"There's no need for all that trouble. Those scumbags won't get off easily," said Aria. She was holding a notebook and some documents. She scanned through everyone's faces before settling in the living room. "Mr. and Mrs. Pollard, I'm here to fulfill my promise."Libbie couldn't believe what was happening. She was already in a stupor from her neighbor's discussion. However, her mind cleared up after seeing Aria. With a trembling hand outstretched, as if to confirm the reality before her, she said in a shaky voice, "Please… come in."The rest of what Aria had to share was far too sensitive to be aired publicly, and she could already sense Draco's simmering resentment from the hallway. He must have woken up.All of Draco's neighbors wanted to follow her inside. It was not because they wanted to gossip but because they truly wanted to help. Aria didn't stop them—this was a truth that needed to be revealed for the Pollard family's suffering to be understood.Spotting Draco awake, Lib
Draco sat motionlessly, entangled in strings invisible to ordinary eyes. The Emperor Coins he wore clinked softly, their sound resonating strangely. His eyes, veiled in a dark mist, betrayed no emotion. Aria watched him in silence, choosing not to interrupt his thoughts. Instead, she calmly returned Shirley's diary to him."Shirley is a very smart girl. She must have excelled in biology and chemistry." Aria chuckled before continuing, "She mentioned a game you used to play with her when she was younger. She wrote words in a certain way only you can see."When she said that, Draco suddenly looked up.Draco thought of Aria's other identity and realized something. "Ms. Carver, can you see Shirley?"The neighbors had begun to doubt Draco's sanity, attributing his behavior to a feverish delirium. But Libbie, his wife, stood by him. She knew how capable Aria was.When Libbie turned toward Aria in anticipation, the latter faced the neighbors and nodded slightly to the couple.Aria l
Aria's fingers glided over the diary. "She loves to help the weak. She wrote in her diary that girls should help other cute girls."Aria mimicked Shirley's tone in the final sentence.A crowd was listening outside the door, but they could hear nothing, only Libbie's choked sobs. Draco opened the diary and took a water bottle from the coffee table. Then, he sprinkled some water on the coarse white paper.Soon, some writings in light purple ink appeared on the paper."Dad, I saw an online interview today. Those children you saved at the border are all grown up, but they still remember you. Dad, you're amazing! They even learned how to ride a horse and archery!""To me, Dad, you've always been a hero.""With you here, Dad, I'll never be scared. Once I'm done with my finals, can you visit? I want to see the rocket launch and go horseback riding.""Dad, I encountered something and almost gave up.""In an interview, a woman said that they used to prohibit girls from studying, but a
Right after Aria did that, a bolt of lightning streaked across the sky. The people gathered outside were too absorbed in Shirley's heartfelt words to notice anything unusual. Only when a deafening clap of thunder echoed did they glance toward the window in shock.How could there be thunder if there wasn't even a hint of rain?A few murmured that the constant rumbling felt like someone was undergoing a divine trial. Unbeknownst to them, they were right. Pahana was thrashing within the coils of a dragon, desperately evading the strikes.Landon, meanwhile, was bending the rules, using his immense heavenly fortune to breach the agreement. Not a soul would dare question him for it.Because of this, the fury of the heavens was redirected entirely toward Pahana.Suddenly, Pahana recalled the cunning fortune teller.Pahana had been content in his underwater prison. It was the fortune teller who had shattered the seal, releasing him. True, confinement was stifling, but at least Chaos
Aria immediately released Landon's hand when the thunder stopped. Landon glanced at her, his gaze unreadable, as if lost in thought. Smilingly, he absentmindedly rubbed his fingertips. The rosary beads on his wrist seemed to shimmer with a mysterious luster. With his demure, restrained demeanor, the gentle flutter of his thick, dark eyelashes added an air of indifference to him.Aria was just the same as before. She was proactive when she needed him; when she didn't, she quickly discarded him. Landon reached out and grabbed Aria's hand again. Although she couldn't quite grasp his intentions, Aria was in high spirits. Once the trial concluded, the Pollard family's life would be smooth sailing. The ominous creatures lurking beneath the riverbank would no longer surface.Pahana was merely the beginning. Nurtured by the resentment of the sacrifices, the suppressed malevolent beings would only grow stronger. Aria had never seen the seal Tobias had mentioned, but she understood its
The seven soldiers stood in formation, saluting Draco. Draco blinked in disbelief. "I-It's you guys."The leader's eyes turned red. "Mr. Pollard, it's been a long time. Do you remember Dennis at the back? You carried him for 12 miles so that he could live."Dennis Nichell had a scar at the corner of his eye. He stepped forward and hugged Draco. "Mr. Pollard, it's me. I-I always thought you were doing well. You've never contacted us all these years…"His voice wavered. They had assumed Draco had cut ties, but it was only now they understood someone had deliberately isolated him from them.A soldier with rank insignia approached. "Captain Pollard, we're all aware of your situation now. Mr. Sterling has assured us that the organization will not forsake its heroes. The Daley, Meyer, and Karken families will face due consequences."Shirley's wish will be honored by Recruit Camp 071. From today, she is officially recognized as our youngest soldier."Although this wouldn't be formally
