🔊 TTS Settings
Chapter 29
The Children Have Been Kidnapped (3)
Cherto encountered one of the subordinates sent by the boss while searching the northern side of the central plaza.
The man showed him Jake’s leather bag and stated that their gang was holding the young master and his fiancée.
Cherto immediately took the bag and rode to Kaizen, his eyes full of anguish as they dropped to the ground.
So it had happened—kidnapping.
Kaizen’s eyes flared like a wild beast’s at the thought of the children trembling in fear. His piercing gaze fell on the leather bag Cherto was holding.
“What is that?”
“It’s the bag the Second Young Master had with him. They sent it as proof.”
“How dare they…”
What should never happen had happened.
To think they dared kidnap someone knowing it was a member of House Arcades.
There was no way they could expect to survive.
What had he been doing all this time?
To have holed himself up in his home, ignorant of how far his family’s prestige had fallen—there could be no greater disgrace.
“Did they demand money?”
“Yes, Your Grace. It seems to be the work of a thugs’ boss who lost his younger brother to us five years ago and survived.”
Cherto replied bitterly. This was the consequence of failing to eliminate someone who should have been killed.
Kaizen’s eyes glinted with a cold killing intent, and a deep blue aura began to swirl around him.
“To dare oppose House Arcades…”
His words trailed off and were swallowed by clenched teeth. He forced himself to contain his rage.
The icy energy that had begun to spread slowly faded.
The man who brought Jake’s bag was a subordinate named Rekto, who had been with the boss. Since he had arrived on foot with Artur and other knights, it had taken him some time.
As he arrived, the surrounding air began to chill noticeably.
Kaizen’s killing intent had turned into a literal cold aura that consumed the air around him.
It was cold, but the fury behind it could erupt into a blazing inferno at any moment.
“Are the children safe?”
Rekto, bowing deeply, trembled.
Though he had heard rumors of the Duke’s fearsome reputation, facing him in person made him regret the kidnapping.
His whole body felt frozen, and it seemed his heart would shatter at any moment.
That such murderous intent could be felt from just standing nearby—he now feared death was a real possibility.
But what was done was done, and there was no turning back. He had no choice but to follow the boss’s orders.
Rekto barely managed to speak with trembling lips.
“They are… safe.”
“I’ll give you however much money you want. Just return the children unharmed.”
A ripple passed through Rekto’s heart.
He suddenly remembered something the boss had said:
‘They say the Duke drowns himself in drink mourning his dead wife. That means he’s a softhearted man. He’ll definitely pay.’
At first, he hadn’t believed it entirely. After all, this was the heir of the cold-blooded northern Grand Duke. There had even been jokes that the blood in their veins was made of ice.
He had thought that even if the Duke did pay, it would only be out of fear of public scandal.
If word got out that a noble’s child was kidnapped and ransom paid, it would bring shame to the nobility.
And some criminals did just that—scored big, then disappeared from the empire.
Though Kaizen’s killing intent still pierced him like needles, Rekto began to feel things might actually go their way. His trembling lips curled into a slight, mocking smile.
“If I don’t return in time, the children will die. If I’m harmed, their arms and legs will be cut off one by one.”
He repeated the words the boss had instructed him to say.
The moment he mentioned the children’s limbs, the surrounding air grew even colder.
Rekto instinctively crossed his arms, trying to shield himself.
“No fear, huh?”
“We live day to day anyway…”
Kaizen looked down at him with icy eyes. He did indeed seem like a thug who feared nothing.
Kaizen had no intention of letting him live—but not yet.
If he provoked them now and the children were harmed, it would be unbearable.
“How much do you want?”
“Three thousand gold.”
That was enough money for four or five people to live comfortably for life. Rekto figured his gang could settle in another country and start over.
“That’s it?”
To Kaizen, it sounded laughably small. So typical of the Grand Duke’s house—not even knowing the worth of money.
Rekto slightly regretted not asking for more.
“Fine. Just return the children unharmed. But how do I know they’re still alive?”
“Well, we wouldn’t kill them—we want to live too. The boss still carries a grudge about his brother’s death, but he said if he’s paid, he’ll let it go. So we’ll release the children after we’ve gotten far away with the money.”
Kaizen’s brow furrowed sharply.
If they took the money and ran, there would be no way to guarantee the children’s safety.
“We’ll exchange the children for the money.”
“We’re not stupid. We know that the moment we hand over the kids and take the gold, Your Grace could freeze us all. So after we get far enough away, we’ll tell you where they are.”
Rekto calmly added more of the boss’s plan. Seeing how much Kaizen cared for the children, he felt confident the ransom would be paid, and they’d escape wealthy.
Blinded by greed, he began forgetting his initial fear.
“Oh, one more thing… the boss said no eagle. If your eagle follows us, the children will be dead.”
There were rumors that the Duke’s eagle could understand human speech and carry out commands. It could cover distances humans couldn’t, so they were cutting off even that possibility.
Kaizen let out a dry laugh.
For mere street thugs, they sure knew a lot. This wouldn’t be solved with simple negotiation.
“Fine. But if the children suffer even a scratch, I will never forgive you.”
“Don’t worry. The young master and lady will be returned safely. We only want the money. If you need time to prepare it…”
“No need. I can have it ready immediately. Where and when do I bring it?”
Rekto explained the time and location, a long-abandoned shopping district far from their current spot.
The meeting was set for this afternoon. Since the money could be prepared quickly, there was no reason to delay—another part of the boss’s plan.
“Cherto. Go ahead and tell Warren to prepare the money.”
As soon as Kaizen gave the order, Cherto rode off.
Rekto gave a twisted smile and bowed.
“Then I’ll head there first. The ones holding the kids are elsewhere, so even if you send someone after me, it’s pointless. They’ll only get the children hurt. So don’t try anything foolish.”
With that, Rekto left. Blinded by gold, he swaggered away, foolishly proud of his hollow courage.
Kaizen stood silently atop his horse, watching him disappear against the rising morning sun.
“Shall we follow him?”
Once Rekto was out of sight, Klein asked cautiously.
Kaizen shook his head. Killing them would be easy, but the children’s safety couldn’t be guaranteed.
The mere possibility of them getting hurt was already a knife in his heart.
Until he was certain they were safe, he couldn’t afford to act rashly.
Kaizen had rarely felt fear in his life. But after Adelle died, he finally understood what fear meant.
To live without Adelle…, he still hadn’t accepted it. Even in dreams, she would sometimes die before his eyes, leaving him to wander endless darkness alone.
That sorrow had turned to pain, then fear.
The kind of fear even enemies had never managed to awaken, Adelle had shown him.
And now, that fear was returning. If he lost the children, that terror would be multiplied. It would tear his heart apart.
Could he survive such pain again?
No—he was sure he could not.
There was only one answer.
Kaizen removed the necklace hanging from his neck and placed it around the eagle Rael. Then he lightly pressed the pendant set with blue topaz.
In that moment, the eagle vanished.
“Rael, protect the children.”
Kaizen’s voice was filled with desperate longing.
The knights, bowing their heads in grief, did not see what happened, but Klein did.
The moment the Duke’s words ended, a fierce wind swept through the sky.
Golden flecks shimmered faintly in the fractured sunlight.
