New mission.

Leonard and Certhac had a heartfelt conversation. After that was all done and through, Leonard left the room to go visit the kids.

They are all talented as ever, if Leonard didn't remember about this certain place he would've missed all these talented kids, never to be discovered.

One of the kids named Karl went toward Leonard and asked.

"Who are you? I saw you a week ago but you don't seem to be from the slums."

"Haha… I came from a rich neighborhood."

"..."

Silence.

It caused silence within the room, rich? Why is someone rich in the slums and a makeshift orphanage?

"I'm here to give you all your homes, it's a request from Jermaine since all of you live with him. You've seen how his condition is right?"

"Is there no cure…?"

"No… and cure is something rare for a disease. Jermaine's condition was like that for years."

"..."

"I'll give y'all time to say your final goodbyes, okay?"

Certhac told Leonard that the kids already knew about being adopted into their house of Marchen. However they can't accept being departed from Certhac, so Certhac had to tell them about his condition.

Leonard had suspicions that Certhac accelerated his condition to force the kids, but he isn't going to point him out on that.

Leonard walked out of the orphanage and took a call. He was waiting for the vehicles that were supposed to take the children in.

—dulululu~♪

The phone rang till it was finally picked up.

"Is the Van or truck driver coming in?"

"It's a van and yes, young master, they are waiting here with me."

"Go ahead and come to my location. There are about 12 of me here. You can at least fit 5 to 6 in those vans."

"Understood."

Leonard hung up the phone and placed it in his pocket, when he was about to go in the received something unexpected.

[Sub Mission: Alchemical Experimentations]

"...?"

[The Fief is known for its warriors and geniuses. One day Richard was so stressed and fatigued about Elizabeth that when he went to work in the fief he accidentally ignored a report about missing children.

Find out the cause and save the missing children.

Reward: 4,000 points.

Penalty: Descent of the Demon Queen -2 years

Difficulty: A-]

"huh?!"

Leonard couldn't help but exclaim in confusion, he wasn't done yet with Certhac's mission but now he was given another mission?

And the penalty is severe. Leonard couldn't help but be flustered, the case with Elizabeth, the mission with Certhac, and now this?!

He couldn't even do what he wanted to do and now he was given another mission. But on another side note, this mission is dangerous.

Missing people are usually sent off to be trafficked or their organs were sold off. But that would be impossible for the Marchen fief.

Since Richard had erected a 34km fence across the entire fief to make sure not a single soul could enter nor leave. And that border is checked every week for damages.

The only way to get in and out are checkpoints that are handled by the Marchen army. The reason for this is because of the previous head, was colluding with the traffickers.

"Dammit… "

What Leonard knew is that these traffickers were already dealt with after Richard became the head. But it turns out it wasn't completely wiped out, thanks to the mission the system gave to him.

He hated the fact that he had to do another mission before completing another one. But he was thankful he was given awareness of this.

"Markus!"

Weighing his choices he called the bodyguard that always hid nearby. Once his name was called Markus appeared in front of Leonard.

"Young master?"

"Have you seen some kids being taken or just some getting kidnapped in general?"

"There is this commotion in the alley just behind the building I'm on top of."

"Bring me up. I want to see."

"Young master I—"

"Just do it."

Leonard showed an annoyed look, Markus not wanting to offend Leonard only bowed his head and followed the order.

Markus held Leonard by the shoulder and jumped up the poorly maintained building. It's not high but not that short either, it's probably an apartment building.

"Let me go! Let me go!"

Finally, on top of the building Leonard got a full view of what was happening, he could tell why the mission was given.

3 normally clothed people were harassing two children. Two boys exactly, one is shorter than the other so there must be an age gap.

The three people are wearing thick clothing, a jacket, jeans, and run-down shoes. They are being discreet, the fact that the slums had a road that only fit one car made their job easier.

There was already a white van waiting for the three guys to get the kids.

"Hmm… Markus."

