The explosion between the two rooms had caused destruction on both sides. The force of the blast had scattered everything across the space.
Near the doorway, Suna lay unconscious on the floor.
The moment Aster entered the room, his attention locked onto the thief holding Anna.
As soon as the intruder saw Aster and Valorant enter, he jumped down without hesitation.
Seeing that, Aster didn't think twice—he followed.
"Look after Suna!" he shouted.
"Don't rush—!" Valorant couldn't even finish his sentence.
Aster landed in the middle of the street where chaos had already erupted.
The armed men who had coldly welcomed them at the inn were now fighting against people dressed in black like the thief.
The clash of steel rang through the night air.
The moment he hit the ground, Aster began searching for the thief carrying Anna. But the screams, the clashing blades, and the countless bodies moving around him interfered with his sensing ability.
Still, he didn't stop.
Instead, he concentrated his mana and tried to detect the flow of mana among the crowd.
He searched for two mana flows moving close together.
He found them.
Aster sprinted down the street and turned toward a narrow alley slightly ahead.
The thief, Anna still in his arms, disappeared around the corner at the end of it.
'He turned left.'
Aster continued the pursuit, pouring all his strength into catching up.
As he neared the end of the alley, he sensed multiple presences waiting there.
He was moving too fast to stop.
So he drew his sword and kept going.
The moment he stepped out of the alley—
A blade aimed directly at his neck appeared from the side.
But it didn't connect.
The strike had been perfectly aimed.
However, the decision Aster made in the final second saved his life.
Having sensed people waiting to ambush him, he bent low at the last moment, slipping beneath the incoming blades. His speed carried him forward, and he slid across the snow on his knees into the next street.
He didn't give his attackers a second chance.
Rising instantly, he launched himself at the black-clad figures.
His sword moved swiftly.
Three men fell.
He didn't hesitate. He didn't think.
Just as his master had taught him, he struck only vital points—throat, heart, abdomen.
His enemies collapsed into the snow.
Without wasting time, Aster resumed the chase.
But the thief had already widened the gap.
No matter how well he controlled mana, he couldn't sense someone three or four streets away.
It felt as if everything was over.
And yet—
As if guided by instinct, he kept running.
***
'He must be in that warehouse.'
Aster stopped in front of a warehouse far from the inn.
From the outside, it looked abandoned—old, unused for years.
But the snow near the entrance had been disturbed recently.
Someone had been here.
Gripping his sword tightly, Aster strode toward the door, anger clearly written across his face.
When he reached it, he kicked it open with all his strength.
The door shattered inward.
Inside, the warehouse contained wooden crates stacked neatly, and candles placed around the room to provide faint illumination.
The light was weak—but enough to see.
As Aster stepped inside, he found Anna in the center of the warehouse, lying on the cold, damp ground, her hands and feet bound.
He moved to rush toward her—
But stopped.
Not far from Anna, several crates had been stacked deliberately.
Sitting atop them was the same thief.
Aster glared at him and shouted angrily,
"This wasn't the agreement, Nedris! Kidnapping Anna wasn't part of the plan!"
The thief removed his mask and slowly stood.
"I had to. In our line of work, orders are absolute."
"Who gave the order?"
Ned pointed upward.
"The higher-ups."
Aster frowned, not understanding.
Ned extended his hand toward him.
"Give me the book."
The agreement had changed. Anna's involvement in the book theft meant only one thing.
'He's trying to deceive me.'
Understanding the situation, Aster began looking for an escape route.
Because he knew—
One wrong word could determine both his and Anna's fate.
And—
'We're not alone.'
He tightened his grip on his sword.
He could sense several people hiding in the shadows of the warehouse, behind crates and in unseen corners.
'I can't escape from here. That's certain.'
His master came to mind.
'He saw me leave. He'll look for me. But that takes time. I need to stall.'
"No."
Ned looked confused.
"What did you say?"
"No. You don't get the book until you give me the information I want."
A faint smile appeared on Ned's face.
"And if I refuse?"
Aster reached inside his clothing and pulled out the thick book.
"I don't know how important this book is to you. But to me, it's nothing more than a stack of paper."
He held it up.
"I'll burn it right in front of you."
For a moment, Aster thought his threat had worked.
'Did that scare him?'
Suddenly—
Ned burst into laughter.
He laughed loudly, as if he had just heard the greatest joke in the world.
After a moment, he calmed down.
"Do you even know… what kind of book you're holding?"
"No."
Ned coughed lightly and composed himself.
"Understandable, Aster."
At that moment, Anna began to stir.
With a pained expression, she slowly sat up.
"The princess is awake," Ned said.
Anna looked around first, taking in her unfamiliar surroundings and the bindings on her wrists.
She went silent.
Then her gaze fell on Aster.
For a brief moment, she looked at him as if he had been involved in her kidnapping.
'It's not my fault.'
Ned sat back down on the crate behind him.
"I'll tell you something very interesting. Listen carefully. Especially you, princess."
Anna stared at him, confused.
"The book in your hand is the most valuable book in this world. Do you know why?"
Aster remained silent.
"Of course you don't. Neither do you, princess," Ned added with a chuckle.
"Because with it… the dead can be brought back to life."