Silas came to the camp site as soon as Max told him about the condition of the kid. On the way, Max filled in the information about what happened.
The kid woke up and started freaking out, panicking, screaming and yelling. His people didn't have any ideas on how to calm down so Ice-pick used her ability.
But that was only a temporary solution.
He saw the camp and people gathered around. They saw him and made a way. Silas entered inside the camp and saw Ice-pick sitting on the chair and looking at the kid who was sleeping on the bed.
"You can stop your charm, Ice-pick." Silas said, placing his hand on her shoulder
She looked up and asked, "Are you sure? He had been going wild."
Silas nodded. "Yeah. And can you all leave? I want privacy."
He said, looking around. Roland was reluctant at first but Silas's eyes convinced him.
Soon, Silas was left alone with the kid. He grabbed the chair where Ice-pick was sitting and sat down. He looked over at the kid who was slowly beginning to awake.
His face twitched and had a painful expression. It was as if the kid was remembering all the bad things that happened to him.
Then, bloodshot eyes opened, looking at the ceiling. The kid's breath became hasten. He quickly sat up and looked around, ready to fight and searching for a way to get out.
Silas looked at the kid's movement and saw something which the others didn't see. He smiled and lifted up both hands, indicating that he didn't mean any harm to the kid.
"Check your surroundings, kid." He said flatly. "Think about a way to escape. But you can only think. After all, there is no way you can escape here. So follow my instructions and take control over yourself."
Those were harsh words considering the background of the kid. Silas didn't want to do that; he had no choice. He closed his eyes, waiting for the kid to calm down.
It worked. It worked too well. He knew it would work because that was how he dealt with the kids from the slum.
Yes, the kid in front of him was someone from the slum. The lowest part of the town. The trash of the town.
He probably came from Floen Town after all in the towns in the Viremont state there was no slum. Count Direth made sure that.
But Floen Town was different. The town was developed in the Viremont state but their jurisdiction fell into the Floen Family.
"Good. Good. You are smart. Is that how you survive?" Silas asked.
The kid didn't answer.
"No answer? Then what is your name?"
Silas looked at the kid and sighed.
"Then, take a look at a magic trick. I have been trying to learn but I only got it now." Silas said, ignoring the prying eyes.
He took out a deck of cards from his pocket and shuffled it. He used to play the cards with Ice-pick, Roland and Luna.
He won most of the time. Why? Obviously, he cheated. Anyway, his cheating didn't matter.
He had been trying new card tricks in his previous life but didn't have enough dexterity to do that. But this body was different.
Silas performed cool tricks and smiled.
The kid looked at his tricks but didn't let the guard down yet.
Silas placed the cards and looked at the kid.
"Now, playtime is over. I want to know your name. Why are you out here? Who did this to you? I want everything." Silas said, his voice devoid of feeling.
"Why?" The kid asked.
"Why? Why? Do you really need to ask why?" Silas said. A child was hurt and more children were probably suffering now.
Silas stood up, showing off the crest on his chest. "I am an heir to Viremont. It is my task to follow the King's Will. Speak of your villain and I will deal with it."
The kid didn't look convinced but what can he do? He told everything to Silas.
About how he survived in Floen Town. How the kidnapping of his friends started and soon his turn arrived?
He found himself in the dark cave, strapped into a chair. He found the vanished kids alongside him.
He heard their screams. Their terror. He only managed to escape because the man let him.
After that, the wild chase began. The kid was hunted by his friends.
Silas listened to the story and nodded. After that, he called Ice-pick.
The succubus entered inside the tent and glanced at the scene.
The kid was crying, brawling his eyes out. While Silas was cold, his eyes carried a hint of murderous intent.
She had never seen a human filled with such hatred in her life. A chill crept down to her spine as such eyes fell upon her.
"Calm him." Silas said and stood up. He walked out the camp site to get fresh air.
For some reason, everybody around him didn't interact with him.
Luna was standing back behind Roland.
Silas didn't have any energy to make jokes or tease his apprentice. He ignored his people and started strolling around, lost in thought.
The kid's monologues were vague and not pieced together. He couldn't blame the kid for that. It was probably hard for him to recall the terrible memories.
So, Silas created a story based on the information he got.
Mind controlled bandits.
The kid.
Floen Town, Floen Family.
Strange crest.
Experiment.
Sick behavior.
Just vile stuff happening around him.
Silas sighed. He could just ignore this and went to the Palm Mountain to get the treasure he was looking for.
Clear the problem or be selfish.
Clear the problem or be selfish.
The weight of unknown feelings dragged his feet.
When Silas decided to sit down, he found that he was alone. Like always, he was alone. No matter what kind of connection he tried to make, in the end, he was alone.
Alone on earth.
Alone here.
Nothing changed.
"Are you going to attack that mage?" A familiar sound came from the sky.
Silas looked up and saw Roland standing in the tree branches, smiling.
'How can he still smile?'
"I don't know. I don't know what to do." Silas murmured but Roland heard this clearly.
Roland jumped down beside him.
"That is rough. But you need to do something. There is no time for that."
"You think I don't know!" Silas yelled. "I am not a hero. I don't have to spend my time on this. You are my knight, Roland. I can order you. You are bound by My Crest."
Roland didn't answer.
"Really? That stupid Crest doesn't hold me, Silas. Tell me why you are scared of saving others." Roland asked.
Silas remembered his death. The scam he crafted to the mafia. So that, he could buy back the neighborhood and freed the kids and people in there from the Mafia.
He thought he won. But in the end he died.
"What if I failed?" Silas said. "Failure meant the death of others in heroes'jobs. I don't want to be a hero."
"I never thought of failure,"Roland admitted. "But what is wrong with that? You tried to save someone. Even if it is futile, that is something beautiful. Not everyone can do that. Sure, not everyone succeeded but we won't know unless we tried."
Silas gave a thought and stood up. He opened his mouth, trying to find a word.
He closed and opened again. "Sure. Let's try."
"Do you have any idea where the mage is?" Roland asked.
"Yes, I do."
"Oh great. Let's blast the cave and save the kids." Roland said. He was the sun. A perfect knight like Silas described.
'I am not worthy of saving someone but you can.' Silas said in his mind.