Re:START/If {Book 1.0}
Chapter 18: Snowdrops in blood (Part 01)

The day changed, the dawn with the sun covered in clouds greeted the world with a monochrome gray color. Inside the tent, Julia slowly opened her eyes and glanced around, gathering awareness after waking up. Sitting while rubbing his eyes, the cat girl's tail immediately stood up and swayed to and fro. Looking to the right and left turns out there is no master, both ears of the cat Julia immediately twitches along with a visibly anxious face.

“Tuan ...? Mr Odo?” Julia looked around the tent, but there was no black-haired child in the room. Trying to wake up Immania and Mind who are still asleep, they both just answer by slurring unclear.

Straight out of the tent in panic, Julia saw Gariadin and Xau Lin sitting on guard near the extinguished campfire. The pot that was previously used for cooking was washed clean, and placed near the two people who in the middle of the night changed to do guard duty.

“Lin .., Adin ..., you guys see Young Master?” julia asked in panic and agitation.

“Oh ..., no need to worry like that, Sister Julia. Young Master again at the lake .... After we clean up the same washing dinnerware, he said Tuan wanted to sit down for a while there,” said Gariadin with leisure. Xua Lin just stared at Julia flatly and was a little confused looking at the cat girl who was very protective of Odo.

Hearing this, Julia was immediately shocked and felt that Odo would not just sit around like the old red-haired man said. “Da-Lake where is it?” ask the cat girl in a panic.

“Near, coke. A few hundred meters to the west .... Oh, yes .... Be careful when you go through the lake, yes. Although frozen, but the lake was sa⸻” Before Gariadin finished his explanation, Julia had already run west to pick up Odo. Looking at the figure who was indeed taller than them looking frantic like that, Xua Lin and Gariadin only wore astonished expressions.

Julia ran as fast as she could. Passing through the trees in the forest, his footsteps seemed to be not dispelled by the snow covering the ground and still speeding. Out of the forest area, a large lake with water froze and formed a shiny ice floor greeted him. Julia's breath gasped for breath, let out white steam, and began to look to the right and left looking for the figure of her Master.

Not long looking, in the middle of the lake looks Odo who is standing casually right on the floor of clear ice. Seeing the black-haired child, Julia immediately breathed a sigh of relief. The anxiety that even requires him not having time to do hair or wash his face is gone at that moment.

Starting to set foot on the frozen lake, the girl called out in a loud voice, “Young Master ..., hurry here ...! We want to continue the journey! So we can get to tomorrow!” Odo looked up at me hearing that.

Looking at Julia at the corner of the lake and walking over, her face immediately looked panicked. He turned around and teared up to commemorate, “ Mbak Julia, do not go to si⸻!!” But, before she could tell Julia, the girl stepped on the wrong ice floor like what Odo was worried about, and ....

My brukuak!!

“Eh ..!!?” The ice floor he was on was fragile, and Julia was immediately mired into a very cold lake. Seeing Julia fall, Odo immediately ran towards her and helped the cat girl.

.

.

.

Near the tent, more precisely next to the bonfire that was re-lit, Julia sat trembling while holding a glass filled with warm herbal tea. He drank a warm tea while shivering in the cold.

The cat girl is seen wearing a short black dress that should be used for duplicate clothing, as well as long black stockings to the upper thighs that Mind lends. It looks very unsuitable given the cold temperatures.

Earlier, when Julia mired into the lake, Odo immediately pulled her up before the surface of the lake froze again. Julia was mildly dehydrated, and immediately carried the black-haired child back to the tent and the situation was now. Julia sat by the campfire, given a strange look by her comrades.

Seeing the girl still shivering, Odo sighed. The cat girl's ears and tail were lackluster despite the addition of warm clothes that were double her short black dress and in her hands had been added gloves. Odo walked to Julia's back, took off the coat he was wearing, and put it on him.

The silvery-haired girl was shocked. When first wearing the jacket, Julia immediately knew there was something strange about it because it felt warmer than expected. Looking towards Odo who was walking to the side, He asked, “This ..., is there a magic structure, Mr Odo?” asked Julia while putting a glass filled with herbal tea on a board chair.

