Five years after the wanderer's announcement, in Spardis Continent's Decurion Country...

It is one of the poorest country within Spardis Continent and regarded as a wasteland by many people. Here lies the Leonid City, an average city near the North-South Border.

Just outside the Leonid City, a little boy was holding his frail mother's hand, running away from a group of burly men who had malicious grin on their faces. Their actions are like a cat playing with the mouse before eating it.

The little boy's name was Bellwick, a slave boy under the City Lord of Leonid City. His mother, Lecille, is also born as a slave and he inherited his mother's status in the society.

Once an impeccable beauty, Lecille is a kind but headstrong woman who follows her own beliefs.

Unfortunately, the shackles of being a slave can't be erased by will or hardwork and her personality became a curse instead of a boon. She was liked by her master, the present City Lord of Leonid City and became pregnant of his child.

When the news has reached the City Mistress' ears, she became infuriated and assaulted the pregnant Lecille. With a dagger in her hand, the City Mistress has wounded Lecille's face which left a very deep scar. It can be easily removed by using healing spells, but being a slave and incapable of healing herself, she didn't have the priviledge normal humans had. The City Lord tried to heal her, but the Mistress forbid him from doing anything.

"If I ever see her face return back to normal, that would be the time I'll commit suicide!"

Because the Mistress is also the sister of the neighboring city's City Lord, the Leonid City Lord was afraid to offend her and her family. He left the pregnant Lecille in the streets without any support for both Lecille and his child.

With no place to go, Lecille became a person of the streets with no permanent home. With her precarious situation, she decided to enter a monastery in the slums. Few months after, she gave birth to a healthy Bellwick. She named her son Bellwick because his voice can be likened to a bell's soothing chime and a wick of a candle believing that he will carry on her dreams of freedom and happiness.

Everyday since the day Bellwick was born is a life full of happiness to Lecille. Even though she's tired from working all day, just hearing her child's chuckle will wash all her fatigue away. He was Lecille's strength and savior, his existence is her proof and cause of living.

Now, nine year has passed since Bellwick was born. The City Lord died but left no heirs to inherit his position as the City Lord. As the South has a tradition of crowning sons as heirs, Bellwick was no exception. The Mistress and the Lord only had a daughter two years younger than Bellwick. The Mistress knew Bellwick's existence and realized that he would be in the way if people heard of his connection to the City Lord.

The Mistress hired a group of mercenaries to kill both Lecille and Bellwick to ensure her daughter's position, but one of her maidservant, who was actually a close friend of Lecille warned her of the Mistress' plot. Lecille and Bellwick tried to escape, yet they were still tracked by the mercenaries and now being chased by them.

The mercenaries were laughing while playfully chasing the mother and child. They were confident that both of them can't escape from them, so they were letting them use all of their energy before killing them. The chase continued until they reached the forest just outside the city.

Lecille was out of breath, but still smiled on her innocent child.

"Little Bell, let's play hide and seek."

She gently patted Bellwick's head and turned her back against him.

"I'll count to ten, and I'll look for you after I count, okay?"

The timid Bellwick looked at her mother's back, nodded and ran clumsily in the forest. He may lack confidence in his self, but he always believed in her mother. He knew that she won't let him alone and it's just a game.

About those big men who were chasing them, he belived that his mother can beat them up.

"Mom is the greatest person! Those baddies would run away crying! They'll get beaten by Mom!"

Seeing her son disappear into the woods, tears fell from Lecille's eyes as she thought of her child's future.

"Be free, Bellwick. Sorry because Mom won't be by your side as you grow up... Sorry because you were born as a slave... Sorry that you have to experience everything like this because I'm powerless... I'm sorry..."

Lecille closed her eyes as she thought of her whole life. It was a bittersweet life full of ups and downs.

"I don't want it to end like this... I don't want to!"

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Before she knew it, a flash of light has appeared in front of her. It was in shape of human, but its features aren't visible because of the intense light shrouding it. Lecille was about to speak but the mysterious being interrupted her by speaking in a voice of a playful little girl.

"Oh? I sensed a powerful soul here... Ah?! An ugly woman!"

Little by little, the blinding light around the being disappeared, replacing it was a little girl with black hair and a pair of heterochromatic eyes. Her left eye was purple while the other was gold. Her angelic face and petite body will make one think she'll turn into a wonderful woman when she grows up, but her aura and bearing stated otherwise.

"W-Who are you?"

The first one to speak was the leader of the mercenaries. Being in the business for god knows how long, it can be said that he met many kinds of people. Incidentally, he knew that this young girl isn't someone that they could offend because of her overwhelming aura that makes him conscious of his own breathing rhythm.

"Oh? Bugs are following you?"

The little girl nonchalantly looked behind Lecille as she saw the group of mercenaries.

"I'm in a good mood, so I'll let you guys leave. If you don't scram within ten seconds, don't blame me for being ruthless."

