A few months passed, Ilario was familiar with all the areas of Magnus Forest, the great forest that very large like one kingdom.

He spent time more than 2 years until he knew all the locations very well. The Magnus Forest has boundaries at north and east of Sapientia Empire. The southern area was connected to Meridiem Sea, the sea that connected south world to east world, and west world.

He planned to survey Mercatura Territory, the southern territory that close to the southern area of Magnus Forest. He wanted to relax himself after he hunted nonstop for months.

He walked out of his room and went downstairs. He ate breakfast before he went out.

“Queen Agnes has something to talk to you. Please go to meet her tomorrow,” Ms. Carina told him kindly after he finished his breakfast.

“Yes,” Ilario said and left for hunting.

Ilario hunted wild animals and monsters along the way from the center of Magnus Forest to the south of Magnus Forest. There were many wild animals but fewer monsters. He reached to the area near Meridiem Sea at noon, with his speed, he could hunt wild animals and reach to the South in a few hours. Normally, the other people spend 1-2 days to travel by carriage over this distance.

Mercatura Territory was a Big territory in Sapientia Empire, long history, the center of commerce and trading with the other empires and kingdoms. There was a big harbour located at the edge of suburb. He saw many merchant ships were loading and unloading many products, a crowd of people and merchants were trading at this harbour.

This area was bustling suburb called ‘Portus Village’. In fact, it was too bustling to call it suburb. It was famous for business like the city. There was a large market, a variety of stalls, several kinds of products including products from the other empires and kingdoms.

He activated “Invisible” to conceal himself. He wanted to survey and look around the market without anyone seeing him. It was not the right time for him to reveal himself, with his appearance, it was easy for the others to recognize him immediately.

He looked around the harbour, then went to the market. He saw many pearl accessories stalls, it was famous and signature products in Mercatura.

There were seafoods stalls, foods and drinks stalls, fruits and vegetables stalls, cloths stalls, pottery stalls, and other stalls that sell products from other empires and kingdoms. It was the large market that everyone can buy what they wanted here.

He spent the entire afternoon looking around the market. He enjoyed walking and looking many kinds of products until the sunset. There were many products that he has never seen even in his previous life.

The sky was dark, the market was still crowded. He passed many stalls until he reached to the area near Magnus Forest. He walked through the forest and prepared himself to ride on Solaris’s back to go back to the elves’ village.

He found that he could not use ‘Teleport’ freely at the area near the center of Magnus Forest, especially the location of elves’ village. He assumed that Queen Agnes cast the very strong barrier to protect that area. He had gotten in the trap once, he got lost in the maze for hours after he used ‘Teleport’ to go that area for the first time. Luna and Solaris also could not help him at that time. It was like all magic powers were blocked in that maze but there was some clue to lead us out with the right path.

He had tried to use ‘Teleport’ in a short distance for fighting, except for the area near the elves’ village, there was no problem.

We ran through the forest for a while. Suddenly, we detected the familiar magic core from far ahead of us.

“The magic power is the same as yours, although we could detect it slightly,” Luna said.

“I felt the same as well. We’d better go to check it,” Ilario said.

He activated “Invisible”. Solaris speeded up and ran direct to the area where we detected the power. He saw a group of mercenaries, six of them in total, riding on their horses, and a horseman controlling the horses to pull the carriage which completely covered in the group. He felt the other two energies inside the carriage. They were running to the South.

This scene was familiar to him. It was the same as his situation when he came to this world after he died from the symptoms of workaholism.

He used “Teleport” to go in their way, then shot the arrow at the head of horseman.

“Argh…” a horseman died instantly.

“We got attack!” A mercenary shouted.

The group of mercenaries were frightened with surprised attack. They stopped and looked at the source of attack but they found nothing.

Ilario used ‘Teleport’ to change his direction quickly and quietly. He confused them with the source of attack. He shot at head, one of them.

“Whoa…What was that?” a mercenary exclaimed.

“Find them!” a mercenary said.

The remaining mercenaries got off their horses, some were guarding on the carriage, some were looking for the source of attacks.

Ilario did the same, he changed his direction and shot at head, one of them. He killed the one who looking for the source of attacks first.

They looked at each other. They were frightened by unpredictable attacks. Three of them were killed instantly. They could do nothing but stayed on guard.

Ilario did not waste time. He continued to use the same method, he killed another 2 of them very quickly. There were 2 of them remaining outside the carriage and another one inside the carriage.

“What the hell was that?” a mercenary swore.

“I’m not gonna stay here,” another mercenary climbed onto his horse and tried to run away.

Ilario shot arrow at his head before he could escape. There were one mercenary remaining outside and another one inside the carriage.

“Luna, please check the situation inside the carriage,” mind communicated Ilario.

Ilario kept the one outside the carriage for asking more information.

A mercenary was trembling with fear. Everything had happened in a few minutes.

“They kidnapped a girl. She lost consciousness but another guy inside holding her as a hostage,” mind communicated Luna.

“Kill him and take care of her,” mind communicated Ilario.

Luna distracted a mercenary inside the carriage with a light ball. A mercenary was frightened by the light, which suddenly appeared in front of him. Luna made a light ball moving toward him.

