"......." = talking
.......... = timeskip
Ariana's pov
"Are you ready, your highness?"
A silver hair man offers his hand to help me get onto the carriage.
"Call me Ria while working, KIEL!"
Ijekiel blushes when I call him with nickname. He is cute. I take his hand and get into the carriage while chuckling. Noticing my tease, Ijekiel turns into his normal gentleman expression and said.
"Yes, Ria."
I blushed at his whisper to me. This is claude's condition for me to hide my identity. Maybe he is worried that someone would harm me if they know I'm a princess.
We are currently going to Count Preston's mansion to investigate the case. In my current information, half of the missing children are from his territory and he is the one handling the case until now. I wonder how he did his job to investigate for half a year.
"Blessing and glory upon the obelian empire."
I politely greet the Count since I'm hiding my identity. Count Preston is a fat old man with brown hair and green eyes. I was dumpfounded at the Count who is drinking while children are missing in his territory. He walks toward us with a glass of wine in his hand.
"What is your name?"
"My name is Ria, your excellency."
"No sure name?You are a commoner?"
The Count looks at me disgustedly like an insect and I scoff at his expression. So, he ignores the missing children because they are mostly commoners. Noticing my moods, Ijekiel interrupt us and introduced himself.
"I'm Ijekiel Alpheus, the yound lord of Alpheus Dukedom."
The Count changes his tone and expression toward ijekiel and completely ignores me. I mentally curse at him. I'm going to kill him once this case is over.
I hurriedly walk over the hallway since I don't want to stay in that old man's mansion even for a second.
"Thud!"
A small boy with lemon hair color bumps into me and falls back.
"Are you ok?"
I try to help the boy gets up but a little girl who is just like the boy comes between us.
"I'm sorry! I'll take punishment instead of him so......."
The little girl bows with her whole body trembling. I kneel in front of her and said in the most gentle way I can.
"I'm not going to punish you so you don't have to apologize. It is my fault that I wasn't looking properly."
The girl then looks at me with tears in her emerald eyes.
"Really? You won't beat me?"
I flinch a little at the girl's words. Why would she think I'd beat her? Did the Count perhaps beat children? I'm really going to kill him.
When dark aura come out from me, the children tremble even more. Noticing that, I change my expression.
"I'll give you this as apology."
When I give them some sweets, they beam and thank us.
'I should ask daddy to investigate the count.' I thought.
..................
"Kiel, you are too eye catching. Can I change your appearance?"
I said the absolute truth to the shining person in front of me. We are going to ask the people who has lost their children.
"Knock! Knock!"
The wooden door opens and reavels a thin woman.
"We are here to investigate about the missing case of your son."
"Splash!"
At the end of my words, the woman splash us with cold water. But I wasn't wet much since ijekiel quickly cover for me. I just stare at the wet ijekiel not proceeding what is happening.
"Get out! Do you think you can come to my house whenever you want? After you ignore when my son went missing. Shameless! ***##**##****#"
The door shout firmly after a bunch of curses.
"Thank."
I dry the water from ijekiel with magic. Then, Ijekiel takes out his handkerchief and dry my face. Ah...My face get wet a little. Unknowingly, my face lean into his gentle touch. Staring at Ijekiel's red face, I notice my actions and walk away from him while blushing.
"Let's go to other house."
Unfortunately, every single house we went have the same reaction. But without giving up and enduring such harsh treatment about a month, they begin to open up.
"Is this here?"
I walk through the bushes and look around. From the information, a child went missing while playing in the forest as usual.
From now onward, I'm Sherlock Homes. I take out a glass and wear it.
"As I thought....."
At my serious tone, Ijekiel asked me if I found anything.
".......I don't see anything."
Ijekiel brusts out laughing and said.
"It has been more than three months. You won't be able to find any evidence."
Then a bird lends on my shoulder and fly toward a direction.
"Are you telling me to follow?"
"Chirp! Chirp!"
I follow the bird and look at what the bird shows. I look what is in front of me in disbelief.
This is.......
..................
"How is the investigation going?"
I give claude my report.
"I've found out that they are targeting teen ages, especially between 13 to 16. And the number of missing children is double from what is written in daddy's report. But considering there is no one to report ,if a orphan went missing, maybe more than that."
"And....."
I was hesitant to say next words.
"What is it?"
"No, it is nothing."
Actually, I found some trace of dark magic from where a child went missing. But it is very faint so I am not sure if the dark magic was involved.
Dark magic! If it was really involved, there is a chance that anastasius is also involved. I should careful from now on since I don't know what is his intention from hiding until now.
Just you wait, I'll find you soon!