The Devil's Cage

The baroness hosted the afternoon tea party in the banquet hall of the viscount's mansion.

As a matter of fact, this banquet hall was actually the council hall used by many generations of the Sicar family. From the old age, as old as Edatine I, all kinds of matters—important and trivial—were discussed to a decision in this place.

Many decisions that came from this council hall had affected the entire Northern Lands.

Though it was the first that the council hall was used to host an afternoon tea party.

Afternoon tea in Sicar weas held in various places depending on the season.

During the summer, the nobles would choose to host it in the garden so that they could enjoy the windy breeze and the pastries. During the winter, they would choose a study room or an entertainment room to replace the outdoors.

The study room was chosen to host peers or seniors and the entertainment room was for the juniors or lower ranks.

The tea and pastries served at a tea party was also a set of knowledge to learn.

The whole process was extremely complicated, that's why the baroness spent most of her time reading in her chambers.

This time, however, she was forced to step up, clenching her teeth and bracing herself as anxiety plagued her heart.

She was afraid of being drowned by questions or doubts, not very good in dealing with all of these, but it turned out much better than expected.

When she entered the banquet hall, all eyes were on her but it did not feel sharp or hostile, every attendee quite polite and well-mannered.

Hu!

The baroness heaved a breath of relief, maintaining her noble smile and glanced over everyone. She then made her way to the host's seat.

An afternoon tea party might sound a little casual but it actually had a very pronounced ranking system.

Especially in times like this, the seats that the attendees sat in and the attire they wore were all pronounced and neatly arranged.

The seats closer to the host's seat, the higher their positions.

The higher the positions, the more glamorous they dressed.

Though the baroness was an exception.

She did not choose a noble Victorian dress like the other noblewomen, preferring to go with a suit instead. Her long pants were white, her clean and fitted suit black and on top of her head was a tall hat of a horse master, her black boots so tall that they covered her shin. Other than the little ruby brooch on her black outer suit, there were no extra apparels on her, walking swiftly and clean like a gentleman.

It was all Bloody Mary's meticulous arrangements though. It needed the true owner of Sicar Land, therefore it didn't mind using little tricks to subtly influence the people around itself.

When everyone laid eyes on the baroness, it really felt like the first meeting. They felt like they saw a general who was a veteran on the battlefield.

As expected of the viscount's younger sister?

She hid from the public eyes because the viscount was too dazzling during normal times!

The thoughts that popped up in the attendee's mind made them even more vigilant.

They knew what the viscount would do if he was around.

As for those who didn't know?

For them, it was unnecessary for them to know that Bloody Mary had cleaned them up this morning. Those who were able to make it to the tea party were all smart and sensible people, at least on the outside.

As for what they really thought deep down?

It wasn't necessary, Bloody Mary only needed them to maintain respect for the baroness, even though it was just for show.

Only time would tell how correct their choices were but Bloody Mary was very confident, whether in itself or in its boss.

Hiding in the corner, it curled its lips into a smile.

The baroness was also looking for Bloody Mary with a subtle scan, coincidentally locating it at the instant and when she saw the smile on its face, she took it as encouragement.

The last bit of anxiety in her heart went away.

"Ladies and gentlemen, good afternoon."

The baroness sat down in the host's seat, half of her body basking under the warm sunlight, making her intricate look glow, instantly attracting the gazes of the attendees.

"Before we start the tea party, I hope everyone can spare a moment of silence for my brother and those who were lost in the fire," said the baroness with sadness.

The baroness respected her brother a lot. Even though the relationship was absent of true feelings, she knew if it wasn't for her brother, she wouldn't have lived so long in her own way.

She became a widow at a young age, meaning she was still very healthy and fertile, and after inheriting Baron Nord's wealth and property, had her brother been ruthless and tossed her out like garbage, there would be a line of man who would be willing to be her backup husband, even the big nobles in Edatine Castle. The big nobles wouldn't mind marrying a widow for the sake of a scrumptious 'dowry'.

As a matter of fact, it did happen in the past but the viscount rejected the offer.

