A few hours ago, inside the royal hall, a woman with vibrant green eyes and long, lime-green hair that cascaded down to her waist sat on an obsidian throne adorned with intricate patterns. The throne room was empty, save for her, and she appeared to be resting with her eyes closed.
From the shadows, a feminine voice emerged. "Your Majesty, the three nearby kingdoms have formed an alliance. It appears someone is behind the scenes, subtly controlling them."
For a long moment, Esmeralda, Ryan's mother, didn't respond. The voice remained silent, waiting for her command.
Finally, Esmeralda spoke in an unhurried tone, as though the news wasn't her immediate concern. "Someone who can control them must be strong. Keep an eye on them, and look for any suspicious movement. Tell Commander Soren to increase vigilance near the borders and be ready for any possible attacks."
Though she gave her orders with calm authority, her mind was elsewhere—worried about Ryan's safety. 'Why wouldn't he listen to me? He's just a boy; he can't survive in the outside world for long. Why did I give him permission?' she thought with regret. 'I can only wait for his call now.'
"As you command, Your Majesty," the voice responded.
"And Harlow, what was the last report sent by Jade?" Esmeralda asked.
The voice, now identified as Harlow, replied, "'His Royal Highness appears to have entered an unknown cave. I am currently outside, looking for any possible threats.' That was her latest message, received two minutes ago."
Esmeralda had initially tried to place Harlow within Ryan's shadow as a hidden protector, but Ryan had noticed her presence, forcing Esmeralda to send Jade instead, ordering her to stay just out of Ryan's sight. Jade was someone Ryan hadn't seen before, so Esmeralda hoped he wouldn't suspect her as a guardian sent by his mother.
Suddenly, Esmeralda's pendant vibrated. Her eyes shot open in anger, and like a beam of green light, she sped towards the Forest of Night. In mere seconds, she arrived beside the cave and entered hastily, but she was too late. Two unknown young girls lay unconscious on the ground, and Jade was severely injured.
Esmeralda knelt beside Jade, who had managed to sever the arm of the assailant but had been caught off guard when the dismembered limb exploded beside her. Esmeralda grabbed Jade's shoulders, shaking her, "Where's Ryan?"
But Jade was in no condition to speak.
"I don't think she can answer, Your Majesty," Harlow said, emerging from the shadows. "You should look at the spatial anomaly."
Leaving Harlow to tend to Jade with a healing scroll, Esmeralda approached the distortion in space. As she examined the anomaly, the torn pieces of black clothing—recognized as the uniform of 'Shadow'—made it clear who was behind this.
"Search every dungeon there is, and post a reward for anyone who can provide any clue regarding him," she ordered, her voice tight with restrained fury. "Place our men outside every high-level dungeon there is."
They had left no trace of which dungeon Ryan had been taken to.
Esmeralda clenched her fists, her emotions a volatile mix of anger, worry, and desperation.
"Mom, when I grow up, I'll make you happy."
The memory of little Ryan's voice echoed in Esmeralda's mind. She recalled the sincerity in his eyes, the pure intentions behind those words. When he had said that, her heart had swelled with joy. She loved him more than anything in the world.
Esmeralda closed her eyes, allowing herself a moment to hold onto that memory. It was a rare, precious glimpse of a time when Ryan was just a child, filled with innocent dreams of making his mother proud. The thought of losing him now, after everything, was unbearable.
Her fists tightened at her sides, the warmth of that memory clashing with the cold reality of the situation. No matter what it took, she would find him. She would bring her son back safe, and those responsible would pay dearly.
But beneath the rage, there was a deep, unshakable love. The same love that had made her heart soar when Ryan had promised to make her happy. The same love that now fueled her determination to protect him at all costs.
'I need to pray to the goddess. If he is alive, only she can save him,' Esmeralda thought as she quickly left the scene.
In this world, unlike Ryan's previous one, the gods were real, and their influence was tangible. Prayers were not mere words cast into the void; they had the power to reach divine beings who could intervene if they so willed it.
Esmeralda made her way towards the Church, her heart heavy with a mixture of hope and desperation. She knew that in matters beyond her control, the only recourse left was to seek the favor of the goddess.