The Devil’s Cage

When Mary stepped up on the walls of Riverdale, the blood in front of the city gate was already covered by dirt and lime, but the pungent smell still lingered in her nose.

Bosco, beside her, was telling her what exactly happened without missing the least bit of detail.

“Sir 2567 seemed to have planned this. He never holds back when he strikes. It’s like this every time I meet him. But after that scene just now, everything became smoother and the little rants disappeared completely as well.” Bosco couldn’t hold back his bitter smile when he retold the scene.

He didn’t know what to say or how to comment on Kieran.

Bold and reckless?

No!

What Kieran did already surpassed the level of being bold.

It was a kind of…ruthlessness! He didn’t care!

Even if he were to slaughter every single noble in Riverdale, he wouldn’t care at all.

Although those nobles were stripped of their titles and identities, following the tradition, they would still be left with the last piece of dignity, allowing them to exit properly and be guaranteed basic living, like food and clothing.

However, Kieran was different around here. Bosco even wondered what more Kieran would do if Mary were not around.

A very high chance that it would be something worse!

Once he thought about Kieran’s personality and past performance, Bosco couldn’t help but feel grateful for avoiding the disastrous fate.

“The guillotine’s cruelness brings out its dignity.”

That phrase suddenly echoed in Bosco’s ear.

He then saw Mary appear in front of him with awe.

“Your Majesty, it’s you?”

Bosco unconsciously wanted to say something but he was cut off the moment he spoke.

“Carefully write down every refugee’s details before allowing them to enter. Also, transfer Rover and his group back here.”

When he heard that calm, dull tone, his scalp couldn’t help but feel numb.

“Your Majesty, you want to…?” Bosco gulped a mouthful of saliva before asking in a trembling voice.

“Just to be cautious,” Mary answered.

Bosco heaved a long breath after hearing what Mary said.

He thought that the princess he served was about to do something irrational due to that lord’s stimulation.

“Very well, I’ll go arrange for it immediately,” Bosco said before moving out quickly.

Afte Bosco left, Mary was left with Duke Zilin on the city walls.

The young duke looked at his distant cousin and couldn’t help but shake his head.

If she could say something like that just now, how could it be just “cautious”?

Sigh.

The young duke looked up to the sky.

The sun had risen not too long ago. It selflessly bathed the land with its warmth and light but, at the same time, also made the blood brighter.

Would he bother with persuasion?

The young duke would never do something like that.

Firstly, he absolutely detested those nobles who escaped during the danger. In his point of view, those nobles that couldn’t even protect the people of their land didn’t deserve the title. If it were him, Duke Zilin might have also dealt with those bastards with thunderous methods.

Secondly, he was Warren’s distant cousin. Everything had to be thought of for the royal family’s position.

The nobles being weak, the royal family being powerful.

It was a principle that never changed.

The young duke obviously knew what had to have be done.

All things considered, he would only agree to Mary’s methods, not disagree. Furthermore, he even felt a sense of admiration for Kieran and Mary, who were able to do this.

But for someone else, it was a catastrophe.

The slaughter continued.

When the news got back to a certain abode in Riverdale, a middle-aged man fiercely swept everything on his table to the floor.

The intricate books and beautiful vase were all damaged.

“How dare he?!”

The heavy shout was like the sound of a wounded beast.

The man clenched his fist hard and panted heavily.

Almost a full 10 minutes later, his breath finally returned to normal.

Then, he stood up and walked towards a secret door in the room without further thought.

Behind the secret door was a set of stairs that led up.

The man quickly went up the stairs with brisk steps and stuffed a secret letter that he prepared beforehand into the capsule on the pigeon’s leg.

“You people forced me to! I will let you know the cost of doing so!”

He then released the pigeon as he ranted.

The pigeon, freed from its shackles, flew along the hidden paths and eventually soared up into the sky.

It, the most reliable communication method, extended its wings and flew fast.

It… Entered the sight of the Fire Raven.

…

“As expected of the White Wolf, only he can do such a thing.”

Inside the dense forest on the outskirts of Riverdale, Jarles had gotten his hands on the details about the deserter nobles being slaughtered just half an hour after the incident occurred.

The core of Ghastly Woods Sect couldn’t hold back his loud laughs.

His laughs indicated that everything was as expected, but beside him, the other men that gathered around couldn’t laugh at all.

“First Seat Jarles, what should we do now?” an elderly noble with a clean face and beautiful clothes asked.

Despite his restlessness, the elderly man maintained his manners.

“Of course, we wait. We will wait for our lord marquis’ news! Let’s see what our lord marquis will do now.”

Jarles turned around, his broken robe fluttering ceaselessly with the motion, as if he had hidden some small animals inside.

The few nobles around him changed their expressions for the worse when they saw the scene.

All of them quickly stepped back, two of them even faltering.

“First Seat Jarles, I think we should take the initiative and strike first,” the elderly noble said with a light cough after drawing a distance from Jarles.

“Oh? Why though? It’s better for you people if that guy is dead, right?”

Jarles asked with a smiling face, but the colorful, bright freckles on his face made his smile vicious and scary.

“If this were during normal times, it would be beneficial for us. But now? We need to stand together, we need someone to unite us all. Our opponent has grown too strong without our knowing,” the elderly noble said with a general tone.

The other nobles around him nodded, agreeing to the elderly’s words.

Jarles sized up every one of the nobles, the smile on his face growing brighter, making his face look scarier.

He had never believed in these collaborators. Since the beginning, he never spared a bit of trust because he knew that both sides were just using each other.

And now?

With the appearance of the White Wolf, it had never been truer.

The White Wolf of Wolf Sect wasn’t someone a First Seat like Jarles could provoke, but he wasn’t alone.

He didn’t have to fight the White Wolf face to face.

Ghastly Woods Sect was not known for its face to face battles.

Decision made, Jarles said, “Sure! I can make a move first but don’t forget what you people promised me!”

“Of course we won’t.”

“How could we?”

The nobles nodded repeatedly.

Just when both sides reached an accord, flutters sounded.

“Our lord marquis has sent us the news,” Jarles said with his ever bright and scary smile when he saw the messenger pigeon.

Then…

Everyone’s face changed for the worse because they saw a fireball.

The fireball followed the messenger pigeon and flew down from the sky.

Boom!