The night air lay heavy over the garden, the gazebo lit only by a handful of dim lanterns.
Sera sat at the center, composed as ever. Seated beside her were Vina, Tia, Emma, and Alaric. A few guards and maids surrounded them, forming a quiet circle. The head maid stood close, little Lily asleep in her mother’s arms.
The atmosphere was tense, thick with anger, disgust, and unease, after the maid finished recounting what she had overheard that afternoon.
The maids looked shaken.
Drowned in both fear and guilt, Emma looked worse.
“Damn *&%^*&#*&#*(#&!”
Alaric cursed, slamming his hand on the round table at the center.
The sharp sound startled everyone.
"Hey, be careful will you." Sera scolded. “Don’t break the table. It was expensive, you know.”
Alaric froze, then awkwardly scratched his head, feeling flustered at Sera’s sudden reproach. “Ah… sorry.”
'Mother, please be tactful will you.’
Tia thought, Tia sighed inwardly.
‘It's understandable that even uncle Alaric, who is usually jovial, would be furious when someone showed malicious intentions towards their friends and lover.'
But the small exchange broke the tension just enough.
Emma let out a faint, unexpected giggle, one that quickly dissolved into guilt.
“I… I’m sorry, Sera,” she said, lowering her head. “If I had stayed quiet… maybe things wouldn’t have escalated. I am usually not like this. I don’t know what came over me. I was just… irritated.”
‘Indeed. This isn’t like her.’
Sera studied her.
‘She was just a commoner till a decade ago. After I observed that she is quite intelligent and has some skills, she became my steward.
‘Over time, she had grown into her role—confident, authoritative.
'And lately she has been managing the territory in my stead. So it may be normal for any person in her stead to become a little proud.
'But Emma did not let her pride control her.
‘She never misused her authority and treated everyone normally, keeping her ego in check from time to time.
‘She was never reckless.
'So her actions today may be due to irritation caused because someone insulted me, the Ravenscrest and her ego.
'If she was still the commoner she once was, then she might have kept quiet.
'And it is normal to get angry for the viscount’s assistant's sharp tongue insults.
'Yet, it is still very unlike her to talk back. Normally she would have still endured.
'Not just her. Vina and I have been feeling restless too. Tia has been suffering from nightmares.
‘This uneasy feeling is consistent nowadays.
‘It's as if....'
Sera’s fingers unconsciously brushed the back of her hand—tracing the artifact coiled around her hand, which is now invisible.
‘Could it be…?’
A faint unease coiled in her chest.
‘Is this caused by the artifact?’
Her gaze flicked briefly toward Tia.
‘Is it possible that Tia's constitution could no longer suppress it?
'Is it slowly affecting everything around it? Just like before Tia’s birth.'
‘I already have a lot on my plate. Now this old problem is re-emerging. This can cause unpredictable outcomes.’
This thought made her stomach tighten with stress and anxiety.
“Sera…?” Emma’s voice trembled, feeling nervous seeing Sera lost in her thoughts.
Sera blinked, returning to the present. She smiled lightly and waved her hand.
“Don’t worry. Even if you stayed silent, they would have acted the same. This is what they had planned to do all along.”
“In fact, you did well, standing your ground, for me and for ravenscrest.” Sera added.
Emma looked up, relief washing over her face.
Alaric, who had been observing Sera’s nonchalant attitude—as if none of this concerned her—finally spoke.
“Sera… aren’t you angry?”
“Angry?” she tilted her head slightly.
“They looked down on you,” he said, his voice tightening. “And the way they looked at you, the children and Emma… their intentions weren’t clean. Just thinking about it makes my blood boil.”
He paused, frowning at her.
“Yet you’re acting like it’s nothing serious. Doesn’t it anger you at all?”
Sera let out a soft chuckle.
“It’s not like I can do anything to them right?
“If I start taking every barking bitch seriously, I might have to pass my nights sleepless.” Sera shrugs.
A few of the guards exchanged glances, faint smiles forming.
She leaned back, her tone turning almost amused.
“People talk. People desire. If it is only spouting nonsense, anyone can do that.”
She gestured lazily toward herself and all the females, winking, “It’s only natural for bees to eye beautiful flowers.”
The maids blinked—then a few stifled laughs slipped out.
Sera added, her voice dipping just slightly, “as long as they don’t dare act… why should I waste my energy on what festers in their minds?”
For a brief moment, something colder flickered beneath her calm. Then it was gone.
The tension broke.
