At that moment, my condition was like that of a helpless person. Helena was present in my room, and her eyes were roaming around as if she were trying to find something specific. But I couldn't stop her, because I was already afraid of her, and I felt that if I refused her, she might end up going after me even more.
So I quietly went and sat on the chair beside the table near the window. Then I picked up that folded piece of paper from the tray and put it in my pocket, thinking that I would read it later. After that I lifted the glass of milk and began slowly drinking it.
Just then Helena turned her gaze toward me and said with a mischievous smile,
"Hi Jona! Are you trying to ignore me?"
I choked on the sip of milk and hurriedly replied, "No… not at all. Why would I ignore you?" I said to Helena.
Then Helena replied, "Well, that's good. Otherwise I thought you didn't like me coming into your room."
Hearing that, I thought to myself—yes, that's actually true. That's exactly what I'm thinking.
But now I had a chance to question her. I calmed myself and asked clearly, "So Helena, what exactly is the reason you came to see me?"
Helena answered casually, "There's no special reason. Actually, I was passing by, so I thought I'd say hello to Aunt Rose and your elder sister, and my friend Conte."
I thought again—then why did she come into my room? She should have gone to meet them! Why is she making my life harder? But—
While I was thinking all this, she suddenly told me something that I had completely forgotten in my fun and training. She said that there was still no information about Misty's father.
Hearing that, I was shocked and said, "What? There's still no information? Then does that mean the same woman who attacked us in the bar is also behind Misty's father's disappearance?" I continued, "But I thought there might be some other reason behind his disappearance."
But what Helena said next turned my suspicion into certainty. She revealed that in the last three days, some other people of similar age had also mysteriously disappeared from the city. Now it was almost certain that the same woman was behind Misty's father's disappearance as well.
I said seriously to Helena, "That means by now the Royal Knights and the Churches must also be involved in these cases."
Agreeing with me, Helena said, "Yes Jona, you're right. And I think by now they must have gotten at least some information related to this case." Then she lowered her voice and made a big revelation:
"But… I have also found a special piece of information related to this case."
I was startled hearing this. How is Helena this involved in all of this already? And what information does she know that even the Royal Knights don't? I immediately asked her what she had found out.
Helena said, "I found out that within the next two to three days, that kidnapper woman—the one who attacked us—will leave this city and escape."
Hearing that, I struck the table in surprise and said, "Then that woman will slip out of both our hands and the Royal Knights' hands!"
Helena nodded and continued, "You're right, Jona. According to my information, that woman will use the harbour located in the Central District of Magadh city. Because that's the only place from where she can easily escape. Every day so many passenger ships come and go there that she could disappear anywhere in the crowd."
Hearing that, another question flashed in my mind, and I said to Helena, "If this information is true, then by tomorrow even the Churches and Royal Knights will know about it. They're not so weak that they'd miss such big news. I think security at the harbour will become very tight within the next two days."
Then I raised a bitter question, "But Helena, if that kidnapper woman is going to leave the city in two days, then what about the people she kidnapped? She can't take so many people with her on a passenger ship."
Helena's eyes widened, and she asked me, "So… does that mean she'll kill all of them?"
I panicked and said, "No—no! If that happens, then there'd be no point in catching her at all."
Looking into my eyes, Helena said, "So you mean she'll be tried to be captured today or tomorrow?"
I hesitated and replied, "Yes, maybe. Because we don't know what the real action plan of the Churches and Royal Knights is, or how many Paragons are working on this case. And it's also possible that the kidnapper woman herself spread this rumor so that everyone's attention goes toward the Central District while she escapes through some other route. Even if security is placed at the harbour, it might not be as strong as we think. If we want to catch that kidnapper woman, we'll have to think from a criminal's perspective—how would we leave the city with so many kidnapped people without anyone noticing? We need to think about this more deeply."
Suddenly a bell rang in my mind, and I started wondering why I was getting so involved in all this. If I got too involved in these matters, it could become dangerous for me. Whether that kidnapper woman gets caught or not, because of my actions I would definitely come under the attention of the Royal Knights or the Churches. And once their eyes fall on me, it will become difficult for me.
I was just about to explain this to Helena when I saw that her intentions were something else entirely. She got up from beside me and walked confidently toward the door of the room. And before opening it, she turned toward me and said with a confident smile:
"Alright then, Jona. We'll meet the day after tomorrow and go together to investigate the harbour in the Central District!"
Saying that, Helena opened the door and prepared to leave. Hearing this, it felt as if my senses had blown away. I jumped up from my chair and tried to stop her with a mixture of panic and fear.
"Wait, Helena! We shouldn't get involved in all this—it could become very dangerous for us!" I tried my best to explain to her.
But Helena ignored me completely. She paid no attention to my words and walked out of the room without looking back. And I stood helplessly in the middle of my room. My mind had gone numb because now I couldn't understand what would happen next.
But one thing was certain—within the next two days, something very big and dangerous was going to happen in this capital.