Morning.

The assistants accompanying the Royal Auditor were getting ready for the day.

One of them idly wandered toward the window of their room on the first floor of Ravenscrest Castle. From there, the castle gardens stretched out before him in the soft morning light.

As he absentmindedly gazed outside, his eyes suddenly froze.

The head maid was escorting Elara across the garden toward her room.

"Oh my God..." he muttered under his breath.

Hearing his astonished voice, another assistant walked over to the window.

"What is it?"

The moment he looked outside, he froze as well.

"Hey! Come over here! You have to see this!"

One after another, the remaining assistants gathered around the window.

None of them could take their eyes off Elara.

Elara wore a provocative maid uniform with a knee-length skirt and a neckline which slightly revealed her ample bosom. The outfit accentuated her graceful curves without appearing gaudy.

As she walked, her fair skin seemed to glow beneath the morning sun, her hips swayed naturally as she walked with her long legs enticing every pair of eyes watching from above making several of the men unconsciously swallow.

When Elara sensed their lust filled gazes, she gently raised her head and looked toward the windows.

The instant they saw her face, the room fell silent.

Her delicate features, calm expression, and striking eyes stole everyone's breath.

"Oh my God... How can there be such a beautiful maid in a backwater place like this?" one assistant whispered.

"She's unbelievably gorgeous," another said.

"If I could spend just one night sleeping in her arms, I'd die without regrets," a third added.

Noticing that Elara had stopped looking ahead, the head maid followed her gaze and looked toward the windows.

Her expression stiffened.

The assistants were practically hanging out of the windows, staring at Elara with unconcealed hunger.

She felt anxious seeing the men drooling like a pack of hungry wolves, who saw some delicious fresh meat.

A chill ran down her spine.

'This is bad...'

she thought.

Turning to Elara, she spoke in a gentle but hurried voice.

"Miss, I'll escort you to your room. I'll have someone bring your meals there."

She hesitated before continuing. "If possible... could you avoid leaving your room today?"

"Please don't take offense. There are... some troublesome guests staying at the castle. If you happen to encounter them,  it may be a bit...problematic."

"I understand. Please don't worry," Elara replied expressionlessly.

Relieved by her calm response, the head maid let out a quiet sigh.

Even so, anxiety still lingered in her heart.

'It's fortunate this young lady will be leaving tomorrow. Otherwise... I don't even want to imagine what might happen.'

She glanced at Elara again.

'Still... who wears such a shameful uniform? It draws far too much attention. Isn't she embarrassed? Is this the uniform maids in other territories wear?'

The head maid shook her head inwardly.

Without another word, she quickened her pace, eager to leave the area as quickly as possible.

Elara silently matched her steps.

Within moments, the two women disappeared from the view of the assistants.

The room, however, remained in an uproar.

The assistants excitedly talked over one another, each trying to describe the breathtaking maid they had just seen.

Hearing the commotion, the crooked-nosed assistant and the Magic Knight entered the room.

"What is all this noise about?" the crooked-nosed man asked with a frown.

"Sir, you won't believe what we just saw!" one of the assistants exclaimed.

"There's a maid here... but she's unlike anyone we've ever seen. Even among the daughters of noble and aristocratic families, I've rarely seen someone so beautiful."

"A maid?"

Both men exchanged puzzled looks.

"Yes."

The assistants immediately began recounting everything they had witnessed.

********

Copyright © [September] [2026] [The Rainy Imp]. All rights reserved. 

Tia walked through the castle corridor, humming a cheerful tune as he made her way toward the kitchen for breakfast in an exceptionally good mood.

'It's such a nice day,'

she thought.

Early in the morning , Tia woke up to find himself embraced in a deep hug by Sera in her sleep

Feeling her warmth, inhaling her natural scent, he felt his face flushed till the tip of his ears.

Tia felt like he was taking advantage of her.

Listening to her breath, he slowly fell into sleep once again. Causing him to wake up once again

After freshening up, she headed straight for the kitchen.

As she walked through the corridors, she noticed something unusual.

'Hmm... there seem to be fewer maids working today.'

She glanced out of the stone railing.

Even the garden appeared unusually quiet.

'

Normally, by this hour, a few maids or servants would be tending the flower beds, trimming the grass, or sweeping away fallen leaves.

'Today, however, there was hardly anyone in sight.'

Before long, he arrived at the kitchen.

As he stepped inside, he saw only Sera seated at the dining table, calmly having her breakfast while a maid stood nearby serving her.

Vina was nowhere to be seen.

"Good morning, Tia," Sera greeted with a smile.

"Morning, Mother," Tia replied as she took a seat.

"Where's Vina?"

"She should be finishing her morning routine. She'll be here after she's washed up."

