The Devil’s Cage

The night faded quickly when the sun rose.

Its glorious light descended upon the land once more.

The city of Sicar hadn’t recovered from the three-day curfew, and even when the sun was hanging high, there were only a few people on the streets.

In fact, two days ago, when the viscount’s mansion went up in fire and the respectful Viscount Sicar went missing, the city had plunged into a state of nervousness and apprehended danger in every sound.

If the younger sister of the viscount hadn’t stepped up and temporarily took over the city, a massive chaos would have broken out.

A lot of people were grateful for her appearance but also shocked.

No one expected the younger sister of the viscount, who lost her husband at a young age, to possess such ruling capability.

Unconsciously, respect for the baroness rose from the bottom of the people’s heart.

Even for a man, it was difficult to restore the city right after it had plunged into chaos.

As though it was the first time they heard of this baroness, when the baroness sent her men to inform the noblewomen of a tea party, they started to meticulously dress themselves up and the husbands even gave their best effort to present their best side carefully during the social party.

They knew more about the baroness than their wives and mistresses.

When the first light shone on the second morning after the fire and news about the viscount dying in the fiery sea spread, some people in Sicar started to get restless and multiple groups of bandits around the land of Sicar even started to warm up for a big raid.

However, that very night, all of them disappeared, one after another. Those bandits who were contacted by insiders disappeared as well.

Missing when they were alive, vanished when they were dead.

The next morning, there were still some ‘foolish’ and ‘ignorant’ fellas who jumped out to the spotlight and they too followed the footsteps of the others.

Therefore, the city and the entire Sicar land swiftly quiet down.

All who knew the insider news looked at the baroness with dreading eyes.

The baroness was a vicious woman, as venomous as snakes and scorpions, dressed in the skin of a noblewoman.

Many even speculated that the baroness had something to do with the viscount’s incident.

Of course, speculations remained as speculations. No one dared to even make it verbal due to no one being a fan of going missing.

The baroness who everyone in Sicar dreaded did not show delight or relax like everything was in her grasp, plagued by anxiety and nervousness as she circled around the viscount mansion.

She was in her own room and it hadn’t changed since her marriage, always dropping by when she came back to visit her family.

After the fire, she rushed back from her manor and returned to her old room.

The sudden changes that happened in the span of several days made the baroness, who barely appeared in the eyes of the masses, frown uncontrollably.

Her son was missing, her elder brother was dead, and now she was the only lineal member of the Sicar family left.

After double-checking the facts, her first thought was to escape to Edatine Castle.

She would never go to those further relatives who bore malicious intents against her, it would only bring her more trouble than help.

She knew very well what those relatives were after.

So, when a collaborator knocked on the door, she agreed without a second thought.

She was left without a choice, wasn’t she?

Compared to a bunch of relatives who looked at her like hungry wolves and fierce tigers, she tended to trust an emissary of God more. Moreover, the emissary was kind and warm, his movements elegant and accompanied by a rather handsome face.

The series of events that happened next proved her choices to be right.

Her collaborator erased those despicable bastards and she managed to smoothly take over the city, but there was still something that had to be done. Things wouldn’t end before she got over the afternoon tea party.

Though she wasn’t confident enough. She rarely presented herself under that many curious gaze and wasn’t used to the attention, otherwise she wouldn’t have chosen to live in her manor and barely come out.

She preferred to study more.

Back when she was a young lass, she was used to petting her dog while she read in her room and after her marriage, the habit did not change. As a matter of fact, her husband once loved reading too.

The happiest times both of them had together was reading but her son did not inherit the habit from them.

Quite the opposite, her son’s love for swordplay triumphed over reading.

Her husband and her didn’t object to their son’s path though, thinking her son should have his own choice and own path to walk.

Her husband, on the other hand, thought that a man should learn how to protect himself and his family—so he did when he participated in a mandatory hunting trip and got assaulted by a grizzly bear, using his body to carry out the oath that he once made.

The baroness’ gaze started to drift away, thinking of her husband again.

The emissary that met her shared uncanny resemblance to her dead husband, not just in terms of looks but countenance as well.

Besides, the emissary also promised to locate Carl’s whereabouts.

‘I hope my child is fine!’ Prayed the baroness.

The God she prayed to wasn’t the God of War but… the Mist!