“Hmm, magic structure to radiate heat on the inside,” Odo replied.

The black-haired child walked in front of Julia and stared intently at her. Observing from top to bottom the girl, he felt new things could be seen wearing clothes other than the maid's uniform.

“A-What's up, Young Master?”

“Not .., I'm surprised. Though already know cold, why did Madam Julia bring a short change of clothes?”

Julia was silent about getting such questions. Turning his face to the side, He replied doubtfully, “Ha-Finally I think it will not get wet and need to change this ..” Odo stared flatly after hearing this. Turning around and as if not thinking about it again, Odo walked towards Drake who had been fitted with a belt and hook to pull the wooden carriage and cart.

Rubbing Drake's firm-skinned head tamely, Odo wore a grim facial expression that he never showed yesterday. The black-haired boy looked dignified wearing only a white shirt and long black pants, in stark contrast to what the Shieal had seen from him before. Glancing at Minda and Imania who were standing near the seat where Julia was sitting, Odo asked in a slightly lethargic tone, “Kira arrived at Pando Forest how many days are left?”

“I think maybe two more days .... During the day or afternoon,” replied Minda.

Getting the answer, Odo turned his face with a sharp gaze and faced west where the lake was. At a glance, the black-haired boy said, “I want to take a walk to the lake. Please prepare everything, we leave in half an hour..” He walked into the forest, without anyone daring to answer or ask him.

At that moment, everyone in the place was shocked to see the glances Odo had shown and the aura that the child had had that seemed to change drastically, it felt like the black-haired child was a different person to the one yesterday.

Unlike her colleagues who were shocked in a feeling of wonder, Julia put on a flushed face due to some things. He closed both palms to the front of the mouth, the tip of the fingers that were closed hid his pale lips and began to exhale while slightly turning towards Odo who was roaring away.

“Tuan ...,” Julia's thoughts.

««»»

Walking on the icy floor of the frozen lake, the black-haired boy looked glum and thought of many things in his head. As if he did have a very strong instinct, every time he stepped foot he never stepped on the wrong ice surface and casually walked on the frozen lake. Arriving in the middle of the lake, he briefly looked up and took a deep breath, eliminating the restlessness in the mind.

“Ah ..., true also .... Dream time it ..., fable⸻ More precisely Witch in it, it feels something to do. The same guy? I don't think so. Who ..?”

Muttering indistinctly at the grand of the lake, Odo decided to sit down as he was tired of the burden of the mind. His easily curious nature and thinking about such things had indeed become a basic trait for him. Trying to throw off such a feeling, the black-haired child started to sit cross-legged and entered into a meditative position.

In the middle of the frozen lake and under the overcast sky which brought down the cold snow, the, He cultivated the Magic Core and began to flow Mana throughout the magic elbow in the body as well as reducing the Mana on the Magic Core to an almost empty level.

A magic aura emanated from his body, and at that moment the still pure Mana realm in the middle of the lake began to be absorbed by his body. It was a combination of the Divine and Heaven Meditation he had, as well as the Natural Way Meditation he had learned from Reyah to develop the Soul Realm.

The ice surface of the lake started to crack slightly, and from within it came out the natural mana of the living beings that froze within the ice lake. The cold air began to form a unity axis of energy and began to center, the sleeping snow-covered trees started to radiate their vitality and drifted towards a single point. All of that life force was emanated in the form of a faint white-colored transparent light and was instantly absorbed by Odo.

Within half an hour before continuing on the journey, He had actually only cultivated and upgraded his Magic Core in terms of the permanent capacity of Mana in the body, as well as increasing the body's resistance to cold.

After finishing unpacking and lifting all the items back onto the cart, Minda as a representative called Odo to inform the black-haired child. But when he saw him sitting in the middle of the lake and enveloped in Mana from nature, instantly the sound seemed to stop in the middle of the throat and could not call him.

