Disoriented and dozing off, the summoner hadn't seen what happened next. With the release of intense power, breathing became short. Leonard returned to the previous entrance, now a scene of both destruction and his own stupidity.
His attention was divided between the summoner and the two huge men who had appeared out of nowhere. Their cloaks revealed their bulging muscles. He scrutinized them, cautious of the danger they might pose. With the ability to compress and suppress a star, fully stopping the town's doom, these two were clearly no ordinary individuals.
Vigilant, Leonard hid from a distance, but the two sensed him. They paused and gave him a short nod.
"You have the positive magic essence of our Lady. What is your name?"
Suspicious, Leonard didn't respond at first. However, sensing their pure intentions, he eventually answered, "Leonard."
"We'll help you defeat the second Dark Summoner. As thanks, we'll keep him distracted," said the one with the innocent face.
"Thank you for dealing with him. We'll take him down," added the one with the stern face.
Confused, Leonard nodded and stepped back. He glanced at the summoner, but his eyes widened. The summoner had vanished.
Scanning his surroundings, Leonard searched for the summoner, but he was gone. He couldn't find any trace of him. He even extended his senses, but still, there was no hint.
'Where is that fucker?'
***
The eerie silence continued for several minutes as the golems and other summons surrounding the town turned to dust. The reason: unknown.
However, Leonard knew that the summoner, whom the twins called the 'Second Dark Summoner,' had completely disappeared. Most likely, he had escaped.
Leonard didn't know how to feel. All he knew was that he and the others were safe. The risky plan had taken a toll on him. Even though it was a success and the turn of events had favored him, he swore never to take such a gamble again.
'Damn that thrill. I almost died there!' He inwardly regretted it as he inspected the surroundings for the nth time.
There was an unwelcome crater in the middle of the forest, stretching toward the town. Even though the explosion didn't reach its most destructive phase, damage had still been done.
All of this was his fault. He had been hasty and placed too much faith in his deductions and logic. The gravity of the event left a traumatic mark on him.
"Sir Leonard."
Leonard flinched, taking a few steps back when he saw the towering figures of the twins, each bowing politely at him. They were akin to Zeus in size and stature. Confused, his eyebrows furrowed.
"Ah... hello."
Immediately dropping his surprised expression, Leonard shifted to a stern look, trying to mirror his usual resting face. Both men introduced themselves.
"I am Luigi," said the one with the stern face.
"I am Mark," the other introduced, his expression innocent and youthful in contrast to his brother's.
"We work for the Dhampir Family, and we are here to find our young Lady. Tracing her and returning her to safety is our mission. Thus, we would like to thank you for treating our young Lady well."
Leonard was utterly confused. He had no idea who they were referring to as "young Lady." But as he realized he had been in a party with two females, the pool of candidates narrowed. Still, he wasn't sure whether they meant Yuna or Jane.
"Our young Lady, Yuna Dhampir, is safe, and it's thanks to your bravery," Mark continued.
Leonard nodded repeatedly, trying to process the information. So, it was Yuna... Wait, Yuna was a young Lady?
It wasn't surprising, really. There was nothing about her appearance that hinted otherwise—she carried herself with a certain grace. But what shocked him was the backstory she had shared.
From what she told him, she came from an orphanage, just like Liam. That story had made it hard to believe she was of noble lineage. In fact, he had thought Jane was the young Lady, as she had spoken about coming from a family that worked in the shadows to protect the city.
This realization hit him hard. A story, after all, was just that—a story. If Yuna had lied to him, who else had?
'Wow, I feel betrayed,' Leonard thought, though, in reality, it was more a mild disappointment than true betrayal. He had trusted them all too easily.
"We will now return. Young Lady Yuna is safe," Luigi announced.
Leonard watched them leave, still reeling from the revelation.
A voice from behind him, coming from the direction of the town, caught Leonard's attention. He turned and was momentarily dazzled by the beauty of a young lady, seemingly around Yuna's age, but dressed in striking, knightly armor that only added to her appeal.
'It suits her.' Leonard observed the strength of her aura. Even just from her presence, he could tell she wasn't an ordinary knight.
The Lady Knight gave Leonard a brief glance before turning away to rejoin the twin brothers. "It's unsafe here. We don't know when the Dark Summoner will return."
Leonard felt a slight sting of disrespect at being dismissed so easily. He wasn't one to crave attention, but in a moment like this, he had thought they'd at least acknowledge him, especially after the twin brothers had introduced themselves as working for the Dhampir Family.
'We don't know that either. So why is she only worried about getting themselves out of here? Can't she see the townspeople are still at risk?'
"I won't let you go."
Leonard clenched his fist as he muttered, the words slipping out before he could stop them. A mix of concern for Yuna's safety and distrust of their claims bubbled up within him.
The Lady Knight's calm, sharp expression darkened, and her gaze turned cold. "What did you just say?"
Leonard quickly composed himself. It had been foolish to say those words aloud, especially since, in reality, Yuna's safety wasn't his top priority. She wasn't that important to him.
Yet, for some reason, it had slipped out. Perhaps because of the worry lingering in the back of his mind. For him, the safety of the town weighed heavier on his conscience, knowing the destruction had been brought to them.
"You came here just to take Yuna. I get it," Leonard said, shifting his gaze away. Now, staring at the town, he continued, "But what about them? They're innocent. Based on how well you knew that attacker earlier, it seems like he came here because of Yuna."
The Lady Knight clicked her tongue in irritation, drawing her sword and pointing it directly at Leonard's neck.
"That isn't our problem. Do what you want."
Feeling the sharp edge of hostility, Leonard took a cautious step back, only to find the twin brothers already behind him, blocking his path.
Clenching his jaw, Leonard was confused. Why had their attitude turned so hostile, especially if, according to their logic, he had saved Yuna?
As the two brothers stood behind him, the Lady Knight's cold eyes shifted slightly, catching sight of a figure emerging behind the twins. This newcomer, slightly more imposing than the brothers, radiated a strong intent. A chill ran down her spine as she felt the weight of his presence.
PassingNote: Hello there! Over the past few weeks of writing, the novel is finally nearing the end of its first arc. After that, there will be a few more chapters before it becomes premium. I know there hasn't been much focus on the beauty of summoning so far. I also feel it's a bit soon to go premium, but given how the novel is performing, I believe it's necessary to go premium for better recommendations on the platform. So long! Once it goes premium, I promise to update twice daily.