As the carriage rumbled through the night, Zhao Shi expertly handled the reins while Spark and Yuna sat inside, the glow of the moon casting a serene light through the windows.
"Young master, you noticed it too, right?" Yuna's voice cut through the silence.
Spark, seemingly lost in his thoughts, gazed out of the window, admiring the moon's silver sheen. He gave no immediate response, his expression impassive.
"She was being mind-controlled," Yuna pressed on. "That marquis is such a scum to use a spell on her."
From his position outside, Zhao Shi's interest was piqued by Yuna's words. He kept his attention on the road but listened intently to the conversation unfolding behind him.
"That guy should have noticed it if he has any intelligence," Spark finally commented, though his tone was casual. He knew, however, that Kieran's focus on William during the confrontation likely kept him from seeing the truth.
"Young master, don't you find her pitiful?" Yuna's voice softened with genuine concern. "Being forced to leave her lover against her own will?"
Spark remained silent, his gaze still fixed on the passing landscape. He knew where Yuna was heading with this line of questioning, and he wasn't eager to indulge her.
"I find her pitiful," Yuna continued, her tone tinged with sadness. "That's why we should rescue her."
Spark sighed and rubbed his temples, anticipating her suggestion.
"Her lover will find her. We don't need to be the heroes in this story," he said, attempting to dismiss the idea.
"But young master," Yuna persisted, her eyes gleaming with a mischievous light, "don't you want to see more drama unfold?"
Spark's ears perked up at her words, and he turned to face her with a spark of interest.
Yuna seized the moment. "If we secretly break the spell on her and she returns to Kieran, can you imagine the chaos? It would be so much more interesting!"
A smile slowly spread across Spark's face, his earlier reluctance melting away.
"Now that you mention it," he mused, "if that fiery guy realizes she was being controlled all along, he would absolutely explode."
Yuna nodded enthusiastically, pleased that she had captured Spark's attention.
Zhao Shi, overhearing their plot, couldn't help but smile to himself. It seemed that life with Young Master Spark was never dull, and he wondered just how much chaos they were about to unleash.
"But how do we do it?" Spark asked.
In the lavish room, William sprawled on the luxurious couch, his mind clouded with a mix of anger and alcohol.
The glass of wine on the table bore witness to his attempts to drown out the humiliation he had suffered at the party mansion earlier. Each memory of Kieran's intrusion and the subsequent chaos stoked the flames of his rage.
"That bastard," he muttered under his breath, taking another deep gulp from his glass. The wine did little to soothe his bruised pride. Instead, it only fueled his drunken resolve.
Stumbling to his feet, he mumbled, "Isn't he the lover of hers?"
His mind turned to Julie, the woman caught in the middle of this tumultuous affair. Driven by a mix of anger and intoxication, he decided to check on her, leaving his room with unsteady steps.
As he neared Julie's quarters, his dulled senses caught sight of three figures slipping into the mansion through a window.
Despite his inebriated state, William's instincts flared to life. He pressed himself against the wall, watching the intruders with wary eyes.
"Thieves?" he speculated, squinting at their masked faces and stealthy movements. They wore grotesque masks that concealed their identities and crept toward a nearby—Julie's room.
Grabbing a sword from a decorative display on the wall, he rushed toward the room. With a forceful push, he burst through the door, sword at the ready.
Inside, he saw a female masked figure lifting Julie's unconscious body.
"Who are you?" William demanded, his voice slurred but his grip on the sword firm.
The intruders exchanged a quick glance, and one of the masked figures—a man—stepped forward. Without responding, he charged at William.
William, though unsteady, swung his sword with the precision born from years of training. But to his shock, the figure effortlessly deflected his strike with a simple hand movement. In a swift motion, the intruder kicked William's leg, sending him sprawling to the floor.
Before he could recover, a sharp blow to his neck plunged him into unconsciousness.
"You're quite skilled," said Spark, his voice muffled by the beastly mask.
"Young master overpraises me. I just know a few moves, that's all." Zhao Shi remained humble.
"You're too modest,"
With the noise of the door slamming, William made, echoing through the corridors, they knew they had little time to spare. Others could arrive at any moment, drawn by the commotion.
Leaving William's unconscious body behind, they quickly made their escape through the same window they had entered and disappeared into the shadows of the night.