According to Adrien, yeah, I finally got him calm down after he cried his lungs out.
So, according to him, he found me, both guards, and Julian deep in the forest. That was two days ago. All of us were unconscious. He said I was covered in blood, and my body had several wounds.
Except, he swore, there was nothing on my chest.
Not a single mark.
Apparently, the moment he saw me, he carried me straight to Granny Presela, our village doctor. She's not just a doctor, she's a medical Arcanist, so yeah, the best we got.
The guards and Julian were brought in too. One guard had injured legs, but it wasn't life-threatening. Julian… he had some bad wounds, but he's safe now.
And then, of course, Adrien started again, his usual guilt trip stuff. "I couldn't protect you," "It's my fault," blah blah. I wanted to stop him, tell him it's okay. That wound on his shoulder isn't a joke, he carried me all the way to the village with that? That's already more than enough. But knowing Adrien, if I said that, he'd just beat himself up harder. That's just how he is.
So, I changed the subject.
"So… Loid has a stigma?" I asked, hoping to pull his brain away from his pity party.
I was sitting in my dad's room, mine was still trashed from the mana burst. The whole Ashford barony was in panic mode right now. I mean, someone awakening their mana core at age five? That's unheard of. And yep, that someone's me.
But still… what even happened? Why has my wound disappeared? What was that dream before I woke up? Who was that person, cloaked in black, that I saw?
There are too many questions.
And right now, I'm just tired. Guess I will figure out one by one later.
"One with a Rank S classification," Adrien muttered, eyes shadowed. "To think that weakling has something like that…"
Loid's stigma. Yeah, I know about it. I helped him with that thing and almost got killed doing it. Honestly, I don't even want to remember that day. Gives me goosebumps. I told him not to use it before reaching the fifth solid ring phase. The backlash could kill him!
But that idiot used it at the third solid ring phase.
Seriously, does he have a death wish?
"Young master…"
I blinked. Adrien again.
"Young master!"
"Wha- what?" I said, jumping slightly.
He looked unsure. "About your mana core… how did it happen?"
Don't ask me that. I wish I knew. But something tells me that last moment, right before I passed out, had something to do with it. That cloaked figure I saw... all in black, like a shadow torn from the world.
Who was that?
Just then, someone knocked at the door.
"Yeah, come in," I said, still lost in my thoughts.
Guard Mikael stepped in, his armor clinking quietly. "Sorry to interrupt, young master," he said, giving a quick bow. "I'm glad to see you're alright."
I gave him a little smile. He's not here just for that, though.
"I have a report, young master. I didn't want to disturb you. You were unconscious for two days, and I hated the idea of pulling you into anything again, but… I believe this concerns you."
That's rare. Most guards brush me off since I'm just a kid.
"What is it?" I asked, straightening a little on the bed.
"After the incident, we launched a full-scale investigation in Ashford territory," Mikael said. He pulled a few papers from under his arm and handed them to me. "Turns out, the kidnapper was one of our own servants."
My chest tightened. "What?"
"He was appointed just a month before the incident. Goes by the name Casio Lin. But we believe it's an alias. When we looked deeper into the name, we found something unusual."
I stared at the papers. There was a sketch of him, sharp features, eyes like he's always judging, and hair tied back neatly.
This guy…
I remember him.
The tree element user.
I felt my jaw clench. To think he is hiding under my nose.
"What's unusual?" I asked, scanning the details. My fingers trembled slightly on the edge of the paper.
"Yes, Young Master. He applied for a sick leave five days ago and booked a room at the Auralian Tavern, room number 09. We believe he was preparing for the kidnapping," Mikael said.
Wait… so they were planning this before more than a month? But how did they know Julian would be here? His visit was undercover, not official. Was this whole thing just to evolve Julian into something superior? What the hell…
"But that isn't the unusual thing, Young Master," Mikael added.
"What?"
"I found out that this man, Casio Lin, is actually not an Arcanist. He hasn't awakened his mana core."
"WHAT?!"
I might've shouted loud enough to shake the windows, Mikael definitely flinched.
But that can't be right. No way. I saw that guy use magic. He wasn't just an Arcanist, he was a Variant Arcanist!
