The letter was a fancy black envelope with a curvature pattern. A fragrance of pinewood emerged from the paper. Helena frowned when she smelled it. Pinewood was found in the forest north or northwest of Elivuris Kingdom. No one used it for letters.
Helena hesitated for a while, but she read the content. The letter was an invitation to Paradise Star's black market or Sabbath. It came with a map and dress code. All people must wear masks before entering the Sabbath to conceal their identity.
Helena was curious
about it, but the move was risky. Siegfried and Lady Vermillion had warned her. Anyone who incriminated to Paradise Star died or went missing. Helena scaled her advantages and disadvantages. It reeked of a trap, but the cult might contain a clue behind her regression.
Helena leaned against her chair. "Urgh, this is so frustrating!"
She must visit the damn cult.
"Azure and Scarlet, bring me the stationery. I am going to write a letter to the church."
The twin replied in unison, "Yes, My Lady."
Helena wrote the paper while tapping the desk. Violet sent the letter after Helena finished writing. Helena now had to move to the next task: find a mask. Masquerade party was popular in the past because they allowed the lower and upper classes to mingle. It was restricted later due to illicit activities among people like gambling, political assassination and clandestine affair wearing masks.
Helena recalled the Masked Man and the Sad Clown Mask. She understood why the mask was considered treacherous now.
Oxford Brown frowned when he received the task. "A mask? You're not going to do something illegal, right?"
"Uuuh, can you hide this from my family and servants?"
"Lady Blackmoore, you know how expensive a mask can be. Not to mention, this is a respectable store. It will be a problem if there is news of me creating a mask."
"Is that a no? Well, I guess it is too much for you. I will find another designer to make it."
The designer twitched his eyes at her childish provocation. "I'm not saying I cannot make it!"
"It is fine, Mr. Brown. You do not need to force yourself. Your skill must be limited to make a dress. Just admit that it is out of your ability. I understand-"
"No, I'll make you a mask. I believe in you since you helped Matthew."
Helena almost jumped on hearing it. "How do you know about that?"
"I should be the one who asked you that question. I visited my brother to see that he was badly injured. I was shocked to see him in that state."
"Did he tell you anything?"
Oxford Brown shook his head. "He refused. Something about confidential information. However, he said you saved him. Matthew asked me to keep it a secret."
She was relieved upon hearing it. "How is your brother's condition?"
"He needs more recuperation time, but he will recover. Matthew cannot stay in the capital anymore. They prepare to move him into a safer area."
"Does this mean you will make me a mask?"
"Gosh, you are so annoying. Yes, I'll make you a mask!"
The mask was hard to create, but Mr. Brown made it on time. He finished it the morning before Sabbath began. Helena visited his shop with an excited smile on his face. That smile changed into disappointment when she opened the box.
It was a silver Plague Doctor mask with black feathers. No amount of cuteness or grace appeared from it.
Helena grabbed the designer's collar. "Oi, what the hell does this mean?"
He had a smirk on his face. "You did not mention which mask I should create, so I made this one. It is guaranteed to cover your identity."
"But this mask did not suit my dress!"
"Who says you need to wear a dress?"
"What do you- Oooooh..." She went silent after learning his intention.
Helena went to Sabbath when dusk came in. She sneaked in as usual and chose a shabby carriage from the street. Helena arrived at what seemed to be a dead end surrounded by forest at night. The carriage refused to go further, so she must walk on foot. The way to the place was complicated and hidden but was close to her position. She understood why they gave her a map. Without it, she would be lost in the dark.
Helena saw a dilated castle from afar. Two buff men guard the place. They stopped her from entering.
"Please show your invitation, sir."
Helena smiled behind her mask. Hiding as a man was a great idea. She wore a suit instead of a dress to hide her identity. Helena could disguise as a man since she had a tall figure.
She pulled her letter from her long coat. The guards allow her to enter after affirming the invitation. Despite the shabby outdoor appearance, the inside was a striking architecture. Hanging lamp radiance the place amid the dark. Statues of humans and monster pillars supported the construction. The ceiling was decorated with stained glass, illuminating rays in different colours. It was a chamber with many seats set in rows focused on the stage with an altar.
Some of the cult's money must be used to build this place.
Helena sat in the back row while watching her surroundings. People spoke in low voices or whispered. It was hard to determine the status of people. Everyone wore a beautiful dress and hid their face behind a mask. The lack of light made it harder to see the quality of the fabric and the jewellery.
"My, is this a new face?"
Helena turned her head and saw a couple with masks wearing matching black outfits. She recognized that friendly voice, but Helena could mistake them for someone else.
No.
She wished to mistake them for someone else.