"Young master… you don't plan on following them yourself right?"

"Hell no. Track them via spell."

"I see."

Markus was relieved, if they ever did something crazy as following them they might encounter something dangerous.

"I'm going to send Rens."

"R-Rens? The head Knight??"

"Yeah? Like he isn't doing anything these days. He'll be glad that he'll finally get some action after this."

Markus let out a gulp, he was a bodyguard of the Marchen family. Naturally, he learned techniques that are only available to the escorts of the Marchen family.

And he learned them all first hand from a regime of the Knights. He knows how grumpy this man named Rens is.

"Ah!"

The boys below screamed, their mouths were tied with a cloth and were pulled into the van.

"Go, Markus!"

Markus disappeared beside Leonard and appeared on top of the van. There was no disturbance in the air nor any shaking in the van to be noticed, only the weight on the roof of the car.

He started chanting as quietly as he could. He could hear the van start and was about to take off. If it did his balance would be thrown off alerting the people inside.

Before the car took off Markus finished his chanting and he disappeared off the roof of the car and appeared on the building opposite Leonard.

He was panting as well. Must be because he isn't used to rushing spells. Leonard gave a thumbs up.

'I'll give him a raise later' Leonard thought

Leonard's phone then rang. He found out that there were cars parked in front of the Orphanage.

"Markus, they're here!"

Leonard quickly made Markus rush, Markus completely recovered, arrived in front of Leonard, and took him down the building.

After being placed on the ground Leonard went to the driver of the car he was using.

"Two vans, nice. I'll go tell the orphanage head."

"Yes, young master."

Leonard walked towards the Orphanage once again and went in. The kids were already waiting, their eyes reddish signifying a parting with Certhac.

"Did all of you get your goodbyes?"

A lot of them nodded. Leonard smiled.

"Don't worry. Jermaine would have someone take care of him."

This was already told beforehand, but Leonard said it again to affirm the kids.

There is no way Leonard would leave Certhac alone, he was a demon and after his death his shapeshifting abilities would be exposed, causing havoc in the Marchen territory.

"Markus, Guide them!"

Markus who was staying outside nodded, and then went ahead to tell the kids to follow, which they did.

Leonard went to Certhac's room and sat down again.

"Thank you."

"Well… yeah, no problem."

"I'd like to have the funeral as soon as I can."

"Eager to die that much?"

"I believe my existence will cause you trouble. The Viking funeral ceremony is awesome so I'm looking forward to that."

Leonard sighed.

"Alright, Alright. But before that…"

Leonard's face turned serious. Noticing that, Certhac's face became solemn.

"There are missing people in the slums. Know anything about it"

"Ah… that. I don't know either. But I'm pretty sure it does not work of a demon."

"Hmm… how come?"

"Demons that had arts of illusion usually are a valued resource. So they stay within the demon continent."

"Why are demons with Illusion arts coming up?"

"Well, humans are the ones who kidnap people here. So I'm pretty sure demons with Illusion arts are the perpetrators… they can command whatever being they have trapped in their illusion arrays."

"Ah, I get it…"

"But their numbers are small, and the new Demon ruler wouldn't be so stupid to send one in the Human continent to kidnap kids."

Leonard gets the gist of it, if it's not a Demon Certhac knew of then it's the work of a human being. Meaning it's probably worse than a Demon.

And the sub-mission clearly stated that it's Alchemical Experimentations. Making Leonard's mood sour.

"ugh… Get up, you're coming with us instead, Certhac."

"Hm? What's with the sudden change?"

"I'm about to do things that'll be accompanied by changes. And I can't risk you being found."

"... Alright."

Certhac had an idea what Leonard would do, he had no idea of what happened but with the questions he laid, he got the point.

With the assistance of Leonard, Certhac stood up, and they went to his car. Markus and the Driver didn't question it.

"Let's go home."

Leonard ordered. All cars went ahead and moved in unison, coming back home to Marchen's mansion.