“What about the king?” Vina asked. “Why doesn’t he do anything?”
Emma scoffed softly. “If the nobles are this corrupt, how can the king be any better?”
“That’s not entirely true,” Sera said.
All eyes turned to her.
“I heard this from Countess Ravenna,” she continued, her voice, calm and measured.
“The roots of this chaos go back to the founding of the Kingdom of Aetheria.”
“A long time ago, the first king built this kingdom through war—through strength and leadership. Those who stood with him became the ancestors of today’s noble houses.
“The priests of the twelve temples also played a role in that era.
“In return, they were granted the right to establish themselves here—to build their temples and preach their gospel—but under the condition that they were not to interfere in political affairs.”
She paused.
“It was a principle they had followed long before Aetheria existed, so at the time, there was no conflict.
“Moreover, the temples serve crucial roles in other aspects of society.
“Beyond them, many minor cults and religions existed as well—and all were permitted to remain, so long as they were not demonic in nature.
“The king rewarded loyalty with land and titles,” she went on.
“And in doing so, he created a system.”
Her gaze hardened slightly.
“These nobles—whether barons or dukes—rule their own lands.
“As long as their descendants are not guilty of anything too disastrous, their houses alone retain control over their territories.
“The king does not act against them without cause. In return, they remain loyal and defend the kingdom in times of war.”
She looked at them, weighing their reactions.
“The first king was a magnanimous person. He understood that if a noble failed in their duty, the king could judge them.”
“But then he asked himself… who would judge the king, if
he
were the one in the wrong?”
“To prevent tyranny, he introduced something else.”
“A veto.”
She paused.
“If a majority of nobles—say, seventy percent—deemed the king’s decision unjust, they could block it.
“And if a majority supported a proposal, they could enforce it—so long as it was reasonable and logically sound.”
Tia’s eyes widened, though most of the others still seemed confused.
“Furthermore, any new law—or amendment to existing ones—requires both the king’s approval and the support of the majority of nobles.
“However, if a noble is found guilty, the king retains full authority to judge them, regardless of the veto.”
“And all of this,” Sera added, “is bound by magical contracts. Every noble. Every king. Bound to the same system.
“Whenever a new lord inherits a title—be it baron or duke—or when a new king is enthroned, they must sign this contract.
“It is done in the presence of the king, the priests, and the nobles, affirming that they will uphold this system.
“This is a mandatory rite, as much a part of inheritance as the title itself. And all nobles abide by it.”
“The noble lords—and even their immediate families—cannot betray the king due to these contracts.
“And even if extended family branches or outsiders harbor ambitions, the nobles maintain their own armies and defenses.
“In fact, their military strength often exceeds that of the royal family.”
“It is…. almost perfect,” Tia said.
Sera smiled faintly. “Indeed. But now… that perfection has become the root of all problems plaguing the kingdom.”
“How?” Emma asked, confused.
“You see, the first king built this system on a simple assumption,” Sera said.
“If a noble became corrupt, the king would stop them. And if the king became corrupt… the nobles would stop him.”
She turned her gaze to Tia.
“But what happens… if the majority itself becomes corrupt?”
Realization struck.
No one spoke.
“That’s right,” Sera continued quietly. “He never considered that the descendants of those nobles—the majority—could fall just as far.
“Generations passed, and the heirs of once-great houses grew greedy. Arrogant. Decadent.
“Even the royal family faltered for a time. They sank into excess… even taking debts from foreign kingdoms to fund their indulgences.
“And during all of this, the veto was forgotten. It had never once been used in the kingdom’s history.”
She exhaled softly.
“But that changed when the grandfather of the current king ascended the throne… under unexpected circumstances.”
“Is it possible… that it was orchestrated?” Emma asked cautiously.
Sera shook her head. “No. He was bound by the contract—just like all of them. He belonged to one of the branch families. But, at the time, he was still a general leading the army.”
Her voice was firm.
“It wouldn’t have been possible.”
