Not long after Almira finished cooking, a loud knock echoed from the front door. The sound startled Cedric, who had been eating his breakfast. The boy immediately froze, his face paling with fear.
"Excuse me!! Open the door!!" came a loud voice from behind the door. The deep, booming tone of the voice made anyone jump in surprise. Almira exchanged a glance with Cedric.
"Ma-Mama, what is that?" Cedric whispered, his voice trembling.
"Don't worry, it's nothing! Let Mama handle this," Almira replied with a thin smile, trying to reassure her son and ease the fear on his face.
The woman, now with sun-kissed skin, stood up from the dining table and slowly made her way to the front door. She gently turned the door knob. As the creaking sound of the old wooden door filled the room, a tall, broad-shouldered figure stood before her. His dark skin, sharp gaze, and lack of a smile left no doubt that this was no ordinary visitor.
"Sorry, can I help you?" Almira asked, lowering her voice, pretending to be the weak woman she wasn't.
"We need to inspect your house. Meanwhile, wait outside," the dark-skinned soldier commanded.
Without saying another word, the soldier barged into the house, followed by two other soldiers. Almira was shoved back as the large soldier forced his way inside.
"Mama!" Cedric screamed, seeing his mother stumble. The boy immediately rushed toward the door.
Almira quickly grabbed her only son and ushered him outside. There, she found many other residents of the surrounding houses being inspected and interrogated by the soldiers. One of the soldiers directed her to stand in line and wait her turn.
"Mama, what's going on?" the boy whimpered, his eyes welling up with tears. He was frightened by how roughly the soldiers were treating his mother, sensing that something bad was about to happen.
"I don't know, sweetheart," Almira replied, pulling Cedric close to her, stroking his back to calm him. "Don't be scared. Everything will be alright."
Not long after, the tall, dark-skinned soldier emerged from Almira's house. His flat expression seemed to confirm that he had found nothing inside. He then walked over to the two soldiers still interrogating the other residents.
"I'll take over this part, you go assist with searching the other houses!" he commanded one of his subordinates.
"Understood, Corporal Obrigis!" the soldier replied.
After the soldier left, Obrigis, now in charge of the task, began interrogating the remaining residents outside. Almira watched him closely, a sense of unease creeping over her. She couldn't quite put her finger on it, but something about this soldier, Obrigis, seemed off. He was a man to be wary of.
Minutes passed, and the line of residents waiting to be interrogated grew shorter. Finally, it was Almira's turn. She stood face to face with Obrigis. His sharp gaze unsettled her.
There was a flicker of doubt in his eyes, but after taking a deep breath to steady himself, he approached. His hand gripped Cedric's tightly, as though afraid the boy might slip from her grasp and be harmed by the Elite Knights.
"What is your name?" Obrigis asked flatly.
"Almira."
"Do you know someone named Anggi in this city?"
Just as Almira had suspected, the Elite Knights had come to Glafelden to capture Anggi, the Haier-Elvian.
The moment Almira heard that the Elite Knights were after Anggi, she immediately ran to the Kelam Malam headquarters. Instead of meeting the girl, she found herself face-to-face with Grussel. The two discussed the events unfolding in the city. Thanks to that conversation, Almira learned that Anggi had already left the city with Dimas several days ago.
Relief washed over her. She had feared that Anggi might be captured by the Elite Knights. The thought of what the kingdom would do to her if they got their hands on the girl terrified Almira. She couldn't imagine the horrors Anggi would face. The kingdom was known for its ambition, and once they set their sights on something, they wouldn't stop until they had it. They would do whatever it took to make Anggi comply, no matter the cost.
"No," Almira answered briefly, keeping her response as natural and calm as possible. As a former Elvian spy, she knew how to handle these situations. She couldn't afford to be caught in a lie.
Obrigis squinted, his gaze even sharper than before, making Almira feel as if he was piercing her heart with his eyes. He continued to study her intensely, as if there were something about her that disturbed him.
