51. Flying Embers From Towering Flames
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Schreien River, Southern Territory

 

A man carrying a heavy sack with him came out of the woodland. 

In the clearing near the water the merchant wagons were parked, and several tents had been erected. 

It looks like a wealthy businessman had come here to camp. The man sighed. 

Seeing a stranger approaching them, the people of the caravan became alert. "Who are you?"

The man raised both hands. "I'm a hunter, I came here to camp as well."

A person dressed like a mercenary narrowed his eyes. The hunter in front of them looked unkempt with his long hair covering half of his face. He was also carrying with him a dirty bundle of whatever garbage he might have gotten from the forest. 

"You can set up camp over there." The mercenary said sourly while pointing at the tree with thick roots. Then he added coldly, "Don't come here and disturb us or else..." 

He must be one of the poor villagers living around this area based on his tattered clothing alone. It would be bad if the lord sees him later. 

The hunter nodded awkwardly and made his way to the tree. Putting his bundle down, he then proceeded to sit and take out his ration. 

Ah~ the hard life of doing work outside. He wanted to get this done and over with. Come home to a nice warm meal and--

His thoughts were interrupted when a shadow emerged above him.

"You're a hunter right?" A tall mercenary asked, his tone was full of ridicule. 

"Yes."

The mercenary smiled, "Our men had been out for several days, a fine meat would be good to fill our bellies. Why don't you hunt some game for us? We can pay you."

"Apologies but it's already very late, hunting at this hour is dangerous."

"Are you refusing the offer?" 

"It cannot be helped. There are vicious beasts in the forest and miasma becomes thicker as the moon rises higher. I am but a humble—"

"Tch, so mouthy for a bumpkin. Make your words shorter, just say if you can do it or not!" The mercenary snapped impatiently. 

"I won't hunt." 

"Why you—" this fucking bumpkin, he was about to kick him when his companion came.

"What are you doing picking a fight with a vagrant? Don't stir up trouble and return to your station." 

He must be the leader. The hunter observed based on how he easily subdued the irrational companion. 

"Hey you," the leader called displeased. "Our lord will be coming out soon. Why don't you scram somewhere he would not see? These fine aristocrats need not waste their eyes on garbage."

The hunter did not move, instead, he crossed his hands over his chest appearing defiant. 

"I believe I am already at an appropriate distance." He reasoned. "If I move further, I'll hit the woodland's periphery and perhaps get eaten." 

"I don't give two shits. If I tell you to move, you move." The leader blustered, putting his hand on the handle of his sword. 

The hunter let out a helpless sigh, "You see here, I was tired from working all day. Got my ass chased by a Thunder Bear and almost fell in a quicksand. I should have been able to camp around here without a problem but rather, I have to tolerate your high-handed asses." 

The leader was momentarily taken aback. The vagrant dared to talk back? He thought the hunter was some meek man, he didn't expect him to be quite ballsy, but that does amaze him? Certainly not. 

"You, what did you say again, cunt?" 

"I don't think there is a need to repeat it." The dishevelled hunter disappeared, the next thing he knew he was stabbed in the left shoulder with a metal skewer. 

"Bastard! Who're—"

Another metal skewer was stabbed on his right. The dull pain it inflicted on him was tolerable at first but as it slowly spread, he realized that his muscles were beginning to slack. 

"The more you struggle, the more it will hurt." The hunter said casually. 

The enraged leader was not convinced and fought to break away until his nose and ears started bleeding. He was about to shout to alarm people when the hunter saw through his intention and promptly slammed his jaw.  

"I don't want to kill you. Once the monsters smell a lot of blood it will be bad for me as well."

The leader twitched and vomited bile before completely passing out. 

"That's a good chap." 

In the campsite, more than twenty females were lined up in front of the largest tent as if waiting for something to begin. Under the quiet atmosphere, the terror lurks as the women had their hands bound restricting any attempt of escaping. 

