William almost withdrew his silver butterfly, but his eyebrows rose when he sensed something. A dark, dense, and unfamiliar aura of mana enveloped Hannah. It was no ordinary aura. William recognized it clearly; only demons could possess such an aura.
Still in the kitchen, William stared at Hannah through the vision of his silver butterfly. On the surface, there was nothing out of the ordinary. The old woman appeared relaxed as she stirred the hot chocolate in a mug.
However, something strange soon happened.
Hannah's movements suddenly stopped. The spoon in her hand slipped and fell to the floor with a soft clink—quiet enough that it was inaudible from the living room.
Hannah's face suddenly paled. Her hands rose and pressed against her temples as if resisting something. Her lips trembled, and a soft voice escaped.
"No... no... I won't listen to what he says! That's enough!"
William sharpened his gaze. A dark aura pulsed around Hannah's body for a moment, then vanished as if it had never existed.
A moment later, he withdrew his silver butterfly. Hannah emerged from the kitchen carrying a tray of hot chocolate and a stack of pastries. Her face was calm and friendly, as if nothing had happened. She placed the drinks on the table gently.
Elizabeth and Anna greeted her immediately. They reached for their cups, unaware of the danger. William just stared, leaving his cup on the table. His eyes were fixed on Hannah, but he made sure his gaze didn't arouse suspicion.
"This hot chocolate tastes really delicious, Hannah," Elizabeth said with a smile, her eyes gleaming with satisfaction.
Anna took a slow sip of her drink. The color drained from her face, and tears welled in her eyes. She hastily wiped them away, though a faint smile played across her lips.
"This chocolate is really delicious," she whispered softly, her voice trembling.
Hannah watched her gently and then asked, "Anna, what's wrong?"
Anna shook her head quickly and took a deep breath. "It's okay. It just reminds me of my mother. She always made me hot chocolate when I wasn't feeling well."
Tears threatened to fall, but Anna held them back. The soft voice filled the room with a warm silence for a moment.
Sitting beside Anna, Elizabeth gently patted the little girl's back to express her sympathy. Meanwhile, William leaned back in his chair with his arms crossed over his chest. His face was expressionless and devoid of emotion.
His gaze shifted to Hannah. In a calm voice, he asked,
"So, you chose to stay here even though all the other residents left for better places?"
Hannah's expression stiffened for a moment and a faint frown appeared on her brow. "I've lived here for a very long time. Ever since my grandparents were alive. This city used to be bustling, full of hustle and bustle. Although it was sweltering in the desert heat during the day, at night, the city was alive with nonstop activity." She took a deep breath. "Now...all that is just a memory."
Elizabeth leaned forward slightly. "Then what city is this?" she asked curiously.
William smiled faintly. "I think this is Idell City. It's the city that once stood on the border of the Dunness Kingdom."
Elizabeth frowned. "Idell City? I've never heard of it. There's no record of it, not even on the maps."
"I'm just guessing," William replied casually, though his eyes were sharp. "But I'm pretty sure. Fifteen years ago, there was a city in the desert near the border of Dunness. Do you know who the ruler of Dunness was at the time?"
Hannah's eyebrows shot up. Her gaze radiated both surprise and admiration. "Young man, you amaze me. You still remember the name of a city that was erased from maps and the world's memory."
Elizabeth lowered her head, her face grim. "I only knew a little, but I never expected it to end like this."
"Every kingdom," William replied lightly, "has a dark side they never want to show the outside world. Therefore, erasing and hiding is easier than admitting." His voice was light yet filled with sharp sarcasm.
Hannah sighed softly. A faint sadness crossed her face as if the shadows of the past had returned to haunt her. "I don't expect anything anymore. There's only one question that still haunts me." She slowly turned around and looked William straight in the eye. "You might think the residents of Idell left town in search of a better life. But the truth is... it's not like that."
This time, William didn't smile mockingly or look childish. He remained silent, listening intently.
"To outsiders, Idell seems to be slowly being deserted. They assume its residents have left to find somewhere else to live. But I..." Hannah shook her head slowly. "I'm not sure. Several of my neighbors suddenly disappeared. There was no news, no messages, and not even a sign that they had planned to move."
She paused. Her gaze drifted first to the fields of flowers swaying in the night breeze and then to the vast, silent, endless desert.
The truth is often twisted into a lie and neatly wrapped up so that the world never knows. William knew that if he didn't start digging, this grim tale would be buried forever beneath the silence of history.
Hannah began to speak, her voice calm yet heavy.
"The town of Idell isn't actually large. It doesn't have many residents, but everyone lives comfortably and prosperously. But slowly, I began to suspect something. First, my neighbors—people I knew very well—suddenly disappeared. Not all at once, but one by one. Strangely, they were still going about their normal activities in the morning, but by nightfall, they were gone. Just like that, they vanished."
His gaze dimmed, but his tone remained firm.
"The mystery caused panic. A report was filed with the mayor and then forwarded to the capital of the Kingdom of Dunness. But there was no response. No investigation. Slowly, Idell turned into a ghost town. I fear that all of this has something to do with a dark cult or perhaps a demonic entity."
Hannah took a deep breath, then continued, her voice trembling at the mention of her family.
"I have a husband and a fifteen-year-old son. My husband is a merchant. He was on a caravan bound for the capital of Dunness. But after that, there was no news. The caravan never arrived."
Elizabeth lowered her head and spoke softly. "What about your son?"
Hannah's face darkened and her eyes moistened. "A week after my husband disappeared, my son disappeared, too. The day went as usual: We had breakfast, and then he left for school with three friends. But they never came home. Not one of them." She swallowed, trying to hold back tears. "The remaining residents and I suspected the involvement of a dark cult. We even sent a letter to the Royal Order of Valmorra branch in the capital requesting help. But so far, nothing has come of it."
A silence fell over the room. Elizabeth glanced at William as if to signal that she wanted to talk to him later. Then she quickly returned her gaze to Hannah, showing empathy.
"Hannah, I'm truly sorry for what happened to you and all the people of Idell. The truth must be revealed. But tell me, were there any other signs? Was there anything that could explain what really happened?"
Hannah paused for a moment, then nodded hesitantly. "I'm not entirely sure. But there's one thing. A few days before my husband and son disappeared, one of my neighbors told me that he had been on a research expedition to the Forest of Death, east of the Kingdom of Dunness border. You know the place—the forest that not even the Sentinels dare to enter. It's a place untouched by humans..."