Twisted Belief

Back to the time before the explosion in front of Millard's residence occurred.

Edmond, who had calmed himself down from his anger, woke up from his sleep.

He felt the uncontrollable passion surging within him again. He then remembered the attractive girl he had brought from the bar.

Without hesitation, Edmond went straight to the room where the girl was.

Cherry's room was located in the corner at the back of the residence, far from the area where the explosion had taken place.

Cherry, unable to sleep due to anxiety, could only grimace in distress as she listened to faint calls from her friends out there.

Her eyes were swollen. She tried to leave the room where she was confined but found it securely locked.

Escaping through the window was not an option either, as there were only two small windows high up on the wall.

Wondering about her future fate, Cherry suddenly heard footsteps echoing in the corridor.

It didn't take long for the key to the door to unlock, revealing the man who haunted her nightmares entering the room wearing only thin pajamas.

Cherry screamed and attempted to flee. Edmond caught hold of her body, hitting her in the stomach before lifting her onto the bed.

Cherry, of course, didn't give up so easily. She resisted and tried to choke Edmond as he began to climb onto her body. Edmond's uncontrollable desire grew fiercer.

He repeatedly struck Cherry's face, adding to the bruises already present on her body.

It didn't take long for the girl's energy to drain away.

With a pained expression and tears streaming down her face, Cherry couldn't stop Edmond's actions as he began to unbutton her shirt, revealing her two ample hills.

"Madam Ethel will teach you a lesson for this, Edmond..." Cherry uttered softly.

Edmond, who had just started enjoying the suppleness in his hands, abruptly stopped. He looked at Cherry with a smug expression.

"My father said the same thing earlier. Don't touch you just because you're the child adopted by Aunt Ethel! But why should I be afraid? Why should my father fear a former noblewoman like her? Do you think I won't dare to fight against that old woman, huh?!"

Edmond then firmly grasped Cherry's face as if choking her.

"Listen! You're just a cheap woman. You have no parents, no status, and no benefit for the kingdom. Your only purpose is to satisfy us! Our desires and our lust!

"Listen carefully, you adopted child, your fate now is to be my bed warmer! After I get bored, your next use will be as an item to be sold and used by others. Understand?"

Edmond shouted, his eyes turning redder as his lustful desires surged to his head.

"Do you understand? Don't cry, you wretch—!!!"

BOOM!!!

The sound of an explosion instantly shook the room, startling Edmond.

He looked around frantically, searching for the source of the blast, his hands visibly trembling.

Cherry was equally surprised, but the current situation demanded her to focus, so she immediately noticed that the man on top of her was momentarily off-guard.

Cherry rebelled once again. She pushed Edmond, causing him to tumble down under the bed.

Cherry jumped and intended to run out. Unfortunately, her foot was caught by Edmond, causing her to fall.

Edmond no longer cared about the explosion. He and the girl in front of him began to fight and used anything around them.

The fight stopped when Edmond struck Cherry's head with a flower vase on the nightstand.

"Heh... heh... heh... you bitch!"

Edmond was frustrated as he saw blood coming out of his neck from a bite wound.

He then turned to Cherry, who was unconscious.

Blood flowed from the girl's head. Edmond didn't know if she was dead or not.

But for now, the desire he had been suppressing became uncontrollable.

He threw Cherry's body onto the bed. Then he unbuttoned his shirt, ready to enjoy the girl's body in front of him. There was no longer any thought about the explosion in front of the house.

His eyes were solely focused on the graceful body in front of him. At least until he intended to lift the girl's skirt. A man's voice called him from the direction of the door.

Angrily, Edmond looked back. He saw one of the family guards coming to take him away.

Of course, Edmond refused. Several times now, he had failed to taste his new toy. Edmond didn't want to be bothered anymore.

"Just leave it! The fire will soon go out! The Duke's side won't let us get hurt. Those damn orphanage bastards! How dare they use an explosion here? Just wait until tomorrow, I'll settle the score with all of you! I'm not Father, I'm not afraid of that bitch widow, Ethel!"

"But, Yo-Young M-Master... it would be best if you still ran..."

"Silence! Shut up! Can you see?! I just want to—"

Stab!

""!!!""

Edmond and the guard were stunned.

A spear tip emerged from the guard's abdomen. It had been thrust from behind, and as soon as the spear was pulled back, the guard's body was kicked away.

The guard wasn't dead, but his wound was severe.

He looked at the spear wielder behind him, not having sensed anyone's presence at all before realizing he had been stabbed.

At the threshold of the door, a mysterious figure with a cloak that covered his entire body could be seen.

The guard urged his young master to run.

However, Edmond was merely an ordinary nobleman who hadn't trained in martial arts.

He carried a sword for show, and he dared to strike Cherry because he knew she was weaker than him.

So when faced with someone terrifying who had already brought down one of his guards, Edmond's body instantly froze in fear.