"You may struggle or try to run away but I assure you, your fate will be worse than being here." Fava, the man acting as overseer smiled while gazing at the timid lambs before him. 

They had been travelling nonstop from the port near the eastern territories, two weeks of a journey by land while taking advantage of the cold season where there is less checkpoint and soldiers, they are finally about to reach the destination. 

It was no easy ride, the merchandise kept doing something stupid. Fava is tired of looking after these women, he wanted to return home to his mistress and lay in a soft warm bed. He flicked the whip on his hand playfully as he looked upon them with ridicule. The ladies were frightful and hungry. They were weakened purposefully to lessen their resistance. 

A scream broke inside the tent effectively instilling more fear into their hearts. 

"You heard that? That was the girl who wanted to stab the lord the other night." He smiled, "If you don't want to end up just like her, I advise you to reflect upon your behaviour. After all, your status has been revoked. You were nothing more than a piece of chattel."

Kristina, one of the captured girls, had an expression different from the rest. While everyone else showed a myriad of expressions like sorrow, fear and fury, she had a calm facade. She was unusually silent one would doubt what devious plans she was concocting. But no, she wasn't about to start anything nor was she making any effort to break away. Tonight, the man addressing himself as a lord ordered them to line up for inspection. It was foolish to think of escaping when they were surrounded by his brigands. One wrong move, she will surely die. So why struggle when she can use this opportunity for a much better life.

After all… 

"Everyone, to your position!" Fava shouted, pushing the women who strayed out of the formation. 

The torches burned bright, illuminating the field of its blind spots. Inside the lord's tent, a high-level magic tool was used as light able to reveal every corner and decoration. Soon, Fava stepped into the tent and came out with a burly looking man in armour. 

"Lord Grell, these are the women we collected among the stragglers." 

The man called Lord Grell did not speak a word. His sharp eyes sliced through the frightened audience, the girls instinctively avoided his gaze. In their long journey, they were more or less aware of the cruelty of this person. 

The deep bruises of his victims added by the injuries are enough proof of how inhumane they were treated. Kristina saw her fellow captives shiver, on the other hand, the one beside her held such deep hatred when looking at the people in front. She was the sole exception from the rest of the frightened lambs. That's not all, when it comes to clothing and her colouring Kristina could easily tell she was not a native. 

While most of the girls here were white, she alone stood out in her sun-kissed complexion and silver hair. An exotic beauty.  

A smile tugged at Kristina's lips, foolish indeed. How did this ugly thing manage to attract the person inside? She was meant to be carried in the tent once the selection came, she knew the ugly thing would struggle her hardest enticing that person even more. Kristina glanced at her secretly. When it comes to beauty, of course, she is confident. Not to mention being born from the gentry, she also knows the event that would take place next.  

Lord Grell made his way to the lined up chattels and began his inspection with the help of Fava. Using the handle of his whip, he lifted the chin of each of them to show their faces.

"Hm." Lord Grell let out a displeased snort. It was a sign to move on to the next person. 

Some were rather ordinary. 

As expected of most commoners. More than ten had been viewed like cows to be sold, still, the lord found none to his liking. They were nearing Kristina's line when the girl beside her began moving suspiciously. She frowned fiercely. 

This idiot, what stupid thing is she thinking?

Kristina's heart jumped. It can't be. She had to prevent this! 

Or else, or else this ugly thing will be chosen again. No! This is her only chance to meet him. 

"What are you doing?" The tanned girl hissed, her ruby eyes turned hostile when Kristina caught her hand holding a small blade. 

"Stop right now or I will scream. You don't want that, do you?"

"You, have you sided with those infidels?!" 

Kristina held her hand tighter and sneered, "The likes of a foreigner like you can save the sanctimonious sermon for yourself. You have no right to speak to me of righteousness." 

The tanned woman pulled her hand harshly and glared at her. "Pathetic." 

