Kuaraa—!

A ferocious roar could be heard. The residents of Winterset shrieked and ran frankly as the ferocity of the crowd from both young and old.

Monsters, with horrifying mutant bodies and similar features to some animals, ran after the weak and slow prey. A child, in a voice, who cries out for his mother, was stained with tears in horror.

The wolf-like monster grabbed the boy's lower bottom mercilessly. Before he could even shriek at the sudden pain and grip, the monster crushed him with its teeth and threw him that could fit its mouth.

The mother who was urgently looking for her child looked up in fear and shock at her son's now unrecognizable appearance in his mouth. She cried out in a frenzy grabbing the monster's feet in grief.

The knights that were on patrol tried to evacuate any possible residents from the mutant monster wave invasion. A young knight caught the mother who was beating at the demon's front leg and pulled her away from its strike.

"Ah... my child... Sam... Sam... Sam! Please save my child... I beg you!"

Looking at the pleading mother grabbing onto him who just couldn't accept the reality, the knight inwardly looked at her pitifully. He hurriedly held her and brought her with the evacuating residents.

Bang!

Slash—

A golden shining aura suddenly beamed across the monster's throat. Some citizens couldn't help but look at the one who was the owner of the kill.

A tall and slightly muscular person stood on top of the monster's corpse with a neatly arranged suit now worn out. Pitch, jet black hair shone like the night, swaying softly. Golden eyes gleamed furiously as they scanned their surroundings and stretched their legs for the next target.

"Your Grace!"

The knight looked at the Duke of Bernstein in relief and returned to his indifferent expression.

"Arthur."

Rebekah softly nodded in his direction and went back to getting rid of the invaders.

Arthur couldn't help but inwardly admire her strikes and power. He blinked his eyes out of his daze and looked into his arm. He soon realized the mother had fainted somehow.

Arthur awkwardly his head at the bad luck that was brought upon him after some time.

"Hah..."

He seriously can't help but exhale as he looks at the other knights who are fighting beside the duke. He truly wanted to join but that isn't important now. What's important is the residents' safety.

He turned his back to the invasion wave and hurriedly ran in to catch up with the others.

'Seriously, what happened to the forest while I was away for a while..?'

Rebekah slashed the last monster's head easily with the long and slender sword. She couldn't help but doubt the sudden invasion that was only brought twice a year.

Plus, the monsters and mutant beasts they are facing are low-ranked and only harm lives that don't have any talent or level 1 users.

"Plankton, go inform Nadia or Drew to keep the safety of my children the top priority."

"Yes, your grace."

Without any hesitation, the loyal knight, Plankton, bowed his head and ran towards the main mansion.

"Hah..."

'Even if they are just low-rank monsters... I can't help but feel uneasiness creeping in my chest.'

Looking at her strong knights who had completely wiped out the rest of the invaders and brought the warlock, she nervously looked at the dark forest that was miles away with her sharpened eyes.

'Brother, what did you mean by misfortune is slowly coming in after the child was brought to this world?'

She quietly questions her older brother's words once more who she chatted with just before coming here from the capital.

———

"Please stay here while we check the situation that is going on outside of the mansion."

Drew calmly placed his hands on top of the twin's head and ruffled them in recurrences.

"Uhmm..."

The two nodded obediently and backed away, standing on each side of Ian's. Ian awkwardly stood between them as he looked down at them in question.

The two didn't look up to meet his questionable gaze but stared at each other.

'Do you think something dangerous is going on?'

'Not sure, but something big and unexpected must've happened.'

The two communicated silently with their gaze. Linda pursed her lips in nervousness as she stared at the departing backs of Drew Amanda and some other knights.

Edwin quietly turned his head and stared at Maverick who was calmly sitting down on a sofa with an open book in his possession.

He blinked his eyes and noticed instead of the two who had always stood by him, a white owl who had a similar shade as his hair stood atop his head peacefully.

He couldn't help but shiver slightly as he noticed the owl opening its eyes and staring at him back calmly.

"My lord?"

At the sudden call from Ian, he quickly looked up at Ian in question. He blinked his eyes at the questioning gaze that was sent to him and realized the sudden grip he held against Ian's pants.

"Ah, sorry..."

"It's nothing for you to worry about, Lord Edwin."

"Ugh! Seriously... Stop calling me by that title and just call me by my name or how the others call me!"

"That... I won't do."

"Urgh..."

Edwin grumbled at the declaration but he somehow felt satisfied. He once glanced at the two peaceful silver heads and turned his gaze back to Linda. He flinched to meet his sister's terrifying gaze.

Linda opened her mouth to speak but was disturbed by the sudden knocks on the door. The four looked at the presence at the same time and came in and shut the doors.

"Young masters, young lady, I shall be the one who will look for your safety until the situation calms down."

A polite lady who looked familiar slightly bowed and stood near the door. Linda widened her eyes in surprise after recognizing her identity.

'Isn't she the lady who was with Mother when we first came to this world?'

Looking at her straight dark blue ponytail hair and her circle-like glasses in front of her pitch-black obsidian eyes staring straight for any threat that might appear, she was completely sure of it.

Nadia. A friend whom Rebekah met during her academy years. She's the Dukedom's only aide and butler who helps her with any related work of the dukedom. And apparently, Amanda was her apprentice.

She felt a slight pull against her clothes. She looked at the sudden source and found out it was her brother. She looked at him, both angrily for disturbing her thoughts and confused at why is he calling for her attention.

He raised his hand against his lips and whispered.

"...I need to talk to you about something..."

She tilted her head in question but nodded her head.

"...After the situation is settled, we will talk about what you want to tell me."

She whispered back. The two looked at each other once more and pulled Ian to the other side of the room.

 

 

AKS