"What is this?"

Allan silently asked himself. His attendant that came with him was worried as the expression on the Young Master's face was paled.

​​

"Young Master are you alright?"

Allan shook off the painful feeling in his heart as well as the pieces of memories that he wasn't aware if it was from him. Strangely enough, those memories of him just came on like it was just passing by and his memories withered and he forgot it in a mere second.

"Strange…"

"Young Master?"

This time, Allan didn't ignore the voice of his attendant and he replied that he was alright.

He decided to stay in the Cabin and wait for the mages of his family. They needed to know the spell that was written in a black on the floor.

It was strangely familiar for him and his gut feeling was telling him to unveil it.

However for now, he had enough problems on his plate and he needed to act fast. The King has already pestered them enough about the incidents that started to happen four years ago.

A lot has been happening in the other territories similar to what was happening to their Duchy. The task was given to his father as Duke Keene is also the Military General of the Kingdom.

He was entitled to protect the Kingdom as bestowed to him with his title. And as of now, there are results that only a handful of his father's aides as well as him knew the truth.

"Let's go… tell the knights that if they didn't find that merchant then, you'll know what punishment will be bestowed to you and your troops." Allan said to Sir Mike.

"Yes, Young Master Allan."

***

The night came and strangely it was quiet. The Shield Forest was dark as the lush tall trees were covering the night sky.

Only the shadow came from the branches and leaves casted and covered the ground. Usually monsters would lurk in the dark as they start to hunt and become the resident of the Shield forest.

However, the sound of the knight's footsteps patrolling the area around the Cabin are what the small monsters are keeping them at bay.

The glint on their swords mirrored the small lights that came from the Cabin.

"Do you think it was connected to the missing people?"

"You mean about the complaints of some commoners? Where their families went missing when they entered this forest?"

"What will the Young Master do? The Duke isn't here…? The other vassals of the Duke would surely cause a fuss when they heard this."

The Knights can't help but talk about the situation they have in hand.

"What would happen to us if we didn't find that merchant?"

"Do you think that we will have a good impression on the young Master and the Duke? Did you see the look in his eyes after he came out from the underground? It was scary… like a silent storm."

The knights looked in the direction of the Cabin and saw the busy people with high rank positions in Light Legion come by and go. The second captain, third captain were there inside the small house.

Inside, Allan has been looking at the reports that the butler Jede brought and gave. It was the documents that contained confidential information about what they found out ever since this kind of thing started to resurface.

Allan closed the folder and leaned at the chair. The chair was uncomfortable but Allan didn't mind it because his head was in more agonizing state than his bottom.

"Let me in…! Let me in…!"

"What was that?" Allan asked his aide.

"I'll go and take a look…"

His attendant left him for a minute and Allan closed his eyes to organize his thoughts when his attendant hurriedly ran to his side with the panicked look.

"What is it?"

Allan had an ominous feeling but he didn't let it show to his face. His aide leaned closer and whispered the report of the knight that was panting from the short breath.

His eyes went wide and his mind went blank. Allan also felt a boulder pushing him down. A trickle of his sweat ran down from his sculpted face.

He brushed his face with both hands as if brushing it would take his problems away.

"How did it happen? Where is the knight that brought the news?"

His aide let the knight in. The knight was part of the first troop of the Light Legion and is under direct order of the Duke.

Allan knitted his brows when he saw the injured knight. He only patched himself lightly and he can still see the blood stains from his white cape.

"What happened?"

The knight gulped down a lump on his throat. Sir Rolf gave him the task to inform their Young Master about what happened to the Duke as he can't leave his side.

They used teleportation magic on him because they knew that it would take some time to reach the estate and they have a bad feeling that something would happen to the Duchy when their lord is injured.

That's why as a countermeasure, they sent him back first for safety measures and if something happened they would use the video communication device of the Academy. They needed to lay low as it concerned the life of their monarch.

"We're on our way to the St. Prish Academy when someone ambushed us after we defeated a group of Orc."

The knight started to tell what happened. The room consisted only of Allan, his aide, and the two leaders of the Light Legion platoon.

"You were ambushed by whom?"

"Fifty assassins and fifteen elite mages…"

"What??!"

Allan was shocked at the numbers the knight just gave. Fifteen elite mages can destroy a town on their own by using their powerful magic. Add to that fifty assassins, that was one heck of an ambush.

"What about the father? How did it happen? Is he gravely injured?"

"The Duke... suddenly stopped mid-fight and an assassin and a mage did a surprise attack, however the Duke was late in reacting, some of our men tried to block the attack...and died. The Duke received a deep slash on his back and it was burned because of the mage's attack."

Allan's hands that were resting on his knee tightened as he heard the explanation of the knight about his father.

His beating heart becomes more violent and every pump of blood the anger rushes to his head while his body is getting colder and numb because of his mind wandering the possible state of his father, Duke Keene.

Noticing the paled countenance of the apparent heir of the Dukedom, the knight immediately continued his report.

"Don't worry young master, there's two people who help us when the situation becomes too dangerous for us, and turn the tables against the enemies. Right now, the Duke is being treated in the Academy...and is out of danger."

"That's a relief…"

"The Duke will need a few days before he can regain his strength again, after only that can the DUke use a transportation scroll to come back to the Duchy… that's why vice captain Rolf decided to send me back here first."

Allan sighed a relief. After his paled face, his anger surface and his cold eyes glowed dangerously. His demeanor changed into that of a ruler.

"Who are those two people you said to help you in that dire state? And how come they are there when the Duke and his troops are cornered? What about the enemies? Did you learn about them?"

Allan bombarded the knight with questions, though he knew that the knight needed his rest, the situation didn't allow him to do so. The knight also knew that this is a dangerous situation so he gladly answered him back.

"One of them was the protector of the Academy… I believe he was known as Chrisfold…"

"So, the academy came to help…?" Allan mumbled.

"Then, who was the other?!"

"She was a woman and we heard Sir Chrisfold called her Evelyn…"

Allan suddenly stopped like he was splashed by cold water.

"Evelyn… is she?"

The knight shakes his head. He knew what was the meaning of their Young Master's words. It's been four years since they heard that name. It was understandable for them to see that shocked expression on their Young Master's face.

But still, he didn't want to let his hopes up, so he answered him honestly.

"We don't know Young Master Allan, half of her face was covered and only her cat-like eyes are what we saw… it was the color of chestnut."

"Cat-like eyes and chestnut color…"

Allan suddenly remembered a female knight who left an impression on him when they encountered for the first time at the Royal Palace.

She was a knight to the Crown Prince of Perspiru Kingdom. Allan's thoughts were cut off when he remembered that the female knight's name is Adelyn, also the knight continued to tell his report.

"They were both powerful, the woman swiftly took down the twenty assassins on her own and casted barrier magic on every knight when the enemy casted a powerful lightning strike that he shot from the sky… she also kill the two mages on her own and securely tied the another mage for information"

Allan rested his chin to his palm while the other one was massaging his temple. He has a lot of thinking to do. And needed to know who is the benefactor that saved his father's life.