Kristina bit her teeth. "Don't get in my way, ugly." 

"You there!" Fava shouted, sensing a commotion. 

The tanned woman was about to move again but Kristina pushed her down the ground hiding her face away. It caught Lord Grell's attention, he happened to be facing their way when he noticed the woman facing Fava. 

She was white and slender. Although a little dirty, he knows that the woman must be from a well-off family. The grime cannot hide her true appearance. This one should do. 

"Bring her in." 

Fava was taken aback. "But milord, this girl looks vicious."

"Vicious is good. It will be fun taming her after." He replied without fluctuations in his expression.

Kristina clenched her hands and unclenched them in relief. At last. 

She glanced at the tanned woman and imparted a malicious smile before leaving with her captors. Her hands were still trembling when he pushed her, but after getting the result she hoped for, she felt nothing but immense joy. 

The women who were not selected were herded back to their cages. Strangely enough, instead of mourning the fate of another companion lost, the girls' faces looked utterly relieved. Some of them were even smiling with joy, giving Diwa, the tanned girl a feeling of suffocating horror. 

Kristina's departure had given them another time to survive. But Diwa knew it was only a temporary delay to their actual fate when they reached the destination. If the lord grew tired of his new toy, he can return to them any time he wishes. She surreptitiously looked around under the cover of her bangs. The guard holding her seemed unusual, he kept looking at her face. It made her skin crawl. 

"You there, stop." 

The guard halted, Diwa as well. 

Fava, who was still there supervising them, approached slowly. 

"Give me the wench, boy." 

He'd been instructed to keep an eye on her because of the trouble she made earlier, he kicked the back of her knee making Diwa kneel. He kept her in that position by grabbing her neck then stretching her arms backwards, tied her wrists in a tighter knot as requested, so much that it ripped her skin and flesh. He wanted to make sure there would be no room for her to wriggle. 

"Bastard!" Diwa growled. 

"Unfortunately, there is nothing you can do about it but rue your fate of being a man's plaything." Fava mocked grabbing a bunch of those silver hair. 

He dragged her to one of the cages, threw her off the corner and locked her together with the rest. 

"I was told you might start something." He said with a warning. 

Damn it. That woman Kristina must have said something! 

Not that Diwa can do anything about her situation. She had the dumbest luck of jumping right to the enemy's trap. She fled the assassins sent by an elder only to end up with another. That time she hid inside a villager's home, she thought she had found respite but the food they offered was drugged and now she could not use her power. Worse, she had no idea that she would be chartered away from her home and fall to this extreme.  

Once again she is feeling the deep regret of not listening to her mother. Her eyes stung. 

Fava sneeringly gloated over her desperate appearance. He hadn't left them yet and had fun using the whip on the women who sat too close to the edge of the cage. The crying started as the painful lashes bit their skin. As the sound of whiplash grew louder, so were the miserable wailing.   

After he had enough fun, he would ask for a potion to heal their bruises and cuts. Wiping it all as if it never appeared. Yet the mental torture he inflicted will always be there. The very thought of it makes Fava so hot he can barely endure euphoria.

Inside the tent.

"Don't touch me!" Kristina hissed. 

"Shut your mouth before I pull your tongue out." Lord Grell pushed her harshly without the slightest consideration. Kristina squeezed her eyes tight bracing herself to hit the hard ground. But she was unhurt as soon as she fell. 

The dirty floor was covered with expensive pelts and handwoven carpets that cushioned her fall. 

"You are in the presence of Count Beryl Aston, it would do you good if you watch your manners." After saying his piece, Lord Grell left the luxurious tent. 

"Oho…" It was a playful teasing voice. "What do we have here?"

Kristina's whole body shivered. This, this person… heat crept on her face but she quickly pressed down the bubbling emotions that threatened to spill in her eyes. When she rose, no trace of that obsessive infatuation could be seen. 