Odo opened his eyes to feel the air of presence. Glancing towards Minda at the corner of the lake, the boy came out from a meditative position. In a split second, the transparent white aura hovering in that place scattered and disappeared.

Standing and facing the black haired woman, Odo began to step toward her. The mind was petrified at the sight of the boy's shining eyes, silent before a figure that seemed to be a higher-level entity.

Walking beside Mind and passing through it, Odo said slowly, “Come, Mbak ...”

Mind slightly jolted at the sound of that slightly hoarse and heavy voice. Turning around and looking at the boy who was walking into the forest, Mind could only be silent without daring to ask the boy why in one night his attitude had changed.

After that, Odo and Minda returned to the other place to continue the journey. Unlike when leaving, now the coachman is Mind and Imania, while Xua Lin and Gariadin sit in a wooden carriage with Odo and Julia.

The atmosphere on the way was unlike the first time it set off, feeling extremely silent and awkward as the black-haired child sitting between them only lowered their heads with a gloomy face. No one dared to ask, they vaguely knew the reason behind the gloomy gaze of the child was something incomprehensible.

Ignoring the atmosphere and already used to the gloomy gaze of the black-haired child, Julia patted him on the shoulder and asked, “What's up, Young Master? Are you angry that I did it?” Odo raised his face, then the look in his eyes first pointed towards Xua Lin and Gariadin, making them gasp in shock at the void-filled gaze. Blinking once, Odo turned to look at Julia while answering in a lazy tone, “No. It's just ..., my spirit is gone .. about this expedition ...”

“E-Eh ..., why? Isn't Young Master looking forward to this? Is it because I was ..?”

“Big head once Ms. Julia .... I'm not a person who is easily influenced just because of the strange behavior of others.”

“Keep why?”

“Maybe there is something bad .. when we get to the destination later ..., that's what I guess now.”

“What is the instinct Mr?”

“Kurasa ..., yes. Well, from the beginning instincts like this are just a sense of paranoia. But, most actually happened ...”

“What do you want back? I don't think Madam will be angry if Young Master decides to return ...”

“Not .., we just continue.”

Odo lowered his head again, and the atmosphere turned silent again. Everyone in the carriage became awkward, so did Imania and Mind who sat in front and listened to the conversation.

Passing through the plateau area on the road that lies between the cliffs and ravines, the trekking went smoothly at first. But as if the black-haired child's instincts were true as they were, an incalculable event occurred.

Right on the road that was almost out of the mountainous area, the expedition's small entourage was blocked by a group of wild bandits less than an hour after Odo talked about the bad thing that was about to happen.

Manda and Imania who saw a herd of bandits blockading the road, their numbers were around a dozen and armed quite fully. Slightly glancing to the side, on top of the cliff were seen some of the bandit group aiming with arrows and iron slings.

Realizing that moving rashly would make matters worse because they were completely surrounded, they both quickly raised both hands. Manda and Imania jerked their backs to the carriage, telling the people inside that the situation had turned quite serious.

Trying not to keep thinking about Odo's earlier words, the people in the wooden carriage took a deep breath and won themselves over. The rhythm of their breaths changed as quietly as the river flow in the estuary.

Xua Lin and Gariadin stared at Julia, they instantly understood what to do now. Giving a sign to Imania and Mind in front by knocking on the wall of the carriage, they said to remain calm while the people inside were preparing themselves.

Receiving the message, Mind and Imania put a flat gaze on the bandits in front. The group of looters that blocked Drake's pace were about fifteen people, and they wore melee weapons that varied from swords, battle axes, and iron spears, among others, as well as the equipment used is quite mature such as leather armor in some parts there is a protective plate of iron. Their violent faces were clearly visible from the sidelines of the iron helmets, and gazes full of evil intent gushed forth strongly.

As Minda glanced up, in his observation seen more than seven people who had been ready to aim and could launch a long-range weapon at any time. Unlike the people who confronted him directly in front, they only wore leather vests and did not wear thick protectors. Understanding the interception situation, without examining Mind and Imania immediately knew that surely behind there were also several other bandit groups who blocked the back route.

