May Be Foul...But yet to be passionate.

Chapter Nine

The very next day, the report of Espresso Cookie going missing begin to spread,  the researcher's dead body along with the huge mess at the Institute of Thaumaturgy was found by other different researchers, who worked on a different project. The council of the republic had actually decided to let out some news about serious things for once.

"What!?" Madeleine exclaimed in shock, "Espresso Cookie disappeared?!" He was just about to go on a patrol but had just found out about the situation from his third auntie and was now in extreme worry.

"...I've read it from the newspaper, Madeleine..." Madeleine's third auntie responded by lending Madeleine the newspaper, "Even everyone is whispering about it because they're worried about their lives now. Without Espresso and the researchers, the soul jam research won't be complete." 

Madeleine took the newspaper from his auntie and skimmed through it, the Institute was being in going to be in lockdown for a while as they sent new guards to look for Espresso Cookie. The custard soldiers were now being assigned to put all their protection on protecting the soul jams since they were the strongest league of them all. Madeleine then saw pictures of the institute and the researchers' dead bodies, and it sure was brutal to see. How the republic didn't blur this out, Madeleine didn't want to question. There was also a huge mess on the floor as the shattered glass was spread everywhere along with blood spilled. Detectives who searched around the place couldn't find any proper evidence besides discovering the blood spill with the glass shards belonging to Espresso because the DNA of the blood was a coffee type. 

Madeleine gasped horrified at the idea of Espresso being hurt! Did Espresso get kidnapped?! What made Madeleine more shaken was that the detectives were theorizing Espresso could be the cause of this! How could they?! Espresso would never do anything horrible like this! Espresso can't even kill people that brutally! No way! The republic has gotten it all wrong! Madeleine remembered the way Espresso left so abruptly yesterday from the Madeleine family. Madeleine knew something happened to Espresso because he was upset after he left. And now all this chaos has happened?! Maybe Espresso knew this was going to happen?! 

"I'm so sorry about your friend Madeleine," Madeleine's third auntie frowned feeling sorry for her nephew, "You adored him, didn't you?"

"No no no!" Madeleine exclaimed in panic as he immediately got up and grabbed his sword and shield. What if Espresso was kidnapped?! What if Espresso needs to be saved!? The republic is thinking that Espresso is evil!!! Espresso is not evil! Madeleine had to find an end to this! He needed to go save Espresso and show the republic he was innocent!  

"Madeleine?!" Madeleine's third auntie questioned in worry, "Sweetie, where are you going?" 

"I'm sorry auntie, tell our family I love them even if anything happens," Madeleine immediately said, "I have to go to the lower city." Maybe Espresso was at the lower city because that's the only thing Madeleine can think of when the paladins and knights went missing.

"What?!" Madeleine's third auntie immediately exclaimed, "Madeleine, you want to go down there again?" Madeleine's third auntie knew Madeleine would be safe, but it was too risky. She didn't want Madeleine to go missing as well!

"Yes Auntie, I must find Espresso and make things right," Madeleine finally said and took his leave, "Wish me well." 

"Wait!! But Madeleine--!!!" Madeleine's third auntie tried to stop, but she was too late as Madeleine already left. She knew she couldn't stop Madeleine, she only sighed, "Be safe Madeleine..."