Count Aston had an exceedingly angelic face for a man at the age of thirty. He sat languidly on a cushion behind a wide table filled with fruits and food. There was an amiable smile on his lips while there was freezing contempt in those brown eyes. 

"Your name?" He asked boredly. 

The spark of interest he had when he saw the girl defiantly faced Grell as she first entered has cooled. He thought there would be something special with this one. It appears she was the same as the rest. A mediocre piece. 

Kristina was not aware of his evaluation as she kept the facade. When Count Aston asked she openly frowned at the man soliciting a sarcastic chuckle. 

"Pathetic." He said in a low voice. But for some reason, seeing her perform like a fool gave him a bit of entertainment. 

Should he play along?

Meanwhile, the guard leader who went out failed to return, making his companions worry. They gathered together holding torches to search for him outside the camp. The first thing they checked was the tree where the hunter was resting. 

The person appears to be sleeping and has no care in the world. 

The brigands laughed and kicked his feet, "Oi, get up." 

A grunt was all they heard.

"Dumb fucker, are you deaf or what?"

"Get up before we get bored." 

No reply. 

Another man took out his sword, "Let's try something that will easily convince him." Without a word, he flicked the blade on the man's stomach opening a deep hideous gash.

The person still failed to get up, instead a more violent grunting was heard. "Eeeeeeuuuurrrrghhhh!!!" 

"Huh?" The brigands looked at each other. Something's not right.

Someone grabbed his collar and pulled him up, "Hey—" 

"Hii~ it's, it's the leader!"

"What did you say…?

"Brother!" A man holding a small ax shouted and pushed in between men holding the bleeding person. 

The pale face of their superior was seen under the firelight. Blood poured from his wounds wetting the ground. 

"Shit! He's dying."

"Who told you to stab him?!" The brother caught the culprit and smacked him in the face.

"Wait, don't fight. Find that damn hunter. It must be his doing!" 

"Find him!" 

"Kill him!" 

They scrambled back to the camp but the place also fell into a panic. Two tents are burning, the horses escape running about trampling the people inside…

"The slaves escaped!" 

"Secure the lord. Hurry!"  

Flying sparks from the towering fire scattered in the camp burning anything it touches. The brigands and the soldiers alike splashed water from the river but it was a useless effort as the fire continued to grow. The shouts of burning people rose through the panicked screams. 

The red-orange flame continues to bloom brighter against the dark skies. Fighting it was hopeless. The soldiers saved anything they could and rushed to escape the burning prairie, if this continues it might reach the forest and make an even bigger disaster. 

 

Diwa was still unable to believe that she escaped the hellish place. She sat on the cold ground above the hill looking at the burning camp with wide bewildered eyes. It wasn't even an hour ago that Fava unlocked her cage and pulled her out to be whipped. She tried to fight him but the binds made her even more miserable. She thought she was done for sure when another guard came and helped her. 

"Have you calmed down?" Kanon asked while taking off the cumbersome clothes he 'borrowed' from the bandit leader. 

Diwa identified him as the guard who kept looking at her face earlier. "W-Who are you?!" She demanded defensively. 

Nerves strung tight, erratic eyes and tensed awkward posture. Kanon knew that if he pressed for a suggestion to leave, it would only agitate her even more so he did not make any moves that may further cause alarm. 

"I was sent to investigate the nobleman who owned the illegal caravan below," he replied simply. Owing to his poker face, he appeared to be quite cold on the surface. 

"Him?" 

Kanon nodded. "I happened to stumble upon that person when I was at the port. I followed him from the auction house to here." 

"Why did you take us? You could have just… left us there." 

He did not reply quickly. Instead, Kanon looked at the fire in the prairie with disinterest. "There are people searching for their abducted relatives. I don't know which of you is the missing person."

Sounds credible enough. He made it appear that he only saved her in passing. Kanon just hoped the girl stopped looking at him as though he was about to pounce on her. 

