Chapter 10
[Embercrown 15th (8/15), Year 1356 of the Arcane Calendar]
| 9:30 AM |
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[ Valco city, Chloe bedroom ]
In the opulent bedroom, Chloe sat before an ornate mirror, her long hair being meticulously brushed by her maid, Sofia.
Swish...
The brush caught on a tangle, but Sofia persisted, gently working through the knot.
"Ow, watch it, that fucking hurts!" Chloe snapped, pissed off. "Keep that shit up, and I'll fuck up your hair so bad, Sofia."
"Oh my, that would be an honor, my lady, please do," Sofia replied, her tone warm and teasing. Chloe didn't press further, knowing that in a battle of words, she cannot beat Sofia.
"Chloe, may I ask something? It's about your cousin, Young Master Kyzen," Sofia said, her tone softening.
"Sure, what about him? Oh, listen, he's still seventeen, and I don't think he's into old hags like you," Chloe teased, then paused. "Wait, why didn't you call me 'Miss'?"
Swish...
"Ouch, you bitch, I'm going to kill you!" Chloe shouted, barely keeping her composure as she remained seated.
"My apologies, Miss Chloe," Sofia said calmly. "What are your thoughts on his character?"
Chloe's expression softened, her voice lowering. "Kyzen's sharp and diligent, a damn good kid—cares deeply about his friends and siblings, always putting them first."
"Just like how I've got a side I keep hidden, he does too. My private side? Only you, Kyzen, Liam, and a few others know it. " She paused, letting out another sigh. "But his hidden side—he shares it only with me and Liam. That side... it's not a happy one."
"Is his other side dangerous or unsettling?" Sofia asked cautiously.
Chloe's eyes widened, meeting Sofia's in the mirror. She let out a light chuckle. "Him? No, I wouldn't call it scary." Turning slightly to face her maid, she asked, "What happened?"
"Something happened yesterday, Miss Chloe," Sofia began, her voice steady as she recounted the incident.
As Sofia spoke, Chloe's face shifted—her eyes narrowing and widening, her mouth twisting into various expressions.
"You're joking, right? Nice try—this is your best prank yet," Chloe said, forcing a laugh after Sofia finished.
But deep down, Chloe's experience told her Sofia wasn't lying. She didn't want to believe it, convincing herself Sofia had just gotten better at deception.
"No fucking way," Chloe muttered under her breath.
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"Young Master, we bought a pen for you yesterday in the city. I hope it satisfies you," Charles said, his tone slightly formal.
"Thank you, Charles," I said, taking the pen from his hands. It resembled a fountain pen from Earth, its weight and ink flow felt familiar.
"Did you enjoy your day in the city?" I asked.
Charles recounted the trip, from the clothes shop to a delicious pastry shop. Finishing, he leaned closer and added. "Master, may I share a secret, with your promise of never telling Anna?" he asked, his voice low.
I nodded, thinking, I'm pretty damn good at keeping secrets.
"I... I think—well, I'm not sure, but I—" Charles stammered.
Anna burst into the room without knocking, a break from her usual decorum. Sensing trouble, I stood. "Anna, what's wrong? Did you run?" I asked, my Keth words stopped as I tried to sound noble. God, I sound like such a wannabe lord.
She stopped before me, her face restless, breath heavy.
Huff... huff...
"Young Master," she said, wiping her brow, "is it true what the servants claim you did yesterday? Tell me the truth—I know it's likely false."
Charles stood in the distance, his expression full of confusion, not knowing what Anna was talking about.
Sigh...
Aren't these stunts normal for aristocrats? I thought ,as I recalled yesterday's events.
[ Valco city, castle ,great hall ] | 7:30 PM |
Aldric sat on the highchair, his gaze sweeping over everyone before him. "Speak, Kyzen. Why have you requested an audience?" he asked, his eyes shifting to where I stood. His commanding voice sent a shiver through me, and I realized again this was a serious matter, having summoned Aldric and Lord Veyron, Chloe's father. I straightened, feeling the weight of their expectations.
"Count, I won't take much of your time," I said. "I kindly request permission to punish the three servants before you." I glanced at the three servants. Fear gleamed in their eyes; sweat dripped from the woman's brow, while the two men appeared calmer, yet they still trembled. Their silence spoke of guilt they couldn't hide.
"What happened?" Aldric questioned.
A simple question, I replied, gesturing to a servant nearby. "Zen was present. He can explain."
Zen knelt on one knee. "My lord," he said.
"Speak," Aldric commanded.
"My lord, Mr. Kyzen's servants were spotted in a hallway, and they..." Zen completed his explanation, his words steady but heavy with truth. Throughout Zen's account, the three servants stood silent, their heads not moving, frozen by fear. Their stillness only deepened my resolve to see justice done.
