The War of the Demon Controllers
Post Arc The Condition of the Lord's Residence

Chapter 16's

The magnificent white floor was littered with mud and blood. The large, sturdy gate was slightly rocking and was being repaired by the handyman. Dozens of corpses of soldiers and slaves were transported away by soldiers and volunteers. Dozens of key Libbam City people gathered at the Lord Puqress Residence.

They helped to clear the place and increased security in case of re-attack by escaped slaves.

"What's going on in this place?"

From outside the Lord's Residence, a young girl looked curiously. The City Warriors held them in, but it was a bit polite to see that this girl was heavily guarded by four elite fighters from the Valaan Guard, the Valaan family's co-founder.

The young girl is Lagertha Valaan, the youngest daughter of a Valaan merchant family. Her hair was dark red with a white face dotted with red spots from her left eye to her right eye.

"Skard, whose place is this?" ask Lagertha.

An old man in a cowboy-style hat, entering his fifties replied. "This is the residence of Lord Ronald Puqress, miss," he replied. She wore the purplish black attire of the Valaan Guard and stood closest to Lagertha, marking her position leading the guard of her young miss.

"What's going on here, soldier?" lagertha asked the soldier who was guarding.

The soldier was silent for a moment before replying. "We have no obligation to answer that, Lady Valaan," the soldier replied politely.

"Lady?" Lagertha laughed at hearing that. They are not noble families. "We're a family of merchants, soldiers, but the addition of 'Lady' to my first name sounds good. I can't wait for the time when the Valaan family was made one of the Hervarar nobles."

"That will happen in your time, Miss Lagertha, you will make it happen." A female servant replied. It was Isolde, the daughter of Skard who was close friends with Lagertha.

"Of course!" lagertha replied. He forgot his purpose here and went back to asking the soldiers. "Listen soldiers, the Valaan family may not yet be a noble family, but our influence and wealth can be compared to even those from large families! Wouldn't it be wise for you to please me and tell me what's going on?"

"Especially if you give this lady a tour into the Lord's Residence, this noble-hearted lady will not forget your merits." Skard added the initiative. He and Lagertha looked at each other and threw short smiles at each other.

The soldier thought but one of them nodded. "Alright, Miss Valaan, I hope you remember my name. My name is, ****."

Lagertha nodded quickly. "Yes, yes, I remember it," he said recklessly. "please start the tour gentlemen."

The soldier let Miss Lagertha in. Skard sent the four Valaan Guards to stand guard outside with some of the other servants, while he and Isolde followed in.

Lagertha stepped foot and felt the smelly and dirty aura of the Residence of Lord Puqress. Blood everywhere, body parts and corpses were still visible.

"What's really going on? What happened to the assault from another noble family?" ask Lagertha.

"No, miss." The soldier answered. "Last morning there was a slave rebellion led by the Demon Controllers. Allegedly, they came from the Devil Guild and tried to target the life of our Lord, beloved Lord Puqress."

"Is God okay?" ask Skard.

"Lord Puqress is injured, her ribs are rumored to be crushed but she will survive. However, to the soldier and bodyguard of Lord Puqress, things were not so good."

Lagertha went deeper, heading to a place where there were thrones and beds. He was about to ask why there was a bed there, but his attention was immediately turned to the frozen figure of the Knight. Isolde next to him shuddered in horror.

"Ser Touf the Flood" said Skard.

"Yes, you're right, sir. Ser Touf was the personal bodyguard of Lord Puqress and seeing his condition, the Knights and the investigators who came to check on him declared him unsaved."

"What about his twin brother, what's his name, Kouf, Youf?"

"Ser Rouf the Frozen Wall." The soldier straightened. "Ser Rouf was not declared dead, but he was also no less severe than other wounded soldiers. Ser Rouf's ribs were destroyed and his internal organs were bleeding internally, he might die or might survive. But for sure, after recovering, Ser Rouf will not be as tough as usual."

"It's a shame." Skard nodded sadly. "What kind of monster can defeat a Frozen Wall?"

"I can bring Miss Valaan to see Ser Rouf's condition if she wants to."

"I will it" replied Lagertha Valaan steadily.

Inside they saw dozens of heavily injured soldiers. Starting from the loss of fingers, hands, to the loss of legs and limbs. But their attention was focused on the tall and mighty figure who was being treated by the royal physician.

"There is Ser Rouf," said the Soldier pointing. But he then pointed at the figure next to Ser Rouf. The figure was more like an octopus than a human with its joints pointing in all directions. "And the soldier there is a victim of the same monster who managed to defeat Ser Rouf. Red Slime Man's Devil"

Lagertha watched the soldier. His whole hand—from shoulder to wrist—broken some parts. Likewise with his legs that even Lagertha has difficulty distinguishing where his knee is and where his bones are broken.

"He will be disabled" Lagertha said. A noble warrior is made like this. He couldn't take it. "and slaves made them like this!"

Isolde clasped Lagertha's hand slowly. She shook her head.

"He will definitely be deformed, no doubt." Skard consented. "But blaming the slaves for this attack is wrong, Miss Valaan. Miss Valaan has also heard the Devil's Union is involved."

"That didn't take away the slaves in this attack, Skard." Lagertha. "And when I lead the Valaan family under my feet, I won't follow my family's interest in throwing away the slavery system."

Skard was silent, and so was Isolde. The two of them did not know the reason why their Lady Lagertha hated slaves so much.

"Let's go!" Lagertha ruled, her two followers responded and they exited the tent.

***

On the other hand, in Lord Puqress' private room.

Lord Puqress is being treated by his special healer. The physician smeared the herbal ointment and made her lie down on the bed.

"Lord took a long time to heal, but with this treatment, God will be healthy as soon as possible."

"Yes, whatever!" lord Puqress. "Now go, healer! Get lost."

The doctor resigned. Lord Puqress stared out the window where there was a blue sky and birds flying, but it was all invisible to her eyes. What he saw was a slave summoning the Devil and making the Devil attack him. He imagined the day he had captured the boy and crushed every bone.

Before long, a man came in.

"Gallahad is present, Lord." The man knelt down.

"Where are you, you fool! Do you want me to stop supporting the Devil's Union and expose your identity in this city?!"

Lord Puqress tried to throw her drinking glass, but the moment she tried to move a bit her body was instantly enveloped in pain.

"I'm sorry, Lord," replied Gallahad calmly. "I'll make amends."

"If you cut off your head right now, you can make amends!"

Gallahad. "What about the head of the Demon Controller attacking you, Lord?"

Lord Puqress is interested. "Take him alive so I can chop off his head, and you can make amends!"

"Well, accepted," replied Gallahad confidently.

Lord Puqress hesitated. "How did you catch him? I heard they've gone far south, you don't play with my hopes, Gallahad or your entire operation I'll take down!"

"To be honest if all the soldiers of Libbam City were deployed to the South where they fled, then they would have succeeded in capturing the person you wanted, Lord Puqress." Gallahad. "Following the trail of a runaway slave to me is as easy as turning a palm. In a week I'll bring the boy before you, Lord."

"Must!" said Lord Puqress steady. "The last days of his life will be like hell!"

"As you asked."