The Devil’s Cage

Beside the road leading to the outskirts of Eiders, a three storey building with a garden was being built.

Lagren, who was forced to take charge of inspecting the progress, stood under the sun with his arms on his waist, feeling the warmth of the sunlight. He felt even less energetic than ever and yawned from time to time.

A night person could never get used to the sun. Moreover, this particular night person hadn’t truly rested for the past few days.

However, Lagren didn’t do his job sloppily because of his condition. Quite the opposite, as he showed to be very meticulous in parts that required serious attention, even going as far as to increasing the defensive structure in the blueprints for some parts of the building.

He knew what this building would become once it finished: a welfare home.

It was a welfare home in name, but in actuality, a new home for Smith and the little girls. Of course, Saya’s mother would also move in as soon as possible. Similarly, the other homeless children would also be welcomed here.

The land that the building was being built upon was authorized by the new mayor, Wier. No connections to the Monster Hunter headquarters were used in this project, but Lagren knew, as long as Smith the hybrid was still around, it would be quite difficult for the place to quiet down.

Lagren knew what Smith was up to everyday when he snuck out through the shadows, and so did Mayor Wier.

Whenever darkness descended over the city, there would always be some bastards with a few ill thoughts lurking around.

There were monsters, and also humans.

The latter’s ratio, however, would always exceed one’s expectation.

Were humans inherently born evil?

No.

Evil was enlarged infinitely by the special environment and one’s mental state.

So, are they innocent? Not quite.

Those kind of people, in such a special environment and with a conflicted mind, would not be missed even if they were executed.

But…

Lagren looked at Saya and the other little girls. His face showed to be worried.

He was worried that these little girls might get involved nonetheless.

Ask Smith to leave them?

What a joke. That thing D gave to the little girls only helped them sleep better; it wouldn’t allow them to live without a guardian.

One could not be forceful in such matters, all it required was time and letting nature take its course.

If it were forced, the results would rebound.

Likewise, allowing the girls to undergo training wouldn’t solve the root of the problems either.

It may solve worries for some time, but in the long run, the outcome would be anything but beneficial.

The life of a Monster Hunter wasn’t a joke. The occupational hazard would really kill!

With many past experiences, Lagren realized this was an unsolvable problem.

Sigh.

Lagren looked at Mier, who stood very energetically in the shadows.

She had successfully received D’s teachings recently, and no doubt, the teachings were extremely effective.

At least, Mier’s undercover techniques and hiding from plain sight were improving with exponential speed.

But becoming a real Monster Hunter?

She still had a long way to go.

“If she can be taught properly, Mier might become a decent… Hmmm. What does a young lady’s matters have to do with me?”

His rich experience allowed him to see some obvious changes in the lady; an old man like him has no intention of participating in her matters.

However, sometimes, things always go against one’s will.

Lagren didn’t want to be involved, but Mier treated him as her teacher in her current stage of life.

“Can Monster Hunters get married?” Mier asked, anticipation in her gaze when she walked up to Lagren.

“Monster Hunters aren’t apostles, so why can’t they get married? You’ve collected so much information about the job, but you don’t know this?”

Lagren couldn’t help but turn a white eye at Mier, knowing what she wanted to do.

“Collected information is not always correct. I needed confirmation. And… you really don’t plan to teach Saya and the girls?”

Mier smiled and shifted the topic.

Mier felt sympathy for the girls.

God knows what the six little girls experienced in the Blood Kin ‘restaurant’. If it were possible, she hoped the girls would never have to go through another similar experience.

But living in a world where monsters lurked in the dark, how could that be possible?

“I… don’t know.”

Lagren wanted to reject the idea, but when the words reached his tongue, he couldn’t say them aloud.

Don’t know. I really don’t know, I am not evading.

Thoughts baffled Lagren’s mind, and Mier couldn’t help but shrug when she saw his confused face.

In the eyes of Mier, who was a Monster Hunter on reserve, the young lady didn’t even have to think about it.

Her admiration for Monster Hunters had weakened every element in her life, including the lethal kind.

Dreams are always beautiful, aren’t they?

Maybe someday when she learned the harshness of reality, she would ponder over the question about whether or not her dreams were good enough for her at first.

Of course, there was a high chance that she would press on with perseverance.

It wasn’t about good virtues or anything, but after having made so many efforts, stopping halfway was really not worth it.

Her efforts would have all been in vain.

The world is only interesting and colourful because of all these ‘not worth its’, becoming less hateful of a place.

Mier, with a vigorous look, watched the little girls sit quietly in the safety zone beside the construction. She said, “No one has the right to choose their lives for them. I think you should ask them about their future, what kind of life they want. Protected and normal? Or protected and without regrets?”

Lagren looked at Mier in shock. He never thought the young, reckless Mier would say something like this.

“People change, right…? Fine, I’ll admit it. I read a lot of books to persuade D, but none of them were useful. D said that he taught me only because of the promise he made. But I can’t throw everything I read into the trash, right? So I’ll try my best to tell others the result of my hard work.” The Monster Hunter on reserve clenched her fists.

Under the streams of sunlight, she would have given off an energetic, youthful feeling if her words weren’t so blunt.

“You should tell Wier what you just said. He would be delighted.”

Lagren then headed over to the little girls.

He looked down on what Mier said.

What deciding your life with your own hands? What ‘no one having the right to change it’?

The people who said such things were immature themselves; they had been influenced by others from the moment they were born.

From parents, to teachers, to friends and lovers.

These influences were everywhere. You may not notice, but your personality and views were already influenced long ago.

Just like Lagren, although he treated Mier’s words with disdain, he still took the suggestion and asked the girls. At least, it seemed fair.

Watching Lagren’s retreating back, Mier re-entered her training state once she thought she had successfully persuaded him.

She didn’t care to find out about the little girls’ decisions because, in her mind, their lives were decided the moment the girls came to her for help.

The construction site was busy, noisy and merry.

Kieran stood in the shadows further away and watched over the scene.

A while later, he quietly bade farewell to these people.

Saying goodbye face to face?

Kieran wasn’t used to such scenes, especially now when he was carrying pieces of baggage that were the height of two men; he would have a lot explain of explaining to do.

Rather than spending his efforts on explaining, might as well not do it at all.

Kieran grabbed the stuff wrapped in a big cloth over his shoulder.

At the next moment, his figure vanished.