The man moved closer, his presence looming over her. "The person we're looking for is a fugitive of the kingdom. If you're planning to deceive us or hiding her, you'll face the death penalty."
"I don't know her. Why would I lie?" Almira answered, shaking her head, still pretending to be uninvolved. She took a step back, trying to put some distance between herself and the large soldier.
Without warning, Obrigis grabbed Almira's wrist, his grip ironclad. He pressed her back, indifferent to her cries of pain as she winced in agony. He didn't release his grip for even a moment.
"What's going on? Let me go!" Almira screamed, her voice shaking with a mix of pain and panic.
Cedric, seeing his mother being treated so roughly, cried out in fear. The boy rushed toward the door, his small voice filled with distress, but he couldn't reach her in time.
"Let go of my mama!" he cried, his eyes wide with terror.
Obrigis, however, showed no concern for the boy's cries or Almira's struggle. He continued with his interrogation, his stern face unaffected by the emotional outburst.
"Enough, Almira! We know you're hiding something," Obrigis said, his voice unwavering. "You've been too calm answering my questions. Everyone I've questioned today has shown fear, but you? You're too calm, as if you've been preparing your answers to deceive me."
"That's the truth! I don't know her!" Almira said, her voice growing more desperate.
"Only now, when you're cornered, do you deny it so forcefully? There's something you're hiding. Come with me! I'll interrogate you more thoroughly!" Obrigis ordered, his grip tightening as he began dragging Almira toward the other soldiers.
"Wait! Where are you taking me?"
With no concern for her protests, Obrigis roughly pulled Almira from the house. His strength was far beyond hers, and though Almira could have used Esze to throw him off, her rational mind held her back. If she revealed her Elvian identity and used her magic, she would never be able to stay in Glafelden again.
"Mama!!"
Almira's gaze shifted to Cedric, who was desperately chasing after her. His cries pierced her heart. She had raised him with love, protecting him from harm, always wanting to see him smile. But now, she was being forced to watch him cry in fear, unable to do anything.
What kind of mother wouldn't be moved by her child's distress? Almira wished she could wipe away Cedric's tears and comfort him. She realized that, for now, she couldn't do anything. She only hoped that Cedric would be okay and that she could bear the consequences of her actions.
For a brief moment, hope flickered. Obrigis, who had been dragging her, suddenly stopped. Almira was stunned. What could make such a large man stop in his tracks? When she looked up, she saw another figure standing before them, blocking the way.
A man, just as large as Obrigis, stood tall, his arms folded across his chest. He was facing Obrigis, his chin raised in defiance. Despite the fear everyone around them had for the Elite Knights, this new man didn't seem intimidated at all. His presence was commanding, his aura exuding strength and authority.
Obrigis paused, his expression unreadable. He then cleared his throat. "I didn't expect someone like you to be in a small city like this, General Grussel! Oh, I mean, Former General!"
"What's wrong with a retired man like me spending his remaining years in this city?" Grussel replied, his voice challenging.
Obrigis stood silent for a moment, his cold gaze fixed on Grussel. There was no sign of respect in his eyes for his former superior.
"So, what do you think you're doing, blocking my way, Old Man? Even though you were once a general, now you're just an ordinary citizen. I'll treat you like anyone else if you dare interfere with the Elite Knights' mission," Obrigis said.
"Why do you think I'm stopping you?" Grussel replied, stepping closer to Obrigis until they were within a meter of each other. "I'm here to help."
"Help?" Obrigis asked, eyeing Grussel suspiciously.
"First, let go of the woman," Grussel said, nodding toward Almira, who was wincing in pain and trying to comfort Cedric, still crying. "The Elite Knights I know have dignity. I didn't expect you to resort to such cowardly tactics, threatening ordinary citizens like this."
"Why should I listen to you?" Obrigis scoffed.
"Because the woman doesn't know anything about your mission," Grussel continued, moving even closer to Obrigis, now within a meter of him. "You came here for a Haier-Elvian girl, right? I know where she is now."