And there were those who had been watching the battle between Cain and the Knights of Decaraznan from the shadows, observing everything from beginning to end.
“Decaraznan has failed. In the end, we lost the assailant that kidnapped Sarah.”
Sarah’s uncle, Gail Cernard, gathered all the servants of Count Cernard’s household and muttered in a low voice.
In front of the middle-aged man, the servants, dressed in various outfits, stood quietly with their heads bowed.
Officially, they were known as servants, coachmen, and cooks hired for Sarah Cernard’s convenience. But in truth, they were the ‘hunting dogs’ secretly raised by Count Cernard—swordsmen operating in the dark, loyal only to the direct bloodline of Count Cernard, and often mobilized for missions requiring brute force.
To preserve the family’s outward honor, these lowly stray dogs were tasked with handling all sorts of dirty work behind the scenes.
“The identity of the assailant remains unknown. Likewise, we don’t know why the assailant kidnapped Sarah. However, one thing is certain—the assailant possesses knowledge and information about us.”
It was no secret.
Sarah had been kidnapped at this crucial moment, just as a union between her beloved nephew and the Duke of Decaraznan was being considered. The timing was too precise to be brushed off as mere coincidence.
‘…If I had to point fingers, the little boy from Estel would be suspicious…’
The middle-aged man still hadn’t forgotten.
The day Cain arrived at the Duke of Decaraznan’s estate, his expression had hardened the moment he met Sarah.
Cain’s face, filled with sorrow as if reuniting with a long-lost lover, had left a deep impression.
And then there was the unusual anger from Cain when he saw how cruelly Sarah was being treated. If anyone were to be a suspect, the Heir Estel would certainly be at the top of the list.
However, the middle-aged man soon shook his head and dismissed the idea.
First of all, the mysterious assailant who had just fought the Knights of Decaraznan had displayed astonishing martial prowess.
At one point during the battle, he even unleashed light presumed to be an Auror—a sign of a warrior who had reached the level of a Master.
‘There’s no way that foolish brat could have become a Master-level warrior.’
The Cain von Estel who lived in his memory was nothing more than a pitiful fool, only capable of fawning over Sarah. It was impossible to believe that such a man could have reached the pinnacle of martial arts, ascending to the realm of a Master.
Moreover, the decisive factor was—
“Haam~ What’s going on? Why all the fuss in the middle of the night?”
It was because Cain appeared with the white-haired girl who always accompanied him, looking as if he had just woken up, yawning widely and still half-asleep. No matter how one looked at it, it was absurd to think that the fearsome intruder who had demonstrated such overwhelming strength was the same person as the sleepy, yawning Heir Estel.
‘…Yes, it’s probably not him.’
The middle-aged man withdrew his suspicious gaze from Cain and issued a final order to the ‘hunting dogs’ gathered before him.
“We’re going to retrieve Sarah now. Since she’s a valuable ‘commodity,’ make sure not to harm her during the retrieval. As for the assailant that kidnapped her—kill him if necessary. I had hoped to question him about his motives, but that’s unnecessary. Remember, you must not show mercy. Finish the job cleanly.”
The middle-aged man barked his command, and the hunting dogs responded with silent nods.
None complained about the prospect of facing a Master-level warrior. On the battlefield where life and death hung by a thread, few individuals could withstand the hunting dogs’ vicious teamwork. Though individually weak, they were relentless, tenacious, and ruthlessly efficient.
One by one, the hunting dogs vanished into the night, without a sound.
A considerable amount of time had already passed since the abductor fled from the Duke of Decaraznan’s estate—they would have to hurry to catch up.
After the last of the hunting dogs disappeared, the middle-aged man cast a final glance toward where the Heir Estel stood and then disappeared himself.
Thus, he failed to notice—until the very last moment—the white-haired girl staring at him with a meaningful look.
Nor did he realize…
There was no shadow cast beneath the Heir Estel.
****
A secluded forest, located some distance away from the Duke of Decaraznan’s residence.
Cain walked slowly through the heart of the forest, still carrying Sarah in his arms.
Only a short while ago, he had exhausted his stamina faster than expected during the battle against the Knights of Decaraznan, including the princess. Considering his future plans, it was wise to recover his strength whenever possible.
Soon enough, he would need to unleash far greater power than he had just demonstrated.
…Regardless, Cain had no intention of leaving the forest.
This was the place he had chosen for the final confrontation—a banquet hall prepared specifically to lure in the hunting dogs raised by Cernard, and the b*stard who dared call himself Sarah’s uncle.
Cain gently brushed back Sarah’s disheveled hair.
She had lost consciousness from the shock earlier and now lay motionless in his arms.
Within a few hours—no, within a few moments—everything would come to an end.