Dahlia was shocked hearing her brother
"What... missing?... When...?" Dahlia asked, her voice cracked slightly with feelings of shock, dread and sadness
"Xinhua got missing when he was on his way to his home, before night" Jhony signed deeply as he pinched the bridge of his nose, worried as well as Dahlia. "His parents said that they haven't even got a glimpse of him for 3 to 2 days. Xinhua always hid himself... as if he is..." He paused
Dahlia stared at Jhony for sometime
Waiting for him to finish
"As if he is?" Dahlia repeated what Jhony said
Jhony closed his eyes for a while
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"As if... he is hiding in fear from someone... or a thing..." He finally said it, after he had sometime spilling it out
Suddenly Dahlia got a flashback of something
Her guardian saying to her before night
"There is a Ghoul watching you and that child. Knowing it's existence in the presence of it will make you be able to see it... and become a target of it"
Her flashback ended
Her grip on her book tightened slightly
"...I see..." Dahlia could muster up only these words
Jhony stared at her for sometime
Before he let out a soft sign
"We will find Xinhua... don't worry... I got a hunch he is safe" Jhony said, comfortingly
Dahlia didn't said much but nods
Jhony only nods back as he leaves her room
Dahlia was all alone with her thoughts
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"Hey... is there no way to save... Xinhua..." Dahlia asked telepathically to her guardian
Silence
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"No, and I don't suggest you to save him" Her guardian replied, coldly as ever
"What- Why?!" Dahlia was flabbergasted hearing the reply
"You heard me so, drop it. And do your thing, children your age should just focus on growing up" Her guardian again replied coldly
"Wait-"
Before Dahlia could try to convince him
Her guardian's voice disappeared, leaving her again in her own thoughts
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"What should I do? He seems clearly against it... what is with that Ghoul he is so worried about! Isn't he supposed to be the strongest, he always told me?... Is he afraid from it and wants me to also stay away from it?" Dahlia thought as she started to question her own guardian's capabilities
Her thoughts were broken when her Nanny, Jasmine knocked on her door
"My lady, Lady Memozino has come to pay a visit with Lord Memozino" Jasmine said through her room's door
"I see... I will be right there in a moment" Dahlia replied as she stood up and put away the book she was reading
She goes out her room and goes to the guestroom
In the guestroom
Dahlia sees both Lily and her brother, James
"Dahlia..." Lily stood up as she runs towards Dahlia and hugs her tightly. Tears welled up in her eyes as she hiccuped
Dahlia hugged back as she comforts her
"X-X-Xinhua is... missing... I don't know what to do anymore... our last encounter was of us fighting... and what if... what if... He..." Lily cried in Dahlia's shoulder
"Everything will be well, the police and everyone is trying to find him. So don't worry" Dahlia said comfortingly
"Yeah... and he will be back soon, that kid always finds himself sneaking street food in his room" Jhony suddenly got inside the guestroom
Lily and Dahlia were slightly startled by Jhony's appearance, except James
"How are you doing man?" James asked as he goes towards Jhony
"Fine... just wondering how Xinhua even got missing... I even warned him not to sneak out in the streets for that dumb junk food" Jhony groaned as he pinched the bridge of his nose
"I know right... if he listened then he wouldn't be on those missing kids lists" James signed deeply
"What he did... did... But at least we should try our best to find him if the adults can't!" Lily spoke up with tears in her eyes
"How can we find him? We are kids and we could get missing if we try to even find him" James replied
"Yeah and it's not like we are polices or something. Just cause he is your crush, you don't even need to risk your own life for him. The adults will find him" Jhony also replied, finding the idea of it being dangerous and stupid
"I-..." Lily paused cause it's true that she has a huge crush on Xinhua, which is half the reason why she regularly picks up on him. Tho not excessive. She let out a long shaky breath
"I know... I have a crush on him... but... he is our friend! And friends help each other! I will find him without you guys supporting me or not!" Lily declared with shaky but firm voice
"I agree... I mean Xinhua is also my friend too, so I will also try finding him" Dahlia also declared
Jhony and James were flabbergasted at what their own sisters were saying
"Are you both crazy?!" Jhony narrowed his eyes