Alaric exhaled, and the others followed—soft laughter rippling through the group as the weight in the air eased.
“But their behavior is unacceptable, madam,” the head maid Elara said, voice tight with anger. “Especially that assistant. His master said nothing, yet he dared speak so disrespectfully to you.”
Sera let out a soft chuckle.
“It's not that the viscount didn’t say anything. He chose not to.”
Everyone looked at her.
“Otherwise, how can he speak so boldly without his master’s consent.”
“They are trying to provoke us. What good would it do if I fell for their taunts? Probably trying to test my…no, our limits.
“It was deliberate,” she continued. “A very common practice among nobles.”
‘It’s been a long time since I last saw someone use it.’
Sera thought.
‘Even I forgot about it.’
“Practice?” someone echoed.
“Yes. Nobles rarely address those two ranks below them directly. Instead, they let their accompanying attendants or stewards speak.”
"Of course it is neither an obligation nor a traditional custom. It is their superiority that they want to express through this method.
"For normal or official interactions, their stewards or assistants will speak instead of them. It shows their stance that the other party is not qualified to speak to them on equal terms.
"A way of expressing their superiority in rank and status.”
Understanding slowly dawned across their faces.
"Today, Vell spoke instead of the Viscount. He is indirectly stating that ‘You are not worthy to speak with me on equal terms. For you, my assistant is more than enough. You should know your place.’
"This is a normal method used by aristocrats when they want to humiliate someone and express their dominance."
Hearing Sera's explanation, silence followed. As anger simmered everyone clenched their fists .
Sera gestured lazily toward Emma. “That’s why I said—you did well.”
Emma felt relieved, her confidence returning.
“Then how should we deal with them?” she asked.
Sera leaned back, thinking.
“Provide everything they ask for. Documents, assistance—everything. Cooperate fully.
“But you don't need to act subservient to them. Be yourself.”
Emma nodded.
“And from tomorrow,” Sera added, “I’ll remain silent like a decoration. You’ll speak in my place.”
Emma blinked, then nodded firmly.
The head maid nods.
“But… is that enough?” the head maid asked hesitantly. “Their behavior today… the lecherous way they looked at the maids… I don’t think they’ll stop. The maids are all a bit afraid. And he’s a viscount…”
A ripple of unease passed through.
Sera’s expression didn’t change as she thought,
'I indeed don't want to stand out. If I can avoid trouble by sacrificing a few maids and some money, then it's not a bad deal.'
Her gaze drifted to Tia, ‘…No. Tia would not like it.’
She exhaled quietly.
“For now, we observe,” she said.
“They may try to provoke us while restraining themselves. If they step out of line… endure it. Just for a day or two.”
Several maids stiffened.
“If possible, assign older women to attend them.”
The head maid nodded, though reluctantly.
“I will think of a way to deal with them.”
Emma hesitated. “Will opposing them cause trouble?”
Sera smirked. “Aren’t you the one who started it? Why are you asking that now?”
Emma glared. “Stop teasing me. I’m serious.”
Sera chuckled, then her expression turned calm. "Of course it is not anything good."
“Their confidence comes from their role. They assume every noble is corrupt—and will try to please them.
“Even if the nobles are not corrupt, they are confident that they can make them comply and get away with whatever they want.”
Her gaze hardened.
“We have to be careful. Fabricating records is their specialty.”
Emma nodded. “I’ll stay alert.”
Sera inclined her head.
“I don't think these auditors are so hard to deal with.
“As long as we’re clean, they will have no real leverage.
“They themselves aren’t the issue,” she said.
“The real problem… which makes them the nightmare of nobles…. is their backer.”
“Backer?”
"Yes," Sera nods.
"Most of the officials at court are from aristocratic families. While low level jobs are usually taken by lower rank nobles or commoners who came through connections or some noble’s bastard children who are denied of having their house name.
"These people usually are honorary nobles without titles or power. So they try to get under powerful nobles to get their support.
"In return, they will do all their dirty deeds, pay the nobles some money of which they earn, and many other things.
“Viscount Lucien came carrying the royal crest,” Sera said. “And the Hall of Wealth indicating his official status.”
She paused.
“But he flies the banner of a ducal house.
"He is announcing that he has the Ducal house as his backer.
Sera looked around to find that most of them remain confused, unable to get what she wants to convey.
She giggles.
"Long story short, he is intimidating us by stating that we should pay them and do their bidding, whether it is money or women.