Aria was the one who proposed the school's restructuring. Prolonging immoral practices would inevitably warp the students' values. Without proper education, they would grow into a blight on society. Even if Radley, Tiffany, and Krissa were dealt with, others like them would inevitably emerge. To truly address the issue, they had to strike at the roots.Summers International School had ceased its operations. All of the higher-ups were held accountable by the police, causing a massive uproar in the education community. Suddenly, everyone feared for their jobs. Many people had long awaited such action. The internet erupted with joy when the authorities announced a thorough crackdown.The Daley family faced severe punishments for their crimes. Just as Aria predicted, those who didn't receive death sentences would wish for it. Meanwhile, Draco appeared in an interview, this time with newfound confidence. Libbie sat beside him, proudly holding a photo from their daughter's recent birth
Back then, those fortune tellers were blind to Landon's true identity and insisted on sealing him away underground. Landon must be seeking revenge for what happened back then.That explained his pursuit of Aria.To Pahana, Aria was an enigma. Her skills were average, yet she possessed undeniable talent and a unique approach that defied the traditional Decatorian methods he knew.Fortune tellers were rarely bound by the conventional, their minds trained to think in ways others could not fathom. Pahana could also feel the hidden strength within Aria, a power she kept buried deep.Landon must have noticed that and sought to consume her soul.Yet Pahana found no trace of a binding contract between Landon and Aria.There were rumors, however, that Landon had once made a pact with a woman who was as infamous as she was beautiful. She was a woman of no redeeming qualities, a heartless temptress who reveled in tormenting others. Her disrespect for people was unmatched, yet Landon had
Miguel had worked so hard to climb out of being just another underpaid teacher. Most people would have been thrilled to land a principal job, but Miguel got greedy. He never cared about shaping young minds. As he often said, "It's just a paycheck. Only losers pass up money to preach about education." That mentality might fly in small towns, but in the big city, these kids wouldn't stand a chance based on merit alone. Miguel wasn't exactly looking down on his students—he just knew the situation in each class best. Students with or without local residency permits would face different college admissions standards. Rich families already had their children's overseas education lined up, so there was no sweat required. Even if they had bad grades, it wouldn't be a problem. They could still go abroad and buy themselves a fancy degree. Money talked, and that was the harsh reality. Miguel needed that Department of Education position to set his son up right. It was pretty ironic for a
Aria would definitely have the principal of Oakvale Academy detained eventually, but not now. The moment Miguel was in custody, the people pulling his strings would smell trouble. Based on past cases, they'd likely cut all connections immediately. All their carefully gathered leads could vanish in seconds. So Miguel needed to stay free for now and even remain in plain sight. Aria said, "Don't tell your principal about what happened today." She looked at Eden. "When you go back, just attend classes like how you normally do. If Mr. Sonder asks about you, tell him you're still thinking it over. "Show how nervous you are about this, but also hint that you're eager to go abroad. You're just not quite ready yet. "Don't tell anyone about our conversation. I've added you as a contact. If anything seems off, text me immediately. "Someone will be protecting you 24/7, and your family too. So don't be afraid." As she spoke, Aria stood up. "Let's go. I'll take you back to school. They
"I don't know what Judy meant by that," Eden said as she looked up. "She never talked like that before." "Got it," Aria said, zooming in on the photo. By looking at the brand of the chocolate drink and the surrounding buildings, she could nail down the exact location. Without hesitation, she sent it to Sam for analysis. Something about this "interview" smelled fishy. She had to see firsthand what kind of meeting would change a simple and positive girl like Judy. "About those selected applicants—do you know exactly who they were?" Aria dug deeper with her questions. Once she had names, she could connect the dots between the students. These patterns would reveal what the buyers were looking for. Human trafficking was a high-stakes criminal business, and Aria did not believe this was just about exploiting young girls. The bar incident had been her wake-up call. She needed the full picture before making her move. She would just spook them if she jumped in too soon. Their oper