“He wasn’t particularly capable. But he was a good man—and he tried to change things.
“It wasn’t easy. Neither he nor his son possessed strong political skill, yet they managed to hold the kingdom together.”
“His son—the current king’s father—was different. A brilliant military general.
“He crushed invading kingdoms at great cost… and bound them through magical contracts, keeping them at bay.”
After a brief pause, she lowered her voice slightly.
“But the current king…He is different. He is capable, intelligent and determined to reform the kingdom.
“After taking the throne, he investigated the rot within the kingdom and began addressing its problems.
“He solved many issues and punished corrupt nobles—and for a moment, people believed the kingdom had hope.”
Her expression hardened.
“Unfortunately… that hope didn’t last.”
“It was when he was preparing to pass judgment on the children of several powerful nobles. Desperate to protect their children, they searched for a way out.”
“And that’s when they found it.”
“The veto.”
“Overnight, they gathered a majority… and, for the first time in history, they used it—against the king.”
Silence.
“Since then, they’ve formed alliances. Gathering nobles under their banner. Protecting one another. Weakening every punishment.
“Whenever one of them is sentenced, they invoke the veto… reducing the penalty to something meaningless.
“They even sent one of the king’s most loyal supporters to the front lines under false pretenses—leading to his death… just to make a point.
“To show the king his place.
“So the king became powerless to control them,” Alaric said, his fists clenched.
“And by the very contract that binds the kingdom,” Sera added, “the king cannot attack the noble houses. Nor can they openly move against him.
“If the king wishes to change the laws, he still needs the approval of those same nobles.”
She let out a faint, bitter breath.
“And why would they ever allow that?”
“It’s already too late.”
“And since then…” her gaze darkened, “the nobles have grown bolder.”
“They started to act without restraint.”
“Lawless.”
“What about the other nobles?” Tia asked.
“If someone tries to complain…” Sera said quietly, “that complaint can become a death sentence.”
“Imagine someone bringing a case to court. The nobles could simply invoke the veto—and have that person sent to the front lines under the pretense of command.”
“A place where deaths are common. Where monsters roam… or where an ‘accident’ can be arranged.”
“They can send anyone to the front lines, and none can stop them.”
“As long as they hold the majority,” Sera said, “they can do almost anything.”
“What about mages?” Tia asked. “Or common people?”
“The nobles have gathered many under their banners—soldiers, knights… even mages,” Sera replied.
“And most of them are bound by magical contracts. As for commoners… they are bound by power, fear, and survival.”
“A single person—or even a group of mages—are powerless against them.
“And if anyone dares to rebel… The only fate that awaits them is death.”
A long silence followed.
“Over time, the nobles themselves have grown… useless,” she continued.
“Stripped of the veto, most of them would be nothing—save for a few capable individuals. Decadence has hollowed them out.”
“That is why the king has begun establishing academies—to train soldiers capable of fighting both monsters and enemy kingdoms.
“But the nobles will never allow commoners to rise above them.”
Sera paused, then spoke again.
“And the nobles… are not the only threat this kingdom faces.”
“There are neighboring kingdoms, waiting for treaties to expire—watching for weakness.”
“The royal family’s past debts still linger, while nobles hoard wealth plundered from the people.”
“There are disputes among the twelve great temples… and as Vale mentioned, even some priests have grown corrupt.”
“Black magic cults. Bandits. Criminals… all thrive in the cracks.”
"Far away from this place there is a monster's threat constantly looming on this kingdom which is defended by the wall.
"Recently, rumors of some substances, drugs have also become prevalent in the kingdom.
“They are addictive and cause ecstasy, but they are very harmful in the long run.
"There are also many cases of people suffering from health issues and unknown diseases.
Her expression darkened further.
“And the nobles?” she said coldly. “Greedy. Indulgent. Cruel.”
“They plunder. They exploit. They hide behind luxury while others suffer.”
“Most no longer fight. They send their knights—and talented commoners—to die in their place.”
