Such people... how did they manage to pay the atonent money?
"Hello, big sister," the little girl approached Jodie and asked, "Are you also leaving this city?"
"Yes!" Jodie replied with a smile. "Just like you, we have to avoid the bad people in the city, so we have no choice but to leave."
"Really?" The little girl had a puzzled look. "How did you raise the money? My brother got so unexpected money, and we even had to sell our house to afford it."
"Julia!" Matthew pulled his sister aside, his expression serious. "Did you forget what I specifically cautioned you about on the way here? Don’t casually talk to strangers."
Julia imdiately shut her mouth. Jodie just smiled and looked away.
"Next group!"
"Co over!"
The city guards overseeing the cleansing pool loudly urged the line of people to approach a large pool. The blood-red water emitted a strong stench of blood, making everyone’s expression rather grim.
"Get in!" a guard commanded. "Subrge your entire body in the water. Hold your breath for at least five breaths. If you can’t manage that and die after leaving the city, don’t bla for not warning you."
HUFF... Soone took a deep breath, stepped into the ’cleansing pool,’ and moved forward in the waist-deep water. Then, they took another deep breath and subrged themselves completely.
「...」
After exiting the cleansing pool, Jodie was about to head towards her ho when her brother suddenly grabbed her wrist.
"Co this way!"
"Hmm?" Jodie was taken aback. She saw her older brother and sister each take her and her younger brother by the hand, walking towards a small caravan not far away.
A sense of panic swiftly rose in her heart.
"Brother," she asked urgently, "what’s going on?"
"We are leaving this city," Norton said, his eyes downcast and his face grim, pulling her along at a rapid pace. "Don’t ask too many questions. Just follow."
"But..." Jodie cried softly, "I haven’t packed many of my things, I haven’t said goodbye to my friends, and Father and the others aren’t here."
"Jodie, you need to grow up," Norton shook his head. "If we gave you ti to say goodbye, wouldn’t our family’s enemies know we were planning to escape?
"This was arranged by our parents in advance. As for your things...
"If it’s the package you secretly packed in your room, then it should already be with the caravan.
"Let’s go!"
He sighed. "The reason we kept it from you is that we didn’t want others to know. We need to leave this city as soon as possible."
Jodie’s face turned pale. "But..."
"There are no ’buts,’" Norton growled. "We need to leave, right now. Only when we are safe can our family rest assured." His eyes were red, his teeth gritted. He took one long look backward before picking up Jodie and placing her in the carriage.
The small carriage was crowded with people, and a mixture of strange slls filled the air, but Jodie couldn’t care about that at the mont. An inexplicable sense of panic filled her.
Leaving? Everything once familiar will be gone.
"Big sister." A familiar voice called out, "We et again so soon?"
Jodie snapped back to reality. Looking toward the little girl cradled in her brother’s arms, she forced a slight smile. "Yes."
"My na is Alva, and this is my brother Matthew," the little girl introduced them with an outgoing deanor. "What’s your na, big sister?"
Jodie opened her mouth. "...Jodie."
"No more talking," Norton said as he climbed onto the carriage, his icy gaze sweeping over the others inside. "Let’s go!"
The carriage wheels began to turn, heading out of the city. Jodie curled up, clutching the package her brother had handed her, her mind racing.
The plan was to leave in a few days. This sudden change must an sothing happened at ho. Father, Mother... they’ll be alright, won’t they? My brother is only a few years older than and has only been on one long journey. Can we really reach the Duke Territory safely? Did Little Ear follow my instructions and deliver the letter to those important people when he couldn’t find ? What should I do now?
Though her family always treated Jodie like a child, she was actually far more mature than her peers. In fact, sotis she saw things even more clearly than her brother Norton. But she was, after all, still a child who had never encountered such a situation, and she couldn’t find a solution. Her thoughts churned, unsettled, in her mind. As sleepiness crept up, she gradually drifted off into a daze.
THUMP!
The carriage jolted suddenly. The violent shaking threw Jodie backward, her head striking the wooden fra, the pain jolting her awake.
"UGH!"
"Be careful!"
Norton reached out to steady her, then opened the carriage flap to look out, his expression changing drastically. Against the dim night sky, a troop of Knights exuding a chilling aura appeared at the end of the road. His vision as a Peak Knight allowed him to see the familiar insignia.
"It’s them!" Norton clenched his fists. Why are they here? Are they just passing by? Or did they get word of sothing?
WHOOSH... A breeze swept through the caravan. The familiar scent caused Norton’s eyes to widen. He turned, grabbed his sister, and leaped out of the carriage.
"Run!"
"It’s the Chaotic Wind Explosion cast by a Great Knight!"
Superior Dharma Seal—Chaotic Wind Explosion!
The breeze suddenly intensified, and streaks of visible white Gale spontaneously appeared, swirling towards the caravan.
SWISH!
SWISH! SWISH!
The piercing Wind Blades effortlessly sliced the horses pulling the carriages in half. The sturdy carriages were no match for them.
Blood splattered. Screams and wails erupted.
The people in the caravan were thrown into chaos. Those who had narrowly escaped disaster scattered in all directions as the charging Knights descended upon them.
"Go!" Norton called to his younger brother and sister, fleeing towards the dense forest.
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