Diwa gripped her hands together. She couldn't trust him yet. Not when she knew who he really was. At her current state, she can no longer foolishly believe someone. 

"If you have calmed down, I will now take my leave." Kanon did not even spare her another glance and walked to the side of the tree. 

She was taken aback. Just like that? After all, he'd done to damage the caravan?

"If you walk onward the river for a couple of hours you will reach the nearest town." Kanon discarded the bandit's clothes on the side and prepared to depart. 

He is leaving them here with nothing at all?! He did not even ask any of the girls who were captured along with her to come when he took time to set them free as well. 

What's with this person? 

"Wa..wait!" She called, taking a small step forward. 

Kanon had a puzzled face, "Is there anything else you need?"

Her mouth felt dry. Diwa felt embarrassed to keep on asking him. He made it clear through his gestures that he had no interest in them whatsoever but she couldn't rest easy. She felt conflicted somehow. 

She told herself not to trust another person but here she is again. 

 

Ayan looked at the dazzling gathering ahead and got her eyes pricked. Social parties are as tedious as their modern counterparts. If not for the possibility of acquiring an antidote for Clayton's curse, she wouldn't be here. The men retreated to the private room to share bottles of good wine, cigars and a few card games. Whereas ladies secretly peered around the hall looking at the list of gents on their dance cards. Young buds are accompanied by either their mothers or chaperones.

It was said to be the most anticipated party in Arpeggio. Clayton kissed her cold cheek and murmured, "If you do not feel up to it we can say you tripped in those heels and got your ankles swollen."

She was drinking sweet red wine and almost sprayed it on his face when her dear husband suggested they make up such a shallow lie.

"What if someone asks to let me show my feet?"

"Who dares?" He said with a definite chill.

Those dainty little feet belong only to him, so is its delectable owner. Ayan suspects he would chop any claws that would bravely try. Including women. 

"I don’t really like gatherings myself but since we were invited by Madam Guildford we should oblige. She personally extended an invite, after all." She said, patting his arm. "Do me a favour and play a game of cards or something. Perhaps it wouldn't be too boring when you play with Lord Morrigan, I saw him enter the private room." 

His eyes clouded, "I want to stay beside you."

He heard her chuckle. "Lord Rozenberg is not afraid of becoming fodder for the gossip mill tomorrow?"

"We have been keeping the gossip mill churning since we arrived in this city, adding more won’t make it crash." Clayton shrugged, boldly gazing at her.

At home, his wife wore simple clothes when attending to their children. Those tykes are getting in his way of getting intimate with his lady lately. Now that she’s all groomed, decked in a fancy lavender lace and silks, overflowing with her very own sweet fragrance. It was a miracle he hasn’t made an embarrassment of himself by dragging her to the nearest vacant room.   

He is very much tempted to tear that pretty gown to shreds, back her on the wall and thoroughly ravish the beauty until she’s dizzy and panting.

"Clayton!" Ayan admonished when his evil paws crawled up dangerously close to her breast.

Clayton was scolded like a child. He shrunk pitifully while inwardly complaining that it has been too long indeed since they had sex. Ayan saw through his thoughts and stepped on his foot.

"Be nice, alright?" She soothed while pretending to fix his cravat and suit. "What do you say we swing by that old farmhouse later?"

The droopy ears he had instantly perked up. His wife personally suggested a tryst. The sad wolf pup was more than delighted to know there is going to be meat to eat tonight. With that promise to look forward to, he went to the drawing-room in search of Lachlan to pretend to play a few games and mingle with other men to kill time.

Ayan was left blushing, embarrassed to her toes. Sure enough, he'd revert to his old habit once given a little sweetness. But she did sympathize with her husband. The children complained that he took her out often and left them in the house, thus every night they would march into their room armed with blankets and pillows squeezing in between them to sleep.

She gave herself a mental shake. Let's find a remedy to that later.  

