The truth was exactly what Lucas had guessed. The man behind the kidnap was already losing his mind in fury.
A heavy crash rang out as an ashtray smashed against the kneeling leader's head. The fat noble pointed at him and unleashed a torrent of curses.
"You useless trash, all of you! I spend a fortune on you every year and you can't even guard a damn dungeon cell? Who told you idiots you could drink? Huh? Drinking is one thing, but yelling while drinking? I swear, every last one of you is blind, deaf, and brainless! Beat them. Beat them until they can't move!"
"Ah—!! Mercy, my lord! Please!"
Their screams filled the hall.
The guards brought their whips down harder and harder, the cracks sharp and merciless. Flesh split open with every strike, blood splattering across the floor.
The man they called "Lord" was a massive blob in luxurious clothing, his belly heaving furiously with every roar.
Even after all the screaming, he was still far from satisfied. He snatched a whip from one of the guards, swung it himself, and only stopped when he was panting from exhaustion.
His eyes were bloodshot, his layers of fat trembling with rage, his expression twisted.
"Worthless! Every damn one of you!"
A tall man in a butler's uniform stepped forward, bowing slightly as he spoke carefully into the noble's ear.
"My lord, what should we do next? Those two 'items' escaped. The news will reach the city guard and the Guild soon. Should we make arrangements ahead of time?"
The instant the Count heard the words "city guard" and "Guild," he shivered, glancing nervously around the lavish hall as fear crept into his eyes.
"Damn those Orario officials. And those nosy city guards," he muttered under his breath, too afraid to raise his voice. "It's just slave trading. Why do they care so much? Countries all over the world do it. Only Orario has to stick its nose into everything."
"I don't get it. If it's such a profitable business, why forbid it?"
Of course, ranting was the only thing he dared do. He was just a noble from a tiny country. He wouldn't last a minute against the familias of the gods.
After venting a little, he gritted his teeth and ordered sharply,
"Pack everything. We're leaving Orario immediately."
The butler bowed, though he hesitated.
"Yes, my lord. But… what about the negotiations with our partners?"
The fat under the Count's chin wobbled as he glared at him.
"Negotiations? What's the point? Can they protect us from the city guard? That whole bunch is nothing but mangy strays hiding from the order-aligned familias. They can't even protect themselves. You think they can protect us? Don't be stupid. Pack up. We'll contact them when things calm down."
"Understood."
The butler bowed again and hurried off.
The Count moved to the window. Outside, the downpour looked heavy enough to swallow the world. The endless drumming of rain only made his nerves unravel even more.
---
Meanwhile, at Lucas's home.
The owner of the house was enjoying a leisurely shower. If he knew the man behind the gray-market guild had already panicked and fled the city, he would have burst out laughing. He might even give the guy a thumbs-up and call him "decisive."
Unfortunately, that man was doomed to be disappointed, because Lucas had no intention of reporting what happened.
The moment the Guild found out two elf girls had been kidnapped and sold, every familia in Orario would learn the truth.
And once familias knew, the gods would know. And when gods knew… there would be no chance of keeping them in his familia.
There were no real secrets in this world, especially not in the Guild, which was full of holes.
Order-aligned familias, Evilus remnants, merchant factions, gray-market groups, goddess alliances, academic circles… all of them had existed for eons. You think they wouldn't plant spies in the Guild? How else would they get first-hand intel?
Just look at how many people camped in front of the Guild's quest board every day.
Aside from adventurers needing updates, the rest were all errand runners from factions all over the city.
And the moment other familias learned he was sheltering two beautiful elf girls… the gods would swarm like bees to honey.
Some gods were shameless enough that, if it meant recruiting an elf beauty, they'd kneel on the spot and kiss her boots without hesitation.
Others were even worse. They'd just send their own familia to abduct the girls, perform the falna ceremony on the spot, and call it done.
This wasn't even speculation. It had happened more than once in Orario's long history. Once the deed was done, nobody could do anything about it. What would he do, start a war game over it?
That wasn't even the worst-case scenario.
If Freya or Loki descended personally and took a liking to the girls, it wouldn't matter what Lucas said. With Ottar and Finn standing behind their gods, no one could stop them.
So after weighing all the risks, Lucas made the only smart choice: don't report anything.
"Ah… our familia's still too small. No influence at all."
He shut off the shower, wiped his face, and dried himself while mumbling.
