The Baroness Misbehaves
Chapter 235: The Choosing Ceremony

Chapter 235: The Choosing Ceremony

"Oh dear." Osvaldo exchanged playful glances between the three chained people he had assumed to be imposters sneaking into Whitebridge. He had brought them here to clarify the truth regarding if they knew Cassian and Madeline like they claimed, and it turns out they were actually speaking the truth to their own fortunate mercy.

He wouldn’t have chained them if they didn’t threaten him when he approached them last night, but now they are left to deal with the consequences for speaking rudely to an assistant county council. How his harmless demeanor tends to fool a lot of people, he was still unable to understand it.

Cassian, who was already rolling up his sleeves as he approached them, stopped mid-way when Elian and Orson pointed their accusing fingers at Inna who stood in their middle, playing the weak victim.

"She’s responsible." They said in unison, selling her out and leaving her baffled.

Inna, who wasn’t expecting them to disclose her at the last minute, was left feeling tongue-tied. Her baffled gaze turned to Cassian whose Amber-brown eyes narrowly glinted, and she let out a sheepish laugh.

"In my defense, they pointed weapons at me first."

"Inna." Cassian sighed hopelessly, knowing he couldn’t do anything if his sister was the one at fault. When everyone else was having a normal sister, he wondered why his case turned out to be so different. These days, she tends to bring in her own troubles.

"Cassian!" Orson, who looked like he wanted to tear up after seeing Cassian was alright, couldn’t resist walking up to his best friend and throwing himself on him, an action that irritated Cassian who wanted to punch him instead.

"Get off me!"

"From the deepest part of my heart, no words can describe how much I’ve missed you." And in truth, he did. He just wanted to be away from Inna and Elian who had chosen to make his life difficult all the way here.

"Never leave me with the two of them! Even if you want to jump into a volcano, take me with you!" He hugged the already irritated Cassian who continuously grinded his jaw.

"Are you insane?!"

"Tell your new friend to release us." He whispered when he got close to Cassian’s ear. "We’ve journeyed a long way to be here, we can’t be welcomed like this, I need to get some rest."

"Osvaldo." Cassian untangled himself from Orson’s clingy grip, while Inna hurried to stand beside Madeline who had joined them.

"You aren’t hurt? Are you?" She asked softly, and Inna shook her head with a smile, feeling lightened to see Madeline all fit and well.

"Can you release them?" Cassian asked Osvaldo who placed one his slender finger to the corner of his lips.

"I don’t want to." He answered softly, "but I can’t refuse when you’ve asked so nicely." With a snap of his fingers, the chains that once connected to their wrist vanished, freeing them from its bondage.

"I’ll let it go for your sake since they are your family. In truth, I knew the whole time, but I’m not so kind to people who I haven’t taken fond of yet."

"Thank you, Osvaldo." Madeline smiled in gratitude, and Monica came to stand beside Osvaldo with her arms crossed.

"Please do not be frightened, Osvaldo is harmless, just don’t step on his toes too much." Monica assured the three of them who had been released from the chains that held them in its magical bondage.

"Let’s start all over shall we?" Osvaldo stepped forward to Elian. "I’m Osvaldo, and you are?"

"Elian." Not wanting to provoke Osvaldo once again, Elian accepted his outstretched hand, and Osvaldo’s smile brightened, obviously pleased. "I hope we get along from now on."

He moved towards Inna and only offered her a bow, leaving her stunned as she was seeing a completely different side of this beautiful strange man. "Welcome to Whitebridge."

"H-- hello." Was all she could say in response, and when he moved next to Orson, he was about to say something but paused.

"You."

"Me?"

"Him?" Everyone else chorused, not particularly sure why Osvaldo looked lost in his own statement, but then the look in his eyes flickered.

"Welcome to Whitebridge city’s capital."

"Is that good or bad news?"

"Not in Whitebridge’s current situation, I’m afraid not." He turned around and walked back to Cassian who was still suspicious of his remark.

"But it will be tonight." Osvaldo suddenly beamed. "Napoleon will be doing the choosing ceremony tonight, please be sure to come and witness the event."

"Choosing ceremony?" Inna asked out loud, and Monica nodded.

"That auspicious time of the year when the County Council gets to pick a wife from the several maidens of Whitebridge. There’ll be dancing, and of course lots of fun activities. When it comes to an end, Napoleon has to pick which maiden he finds himself attracted to."

"Napoleon has feelings of attraction?" Madeline wasn’t sure why hearing this surprised her.

"I get what you mean." Monica chuckled, unable to hold it in.

"Won’t that be the most appropriate way to welcome you all? A celebration on our part."

"Not bad." Elian seemed okay with it, and Madeline nodded in agreement.

"We’ll definitely be there."

When Madeline looked at Cassian for his own approval, he didn’t say anything, but from his demeanor, she could tell he had no problem with it.

Hearing about the event, Cassian couldn’t see this as a much better opportunity to scout the mountain Cave Lily told him about. With everyone distracted by Napoleon’s choosing ceremony, he’ll come up with an excuse and leave early so he can have a quick look at the cave.

If Jeremy’s ghost lingers in that cave, he might as well take a mirror with him.

"Please continue with your practice." Osvaldo politely said to Madeline, jolting Cassian back to the present, and Madeline nodded her head.

"I certainly will."

When Osvaldo and Monica left the house, the three guests immediately sank down on anything they could find. Power drained and tired.

"I told you three to stay back didn’t I?" Cassian reminded them, "I hope you had an interesting journey all the way here."

"I’ve never been so tired in my twenty-two years of living." Orson muttered, falling back onto the couch like a dead soul, but Cassian ignored the three of them and suddenly carried his wife in his arms.

"Make yourself at home." And he took his wife upstairs, leaving the rest to fend for themselves.