In the car, Julia clasped Odo's lower right hand, then said, “Master ..., you're here first .... We will clear them up soon.” Odo only responded to the cat girl's words with a light nod.

Looking towards Gariadin, the blood red-haired man who was now not wearing the armor smiled excitedly as he had not fought freely for a long time. So did Imania, the Demi-human instinct began to smolder and prepared to smash the bones of the bandits outside with her fists.

In front of the carriage, someone who was seen as the boss of the bandits advanced forward and started talking sangar, “Down from the carriage!! I know you all must be people from the government!!” The word came out when he found out the sign on the train that indeed contained the symbol of the Kingdom of Felixia. Pointing towards Mind and Immania in front, the bald-headed fat man snapped, “Quick down! Want to die you!?” Having such a question, Mind grinned with a condescending expression and seemed to laugh at the man's words. As for Imania, the gray-haired girl was just silent with a flat expression and still raised both her hands.

“Tch! You really want to die apparently!” The bandit boss raised his right hand and put a signal on the bandits on the cliff. But before lowering his hand as a mark of shooting, a shadow came out from inside the wooden carriage and jumped towards the ravine. The bandits above reflexively shot their arrows and slingshot bullets, and precisely hit the shadow figure which turned out to be just a piece of brown cloth.

“A!!” The bandit boss and his men were shocked to see that. They instantly switched formations and drew their respective weapons, the long-range attackers charging back arrows and catapult-iron bullets.

Taking advantage of the opportunity between the break of the next long-range attack from the top of the cliff, Gariadin opened the door of the other side of the wooden carriage and jumped towards the cliff. He stood on a steep cliff, then extended his right hand towards the wagon. The runes on his Gauntlet palm were glowing, and the spear stored within the wagon instantly soared into the air and revolved towards him.

Taps!

He grabbed and held his gun with his right hand. Without letting the bandits on top of the cliff strike back, Gariadin enveloped his spear with Mana, then kicked the rocks and jumped towards the bandits on the cliff. Arriving in front of the archers and catapult shooters, the red-haired man stabbed them in line and his spear pierced through three stomachs of three people at once.

Below, the bandits who were on standby behind the wagon looked surprised at that, as well as the bandits who were blocking in front. The bandit who closed the rear route immediately ran hastily forward, intending to help his comrade above.

Passing by the side where Gariadin had come out, Xua Lin who had prepared inside the carriage instantly struck the one bandit who was first seen. The sound of iron and bone armor as the Demi-human punch hit the right shoulder was clearly heard, and the bandit's body bounced to the point of hitting the cliff wall very hard.

“Huuu ..” Regulating a fleeting breathing, another bandit passing by caught up and struck Xua Lin in the same manner. But when the third bandit passed by, the same way did not go similarly. The punch of Xua Lin who was still in the carriage was avoided, then the sword-armed bandit thrust his weapon towards the girl who had mounted the hitting horses inside the carriage.

Xua Lin's sharply prepared instincts instantly reacted to the movement of the attacking bandits. Using the basic Demi-human reflexes that were indeed higher than humans in general and the Battle Art technique Blank Combat Art Flow Luke technique, the Shieal girl avoided the sword thrust, then lock the upper arm of the bandit and break the joint. The sword dropped by the bandits, then at that very moment Xua Lin unleashed his key technique and leaped up the bandits to knock it out.

Overwhelming him on the surface of the snow, Xua Lin instantly launched a palm strike right at the head. The moment his palm hit the face of the bandits, the energy delivered instantly shattered the inside of the head and killed him.

Not following an active attack like Gariadin and Xua Lin, Imania and Mind were just sitting on the spot as indeed those two people were not the open-ended type of fighters who attacked the enemy from the front.

Imania took a small dagger from behind the servant dress she was wearing, then scratched a bit of her index finger and let the blood out. Blowing his own index finger slowly, the flowing blood turned into twinkling powders.

Imania glanced at her colleague at the side. Mind nods, then extends his right hand forward and casts a spell, “Air is a void, formless, faint but real. Make your own space and form.”

