The Devil’s Cage

Bloody Mary’s new attributes were clearly presented before Kieran.

[Name: Bloody Mary]

[Type: Superior Demon (Hetero-Form)]

[Rarity: I]

[Attack: I]

[Defense: I]

[Attribute: 1. Illusion; 2. Phantasm Body; 3. Hand Blade; 4. Blood Suck; 5. Quick Regeneration.]

[Effect: 1. Form Change; 2. Mystical Knowledge (Pro); 3. Noble Knowledge (Master)]

[Prerequisite: Willingness to submit]

[Remark: A High Demon that was born from the Blood Queen Tiara because of an accident. After consuming the Voodoo Pillar, it had8 reached the limits of a common demon but it wasn’t one to begin with, therefore it was smart enough to not simply fuse with those seemingly powerful things, all it did was choose those that benefited itself.]

…

[Illusion: Create Illusion that requires authentication no lower than SSS Spirit, rank I Intuition (Failed once, target will suffer Extreme mental impact; Failed twice, target will suffer rank I mental impact). When there are multiple targets, Spirit and Intuition authentication will decrease based on the increased targets and when the targets had unstable emotions, authentications will increase.]

[Phantasm Body: Transform body to phantasmal form, immune to physical attack, 20% damage mitigation against energy attack. +2 in Undercover]

[Hand Blade: Hands are sharp as blade, attack rank +1 (Cannot exceed rank III)]

[Blood Suck: Consume the blood of living beings to rapidly regenerate injuries and stamina, cleanse debuffs. Regeneration +1 when munching]

[Quick Regeneration: Consume a small amount of Stamina to quickly regenerate HP; consume a certain to regenerate even limbs, including the head.]

…

[Form Change: Able to change into anyone, things or living being (possessed own abilities and a certain level of the target’s aura), the size of the transformed is no bigger than a large being (An elephant is the limit of a large being); or change into a Blood Tiara (When contractor wears the Blood Tiara, able to choose 2 attribute from Bloody Mary as skills)]

[Mystical Knowledge (Pro): Skilled in many mystical knowledge and able to use it freely]

[Noble Knowledge (Master): Familiar with knowledge that nobles has to master]

[Note 1: Slave Contract doesn’t require pointS to summon]

[Note 2: Strengthen Contract, even if it somehow broke free from Fantos Manuscript, it will still be your slave.]

…

After Kieran glanced over the remark and Note 2, he smiled brighter.

Bloody Mary’s way was praiseworthy, getting strong was a necessity, but achieving it blindly, disregarding consequences, or even harming its own body and potentially affecting the future were foolish acts in Kieran’s book.

At least under normal circumstances, Kieran would never be this reckless.

As for Note 2? It was another safety precaution.

Kieran had no idea how powerful the shackles of [Fantos Manuscript] were but as the High Superior Demon got stronger, the shackles got weaker, to the point that Bloody Mary could escape. Therefore, a Strengthen Contract became necessary in Kieran’s mind.

As a matter of fact, Kieran had already planned to give Bloody Mary a new contract every time it grew stronger.

He was unwilling to lose such a good tool.

Kieran shifted his gaze to Bloody Mary, who was lying down on the floor.

“Time’s up,” he said.

Bloody Mary climbed up, bowed to Kieran and said meticulously, “At your service.”

As though a minute of rest later, the tiredness had gone away.

“Sloth will tell guide you through your next mission. You have to keep an eye on those extra players. Also, don’t forget your previous task of teaching the Frost Wolf and Fire Raven. Old Book is just temporarily replacing you. During your free time in his current mission, do your best in teaching the two,” Kieran said.

After Kieran left, Sloth yawned and started to brief Bloody Mary, “Something that shares the same origin with the [Voodoo Pillar] appeared…”

Sloth’s voice got softer as Kieran walked further, to the point that he could no longer hear him.

Kieran believed Sloth would do a good job, just like how he believed in Bloody Mary.

As for himself, he had something that he must attend to: checkout Ro Street for anything “unusual”.

The merry street was very close to where his room was, so he shouldn’t be ‘careless’.

…

Two hours later, a satisfied Kieran appeared in Harvest Inn. He greeted the usual acquaintances and walked to the bar.

“Free lemon water please,” Kieran told Rachel.

“One glass only,” Rachel emphasized.

Her nose then picked up some mixed scents.

“Strawberry Matcha Ice-cream, Chocolate Banana Boat, Cream Waffle, Red Bean Pie and… Sour Yogurt. Did you rob a dessert store?”

“No, I paid for all that and I was sure I got rid of the smell,” Kieran looked at Rachel in confusion.

“Don’t ever think a chef’s nose is just for decoration, I can pick up scents that you can’t even imagine. I added an extra slice of lemon, it cures the surfeit,” Rachel then served the glass of lemon water.

Kieran smiled when he saw the two pieces of lemon.

Cure the surfeit?

He had no need for that but he would not reject it.

Kieran also didn’t want to hide what happened earlier.

From a certain aspect, Kieran and Rachel were already closely related, from the moment both of them eww compromised because of Lawless, to standing on the same side because of the same man. They had a rather weird relationship.

Although Lawless introduced both of them in the first place, now both of them had to go around Lawless and keep the secret from him to help him.

Deep in their hearts, both of them really wanted to tell Lawless about his condition.

Almost out of instinct, Kieran, sitting at the bar counter, and Rachel, behind the counter, looked at Lawless en masse.

Lawless was raising his cup with loud laughter.

“Here is to welcome our new friend DerDer and the return of an old friend, J.Pearlman! Wine on me today! Bottoms up everyone! Oh, I still owe everyone a show—my ultra super one-man drinking!”

The moment his words subsided, 22 bottles of liquor in various shapes, sizes, and alcoholic levels were lined up on the table.

‘Hmmm, forget about it.’

Kieran and Rachel shook their heads at the scene.

Before Lawless was completely healed, they would let him be who he liked to be.

Kieran didn’t speak first when he turned back around, instead describing the earlier scene via messages.

He then noticed Rachel was in a daze.

“What’s wrong?” Kieran asked.

“Are you sure it’s the wind? Or just the breeze?” Rachel emphasized on her question.

“I believe my companion, it shouldn’t be wrong,” Kieran was very certain.

If it was just Gluttony’s words, Kieran might be hesitant, but with Sloth around, he believed the precise cardinal sins would not be mistaken.

“If it is just the breeze, then it means trouble, because…”

Rachel stopped as a sudden realization hit her.