The sky had already displayed its eternal crimson color when Celeste and the kids arrived at the bright town of Calsa. The place was located halfway between the Empire’s capital city and the eastern border, so it was quite a progressive burgh where commerce and opulent socialization were the bread and butter. She had visited this place several times, and there was always something new to see or unfamiliar structures erected. Crimes were prevalent in this huge town, the more reason she needed to hurry to find a place for the night.

She already had one place in mind.

Celeste looked at the frail youngsters who were clenching the side of her cloak. She was completely torn inside whether to help them or not but at the moment her blood was boiling from resentment after hearing who was responsible for the horrifying experience of these kids. She needed to think rationally if it was worth intervening or asking for officials' assistance on this kind of matter. But it was an ‘aristocrat’ who was behind this atrocity. A well-known man in high society. He could’ve bought the loyalty of these venal officers already.

In the past, Baron Iver was one of the aristocrats who accused her of a crime she didn’t commit. Rumor had it that the missing children throughout the empire were her doing. Another scheme that these aristocrats made up was to cover up their dirt. It was easy for them to direct the blame on witches as the Empire despised them. If only she knew back then what was going on. She was enjoying the comfort of the village and the people that she knew for so long. It never crossed her mind how sullied human hearts could be in exchange for golds and silvers, and even for the sake of noble titles.

“Ahh! Big sister, I know this town,” Lan exclaimed as he continued rounding his sight on the crowded Calsa street. “Our village is just a day's travel from here!”

She smiled. At least these kids looked at ease now.

“I see, then tomorrow I’ll take you to your parents. Let’s rest here tonight. The road is quite dangerous at this time,” Celeste assured the two. Plus, Edelfort is quite near to Calsa, the fief of that despicable Baron. His henchmen were probably on the prowl at this hour.

‘Well, not for long.’ She thought. ‘His vileness ends tonight.’

She adjusted her black hood lower to better hide her face and hair. Even though it was evening already, it was still a well-lit public place and needed to be careful. She could also sense the foul smell of dark witches nearby but she already put a spell to conceal her fragrance. To them, a white witch’s heart was a delicacy, for it gave them a great amount of mana and also increased their lifespan tenfold. She didn’t want to engage in a fight with the black witches or the children’s lives will be put in danger.

She lead the two kids to a small, unpopular inn just near the city gate The ‘Tofi Macho Tavern’, the name sounded weird but it was a safe and decent place to stay.

They entered the pub and were greeted by a few customers that looked like mercenaries with bulging muscles and unshaved beards sitting on the bar stools. It was awkward and intimidating as their eyes were glued to the newcomers, the kids trembled in fear but Celeste took off her hood and let her hair flow down her back.

Lan and Top were surprised to see that her silvery white hair was changed into an ash-green color. She just gave them a hush and a wink, a gesture to keep her identity a secret. The mesmerized kids just nodded.

Celeste walked towards the bar counter looking for someone, and a man in his late thirties with dark brown hair who was serving drinks appeared in her line of sight. As they walked toward him, he finally noticed their presence and the guy immediately recognized Celeste. He motioned his free hand to the table near the narrow concrete staircase as if he knew already why she came.

Probably his owls had already seen her before they entered the city. ‘Hmm, as expected of The Messenger.’ 

That man, Adonis Alvhar, the owner of this dodgy pub was the best informant in the empire. She had known him since he was young. An orphan kid who was almost sold into slavery as human trafficking was rampant across the country's borders. He was rescued by her fellow witches and raised in the coven. She never thought that this naughty, scrawny boy would grow up to be clever, more so, a cryptic feared figure. And he still had that habit of giving lame names like this poor tavern, yet, relief had found her system after seeing an old acquaintance.

They waited for a few moments before Adonis came to their table.

“Aunt Este!” He yelled, displaying a wide grin all over Adonis’ face. “Why did you show up just now? I’ve been waiting for you for ages!” he blurted with those puppy dog eyes.

Celeste’s lips twitched in disgust. “I see you’re still annoying as ever...” She let out a warning chuckle before this guy could do something embarrassing.

“Ohhh... god! so scary,” he responded in an overly shivered voice, even crossing his arms to brush his own shoulders. She just rolled her eyes and turned to the confused little boys who were sitting in front of her.

“Adonis, I need a room for three tonight. We’ll be leaving in the morning.”

“Mmmm...” He glanced at the kids who were now glaring back at him. He sniggered. “Yeah, I spared you a room already. I knew you were coming, aunt Este. Who are these little kids though? Wait, don’t tell me... You gave birth...” An exaggerated gasp escaped his mouth.

Celeste knocked the table with her tightened fist enough for some nearby customers to look their way. A deathly smile formed on her lips. “What is it, Doni boy? Tell me.”

Adonis raised both his hands in surrender. “Why are you so harsh to me, aunt Este? I thought we were BFFs—”

“We’re not. And stop calling me aunt,” she cut him off.

“Grandma then?” He continued to tease her referring to her age as a witch.

She was over a hundred years old already but Celeste was still considered a juvenile witch. There was a great difference in the essence of a human and a white witch’s length of life.

But there was one exemption, the De Clarzus clan, the old nobles of the North, for they had the blood of the Celestial being. Their lifespan was longer than humans and could reach a tricentennial age.

“That’s it... you need to die.”

His laughter filled the vicinity upon seeing the irritated face of the white witch. “I’m just kidding, aunt!” He said holding his stomach from laughing too much.

Celeste let out a sigh and then chuckled. She was glad Adonis was still the same. A few laughs were exchanged before she introduced the children to him and told him briefly what happened on their way to Calsa while constantly looking around for someone suspicious inside the pub.

Adonis instructed the server at the bar to get them food to eat and after they finished their dinner he guided them upstairs to their room quietly.

“I need a drink tonight,” Celeste told Adonis, giving him a serious look when she was about to close the door. The latter quickly grasped what she meant by that and nodded.

“I’ll serve you one at midnight.”

The heavy clops of the shod in the hooves of two horses were echoing on the brick concrete steps on the western gate of Calsa, but not loud enough to wake the sleeping town guards on their posts. The night was already deep but the town was still awake with people roaming the streets and vendors calling for customers.

A perfect nest for criminals.

“What a pathetic town,” groaned the man in the black cape with golden blazer shoulder epaulet with a mark of a wolf's head on both sides, and attached to it were tassel chains of the same color—the royal insignia of the Northern Ducal nobility.

“My lord, should I wake these drunk bastards?” Aron Berkley, his secretary, called his attention.

Ezekiel tilted his head slightly to the left and gave a disinterested look at him. “I don’t waste my energy on worthless things.”

Aron rolled out a heavy sigh at his master’s typical response. After all, they came here to gather a piece of important information regarding the missing children cases from an informant called ‘The Messenger’, who was believed to be the best in the country.

It was hard to meet ‘The Messenger’ if this person wasn’t interested in his client. The informant sent invitation cards to people whom he wanted to meet even if it was an emperor who wished to talk to him, there was no derogation. They were lucky enough to be invited by him or perhaps, even this person feared the Archduke. Who wouldn’t fear the Arkaean’s Black Reaper? As his close aide, Aron witnessed the unworldly capabilities of the Grand Duke. Both sublime and traumatizing at the same time. Only his master’s stoic personality was quite troublesome.

“My Lord, shall we go?”

Ezekiel maneuvered the rein and his stallion trotted in his preferred direction. Aron followed the Archduke without hesitation. They needed to go to that place tonight.