“If not, the Ducal house will look for trouble with us." Sera shrugged, aloof.
Murmurs of anger spread through the group—each of them stating their indignation.
“That’s extortion,” a guard spat.
“Of course it is.” another added
“That’s unreasonable.”
“Who do they think they are?”
"Yeah. Just because they are a noble house, do they think they can do whatever they want." Another added.
…..
….
…
“Hahaha…”
Suddenly, a dry, sarcastic voice cut through them.
Copyright © [April] [2026] [The Rainy Imp]. All rights reserved.
“Are you all naive… or just stupid?”
Heads turned towards the one who spoke.
It was an unremarkably handsome young guard with gentle jaw, hazel eyes, black hair with very slight brown shade, average height, lean physique with a functional build, who stood near Alaric, with his arms crossed, expression unimpressed.
“What did you say Vale?” a guard snapped.
Vale didn’t flinch.
“It’s not that they
think
they can do whatever they want,” he said.
He looked at them, one by one.
“It’s that they can.”
The words fell like cold water.
"I heard that, before madam Sera became the baroness, this place was very miserable.
"Most of you have experienced it right. Then what did anyone do to stop the previous lords from doing whatever they want?"
His words struck a knot in everyone's throats.
“This is just a barony,” he continued. “And even here, all you could previously do was to suffer in their hands.”
"The highest ranked person we know is a countess.
His gaze sharpened.
"These guys have a Ducal house backing them. Do you understand what a duke means? Do you know what a high noble means?
Silence fell as he continued after a moment.
"Commoners, Lords, knights, barons, viscount, counts, marquis, dukes, arch dukes, prince, queen and king.
"A baron is 8th in the ranks of nobility, while a duke is 4th, standing near the top, entire regions falling under his control.
"Do you know how many counts, viscounts and barons live under a dukedom?
"Do you know how much power they hold?
“We are a mere 300 ordinary guards. A battalion at most.
“While a duke commands legions.”
No one spoke.
"Of course they can do whatever they want. Who’s going to stop them?” Vale asked quietly, his tone tinged with slight anger.
No one had an answer. His words poured cold water on everyone, making them understand the situation.
Tia glanced at Vale, his thoughts drifting back.
‘He is Vale. If I remember correctly…
'About 5 years ago, he came from another territory to Ravenscrest along with his sister.
‘A noble there had demanded that his sister spend a night with him, giving them a few days to comply, to surrender her dignity.
'They understood that they had no choice. There would be no justice. No protection.
'So they ran.
‘They wandered from place to place, searching for a place to settle.
‘Eventually, they reached Ravenscrest.
‘Here, it was peaceful and the lord was fair.
‘There was even a healing clinic—one where half the expenses were covered by the baroness herself.
‘They chose to stay.
‘At the time, Mother had been recruiting guards.
‘Vale had joined.
‘Unexpectedly, he proved capable—skilled and good at heart, despite his sarcastic remarks from time to time.
‘He soon became uncle Alaric’s right-hand man.’
“This isn’t anything new,” Vale said, breaking the silence.
“All across the kingdom, most of the nobles behave like this. It is the same everywhere.”
“At our previous home… It was no different. That’s why we had no choice but to run.”
Emma nodded slowly. “In recent years, more people have been coming to Ravenscrest. Not just here—nearby territories too.”
“They’re fleeing,” Vale said. “Because they can’t afford to offend their lords.”
“And those nobles are slowly becoming bolder.”
Alaric sighed. “It’s not that we didn’t know. We just… forgot after getting used to peace here.”
A guard spoke up hesitantly. “I’ve heard… in some places, weird laws are being implemented, like the lord of the territory has the right to take a newlywed bride’s first night.”
Silence fell.
Vale shook his head. “What can ordinary people do? Submit, run… or die.”
No one answered.
After a moment, Tia spoke.
“What about the temples? Teacher Kevin and Grandpa Benedict are strong. Don’t they have influence?”
Vale shook his head, “Temples adhere to the policy of not involving in politics unless things become too blatant.”
Vina snorted, in a low voice, “What is the point of all that power if they don't use it?”
Sera smiled. “The temples are also one of the reasons keeping the nobles' restrained, keeping them from going completely out of control.”
“Even that is changing.” Vale hesitated, saying, “Some priests… have also started to become shady.”
“What about the king?” Vina asked. “Why doesn’t he do anything?”
**********
Copyright © [April] [2026] [The Rainy Imp]. All rights reserved.
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