The day after Aiden's stay at the Venti mansion dawned clear and bright. Ayleen had arrived early to pick up her son. As she approached the gates, the guards and knights recognized her immediately, having been informed of her presence by Lady Fiona. They greeted her respectfully, stepping aside to let her through without question.
Upon entering the mansion, Ayleen was greeted by the butler. "Good morning, Lady Ayleen," he said, bowing slightly.
"Good morning," she replied with a polite smile. "Where can I find Fiona and Aiden?"
"They're in the garden, my lady," the butler answered. "Lady Fiona is demonstrating some of her magic to young Master Aiden."
Ayleen thanked him and made her way to the garden. As she stepped outside, the vibrant greenery and colorful blooms greeted her, a testament to Fiona's mastery of plant magic. In the center of the garden, she saw Fiona kneeling beside a patch of flowers, her hands glowing faintly with green mana as she encouraged a plant to bloom. Aiden stood nearby, his eyes wide with fascination, completely captivated by the display.
"Aiden," Ayleen called out softly, her voice carrying across the garden.
Aiden turned at the sound of her voice and immediately brightened. "Mom!" he exclaimed, running toward her.
As he reached her, Ayleen ruffled his hair affectionately. "Enjoyed your stay, dear?" she asked, smiling warmly.
"Yes, Mom. Aunt Fiona has so many interesting books, and her magic is amazing!" Aiden replied enthusiastically, his eyes sparkling with excitement.
Fiona, who had been watching the interaction with a smile, approached them. "Leaving already?" she asked, a hint of sadness in her voice.
"Yes," Ayleen replied. "We've finished our errands in the city, and it's time for us to head back to Brishelm."
Fiona pouted playfully. "I'll really miss little Aiden," she said before reaching out to squish Aiden's cheeks. "You'll come visit me again, won't you, little one?"
Aiden nodded with a shy smile, his cheeks slightly red from Fiona's playful affection.
Satisfied, Fiona chuckled and turned to her butler. "Prepare some gifts for them to take back," she instructed.
After bidding their goodbyes, Ayleen and Aiden left the mansion through a secret exit. As they walked through the hidden path, Aiden asked curiously, "Mom, why are we leaving the mansion like thieves?"
Ayleen laughed softly. "If we left through the main gate, we might attract unwanted attention," she explained.
"But didn't you enter through the front gate earlier?" Aiden asked, tilting his head.
"I used a spell to turn invisible," Ayleen replied with a mischievous smile.
Aiden frowned thoughtfully. "Why didn't we just turn invisible now?"
"It doesn't work that way, dear. You'll understand when you learn more at the academy," Ayleen said, patting his head gently.
When they reached the inn, they found Orin outside, preparing the carriage for their journey. He looked up and smiled as he saw them approaching. "You sure enjoyed yourself at the mansion, didn't you, Aiden?"
Aiden nodded enthusiastically. "Why didn't you come with us, Dad?" he asked.
Orin scratched the back of his head awkwardly. "I had errands to finish," he said with a sheepish smile. "Now, let's get going. It's already mid-morning, and we've got a long journey ahead of us."
As the carriage rolled out of the city, Aiden leaned against the window, watching as the city walls slowly faded into the distance. Lost in his thoughts, he didn't notice Ayleen watching him.
"Are you already missing your stay in the city?" she asked gently.
Aiden snapped out of his reverie and chuckled awkwardly. "Not really. I just wish I had more time to read all the books in Aunt Fiona's library."
Ayleen and Orin both laughed heartily at his response.
"If Fiona heard that, she'd be heartbroken," Ayleen said, teasing him. "She'd think you liked her books more than her company."
Aiden smiled sheepishly, and the family passed the time with lighthearted chatter as the carriage continued its journey.
Around noon, they decided to stop near a serene lake to rest their horses and have lunch. The lake's calm surface mirrored the clear blue sky, and the soft rustling of leaves added to the tranquil atmosphere.
As Orin unhitched the horses to let them drink from the lake, both he and Ayleen suddenly became alert. Their relaxed demeanor vanished, replaced by a tense vigilance.
Aiden, though unable to sense what his parents had noticed, picked up on their unease. His brows furrowed as he instinctively moved closer to Ayleen. "What's wrong?" he whispered.
"Stay close, Aiden," Ayleen said softly, her eyes scanning the surrounding trees.
Moments later, a group of more than twenty bandits emerged from the thickets, surrounding the family. They were armed with crude weapons, and their leader, a burly man with a bandaged arm, stepped forward with a menacing grin.
"Well, well, what do we have here?" the leader said, his voice dripping with malice. His eyes lingered on Ayleen, and his grin widened. "What a fine catch. Today's our lucky day—money and a beautiful woman to enjoy!"
Ayleen's expression darkened, and Aiden frowned in disgust.
Orin, meanwhile, stepped forward and retrieved a blade from the scabbard mounted on the carriage. As he unsheathed it, a cold, deadly aura emanated from him, silencing the bandits' laughter.
Unnoticed by the bandits, Aiden used his shard to assess the situation. He was surprised to find that most of the bandits had power levels between 100 and 200—barely at the novice level. Their leader, however, had a power level of 238, slightly higher but still unremarkable.
However, Aiden's heart skipped a beat when he noticed a man hiding among the bandits with a power level of 866—far above what was normal for a bandit. His presence felt completely out of place.
Aiden leaned closer to Ayleen and whispered, "Mom, there's something strange about one of them."
Ayleen used her mana sense to confirm Aiden's observation. Her eyes narrowed as she locked onto the suspicious figure.
Before the situation could escalate further, Orin moved. He vanished from sight, and the next moment, the bandit leader's head rolled to the ground, a fountain of blood spraying into the air.
Ayleen glared at Orin. "For heaven's sake, Orin! There's a child here!" she shouted, turning to cover Aiden's eyes. To her surprise, Aiden wasn't disturbed by the sight. His expression was calm, though he still wore a thoughtful frown.
"I'm fine, Mom," Aiden said softly. "But there's something off about that man." He motioned subtly toward the suspicious figure.
Ayleen's gaze followed Aiden's motion, and her expression darkened as she noticed the man's powerful aura.
Realizing he'd been discovered, the man tried to flee, but Ayleen appeared behind him in an instant, her mana swirling ominously. "Not so fast," she whispered in his ear before knocking him unconscious.
Orin and Ayleen made quick work of the remaining bandits, their combined strength leaving no chance for escape. The clearing was soon littered with broken weapons and lifeless bodies. Blood stained the grass, creating a grisly scene.
As the battle ended, Aiden surveyed the carnage, surprised at his own lack of reaction to the gore. He had expected to feel fear or revulsion, but instead, he felt nothing but a quiet resolve.
Orin approached Ayleen, his gaze falling on the unconscious man. "Why did you keep one alive?"
"Aiden noticed something unusual about him," Ayleen replied.
Orin frowned and used his aura to examine the man. "You're right. He's far too strong to be a mere bandit."
When the man regained consciousness, he realized he'd been captured. Before Orin or Ayleen could question him, he bit down on a hidden poison pill and collapsed, foam forming at his mouth.
Ayleen and Orin stared at the lifeless body in silence, their expressions grim.
"Whoever he was," Orin said finally, "he wasn't just a common bandit."
Ayleen nodded. "We'll need to be even more cautious on the rest of our journey."
Aiden, standing silently beside them, clenched his fists. He didn't understand the full scope of what had just happened, but he knew one thing for certain: the world was far more dangerous than he had imagined.