The Devil’s Cage

”It’s been a while, Elli!”

As if Kieran didn’t notice the unusual gaze between Ohara and Elli, he walked forth and greeted the young lass with a smile. He also greeted the two elders behind her with respect as well.

”Master Charles, Simones.”

Both of them were actually teachers to Kieran although Kieran didn’t address Simones as master, it was a fact that he thought Kieran potionology in the past.

”It really has been a while 2567!” Simones replied with the pipe in his mouth.

Charles, on the other hand, was examining Kieran carefully, eventually, he noticed Kieran’s left hand under his glove. After a couple seconds, the elder alchemy master nodded with a laugh.

”I see! This is great! Better than I expected!”

No doubt Charles had extraordinary senses towards the fiery spell that he created himself, Kieran also didn’t conceal his achievement before his master as well.

He took off his glove and started to discuss with his master softly. Simones was smoking his pipe and listening aside, but his eyes couldn’t help but look at Elli and Ohara.

The young lass and the lady were staring at each other, refusing to give in.

”You are Elli Jones?” The Archdeacon said with her imposing tone, looking down at the young lass.

”Har? Who is this aunty here?” Elli refuted without showing any weakness.

”It doesn’t matter who am I! The important thing is, you better stay away from 2567, that is the best advice I have for you!”

Ohara’s face went stiff for a while when her age was mentioned but quickly returned to her delicate expression and gave Elli a smile.

”Why do I think you are the one who needs to stay away from him?” Elli refuted back with a crossed arm.

”You are comparing your shallow relationship with my profound feelings for him?”

Ohara remained smiley but her voice turned cold.

”That was a few decades ago, are you sure 2567 still remembers you? Or do you think he is closer to you or closer to me now?” Elli grunted coldly directly.

”If you already knew the arrangements of fate, you should compromise with it!”

Ohara hide her smile, her tone became stern and even her temperament turned into something threatening.

”Compromise? I can’t find that word anywhere in my dictionary! 2567 was never a person who compromises!”

Elli returned a smile to Ohara when she became threatening, Elli took a step forward without any hesitation, lifted her head up with her nose standing tall and said, ”Wanna have a go at it? I’ll be happy to accompany! When I heard that 2567 had awakened his reincarnated soul because of some old lady, the disgusting news had been troubling me for a while, I can’t wait to throw such a shameless b***h into the sea!”

Elli said while she took out the tied up carpet back in Nikorei’s study room.

”Humph! A wild stray cat being so cocky, lurking around 2567 when he hasn’t awakened his memories, and you’ve brought the thing of the person I hated the most!”

Ohara’s Sanctuary Force started to gather up at her fist.

Although Kieran wanted to pretend he didn’t see anything when Elli and Ohara were really going to fight, his brows furrowed hard yet he didn’t stop them but turned around and walked away.

Kieran knew the young lass quite well since the first encounter and even though he didn’t spend too much time with Ohara, he could say he had a certain level of understanding as well.

Both of the ladies weren’t the type of people that could be simply persuaded with words.

With their unyielding attitude and persistence, any persuasion would turn into oil being poured into a burning fire, especially when Kieran decided to step in and interfere.

So Kieran chose to leave.

Charles and Simones were stunned by Kieran’s move but when they saw that Elli and Ohara stopped arguing and quickly give chase to Kieran, both elders looked at each other with an astonished gaze. They gave a big thumbs up to the direction where Kieran was heading.

...

Wine Glass Inn, Lons Port.

The owner of the inn was also from the mystical realm received Kieran when he walked in.

”Welcome dear sir, if you have any orders or demands, please press the bell!”

The owner then quickly left Kieran’s sight. Panic was showing on his face, it was obvious the title Bird of Death has come into play.

Kieran wasn’t concerned about those who misunderstood him, he glanced over the luggage in the room and turned to Elli and the others.

”We’ve been waiting for you here for three days!”

The young lass said before Kieran even asked.

”Why?” Kieran quickly noticed something was wrong.

”Something bad has happened at Ciaran City. Three days ago in the night, the whole city was shrouded with negative energy, lots of civilians died and those alchemy enforcers were roaming the streets. If it wasn’t verified information, we would’ve thought the Blood Moon’s power deflected and shed its light on Ciaran City. Though, you can say it’s a reenactment as well. Those raging alchemy warriors and the Blood Moon were identical to the books, maybe even stronger than the previous version. Even that Sanctuary Holy Knight and the Archdeacons had their hands tied!” Elli then purposely threw a mocking gaze at Ohara.

Ohara wasn’t agitated at all, she stayed beside Kieran calmly and acted like Kieran was in-charged. Her observations were enough to let her understand what kind of attitude she had to put up in order for Kieran to not hate her now.

Elli, however, was blind to that. The young lass seemed delighted as if she won a battle.

After another quick glance at Ohara, she continued, ”The West Coast Government had sent out armies, many of the mystics headed towards Ciaran City as well but none of them bore any results. The negative energy prevented the majority from advancing. Fortunately, the negative energy field didn’t expand further. While all that was happening, someone bear news that 2567 you’ve agreed to explore Ciaran City on behalf of the Sanctuary.”

The young lass glanced at Ohara once more with a fierce gaze.

”Three days ago? Shrouded by negative energy?” Kieran slightly frowned.

It was the same day that The Coral was under attack from the enemies, which allowed him to relate to it more.

The negative energy attack was within Kieran’s expectation as well. After all, according to Ohara’s description, the best way to restraint the Sanctuary Force was to use high-density negative energy to counter the positive energy.

Maybe there will be some changes in various spots but the basics would remain the same.

However, Barry dragging the whole of Ciaran City down was certainly out of Kieran’s expectations.

”Has the loss driven him insane, trying to gamble without caring about the consequences? Or he has some other accomplices with him, trying to wait for the Sanctuary to fall into their trap?” Kieran guessed.

Regardless of which perspective to the current situation, it certainly didn’t seem Barry alone could pull out such feat.

While looking at Kieran thinking about the matter, Elli was worried, trying to persuade him.

”The danger level of that place is beyond imagination, according to some of those who snuck in, Ciaran City has become a living hell on earth, so no way you are allowed to go there!” The young lass strengthened her tone, emphasizing the danger.

Simones and Charles kept quiet but the fact that both of them appeared at Lons Port with Elli had said it all. However, the most surprising answer came from Ohara.

”I’ll support any decision you make, 2567.” She said with a soft smile.

Elli skipped a breath, she sensed danger beyond her imagination coming from that lady.

Elli would never have thought Ohara would give up her stand in the matter and follow Kieran to such extent. It made the young lass gaze towards the lady even more unfriendly.

Ohara, on the other hand, remained smiling.

Soon enough, when a series of footsteps sounded following by a tall figure coming in the room after a knock, Ohara’s smile suddenly turned unnatural, or in other words, she wasn’t as confident as before.