"H-Hey, what are we going to do now? We ran away, but the slave traders will not let us leave so easily. Do you have some way to save us?"

Sally asked in a terrified voice.

One thing she was sure about was that Layla was not any ordinary kid. Her dignified mannerisms and stoic image made her seem like an elite who was here to check things out.

And that gave her hope that she would be saved as well.

After all, someone like Layla must have people coming to save her. Her maid must have contacted the house, backing them for more people.

"Hey, miss, aren't you asking too much from a kid like me? First of all, you both are not my responsibility to save and even if you do get saved because you were with me, once your crimes come to light, do you think you will be fine?"

Layla asked, and the joy that Sally felt quickly turned to dread.

She knew the kid was right, but thinking about the punishment she would receive later made her stomach churn with fear.

"Don't talk to my mother like this! I won't let anyone hurt her, not even you-"

Liam talked big, but his body was shaking due to the fear of what was happening.

The child looked ready to challenge Layla and anyone else who could become a threat to his mother.

But in front of a huge organization like the slave traders, he was useless and a coward. There was nothing he could do about it.

Layla opened her mouth to speak up, but as soon as she did that, she heard the sound of footsteps heading her way.

The stalker had a heavy body, and they also seemed careless. But the most concerning part about the stalker was the way their magic pulsed at Layla's senses to try and get a location for her hiding spot.

"Come out now. I promise I won't hurt you all if you come out. But if you don't, I will be forced to act. And I promise that you won't want to see me angry."

The man spoke in a patient voice as he continued to walk toward Layla's hiding spot.

With how casual this man was, there was no doubt in her mind that he knew exactly where she was.

Layla started condoning her magic to cast a spell when Sally noticed what she was doing and quickly called out.

"What are you doing? Don't use magic, or we will be caught. That man out there is waiting for us to mess up-."

"He already knows where we are. If we want to live, we must consciously try to get away from here. Otherwise, we will-"

Layla was in the middle of explaining when the box she was hiding behind disappeared.

The rough-looking stalker smiled as he looked at Layla and the two behind her.

"Ah, it seems like I found the runaway kids easily. I am sure you all won't be foolish enough to run away from me again. Otherwise, I will be forced to take drastic actions."

The man spoke softly as he looked Layla up and down.

Despite her being a kid, he was not taking it easy on Layla. That was how she knew that this man was the real deal.

'Shit! We are in massive trouble now. I can't overpower this man at my current skill level. I would have to leave it up to Mary this time.'

This sucked. Layla was sure she would have found a way to escape if she had not had Sally and Liam with her.

She should have abandoned them the first chance she got. There was no need for someone in her position to care about others.

"We will surrender. I will come with you peacefully if you vow not to harm me."

Layla proposed as she looked at the man in front of her.

"What are you saying? Do you want to be a slave? I won't allow you to push me and mother into-"

Liam grabbed her shoulder to knock some sense into her, but Layla was faster, and she knocked Liam out.

This foolish kid had come so close to dying, and he did not even know it. The man in front of Layla looked in a good mood, but the bloodlust behind his eyes was real and dangerous.

It made Layla feel as if she was being glared at by someone who wanted to eat her alive.

"This is no fun! You knocked that kid out before he could tell me more about himself. Hmm, this is a problem, won't you say?

After all, what if you end up damaging the goods before I even have a chance to present them? You are a naughty kid who needs discipline."

The kidnapper had a soothing voice when he spoke, but he was annoyed by what he saw happening in front of his eyes.

Sweat dribbled down Layla's brown as her eyes met those crazy brown ones of the kidnappers.

"Well, I apologize, but Liam was making too much noise. Since I've decided to surrender, I would rather make this a smooth transaction. I hate when I am bothered."

Layla was currently a kid, so it sounded like a nitpick when she spoke. As a kid, nothing of what she said was supposed to be taken seriously.

That made the man in front of her blink a few times in shock before he let out a startling laugh.

"You know what kid? I like you and think you and I will get along just fine. *Sigh* I would have taken you in as well, but you are far too valuable of an item for me to monopolize. Unfortunately, I don't have enough money to buy you, and I don't wish to sell an arm or a leg either."

The stalker admitted with a straight face, but the madness behind his eyes did not ebb. Looking at him made Layla nervous, but she masked it behind her childishness.