“Whoa…what’s that?” He let go of the girl and tried to protect himself.

“Hey, what’s happen?” a mercenary who was staying outside the carriage asked a mercenary inside the carriage.

He tried to get in the carriage but Ilario shot the arrows at his legs to stop him.

“Ouch…Argh…” he cried, his legs hurt from the shots of arrows, and sank to the ground.

Meanwhile, Luna used “Light Beam” by compassing power and shot at his heart.

“Argh…” he died instantly.

“She is safe now,” mind communicated Luna.

***

Ilario cut off the right arm of the last one, who sank to the ground.

“Arghhh…” a mercenary screamed loudly with hurt.

Ilario showed up himself. A mercenary was frightened by a boy, who suddenly appeared in front of him.

“Who hired you to kidnap the girl?” Ilario asked.

“Wh...Who are you?” a mercenary asked anxiously.

“Answer my question,” said Ilario coldly, he stabbed hard on the mercenary’s shoulder with his speed.

“Argh…No…” said a mercenary, he saw Ilario going to stab him more. “Wait...I will tell you. We were hired by a thin man, who was in his forties. He wore the hood and covered his face. We didn’t see his face clearly. But we guessed that he was working for the noble,”

“What did he say?” Ilario asked.

“He said he wanted us to take a girl to a merchant at the harbour. There will be a knight of Fortis take her out of the castle and meet us at the forest near the castle,” said a mercenary, he was out of breath.

“Did you know a merchant’s name?” Ilario asked, he did not care about his condition.

“No, we use the code word ‘New Era’ when we meet,” a mercenary said.

“Anything else?” Ilario asked, he felt that a mercenary did not tell him all of the truth.

“No, that’s all I know. Please don’t kill me,” said a mercenary, he had tears in his eyes. He was badly hurt with the injuries.

“Why I have to do so?” Ilario asked and said, “everything has its price,”

“What else you want to know?” a mercenary asked.

“How did you get this job?” Ilario asked.

“Our group is well known for working all kinds of jobs. We make a good money with that,” a mercenary said.

“I see,” Ilario said and killed him. He has no reason to let him go.

He thought that there must be someone who has high authority behind this incident. Everything was too easy for them to kidnap a girl from a powerful family, not even talked about his case.

“We’d better go back first,” Ilario said, “please tell the details to Queen Agnes and ask for her permission. We will take the girl back to the elves’ village.”

“Yes,” Solaris said and left.

Ilario got in the carriage and checked the condition of the girl. She looks very young. Luna had healed and unlocked the shackles for her but she still lost her consciousness.

He held her out of the carriage, then riding on Luna to go back to the elves’ village.

“The Queen allowed you to take the girl inside,” mind communicated Solaris. He told us while we nearly reached to the elves’ village.

Ilario went direct to the treehouse and asked Ms. Carina for help. She was surprised when she saw the girl but she hurried to take care of the girl without any question.

Ms. Carina carried the girl to his room. She wiped her body and changed the clothes for her.

Ilario went into his room after Ms. Carina took care of the girl. He saw her wearing his old shirt and sleeping on the bed. He wanted her to get enough rest. He decided to sleep on the floor beside her.

***

The next day, Ilario went to meet Queen Agnes to report her the details of incident last night.

“You came. How’s the girl?” Queen Agnes asked.

“She is fine now. Thank you for your concern,” said Ilario sincerely.

He told her all the details.

“I see. So, you detected her power and helped her. I felt the power of Helius inside her as well. Everything occurred because of fate. It’s time for you to return to your family,” said Queen Agnes calmly, “I called you to meet me today to tell you about this matter as well. We have nothing more to teach you. You are intelligent and clever. I believe that you can protect yourself from now on,” She smiled at him kindly.

“Besides, I got a message from World Tree Spirit 3 days ago ‘It’s time for the descendant of Helius to return, he will come back to Magnus Forest once again when the right time’” said Queen Agnes, “We are welcome you anytime but you need to come alone. As you may know, we have duty to protect this forest. That’s why I’m very strict with this matter. We also made agreement with Stella to prohibit all the citizens to invade Magnus Forest every generations.”

“I understand,” Ilario said.

“Most importantly, you must keep the secret about The World Tree, World Tree Spirt, and the entrance of the elves’ village,” Queen Agnes said.

“Yes, I will keep it secret,” Ilario said and asked. “How can I tell the others about me who went missing for many years? I’m afraid there might be something I should not tell them,”

“You can say that you ran away from the kidnappers and you got helped from us. You could not go back at that time because you lost your memory and your memory just came back. It’s not necessary to tell them about the training, the practice world, and the hunting world,” Queen Agnes said.

“What about the resurrection of Diabolus?” Ilario asked.

“You can say that you knew the information from the elves. I think that humans have information about Diabolus and the other monsters in the past. They knew that the elves had helped them at that time. They will understand,” said Queen Agnes Kindly.

“I see. I will keep everything in mind,” said Ilario politely, “I’m very grateful for all the support that you have given me. I will leave after the girl get better,”

“All right. Take care of yourself,” said Queen Agnes kindly.

***