The ducal's silent. The moment night comes, the atmosphere shift into something straight up horror. And in the middle of that silence, Nein moved like ghost, using the fog to hide his presence as he phases through the armed guard unnoticed.
The earlier presence still roaming around with purpose, approaching each house and streets as if looking for something but when the guards approaching their spot, they immediately disappear.
"Hm... They're good at hide and seek. No wonder there's no progress." He mumbles to himself as he assessing the situation further.
As he walks, he finally saw one of them. Walking through the fog with deliberate speed. He saw an old man and decided to following him for more clue.
He simply walk passed him without noticing. Wandering around streets with hope some villager might see him and decided to help.
Two hours later, inside a hidden structure deep in the forest.
"Damn it!. I lost again. Hey what about those guys on duty tonight?." Said someone with a cigar in his mouth.
"Heh, don't know. It's their problem not us.". The others replied with a scoffs as he shuffling the card.
In a place hidden deep in the twilight forest slightly away from the duchy where monster lurking around at night. There's a place filled with bunch of wanted criminals simply enjoying themselves.
"To think there's a place like this inside the forest with a good food is surprising." Nein compliment before eating his steak.
He casually blending in among the criminal after following the old man here. He effortlessly infiltrate and no one suspecting him taking how he looks like he could kill by simply looking.
His attention shifted toward a figure wearing a priest clothes and being escorted by the security. It makes him curious and decided to follow.
"Sir Pallie my friend!. Nice to see you again!." A fat man covered in gold immediately went to hug the priest with familiarity.
"Oh, Mr. Anu, you're as healthy as ever. So have you prepared anything for me hmm?". He asked playfully after pulling away.
"Of course I am, come on. The products already waiting for you." Anu wave his hand to the security and begin leading Pallie inside the private room.
He followed behind after transforming into a smoke. He take advantage of the dim corner to hide. He tail them deeper and is shocked by what he saw.
There's peoples behind the cages that not only filled with missing person on the list but also an unknown face and races. The prison stretch along their way.
They reached a room at the end of the hallway. A metal door that prevent intruder for coming in. Anu takes Pallie deeper and finally stop by a big cage covered in red cloth.
"Now, I shall show you our bestest yet!." Anu says with spirit as he holds the blanket covering a cage and pulled it down.
"Oh Lord, what a beauty." He breathes in awe toward what he sees.
It's a young elf who being tied inside. The sight makes him unconsciously stepping closer, but stopped abruptly after he feel chills in his spine and turn around sharply.
"W-what's wrong sir?." Anu ask confused by his actions.
"Nothing. Are you sure there's only two of us here?". Pallie asked as he stare at Anu.
"Of course. It's obvious doesn't it?". Anu said convincing him.
After looking around for a moment, Pallie return to the elf and start examining her with lustful eyes.
"Anyway, since it's rare...can you add more donation for this, sir Pallie?". Anu said as he rubbing both hands against each other.
"Heh, worry not my friend. I'll pay whatever number you give me". Pallie answer with wicked smile.
"What an asshole." Nein suddenly interrupt.
His body partially returned and starring at both of them with only his head floating between them.
"G-Gua-hmph!" Anu failed to call for help.
He use the smoke to shut their mouth and tied them up to the floor. He approach the cage and use his smoke to open the lock.
"There you go." He said after unlocking the cage.
Boom!!!
A sudden explosion occurred behind him, making a loud bang across the place. Nein use the smoke as shield and protect both of them behind it while Pallie got blasted to the wall, still alive as he immediately run away. But Nein's gaze fixed entirely to the hideous monster Infront of him.
"You little pest...you dare to ruin my business!!". Anu shout before sending a punch.
Nein take the elf with him and dodge, the heavy blow causing the floor to crack.
"That'd hurt. Sorry miss, but you need to hide somewhere else." He said casually to the elf in his arm.
"What? Are you planning on taking him alone? No way!." The elf insisted to help.
"What are you talking about? I'm telling you to hide from the others coming here." He said casually despite Anu already sending another blow.
"WATCH OUT!!" She warns.
When she expect an explosion, she instead stunned by the fact not only they're fine but the man infront of her managed to stop Anu using some sort of magic.
"{Chain of restriction}." He whisper as bunch of black smoke binding Anu's body, preventing him from making any moves.
Meanwhile, Pallie's already halfway through the forest. Using potion to heal his wounds and cursing under his breath he run with fear from what he just see.
"Shit! Shit! Shit! He's a demon, he's a demon!" He yells desperately between run before abruptly stopped.
"Now, now, you have the right to remain silent." Nein said with a smile.
He runs desperately only to see the same man who supposed to be fighting Anu standing before him unscathed.
Present time
Nein smoke's carrying him back to the place. He already taken care of Anu and the rest of the criminals by tying them to the floor while Ellie, the elf helps him releasing the victim.
"I've done releasing everyone now." Ellie said with purpose, her eyes fixed on Pallie or maybe the black thing that carrying his body.
"Good job. I'll handle everything here, for now...just rest. Someone will come to pick everyone's up." He drop the body before walking inside the place.
She follows behind him, still cautious but also curious. They're back to where Anu's being held.
He's strangled under Nein's smokes. Unable to use his powers and helpless. Ellie's watching the scene with wonder as she finally asked.
"What kind of magic did you use? I...never witness something like this before...is it dark magic?." She ask cautiously.
Nein take his time to find the right words to explain it and looking at her eyes once he found an answer.
"It's not fitting as a magic. But something similar to alchemy... I use my body as the medium and my blood as the fuel." He tried to sounds logical since he's not yet familiar with the terms in this world.
"So you're saying that you're using your own body to cast magic rather than using a wand?." She ask, perplexed by the concept he said.
"Quite literally." He confirmed.
"I...I don't understand..." Her suspicious turned into confusion.
He simply sigh and turn his attention to Anu instead.
"All you need to know is that I never use this power to harm peoples. Only the one deserved it and I assure you it's not dark magic." He says casually as he walked back to the main entrance.
"Where are you going?" She snap and saw him walking away.
"There's nothing left here to do. And I'm exhausted." He answered without stopping.
"What if he manage to escape?" She pointed at the not-so-sturdy smoke keeping Anu in place.
"Don't worry, despite it looks, my smoke strong enough to hold a continent together." He said casually.
Ellie simply listen with wonder. Taking his words for now since he doesn't sound like he's bluffing. She avoid asking many question and just following behind him.
His messenger crow returned after delivering the news to August before dissipating into the air. He turn around to tell the people.
"Help will arrive shortly, the Duke himself will come here to pick you up. So take a rest and breath. You're all save now." His voice carries easily despite his low and reassuring tone.
Right now, the only concern is what to eat after everything's done. There's a several captive were missing, but it's not his problem not fault. All the matter that things were taken care of.
And with that, along with the rising sun. August arrived with his men along with a priest as Nein told in the message.
"Good lord, look at this number." August whisper after seeing the number of people behind Nein.
He began barking orders to his men to retrieve all the people to safety, that is before he spot someone that causing his eyes to widen slightly.
"Princess Ellie?." August said, referring to Ellie with tittle.
"Duke August?" She replied before approaching him.
They begin to talk about things while Nein watching from the distance. Another mission accomplished without too much effort. And he make his way back first to get some rest.