After slipping into comfortable shorts and a T-shirt, he brewed a pot of tea, sat in the hanging chair under the eaves, and listened to the rain wash the world clean.
By the time he realized it, midnight had long passed.
The house was dark except for the guest room.
Jeanne was still taking care of the elf girls. As a man, Lucas wouldn't interrupt, especially since the girls hadn't fully awakened.
He exchanged a few quiet words with Jeanne before heading to bed, lulled to sleep by the falling rain.
---
Morning came.
Lucas's internal clock woke him right on time.
He lay there for a moment, staring at the ceiling, letting the peaceful sound of rain seep into his bones.
After a long sigh, he dragged himself out of his warm bed.
His joints popped crisply as he stretched.
He admired his reflection, fingers tracing the lines of his well-defined muscles. A proud smile spread across his face.
"Damn, I look good."
"Raising my Stats really did wonders for my whole vibe. This is what confidence feels like."
After a bit of self-appreciation, he went to the window and pushed it open. The fresh, rain-soaked air rushed in, smelling of earth and life.
"I love rainy mornings."
He gazed at the shimmering curtain of rain with genuine contentment.
Then, a gentle knock broke the silence.
Aside from their two guests, only he and Jeanne were home. The visitor was obvious.
He reluctantly stepped away and opened the door.
Jeanne had changed into soft loungewear too, her long golden hair flowing down her back.
"Good morning, Lucas. May I come in?"
"Morning, Jeanne."
Lucas smiled and stepped aside.
"Don't tell me one night apart made us strangers. You're being awfully polite. Looks like our Holy Maiden needs a little retraining."
Jeanne's cheeks flushed. She knew exactly what he meant and shot him an annoyed look before walking in and taking a seat on his bed.
Lucas pulled the chair from his desk and sat across from her.
She spoke the moment he settled.
"They woke up."
"They're awake?!"
He blinked, pleasantly surprised.
That was great news.
After everything they'd been through—cold, exhaustion, hunger, fear—it was normal for someone to sleep an entire day before recovering. The girls were far tougher than he expected.
So the rumors were true.
Some elves trained extensively in their villages before traveling, learning enough combat to defend themselves. Even without Falna, elves were formidable. Such types weren't rare.
The Freya Familia had the White and Black Knights, famous elven warriors.
The Astraea Familia had Gale.
The Loki Familia had the Pure Garden.
---
"For non-adventurers, their stamina and recovery are impressive. Way better than I was back then."
Lucas laughed softly and asked for details. Jeanne explained everything she saw.
"Come on. Let's welcome our new family members," Lucas said.
Jeanne smiled faintly.
"You're that sure they'll join us?"
"Of course."
He didn't hesitate.
---
Wearing the fluffy animal slippers Jeanne picked, the two walked to the guest room.
She had placed the girls here last night after bringing them home.
Lucas knocked. Jeanne glanced at him, then said gently,
"We're coming in."
"Please."
They stepped inside.
Lucas froze for half a heartbeat.
The two elven girls had a fragile beauty to them now, a softness that tugged at the heart. Combined with their breathtaking features, their presence was devastating.
His eyes passed over the silver-haired girl still asleep and settled on the golden-haired elf sitting weakly against the headboard.
"Hello. I'm Lucas. I'm from the same familia as Jeanne."
He gestured to the chair beside the bed, clearly where Jeanne had been sitting overnight.
"Mind if I sit?"
The girl was still pale, but she mustered a faint smile and nodded.
"Hello. I'm Lorie Suval. Thank you and Miss Jeanne for saving us."
"It was nothing."
Lucas waved it off, then looked at the silver-haired girl.
"And she is?"
"That's Aura Moriel. As you can see, we're elves. We met during our travels and came to Orario together."
Lucas and Jeanne exchanged a glance. Newcomers, as expected.
"Can you tell us what happened before we found you?" Lucas asked gently. "Only if you're comfortable."
The moment he asked, Lorie's entire body stiffened.
Her face drained of color. Her fingers clenched tightly around the blanket, knuckles turning white. Her shoulders trembled from the memory.
Lucas instinctively reached out to comfort her… then stopped.
Because he remembered.
Elves hated being touched. Deeply, instinctively. Unless they accepted someone completely, physical contact was taboo.
Male elves were a bit easier.
Female elves, though, had extremely strict boundaries.
Lucas didn't take offense. He understood. Or at least, he respected their traditions, even if he didn't entirely get them.
He lowered his hand quietly.