On the third day after starting the investigation, Leona and Talia arrived at one of Helen’s streets.
This street contained what looked like a small popular market where traders’ tables filled the edge of the road.
That girl who disappeared visited this market five days before her disappearance, so Leona and Talia came here to trace her footsteps.
The two girls walked in the street while wearing some clothes to hide their features and not draw attention.
Leona looked at the things sold here and there.
"This place looks like a market for souvenirs and old things." She said that because sometimes you will see things like old vases, or clay dolls or the like.
Talia nodded, "Yes." But suddenly something caught her attention.
Leona walked while preceding Talia who stopped at one of the tables containing many strange objects.
But what Talia looked at was a small gray ball with many beautiful patterns carved on its surface.
She reached out and carried it feeling its smooth surface and the grooves carved into it.
She looked at it for a few moments, "Wow this is beautiful... maybe I should buy it."
She looked at the owner of the table sitting behind it, he appeared as an old man with a hunched back wearing a head covering hiding his face from the sun.
Talia smiled while she raised the ball so the owner of the table could see it, "Sir what is this and how much is its price?"
He looked at her while his voice came out ancient from under the cover, "Oh that... it is an amulet to bring happiness."
"Amulet to bring happiness?" Talia asked.
The man nodded, "Yes... I inherited many of them from my father who used to collect these things decades ago... but recently I was forced to sell them because I needed money."
She looked at the old man with some sympathy, "And how does it work?"
"All you have to do is hold it in your hand and say some words in one of the ancient languages."
And before she could ask what are the words the old man spoke
"***** **** ***** "
The words sounded familiar to Talia but she did not understand them, in fact there were many ancient languages in this world and Talia already studied some of them, but not all of them of course.
So maybe the words sounded familiar because she heard them before.
She opened her mouth to repeat them but a hand grabbed her shoulder, "You are here, I thought I lost you."
Talia smiled, "Sorry, I just stopped because something attracted my attention... a moment only I will pay the gentleman."
She turned her head to the old man again, "How much is the price of this sir?"
The old man answered, "It is 150 credit points... this price might appear expensive to some people for just a small ball... but it carries many meanings."
Talia did not care and paid its price, then she put it in the pocket.
After bidding the man farewell she and Leona continued their way.
...
In the hotel Caius was still sitting on that sofa.
In fact he did not sleep all night, instead he remained looking at those files over and over again.
Caius who was always confident in himself and indifferent to anything was overcome by tension.
According to his academy article this is just a simple investigation mission, and it was not even on them to take it alone but just helping the city security to look into all the cases in the shortest time.
But after arriving here and seeing everything, Caius’s opinion changed... it was not normal.
And not having any idea about this made him more nervous.
He raised his hand and looked at the tattoo under his wrist, "Whatever happens I can escape in the end."
That link with the Key of Dimensions was giving him a lot of security.
...
After a few hours everyone returned and sat there as usual.
Caius leaned on the sofa while looking at the ceiling indifferent to their presence.
Everyone noticed his strange behavior today but no one asked, instead Ellen spoke, "It seems that it is another day of nothing."
Disappointment was clear on everyone.
Suddenly Caius adjusted his head and looked at them before saying words that surprised everyone, "I suggest that we withdraw from the mission and return to the Axis."
The surprise was clear on their faces.
"From among all people I never imagined that you would say these words." Elliot spoke while Ellen raised her eyebrow.
"Why do you think that?"
Caius looked at her seriously while he answered, "It has been twenty-four days since the disappearance of the first person and the police are doing their best in the investigation but without use, and even we did not accomplish anything throughout the past days... whatever I think about it this case is something bigger than us, and it seems that the Axis made a mistake in estimation."
Each of Caius and Ellen looked into the eyes of each other calmly until the Princess sighed, "In fact I think that too, but let us meet the investigators tomorrow and share what you found on the first day, then see what we do after that."
Caius could not argue with her regarding that so he remained silent and returned his staring to the ceiling.
And so did everyone.
For a few moments silence pervaded the place until Ellen noticed Talia who pulled a small ball from her pocket and is staring at it intently while feeling it.
That ball sparked Ellen’s interest so she asked, "Talia, what is that thing?"
Talia raised her head when Ellen called her then realizing that she is talking about the small ball she raised it and answered, "This... just a souvenir I bought from a poor old man who said it is an amulet to bring happiness or the like."
Ellen raised her eyebrow, "Amulet to bring happiness?"
Talia nodded, "Yes... he said that I have to hold it in my hand and say a few words."
"And what are these words?"
Talia’s mouth moved repeating what the old man said.
As a Princess Ellen was taught many ancient languages since her childhood so she knew most of them... at least the simple vocabulary.
Even those that Talia is pronouncing now.
"My body"
"My flesh"
"My blood"
"And my soul is your"
"For you... I and everyone around me... offer our sacrifices... and die."
Ellen’s eyes widened on a large scale, while Caius who is staring at the ceiling felt the change in the world around them.
The essence rushed in his body as he is trying to move away but... the time has passed.
In one moment, everyone disappeared from the room.
And all that remained were those documents on the table.