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To be precise, it was a part of Viscount Austin Morrisley’s small territory. It was a very poor village that not even Jasper had ever heard of.

“We can’t enter the capital,” Xion said. “We can always force our way, though.”

Jasper knew that Xion was right.

The entire capital of the nameless village was covered in a semi-transparent dome-like shield made of Darkness.

Hence, Jasper and Xion were currently staying in an inn located in the neighborhood near the capital. It was a shabby inn, and both the staff and the other guests were obviously waiting for a chance to rob them.

Jasper and Xion were too busy to care, though.

From the rooftop of the inn, they could see the Darkness that covered the capital.

As if that wasn’t bad enough, the obviously tired and malnourished townspeople were guarding the only entrance. They wouldn’t let anyone in unless it was to SELL people. Yes, people all over the town would come to the capital only to sell their family members.

.....

Yes, that was the case.

[I’m disgusted by the situation, but I can’t entirely blame the poor who just wants to survive.]

The one to blame was the people behind the horrible situation.

“I’m disgusted by the situation, so I want to interfere. But if we provoke the townspeople, we might aggravate the situation,” Jasper said while shaking his head. “Moreover, Duckie doesn’t wish for us to harm the townspeople in any way.”

“I don’t really care about the duck’s wishes,” Xion said indifferently. “The mission Princess Neoma gave me is to keep you and the duck safe, Your Grace. If the situation calls for it, I’d kill anyone who threatens your safety.”

Jasper could only smile awkwardly.

[Xion really doesn’t care about anything else, huh?]

The assassin was too calloused as well.

Jasper was angered by the situation in that poor village.

But Xion remained indifferent all this time. The only time Xion would show emotion was when he was talking to his “siblings.”

[Princess Neoma, your “children” love you too much.]

“I guess it’s a good call that we asked for Princess Neoma’s help along with the other Elemental Guardian owners,” Jasper said. “I have a feeling that Duckie needs them.”

It was because the duck kept on asking them about Princess Neoma and the others.

“The duck is late, Your Grace.”

Jasper nodded in agreement. “He said he wanted to “buy” his family back on his own. Even so, we shouldn’t have let him go alone.”

Yes, the duck needed diamonds to buy his family back.

According to Duckie’s story, one day, a group of people who seemed like demon worshippers arrived in their old, nameless village.

Those people overtook the capital quickly by feeding the hungry people.

Then, one day, the leader of the ground announced that they needed people to help them with their experiment. They said it was a safe experiment where the subjects just needed to sleep. Apparently, it was a study about dreams.

Since it sounded easy, and the people were desperate for delicious and warm meals, many people “sold” their own families to have food on the table.

[“I know it was weird from the start, so I went to the capital to investigate. But I didn’t see or feel anything strange. The people who agreed to participate in the experiment were really just sleeping in the biggest inn in the capital. Hence, I ignored the bad feeling I have. And that was my mistake.”]

That was what Duckie told Jasper and Xion.

[“Since it appeared safe, the three children of the family who took care of me decided to join the experiment. Their parents were both sick, after all. Instead of delicious food, they asked for medicine in return. I tried to stop the children, but they couldn’t hear me. Unfortunately, I couldn’t use my power as well. All I could do was pray and hope that the experiment was really safe. But, of course, my fucking prayers weren’t heard.”]

The duck then told them what happened next.

[“At first, people were allowed to visit their loved ones who joined the experiment. But later, no one was allowed to approach the inn. Soon, the capital was covered in Darkness. And the next thing I knew, the townspeople were already under the suspicious group’s control. I couldn’t just stand still, so I used my power to transform into a human form– a child’s form, to be precise.”]

Yes, Jasper belatedly realized that the duck had a human form.

[“The leader of the group told me that if I wanted to take my family home, I have to buy them back by giving them precious gems. They said they prefer diamonds. That’s why I sent a message to the other Elemental Guardian owners to come and find me.”]

[“Why didn’t you just go and find them yourself?”]

That was Jasper’s question for the duck.

[“I actually committed a sin in the past. Hence, I’m not supposed to meet the other Elemental Guardians until I’m done paying for my sins. But I was desperate, so I made the decision to contact them while finding a person to help me with my financial problem.”]

[“And that’s how you found me?”]

