Summoned by a Pretend Villainess

20. One escaped dove

The darkness was cast away by a dim light coming from a gaslight held by the man walking down a dark spiral staircase. Only the light footsteps and the shuffling of his clothes, whenever he walks, could be heard.

The man reached his destination. A huge double door at the end of the stairs. He lifted the lamp and the carvings and letterings designed on the door were illuminated. The words create a sentence.

A riddle.

'The start of the chronicle where lies the beginning, the last lies on the end of an arch, and 'you' the 'reader' is in between.'

The man uttered the answer, and a vibration occurred. It was due to the slow and creaking movement of the door that accepted the answer as correct, thus it opened.

As soon as the door was completely opened, the lights burned from the wall lamps attached to every column and wall. The lights revealed the rows of old wooden shelves containing ancient books and scrolls.

When the man stepped inside, the door instantly shut. And because of the lightened space, his face was now displayed clearly.

The first highest priest of the holy land. Yunis.

He walked further inside and stopped in front of the shelves displaying ancient relics. He traced everything and noticed an empty spot on the far corner at the lowest part of the shelf.

He was right. Something was missing, an ancient relic sealing a demon inside.

He surveyed the surroundings, but none other than his presence was there. And everything was in place, except the one missing. He moved to another shelf containing books. Traced the titles of the books and when he found what he was looking for, he pulled it out and carried it to the door.

The stolen ancient relic should be retrieved. Or deaths may occur otherwise. And First Highest Priest Yunis already had someone in mind to take care of it.

He took his lamp and ventured into the long dark stairway again. And on the flickering light of the lamp he holds, the title of the book he's carrying is shown.

Revival of the God of Darkness and Destruction.

* * * *

It was already noon when Mona and the Grand Duke reached the territory, after two days of traveling on horse.

Mona felt relieved that she finally could settle down on a soft mattress and sleep comfortably. Her entire body was weary, and her bottom was throbbing and swollen already. Her thighs are stiff and she feels like her every muscle was battered.

As soon as they arrived, the Grand Duke ordered for her to be brought to her room. Which the servants obeyed immediately, despite their confusion and own curiosity.

After that, she had never seen the Grand Duke again.

She carelessly sprawled on the wide bed and stretched her arms and legs repeatedly, but after doing so for a while, her stomach grumbled. Only then she remembered she hadn't had a proper meal during and after the travel.

She hesitated to ring the bell on the bed to call for a servant. Even though she was treated and served right away, she could still feel the animosity of those people toward her. The only reason they were being civil and nice was because she was a guest of their master.

After contemplating, she decided to reach and shake the bell. Not long after, a lady in a maid's uniform entered the room.

"Is there something you need?" she asked Mona.

"Uhh. I'm hungry. Is there something I could eat?" Mona answered, with a slight hesitation in her voice.

"Is there something you want to eat?"