The baroness was grateful to her brother.

After her words, the attendees started to look sad and sunk in pain.

Whether it was real or fake, it didn't matter.

A few minutes later, when the servant beside the baroness announced the tea party had begun, the attendees put their smiles back on their faces.

"I have something to announce: the curfew in Sicar will be lifted. From tomorrow onwards, everything in Sicar will return to normal."

The announcement of the new order was welcomed by clapping from the nobles.

The nobles agreed to the new order from the bottom of their hearts.

What was Sicar's biggest income source?

The taxes from the traveling merchants, the prosperity of the market, and the price differences in the many goods on sale.

During the curfew, all the income sources were basically nothing.

Only when the goods were allowed to be sold would the root of Sicar recover from the damage.

The nobles were excited and delighted by the news, the baroness then raised her hand and the applause stopped immediately.

"The second matter revolves around the poor performance of the city guards in their previous duties, I will promote Shegal as our new city guard commander. He will be responsible for the safety of the city, within and beyond, plus the patrol teams. And Forv, he will be appointed as my security chief, responsible for the mansion's security," said the baroness.

None of the nobles objected to the appointments.

If the original commander of the city guards or the chief security were still alive, they would step up and voice their disagreement.

Unfortunately, in the past 3 days, the two of them, who would probably react furiously to the last order, had gone missing.

The nobles at the hall could not afford to voice their disagreement at the baroness' order just for the sake of two missing men, which would probably also put themselves at risk of going missing.

It was not worth it!

Therefore, after the nobles jolted for a moment, they came back to their senses. One after another, they congratulated Shegal and Forv, who were standing at the entrance.

The two young men bowed at the baroness and nodded to the applauding crowd coldly.

They accepted the designation because of the lord emissary's orders.

Perhaps in the past, their current designation might sound outstanding, but now?

It was just that.

No matter how honorable the designation sounds, could it be as honorable as the lord emissary who walked the earth for the lord?

Aside from him, there was still the Mist, their lord and savior!

The cold reaction from the two young men astonished the nobles at the hall.

The nobles had gathered information on the two beforehand.

They did not come from some renown family, neither one of them had the status of nobles either.

Although they were better than civilians, it was just slightly. How could they react so coldly towards this kind of opportunity that allowed them to reach the heavens in a single bound?

Unconsciously, the nobles quietly put the two young men on their to-watch list.

The baroness then continued,"Third, I will allow the religious sect, Mist, to preach in Sicar."

"What?!"

"My lady, do you know what you are talking about?"

"My lady, are you planning to start a war?"

...

Unlike the previous two matters, when the third was announced, the hall plunged into a clamour, a few short-tempered nobles even voicing their disagreement loudly.

Preaching wasn't something easy.

Throughout the entire Northern Lands, even before the Black Cataclysm, there was only one religion: God of War!

After the Black Cataclysm, Lady Calamity had entered the sights of the people.

In short, only these two were able to publicly preach throughout the land.

The rest were nothing but deviants and pagans.

Those who were exposed or discovered by the orthodox religion could be burnt to death.

Unlike Lady Calamity, who suddenly rose to prominence after the Black Cataclysm, the God of War had rooted itself into the people's heart long ago, especially in the land of Sicar! Viscount Sicar was the most devoted believer of them all and naturally the men of the viscount took up the religion too. Whether it was to win favours from the viscount or self-comforting, they'd more or less take up the religion. It was free anyway.

Of course, there were many true believers who were devoted to the God of War too, but not here.

Those were already cleaned up by Bloody mary.

These nobles at the hall reacted so poorly because they wanted to seize the chance to create a scene, or… to seize benefits for themselves.

The nobles were much more realistic than expected.

Unfortunately, Bloody Mary was one notch higher than them.

It signaled Shegal and Forv right after the scene.

The two young men walked over to the several nobles who caused a scene without a second thought, lifted up their sheathed swords, and smashed them into the nobles' face powerfully.

Pak!

Amid the clear thuds, the few nobles who caused a scene suffered a swollen face, bleeding mouths, and several broken teeth.

