As we walked, I told Uriel about what Milia had said regarding the Heyva Sor and how Athy felt about it. Uriel laughed at the reason, yet we both understand what Athy is feeling. I mean, who would not feel disgusted by having a body part of the worst god as your weapon?
"Sidapa is so gonna get hit." Uriel laughed.
"I can sense that too." I chuckled. "How was mother's tea party?"
"There were some uninvited guests who came." Uriel smirked. "Mother handled them well."
"Where were you?" I asked her, she should have been close to mother in case.
"I was with Athy in her office." She answered. "We were watching the tea party from there. Don't worry sis, nothing major happened."
"Okay." I sighed. "As long as you were watching mother, it's fine."
We talked about some things that happened during the tea party until we reached the dining area. Father, mother and Athy were all sitting around the table but it was obvious from Athy's expression that she was not happy.
"Mother, father." I greeted our parents as I sat down.
"Your knights did well." Father commented out of the blue.
"Not really." I humbly replied as the maids paced the food on the table.
"Did well?" Athy sneered. "They let the main target die in the hands of an unknown man. How could they 'did well'?"
I clicked my tongue as I side glanced Athy who was venting her anger on the steak.
"Father, do you think we could do something about the people we saved from the dungeon?" I asked my father, ignoring Athy's mood. "Most of them are from other kingdoms, and some are even not from any kingdom but from independent tribes."
"What do you mean?" Father asked as he elegantly ate his steak which was something that surprised me. Father used to gobble up food like he was starved before, but now, he eats like an archduke.
"I mean, I would like to find a way for them to return to their homes." I answered after swallowing the food in my mouth.
"Do they want to return to their homes?" Father asked. "Were they kidnapped or were they sold by their families? There are many things you should consider before sending them home, and the first thing would be knowing if they want to."
I was actually surprised by how deep father's thoughts were. He was right, those people could have been sold by their families, and if I return them, they could be sold again. I should ask them first what they want, to return or not to their homelands. If they did not want to go back, how to help them get back on their feet.
"I heard there were children too, how are they?" Mother asked. As a pre-school teacher back on Earth, mother has a soft spot for kids.
"There are a couple of kids actually." I nodded. "There was a demon child as young as two or three years old who was abandoned by his family. Then a four-year old who watched as his parents were killed and he was taken. There were some tittle girls too, around Uriel's age. I have to trouble mother to help me with them."
"Of course, I'll take charge of checking the children." Mother smiled.
"Thanks ma." I smiled. "I have to focus on the girls who were violated by Karciel's men. Their trauma is worse that their injuries."
Mother put down her knife and fork, her face was struck with horror.
"W-what about the little g-girls?" Mother asked in a small shaky voice. "Were they..?"
Mother could not even finish her question.
I sighed and hung my head.
"Not just the little girls, even the boys were not safe from those monsters." I replied, not looking at my mother.
Not just mother and Uriel, even the maids gasped at the information.
"Ohhh.." Mother looked heartbroken at what I said. Her eyes were brimming with tears and her hands covered her mouth.
Uriel did not say anything and just played with the pea on her plate, rolling it back and forth with her fork. Athy was quiet but looked mad and sad at the same time.
I shouldn't have said such unhappy news while we were eating, it took away our appetites.
After dinner, I cleaned up and changed my clothes then I went to Athy's office but she was not there. I went to check on her room but it was also empty. Thinking that she was with mother, I went to my parent's study, but the maids told me she was not there too. I went out to the garden hoping to see her walking around to calm her mind, but I only saw Uriel and her maids gossiping.
"Sis." I called on Uriel's attention. Her maids also turned to face me before bowing and quieting down. "Have you seen Athy?"
Uriel frowned and shook her head.
"Did you check her room?" She asked me.
"I went to her room and her study but no one's there." I replied. "Even Loki isn't anywhere."
Uriel flinched and looked at me scared.
"Do you think she went and drag another one to vent her anger?" Uriel asked.
I just realized the possibility.
Could Athy have gone to the underworld to look for Karciel's spirit for revenge?!