Before she got in contact with the emissary, she was unlike her brother. She had no religion and mostly just adhered to her brother. If there was a ‘book’ or a ‘tome’ of God, she wouldn’t mind believing, but only if God could provide more books for her to read.

It was actually one of the conditions in the deal for her to believe in the Mist.

Although it felt like defiling a God in this way, it was just a one-time deal.

She believed the Mist and the Mist would provide protection.

Compared to leaving her home to Edatine Castle, believing in a God wasn’t anything difficult for her, especially when this God wasn’t as evil as rumoured.

Well then, there goes her beliefs, she didn’t mind since it didn’t cost her a penny.

Knock, knock, knock.

Knocks sounded at the door.

The baroness, who had been waiting, opened the door without a second thought.

Bloody Mary stood at the entrance with a smile.

“Good afternoon, Baroness Nord,” Bloody Mary bowed.

Nord was actually her husband’s name and after she got married, Eline Sicar changed her name to Eline Nord.

After Baron Nord died in a hunting accident, Eline Nord inherited her husband’s baronship and land—due to the fact that Viscount Sicar had no heir, her son, Carl, was destined to inherit the viscountship from his uncle.

“Good afternoon, Simon,” the baroness greeted.

Even though her heart was soaked in anxiety, the baroness’ manners were flawless. She didn’t lift up the corner of her gown, which was what a lass before marriage would do. Married women or widows performing the lift of a gown would be deemed cheap and coquettish. Married women tended to greet others with a more preservative smile, hands were placed in front of her stomach, her body straightened and knee maintained straight as she nodded with a soft smile.

One would only need to bend knees when facing a senior of higher rank or class.

With the identity of baroness and the new ruler-to-be of Sicar Land, probably only the king, Edatine IV, could accept a knee-bending salutation from her throughout the entire Northern Land.

As for the rest, only a few shared the same rank as her and most would have to bow to her instead.

“You are nervous?”

After closing the door, Bloody Mary spoke casually, like to a friend.

It was what it discovered throughout the few days of contact. As long as it maintained a friendly tone, the baroness tended to lower her guard and replied with similar hospitality.

Of course, no lies or tricks should be mixed into the conversation.

Her intelligence far surpassed many people’s imagination.

She had read myriads of books in her life and she possessed knowledge that others could only dream of.

Although most of the knowledge remained as knowledge, it was still inspiring and admirable. At least the Superior Demon couldn’t suffer the dryness of sitting there for dozens of hours just so it could go through a single book.

Its boss, however, had a similar interest but it depended on the book’s content. He wasn’t as pure as the baroness, reading-wise.

“Em. It’s been a long time since I have to face such a situation. In fact, other than my marriage, I have never faced something like this before,” the baroness didn’t hide the details from the friendly Simon.

“Just treat them as pumpkins, insignificant pumpkins,” joked Bloody Mary.

“But pumpkins won’t bear malicious intentions against me,” the baroness bitterly smiled.

People tended to be less confident in fields that they are unfamiliar with, including the baroness.

If it was reading or reciting books contents, she would have the confidence to triumph over anyone.

“Believe me, they won’t harm you,” Bloody Mary assured the baroness.

It wasn’t some comforting words to brush her off though, it was the truth.

It was the mission assigned to it by its boss, of course it couldn’t fail.

They were just a bunch of ill-intended normal people without any true power and Bloody Mary was very good at dealing with these kinds of people. It liked to press their faces on the ground and rub them against the cold hard surface, none of them able to resist.

“Mm,” the baroness nodded slightly at the kind Simon.

“Do you want to see Carl?” Bloody Mary suddenly asked.

“You’ve located him?” the baroness asked in surprise.

“We did, but he isn’t in good shape. He was cursed by the Resting Deer, and although that deer was killed by my Lord, the power of the curse did not fade. It somehow became harder to deal with. Carl and the power of the curse seem to have fused into a single entity! In short, if my lord forcefully removed the curse, Carl might die,” explained Bloody mary.

It had quite the impression of the skeletal knight that it only met a few times before.

A noteworthy point was that not any simple John Doe had the qualifications to block a spear.

“Can I see him?” asked the baroness.

“Of course, but you must be prepared,” Bloody Mary kindly reminded her.

It deeply knew what kind of person this baroness was.

