Bang!

James' final blow shattered the blond man's skull, ending the torture once and for all.

He discarded the body and grabbed a handkerchief to wipe his blood-soaked right fist.

Moments later, he turned and ran toward Merlin.

"Is my young master alright?" he asked anxiously.

Earlier, he had spoken with Lisa and Margaret, saying he would take care of the kidnappers who harmed Merlin while they stayed behind to look after him.

Surprisingly, only one kidnapper remained; the rest lay unconscious. The only other attacker was now his young master.

It might seem strange—or even impossible—for an eight-year-old to defeat them all, but there was no other reasonable explanation.

"Don't worry, Mr. James," Lisa said in a calm, soothing voice. "Your young master is fine. His wounds aren't severe, and I've already healed him."

James exhaled, his tense body finally relaxing.

"By the way, your young master is very impressive. He handled those people exceptionally well," Lisa continued, her tone admiring.

Her gaze swept over the five unconscious bodies, each one in a terrible state.

James gave a small smile. "Thank you for the compliment. To be honest, I didn't expect him to progress this quickly either. He's only been practicing for twelve days, so this is truly remarkable."

"Twelve days?" Lisa and Margaret exclaimed, exchanging astonished glances.

'What an incredible talent. Don't tell me he's going to become a great figure in the future,' Lisa whispered, carefully watching the unconscious Merlin.

It was hard to fully believe James' words, but she knew that someone with such a serious expression wouldn't speak lightly.

'He might really be compatible with the young lady,' she added with a chuckle, glancing at Margaret beside her.

Even with her mask on, Lisa could see the happiness shining in Margaret's eyes.

"In that case, I'll bring my young master back first. Lord Ardhis and Lady Livia must be very worried about him," James said as he carefully lifted Merlin.

But just as he was about to leave, Margaret hurriedly called after him.

"Wait! Can I see Merlin once more?"

James was taken aback. He turned to Margaret and fell silent for a moment, lost in thought.

During the search with Lisa, he had learned that the girl before him was the young lady of the Beethoven family—a merchant house rumored to be incredibly wealthy.

It was said their fortune could rival the three great kingdoms of the continent. No one could confirm it, but many believed the claim.

'If my young master can form a good relationship with her, it would be a great advantage for the Clay family,' James murmured softly.

He then smiled faintly and nodded. "Of course, Young Lady Margaret. Since you and my young master are friends, there's no way I could forbid you from interacting."

Margaret let out a relieved sigh, placing her right hand over her chest.

"Thank goodness. Thank you, Mr. James," she said, giving a slight bow.

James responded with a brief nod before finally departing.

Once he was gone, Lisa turned to Margaret. "In that case, let's go too, young lady."

Margaret didn't refuse but remembered the children still trapped in the wooden house. She asked Lisa to rescue them first.

Lisa nodded without hesitation. Without another word, she led Margaret away, leaving the area shrouded in a tense and gloomy atmosphere.

...

"Has Merlin been found yet?"

In the dining room, Livia looked anxiously at Ardhis. It had been more than four hours since James sent word of Merlin's disappearance, yet there was still no news.

As a mother, it was only natural for worry and panic to grip her heart.

"Don't worry," Ardhis said, gently rubbing her back. "Let's trust James. I'm sure he'll find him. Trust me, okay?"

But beneath his calm demeanor, deep anger stirred within him. He never expected Droswen City—the city he had protected for so many years—to be infiltrated by mysterious kidnappers.

They had not only kidnapped several children but had even dared to take his own son. It was something he could never forgive.

Once Merlin was found, he vowed to send thousands of troops to hunt them down and wipe them out completely.

At the end of the table, Catrine sat with a gloomy expression. She stared blankly at the dish in front of her—the once-delicious food now cold and unappetizing.

All because her brother, Merlin, had yet to return.

"Catrine, I'm sorry," Ardhis said softly beside her. "If this hadn't happened, tonight would've been a special moment for you. But I promise, we'll celebrate again tomorrow, okay?"

Catrine felt a warm hand pat her head and quickly shook her head.

"It's okay, Father. I'm not angry or upset," she said sincerely. Her round face turned somber as she added, "I'm just sad Brother Merlin hasn't come back yet. I'm really worried about him."

She still remembered how her father had told her that Merlin went to the capital that afternoon to find her a present. At that moment, she had been so excited.

But now, that joy had vanished, replaced by a deep sadness.

At the same time, she couldn't help but blame herself. In truth, Catrine didn't really care about the gift.

As long as her brother still loved her as he used to and didn't return to being the cruel person he once was, that was more than enough for her.

Ardhis let out a quiet sigh. His daughter was too easily forgiving, even in situations that didn't favor her. On one hand, it was a good thing—she wasn't easily ruled by emotions.

But on the other hand, it was dangerous, as she often struggled to express her true feelings.

Just as the tense atmosphere in the dining room lingered, the sound of footsteps came from the door. A servant appeared, his face full of excitement.

"My lord, good news!" he exclaimed eagerly. "Butler James just sent word—Young Master Merlin has been found! They're on their way back to the mansion!"

The moment those words were spoken, Ardhis, Livia, and Catrine froze. Then, in the next second, they looked at each other, their faces lighting up with joy.

...

Fiuu

In an open area beside a rushing river, a faint whistle echoed, followed by the sound of casual footsteps. A man in a black cloak appeared, a faint smile on his face.

He stopped at the riverbank and let out a quiet chuckle. "Droswen City is the next target. I hope the chaos to come will be entertaining enough to watch... hehehe..."

Then, he uncapped a small black bottle and poured its contents into the river. Instantly, the once-clear water turned pitch black.

Black smoke billowed from the surface, but strangely, it lasted only a moment before fading away and returning to normal.

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