Today's event is hosted by Madam Guildford, a well-known businesswoman. There was news going around the gentry that the leader of Thorns is the renowned young commander Clayton Rozenberg. As the one with enough authority in this city, Madam Guildford undertook the task of throwing a soiree and invited the said man. 

Many had been anticipating his gallant appearance. From young ladies to older women who have heard not only of his achievements and unrivalled strength but also his elegant countenance, everyone anticipated his presence in bated breaths. 

However, as few of them had personally met the man himself, they kept their eyes peeled at the entrance and failed to see the young commander who had appeared much earlier than they thought. None was aware that the person who entered earlier with the redhead beauty in his arms was the very person they were looking for. 

Ayan walked along the oaked panel walls and enjoyed the landscape painting adorning them. 

[Coco, if my hunch is correct, the item I was looking for is owned by Madam Guildford.]

[According to the book it is indeed here.] Coco replied. 

She walked a little further to the gallery where a handful of armours, books and decorative items were on display. 

[Now my problem is how are we able to retrieve it without raising suspicion?] She said wearily. 

[That's easy, send us out and we will search the whole house for you.] Red suggested. 

She sighed and gave the cheerful fairy a small pat on the head. [I can't do that, Madam Guildford may appear a normal businesswoman on the surface but… the truth is she is also an avid collector of unusual things.]

One of her prized collections as she had proudly bragged about in her private circle of friends is the remains of a fairy inside an amber. An item she bid at a sky-high price in Purple Ballerina. Ayan was not sure how the auction house found that body, but she will not risk sending her fairies to the predator's den.

"Ahhhh!" 

The scream came from the garden below the balcony. Ayan walked briskly onwards. 

[Demon!] 

The fairies yelled at the same time when they saw a man shrouded by black mist. 

[Demon?] She looked at the collapsed girl on the pavement, [What is going on?] 

The demon noticed her the moment she came out of the gallery and changed his target to her.

[The man appears to be possessed. Stay away from him Ayan!] Old White and the fairies jumped out to protect her. 

The six assumed human sizes to be able to have better mobility, their sudden change caught her by surprise. Unlike his former human self, the demon had already distorted his appearance with two small horns coming out of his forehead and the glow of eerie green in his eyes. Thick twisted muscles broke out from his clothing tearing it from the seams.  

"Hrrrrraaaaaaaaaa!" It roared in frenzy after sniffing an enticing scent in the air. 

Red took a defensive stance, [It's only a lesser demon but the fact that it possessed a person so that it could creep in here without our notice is very dangerous.]

Coco agreed, [We don't know what it's after…]

The demon left the girl, two scrawny wings emerged from his back as he made a dash towards Ayan with slobber, "Teysh… teyshti fey~ ri…" 

His eyes filled with greed, raising his claws, he aimed for her neck. 

"Heh," Red was infuriated, "Lowly worm, you dare!" 

The red fairy's hair danced in the air wildly. She faced the demon and commanded [Penance Flame].

"Oh, this is bad…" Old White rubbed his beard. Among the six of them, Red had the most volatile temper. She will not stop unless her anger dissipates. 

The ugly creature was rendered immobile inside a magic circle, and with Red's sadistic smile she snapped her fingers lighting him up. The flame surged in a captivating blue colour made only of pure mana. It created an endless tower of light that pierced through the skies and made the surroundings feel heavy.

The demon howled as the flames lapped on his wings and inflicted him unbearable pain.

"Humph. Dare to raise your dirty claws to Ayan? I'll shove you back to purgatory!" 

Before he could fully mutate into his true form, the demon, regrettably, met his end. The demon abandoned the human body but the blaze continued to eat him. He squirmed futilely like a moth after it was singed with fire and was pitifully reduced to dust. 

"It's over." The fairies said with obvious relief on their tight faces. 

The sky returned to its darkened state and the surrounding resumed its silence. 

Coco quickly dragged Red back and gave her a good swat in the head. "That was overboard!"

