The Devil’s Cage

When Mary pushed open the door, Kieran knew that his guesses were correct after seeing inside the room.

It was an average sized room. There was a 2-3 meters tall, 5 meters wide wall of books that blocked the whole wall on the left. On the right was a low tea table with an empty rack behind.

Based on the rack’s design, it should be a rack that stored swords, but it was empty at the moment.

Directly opposite Kieran was a study table, also average sized. It was a facing the door and backing the window behind it on the wall.

The chair was tucked inside the table, revealing only the chair shoulder.

Moonlight shone through the window, casting a layer of silver dust on the floor. The moonlight also revealed an obvious sword mark on the floor. The sword mark extended from the door to to the window, at least a dozen meters long and with the depth enough to insert a palm.

”What a sharp sword slash!”

Kieran squatted down and placed his palm inside the slash mark before he exclaimed lightly.

He was quite familiar with such a slash mark because his [Blade Kick] could cause a similar mark but couldn’t reach such a length.

”This slash started from inside the room until…”

Kieran followed the mark to the window.

The slash mark near the window was a little bit scattered; even the floor under the window was cracked slightly, far less straight compared to the starting point.

Based on his experience, there were only two reasons for such a scattered-end slash.

First was the lack of power; the person might not be familiar with such a technique, similar to Kieran when he first mastered [Blade Kick].

Second was that an accident happened and the user retracted the slash all of a sudden.

The sharpness and straightness of the slash mark from the start signified that the person was very familiar with its techniques, therefore leaving only the second option.

”Not only did the person retract his sword abruptly, the person also suffered from a counterforce from his slash and was pinned down by others with a sword behind the door?”

Kieran went back to the origin point of the sword slash and discovered some blood stains and a stab mark of a sword a couple inches deep behind the door.

The stab mark was extremely narrow, it should have originated from a rapier or a thin sword.

Kieran activated [Tracking] once more and swept the room clean. After confirming that he didn’t miss out anything, he turned back to Mary.

”This is where your mother was killed?” He asked.

Previously when Mary mentioned she had inherited the title of ”Swusters Castle owner” from her mother, Kieran had guessed that her mother was killed. Just that Kieran hadn’t thought that Mary’s mother had quite the strength.

Judging from the scene in the room, it was Mary’s mother who slashed out that straight slash mark. However, it was a pity that her target came prepared, used tricks out his sleeves and directly turned the tide around; more precisely, he took the easier route to victory.

Even though Mary’s mother suffered from the counterforce and absence of mind, but her target pinned her down with one strike that traveled a dozen meters. Surely, it wasn’t from some common assassin.

”Interesting!”

A lady owner of a castle that possessed formidable strength, an assassin that came prepared, plus the imperial envoy that carried the king’s secret order. Everything led Kieran to uncontrollably speculate their relationship.

Of course, his speculations didn’t stop him from listening to Mary’s words seriously.

”Yes, this is where my mother was killed!”

Mary nodded, trying hard to hold her sorrow back and explained what she knew with all the calmness that she could muster.

”Mother used to study here a lot during the night. She was studying here that night as well. After I went to bed, mother came here to continue her studies and didn’t return to her chambers the whole night. It was unusual but not the first time, so I didn’t think much of it after I woke up, until…”

Although Mary tried her best holding back her emotions but when she spoke of her mother, her voice was still wobbling slightly.

Kieran wanted to comfort the little girl, but he didn’t know what to say. It was better for him to remain silent.

After a few seconds, Mary spoke again.

”During breakfast, Galeart and I headed towards the mess hall, but mother didn’t appear. When I felt something was wrong, Galeart and I came here and found mother pinned behind the door, without any signs of life.” Mary spoke like she was telling someone else’s story.

In Kieran’s eyes, Mary’s current look could make one feel even more mournful compared to the previous slight sobs.

As an orphan himself, he didn’t know what parental love was but he knew it was a terrible feeling if Mary had her mother’s love and it was robbed from her.

”Do you know where your mother’s sword is? And what was she reading on the study table at that time?” Kieran pointed at the empty study table, which held nothing besides a blank piece of paper and a feather pen.

Kierna spoke very quickly; he wanted to get rid of the gloomy atmosphere.

”No! Other than burying my mother, I didn’t touch anything in this room. This room has remained as it is since the night my mother was killed!” The little girl shook her head.

”A missing sword, a missing book and a missing order…”

Kieran muttered to himself before he suddenly stopped.

If the sword was missing, it might mean the sword might be uncommon or held other meanings.

If books or letters were missing, there would be only one explanation: the contents that was written.

Based on the situation before his eyes, it made Kieran unconsciously think of the previous owner of Swusters castle and how she communicated with the king’s envoy, through letters!

”Before this, I remember I asked you, how did your mother know the imperial envoy was missing? Were they communicating through letters?” Kieran looked at Mary and asked.

”Yes! They were communicating through letters, but every time mother finished reading the letter, she would burn it herself! Based on what I know, mother wouldn’t write down what she burnt, so the thing missing on the table shouldn’t be the letter!” Mary said.

”Is that so?” Kieran muttered.

Mary’s mother was very vigilant; such a character should not fall easily into enemy’s hand.

”Do you know the contents of the letter?” Kieran continued.

”A little! That imperial envoy made an appointment to meet with my mother in Tita Town in the letters, but he didn’t appear on time, which made my mother worried. So she contacted some of her friends, including requesting your aid!”

Mary then looked at Kieran while speaking.

Kieran was young himself. The little girl suspected him and wondered how he befriended her mother.

”Your mother’s prediction was right! And she was killed here! The assassin who killed her should know her very well and was well-prepared. Not only did the assassin kill her silently but also caught the chance to deliver a fatal blow!”

Kieran couldn’t answer the little girl’s doubt about him, so he diverted the topic back to the little girl’s aid.

”So, the assassin who killed her should be an acquaintance or friend!” Kieran emphasized.

”Is that so?” Mary lowered her head, her thoughts unknown.

”Although I don’t want to interrupt, but I need to remind you that we should leave this place immediately. The assassin just now was not the last, but the first of many!”

Kieran tapped the little girl’s shoulder; he did not wish to see the sorrowful expression.

”Where are we heading?” The little girl asked with a vacant expression.

”Tita Town!” Kieran said in a resolute and decisive tone.

There were too many questionable points at the little town, including the imperial envoy himself.