“If those soldiers win, the nobles claim the glory.”
“If they die…” she paused, her voice sharpening, “they call it incompetence and recklessness, disobeying their orders.”
“There have been countless cases where poor leadership led entire forces to meaningless deaths.”
“The royal auditors?” she added with a faint, bitter smile. “They are not just tax collectors. They extort the nobles as well.”
“If foreign powers invade, the nobles will defend their lands—if it suits them.”
“Otherwise… they are content to preserve the current order.”
"And so the kingdom stands, surrounded by threats—both within and without.”
"Between corrupt nobles, weak institutions, external threats… It is a miracle that the kingdom remained intact.”
“It was a real lifesaver that the king’s grandfather became the king at that time.
A faint, genuine respect touched her expression.
“The king… is an exceptional ruler.
“It's a real shame that he was born in such unfavorable circumstances.
“He has been maintaining this fragile balance—barely holding everything together.
"In fact, if it was any other person, this kingdom might have already been on the brink of destruction.
“Yet…” her gaze drifted into the distance, “he cannot save everyone.”
“It is the common people who suffer the most—tormented and crushed beneath the weight of all this chaos.”
"Currently, the kingdom is too chaotic, ready to collapse at any time.
“All it needs… is a single push.”
Silence filled the room.
No one spoke.
No one could.
For the first time, they had a glimpse of the chaos in the world that surrounded their peaceful home.
And for the first time…it felt as though the kingdom might fall the very next day.
Copyright © [April] [2026] [The Rainy Imp]. All rights reserved.
Late at night, in Sera’s bedroom, Tia lay asleep at the center of the bed.
Sera rested on his right, while Vina lay to his left.
After Tia slept soundly.
Vina’s voice broke the silence. “Mother…”
“Yes?”
“Are you still thinking about what to do?”
“Yes.”
A brief pause.
“Are they really bad news to us?”
“A little.”
Vina then asked, “If they’re so troublesome… why don’t we just kill them?”
Sera answered absently, still lost in thought. “Indeed…”
Then she suddenly turned to Vina.
“…What did you just say?”
“Why don’t we just kill them?” Vina repeated simply. “Wouldn’t that solve the problem?”
Sera blinked at her, momentarily stunned.
Then she let out a soft chuckle.
“You’ve never killed anyone before, have you?”
Vina shook her head.
“Not even an animal?”
Again, she shook her head. “No.”
Sera studied her for a moment.
“Then… When the time comes, try killing some animals first. One or two.
But don't kill anything human
. Not yet.”
Vina blinked, confused—but nodded.
“Is there really a difference?” she asked. “I’ve seen people kill other people… and animals too. Isn’t it all the same?”
Sera nodded… then slowly shook her head.
“Yes… and no.”
“Indeed. It's all the same. Life is life. Humans are also animals—it makes little difference in that sense. Yet there is a subtle difference.”
“People don’t
see
it that way.”
Humans prey on other humans just like they hunt and prey on animals.
“We don’t consider animals as equals. But we do treat fellow humans as such.”
“So there is a difference… even if it is only in perception.”
She paused, her tone turning quieter.
“In the hive…in our family… there is a tradition.”
“When you take the life of a humanoid creature or a being capable of thought for the first time… you have to do it in the presence of your mother, father or an elder sibling who has experienced it.
“In the families which inherited demonic bloodlines, there is a saying—whether it is a god, a human, or a demon…”
“They all cry when they take a life for the first time.”
Her gaze softened slightly.
“So it is better not to face that alone.”
She looked at Vina.
“It is a mother’s duty to teach her daughter certain things.
Things that others can't teach you.
”
“It is a trait that belongs to our kind only. Not for others.
“While it isn’t mandatory. Some just help. Some take it for themselves.
“In the hive, it is a mother’s or sister’s duty to help her daughter or sibling with their three first bloods.
After a small pause, “If you ever have to kill someone… You have to do it in my presence, and do it as I say. Do you understand?”