Her acting in her second life proved to be handy. She could alter her voice to prevent people from recognizing her. Helena made her voice low and stood from her seat. She bowed down to them using like a man instead of curtsy. "Greetings. Are you regular in this place?"
The man next to her laughed. "You could say so. Do you mind if we sit next to you?"
Helena nodded and allowed them to sit next to her.
"Is this your first time visiting Sabbath?"
"Yes, a friend of mine worked in here. He gave me an invitation."
The woman leaned toward him. "What is your name, young man?"
Helena tipped down her tall hat. "I believe it is forbidden to tell our real name, My Lady."
The man laughed at his answer. "I'm sorry about that. My name is Inkwell, and this is my wife, Mrs. Inkwell. Of course, it is not our real name."
"You can call me Baron Crow. I am a noble from the countryside."
"Is this your first time in the capital?"
"Why, yes. I am amazed at the difference between the capital and rural area. I've seen many new things here. What do you do for a living?"
"We just run a small business in here."
"A stall or a store?"
His wife chuckled. "Don't jest, Mr. Crow. We won't be able to attend this place with small business. We run an inn business."
Helena's heart was beating fast. "
It must be a very successful business! What is your secret?"
They were hesitant to tell her. Helena decided to lure them with bait. "Pardon my behaviour. I am being rude here. I wonder if you work with the same profession as me behind the curtain."
Those words roused their curiosity. Mrs. Inkwell asked her a question. "My, what is it?"
"Human. What else? No one care about one or two people missing from a village."
It was a blatant lie, but Helena must learn the truth. Mr. and Mrs. Inkwell was surprised at her answer. Both of them cackled loudly after hearing her words. "Oooh, you worried me for a second! I thought you investigated us or something!"
"I guess it doesn't make sense." Mrs. Inkwell nodded at him. "Only people related to Paradise Star could attend the Sabbath."
The man answered her question. "We create a small settlement for veterans and elders. Most of them don't have a family. We sell some to Paradise Star. No one will look for them.'
"They are going to die soon, anyway. Might as well make a profit out of them."
The statement confirmed it. They were Mr. and Mrs. Gray. Nobody in the Eluvuris Kingdom ran a place for veterans and elders except them. It was fortunate how the mask covered her face. Helena was seething with anger. She found out the money for the charity was embezzled. This meant her gold went to Paradise Star instead of the elder and war veteran. No wonder the place crumbled so quickly in her second life. They never spent real money on people.
"Welcome, everyone!"
A man stood on the stage. Helena was surprised to see a man with a white mask. It was the person in Jeremy's kidnapping and the Noble Street incident.
"I welcome our guests to this wonderful day. Thank you for coming to Sabbath. We hope you enjoy our show for today."
That White Masked Man passed the script to the Sad Clown Mask and disappeared into the darkness. The Sad Clown Mask Man took the stage as the dealer. He walked to the light and spoke to the audience.
"As the representative of Paradise Star, I will be your host today. Let's begin the Sabbath! The first item is a red gem from the southern continent..."
The black market was like an auction but worse. The things they sold were not only items but also humans. People were raising their boards and hands to be the highest bidder. Helena's stomach churned from the disgust and dread. Yet she remained sitting to save her cover.
The bidding was over after two hours passed. Helena felt more light-headed than before from a headache. The Sad Clown Mask Man had gone from the stage. The cult moved to the main act. Few men in hoods came to the stage. They created a strange anagram in a circle with red liquids.
Helena hoped it was not blood.
The hooded men lined up and held daggers. They brought a little boy to the stage and laid him on the altar. Something was wrong with the child. His eyes were lifeless, and he barely reacted to the situation. However, he was alive and breathing. He must be under the influence of the drug.
"Let the ritual begin."
The hooded men murmured some spells. The rest of the people in the chamber followed them. The chants gradually got louder and faster. Helena covered her ears from the noise. The hooded men stepped closer to the altar with blades in their hands. The next scene made her whole body tremble.
They stabbed the kid in the heart.
Helena was horrified. She bit her mouth to prevent herself from screaming. That boy twitched, but he did not struggle back. Helena was frozen as fear swallowed her up.
The noise became more distorted as the sounds of screaming and laughing mixed. The boy no longer moved. More people impaled their daggers into the lifeless body. Helena saw a black mist rise from the ground. It swirled the place and entered the corpse. Helena looked around and felt perplexed by the phenomenon.
"Am I the only person who sees this?"
It was her cue to get back before things got worse. Helena was going to slip away from the crowd, but someone grabbed her hand. Mr. Gray's bloody eyes glared at her. Helena could not shake his grip.
"Why you don't join us?"