Felin and Julie went to the theater manager to inquire about the circus's schedule.
Alan stayed in the playfully decorated performance venue, examining the discarded equipment.
To see if he could find any suspicious traces.
A wooden box sat on the ticket counter.
It looked like props the circus had forgotten to take in their hasty departure.
It looked familiar to Alan.
He walked over to take a closer look.
A colorful raffle advertisement was pasted on the box.
Only customers under 16 were allowed to enter the raffle once with their ticket.
The winner received a lollipop.
A hole had been cut in the lid of the box, allowing only one hand to fit through, specifically for the raffle.
Inside the box were some small slips of paper—raffle tickets.
Alan tried to reach in and grab the slips when he felt a slight sting on the back of his hand.
There seemed to be a burr on one side of the hole.
Opening the lid and examining it carefully revealed that it wasn't a burr, but a lancet taped to the inside of the lid, controlled by a spring.
As children reached in to grab a prize, they could easily get pricked on the back of their hands.
They'd think it was like a mosquito bite, and they wouldn't have paid it any mind.
Before they knew it, their blood had been drawn.
What was the purpose of designing such a sophisticated device specifically for drawing blood from children?
The answer was obvious.
This method of collecting blood was used to test whether the lottery winner had sorcerer blood.
Children with above-average sorcerer blood would be kidnapped.
Alan searched around the counter.
As expected, he found several lollipop wrappers.
He picked them up and examined them one by one.
Six of the seven candy wrappers showed no reaction. Only one piece of candy wrapper detected a slight toxin.
Yes!
Alan was all too familiar with this smell.
Isn't it mandrake?!
He'd almost fainted from eating this very candy.
Alan picked up the raffle box and candy wrapper, returned to the Griffin siblings, and showed them the evidence left by the traffickers.
He briefly explained his reasoning, and the siblings were convinced.
The three of them immediately left the theater and headed for the airport as quickly as possible!
Flynn had already inquired with the theater manager.
Amazing Circus, a total of nine people.
Including eight performers: a puppeteer, a strongman, a magician, a snake charmer, a knife thrower, a ventriloquist, a clown, and an animal trainer.
And their leader, a man named Ethan.
We will depart Griffin Island this evening at 7:00 sharp on the Griffin airship!
It's already 6:50, with only ten minutes until the airship departs.
Even if Allen and the Griffin siblings had wings, they wouldn't be able to reach the airport in time.
Luckily, Julie remained calm. She immediately pulled out her communication book and, using the set of "arcane sigils" written on it, sent a "transmission spell" to the airport officials.
"I'll ask the harbor director to help prevent the 'Glorious' from taking off under the guise of a temporary inspection!"
Julie said to her brother and Allen.
"Sister Julie, you're so clever!"
Felin flattered his cousin with a smile, only to be met with disdain.
"Stop talking nonsense and transform quickly! I don't want to have to run to the airport!" Julie urged her cousin impatiently.
Saving lives was as urgent as putting out a fire, and the brother and sister ignored the glances of passersby.
They immediately activated their ancestral form, transforming into golden-winged griffins.
Julie, anxious, soared into the sky first.
Felin had no choice but to serve as Alan's mount.
From here to the airport outside the city was a full forty miles.
Carrying Alan on his back, flying all the way there...
Felin had a premonition that he might cramp again from exhaustion.
...
Griffin Island, airport terminal.
Ethan Winston, the manager of the Amazing Circus, appeared to be a handsome, elegant young gentleman.
He wore a high-end, custom-made suit and a neatly tied bow tie.
Tucked into the pocket of his white shirt was a carefully folded decorative handkerchief.
Soft, silver-gray hair cascaded over her shoulders, and in her hand she clutched an exquisitely crafted, gold-inlaid cane.
Led by Captain Ethan, the remaining eight circus members, carrying their suitcases and three performing beasts, boarded the airship.
In five minutes, the airship would lift off, towed by griffins to the island where the next performance was scheduled.
This was the lifestyle of a touring circus.
Just as the airship was about to launch, an accident occurred.
"Excuse me, Mr. Ethan, we might be delayed for half an hour," the pilot said apologetically.
"Excuse me, what's the matter?"
Ethan inquired politely.
"We just received a notice from the Port Authority stating that for navigational safety reasons, they need to conduct a temporary inspection of the airship."
The pilot shrugged helplessly and spread his hands. "Is this common?" Ethan asked softly.
"To be honest, it's not common in this sunny season."
The pilot spoke truthfully.
"Actually, our airship underwent a routine inspection yesterday, and everything was normal."
"I really don't understand why we need to do it again."
"Of course! The Port Authority officials might just be playing a prank, flexing their power!"
The pilot grew increasingly frustrated, complaining angrily.
"Well, there's nothing we can do. It seems we'll just have to wait."
Beside the captain, the animal trainer casually interjected.
The heavily made-up woman, still in her performance costume, a tight black leather jacket accentuated her exquisite figure.
A whip, used to tame wild animals, wrapped around her slender waist.
Captain Ethan turned his head and gave the tamer a cold look.
"I've warned you twice! I hate interruptions when I'm talking!"
"I'm not talking to you!" The tamer tilted his head, a defiant expression on his face. "Is it okay for me to talk to myself? There's no need to get angry over such a trivial matter!"
"Do you think this was a coincidence?" Ethan asked her coldly.
"Isn't it?" the energetic young tamer retorted.
"Hehe... You're a newbie, fresh out of the secret realm. You're seriously inexperienced and unaware of the dangers of the human world."
"I understand all that."
"But you're so clueless, yet you act so self-righteous. Frankly, that really annoys me."
"In fact, I have zero tolerance for troublemakers. You'd better not cross my line."
After whispering a few warnings to the trainer, Ethan turned and faced the airship pilot.
His elegant smile returned.
"Sir, I don't think you need to ignore the air traffic control bureau's blind orders. How about taking off on time while the weather's still good?"
"I'm afraid that won't work—"
The pilot's eyes widened before he finished his words, his expression becoming dazed.
Ethan's hand gently rested on his shoulder.
A faint, moving object emerged from the tip of his index finger.
It slowly crawled along the pilot's neck skin.
In a flash, it vanished.
"You should consider the feelings of our passengers."
Ethan's words were tinged with temptation.
"We're in a hurry, and we've already bought our tickets."
"As customers, we have reason to demand a punctual departure."
"You're right..." The pilot had unknowingly been completely hypnotized by Ethan. "Mr. Ethan, I'll start the airship right now."