A round-shaped air space appeared in front of the two of them. Imania blew the powder over her right palm, and flew the powder made of her blood into the air space that Mind made.

Just as the bandits were about to attack Drake because they thought it could block their loot prey from escaping, Minda swung her hand to the side and flew a light powder-filled air circle towards them and blew it up.

The powder dispersed quickly thanks to the air blast that wrapped it. Without being able to touch Drake, they instantly fell silent with blank stares as they inhaled the powder scattered around them. The powder made from Immania's blood had opiate-like properties at doses hundreds of times stronger, and gives a strong hallucinatory effect that makes anyone affected will go in controlled by the owner of the powder.

But because Imania could not speak and could not give orders to those affected, the bandits only fell silent with blank faces and some were lying with consciousness floating.

“As usual, your strength is spooky,” said Minda. Hearing that, Imania just stared back flat without retaliating.

“Wah, wow! Is Immania overreacting anymore?” Gariadin glided over the cliff, then stood near the coachman's seat where Minda and Imania were seated. On the spear the red-haired man carried, fresh blood still dripped.

As Minda and Imania looked up at the top of the cliff where the bandits holding the ranged weapons were located, there it was completely transformed into an unsightly place with flesh as well as corpses strewn about and even dyed snow white with other colors.

“You're overrated,” thought Mind. Imania also felt something not much different from the woman sitting next to her.

“Gariadin! If you blow up people's bodies, don't squirt at me!” said Xua Lin who was walking from the back of the wagon. Imania and Minda looked back, Gariadin also looked towards the Demi-human bear. Worse than Gariadin, Xua Lin's hands were filled with blood to the point of dirtying his face and clothes with red patches.

“Uwah ..” Gariadin put on a slightly sagged face. But the moment Xua Lin clenched his fist, the man immediately turned his face and whistled.

“What's finished?” Julia got out of the carriage because she heard their joking voice. Seeing the scenery on the cliff, the cat girl immediately turned around and pushed in Odo who was about to come out. “Tu-Tuan ..., you were inside first yes...”

Without waiting for an answer from the black-haired child, Julia immediately closed the train door with a little anxiety because she thought that the one on the cliff could give something bad in the development of her Young Master. Turning around and looking towards Gariadin, Julia looked at him sharply.

“As usual how to fight you brutal yes.”

Getting such an allusion, the red-haired man simply turned his face away and whistled back, He looked as if he did not feel guilty. Sighing and understanding it was indeed Gariadin's nature, Julia turned around and looked towards Xua Lin behind her.

“What's behind all?” ask Julia.

“Kurasa already ...” Xua Lin raised both of his hands to chest-high, and revealed a plume of blood present. Julia did not mind that, different from when Gariadin was.

Julia and Xua Lin walked to the front of the carriage, heading to where Gariadin, Imania, and Mind were. Upon arriving, Julia's eyes were immediately directed at the dozens of bandits who stood blankly in front of Drake who were not affected by the power of Imania.

The power of the girl who could not speak was only influential to humans, Demi-humans, and life forms who had quite high intelligence, therefore Drake who was more likely to rely on instinct was not affected.

“You want to flap them, brother? If it's like this, don't we have to stop by the city or something to imprison them?” ask Manda while looking at the silvery-haired girl.

“Hmm, it seems troublesome indeed it will be. Do we kill it, continue later to make the report later,” said Julia easily. In the girl's logic, the bandits were viewed as inferior to the animals and their lives were completely disregarded.

Before they decided what to do with the bandits who were affected by the power of Immania, Odo got out of the wooden carriage and set foot on the snow that was partially stained with blood. Looking up at the cliff, the boy only wore a flat expression.

“Young Master ..., why come out? Not that I said ...” Julia turned towards him in a panic, then immediately walked up to him.

Odo did not listen to Julia. The black-haired boy took the weapons of the two bandits that Xua Lin first defeated, in the form of a sword and an axe, then threw them upwards simultaneously. Julia stopped seeing the boy do this strange thing. As well as the others, they were perplexed by what their master was doing.