Shegal and Forv did not mind teaching a lesson to these nobles who looked down on their God.

As a matter of fact, smashing them on the face was an order from the lord emissary. If they were to have carried out their own will, the two of them would have cut the nobles' tongue.

The two of them had never experienced the filthy wealth of the nobles before but they weren't idiots.

Who would exchange gazes secretly and send each other hand gestures when they were aroused and causing a scene?

The two young men glared fiercely at the nobles they struck down with the gaze of wolves, scanning around the entire hall.

The others dared not exchange glances with them.

Those who were bold enough to retaliate were already cleaned up by Bloody Mary, the rest were just some weaklings who were invited here to fill up the numbers and just so all of this looked fair.

If it wasn't for the sake of the Mist's swift expansion so that it could be its boss' qualified aid, Bloody Mary would never want to do all this.

It preferred to approach things in a straightforward way and the idea also came from its boss and how he did things.

It didn't mind elaborating it though.

Smiling, Bloody Mary looked at the baroness, who was slightly at loss for action. Under her gaze, Bloody Mary returned an encouraging gaze and the baroness immediately straightened her body.

"This is an announcement, not a negotiation. I am just informing you all. Sicar is the land of the Sicar Family, and as the sole ruler of the land, I have the right to do so. Even his Majesty the king cannot object," said the baroness in a decisive tone.

Right after the words subsided, Carl, who was standing in the corner of the hall and tried his best to avoid sight, walked in.

He thought he must do something for his mother, therefore he walked up to the nobles, grabbed them, and dragged them out of the hall like he was pulling a sheep.

"Spare me! Spare me, my lord!"

The pleading sounded, one after another. Carl, however, turned a deaf ear.

Once a noble, Carl knew better than Shegal and Forv what these bastards in his hands were trying to do.

Create conflict so that they could halve his mother's power, devour Sicar family's gains, and strengthen themselves.

Almost instantly, all the thoughts popped up in Carl's mind.

There was no reason for him to spare these bastards.

As the other nobles watched Carl in his black armor and overflowing killer intents drag the few out of the hall, the hall returned to silence. The remaining nobles looked at the baroness like scared quail birds.

The dread and fear, it was obvious in their gazes.

What they heard would always remain as rumours. It was not as impactful as seeing the real thing with their own eyes.

Those familiar acquaintances were just sitting beside them a while ago and yet they were dragged out alive. The remaining nobles were once again warned and reminded who they really were.

The land of Sicar belonged to the Sicar family, not them.

Of course, there were still some who had their own secret thoughts.

'Should I go to the War God Temple right after this tea party?'

It seemed like there were more than a few who shared similar thoughts.

Therefore, these nobles with ulterior thoughts become absent-minded throughout the entire event. No matter how tasty the pastries were, some even left the pastries on the plate after a bite.

Bloody Mary frowned at the scene though.

Unknowingly, its view towards eating and drinking was influenced by Kieran.

It too uphrld the ideal of not wasting food, same went for Shegal and Forv.

Spending the last two days with the emissary, they understood how simple and plain their lord was.

The two young men weren't fond of the nobles initially, so the wasteful behaviour increased their hatred towards the nobles.

Fortunately, the baroness was different, she didn't waste anything.

The tea party ended on a low note.

The nobles hurried back to their wagons.

Looking at where the wagons were driving to, Shegal and Forv reached out to their swords instinctively. With only a single word from Bloody Mary, the two of them would surely chase after those nobles and take them out.

Though Bloody Mary didn't say anything, looking at the worried baroness.

Land was holy, not even the king could taint it with his name, but so were the Gods!

The divine power triumphed over the king's authority and it wasn't said just for kicks.

Decades ago, the emissaries of Gods were known as Saints, even the king had to bow before them.

Things were still recovering from the Black Cataclysm but the power of God had imprinted into itself onto people's minds.

"Simon, what should we do now?" The baroness didn't hide the worry in her heart and asked out of anxiety.

Bloody Mary smiled and replied, "We just have to mind our mortal business. Let my lord deal with the matters between Gods."