The circular commercial street where the Bard Family Fruit Shop is located is bustling with people.

In the whole city of Arcatia, you may only feel the prosperity of the city when you go to this kind of place called "commercial street", although this kind of prosperity is a bit too solemn, but compared to the lower neighborhood by the lake, there are too many people here to count.

Bud tightened his neck and tugged at the scarf in both hands, for fear that the scarf would slip down. He took small but fast steps, on the one hand, he was worried that his steps would be too big and he was pulling his long skirt, and on the other hand, he was ...... He couldn't even stand it for a second, and he had to be exposed to people's eyes in women's clothes.

There was a large sign in front of the fruit shop with a sign reading "Resting" on the door, and Bard walked quickly around the back of the fruit shop from behind the sign, the gap between the two houses, and Ivan noticed that the shop had a small back door. Bud hurriedly picked up the key he had already held in his hand, opened the door in a low voice, and said "It's finally here", and then immediately flashed into the door.

"Come in, Mr. Yafir. Bard pulled off his turban and threw it at the fruit baskets in the shop, and quickly untied his long shawl and ripped off the ornaments around his waist, "Come to the cellar, don't worry, it's just my wife, Elder Algernon, and the wind spirit in the cellar, and she will be fine if we control her." ”

Control, control?

Ivan suddenly felt a chilling breath rush up his spine, and Bard's words seemed to imply some danger. So Freya Wind Spirit is still with them, and what's going on? How did they "control" that Freya?

"Ahh We, we didn't hurt her...... No, anyway, I mean, I didn't want to hurt her either......" Bard scratched the back of his head in embarrassment, "Actually, we were attacked, and we had to ...... Anyway, the situation was urgent......"

"Well, the guards of the Feather Clan are looking for you. Right. ”

Ivan stared at Bard. Although he hadn't changed out of the loose light purple skirt yet. At least not as funny as I thought when I first met him. If the Feather guards indiscriminately treated them as criminals, then it was understandable that they would struggle to escape, but why should they take Freya with them? Ivan felt that if Freya saw the Feather guards, she would be impatient to run to the guards to complain. Why didn't she go with the guards of her kindred?

"You. Are you on the other side of the lake?" Bard's eyes widened. "Did you see the silver-faced guards? What did they say?"

"The guards? didn't say anything, just asked me if I knew you. Ivan frowned slightly. "You didn't really kidnap her, did you, Miss Windling?"

"Judging from the current situation, it seems to be, a bit of a 'kidnapping'. Bard lowered his stubby yellow eyebrows in frustration, "Don't get me wrong! It's not really a 'kidnapping'! You, you'd better ask Elder Algernon......

As he spoke, he turned and ran to a trapdoor behind the fruit basket, gently opening the trapdoor a crack, and the rhythmic sound of a wooden staff hitting the ground could be heard inside.

"Ah, Elder, it's me. ”

"I hear you, Bud, you've been so discreet that you've forgotten to speak quietly. Elder Algernon's voice was hoarse, but still solemn, "Good morning, Ivan Yafir, I suspect that just as we would love to see you, you might also want to see us. Last night, after you left Sallyster's sight, there may have been a lot of unexpected things going on, and we need to exchange information with each other, right?"

Ivan was furious at Algernon's cheetah-like gaze, and it took him a while to understand what he meant.

"Well, Elder, Devne Cherling didn't come back last night......"

"Come to the cellar, good boy, we need to talk about it and try not to disturb anyone, be it human or feathered. Algernon grimaced, he held his staff in both hands, and took a slight step to the side, "Don't worry about me and Bard doing something unfriendly to you, I just need to explain one thing and you'll understand right away - in the cellar, through the thick ground and heavy doors, even if you use your kind of power, the Feather Clan will be hard to find, and you should understand what I mean when I say that." ”

"Ugh. Ivan stared at him blankly, suddenly feeling like he was being taken for a bad person.

Beneath the door was a short wooden ladder from which Ivan jumped lightly, illuminated by the dim kerosene light of two rows of fruit baskets. Mrs. Sally Blanche sat on a stack of woven cushions beside the fruit basket, and when she saw Ivan, her eyes twinkled as if she were a little frightened, as if she had pleaded.

Next to her, Freya Wind Spirit lay on her side on the floor made of cushions. Ivan knew why Bard said Freya was "accused". Freya's hands were tied together by the rope that tied the fruit basket, her ankles were wrapped around the rope, and a silk scarf sealed her noisy mouth. Well, it's really like kidnapping, if someone else sees it, you can't tell anything, Ivan can't help but think so.

"You are—" Ivan turned abruptly and looked at the two wizards following him in bewilderment, "-what are you going to do?"

"Let Freya Wind Spirit learn to accept reality. "As an outdated scholar, I had difficulty understanding Miss Windling's way of thinking, so when it became clear to me that ordinary communication didn't seem to have much effect on Miss Windling, I decided to take a slightly drastic measure. I'm just thinking about my safety, Bud, and Sally's safety, and of course, Miss Windling's own safety. ”

Freya didn't make a fuss. Ivan was a little surprised, he thought that Freya would struggle desperately even if she was tied up like this.

"Bud, close the door. Algernon reminded. His reminder was superfluous, and Bard had carefully closed the door when he entered, and now the small cellar was filled with only the orange glow of the glass-encased kerosene lamp, "As a sign of the sincerity of the wizards—you may be seated, Ivan Yafir—let me first tell you about the unusual incident that has befallen us." ”

Algernon waved another pile of woven cushions. His expression was very stern, especially gloomy in the dim light, and Ivan subconsciously sat down farther away from him, that is, near Sallyst, and he noticed that Sallyster gasped sharply, and even tensed her shoulders.

The atmosphere seemed to be a little tense.