tall, lanky stork who lived next door to each other. One day, a new neighbor moved into the village, and who was it but…”

Hugo’s voice echoed softly in the quiet bedroom.

Jediel, who had been so eager to hear his grandfather’s story, fell asleep within five minutes, breathing evenly. Luisa and Hugo smiled gently at the child.

“He must have been very tired.”

“Well, no wonder. He’s been chattering and running around all day.”

Hugo gently stroked Jediel’s forehead, and Luisa tucked the blanket tightly up to the child’s neck. Soon, they too fell asleep.

The knights who had escorted Jediel from the duke’s mansion were guarding the inside and outside of the modest two-story house.

They stood guard in pairs on the first and second floors of the house, in the yard, and even in the small forest across the street. This was because the Grand Duchess had ordered tight security.

However, it seems that even though they prided themselves on being fully prepared, they were no match for the enemy who had been lurking in the darkness, waiting for an opportunity.

The moment they felt something strange in the air, the knights fell into a deep sleep. The enemies hiding in the darkness chuckled as they watched the knights collapse one by one.

The sleep-inducing magic tool was much more effective indoors than outdoors. After taking down all the knights in the forest across the street and in the yard, the group threw several black marble-shaped magic tools through a small gap under the front door.

Smoke began to rise from the magic tools that had fallen to the floor, and soon the entire house was engulfed in smoke. Even the strong knights succumbed to the powerful sleep-inducing spell and collapsed into sleep.

The masked group entered the house without any interference and picked up Jediel, who was sleeping on the second floor.

Affected by the sleep-inducing spell, Jediel was in a deep sleep, and Luisa and Hugo showed no signs of waking up even as the child next to them was being taken away.

Just as the masked group was about to put the limp Jediel into a carriage outside the house.

“Stop right there!”

Yasen, the shadow knight who had been hiding in the darkness, revealed himself. He had originally been assigned to guard Veronia’s side by Killian’s orders.

But had he anticipated something like this? Before leaving for the south, Veronia had personally asked Yasen to stay in the capital and protect Jediel. She was worried about the child being alone.

The masked group was taken aback by Yasen’s unexpected appearance. It was no wonder, as they hadn’t sensed even the slightest presence.

Moreover, it was astonishing that he showed no signs of being affected despite presumably inhaling the powerful sleep-inducing smoke.

“How is this possible?”

“…This can’t be!”

“Damn it!”

While the masked group was flustered, Yasen took advantage of the loosened defense and aimed precisely at their vital points.

“Ugh!”

“Huk!”

No one could defeat the shadow knight Yasen in a fight in the darkness. He took down the masked group one by one with ease.

Finally, after taking down the last one, Yasen picked up Jediel, who was slumped in the carriage. The child was still sound asleep.

But then…

With a bang, acrid smoke spread around.

‘Oh no! I thought I had eliminated them all! Was there another group left? Is it sleep-inducing smoke again?’

Before Yasen could react, a group wearing gas masks appeared. They seemed to be from a different organization than the group he had just taken down.

The feeling was different. They seemed to be better trained, and the pressure they exuded was incredible.

“It would be best if you handed over that child!”

The one who appeared to be the leader spoke in a husky voice. Of course, Yasen had no intention of handing Jediel over. Seeing Yasen standing firm, the leader spoke again.

“The smoke you just inhaled might be fine for you with your poison resistance, but it could be fatal for the child. If you want to save the child, put him down right now! The child will die if an antidote isn’t administered within 5 minutes.”

“What? What do you mean…?”

A flustered Yasen looked down at Jediel in his arms to check his condition. The leader’s words seemed to be more than just an empty threat.

Yasen’s heart sank as he saw the child’s face turning black and his body temperature dropping rapidly, causing him to shiver. This was a child he had to protect more preciously than his own life. Yasen gritted his teeth.

“Now, you have 4 minutes left. If you delay any longer, even if we save his life, he might be left with disabilities. You should think carefully and act.”

“…”

There was no choice. Saving the child’s life with the antidote was the priority. The hesitation didn’t last long. Yasen immediately put the limp Jediel down on the ground.

Thud! While all of Yasen’s attention was focused on Jediel, a man standing behind him struck Yasen’s head hard. Ugh, Yasen let out a dying groan and collapsed, losing consciousness.

The leader immediately injected Jediel with the antidote. The effect was immediate, and the child’s face, which had turned black, regained its original color.

“Now, put the child back in the carriage. Handle him carefully. Our precious young master mustn’t have even a hair harmed.”

Kukukuk, the gas mask group each let out a vicious laugh. After loading the deeply sleeping Jediel into the carriage, the group quickly left the place.

Much later, when Yasen regained consciousness, everyone had already disappeared. His head, which had been hit hard, was still throbbing, but that wasn’t important now.

“Damn it!”

He was unbearably disappointed in himself for failing to protect the child he was supposed to guard with all his might. But he couldn’t just sit there and blame himself. He had to find Jediel as quickly as possible.

‘Right. Let’s go there!’

Yasen headed straight for the Ashmore Information Guild. He remembered Killian’s instruction to find Onyx at Ashmore if anything happened.

Despite the late hour, Onyx was in the guild office.

“What? Jediel was kidnapped?”

Onyx’s face twisted grimly after hearing the situation explained by Yasen. Thump thump, his heart pounded.

He immediately took out a communication device and called Killian.

‘Pick up quickly, Killian! It’s urgent! Please be awake! Please!’

As he waited anxiously for a response, biting his lips nervously, the flickering communication device lit up brightly, and Killian’s surprised voice was heard.

– Onyx? What’s the matter at this hour?

“Killian, something terrible has happened! Is Nia with you too?”

– Yes, I’m here too.

“Good. Your shadow guard knight, Yasen, has come to me.”

As Onyx gestured for him to come closer, Yasen immediately approached the communication device and spoke.

“This is Yasen. Lord Chancellor, and Lady Nia.”

– Yasen, what’s the matter?

Suddenly, a deep tension could be felt in Killian’s voice. The fact that Yasen had sought out Onyx in the first place meant that something serious had occurred.

“I apologize, my lord. Young Master Jediel has been kidnapped. He was sleeping at the Rosler’s house when a masked group used sleep-inducing magic tools to break in.”

– Oh no…

– Oh my, our Jediel!

Cries that sounded like groans erupted from the other side of the communication device. For a considerable time after that, there was no response. Only heavy silence flowed, accompanied by rough breathing.