~ Chapter 44: The kidnapping ~

[Cassandra's point of view]

 Brother was acting silly. Of course, there was nothing to be sorry about! The one to blame was the scary man, Alexandre Damascus. I couldn't see him as an ordinary knight, there was something strange about him, something... scary.

The moment I saw him, there was a dark fog floating around him, which, from what I could tell, only I could see. In the time of a flick of a candle, it spread to everyone in the room, but when it tried to get close to me or my bother, it wasn't able to touch us. There was something scary about it. I didn't understand what it was, but it made me stand still, frozen in fear as I watched it circling around me, trying to reach me like a fox that prowled around a locked-up hen in a cage.

At first, I thought this was all part of a test made possible with the help of the teacher's Blessing, to see if we were worthy or not of going to that prestigious academy, but the more I looked at the Royal Knight, the more scared of him I became. The thought of this experience being just a test soon faded from my mind.

Who would dare to test children in this manner?

That man frightened me... terribly so, but the one to speak up against him, to break from this scary trance everyone was in, was none other than my big brother.

The fog around him was dispelled in an instant and even the one around me and my parents began to dissipate a little. If this was a test or maybe an attack, I didn't know, but he pulled us all out of it. He won against the black fog. That was why I could not see my big brother as having done something bad.

Even if he had only one Blessing, that didn't matter, I was certain he was far stronger than me and maybe... even braver. What I worried about most, however, was the dreadful man, Alexandre Damascus... That scary man had to go. I didn't want to leave for the capital with him. I didn't feel safe around him. I wanted him to stay as far away from me as possible!

I just... didn't like him...

The next day, after we returned from Briston, mother received a letter through which she was informed that Alexandre Damascus returned to the capital and another knight was going to be sent over to act as my and Mister Dejun's guard.

When I heard about this, I felt relieved from the bottom of my heart.

That monster is finally gone... I thought.

Brother was also relieved to hear of this, maybe even more than I was. Who knew what that man did to little girls? I feared to imagine such dreadful things.

Then, two days later, while I was reading a book in my room and brother was practicing magic with aunty downstairs, I heard a knocking at my window.

At that time, I thought it was probably just brother trying to play a scare trick on me, but when I turned around, I saw... him.

With a villainous grin, which lifted the corners of his lips all the way to his ears, Alexandre Damascus was there, outside, seemingly floating in the air. I gulped and once more I saw the strange black fog as it extended towards me.

I'm scared... I thought, but my mouth didn't open to let loose my shout.

If brother heard me, if he knew I was in trouble, then... then he would come to my aid and get rid of this nasty fog. He would protect me, then once freed, we could flee from this... this thing.

The man forced the window to open, breaking the metal hook that kept it in place. I flinched when I heard the sound.

“There, there, little one. No need to be alarmed.” he spoke like a snake, but he couldn't fool me.

Every single thing about him from the way he was dressed in that black leather armor with a hood and cloak, the way he was looking at me, and the way he moved warned me of danger.

By now, I knew that the main reason I felt like this was because of the fog around me, otherwise, it didn't make sense for me to act so scared of him. I would have retorted, I would have attacked or fled, I would have done anything else other than stand there trembling. That was why, although I felt this numbing fear, I still found the strength to fight against it... I struggled to break free from my fear like a beast cornered in a cage.

“I'm just going to take your Blessings... that's all.” he said with a smile.

A chill went down my spine.

No... No... I'm scared... He's going to hurt me... He's going to hurt me... The fog kept making me think.

I felt suffocated with fear, but then I thought No! This isn't me! I am strong! I... I'm scared... but... but I have to fight it!

“Come here, little one. I'm not going to harm you... much.” he showed me that twisted smile of his.

The calm and gentle tone of his voice did not fool me, so I tried once more with all of my might to shout for help.

With trembling lips, I opened my mouth and released my voice.

“B-Brother! Help me!”

My shout was loud, louder than I had thought possible. It was the call made possible with all of my gathered courage and inner strength. It was so loud that this monster in front of me was forced to cover his ears, but he reacted before I could shout again and knocked me out with a single blow to the back of my head.