"What? Did you think you could escape from me so easily?" Mira sneered.
Hana almost subconsciously nodded, but thankfully she stopped herself.
"Anyways, I didn't just come here to give you a good beating. I'm sure you can guess the other reason why I came to this city."
This time, Hana nodded her head and muttered, "You want to learn my stealth technique…"
"Correct. I understand that I was unable to protect you from the Lionel Family, but this time, I promise that as long as you follow me, the Lionel Family won't be able to touch a single strand of your hair. All you have to do is teach me and my subordinates your stealth technique." Mira said with confidence.
Her confidence wasn't without reason, either. If she is able to make it back to the Battle Maiden Sect, it's true that the Lionel Family wouldn't be able to touch a single strand of Hana's hair.
In fact, they'd have trouble just finding Hana, to begin with, much less capturing her. Even if the Patriarch and Ancestor of the Lionel Family showed up at the Battle Maiden Sect's doorsteps, there's a higher probability of them being killed than them taking Hana away.
"I-" Hana began speaking but was quickly interrupted by Mira.
"This is non-negotiable. You only have two options: To come with me willingly, or I drag your ass with me."
Hana frowned deeply at Mira's words and unconsciously blurted out, "Then what makes you better than the Lionel Family?!"
Mira stared at Hana for a few seconds before a savage grin appeared on her face.
"Heh. When did I say I was better?"
Hana paled upon hearing Mira's words and deeply regretted ever getting involved with this woman!
However, Mira wasn't done talking.
"Actually, I don't think this is a bad offer for you at all. All I want is your knowledge. In exchange for your safety and… 'freedom', you just have to teach me and my subordinates your stealth technique. Once I have what I want, you are free to do whatever you want."
Hana still didn't know Mira's background, but since Mira was so confident in her safety, she was inclined to believe her.
This caused her to fall deep in thought, and after thinking for a few minutes, she could only sigh in resignation.
As much as she hated to admit it, Mira's "offer" wasn't all that bad. She would be free from the Lionel Family's influence and could do what she wants after teaching Mira her stealth technique.
However, the only major downside is that her mother will still be in their hands.
"That's good and all, but what will happen to my mother when the Lionel Family finds out I'm gone?" Hana asked.
Mira fell into thought for a moment before answering, "I don't know, but I can guess. From my experience, people like those from the Lionel Family will do one of four things.
One, they will kill or torture your mother in a fit of rage.
Two, they will turn her into a slave, kind of like what you were supposed to be.
Three, they will try and use her as bait to kidnap you again.
Or four, they'll realize that the best course of action they can take if they want your obedience in the future is to let her be. Of course, they could decide to do something completely different, but those four are the most likely outcomes."
Hana's already pale face seemed to turn white upon hearing that. She wasn't quite sure what to say. A part of her wanted to deny Mira's claims immediately, but she also knew that everything she said was true.
"That is if she isn't dead already." Mira suddenly added, to which Hana immediately denied.
"She's not dead! They promised they wouldn't touch her as long as I submitted to them!"
"Hmph! You're too naive, little girl. When was the last time you've actually seen your mother?"
The sudden question shook Hana's mind.
"I…I…" She stuttered.
Thinking back on it, she realized that the last time she had seen her mother was when the Lionel Family captured them and crippled her.
Hana fell to her knees as tears pooled up in the corner of her eyes and fell down her cheeks, but Mira didn't seem to care.
Instead, she ruthlessly added, "More than likely, she's either already dead, being abused, or is in a state close to death. Even if she is alive, I bet she won't survive long anyway. It all depends on your mother's strength before she was crippled and how long she lived; remember, now that she's crippled, she's not much different from a normal mortal. Of course, I could be completely wrong, and she's actually doing just fine. I'm just guessing based on the evidence available."
Mira's words certainly didn't make Hana feel any better, despite barely hearing them.
It might sound harsh of her to say this kind of stuff to a little girl, but with how intelligent Hana is and how she reacted to her questions, Mira could already assume that she had her doubts.
She's probably been thinking nonstop, 'Why can't I see my mom?'
Sure, the Lionel Family might actually be keeping her alive, but then there's literally no reason for them not to allow Hana to see her mother. In fact, keeping Hana's mother away like that will only cause suspicion to rise in Hana's heart and her 'loyalty' to diminish.
Based on the few words Hana said, Mira could understand she already had her suspicions, and as someone who couldn't be bothered to sugar-coat her words, she gave her opinions.
Whether or not Hana believed them, she didn't care. She just wanted to make Hana aware of her situation.
Mira waited for Hana to regain her composure, but after about a minute, Mira's patience had worn thin. Not to mention, they are on the clock. Mira had no intention of confronting the Lionel Family, and she wasn't sure when they'd find out Hana was gone and lock down the city.
"While I'd love to sit here and watch you cry your heart out, we don't exactly have that much time. So? What will it be? Will you come with me willingly? Or will I have to drag you?" Mira's words were like a bucket of cold water, causing Hana to snap out of her emotional state immediately.
She looked up, stared at Mira with her swollen red eyes, and muttered, "...I'll go."
Mira got up and was about to say something until Hana pulled out a few sheets of paper and handed them to her.
Curious, Mira took the papers, and her eyes widened upon reading the title:
"Hidden World Technique"
After calming down slightly, Hana explained, "...This is the technique I used to hide from the Lionel Family. This isn't the original copy and is just my understanding of what my mother taught me, but I believe this is what you're looking for. However, this technique was only meant to be used by those who are part of my bloodline. I don't know if you'll be able to use it. I left out the important parts, but this should be enough to show my sincerity."
Mira nodded her head, but inwardly she was surprised by Hana's foresight. She could tell by the paper and the penmanship that this was written in a hurry.
From this, she could tell that Hana was prepared for this situation. Once again, she was blown away by her intelligence.
She skimmed through the pages and knew that Hana was telling the truth. She had really omitted the key components of the technique, and while she could try and force it out of her, there wasn't much of a point in doing that.
"I'm sure you already know, but if this technique is a sham, your head will roll. However, if it's the real deal, even if I can't practice it, I'll be sure to bring you to a safe space where you can grow up, train, build up your strength, then come back and see if your mother is still alive. And if this technique is really as great as it looks, you might be able to find out the status of your mother sooner rather than later." Mira hinted, not willing to reveal her background just yet.
Though, to be honest, her background really isn't anything special, at least not in her opinion. She's only a regular Outer Court Disciple of the Battle Maiden Sect.
Hana nodded, not the least bit scared of Mira's threat, but her eyes shone with a hint of hope and desire hearing her last sentence.
"Alright, then, I guess it's about time for us to leave this city. I don't really feel like dealing with the Lionel Family right now." Mira said while hiding her tails in an illusion.
Before Hana could even say anything, Mira had already picked her up and dashed out of the inn. She didn't stop there and ran full speed toward the nearest exit.
She showed the guards at the exit her token, then quickly entered the Outer City. Then, before long, she was out of Brightclipse City.
During her time waiting for Hana, she had already asked about the Battle Maiden Sect, and while nobody knew exactly where it was, they knew the general direction, South.
So, as soon as the two of them left the city, they headed South.
