While Kael was still deep in the forest, the fortress had erupted into panic.
Gareth wasted no time. He gathered a squad of awakened knights under his command, determined to track Kael down before it was too late.
He split them into two search parties—no one was allowed to move alone in the forest at night. The darkness here wasn't just unsettling; it was lethal. Each team had at least one A-rank knight leading, with the rest ranging from B-rank to C-rank to balance strength and skill.
Gareth was nothing like Kael—he would never wander into this place alone.
This forest was one of the most dangerous regions in the world, and Gareth had no intention of taking unnecessary risks or putting more lives on the line.
Liana watched the commotion with a deep, unsettled frown.
Her mind refused to stay still, flooding with thoughts she didn't want to think.
Why did Kael go into the forest?
Why hadn't he returned in two days?
What if… something had happened to him?
Memories from that morning resurfaced—the moment she discovered his late-night escapades. His armor had been caked with dried blood, dented and scarred in multiple places. She should have stopped him. She should never have let him go. But she had listened to him, believed his reassurances… and now this.
What if he had encountered something far stronger than himself?
What if…
Her hands clenched. She wanted to join the knights and search for him herself. She had even begged them to take her along. But they refused—how could they take a non-awakened girl into a place where even the strongest warriors barely survived?
So she did the only thing left to her.
She clasped her hands tightly, bowed her head, and whispered a prayer to any god, any being, anyone who might hear her.
Please… protect Kael.
She prayed with all her heart, eyes shut tight. She didn't see it—the faint golden light beginning to bloom where her hands were joined. She didn't feel the strange warmth flowing through her skin.
She didn't know.
And neither did Kael.
Not even Noctharion, who claimed fate could never be changed, realized that Kael had already changed it—if not for himself, then for someone else.
And with that change… came ripples he had never accounted for.
Gareth pressed deeper into the forest, his boots sinking into the damp soil. Shadows pooled between the towering trunks, stretching like dark fingers. Overhead, branches groaned and scraped against each other as the wind slipped through. Each step felt like it carried them further from the safety of the fortress.
He had sent the second team toward the western ridge. His own squad — five groups of five awakened knights — moved in a loose pattern around him, their formation adjusting to the narrow animal trails. No one raised their voice. The forest didn't like loud voices.
Somewhere behind him, two knights whispered.
"Hey… you think he'll survive out here?"
"I don't know," came the quiet reply. "But with his rank? If he crossed paths with a beast, he wouldn't stand a chance."
A silence followed.
"You think he's dead?"
A B-rank knight finally spoke, his voice steady but heavy. "Even I wouldn't last a day alone in here… let alone two. And he's only E-rank. No way he made it. I don't know what was going through his head coming here."
"Maybe he got desperate," another muttered.
"Desperate?" someone asked.
"Yeah. He was sent here as punishment, right? And he's not like the other heirs in the main family. Maybe he wanted to prove himself. Make a name for himself."
"Then he's a fool," came the blunt reply.
The whispers died the moment Gareth's voice cut through the gloom.
"Silence."
The forest seemed to swallow their words. Gareth kept moving, though he'd heard every one of them. He didn't know why Kael had entered the woods alone either. Weak? Yes. But the boy had been making steady progress for someone of his potential… and he was relentless in his training.
Whatever his reason, it didn't matter now.
Gareth's duty was the same.
Find him — alive… or dead.
They moved deeper into the forest.
The trees thickened, swallowing what little sunlight remained. Soon, faint traces began to appear — snapped branches, churned soil, and scattered footprints pressed into the damp ground.
A C-rank awakened knight crouched low, gloved hand brushing the earth. His eyes narrowed as he studied the impressions. After a moment, he straightened slightly and spoke.
"Someone was here… possibly Kael. The trail leads deeper into the forest."
Gareth's gaze hardened. "Anything else?"
The knight's voice grew grim.
"The footprints and the mana residue here… they're not just his. There were corrupted beasts — about twenty of them, all around D-rank. Judging by the spacing and the scuffs in the soil, they were chasing him."
A heavy silence settled over the squad.
Twenty D-rank corrupted monsters… even an average C-rank would think twice before taking that on alone
"We have to speed up," Gareth said, his voice low but sharp. "If his luck's good, he might still be alive… hiding somewhere. If not—" his tone hardened, "—we'll at least bring his body back to the main house. No matter what, he's from the main line. They'll want to give him a proper burial."
Gareth didn't truly believe Kael was still alive. What weighed heavier on his mind was Lord Eldric's reaction. Kael had been placed under their care, and losing him would not be taken lightly.
Still… the boy had gone into the forest without telling anyone. Whatever happened, it wasn't entirely Gareth's fault.
He raised his hand in a signal, and the knights broke into a run, their armor clinking softly with each stride. Gareth relayed their findings to the other search teams through brief mana signals. Soon, the forest echoed with the thud of boots and the rustle of branches as all squads pushed deeper into the dark.