The Kidnapping

"This seems to be a personal insignia of a Wizard," Ryan thought for a moment. "Some old Wizards are accustomed to using these instead of signatures. We can check with the Magic Guild to find out whose signature this is."

What caused alarm throughout the castle was the fact that Freyr had been taken by a Wizard! And it had only been a little over a month since he was last kidnapped by a Wizard! Could it be that the previous incident had created some enmity between the Russell family and the Wizards? Was this a form of retaliation, with the Wizard kidnapping Master Freyr once again?

This urgent matter was immediately reported up the chain of command. Surprisingly, when the insignia on the note was sent to the Magic Guild, the Guild maintained an unexpected silence!

Even Edward Russell, upon receiving news that his eldest son had been taken by a Wizard again, was initially furious! Despite his dislike for this son, the repeated kidnappings by Wizards were perceived as direct provocations to the Russell family! However, after seeing the insignia, Edward Russell's anger vanished, and he too fell silent. He didn't mention the incident again.

Unlike the high-profile response to the first kidnapping, this time, both the Russell family and the Magic Guild maintained a strange silence, as if they had reached a tacit understanding to suppress the incident...

An anxious Ryan finally got a non-answer from someone at the Magic Guild, specifically from a guy who specialized in selling magical materials.

"The insignia on the note belongs to a powerful Great Wizard, whom even the Magic Guild doesn't dare to provoke! He doesn't exist in any records or documents of the Magic Guild... That person, if he took your young master, could take the emperor's son, and even the emperor would have to stay silent!"

...

Freyr was not happy at all!

Firstly, he didn't know what kind of magic the old man had cast on him... because Freyr felt like his body no longer belonged to him!

This was a bizarre "kidnapping"!

Freyr's thoughts, his consciousness, and his mind were his own. But his body was entirely under the control of the old Wizard!

For example, right now!

The old Wizard was leisurely sitting on the grass, lazily leaning against a tree, watching Freyr busy making a fire in front of him. Freyr had cursed the old man thoroughly in his mind, but he was powerless!

Because the old man had simply told him: "Make a fire!"

As a result, Freyr helplessly stood up, gathered branches, and started a bonfire, choking on the smoke and tearing up. No matter how angry he was, he had completely lost control over his own body!

It was as if he had become a puppet, entirely at the command of the old Wizard!

He watched as the old Wizard took out a small cloth bag from his robe. Obviously, it was a magical tool, for from the small bag, the old Wizard produced a leg of lamb, a bottle of fine wine, a set of new clothes, and several jars. The bag seemed to have an endless capacity.

Then the old Wizard commanded: "Roast the meat!"

Freyr had no choice but to watch his body meticulously follow the Wizard's order! It was pure torture!

Initially, Freyr had angrily cursed.

But the old Wizard's method of punishment was simple. He merely looked at Freyr and said lightly: "Slap yourself."

Freyr then watched his own hand rise and slap himself heavily on the face! After five or six slaps, Freyr could only stay silent... though he continued cursing the old Wizard's ancestors in his mind, he didn't dare to utter a word.

After the old Wizard had eaten and drunk his fill, he glanced at the sullen Freyr and suddenly smiled. "You have good skills. It's been a long time since I've had such delicious roast meat."

Freyr rolled his eyes.

"Now, sleep!" The old Wizard ended the conversation, turned over, and closed his eyes against the tree trunk.

And Freyr? He didn't want to sleep! But his body was under someone else's control! He could only helplessly watch his body stretch and then lie down, closing his eyes! No matter how hard he tried, he couldn't open his eyes or get up!

Because the old Wizard's command was: sleep!

What was this? Freyr felt as if he had become one of those computers from his previous life, executing the program precisely, whether he wanted to or not!

For five days, the old Wizard took Freyr northward. On the first night, the old Wizard flew them out of the castle and continued flying north. After a day, they passed a town, where the old Wizard had Freyr buy two horses.

Freyr couldn't resist or escape. Except for his free thoughts, his body's control was entirely in the old Wizard's hands.

Freyr had asked the old Wizard what magic he had used on him.

The old Wizard didn't answer.

Freyr also asked: How do you know Samael? Do you know that guy? Do you know that island?

The old Wizard didn't answer.

Freyr asked: Where are we going?

The old Wizard didn't answer.

Freyr was going crazy.

Traveling all day, especially the long horseback rides, was an arduous test for Freyr, whose physical condition was already poor.