"Boo, he deserved it." She snorted looking at the unconscious unknown man lying on the ground with a battered look. "This one is a weakling."

"He is human," Coco said flatly. 

"No wonder he was possessed, he must have harboured dark desires." 

Coco was about to knock her head again.  

"Alright, stop fighting you two," Ayan mediated. "All of us did not expect this to happen. I believe Red was only carried away by her emotions. She will not do it again." While saying so she gave the errant fairy a pointed look. 

Red bowed her head but slyly smirked at her siblings. 

Old White said none but the three younger ones Blue, Yellow and Green shot Red with suspicious eyes. Considering her temper it's likely that she repeats it as she always did with the previous ones. 

Strange, the display was loud and bright enough to disturb the whole city yet none came even as Ayan waited. 

"I had the place isolated as soon as you stepped in," Coco explained her thoughts. "Only a few people can see the fluctuations of mana in the air but we still have to take measures just in case. We don't know who could be watching out there." 

"Thank you, everyone." She said relieved. This was an unexpected encounter, although she had known that demons exist, what is the chance of meeting one in this most unlikely place… 

Hm, wait. 

She turned to the fairies, "Remember the item we were looking for?" 

Their interest was piqued. 

"I hate to trouble you in this but, will you help me investigate Madam Guildford's house?"

"No need to mention it milady, this is what we were originally assigned for." Old White smiled gently. 

"Don't worry Ayan," Coco said. "The six of us can easily accomplish this task without alerting anyone. We can go in and out of this house with no one noticing."

"Rely on us Ayan," Blue begged cutely. "As the master of the Fairy Ring we are supposed to look after you but instead it was you who often worried about us."

"Yes, tell her that so she remembers." Red butted in. 

"Right, right," Yellow echoed. "This is unbecoming of a contracted spirit to be always nestled in the arms of their contractor, our purpose is to keep you safe and lend you our powers."    

But as it turns out, the fairies were kept safely inside the ring. Coco looked at his brothers and sisters with a helpless look, it was true that Ayan might have indulged them a little too much. 

"This Guildford is very suspicious. I can smell something fishy." Red looked at the mansion with narrowed eyes. 

"Hohoho~" Old White chuckled whilst rubbing his goatee. "First off, let's take care of the scene." 

The nearly forgotten fainted girl was lifted by Green using a cluster of vines. He placed her on the garden bench to recover. The girl who was believed to be unconscious peered through the seams of her eyelids nervously. She had been awake this whole time witnessing the horror of these people beating the demon. 

Will they hurt her when they found out she was awake? She regretted it so much that she followed that man in the back garden. He said he was willing to take her in as a mistress. How would she know that he was possessed? She trembled in fear. Then she was lifted from the cold ground to the stone seat beside the fountain. The girl relaxed, in any case, these people wouldn't pay her any mind. She is just a daughter of a merchant, not a nobility, not even a gentry. 

She saw the woman who came, she wore a very fine piece of clothing and jewellery, she must be a noble. But why does she have such wicked people with her? She tried to take a peek again. Why, isn't this the lady everyone was whispering about in the hall? 

If she told Madam Guildford about her, perhaps she might consider doing business…

Suddenly, a cold and hard thing crept and circled her neck making the girl choke and gasp greedily for air. Her eyes opened in reflex as they watered from pain and lack of oxygen. 

"Urrrgh.. haa..."

The moment her sights cleared she saw an incredibly handsome man in a green robe gazing down at her with an unfathomable expression. Those unfeeling light green eyes flooded her with fear. 

Green leaned down next to her ear and whispered silkily. "I could have let you go if only you did not emit such foul stench against my master." 

The girl felt the strength leave her body. Before she fainted for good, she heard him say. 

"You will remember nothing when you open those eyes again."   

Red's impatient voice rang, "Will you hurry it up, Green? We are all waiting for you. Ayan agreed that we search the house!" 



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