Chapter 190: The Aftermath and a Mysterious Helper

Upon inspection by the Mad Hatter, many of the s*ave corpses unearthed from behind Count Gina’s villa bore the distinctive marks of Gong clan broadswords. These slaves had clearly been executed under Duke Bedford’s command by his barbarian bodyguards, enduring unspeakable torture before their deaths.

The flesh golems Duke Bedford created, along with the malevolent spirits he could summon, served as undeniable proof of the immense blood debt he carried.

Furthermore, the interrogation of Count Gina confirmed that Duke Bedford was the mastermind who had condemned Jeanne Decker to the pyre.

Thus, Alice Liddell felt absolutely no compunction about executing Duke Bedford.

****

Duke Bedford fell silent, his will to resist completely broken.

Alice Liddell swiftly impaled several of his vital points with her demonic claws, efficiently harvesting his soul.

‘He truly was a mid-tier Blessed One.’

Alice Liddell swept her gaze over the Devil’s Currency in her hand, noting the distinct glow it emitted. This was an unexpected boon, as she had previously dismissed Jeanne Decker’s suggestion to harvest the barbarian bodyguard’s soul due to his ‘Berserker’ ability.

‘Who would have thought Duke Bedford was also a mid-tier Blessed One?’

Fortunately, he was not skilled in combat. Alice Liddell had defeated him without a single scratch, relying on a few minor tactics—a far better outcome than Queen Isola’s prophecy had suggested.

Collecting the Devil’s Currency, Alice Liddell immediately turned and rushed out of the room, intent on assisting Jeanne Decker.

However, the moment she exited the study, she found Jeanne Decker charging towards her.

Their eyes met, both filled with surprise.

“You’re alright?!”

They spoke in unison, then paused, chuckling awkwardly. Alice Liddell was the first to explain her situation.

“Duke Bedford was a Blessed One, but I successfully assassinated him. What about you? How did you finish so quickly?”

“Someone helped me…” Jeanne Decker began, then suddenly remembered something with a sharp gasp, “Ah!”

Before Alice Liddell could ask, Jeanne Decker abruptly turned and dashed back. Puzzled, Alice Liddell followed her.

They returned to the villa’s main hall, where Alice Liddell found a scene of utter devastation. Servants and guards lay scattered, completely unconscious. A charred streak marred the floor, and the barbarian bodyguard’s armor lay in pieces, glowing red hot, with a pile of carbonized debris inside.

No one else was in sight.

Alice Liddell looked at Jeanne Decker, perplexed.

Jeanne Decker, however, did not notice her gaze; she was lost in thought, reliving the events of a minute ago.

At that moment, in her haste to reach Alice Liddell’s side, she had abandoned her delaying tactics, forcing herself into a direct confrontation with the barbarian.

Enraged, the barbarian suddenly stabbed himself through the gaps in his armor with a dagger, activating his Berserker power. With a blood-qi blade far more potent than before, he cleaved through the holy armor she had summoned, putting her in grave danger.

It was then that the man dressed as a ranger reappeared, bursting into the mansion. He drew a circle in the air with his longsword, summoning a luminous Angel’s Halo. A torrent of celestial fire erupted from the halo like a fountain, engulfing the barbarian and instantly incinerating him, reducing him to charcoal.

Just yesterday, this man had ridden to intercept the Snow Princess. At the time, she and Alice Liddell had mistaken him for the Mad Hatter. Now, Jeanne Decker finally recognized his true identity.

She spoke tentatively, ready to confirm her suspicions. The man, however, spoke before she could.

“You still have something important to do, don’t you?”

Jeanne Decker immediately recalled the commotion from Alice Liddell’s side. After a moment of hesitation, she chose to rush upstairs.

By the time she returned, having confirmed Alice Liddell was safe, the man had vanished.

‘Father…’

A sudden pang of melancholy struck Jeanne Decker’s heart.

“Mission accomplished smoothly, I see.” A familiar voice drifted in as the Mad Hatter sauntered into the hall.

“You scoundrel, you were watching all along, weren’t you?” Alice Liddell couldn’t help but complain, “And you really didn’t lift a finger to help.”

“Didn’t I already bring others to help?” the Mad Hatter replied meaningfully, casting a knowing glance at Jeanne Decker.

“Mr. Mad Hatter, that man was—” Jeanne Decker began, wanting to confirm his identity.

“He called himself Bluebeard, a good man who lent a hand when he saw we were in trouble,” the Mad Hatter answered with a chuckle. “Oh, right, he asked me to pass on two messages to you. One is: ‘Never lose your composure. How can you save others if you yourself are in danger?'”

Jeanne Decker froze for a moment, then understood. That teaching tone was precisely as it had been in the past.

“And the second message: ‘Keep your eyes peeled, and be careful not to be deceived.'” The Mad Hatter raised a finger. “‘Note, this should be a double entendre, referring to both matters of the heart and choices for your future path.'”

Hearing this, Jeanne Decker couldn’t help but smile.

“What riddles are you two speaking?” Alice Liddell asked, utterly bewildered.

“You can ask your lovely girlfriend later. Now, let’s get to the cleanup,” the Mad Hatter said, suddenly adopting a serious expression. “I’ve brought the tea party slaves. Now we go find the imprisoned slaves, rescue them, and hand our clansmen who were sold here over to the Iron Warlord Army for protection, sending them back to their base.”

“Oh, I have something to add,” Alice Liddell interjected, raising her hand. She briefly explained Duke Bedford’s necromancy research.

“Necromancy? Now that’s interesting,” the Mad Hatter mused, stroking his chin. He then made a decision. “Let’s find and take all the necromancy tomes this fellow hid. They might come in handy later. We’ll leave a few less useful ones behind as evidence, and then hand this place over to the Inquisitors to clean up!”

“So, the matter is concluded, then. With the Chain Market losing its leader and crucial supply channels, it should disband, right?” Alice Liddell exhaled a long breath.

“Our mission is concluded, but the Chain Market won’t disappear so easily, you know,” the Mad Hatter said.

“Why?” Alice Liddell asked, confused.

“Without the northern channels, at least s*ave trading should temporarily cease,” the Mad Hatter calmly explained. “But as long as there’s customer demand and profit margins, other organizers will always step in to run this black market in Duke Bedford’s stead. Even if all the organizers are gone, someone will eventually restart it.”

“This black market will continue to exist? I feel like my sense of accomplishment has significantly dwindled,” Alice Liddell sighed.

“Don’t worry, the Iron Warlord Army has already formulated an effective, comprehensive plan to strike at the Chain Market. For a long time to come, at least, this Chain Market will not reappear,” the Mad Hatter said with a mysterious smile. “The rest, we’ll leave to them.”