Aria needed to identify all the "buyers". Missing even one buyer could mean one more student was sold. "Do the selected applicants have anything in common besides their family situations?" Aria asked, and Eden shook her head. But she then added, "Everyone had good grades, so nobody ever questioned why they were chosen for scholarships. Nothing seemed fishy about it." Aria made a mental note about the good grades, then scrolled through Judy's Facebook feed. This kind of investigation was pretty straightforward for her. Even without being accepted as a friend, she could hack in easily. From her posting habits, Judy seemed like an optimist. She was a nice girl who rarely posted anything negative. But one post made Aria scroll back and look twice. The post was cheerful, with a sunny photo and a cup of chocolate. But the text caught her attention. It read, "About to start my new life! All my hard work has paid off. The interview was kind of weird, but no big deal. Let's go!" Ar
The person on the other end of the call didn't speak. He just nodded with a pouty little face from behind a computer screen. It was actually Sam. He'd been working behind the scenes all along, especially when investigating the Wagner situation. Having him tail Philip was the least suspicious option. Simon was available too, but his presence would definitely attract unwanted attention as a beast of fortune. Since they were dealing with an arcane seeker, bringing Simon would be like handing them a treasure. So Aria made the call to have Sam follow Philip, while Simon stayed with Landon. Aria was not worried about her handsome fiancé being in danger. It was only because Simon would be safest with him. The Yorks carried heavenly fortune. As long as there was no fated ordeal in play, anyone who tried to harm Landon would likely meet a bad end. After all, that purple energy surrounding him wasn't just for show. With Simon staying near him, Simon could mask Landon's aura while also
"Yeah, that's right," the rest of the burly men chimed in. The whole scene was painfully forced and fake. In reality, they just wanted to leave. But Aria wasn't about to let them off so easily. She figured she would return the favor since they'd been asking about her. She asked, "Oh, so the Draycotts owe your company money? Which company is that?" Viggo had not expected this question. He froze momentarily, then quickly replied, "Our company is small, so it's not worth mentioning. It's nothing compared to yours." "It's admirable how your company can sponsor students despite being a small one." Aria's compliment was delivered flatly. Viggo's scalp tingled with unease. "It's actually our investor. He doesn't just fund us but many companies. He came from a small town himself and wants to help these students get better learning conditions." "Now that's a rare and kind soul. I'd love to meet him sometime." Aria said casually, "Since we've had such a fortunate encounter, let's exc
The three men Aria had knocked to the ground were hurting all over, yet she had the nerve to talk about following the law. Viggo knew his men were losing their cool. After all, they'd never been humiliated like this in Ludwiten before. He quickly moved to block them, forcing a smile. "Yes, you're absolutely right. "Well, they say you never really know someone until you trade a few punches. You look unfamiliar, though. You're not from Ludwiten, are you?" Viggo was fishing for information about Aria. He needed to know who she was and why their operation had suddenly derailed today. But someone as shrewd as Aria instantly caught his meaning, so she smirked. Since things had already escalated this far, it did not matter whether she revealed her identity or not. Whoever was behind these men would investigate her anyway. It was better to draw all the attention to herself now while her senior and the Public Integrity Task Force gathered evidence behind the scenes. That way, they cou
Viggo tried to explain, "You've got it all wrong—we don't mean any harm. We were just told to pick Ms. Bohmer up for paperwork. "Ms. Bohmer's a top student, and her school recommended her for study abroad. Just ask her if you don't believe me." Viggo shifted the spotlight to Eden. He figured a student like her wouldn't know how to speak up. Indeed, Eden was terrible at lying. Under Aria's watchful gaze, she nodded. She then added, "But something about them felt off. Maybe I was just being paranoid when I asked for your help." She couldn't very well tell this stranger that everything was based on a hunch, that these people gave her the creeps. They hadn't crossed any lines yet, but something felt wrong. She just couldn't put her finger on what. Eden struggled to explain, but Aria cut right to the chase. "So are you saying you need eight beefy men to escort a girl like her just to fill out some study abroad forms? Can't the teachers or the proper agencies handle it? "Looking
Hearing this, Viggo frowned. The burly men exchanged glances too as they sized up the person in front of them. They'd been in Ludwiten so long but had never met anyone as bold as Aria. They all figured that she must be some out-of-town wealthy heir who didn't know the rules here. She was practically asking for trouble when she blocked their way. These people didn't follow the stock market much. If they had, they'd know that a certain young lady had arrived in town not long ago. And she was someone who was good at dealing with those who crossed her. "You should ask around about who runs things here before acting so cocky. Since you like it here, stay right here with your bike!" As they spoke, one of them walked toward Aria aggressively, raising his arm to throw a punch. The rest moved in at the same time. But before the man could touch Aria, his hand was suddenly caught. Aria moved fast. With one leg braced against her motorcycle as a pivot point, she lunged forward and droppe