"We checked into the name Casio Lin," Mikael continued. "As you know, when we appoint servants, we conduct background checks and run Arcanist tests. Casio Lin passed as an ordinary citizen, no mana core, nothing. I personally oversaw those tests."
"So, a non-Arcanist used a sub-elemental magic? Is it an artifact?" Adrien muttered, thinking aloud. Then shook his head. "No... no, I fought him myself. That wasn't artifact-based. It was raw casting."
Then he grumbled again, like a ticking bomb.
"From now on, I'll look into everyone in Ashford territory. To think that bastard was hiding right under my nose-"
Oh, please no. The last thing I need is this idiot swinging his sword at every suspicious person he sees.
"So, what's Casio Lin's background? I'm guessing it's fake but tell me anyway." I asked.
Mikael cleared his throat, ever the dutiful one.
"He's from the capital. Just a commoner's son. Lost his father, wandered the kingdom for a while, and eventually ended up in Ashford."
Yeah... sounds like the perfect common cover story.
"But recently, when we dug deeper, we found something else. He has ties with an organization called... 'Black Sigil.'"
I froze. Black Sigil? Not Children of Hollow?
But that bald guy definitely said Children of Hollow. Are the two working together?
But I've never heard of Black Sigil before. Who even are they?
"Do we have any intel on Black Sigil?" I asked.
Mikael shook his head. "Nothing came up. It's as if they don't exist in any records."
A hidden organization teaming up with one of the most infamous underworld group to kidnap a royal? That's messed up.
But something feels off. Casio Lin hid his identity so well; why would he leave any trace back to Black Sigil? Especially if "Casio" was just a false name for this operation? No skilled operative would be dumb enough to leave trails like that unless...
Unless that part of the story is forged. Deliberately planted.
But if that bald guy hadn't told me about the Children of Hollow…
Yeah, I'd be on edge about this "Black Sigil" too.
It's honestly depressing that we didn't even get one kidnapper alive.
Baldie? Killed by me. (Not that I mentioned that to anyone.) And the remaining four? Completely wiped out by my dear disciple, Loid.
I frowned. This was getting messy. Royals and the Children of Hollow tangled together? The best move for Ashford was to stay the hell out of it.
That organization isn't the type, a small territory like ours can afford to cross. And getting tangled with the royals never ends well, either. (I know because I used to be one)
But… how did they even know about Julian's visit to Viscount Rowley? It was supposed to be a low-profile trip. Don't tell me there's a spy in the royal court. Someone close to the king. Unless the Children of Hollow suddenly hired prophets who can see the future, something doesn't add up.
"Is this Casio Lin an idiot?" A new voice cut into the conversation, someone eavesdropping without a care in the world.
Leaning lazily against the doorframe was none other than Arlan. He finally came out of his room, acting like none of this mess mattered.
"Any idiot would know not to use their mission alias when contacting their own organization. That just leaves a trail. What a bunch of idiots."
...And why the hell is he even here? I didn't say a word, but my face probably gave me away.
Arlan smirked. "Ah, looks like our precious Young Master isn't too happy to see me."
I didn't respond. He's been acting like this ever since he came back home.
"Must be nice awakening at five," He said, shrugging, hands stuffed in his trouser pockets. "All those old geezers in the capital will be tripping over themselves to groom you."
Doesn't matter how good-looking someone is; if their personality's garbage, it's a waste. Isn't it? I actually felt bad for Arlan's face. It was going to rot on such a trash personality.
"I don't quite get it," I muttered, brow furrowed. I had enough on my plate already, don't throw mind games at me too.
"Eeeh? So, our precious Young Master really is an idiot?" Arlan mocked, his voice as casual as ever. "I'm saying, once those capital fossils hear about what happened, your peaceful life here is over. Good luck with that, brother."
And just like that, he walked off. Like dropping a mana bomb and leaving before it explodes.
I sighed. Adrien looked pissed, but, as usual, he said nothing.
But Arlan did have a point, even if he didn't know the real culprit is children of hollow. So, this Black Sigil or whatever is meant to be used as a scapegoat?