章 3: A Castle Across the Mourn Chasm
"Kids, just eat her!" Those were the words that filled Madison's ears in a split second.
Confusion was rampant because she couldn't dismantle her identity as a Gamma. That would get her killed.
However, if she remained silent to wait for the mutant wolves to eat her, then all of her efforts would have been in vain.
As the mutant wolves leaped through the air and spat out corrosive rotting saliva from the corners of their mouths, a flash of memory appeared. It was the moment she was in the basement with Prime Minister Douglas and the others.
"The maid selection for Majestic Castle is very strict, sir," said Madison at the time, who was no longer bound by the coal chains. "Only Omegas and Delta mixes are allowed. It's impossible to trick Delta who is on duty there. They have strong magic power in their fields."
"Have you forgotten that you are fighting under our rule, Madison?" asked Prime Minister Douglas with a gentle smile. "We have predicted everything. Therefore, we will do something for you so that you can pass the selection process."
The image blurred as Madison remembered that she drank a blue liquid that was placed in a glass vial. The memory was too painful, as painful as when it gave a reaction in her body. Her skin felt like it was being pulled tight and then burned, followed by a piercing pain sensation all over her body.
At that time, she thought it was just a trap, and then she would die. But this time she assumed that the yard of the Labor Management Castle would be her grave, because the mutant wolves were already two inches in front of her face, ready to pounce on her.
The corrosive saliva would injure her skin until it rotted. The decay would spread to all vital areas and then make her die before finally being eaten by the mutant wolves.
Her claws almost appeared because at that time she still wanted to stay alive. The possibility of her identity being exposed didn't matter now.
Fortunately, just before a mutant wolf's tip touched her skin, a sword drew its fiery power, causing the mutant wolves to retreat while grinning.
Their corrosive saliva splashed and hit the hem of Madison's dress. It at once caught fire and was hollow in no time.
"I'm not even done talking," said a Delta. He was Delta in charge of selecting today's aura. He was also the one who saved Madison from the mutant wolves.
"What do you mean?" another Delta asked. "Didn't you say that she was an intruder?"
"I told you that she was neither an Omega nor a Delta."
"It's just the same. If she's not one of them, then she's an intruder…"
"A human," interrupted the aura reader Delta. "She is a human being."
Everyone gasped, and so did Madison. Prime Minister Douglas said nothing about this. He only said that she would pass the selection.
"A human?" Delta attracted the mutant wolves by giving them several pieces of venison from the basket. His face looked disgusted as he studied Madison. "Why would a lowly human being dare to visit the area of the sacred werewolves? She shouldn't have done it. What are we going to do with her? Even she is too dirty to be used as animal feed. She also falsified her identity on the registration form."
"A human." All the tributes behind Madison whispered in disdain though a few of them looked up curiously.
Humans were believed to have become extinct millions of years ago. None of the werewolves found them except for a few who made it look cool because they found a rare species.
After all, the level of humans in this world was even lower than livestock. Their meat was considered unclean for consumption. They were categorized as parasitic creatures that needed to be eradicated. Therefore, seeing Madison who they thought was a human being naturally shocked everyone while giving horror in disgusted facial expressions.
"Maybe you've misjudged," said another Delta. "She can't be a human. They have long been extinct."
But the Delta aura reader insisted. "My judgment is never wrong. I have the divine ability of the Moon Goddess passed down from my ancestors. I can perceive the auras of all beings in this world, and she is a human. Now, what are we going to do with her?"
'A human?' Madison thought through clenched fists. 'If my aura is changed to that of a human then it means I will be killed for being considered a parasite. Is this just a trap by those prime ministers because I have become a hitman who threatens the credibility of their power?'
Madison comes close to doubting the prime ministers and chooses to withdraw from the mission. But fortunately, she was allowed to continue following the selection.
"All lowly creatures are allowed to participate in this selection. So, she still passes the criteria! And for falsification of identity, we understand it. I'm sure she did it because she needed a job."
That was what made her pass through various levels of the assessment until she became one of the participants who passed the selection.
Out of a total of around 10,000 participants, only 10 passed it. A sore comparison. All participants who passed were escorted to Majestic Castle.
Madison and nine other maids had now arrived at the Mourn Chasm, the most vicious in the world. They boarded a skeleton ship that could float through the fog and the chasm.
Their journey took half a day before they finally arrived at the Majestic Castle that stood across the Mourn Chasm.
"Get down from all of you and follow me!" A werewolf from the Gamma clan picked them up. He was wearing a formal dress in red and gray. A gold badge was on the left chest. It was pretty much the same as the one on the Alpha that Madison killed.
All participants dismounted and followed the instructions. The gigantic skull ship transporting them had retreated in constant motion until it finally disappeared behind the thick fog.
The Majestic Castle looked majestic as well as terrifying. But that was precisely its charm. The tall gate creaked slightly, mutant tendrils that could bite you at any moment, green grass stretched like a giant carpet, and a castle that looked darker than night. However, you could see how much power was stored within it just by glancing at it.
It was already dusk. The participants lined up in a vacant area on the castle grounds. They got a division of tasks.
Most of them were placed in the antiquities maintenance section while Madison was stationed in the Main Castle, where the Supreme Lycan was located.
"Maya, follow me!" said Gamma, who called Madison by her pseudonym.
They passed through the relatively somber and dark path of the maids. But because of expert maintenance, the path still looked comfortable to walk.
They arrived at a very magnificent room with a door made of gold. Aromatherapy candles and two guards in the form of Lycan statues were placed in front of it. Madison was asked to come in and complete her first task.
"I read your documents, and you turned out to be a human. I purposely gave you this assignment because all of your test scores were very good. Don't let me down or you will end up on the execution stake!" The Gamma left after making that threat.
No maid could survive as well as Madison amid the Gammas' cruelty, because she was one of them.
She entered the Supreme Lycan's room. Inside were thousands of aromatherapy candles to help him breathe and also relax.
A magnificent room with a variety of extraordinary architecture. A large bed with pillows and sheets made of gold. On top of it laid a Lycan who looked very pale and old. In both hands appeared claws that were very sharp and sometimes emitted fire.
"This is my first assignment," said Madison as she looked at the Supreme Lycan. "I have to bathe him carefully. It's an easy job, but with this task, I'll have a hard time discovering the Crown Prince's secret. What should I do?"
She was pacing up and down. The lowly maid dress swayed as her body moved. Not long after her steps stopped because she remembered something.
"I can absorb the powers of other werewolves. Even though some power will kill me if I absorb a bit from Supreme Lycan, maybe I will find something." She nodded confidently. "Sometimes that power gives some memories of the owner. It will be very useful."
She had already made a decision. With that conviction, she stepped forward to hold the Supreme Lycan's shriveled hand. Her heart froze in the middle of her attempts to absorb his strength.
But dammit…
BAM!
The door to the room was slammed. Madison's frozen heart finally heated up in shock. She almost turned her head to know who had come. But in an instant, her body had been dragged and hit the wall when her neck was strangled by a man.
He looked tall with jet and shiny hair. Eyes clear but deadly. A cold and domineering aura that suffocated her without him even doing anything. Then most importantly, a crown perched on his head.
"Crown Prince!" Madison stammered.
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