After a long night with Nova, Vicente said goodbye to her and went to spend time with his little sister.

He would wake Nina up on this new day, help her prepare for another day at the academy, and then have breakfast with her and Eve.

After dropping his sister off at the academy and giving her a note to give to Shelby, he leaves town to change his identity and reappear locally as Cesar Mazzanti.

On his way back to his mansion on the east side of town, he would soon encounter a masked, grey-haired woman waiting for him.

"Layla..." He saw this woman and remembered the night before when she had surprised him negatively by showing an unusual knowledge of him.

She took off her mask as they entered the building and pointed towards Vicente's office. "Shall we talk inside?"

Rory wasn't there, having left earlier to deal with the family's daily problems. The person in charge of the building was a level 3 Acolyte, while Bart was resting on the roof, ready in case he had to act.

Since Layla was already officially an ally of the group and couldn't intentionally harm them, no one blocked her.

Taking off his mask and looking into the gray eyes of that standing woman, Vicente was silent for a moment, feeling he should put this woman in her place.

"We have a lot to talk about." He took one of her wrists and led her into his office, making Layla smile as she accepted the situation.

"Sigh... Why do you act like this, Vicente? I don't wish you any harm. I just want to know who I'm involved with. I bet your friend Shelby did the same thing. So why are you like this with me?" Layla asked as he closed the door to his office.

"Why? Do you have the nerve to ask me that? You almost threatened me the other night!" He gave her an ugly look.

"That's not true. I could have kept quiet, but I went to you and showed you what I knew. Do you know why I did that?"

"To show me that you can threaten me?" He asked in a sarcastic tone as he approached her.

"That would be foolish of me." Layla shook her head negatively. "I told you because I want our relationship to benefit both of us. If your story weren't disturbing, Vicente, I would never have bothered to act the way I did last night. But what happened to you was terrible.

It could have consequences not only for your life but for everyone close to you. I can't ignore it since I'm not just an acquaintance but an ally who will be working with you for a long time.

We have to talk about it because you don't know what's waiting for you if you continue your revenge plans. I have different information and knowledge than you, so I can't help but try to discuss it with you."

He stopped 30 centimeters away from her, staring into her eyes as he clenched his fists.

But Layla's words were too good, so he could do nothing about it right now. "You said I should listen to you, right? Well, I'm here. I'm here to listen to what you know and your advice."

She sighed before sitting on a sofa in the middle of the room, crossing her legs as she settled in.

Looking into Vicente's eyes while he was still standing, she said. "You want to know about your sister, right? I told you that my people watch anyone who awakens the powers of the Dark Path. But it's not that simple.

Lauren is not a Dark Path magician without support or a known position. Years ago, when you last saw her, she was abducted by a member of a sect called Nixlas' Shadows. That is a powerful organization from outside the Seidel Kingdom, with powerful members who are difficult to track.

When the member of Nixlas' Shadows kidnapped her in Saltstar City years ago, he had a brief fight with some people who were interested in Lauren before he managed to escape. Since then, we have no information on her whereabouts or current situation. At least, that's what I had access to. But maybe there is deeper information that only higher-ups have access to."

"So you have no idea of her current situation?" He asked as he sat down across from the woman, a little calmer than before.

"That is the case. I would like to tell you that I know where she is and how she is, but I don't really know anything about it. However, I can make some assumptions based on what my people know about Nixlas' Shadows and its methods."

Vicente's eyes narrowed even more.

She said. "What happened to Lauren Fuller is not unheard of. In fact, Nixlas' Shadows is a sect that has been known to do everything in its power to bring talents compatible with their path over to their side.

If invitations don't work, they simply kidnap such people if they are not strong enough to fight them. If such people have power, they will try to somehow use the weaknesses of such a person to make them work for them.

It's not uncommon for them to kidnap entire families and keep them as collateral for the work of those they have an interest in having on their side."

As she said that, Torne listened, hearing about a Dark Path organization that followed the classic business model of the path's practitioners.

'This woman's words are reliable, master. Dark Path organizations usually follow these methods. They have no qualms about blackmailing their targets into joining them. After that, they do their best to dominate the minds of such people and conquer them forever.'

Layla continued. "In Lauren's case, she was weak, so they didn't have to go after her relatives. I imagine that the kidnapper took her to one of the sect's outposts and then put her through the basic training of Nixlas' Shadows, which includes brainwashing..."

She looked at him pitifully, feeling sorry for Vicente since his sister was probably lost.

She wouldn't tell him now, but it would be better for him to consider that Lauren had died.

'Poor family... Even if she survived the rigorous training of Nixlas' Shadows, she is now a weapon of the Shadows. She probably doesn't remember her past and has no feelings. Her only purpose is to kill for the sake of Nixlas' Shadows.

If she stood up to Vicente...' She closed her eyes at the thought, feeling sorry for this person in front of her, feeling how cruel the world was.

Cesar was a monster, powerful, talented, and full of potential. But underneath this imposing figure was a young man full of trauma, who only wanted to avenge his family and recover what could be recovered.

Unfortunately, all of this was impossible from Layla's point of view, making the sad reality even more melancholy.

'And then there's that little girl...' Layla thought to herself, feeling sorry for the family.