“Tu-Young Master ...?”

Odo faced towards Julia, then walked slowly towards her. When it was just a few steps away, the bandits who turned out to be still there and hid inside the cart jumped out. The bandit wearing armor like the others was eyeing Odo, pointing the sword in hand right at the hump of the black-haired boy.

“Awas Mister!!” yelling Julia, He and the others immediately moved quickly to save the child. But because of the distance, time will not be able and they realize it because the bandits have stayed put the weapon.

However, before the tip of the sword pierced through the back neck of the black-haired boy, the axe that had previously been thrown upwards fell down and stuck into the right shoulder of the bandit. “Akhhh!!” The bandit screamed, knelt down and dropped his weapon. Before it could stand up and strike deep back, the lighter sword fell towards the bandits and precisely hit one of its legs until it was cut off.

Julia and the others were surprised to see that, they realized that what happened was not a mere coincidence. Looking back and looking at the bandit, Odo only gave a flat look at him, even though the bandit looked at him with anger and hatred.

As everyone who saw it assumed, what happened was no coincidence, Odo used calculations from Auto Senses to predict what would happen.

The boy listens to the sound from inside the carriage and uses sensor magic to map the situation before it comes out, that was why he knew that there were still bandits and set up an unexpected trap by throwing weapons up first.

Seeing the bodies near the cart behind, Odo put on a slightly disgusted face and looked back to the front. “Excess ..., what is not pity?” said the black haired child in a flat tone. Odo walked towards Julia who still looked puzzled.

“Tu-Tuan Odo ..., do you not feel nauseous or afraid to see i-it ...”

“Mual? Afraid? Did Julia forget that I ever fought the Black Dragon? This kind of thing ... nothing compared to when fighting the Black Dragon.”

Julia and the others were stunned to hear that. They stared at each other, and were a little confused as to what to react to. Ignoring all that, Odo again asked in a flat tone, “Jadi ..., after this want to be flanked all this? Can't just be left behind, ‘kan?”

“Yes .... If the situation is like this, it should stop by the nearest city and make a report first .... What's more ..., in front there are still alive,” said Minda. The black-haired girl descended with Imania, then stood near Gariadin.

Julia turned around, then looked at the bandits who were affected by the power of Imania. Odo who saw that was not surprised, He already knew the power that Imania had from the documents in the archive room of his residence.

“So it's the power of the Native Overhaul Magic Core that mutates the body of its owner so that it gets special powers huh .... I can't believe it's more effective than I thought.”

Putting on a flat face, the black-haired boy turned around and looked at the bandit lying in pain holding onto the severed leg. Seeing what was before him, the boy did not care at all and instead in his head was filled with other things.

“Native Overhoul, a rare case if one has a Magic Core which in itself undergoes a change in nature, is, so that because of that there can be genetic mutations in the body and make the owner of the Native Overhoul Magic Core possess special powers. Before being researched by the witches in the town of Miquator .., most children born with such cases are usually considered to be children endowed or cursed because of a power that is fundamentally different from magic. Because of the special powers that exist within the possessor of that special Magic Core, they would not be able to use magic at all times normally because the magic circuits in their bodies were also mutated and could only be used for their special powers .... Well, the point is Mbak Imania only has one weapon so strong that can not use other weapons,” Odo's mind with a flat gaze.

“Tu-Tuan Odo ..?” call Julia.

Ignoring that, the black-haired boy crouched down in front of the bandit whose consciousness began to drift due to severe bleeding on his leg. Unmercifully, Odo took off the bandit's helmet and grabbed his hair, raised the pale face and stared intently.

“I give a chance .... Answer my question and I help you.”

The bandit instantly fell into terror, it was not an offer but more like a threat. Hearing what Odo said to the dying man, Julia and the others were astonished to see their Young Master's nature as more severe than the Great Lord's youth they served.

“Jawab .... I'll give you three seconds. Yes ..., one ..., two ...” Before the count of three, the bandit nodded. “Good ...” Odo let go, then walked over the bandits and stepped on the foot of his stump.

