"What a hassle."
As he walked, Hong Lian scratched his head and complained nonstop. Just now, the Elder Council had issued an order for him to take care of a little girl named Okegis. Although Hong Lian had protested repeatedly, he had ultimately accepted the order helplessly.
"I really don't want to look after some brat. Couldn't someone else do it...? Hmm, the Elder Council is definitely plotting something. Maybe I should find a way to sound them out..."
Muttering under his breath, Hong Lian arrived at the entrance of the barracks. When the two guards at the door saw him approach, they hurriedly saluted. Hong Lian nodded at them, then pushed open the door and walked inside.
"Hey, brat..."
To Hong Lian's surprise, Okegis was nowhere to be found in the room. The silver-haired girl with twin ponytails and a strange black lace dress had vanished without a trace. The entire room was empty—Hong Lian had even checked the wardrobe and under the bed, but there wasn't so much as a ghostly shadow!
"Where's that brat?"
After searching the room, Hong Lian hurried back outside. He glared at the guards and demanded an answer, causing them to freeze in confusion.
"We've been guarding this place the whole time. No one went in or out."
"That brat is missing!"
"What?"
The guards were startled by Hong Lian's words. They hurried into the room and searched it carefully once more. The entire room was still empty, without a trace of Okegis.
"How could that be? There's only one entrance here, and the ventilation window is too small for anyone to get through!"
"You bunch of useless idiots!"
Looking at the panicking guards, Hong Lian was speechless. He had no idea where that brat had gone. Come to think of it, why