The Devil’s Cage

Charter was unable to hold back his urge to leave the study room and when he finally did, he tumbled away clumsily.

The panic and terrified expression on his face added a sense of ridicule to Anne Aldrich Augen’s face when she returned to the room.

“Have a safe trip home!”

When Anne Aldrich Augen sent her malicious goodbyes to Charter, he left even quicker as if he was chased by a ferocious beast.

Anne Aldrich Augen couldn’t hold back her laughs when she saw the scene. She then turned to Kieran who was baffled by it.

“Are you wondering why a mobile squad captain directly under the Union Minister is such a coward?”

Kieran nodded without denying it.

The conversation between him and Charter before went smoothly, to the point that it surprised him.

Kieran didn’t even utilize any interrogation techniques, after a simple threat, Charter didn’t only spill out the secrets of the specifics regarding the Griffin Medal in delight, he even agreed to delay the time of their trade after Kieran had verified the Griffin Medal.

Both Kieran and Charter knew what “delay the trade” meant.

If Kieran didn’t make sure of Charter’s identity and confirm that he was really scared, Kieran might think it was a trap specifically targeting him but he wasn’t able to discard the doubts in his heart.

“Power and pleasure are the best drugs! They will corrupt an upright man’s heart, let alone those bastards who chose the easy way,” Anne Aldrich Augen said lightly.

Her face was absent of any expression when she said that but soon she had a dash of a smile on her face again.

“Come, I’ve prepared some food personally… I hope you’ll like it!” She said.

“Hope I’ll like it?” Kieran raised a brow.

He obviously felt Anne Aldrich Augen was changing the topic but he didn’t want to press the matter further.

All he needed to know was that Anne Aldrich Augen didn’t lie to him.

As for her cooking skills, Kieran didn’t have much hope for it.

A lady who spent more of her time and energy in beautifying herself and makeup had good cooking skills?

Stop joking, this isn’t a scene from some novel.

…

During the next day when the first light shone through the sky, the whole of Edland City woke up earlier than usual.

Even though the celebration parade only started at 10 in the morning, the colored strips and colorful balloons were already put up as decorations in front of shops.

The people on the streets had more smiles than usual, especially when the people knew the state government had declared the day as a public holiday, the smiles were much more genuine.

Chelsea the secretary was driving while Anne Aldrich Augen looked through the car window, seeing the smiles on the people’s face.

“What a bunch of easily satisfied people,” she said softly with a complicated tone, it was a mix between envy and mockery.

However, Kieran sitting opposite her was looking very ugly.

His stomach was still twitching.

Although he had expected Anne Aldrich Augen’s cooking wouldn’t be much, he never thought it would be so bad, to the point that the food could be considered as poison! The very toxic kind!

Even his SS- Constitution couldn’t take it in and if any common man ate it, they would surely die.

“What?” Anne Aldrich Augen looked curiously at Kieran’s ugly face.

“Please step away from the kitchen from now on, your talents aren’t there,” Kieran said softly.

“But you did finish the food last night, right?” Anne Aldrich Augen was stunned.

“That is the basic respect I have for food. Believe me, if we don’t know each other and were unrelated, you would already be dead. I don’t have any opinions if you mix chili and salt in roasting meat but please don’t mix salt and sugar with soda and baking powder! Chili sauce and tomato sauce have a distinctive difference!”

“And please next time when you choose the meat to roast, pick something from the common meats like beef or mutton, I don’t even mind chicken or pork but again, please keep frogs, lizards, and spiders on your special menu,” Kieran said slowly with a dying tone.

“Is that so?” Anne Aldrich Augen looked at Kieran with a doubtful face.

She thought Kieran was lying to her.

One needed to know, Anne Aldrich Augen had meticulously prepared the food that distinguished her from at general cook last night and based on the information she researched, such foods were good for recovering stamina and wounds.

“I’ll give you another suggestion, every time you finish cooking, please try it yourself first.”

Kieran then closed his eyes without further intentions of talking.

Anne Aldrich Augen frowned though, she was recalling the smell of the food she cooked last night.

It felt very similar to her! It must be Kieran trying to nitpick!

She was worried that Kieran wouldn’t have enough to eat, thus she didn’t take a bite!

Hmph!

Anne Aldrich Augen grunted coldly and turned her head away arrogantly.

Chelsea in the driver seat had her shoulders trembling.

“I’m sorry, I really don’t want to laugh but I can’t hold myself back!”

Chelsea apologized repeatedly in her heart and in order to express her apologies, she drove the car quicker and steadier.

Over ten minutes later, the car arrived at Dandon Church’s station.

The car had to stop before truly reaching the Dandon Cathedral because the welcoming parties from Dandon were in front of them.

A group of friars in neat friar’s outfit, holding horns and drums in their hands.

Wuuuu! Wuuuu!

Dong Dong Dong Dong!

The moment the car stopped, the long and boundless horns sounded, followed by sky-shaking battle drums.

The two different sounds intertwined continuously. From the fierce beats similar to an actual charge on the battlefield to the triumphant melodious rhythm, there wasn’t a single bit of delay.

When Kieran came out from the car, cheers sounded.

“Welcome, Sir 2567 the Eagle Knight!”

The cheers sounded en masse, not only did the cheers come from the friars but also the residences around the area, or more precisely, the believers.

Kieran was a little overwhelmed by the reception.

He pictured the ritual in the morning would be carried out in a quiet and solemn place, he didn’t expect the situation would turn into what he saw.

Immediately, Kieran saluted a knight’s salutation at Sister Liz, Sister Grittel and Father Rayman who were smiling from afar.

He knew his allies had supported him along the way.

The three high clergies of Dandon too returned a bow to Kieran together.

Then, the four of them looked towards the stairs before the Dandon Cathedral together.

Rodney, Iona, and Dan in their Knight outfits had been waiting for a while.

The three Knights had slight embarrassments and awkwardness on their faces.

Especially the young Dan with a double identity, he turned around and looked at the three figures concealing themselves in black hoods and mantles in the crowd.

Dan’s face even gave out a sense of anger.

“The performance is perfect!”

Kieran commented in his heart and turned towards the trio who dressed mysteriously.

No doubt the trio were the so-called arbiters and when Kieran sized them up, the three arbiters let out a weird laugh that sounded heavy and sinister.

Then, a wicked aura charged at Kieran in an imposing manner.

Right away, Kieran revealed a cold smile with his mouth.