"Kyzen, why does this require punishment?" Aldric asked, his spiritual release pressing against the room.
I thought deeply, then answered, "My two direct attendants, whom I hold dear, were mistreated. I consider this a grave insult to my family." Damn, threading this noble crap is like walking a tightrope. My answer was simple, but its content mattered little. Aldric, an orthodox man in such matters, would likely approve once he heard Zen's words. He was testing my resolve. To please him, I wove aristocratic pride into my response, knowing it would sway him.
Aldric's lips curved into a barely noticeable smile. "I approve," he said.
I turned to Lord Veyron, with whom I had discussed this in advance. He nodded, supporting my audience. "I'll handle their punishment, reducing their rank and salary accordingly," he said.
The servants' faces showed only mild disappointment, but a nagging unease stirred in me, like an itch I couldn't scratch. This doesn't feel right.
"Uncle, if I may," I said, my voice steady, "may I suggest a different punishment? A lighter one than the one I planned before."
Lord Veyron, seeing no harm in listening. "Very well," he said.
"I propose firing them and banning them from the servants' association, with a penalty for noncompliance. Since it's my request, I'll write the letter myself," I said.
The room fell silent. Lord Veyron frowned, processing my words. "Don't you find that too harsh a punishment?" he asked.
"No, Uncle," I replied, "These three have caused trouble more than once. Zen and other servants can vouch for my claim. If we let them go unpunished, others will follow their example. This time, it was within family, but next time, it could tarnish our name through their actions."
The servants turned their faces toward me, their expressions heavy with despair but also lit by a spark of anger in their eyes.
"Master Lunthaler," one of the male servants with black hair spoke with respect, "we didn't cause any physical harm to them. You can ask Zen."
I looked at the female servant, her gaze fixed on the floor, not daring to lift her eyes. "Should I have waited to see her slap my maid?" For the first time, she raised her head to meet my gaze, a thought flickering through her mind as she recalled her memories. It was him, the cold gaze I felt. Her face twisted with madness, a pressure born of fear rather than spiritual release, as she stared at me.
"Veyron, make sure their servant licenses are terminated," said Aldric.
Giving a nod, Veyron agreed. "Take them away to the cells. After finding the rest of their crimes, I will finalize the punishment. The minimum will be license termination."
The knights approached the servants. Just as one knight reached the man with dark blue hair, the man grabbed the hilt of his sword and pulled it out. Waving it wildly, his voice filled with anger and madness, he shouted, "What did we do wrong? That guy was just a mad person! What's wrong with toying with people like them? It's not like they feel anything!" He laughed hysterically.
Fool, he's lost his reasoning, I thought. Did he forget where he was standing?
I looked at Aldric, expecting him to subdue the man with his pressure. To my surprise, he did nothing while the man kept swinging his sword. Within seconds, I realized why he didn't act—the knights were more than capable of subduing him. This wasn't some fantasy story where knights just wait for someone else to do their job.
"You noble spoiled brat! Where does your pride come from? Your family is built on fake privilege! Noctis is nothing but a fraud, and a God of Dreams? Ha! What kind of god is that? Your family is the weakest of the fifteen!" the man yelled, his frustration spilling out as the knights began dragging them away.
As a mature man, I stayed silent.
Tap, tap...
I'm not so easily triggered by simple taunts.
Tap, tap, tap...
I've heard better rage-baiting than this, I thought, chuckling to myself.
Tap...
After a few steps, I stood before the man, saying nothing. No one spoke, silenced by the spiritual pressure I released. The knight detaining him said, "Sir." I met his eyes, my gaze calm, though my spiritual release pulsed with anger. Even he faltered, unable to speak further.
I drew the knight's sword, inspecting its double-edged blade, its weight steady in my hand. The blue-haired man sneered, "What, you going to kill me? Even nobles can't do that now, you brat."
"Kyzen wouldn't do that," Veyron said, his voice firm, trusting my character.
Thud...
The man screamed, staring at his right arm on the floor, blood gushing, bone and flesh exposed. I kicked the bleeding arm toward him. He looked up, my face blank—no anger, no compassion, just calm, too calm. His eyes widened, trembling as he clutched his wound. I stepped closer, my shadow looming over him. The other servants froze, their defiance gone.
I spoke, my voice steady, anger hidden.
"Wouldn't it be nice if this were just a dream ."
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Kzz... Reach for it... Shhh... Kzz...Feel the trigger of the rune... Kzz...
"What the hell are you talking about? You're not making any sense!" My voice cracked, sharp with frustration, echoing in the chamber.
Kzzz stupid , incompetent
"You're the one who's not explaining properly", I clenched my fist in anger as I felt the silk texture like black gloves.