In fact, it had seen many in the likes of the baroness since it followed its boss around.

A person like her could live her whole life in a room with basic daily needs, have electricity supply, internet, smart phone, and computer. She was the extremely harmless type.

This was also the biggest reason why its boss chose her, because Kieran didn’t have to worry about any bad or hidden thoughts from her.

“I understand!” The baroness hesitated for a while before she nodded.

Then, in a suit of black armor and helmet, Carl walked in. Behind him were Shegal and Fov, the two young men who had just gained the position of the leader of city guards and leader of security in the mansion respectively.

“My lord,” the two young men greeted and bowed politely before they stood outside like gatekeepers.

Carl stood at the entrance, plagued with hesitance. Of course he saw his own mother, for the two young men had explained a lot to him when they traveled here, but…

When he truly stood before his mother, Carl was still frightened because of his monstrous look.

“CARL?!”

The baroness jolted a little before she got a clearer look at the armored figure, finally seeing her own son again.

The little rascal that she gave birth when she was 15 and who had sneakily joined the patrol team when he was 16, the son that never listened to her and thought he was so independent.

Two steps forward, the baroness laid her hands on Carl’s chestplate.

She didn’t lift up the mask of the helmet because she felt her son was trembling.

It was fear.

He feared that his mother saw his current looks and was afraid that he might lose her.

“Don’t worry my son. I am your mother, I know what you think, I won’t force you to take it off, and besides, the curse isn’t incurable,” said the baroness softly.

Carl wanted to tell his mother his current state has not much to do with the curse but he couldn’t. Moreover, he had lost the ability to speak.

In the end, Carl only nodded.

In the next hour or so, the baroness didn’t stop as she told stories to her son about what had happened around her recently.

Carl quietly listened. Bloody Mary read the atmosphere and left the room for the time being.

Only when the servant came forth to notify them the afternoon tea party was about to start did Bloody Mary knock on the door again.

“Baroness Nord, the afternoon tea part is about to start,” Bloody Mary reminded warmly.

‘I’m ready.”

The baroness opened the door and walked out, standing in front of Bloody Mary and looking at it with a pleading gaze, asking, “Simon can you go to this tea party with me? I don’t need you to stay by me, just watch me from the corners, that will be enough.”

“Of course.”

Bloody Mary actually planned to follow her secretly just in case but with her invitation, things turned out to be better.

“Great!”

Overjoyed, the baroness walked off in the company of the servant.

Shegal and Forv bowed to the lord emissary before trailing the baroness away.

Carl stood on the spot without moving a muscle, looking at Bloody Mary and the soul fire flickering in a complex rhythm.

“What’s wrong?” Bloody Mary asked.

“You said before that you saved me because you saw me suffering. You were willing to share my suffering.”

Since both of them were dead to a certain extent, Carl was able to communicate with the Superior Demon.

“Yes, my brother. I never mind sharing your burden and pain, whether in the past or in the future,” Bloody Mary showed that warm smile again.

“Then please help me to take care of my mother. I don’t want her to be in pain again. In exchange, I will pray to the Mist day and night,” answered Carl.

“Address him as ‘my lord’.” Bloody Mary reminded Carl.

“I will pray to my lord day and night, for you and for my mother,” Carl then walked away to the tea party venue.

He couldn’t join the tea party frankly, but he didn’t mind protecting his mother from the dark.

Who was insensible enough to stand out, Carl wouldn’t mind dragging him into the graveyard and having a heart-to-heart talk, seeing whether the heart that he pulled out was black or red.

“For me and my mother?” Bloody Mary felt weird after hearing that but it couldn’t exactly pinpoint what.

Then, it quickly realized it had once again acquired a powerful and capable help for its boss.

More importantly, after this tea party, the whole of Sicar would be his boss’ backyard, providing endless manpower to its boss and slowing down the biggest shortcomings of its boss.

At the same time, it also started to plan how to expand the Mist’s religion.

How could its boss fit in a small land like Sicar?

The outskirts of Mozaar, the heart of the Northern Land, Edatine Castle, all of the Northern Land should believe in the Mist!

Only then could it fit its boss’ status.

‘I am really the best follower of boss!’

Delighted, Bloody Mary walked to the venue for the tea party.

It has made a promise and it intended to keep it.

It wasn’t a demon who would go back on its words.