My Gacha System: Starting with a Divine Talent Tree.-Chapter 28: The Ravencourt Town [5]

The girl didn’t speak as Abel freed her from her bounds.

"...You can’t." She finally spoke, her voice low. "You can only kill them."

Eden froze in his place as he looked at the girl who stood up with Abel’s help.

He tried to laugh it out but couldn’t.

"I am sorry, what did you say?" He asked, glaring at the girl. "Kill them?"

Rinea lowered her eyes.

"Once Mirth uses his spell," she whispered, "...their minds aren’t theirs anymore."

"...What are you saying?" Eden asked, frowning deeply. "This doesn’t make—."

"She might be right." Abel said, turning towards him. "Maybe there is really no way to save them—."

"Are you out of your fucking mind!?" Eden snapped at him. "We came here to save them!!"

Abel remained calm as he looked at his brother.

"We came to gather intel." He spoke firmly. "Saving them isn’t our priority nor our job."

Eden stared at Abel as if he hadn’t heard him right.

For a moment, he felt like punching his face in but he quickly got a hold of himself.

’...If it’s impossible to save them then what about Tosin’s daughter?’

Eden bit his lips as he glared at Abel once again. "We are not leaving them alone—."

"We’re here to confirm what’s happening," Abel said calmly. "Not to fix it. We’re not strong enough—."

"Shut the fuck up!"

Rinea swallowed, stepping slightly behind Abel for support.

"They’re gone, Eden," she whispered. "Mirth doesn’t just break them... he empties them."

Eeden clenched his jaw so tightly his teeth hurt.

He turned towards the closest cell and tried to break the chains with brute force.

"Wait!!"

Rinea quickly rushed and grabbed his hand, squeezing it.

"They will attack you if you free them!"

Rinea’s grip on Eden’s wrist was weak...but the fear behind it wasn’t.

Her fingers trembled as she held him back.

"They’re not themselves anymore," she whispered urgently. "If you break those chains, they won’t thank you... they’ll tear into you. They’re conditioned to obey only Mirth’s voice."

Eden looked from her...to the girl inside the cage.

She didn’t even have the strength to react to what was happening.

All she could do was look at them without moving.

Eden let out a sigh as he yanked his hand away from the chain.

He turned to look at Abel who was staring at him.

"....Now, what?" Eden asked, rubbing his face. "Are we doing anything else?"

Abel didn’t answer right away, he exhaled as he looked at Rinea.

"....Do you know anything that might be helpful?" He asked her as the girl froze in place.

Her body trembled as she looked at him with fearful eyes.

"...My friend." She whispered. "I need to find my friend."

Abel’s brows tightened a little, the closest thing he ever showed to concern.

"Your friend?" he asked quietly. "Is she here?"

Rinea nodded, swallowing hard.

"She was taken the same night I was," she whispered. "I tried to hold them back...so I could run."

Abel nodded as he looked at the gate. "Where do you think she is?"

"I-I heard the guards take her to upper room." She said, her voice trembling. "They said she was more useful."

Eden frowned. "...Upper room?"

She nodded, pointing outside of the path they came from.

"They took her out from that door."

Rinea’s lips quivered, but she nodded.

"...If we hurry," she whispered. "Before Mirth starts the next cleansing cycle."

Eden stiffened. "Cleansing cycle?"

Rinea hesitated. "...It’s when he takes control of their minds."

Abel nodded his head as he more or less understood what she meant.

"We don’t have much time." He said, walking towards the main door. "Let’s go."

Abel took the lead and Rinea followed just after him, leaving Eden alone in the place.

Taking in a deep breath, Eden whispered. "Sir Tosin."

His shadow flickered and the face of the strongest knight appeared.

Eden looked around with a blank face. "....Is your daughter here?"

Tosin’s shadowed form rose from the ground like smoke gathering shape. 𝘧𝓇ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝘣𝓃ℴ𝓋𝑒𝑙.𝑐𝘰𝑚

His eyes trembled as he took in the scene around him.

Finally, he whispered. "....No."

Eden sighed softly as he slowly began to walk towards the door.

He didn’t have the heart to leave them all here but there was nothing he could do for now.

’...I wish I could have used anywhere door at my will.’

Thinking so, he quickly joined Abel and Rinea who were opening the door.

The sigils glowed faintly....then the door slid open with a low sound.

Abel stepped through first, Rinea clinging to his cloak for balance.

Eeden followed, his thoughts loud and tangled in his skull.

He didn’t look back.

If he did... he knew he wouldn’t be able to force his legs to move again.

≤Keep an eye on the girl, I don’t like her.≥

Eeden frowned as he heard the voice of Seraph in his head.

’...Why?’

[<Dragon’s have a keen sense of determining someone’s nature.>]

It was Sana who responded to his thoughts.

’...What is she a dog?’

Eeden wondered to himself but his eyes remained pinned on the girl.

’Come to think of it, what are the chances that Abel found his friend in this kind of place.’

It’s definitely not zero but it’s still not that high.

Eeden kept walking, but his mind was no longer in the hallway.

≤The girl reeks like a liar.≥ Seraph muttered.

Eeden clicked his tongue softly and kept it to himself.

There weren’t many soldiers in the place so they were able to move more freely.

They reached the base of the spiral staircase.

The one Rinea claimed her friend had been taken up.

Abel stopped first, glancing up the winding steps.

Torches flickered along the walls, illuminating the place.

Abel turned to look at Eden who looked back in his blue eyes.

"If something happens." He said, glancing at the girl. "Keep her safe."

Eeden didn’t say but nodded once as Abel began to move up.

The girl followed after him and Eeden at the end.

The climb was slow, as they kept utmost focus.

Rinea clung close to Abel’s cloak, her breathing sharp and uneven.

Abel’s posture stayed tight with his weapon drawn.

The torches flickered stronger near the top.

It wasn’t long before they heard voices echoing.

"...Hold her down—"

"She keeps biting—!!"

"Sir Mirth said intact, you idiot!"

"Then gag her again!"

Rinea froze mid-step.

"That’s her," she whispered. "That’s... that’s my friend..."

Her voice cracked as she couldn’t speak anything more.

Abel reached the top first and pressed himself flat to the wall beside the half-open door.

He looked back at Eden who moved to the opposite side.

"She is inside." Rinea said, her voice low. "Please help."

Abel looked at Eden and gave the signal.

Abel burst through the doorway like a knife through cloth.

Eeden was right behind him.

The room exploded into chaos.

One guard yelped as Abel crashed into him, his weapon dug into his throat.

Another guard turned to shout but Eeden’s fist met his jaw so hard the crack echoed in the room.

The man slammed against the wall and collapsed instantly.

Rinea stayed near the door, hands over her mouth, shaking.

Eeden quickly moved towards the girl tied down at the centre of the room.

But his steps slowed as he saw....him.

A man who stood close to the girl, he who was grinning widely.

"...Yerrick."