The Man in the Trench Coat

When Lawell faced Deffa's question, he began plotting in his mind:

That must be the medallion of a Fourth-Rank Mage. Her status is definitely much higher than my father's, and she's surely incredibly powerful. If she helps me escape this place or defeat that damn man, then I can reunite with my parents! We'd be free again!

Having come to this conclusion, Lawell quickly squeezed out a few fake tears and pitifully said,"Great Mage, I'm the son of Lord Channis. I was captured by that vile commoner named Glen, and he's keeping me as a slave here! He's using me as a hostage to extort my family's wealth, and he even forces poor Tia to serve him!"

He sniffled dramatically and continued, "No matter how hard I work, he never gives me any food! Please, great Mage, you have to save us! Wuwu…"

Tia, standing nearby, stared at her master in awe. She was surprised by how well Lawell could lie.

"Is that so?" Deffa's sharp gaze made Lawell feel uneasy. "But I can see in your eyes the defiance of a typical spoiled noble. I've seen that look countless times."

Lawell felt as if his throat had been seized by an invisible hand. He opened his mouth to defend himself, but no words came out.

"Oh my!" Tia's eyes were wide with shock and admiration. "As expected of the great Mage! You saw right through Master Lawell's perfect disguise!"

Lawell shot her a furious glare.

This clueless, brainless servant!

Realizing her mistake, Tia hurriedly covered her mouth, but it was too late.

"Ha ha ha..." Deffa covered her mouth, letting out a delightful laugh. She pointed at Tia and said, "You really are a charming little thing. Maybe I'll consider taking you along with me. You'd make my research a lot less boring."

When Tia heard the Mage compliment her for being cute, her face turned red. But when she heard that Deffa wanted to take her, she was so frightened that she quickly waved her hands in refusal.

"Great Mage, my mistress has asked me to take care of Master Lawell. I cannot go with you. I'm very sorry."

Lawell, on the other hand, didn't feel touched by Tia's refusal. Instead, he thought that the fool had no idea what she was turning down.

If it were me, I'd grab onto this opportunity and never let go. Who cares about being a knight? You'd live a life of dignity as a Fourth-Rank Mage's servant!

"Heh…" Deffa wasn't offended by the rejection. She couldn't help but reach out and tap Tia's nose lightly. "You're such a good, obedient child. I hope you keep that innocence for as long as possible."

After a moment, her tone shifted as she turned back to Lawell, adopting the stern tone of a great Mage. "This seems to be a matter between your family and him. I won't get involved. Now, I'm going back to my carriage to sleep for a while. This place isn't quite to my liking."

'He' naturally referred to Glen.

Tia and Lawell both stood silently as they watched Deffa leave.

"Master, you should go back to working. Otherwise, you won't get anything to eat today," Tia sincerely urged.

"Humph!" Lawell grunted with effort, then strode out toward the town.

At Mrs. Ryan's House

Glen had just finished installing a new door. He turned to Mrs. Ryan, who had been handing him tools, and asked casually, "How does it look? Are you satisfied?"

Mrs. Ryan tested the door by opening and closing it, then nodded with a pleased smile. "Yes, it's perfect. Thank you so much for your hard work."

"It's just my job, nothing to call hard work," Glen replied, cleaning up his tools. Then, he asked nonchalantly, "Has Sheriff Dagley gone back to the station? His health should still be bad."

"Yes, he says he hasn't had time to rest recently. I've tried to persuade him countless times, but he's so stubborn. He doesn't listen," Mrs. Ryan sighed in exasperation.

"Is it because of those child snatchers?" Glen asked, his expression turning serious.

"Yes, exactly." Mrs. Ryan nodded.

"Do they know where you live?" Glen placed his tool bag on the corner, his gaze narrowing.

"Why do you ask? They shouldn't know…" Mrs. Ryan answered, a little puzzled.

"I see..." Glen muttered as he moved toward the stairs, his eyes fixed on the front door downstairs.

Suddenly, the door lock bulged outward and cracked apart. The metal lock was crushed by a hand, and Glen saw it clearly.

With a loud creak, the door slowly opened.

A figure wearing a black felt hat and a leather trench coat stepped inside.

"What's going on?" Mrs. Ryan, hearing the noise from downstairs, quickly walked over and frowned when she saw the man. "Who are you?! This is breaking and entering! I don't welcome you! Please leave!"

The man didn't pay any attention to Mrs. Ryan's outburst. He calmly walked over to a nearby table, grabbed a glass of unfinished water, and drank it down. His deep voice then murmured, accompanied by a low chuckle, "Sheriff's wife, we're meeting for the first time, but I won't bother introducing myself. There's no need for that."

He looked up, letting the two upstairs get a good look at his face—sharp eyes, deep-set in their sockets, with high cheekbones and an overall eerie aura.

Mrs. Ryan was slightly frightened by his chilling presence but managed not to show weakness. Instead, she continued to order him out, "I don't care who you are! Since you know my husband is the sheriff, you should be aware of the punishment for assaulting the family of an officer! Now get out!"

Ignoring her completely, the man casually grabbed a chair, sitting down with one leg crossed over the other. He stared at Mrs. Ryan with a smirk and said, "Originally, my boss told me to capture you and take you back. Your husband might not be much of a threat, but he's still got some skills. For the sake of the future plan, it's better to keep him under control. You'd make a perfect hostage."

He paused, then added, "But now, your fiery temper and alluring looks are distracting me. Why not think about coming with me instead? Your old sheriff husband won't be able to satisfy you; I'm much stronger, and I guarantee I'll give you an experience like nothing you've ever felt before."

His words grew more and more distasteful, and Mrs. Ryan's body trembled with both fury and fear. She never imagined that a criminal would dare target the sheriff's family like this.

"Ma'am, there's no need to get angry with someone who's as good as dead. I'm pretty skilled at this, so don't worry about your safety," Glen interrupted from the stairs.

Mrs. Ryan looked at him warily, "Really? Don't try to be brave, this isn't your fight. Just leave. He won't dare harm me."

"Skilled at this? Ha ha ha…" The man in the trench coat laughed out loud before Glen could respond. "How skilled are you, exactly? Can you fight street thugs? Ha ha ha…"

Laughing, he even mimicked a thug's fighting posture mockingly.

"Don't worry, ma'am. This guy, I can handle with one hand," Glen said, still comforting Mrs. Ryan, ignoring the ridicule from below.

The man in the trench coat, feeling ignored and belittled, suddenly stopped laughing. His gaze turned cold and venomous as he locked eyes with Glen. He spoke in a chilling voice, "I was going to decapitate you quickly and mercifully, but now, I've changed my mind."

He leaned forward slightly, his voice dripping with malice, "I'll break every single bone in your body, rip out your liver, and finally, I'll pull out your heart, making sure you watch it still beating as you die."

4o