“AKHHH!!” The bandit screamed as loud as possible, enduring the pain. At the same time, the bleeding on his broken right leg stopped thanks to the fire magic that Odo used on the sole of the footwear to seal his wound. Seeing the bandit still limp, the black-haired boy took a deep breath.

He carried the larger bandit, and leaned it against the wheel of a wooden carriage. Crouching in front of the limp-sitting bandit, Odo asked, “Who told you to? I think someone knew this train belonged to a government man. Why are you bandits trying so hard to attack people from the government?”

Julia and the others were surprised by the question Odo asked the bandit. Mind and Julia are approaching. “A-Do they obey others?” ask Julia.

“This is being asked ...” Odo glanced flatly. It made Julia and Mind momentarily shocked in fear. Odo looked back at the bandit whose gaze faded, then said, “My question was taken .... I'll ease your punishment if you answer honestly. You know, even like this I'm the son of Marquess Luke.” Of course it was just an excuse to make the bandit answer, Odo is not really going to keep his word.

As the bandit opened his mouth limply, his stomach suddenly bloated rapidly. “Ti-No...” The bandit's face was filled with fear, He held Odo's collar with both hands, staring like he wanted to ask for help. Feeling that something was dangerous from her, Julia immediately kicked the bandit in the face hard until it bounced away.

Rolling several times over the snow, his growing belly instantly exploded and made a wave of hemp strong enough to slightly lift the wagon despite the distance the source of the explosion reached five meters.

Fresh meat splattered, blood dyed the snow red and even littered the items on the cart. Seeing what was happening right before his eyes, Odo immediately vomited because it was indeed very severe and inhumane. The boy's breathing was chaotic and his body was trembling in fear.

“A-Ak ... h .. i..ini ....”

“Relax, Mr. Odo ..” Julia hugged Odo, then took the boy into the carriage. Minda and Imania immediately checked on the back of the wagon to make sure no one was hiding anymore, whereas Gariadin and Xua Lin examined the corpses of the bandits who had exploded and were already very shapeless.

Of this, although they cannot be sure, but clearly there are people who deliberately attack them. After that, even though the Shieal were still not calm seeing their Master still slightly traumatized, they still did what was set. Minda and Gariadin carried the bandits who were affected by the power of Imania onto the cart, and left the place full of corpses immediately.

Their goal changed from the Pondo Forest leading to a nearby small town located at the foot of the mountain area to hand over the bandits who were affected by the power of Imania for interrogation. Arriving at a nearby town at night, they immediately interrogate the bandits after the effects of Imania's power are eliminated, and got the fact that all the bandits were planted with some kind of curse that would blow their bodies up if they said something related to someone who sent them, it was based on the confession of one of the bandits. The curse was embedded in the inside of the stomach, so it could not be released unless their stomachs were dissected first to remove the curse with a basic Dispell.

Shieal's taking a risk. Using their special rights as Shieal, they borrowed space in the city office to dissect the body of the bandits. But when opening the stomach of the bandit, what was found was not a curse seal or something, but a cylinder-shaped tool made of rubber. It did not contain powerful magic until it could blow up people's bodies from within, but on the outer surface there was only a magic circle that had a complicated and strange structure.

When they checked it, it suddenly enlarged and exploded quite hard. No one was injured from Shieal because of the incident, but the room used for dissecting exploded and the bandits whose stomachs were dissected died.

Knowing there was no trace of magic in the explosion, speculation led to one thing, that is, the attack of the bandits is most likely the work of the Kingdom of Moloia because such tools are the expertise of the country engaged in the field of Alchemy.

Realizing this fact, the Shieals decided to cancel the expedition and immediately return to the Mansion after considering the dangers involved in continuing the journey. Of course Odo strongly opposed the decision, and in the end the journey continued even though the atmosphere turned gripping unlike the early expeditions. After taking care of the data about the arrest of the bandits with the local government, they immediately continued the journey in the morning in a hurry.

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