"Yeah! Do you both have any ideas what you two are saying?! This is not a kid's matter! And what will happen if you both go missing!" James retorts
"Then so be it!" Lily retorts back
"If your gonna be that way then... I will tell our parents to ground you and never allow you to step outside the estate, Lily Memozino" James replied irritated
"What- But brother-"
Lily was cut off by Jhony
"That also applies to you too, Dahlia" Jhony said firmly making both Lily and Dahlia be flabbergasted
"We will get going now, see you Lord Jhony and Lady Dahlia" James said as he carries Lily and walked off the guestroom
Lily's protests filled the hallway but soon her voice faded away when they exited the estate
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"Brother... I won't go missing... I just wanna find Xinhua..." Dahlia said as she tugs Jhony's sleeve
"That's exactly why it's dangerous, Dahlia. Of all people, you should understand this… Feelings don't matter when it is a dangerous case..." Jhony replied firmly as he puts his both arms on Dahlia's shoulders
"But... he... Xinhua is also in dangerous situation! Shouldn't we at least try to help him?!" Dahlia tried convincing Jhony
Jhony lets out a long breath
"Dahlia... I know your sentiment... but... finding him is dangerous for us... we are not adults... If we try finding him... something bad will happen to us the same way it did to Xinhua... And... I don't want any of us... especially you be at a dangerous situation where I can't protect you... So... trust my words and drop this idea..." Jhony also tried convincing Dahlia gently yet firmly
Dahlia tried to protest but seeing Jhony's expression being all serious and the protectiveness his eyes held
She stayed silent and only nods
Jhony smiles slightly, relieved as he pats Dahlia's head
"That is a good decision... Don't worry" Jhony comforted her
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Soon, it was nighttime
"... Hey... will you try stopping me... if I am going to find Xinhua?" Dahlia asked her guardian through telepathy again
Silence
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"Humans and they's stubbornness... always up in playing the hero" Her guardian replied, annoyed which Dahlia could tell from his words even tho his voice was devoid of any emotions
"I am just trying to save my friend who is in trouble... is that so wrong?" Dahlia asked also annoyed
Again Silence
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"I can never understand humans who puts their life in risk in saving others" Her guardian mumbled but let out a sign
"Fine... I will help you... since that is your wish" He eventually agreed
Dahlia's eyes brightened up hearing his response
"Really?!" Dahlia asked in shock yet happy
"Yes... I will help you..." Her guardian again replied
Dahlia felt happy, grateful and relieved that someone at least agreed with her
Her guardian soon explained to her what a Ghoul is, how knowing it's existence in it's presence can trigger it in seeing the creature and so on
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"So... what you are saying is... Ghouls are creatures that are pets from the "Yang Side"? And to see it... I will have to first be in it's presence and acknowledge it... like have them to be in witness to see them...? And knowing they're existence... they will try take me away to their realm... "Yang realm" to be one of their slaves?!" Dahlia asked if she got everything correct or not
"Precisely... and not just that... being in they're realm enables me in coming contact with you... like I can't talk to you telepathically anymore... cause I can't never go there... I have restrictions... Unless... I am invited in by one of the beings from "Yang Side" He said
"I see... so if I mistakenly ever go in the "Yang realm"... how can I return back?" Dahlia asked being all tensed up
"You... have to offer your blood and half of your mana or... any object's mana will do... an being will appear and ask where you wanna go..." Her guardian answered but paused
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"But... do not make eye contact with that being... while in there... I am just saying this just in case when you somehow end up in there" He warned
"Wait... why?" Dahlia asked
Silence again
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"Let's plan things out beforehand" Her guardian changed the subject indicating that he doesn't wanna talk about it... or can't talk about it
Dahlia seeing all this... she didn't pushed much on this topic
"What is the plan...?" She asked
"You need to be able to see that Ghoul if you wanna save that child... seeing it will lead you to where that child is... so... find out who is the next target of the Ghoul... but remember... do not make it known that your scared... it will make the situation worse" Her guardian warned again