Agran and Ramza were preparing food in the kitchen when Jegun entered.

"What dishes are you preparing, guys?" he asked.

"We will have roasted chicken and seafood soup for lunch, Grandpa. Then we'll also have some boiled rice," Agran answered, wearing a pleasant smile on his face. He feels good after their ordeal was resolved. When Grandpa was still missing, they can't relax, now that he's back, everything feels right again.

Ramza was preparing the fire and the makeshift stick that's needed for roasting the chicken.

Jegun sat beside Ramza. "What happened last night, lad? Care to fill me up with the details?" he asked.

"Well...not much. Pretty much the usual but a little bit more intense compared to the previous battle... because the castle release dark shadows that can hover in the air, and if we are not careful they can easily annihilate us," Ramza replied. "Haven't you see seen them when the castle starts releasing them?"

"I haven't seen the dark shadows exiting the opening... because I saw several monsters getting away, so I chase after them. But I have already seen the dark shadows while still living in the cave inside the castle," Jegun said.

"I don't know what else the vampires can release next time? Ghost? Giant insects?" Ramza asked out of the blue.

"Oh no, not that one!" Jegun blurted out.

"What- are you afraid of, Grandpa?" Ramza asked while impaling the chicken with the stick and put it above the fire.

Jegun was pondering for a moment. "Nah, don't mind me. I think the vampires will only release the giant insects if the monsters in the pit and the dark shadows have been annihilated. For now, as long there's still monsters and dark shadows that they can dispose of...they won't release those giant creatures," he said confidently.

"Ah, okay. Let's not worry about that issue yet because the vampires are determined to release all the monsters and the dark shadows, am I right, Grandpa?" Ramza said.

Jegun nodded his head. "You're correct!" he replied. "Everyone is okay? No one got harm last night?" he inquired.

"Yes, everyone is safe," answered Ramza.

"Good!" Jegun replied, feeling relieved. He watched as Agran went out of the kitchen to fetch water from the deep well located a few meters away from the kitchen.

A few minutes later.

The mouthwatering aroma of roasted chicken filled the air.

When Agran returned, the rice was already cooked. He was in the process of making the fish soup when he remembered the boys. "I wonder why the boys have not returned yet?" he said aloud.

Jegun's brows knitted together. "That's strange..." he commented.

"Stange indeed!" Ramza agreed.

"They should have sent someone to report here..." Agran said.

Jegun rose to his feet. "Since I'm the reason why they are not home yet, I should go back to the castle and find them," he said, feeling guilty.

Ramza stood up. "Nah, no need to leave the island, Grandpa. I will go there and find them myself. Don't worry, the boys and I will come back before you're done roasting the chicken," he said.

"Okay..." Jegun replied and lowered himself on the wooden chair and took charge in roasting the chicken.

Ramza exited the kitchen and went to find Zemeth.

He found his friend sleeping in one of the rooms upstairs. He went to the side of the bed and poked his elbow gently. "Bro, wake up..." he said.

Zemeth opened his eyes. "What's wrong-?"

"The boys have not returned yet," Ramza informed him.

Zemeth sits upright. "Whaat-?"

"Yes...they should have come back already or sent someone here to report about the status of their search. Grandpa Jegun is already here. There's no need for them to stay and linger outside. They should have been sleeping and resting by now," Ramza said worriedly.

Zemeth got off from the bed. "I'm going to the castle to check on them..." he said.

"No, need for you to go. Just continue your sleep. I'll go there myself," Ramza said. "I'm here to inform you that they have not returned yet. I'll take my leave now," he said and left the room.

Zemeth returned to bed and resumed his sleep, thinking that everything will be alright after he wakes up.

Ramza exited the house and faced the beach. He stared at the clear blue ocean, so tempting to take a dip! Maybe later, if the boys finally return, he will take a swim in the sea. He didn't bother using use the portal, instead, he uses teleportation going to the castle.

Ramza vanished from the island instantly.