“…Okay,” Vina said softly, nodding.
Sera smiled faintly, her expression growing more serious.
“Making them disappear would certainly solve things.
“But it’s better to avoid bloodshed, if possible. It brings less trouble.
“They visited the temple as soon as they arrived. If anything happens to them, suspicion will lead back here.”
“And we would be the first to be questioned.”
“I don’t want that kind of attention.”
She exhaled quietly.
“For now… we can only hope that they will move to at least two or three places safely after they leave here.”
“Then,” Vina said, “why don’t you use the artifact? You said it can show illusions.”
Sera shook her head.
“I don’t want to rely on something I cannot fully control.”
“And it consumes far too much mana.”
“More importantly… illusions like that only work on those with weak or unstable minds.”
“It takes time to weaken their will and destabilize their minds.”
“I had to travel with the Ravenscrest soldiers for three months before they began to fall under its influence.”
“The entire castle took half a year before they came under the influence of lamia’s embrace.”
“The black magic cult member Ethan, was already in a very unstable state.”
Her gaze sharpened.
“These people will be here for, at most, a month or two. That’s not enough.”
“And if people start behaving strangely, Priest Joshua will grow suspicious.”
“They’re like robbers or opportunists. It’s best to deal with them normally.”
“When I tried to provoke the viscount, by addressing him by the honorary prefix, he didn’t even flinch.”
“He was even amused.”
“That means he doesn’t care about pride or status… or his priorities lie elsewhere.”
“And he may have a strong will. Illusions may be useless.”
“To him, his title may simply be a tool. Just as mine is to me.”
She leaned back slightly.
“This is a game we have to play without using force.”
“A game of negotiation.”
“It's true that it may be a bit hard. But, what is life without some thrill in it?” Sera chuckles.
“In truth, he isn’t that difficult to handle.”
“He will definitely try to investigate Ravenscrest and about me. Then, he’ll learn my story, and about the massacre of House Ravenscrest.”
“And anyone with even a shred of intelligence… will suspect me to be the culprit.”
A faint smile touched her lips.
“As long as I maintain an air of mystery, they’ll be cautious.”
“They don’t need proof. Suspicion is enough.”
She grew thoughtful again.
“The viscount is intelligent. He'll understand the boundaries.”
“These royal auditors aren’t the real problem.”
“It’s the forces backing them that are troublesome.”
“So I’ll simply act as though I have backing of my own.”
“There are many cases where the victims were unable to deal with their backers, they targeted the royal auditors and their groups who are the immediate culprits, taking their lives.”
“They won’t risk offending someone uncertain.”
“They tend to choose their targets carefully.”
“The duke’s territory is far from here. His influence is weak in these areas.
“What I don’t understand is why did they come this far away from their usual sphere of influence.
“Perhaps the king assigned them here deliberately—placing them where their backers have less influence.
“Or perhaps it’s just routine.
“Even if the duke wants to cause trouble, he has to go through the Marquess and Countess Ravenna… which is unlikely.
“It’s unlikely that the duke will mobilize his army to deal with a mere baroness”, Sera
chuckles.
“It's too expensive.
“So they’ll treat this as trivial and move on.
She closed her eyes briefly.
“In any case… I just need to act like myself.”
“If I were in their position, I’d investigate the local lord.”
“And once they hear the story…”
“They’ll draw their own conclusions.”
“That I’m dangerous. That I may have support.”
“And that I’m not worth the risk.”
She opened her eyes again looking at Vina.
“If all else fails. Then we can do as you said. Just make them disappear.
“My concern isn’t the viscount.”
“What matters is keeping his entourage in check, away from the maids… and the others.”
“But don’t worry,” she said softly.
“I’ll find a way.”
“…Okay,” Vina murmured, already drifting into sleep.
Sera watched her for a moment, then smiled faintly.
Slowly, she closed her eyes as well.
**************
Copyright © [April] [2026] [The Rainy Imp]. All rights reserved.
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