The entire castle was in chaos. Footsteps, shouting, doors opening and slamming shut echoed all around.

— “Has anyone seen him?”

— “The room is empty! The window was open!”

— “Roven is missing!”

Rais’ heart was tightening with anxiety. Viria stormed into the hall with blazing eyes and said loudly:

— “He ran away! And if we don’t find him, this country is in trouble. We’re already under too much scrutiny…”

Garth Karth, with a grim face, sat on a chair and said:

— “We never should’ve trusted a half-blood to begin with.”

Linda Karth, sitting cold and bitter, said:

— “He was always an ill fit. Should’ve been sent far away from the start… far from us…”

Rais, who had been silent until now, spoke with red eyes and clenched teeth:

— “That’s enough! He’s never hurt anyone. You’re just afraid of what you don’t understand.”

He turned—his footsteps echoing through the hall. A thought sparked in his mind:

— “Could it be…?”

He took off running. Down the stairs, toward the garden—the same place he and Roven had sat earlier that day.

He was panting. It was night, dark… silent.

The garden looked empty, but Rais felt drawn to a corner beneath the hawthorn tree.

There… something like a bundle of fabric.

Rais approached with hesitation. His hand trembled as he lifted the corner of the blanket…

It was Roven. Curled under a blanket from who-knows-where, peacefully asleep. His breathing steady. His face calm—like a child.

Rais froze. He stood there for a few moments, then his legs gave out, and he dropped to the ground. His breath shook with relief and tears.

— “Thank heavens…”

A moment later, he shouted:

— “Lord Virlan has been found! Someone come quickly!”

Roven opened his eyes, groggy and confused:

— “Rais? What’s going on…?”

Rais frowned, but his voice trembled with pain:

— “You have no idea what chaos you caused. Everyone was worried. I…”

Roven lowered his head.

— “I… I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to cause trouble. I just… fell asleep, suddenly…”

But before Rais could reply, several guards arrived. Their eyes were full of hostility.

One said:

— “Get up. You’re coming with us.”

Roven, startled:

— “What are you doing? Let go of me!”

Another guard grabbed his arm. Rais jumped forward.

— “Stop! What do you think you’re doing?!”

The guard sneered:

— “We’re following orders. A runaway doesn’t get coddled.”

Rais shouted with authority:

— “Orders? In this castle, I take orders from Commander Viria—not from you! Let him go!”

Tension rose. A heated argument broke out. One of the guards, clearly agitated, shoved Roven hard.

He lost his balance and fell into a patch of thorny flowers. His clothes tore with a loud rip.

— “Ah…!”

Thorns scratched up his arms. Blood flowed down to his elbows. His face was cut too.

Rais stood frozen. Then rage exploded from within. He screamed:

— “You bastard…!”

And lunged at the guard who had pushed Roven…

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