He reappeared in the castle a few seconds later, hovering in the air, looking left and right for any signs of the boys. He floated here and there...yet...he can't find a single soul. The remains of the dead monsters were also gone.

The surrounding area of the castle was still the same. Nothing has changed.

"Where did the boys go?" Ramza said aloud. Although they have a mission to find Grandpa Jegun far and wide, they should have at least send someone to the island to report on the status of their search and reveal their current location so that the folks on the island don't have to worry why they have not returned yet.

Sighing, he flew away from the vicinity of the castle, going to other places and villages, hoping to catch up with the boys wherever they are right now.

He already covered a thousand miles hovering in the air in his invisible form. It's to ensure that anyone from the ground won't be able to see him flying in the air.

A few minutes later.

He comes to a town dotted with big houses, markets, stalls, and other structures. He circled the town... looking for the boys everywhere, but he can't find them.

Hmm...maybe the boys already went home!

He might as well go back to the island and eat lunch because he's feeling hungry already!

He decided to teleport back to the island to report and eat lunch. If the boys have not returned yet, he will continue to look for them everywhere after lunch.

He activated the teleportation process in his mind.

Ramza reappeared on the island, in front of the house. He smelled the aroma of delicious roasted chicken, yummy! he was salivating! He walked directly towards the kitchen because the hunger he felt in his stomach was already too much for him to bear.

When he entered the kitchen... Zemeth, Agran, and Jegun were already sitting around the table, eating lunch together.

"Guys, I'm just back in time for lunch!" he said and sat on the vacant chair beside Zemeth. He picked up the spoon and began putting food on the plate.

Jegun took the roasted chicken thigh and put it on Ramza's plate. "Eat well. Have you found the boys?" he asked.

Ramza shook his head while taking a big bite from the chicken leg. "No. I haven't found them yet. I come back here to report and inform you guys that the boys seem to be missing. I can't find them..." he said worriedly.

Zemeth, Agran, and Jegun looked at each other. Different thoughts were running in their heads.

A thick blanket of silence enveloped them. Four powerful assassins went missing without leaving a trace, which is suspicious enough! Especially now that it's lunchtime, they won't fail to return to the island, which they can do easily since the four of them know how to teleport.

Their anxiety was growing in leaps and bounds.

Jegun looked at his companion. "When is the time we will declare them as missing?" he asked.

Zemeth released a deep sigh. "Let's wait until the night comes. If they still haven't returned during that time, that only means one thing...they encounter something terrible along the way, or the enemies got them. I hope I'm wrong this time...I hope so," he said.

"Oh, no! We need someone to stay outside the castle just in case monsters will come out soon," Agran reminded them.

Zemeth looked at the people around him. His mind was thinking rapidly of a better solution to end their pressing problems. "Since we are kind of short in numbers, we will seek Aspen and Esmeralda's help. We need all the help we can get," he said.

"I volunteer to look for the boys since I'm the reason why they were gone in the first place," Jegun said.

"Agran, Ramza, and I will stay in the castle to fight the monsters just in case the vampires will release another batch tonight," Zemeth said. "Esmeralda, Aspen, and Jegun will team up to find the missing boys," he added. "Any objection, guys?"

Everyone shook their heads.

"No objection, lad," Jegun said.

Zemeth eyed the two.

"I agree to the arrangement," Agran replied.

"Me too," Ramza spoke.

"Okay, let's finish our meals and then go back to the castle so that Grandpa can go to the mountain and ask for help," Zemeth said.

The men resumed eating, surrounded by an excruciating silence, as uneasy feeling settled in the pit of their stomach. The foreboding feeling will hunt their waking hour. It will only end after they will know what happened to their companions.

Done eating, everyone left the island, except Agran. He was washing the dishes. He will go to the castle after he's done tidying the kitchen. While he was performing his chore, he was kind of hoping that the boys will return to the island right now and demands food for lunch... he prefers to think that way.

Zemeth and Ramza have gone back to the castle, while Grandpa Jegun went to the mountain to ask for help.