Hadeon's encouraging approach

The gunshot echoed through the grounds of Van Doren's estate, the sound sharp and menacing. The maid turned pale, as if her very soul had fled her body. Mallory's mouth hung open in shock.

"Master Hades, you cannot put Hattie under fire!" Mallory's words were swift, desperate to prevent any harm from befalling her dear maid. She should have known that Hadeon had ulterior motives when he brought the young woman to the castle.

"Fire is indeed a wonderful way to test, though the possibility of her turning into charred vegetables is more likely," Hadeon remarked, his tone chillingly nonchalant while Mallory and her maid fretted.

"You should stop joking! There must be another way to do this," Mallory gritted her teeth, her frustration mounting.