[“Yes, since you’re the only person in the area who smelled of old money.”]

“You did the right thing by letting the duck go on his own, Your Grace,” Xion said indifferently, cutting Jasper’s thoughts. “The duck is older than us even if he looks like that. Moreover, Princess Neoma always says that we should respect other people’s decisions.”

Well, the assassin was correct.

“Moreover, you have another job to do as a duke of the empire, Your Grace.”

“Ah, yes,” Jasper said, then he pulled out the pocket watch from the inner pocket of his jacket. “I already sent a letter to the lords of the North. It’s about time they give a response.”

The lords of the North consisted of members of the Neutral Faction.

House Hawthorned used to be neutral as well, and Jasper hadn’t changed his house’s stance even now.

[The one I support is Princess Neoma, not the entire Royal Family.]

“Are you going to meet the lords of the North?” Xion asked. “Here?”

Jasper shook his head. “I’m going to meet them, but not here–”

He abruptly stopped talking when he felt a chilling presence.

Xion was quicker to react. In just the blink of an eye, the assassin already disappeared and probably headed to where the chilling presence was coming from.

Of course, Jasper followed right away.

When he arrived at where the assassin stopped– a dark alleyway.

Jasper saw Xion holding an unconscious and bleeding Duckie– still in his duck form– in his arms.

There were already several dead men at the assassin’s feet.

[He’s really quick…]

The others who were probably chasing Duckie ran away as soon as they realized that they couldn’t beat Xion.

Of course, Jasper didn’t let them escape.

“Mariposa, come out.”

Several red butterflies came out of Jasper’s hands, then the red butterflies chased the men who tried to run away.

“Burn them all alive,” Jasper ordered in a cold voice. “Only let one person live.”

“The duck is still alive,” Xion reported indifferently. “He needs medical attention, but I’m not sure if the potions I brought with me would work.”

“If Greko made those potions, then it should work. After all, Greko is half human-half fairy,” Jasper said confidently. Then he turned to the duck who was breathing heavily. “You’ll be fine, Duckie.”

Duckie, who probably heard Jasper’s voice, opened his eyes. “I’m sorry… your diamonds… were wasted…”

“What do you mean…”

“They’re gone…” Duckie said, his voice weak and broken. Then he slowly closed his eyes again. “My family… they all died...”

Xion remained indifferent.

Jasper, on the other hand, closed his eyes tight. “Bastards.”

***

“I DID NOT cry,” Jasper, who was sitting on the chair, said as soon as Xion was done talking to his “siblings.” “Xion, the way you reported my condition to Lewis and Lady Paige made it sound like I cried from anger and frustration.”

Xion avoided his gaze. “You still almost cried…”

He wanted to protest more, but he was distracted when Duckie– who was on the bed– suddenly stirred.

“Duckie–”

“Bastards!”

That was what the duck said as soon as he got up from bed.

Jasper was quite surprised. To be honest, he was already wondering how to comfort the duck. But it seemed like it wasn’t the right time to do so. “What happened to you, Duckie? You were in your human form when you left earlier, but you came back in your duck form– and you were almost half-dead.”

Fortunately, the potions that Greko made worked on the duck despite on the slightly deep cut in his stomach.

[The bleeding stopped, and he quickly regained his strength.]

“It was because I needed to run away as quickly as possible,” Duckie said in an urgent voice. “Is Princess Neoma and the other Elemental Guardian owners coming?”

.....

“They are on their way already,” Xion said, his ears perking up when Princess Neoma’s name was mentioned. “Did something happen?”

“Those bastards that brought Darkness here!” Duckie said impatiently. “They’re trying to summon the Hell Knights from hell to make a fake Elemental Guardian!”

***

JASPER was relieved when they finally arrived.

By “them,” he meant Princess Neoma, Lord Ruto, and Miss Dahlia.

The three extremely important individuals had used a portal, and it opened directly into the inn that Jasper, Xion, and Duckie were currently using.

[I’m relieved that they’re finally here.]

“Jasper oppa!” Princess Neoma said worriedly while approaching him. “Who made you cry?”

Huh?

Did Princess Neoma really think he cried?

Jasper closed his eyes tight from embarrassment.

[I did NOT cry, Princess Neoma.]

Jasper was seriously going to strangle Xion later…