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Peony's eyebrows twitched at the head of the dormitory's sarcastic remark.
She found his attitude of belittling her friend in front of her very annoying.
“So, you mean Ayla went where?”
As Peony's tone turned informal, the head of dormitory flinched and straightened his posture.
“I know that they met each other with the headmaster's permission that evening. Since she hasn't been seen since then, it seems she went with her parents.”
“So, you're saying you haven't seen Ayla separately?”
“Yes, well. It's not uncommon. Commoners who can't afford tuition sometimes leave the academy suddenly. Still, to leave without a word like this, where did she throw away her manners……”
“Don't say unnecessary things.”
At Peony's cold words, the head of dormitory realized his mistake and cleared his throat.
“Ahem, ahem.”
Peony still couldn't understand the situation.
The day before, Ayla said that she would return to the dormitory immediately after parting with her and make a Magical potion.
But she gave up making the Magical potion and left the academy with her parents? Without telling anyone else?
Furthermore, the person who claimed to be Ayla's father was also quite suspicious.
Isn't the timing of his visit too strange?
If he knew that his daughter had been switched, he should have come sooner. But why did he appear now of all times?
But according to the head of dormitory, he seemed to have taken Ayla through legitimate procedures.
If he even received the headmaster's permission, there was officially no problem.
‘Something's strange. Could that person be the one who kidnapped Ayla?’
It was only natural for Peony to think that way.
Ayla was very enthusiastic about this exam.
But it was uncertain whether people would believe her words.
Ayla had no one to care for her other than herself right now.
If Peony reported her missing on a large scale and started searching for her whereabouts, the academy would also start an investigation.
But they would never put all their efforts into it for Ayla, who is a commoner.
Even if she requested help from the imperial family and brought people, it would take quite a while.
Peony hurried her steps towards the Swordsmanship Department.
The only person in the academy right now who would believe her words as they were was only one person besides her.
A sharp sword strike cut through the air, and silver hair fluttered.
Felix, who had been repeating the same motion several times with strength in his sword-wielding hand, took a step back, taking a moment to catch his breath.
Then, it was when he was wiping the sweat from his forehead.
“Felix!”
A familiar voice echoed through the training ground.
Before Felix could even turn to face the person, Peony rushed towards him in one breath.
Her face was pale, and her breathing seemed very heavy. She didn't look like the elegant princess she usually was.
Felix instinctively sensed that something unusual had happened.
“What's wrong?”
Peony bit her lip tightly and looked around.
Then, she whispered softly into his ear.
And the moment he heard those words.
“Yes? Ayla has been kidnapped?”
The sword that Felix was holding slipped weakly from his hand.
Then, the metal collided with the floor of the training ground, making a sharp noise.
“Shh!”
Peony urgently put her finger to her lips.
Only after confirming that the students who were training far away were glancing this way did she open her mouth again.
“It's not certain yet. It's just my guess.”
But there was a strange conviction in Peony's eyes.
It wasn't just a simple guess, but it meant that there was some clear basis.
Felix stared at her with shaking eyes as if glaring at her.
“Explain in detail. What on earth happened?”
Peony let out a faint sigh and continued.
“The head of dormitory said that a person claiming to be Ayla's biological father came to the academy last night. And Ayla followed him.”
Felix's face twisted at once.
“Do you believe that?”
“No, I don't. Ayla wouldn't disappear without telling us.”
The two didn't exchange any other words, but they soon reached the same conclusion.
Ayla had not disappeared of her own will.
“Besides, the Cure hasn't been completed yet. Ayla said she had to make it all night to complete it. And the exam is tomorrow, there's no reason to disappear now.”
Peony's voice trembled more and more anxiously.
“Ayla…… is she going to be okay?”
Her voice was full of anxiety.
“If something happens to her…… then what do I do.”
Peony closed her eyes worriedly.
Felix gritted his teeth before she could finish her words.
It was because the conversation he had with Ayla a while ago came to his mind.
“That's my problem, so you don't have to worry about it.”
“We're just in a contract, aren't we? I receive your protection, and you receive the Cure, and that's it.”
Ayla always tried to solve her problems alone.
As if she didn't want to be a burden to anyone.
But Felix knew.
That she was hiding something important from them.
That she was wary of someone and constantly preparing for something.
And now, that anxiety has become a reality.
‘But…… if it's Ayla.’
Felix's eyes turned sharp.
‘She wouldn't have just been dragged away.’
She must have left traces in her own way.
“When was the last time you saw Ayla?”
“Yesterday, I parted with her at the dormitory entrance. And after that……!”
Peony opened her eyes wide as if she had realized something.
“Ah! Then, she might have been kidnapped near the dormitory!”
As soon as she finished speaking, Felix immediately turned around.
At the same time, he said briefly to Peony.
“Let's start looking around there quickly.”
Felix, guided by Peony, arrived at the place where he had last parted with Ayla.
“My room is right in front of me, so I parted ways around here. After that, I saw Ayla walking over there……”
Following the direction Peony pointed, Felix quickly moved his steps.
Seeing that, Peony looked around with an uneasy expression.
“You can't get caught with a man entering the women's dormitory. We have to look around quickly and get out. You know?”
“I'll just quickly scan the hallway before the morning class ends.”
Felix nodded and carefully examined every corner of the hallway.
He touched the walls with his fingertips and searched the floor thoroughly.
Peony looked at him with puzzled eyes.
‘Does he think something will come out if he searches every corner like that?’
It was fortunate that the students were not walking around the dormitory because they were still in class, but if it were any other time, they would have been caught long ago.
As time passed, Peony's heart became more and more impatient.
‘I don't know where Ayla is and what she's going through right now. Can we afford to waste time like this?’
When Felix passed the central staircase and headed to the inner hallway, Peony couldn't stand it and opened her mouth.
“Ayla's room won't be there. Why are you searching all the way there?”
Felix opened his mouth without stopping his actions.
“If Ayla didn't disappear of her own will, someone must have lured her away separately. She was probably dragged to another place while heading to her room.”
“……Then, what are you looking for now?”
“If it's Ayla, she would have expected something like this to happen and definitely left traces separately.”
“Traces? What is that?”
“We have to find out from now on. Because I don't know in what way Ayla left us hints in that situation.”
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