Early in the morning, when the sun peeked over the horizon, Ragna was awakened by a loud noise. The rhythmic march of the armored soldiers caught him off guard. Jumping to his feet, he looked around, fortunately, there were no enemies in sight. Ragne walked over to the collapsed wall, witnessing the annoying procession, only it stopped in front of the sisters ' house. A squad of twenty warriors was led by a young warrior of inexpensive armor, who stared earnestly at the dilapidated building.
"In the name of the law, open the door!"
The warrior's tone did not bode well. Donning his fur coat, which had dried overnight, Ragne ran down the stairs, catching the startled sisters.
— Whose soul did they come for?" Could this guy be a criminal?
The girls discussed the reason for the unexpected visit of a representative of the authorities.
— There's a thief in the building. If you do not open the door, all the residents of the house will be detained as accomplices!
When it came to the criminal, the sisters ' eyes immediately fell on Myrrha, who backed away with an indignant expression.
- Diamond Necklace… Give it here.
Elin seemed to have guessed something. She picked up the necklace, and the girl's irises flashed green, like those of a predatory cat.
"Mind master?... I didn't expect to meet someone like this on such a poor planet…"
Hiding his surprise behind a serene expression, Ragne waited for the result.
"There's an aura print on it. Why didn't you check it yourself? Who gave you the necklace?
Elin's cool tone made Myrrha's brow furrow.
- I'm sorry... I had no idea that one of the aura lords would put an imprint on a useless piece of jewelry. The necklace was a gift from Flavius Gorda…
The girls ' eyes widened.
"Wait, Flavius Gorde?"... Are you crazy?! Minister! How many times do I have to tell you not to contact the higher ranks?! If they catch us, there will be no trial, we will all be killed.
While the girl was getting excited about the not-so-pleasant details of the immediate future, footsteps were heard approaching the door.
- We need to run.
Falling into the hands of the guards was not part of Ragne's plans, if it turns out about yesterday's murder, nothing but the death penalty is worth waiting for. The girls got their bearings instantly, rushing to the far room on the first floor. When the bewildered Ragne found himself in a small bedroom, he saw the sisters take turns jumping down into the basement, the entrance was directly under the double bed.
- Keep up.
Mirra dived in after the others, and Ragne didn't keep her waiting either, but at the last moment, he caught one hand on the edge of the floor and pulled the bed over him with the other.
"Why is there an underground passage in a dilapidated barn?"
There were a lot of questions, but no one was going to be generous with the answers.
— No matter where we run, we can't hide in Varenfell, and we can't get out of it. The guards at the gate must have received their orders.
Elin showed clear thinking in comparison to her sisters. She had thrown the necklace out in front of the door first, and now she was trying to analyze the situation, despite the enormous pressure. Suddenly Iola spoke up.
"Only this place remains… If we get there, we'll get protection for the next five years, and in that time we can think of something. However, when the truth about us will be revealed…
The busty brunette spoke softly as she moved forward through a narrow and rather a low tunnel with no safety beams.
— We are teetering on the edge of life and death, it's too late to think about the consequences. One way or another, it will buy you some time. That's settled, let's go to the Halls of Issus…
Ten meters later, Selena stopped and after a short rummage in the earthen wall, took out two wooden boxes. Opening both of them and checking the contents, the girl went on, while Ragne continued to be amazed.
"One box is filled with jewels, and the other with gold. But not so important, how can a housewife even carry such a heavy load with effortless ease? Was she an aura master, too?"
Such a possibility was simply absurd.
"Grandfather said the worlds are divided into nine orders. The ninth is barren planets with no life, the eighth is inhabited, there is life, but there is no aura of being, the seventh is worlds with pitiful grains of energy. This world called Falenar just belongs to the seventh order, the probability of accidentally meeting an aura master here is as great as the chance to catch a mermaid in a puddle…"
Ragne squeezed out of the exit that led directly across the street from the sisters ' quarters, into one of the many doorways.
— From now on, you're on your own.
As soon as they were all out of the underground, Myrrh closed the square trapdoor disguised as paving stones, and Elin turned to the young man, but he was in no hurry to leave.
— The Halls of Issa is a training facility for the aura lords, aren't they?" Take me with you, and you can get there even if you are an ordinary mortal with good skills, to become a master's guard. Regarding tuition fees… I promise, if you help me, I will return everything in three times the amount.
Ragne's eyes were bright with hope.
"A week ago, I arrived in this world and immediately started looking for places where the masters gather. The halls of Issa ... it was not so easy to get there, because even a month of training costs more than thirty gold… But now there is a chance, if I can get there, I may be able to remove the sealed crystal…"