It was just early morning in the town of Glafelden. The night sky, studded with sparkling stars, began to be showered with bright light from the eastern horizon. A glimmer of the sun's rays cut through the darkness of the night sky.
One by one, the lights in the building went out. Some of the townspeople had just woken up and were getting ready to get busy. Although some of them chose to stay asleep on a warm mattress until the sun appeared fully. People passed by on the streets and started their activities to awaken life in this town. But none of them thought that their activities today wouldn't run smoothly.
The suburbs usually traveled to the town center because it was the most their activities most located. There were many offices, government or private companies, where two thousand workers worked. Restaurants and shops were more crowded than on the town's outskirts because of their strategic location. There were also schools and academies where five thousand students studied. In addition, there were other activity centers such as markets and theaters. The atmosphere in the city center was more lively and comfortable than anywhere else in Glafelden.
But today, the residents were confused because the Elite Knights blockaded the main road leading to the town center. The soldiers didn't allow anyone to pass without exception. If anyone violated, it would be killed. A punishment that was heavier than being thrown into prison as had been applied before in this town. That was why the residents didn't dare to protest and stopped there.
The Elite Knights carried out Captain Guffiy's orders to lay siege to the town's outskirts close to the west gate. Because this was where he suspected the whereabouts of his target. Not only on the main road but the Elite Knights also blocked other roads so that no one could escape.
Guffiy divided an Elite Knight platoon of thirty people into three main sections. One part to block roads, another to search houses, and the rest to patrol if anyone is trying to escape or hide.
"What's on earth going on? What are you guys trying to do?" protested a fierce man in a loud tone. He was a grade one school teacher in the town center. Because the distance between his house and school was quite far, he couldn't help but have to leave early in the morning on foot. Being late was something that couldn't be tolerated as a school teacher. It was for that reason that he looked very upset.
One of the Elite Knights pushed him gently and told him to stay away. "It won't take long if you all cooperate. We're just going to check on you. If you aren't the target we are looking for, you will be released."
"Target? That reason again! You guys have messed up this town in just four days! Can't you guys just get out of—"
Immediately the soldier pulled out the sword from its scabbard and pointed it at the teacher's neck. The sound of metal rubbing against the scabbard sounded loud. It immediately became the center of attention of the people around.
Everyone held their breath and was shocked, especially the grumpy teacher brandished by a sword. The man could no longer voice his annoyance. He just kept silent as he stared at the soldier with a sharp gaze. Several people beside him tried to calm the angry teacher and keep him away from the soldier.
Then the soldier let out a loud voice as he raised the sword he was holding high. "Listen everyone! We just ask you to be cooperative! No one will get hurt as long as you guys cooperate. Anyone who opposes will be declared a criminal and executed on the spot!"
After that, there were no more residents who protested directly. People who still had common sense would not dare oppose an Elite Knight with such a blatantly uttered threat. Anyone who still dared to oppose might have gone mad.
The residents then obeyed the Elite Knights. They were ordered to form long lines to be checked and interrogated, both men and women. Even though the target of these soldiers was a girl, they still checked on the men. Afraid of the Target disguised and dressed as a man. Not only pedestrians, but they also searched the horse carriage and its contents very carefully. Residents who passed the inspection were released and still told to wait in place until everything was finished.
In addition to the inspections on the main road, the Elite Knights also ransacked the houses by force. The soldiers pounded on the doors of every house and ordered all the occupants out. While the occupants were being investigated, they searched around the house and checked to see if anyone was still hiding.
Closets were opened, the clothes were scattered on the floor, mattresses were shifted from their original places. For houses that still have wooden floors, they knocked on them in various places. If an echoing sound was heard, it meant there was a secret room hidden under the floor. They cracked it down until the floor was broken. After finding no target they were looking for, the soldiers immediately left and moved on to the next house without feeling the least bit guilty.
Of course, many townsmen felt angry, but they couldn't fight back one bit.
The checking continued until the sun rose from the eastern horizon. The inspection process for these houses was quite fast, even with the limited number of people. The Elite Knights had already inspected almost half of the buildings on the outskirts of the town.
Until the soldiers checked a house at the end of the alley where Almira's old house was.
The woman peeked through the door, gazing anxiously at the crowd outside, even after using disguise magic that should be able to deceive the human eye. She was afraid that there would be soldiers who could detect Esze's flow and know her disguise. If that happened, he probably wouldn't be able to stay in this town anymore. Of course, the reason was due to the deep-rooted hatred between the human race and Elvian.
Even if Almira hadn't done anything wrong, the humans in this town wouldn't definitely want Elvian like her to stay here. She will definitely be expelled. What Almira worried about was none other than her only son, Cedric. The child would become the target of the hatred. The thought of her son being bullied and ostracized by the townspeople scared Almira to death.
Not to mention if she had to be expelled from this town, like it or not, the Elvian woman had to find another city to live in. The capital city where her husband worked wasn't a good choice. Many experienced soldiers were able to recognize the flow of magic. No sane Elvian would want to live in the center of the human realm who hated her to the core. That was why she chose Glafelden Town as a place to live. Apart from being located at the edge of the Lurivia Kingdom, this town was only filled with city guards on par with ordinary humans.
"Mom, I'm hungry!"
Suddenly she was startled by the sound of her son, who had just woken up. The boy rubbed his eyes. It seemed that he had not gathered all his soul. His pajama clothes looked shabby due to his sleeping habit of rolling to and fro.
"Okay, I'll prepare breakfast," said Almira with a gentle smile, as if welcoming her son on a new day.
Then she rushed to the kitchen, which was next to the bedroom. Her hand took the chicken meat from the cooler. This object has the same function as a refrigerator: storing and cooling food. It was just that the way this thing worked was different. The cooler's energy source wasn't electricity, but rather a special stone called the Frozen Snow Stone that came from the mountains of North Sigrotia Iuna.
Frozen Snow Stone was white like snow but hard and solid like an ordinary rock. The most interesting thing was that this stone could emit cold air continuously until its energy ran out. This stone was used as an inner layer in the cooler, so this box could cool the food, so it didn't go rotten quickly. When its energy runs out, just call a blacksmith, and he would line the cooler with a new Frozen Snow Stone.
"Mom, are you done? I'm so hungry," Cedric whined.
"Wait a minute, Honey! Mama promised to serve delicious food for you."
After throwing a smile at her only son, Almira refocused on the food ingredients in front of her. Her hands skillfully cut the fish meat into neat and equal pieces. After coating it with a mixture of spices and salt, she grilled it on the stove.
Waiting at the dining table, Cedric looked at his mother, who was cooking while humming happily. Swinging his hanging legs when sitting on a chair. When seeing such an adorable and innocent boy, anyone would agree to protect him no matter what. Moreover, Almira, his biological mother, was determined that she would not let his son suffer no matter what happened.
*TOK TOK TOK!