Magna wanted to curse his luck. He hadn’t expected the girl to actually be here with a parent.
Sure, she was just a kid, but a dangerous, monster-infested cave was hardly the kind of park where parents casually took their children for a stroll.
On top of that, he was dead certain her mother was a powerful Witch as well.
He still had no clear idea what kind of people Witches were, but given his first encounter with a woman in this world, namely his own birth mother, he had every reason to be cautious.
If he strolled out of this cave alone with his hands in his pockets, not to mention carrying a goblin corpse slung on his back, leaving the Witch’s precious daughter behind, there was no telling what that woman waiting outside might think.
’What to do...?’ He began to think, then turned around to face the girl.
’’Actually, I can help you find one.’’
If his luck turned around, he might find another exit deeper inside the cave. If he was unlucky, at least he would gain some goodwill credit with her family by helping her out.
’’Really?’’ Faye’s eyes suddenly brightened, her cold mask melting into a big, radiant smile.
It lasted for only a second before she quickly forced her face back into its usual composed expression, bowing her head slightly. ’’I would really appreciate it, sister.’’
’This kid is really making me uncomfortable,’ Magna thought as he started walking. ’’Follow me. The cave is dark, so try to stay close.’’
First, he retrieved the dagger he had dropped on the ground and tucked it under the red cape wrapped around his waist.
With Magna leading the way and Faye trailing behind, they entered the cavern corridor that stretched into the depths.
After the two faded into the shadowy corridor, a sudden, bone-chilling cold swept through the chamber. Crisp, crackling frost spread furiously across the stone floor, locking the ground in a sheet of solid ice.
Then, the frost began to shift.
Sinking into the thick mist rising from the frozen ground, the head of a man slowly emerged.
He wore a heavy, close-helmet sculpted entirely from frzen frost, its jagged edges completely obscuring his features.
Through the narrow slits of the visor, a pair of dark-blue eyes flickered to life.
He silently traced the dark passage where the children had vanished, his gaze lingering for a moment before he sank quietly back into the ice.
Outside the cave, the Winterborne carriage remained motionless where it had been parked.
Beside it stood Celeste Winterborne, her emotionless eyes still fixed on the cavern entrance, as though she hadn’t shifted a single inch since her daughter had entered.
Suddenly, her shadow stretching behind her in the sunlight trembled. A thick layer of frost rapidly bloomed across the ground beneath it, and Titus’ head slowly emerged from the ice.
’’I have finished searching the cavern, my Lady,’’ Titus reported in a low, frost-laden voice. ’’However, I found nothing but scorched goblin corpses.’’
Celeste didn’t turn her head, her calm face remaining entirely unreadable as she continued to listen.
’’Among the dead, I discovered a peculiar corpse reeking of mana. In my estimation, it was the catalyst behind the slaughter, its spell consuming its own life force along with the rest.’’
This time, Celeste’s expression shifted ever so slightly as she finally turned to look down at her Shadow. ’’Are you saying there was a Deviant among the goblins?’’
She was genuinely surprised. For a low-class monster group like goblins to spawn an individual capable of manipulating mana was an exceedingly rare anomaly.
’’Affirmative, my Lady,’’ Titus confirmed, before adding, ’’There is also a young boy, roughly seven or eight years of age, currently accompanying Faye deeper into the cave.’’
Celeste showed neither surprise nor concern at the mention of a stranger. To her, a child of that age posed far less danger than even a lowly goblin.
Still, she inquired, ’’A victim?’’
Goblins kidnapping human children was a common occurrence, so finding a survivor who had managed to endure the chaos was not entirely abnormal.
’’That was my initial thought,’’ Titus replied, pausing briefly before offering a deeper assessment. ’’Yet, what caught my attention was his refined conditioning.’’
Celeste raised an eyebrow, intrigued by his choice of words. ’’Meaning?’’
’’He possesses an exceptionally developed physique, likely belonging to a known noble lineage. His situational awareness is equally impressive. He managed to pinpoint Faye through her camouflage spell and held a dagger to her throat.’’
Celeste did not bother hiding her surprise this time. Titus was not a man to offer praise easily, least of all toward an unknown child.
Curiosity blending into her cold tone, she asked, ’’What is your judgment?’’
Titus remained silent for a few long seconds, visibly pondering the matter with absolute gravity before giving his answer. "He possesses outstanding raw material and a solid foundation. He has the potential to become an extraordinary Shadow."
A small smile graced Celeste’s face.
’’Return and keep watch over them,’’ she ordered with quiet approval. ’’Grant the boy the exact same vigilance you afford to Faye.’’
’’Understood, my Lady.’’ With those words, Titus sank back into the ice, dissolving into nothingness.
Celeste turned her gaze back toward the dark cave entrance, the subtle smile remaining on her lips as she softly muttered to herself.
’’My dear daughter... Could you truly be fortunate enough to encounter your Shadow on your very first trial?’’
She was feeling extremely pleased, to the point of even making her forget her daughter’s potential failure in the trial.