She spoke carelessly, but most of the mercenaries knew the weight behind her words.

"D-Don't f*ck with us! I'll show you the power of Leplar Mercenaries!"

The only one who can't read the mood was the thick-headed brother of the leader as he charge with an axe in hand towards Lecille. Before the leader could stop him, the little girl suddenly moved her hand.

"Gaaaaah!"

"No! Targ!"

Two daggers flew towards Targ's face, accurately flying towards his eyes. Everyone's face paled as if they saw a ghost. Instead of killing Targ, she only blinded him giving him a chance to recover his eyesight if healed immediately.

"Incredible aiming and power control... is this girl even human?"

Only pinnacle-level warriors can execute these kinds of ability, but this young girl looks like she's only around ten to eleven years old.

Fear was struck towards everyone in the area. The leader hastily grabbed his brother away, who was still grimacing in the floor because of the pain inflicted to him.

"We're leaving!"

The Leader commanded his men and left without complaints. Even if they wanted pursue the little girl to give up the woman, they couldn't do so because they don't have the ability to do it.

After seeing the mercenaries leave, the young girl returned her gaze to Lecille.

"Hey, are you alright?"

Lecille was still in a daze, confused and thought she was dreaming. She only snapped out of it when the girl spoke to her.

"I-I'm fine. Thank you for saving me... I should find my son..."

Lecille was at loss on where to start looking. This forest of Leonid City is also known as "Mischief Forest" because many has lost their way when they enter the forest. The only way to come back safely from this forest is by setting up a rope that will let one retrace their steps back.

Since they entered the forest accidentally, both Lucille and Bellwick are surely affected by the mysterious power of the forest. Lecille was about to move, but the little girl warned her.

"You won't find him anymore. With your current condition, you'll just kill yourself. You have been maimed by a poisonous arrow at your heel, so it's either poison or bloodloss which will be the cause of your death."

"E-Even so-!"

"Don't worry. That kid won't die here. I don't see Death Mana lingering around, so I'm sure you'll see him again. One shouldn't think of saving others if they can't save themselves."

Then the little girl held her hand towards herself and spoke proudly.

"I am Gracia Lunastella."

With another wave of her hand, a strong mana surrounded Lecille, purifying her whole body. The poison already disappeared, but the wound was too deep so it took long before it healed. Her scar which was a result of being a slave already disappeared, revealing her beauty. She was still pale of losing too much blood, but she could now properly stand.

"Not bad! So this is your true appearance! I can say your beauty is second to mine, but it's still not bad!"

The little girl smiled sweetly as she proudly patted her chest. Lecille still can't believe as she touched her face. Nine years... it's been more than nine years since she last saw her true face. It may have aged a little, but the immaturity of her face before already disappeared, showing a mature face. If she told people that she didn't have a child, no one would doubt her words because of her appearance alone can deceive them.

"Follow me, and you will get everything this world has rejected you from having. Power, Fame, Fortune, or even Freedom! If you're lucky, you'll find your son again! Do you want to be this powerless when both of you meet again?"

Freedom... chance to see her son Bellwick again... and the power to protect him from everything that could harm both of them... these promises are enough for her make a decisions she won't ever regret.

"I, Lecille, is born a slave and had no family name. Me and my son was hunted because of my son's relation to someone I despised. If you don't care of my own past, I won't pursue it any further and wholeheartedly follow you."

She kneeled towards Gracia, but she felt no shame doing it. In this world, as long as you're strong, age is just a trifling matter. Strength is the only absolute.

Gracia saw Lecille's sincerity and nodded in approval. She might have detected her by accident, but if she didn't like Lecille's personality, she would outrightly leave her in the forest. To her, followers are as many as the sand and as numerous as the stars, but followers worthy of trust can be only counted by one hand.

"Do you want me to make a move against those who ordered those men to chase you?"

"No. This is my own problem. Revenge is something I should do with my own hands."

Grace became satisfied to her answers. Revenge shall be something done by blooding one's own hands, not of other person.

"Let's go, Lecille. I spent to long in this place. If this get into that Old Crow's ears, I don't know if I could protect you."

Lecille was unaware of the identity of the person Gracia was talking about, but if there is a knowledgeable person around, they will know that Gracia was talking about the leader of Novem Deux Alliance, Aleister Ravenworth.

"Y-Yes, Master."

"Oh, you should call me Lady Gracia instead of Master. I don't really like being called that way."

"As you wish, Lady Gracia."

"Hold on my hand."

Gracia held out her hand towards Lecille.

"I'm sorry, Bellwick... I don't have the power to protect you... Please be safe... I promise that I will find you... If something bad happens to you... Death will be the sweetest word those people will hear when I return!"

Lecille vowed to her heart as she held Gracia's hand.

In that instant, a bright light emerged and disappeared as if nothing happened.