"Yeah, I only know the knowledge, but controlling the Veyl flow is all new—it's alien to me, understand?"
My words hung heavy, laced with defiance and desperation.
Sigh...
"Let's try this again." My voice softened, but the tension in my chest didn't budge.
"Stage one."
Sitting on the floor, legs crisscrossed, my back pressed hard against the cold wall, its chill seeping through my shirt. I focused inward, shutting out the world. Channel the Veyl from the appendix to the palms—slowly, bit by bit.
I had to be precise, making sure I didn't flood my palm with raw energy and fail to release it. That'd be a very huge problem, a simple mistake that could cost me dearly.
My face stiffened, muscles taut from the deep, unrelenting concentration. Beads of sweat traced my temples, stinging my eyes.
"Now," I muttered, "stage two."
Transferring the energy to the gloves, searching the entry point to the runic enchantment etched deep within their fibers.
It started getting easier with each attempt—the starting point's position stayed fixed, a constant entrance in the unknown maze, but I was still too damn slow, fumbling like a novice I am.
I gritted my teeth preparing myself, "stage three."
This was where it got brutally hard. Navigating the labyrinth of complex runes demanded raw instinct and a mastery of runic magic far beyond what most could grasp.
Even with Kyzen's knowledge, his intricate understanding of runic circles and ancient symbols etched into my mind, it wasn't enough. The patterns twisted, elusive, mocking my efforts.
Thinking inwardly, Fuck, another fail. The bitter thought burned, my frustration was coiling tighter.
I scrambled, moving as fast as I could—hesitation meant pain, the kind that could sear through bone. I had to act, or I'd be in for something far worse than a bruised ego.
whoosh...
Rattle... The windows shuddered violently, their frames groaning under the pressure, vibrating without pause.
Bang...
Huff, huff... "That was too fucking close," I gasped, my chest heaving. "I might've lost my right hand doing that." I wiped my face, sweat mixing with the dull throb of pain pulsing through me. "Ow, that hurts," I groaned, wincing as I loosened my aching fingers.
I couldn't push further. I was stuck, unable to sense where to direct the Veyl flow next. Letting it stall wasn't an option, it'd surge uncontrollably through my veins, risking internal damage. I had to release the energy somewhere, anywhere.
Channeling it into the air as kinetic energy was the safest call, the most instinctive choice. By focusing on the Veyl, I could accelerate air molecules, transforming it into a burst of wind, a controlled release driven by the interaction of my internal energy with the environment's particles.
groan...
Aughh...The wind's force was too wild , slamming me back against the wall, the impact rattling my bones, leaving me slumped, breathless, and cursing under the weight of my own screw-up.
Knock knock...
Young master it's me Charles.
Charles? I didn't ask for anything. Hmmm... Slowly getting up, I straightened my shirt, the fabric creasing under my fingers as I removed the black silk gloves, their smooth weight slipping free. I tucked them under the sheets, hiding them from view, then shuffled to the bed.
"Come in," I said, curiosity prickling my spine.
"What's the matter? Did someone call for me? Was it Uncle Veyron?" My mind raced—maybe he wanted to talk about the punishment. He might've heard from the other servants yesterday about how some were sexually assaulted, the women and even a few men blackmailed. It wasn't just those three part of the group.
The only reason the victims never spoke out was the lack of proof they could present. Crimes like these left no clear trace here, not like on Earth where tech like security cameras could've nailed the bastards in a blink.
Cutting through my thoughts, Charles' words hit like a stone.
"Your sibling is here. I just wanted to let you know."
Liam came? I know it's not like he doesn't care about Chloe's birthday and definitely might of thought of coming but I never thought he would come even to social gathering type party the genuine shock was even visible to Charles who reacted to my change in facial expression.
Hmm... A thought sparked in my mind—Liam's a half-elf. I mulled it over, Eureka! Yes, yes, yeah, this might work!
"Charles," I said, voice sharp with sudden purpose, "let Liam know we're heading to the east part of the city today at 4, after lunch."
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Embercrown 15th, Year 1356.
Today, Charles seemed weird. Usually, his face is either warm and kind, like he's about to offer you tea, or blank as a fresh canvas. But today? Off, like he was hiding something. Oh yeah, he wanted to tell me something, slipped my mind. I'll ask him tomorrow. Bet Anna did something daft, and Charles is covering for her, so she doesn't get embarrassed. He said not to tell Anna, though, so my lips are sealed.
After lunch, Chloe cornered me about the drinks. Told her I'd get them today. I don't even get why she drinks—she can't handle more than a few sips before she's a mess. Just digging through Kyzen's memories of her drinking underage.. Still, those memories? They feel... fun, like a nice night you laugh about later.
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