The mysterious person, Cien, quickly surveyed the room.

Noticing the blood on the floor leading to the bed wasn't from Edmond, Cien immediately knew that the girl on the bed was injured.

Cien approached the bed, passing by the crawling guard who tried to stop him. Using the bottom of the spear, Cien knocked the guard's head, causing his enemy to faint.

Edmond observed the events, his body trembling uncontrollably. He wanted to move and run, but his legs felt like jelly, devoid of any strength to act.

"Wh-Who are you?! Don't you know who you're messing with? I am a member of—! Ahh!"

Before Edmond could finish his sentence, his hair was yanked and his body was thrown forcefully to the ground, causing his back to ache.

As Edmond slowly opened his eyes, he saw the tip of a spear pointing directly at him.

"No! Mercy! Whoever you are, please don't kil— *thud! Arrrgh!!!"

The spear pierced Edmond's shoulder, then pinning the young man to the ground.

Cien watched his writhing nephew with a somber expression.

'Perhaps I still feel a familial bond with him…'

Cien thought, initially planning to stab his nephew in the stomach but changing his aim to the shoulder at the last second, avoiding vital areas.

Cien shook his head and turned to the girl lying unconscious on the bed.

Cien approached, then carefully examined the girl's head wound and felt her pulse through the neck, noticing her breath escaping through her nostrils.

'She can still be saved.'

Cien took out a vial from his pocket, a Healing Potion he had purchased from an alchemy shop before coming here.

He sprinkled half of the potion onto the head wound and then gently forced the girl to drink the remaining potion by lifting her face.

After seeing the bleeding had stopped, Cien breathed a sigh of relief. He then shifted his attention back to his nephew on the floor.

When he turned around, he saw the man whimpering in pain, tears starting to well up in his eyes.

"Hmm... why are you crying?"

"Sob... please don't kill me... I'm not a naughty child, what did I do wrong?"

Cien frowned, "Do you realize what you just asked? Don't you think torturing someone is wrong?"

Amidst his tears, Edmond's gaze turned empty, and with a forced smile, he replied, "What's wrong? He's a lowly commoner, I'm a noble. He's our subject. What's wrong with enjoying one's property?"

Upon hearing that, Cien immediately grabbed the spear and spun it, causing a sharp pain to scream in Edmond's head and shoulder.

"ARRGGHHH!! Why? Why? I'm a NOBLE! I'm just exercising my rights! Why should I be hurt like this?!"

"Is that so? In that case, I am the angel of your demise. Rights and status mean nothing in the eyes of Death."

"No, no, no... please don't kill me... Sob..."

Cien took the spear that stuck to the floor through Edmond's shoulder. He looked at his sobbing nephew. Tears, saliva, and snot adorned his face.

Cien even noticed a puddle between Edmond's legs. Seeing Edmond's condition, Cien could only let out a long sigh.

'He's just a damn child. What the heck did Uncle really teach this child so his mind became so twisted like this? He's not just psycho, just from this situation, he's also like a wild animal that can't control his lust. And to top it off... what the fu*k with his answer earlier…? Something is amiss…'

Cien glanced back at the child who was now crying uncontrollably. Witnessing the scene, Cien recalled the little boy who used to play with his daughter.

"Ah... Our little crybaby Eddie is still in there after all..."

Cien murmured, his words reaching Edmond's ears, leaving the young man stunned.

It had been a long time since he heard that nickname. A very long time, to the point that he only remembered one person who always called him that...

"Pa-Pa—Pa..."

Cien didn't know what Edmond wanted to say, but time was ticking.

Cien needed to act fast. He was certain that the other guards would soon arrive since they hadn't seen the guard or Edmond come out.

Cien activated the Mana Core fragments on his spear. Once again, he pierced Edmond's shoulder and utilized the skills embedded within the weapon.

"Queen of Blood - [Drain]."

The black-tipped spear began sucking the blood from Edmond. His body quickly grew pale and thin. Before the child could die from blood loss, Cien withdrew his spear.

Edmond didn't die. But well… he was on the brink of death. However, with the power of a noble, surely nursing him back to health is not that hard. Maybe.

"I hope you can reflect on yourself while lying in your room for some time," Cien said, then he manipulated the blood he had drained earlier and turned it into a large, sharp blade.

"[Blood Slash]."

Cien sent that sharp blood towards the side wall of the room. Successfully cutting and revealing the exterior grounds of the residence.

Cien took out his phone. He snapped a photo of Edmond and the guard he had knocked out earlier.

Having completed his initial objective, Cien then carried the unconscious girl and left the residence without anyone outside noticing.

The moon began to wane, awaiting the sun to rise. The events at the Millard residence had shocked the people at the surrounding mansion.

However, when the sun rose and the majority of people began to wake from their slumber, that incident successfully shocked the entire city of Ashur.

Including the Duke's Family and King Mandora himself.