After a brief pause, Sera added, "When she arrives, remind her not to continue her training for the next few days until those Royal Auditors leave the castle."

"Okay."

The maid promptly served Tia's breakfast.

"Thank you," Tia said politely.

The maid smiled and nodded before stepping back to continue tidying the kitchen.

'Lady Tia has grown so quickly,'

she thought.

"Although she is not yet ten, she carries herself like an adult and appears older than her age."

'Lady Vina is the same. I wonder how Madam Sera teaches her children.'

As Tia began eating, her eyes fell upon the cloth wrapped package resting beside Sera on the table.

"Mother, what's that?" she asked curiously.

Sera looked at the package before smiling.

"Oh, this? A guest arrived early this morning and delivered it to me. If time permits, I'll introduce her to you later."

"Is she one of the bad people?" Tia asked.

Sera chuckled. "No. She's good."

…

"What are your plans today?" she asked after a moment.

"Vina and I are planning to visit the temple. Apparently Ron said he wants to go to Priest Joshua to start their magic lessons today.

"Everyone wants to hear more about their trip to the Citadel.

"Vina asked me to come along too.

"We're meeting her friends near the town square before heading to the temple.

"We want to see what they'll be learning."

Sera smiled.

"That's fine. Just make sure you're back before nightfall."

"We will."

"What about you, Mother?" Tia asked.

"I have a few more books added to my reading list, I suppose." Sera let out a small sigh.

Tia blinked in confusion but decided not to ask further.

After a moment, another question crossed her mind.

"Mother, I noticed there seem to be fewer maids around today."

"Yes," Sera replied. "I asked some of them not to come today. The rest are busy attending to our guests. We've never hosted this many visitors before, so things are a little hectic. It's better to be cautious."

"Oh..."

Soon, Sera finished her breakfast and stood, picking up the package.

"I should get going now. I have a few troublesome guests to entertain."

Tia chuckled. "Good luck."

With a smile, Sera left the kitchen.

Now Tia found herself eating alone.

'Hmm... Mother is busy.

'Vina is still getting ready.

'Most of the maids are occupied.

'The garden is practically empty...

'Everyone is focused on their own work.

'That means... no one will be paying attention...'

A mischievous smile slowly spread across her face.

'Isn't this the perfect chance?'

Her eyes lit up.

She immediately began wolfing down her breakfast, nearly choking in the process.

The maid hurried over. "Lady Tia, please slow down!"

Tia quickly drank some water before continuing at a slightly more reasonable pace.

Once she finished eating, she jumped down from her chair.

"If Vina comes, please tell her I'll be at the gazebo."

Without waiting for a reply, clenching the hem of her gown, she dashed out of the kitchen.

The maid watched her disappear down the hallway.

"What got into her all of a sudden?"

After a brief moment, "Children..." she simply smiled and shook her head.

Then she quietly returned to cleaning the kitchen.

******

Tia hurried into the garden before finally slowing to a stop. Resting her hands on her knees, she took several deep breaths to calm her racing heart.

After catching her breath, she cautiously looked around.

The garden was quiet.

There were no gardeners trimming the hedges, no maids tending the flower beds, and no servants sweeping away the fallen leaves.

As far as she could tell, no one was paying attention to her.

Satisfied, Tia walked toward the gazebo.

Instead of entering immediately, she circled it slowly, examining every detail.

The gazebo stood at the heart of the garden, built entirely from polished white stone. Slender pillars supported a graceful domed roof, while lush green vines cascaded from above like curtains, swaying gently in the morning breeze.

A circular stone bench lined the inner edge of the pavilion, surrounding a large round stone table at its center.

It was elegant, peaceful, and seemingly ordinary.

He first walked around the outside, carefully inspecting the surrounding plants and the ground beneath her feet, searching for anything unusual.

Finding nothing suspicious, he stepped inside.

Her fingers brushed across the smooth stone pillars as her eyes wandered from the intricate carvings on the floor to the sturdy stone table standing before her.

The tabletop was a thick circular slab supported by a broad stone pillar. At its base rested another circular stone disc that appeared firmly fixed into the platform beneath it.

It looked like a single piece of furniture carved entirely from stone.

Anyone seeing it would assume it was nothing more than a heavy table.

Tia folded her arms.

'Yesterday...' T

ia thought

.

'

When the maid had explained the intentions of the royal auditors group toward the territory—and especially their attitude toward the women of Ravenscrest—everyone present had been filled with righteous indignation.

'Uncle Alaric had been the angriest of them all.

'In his fury, he slammed his hand onto this very table.

'At the time, Mother had immediately scolded him.

"Be careful. You'll break the table."

'Aunt Emma had finally smiled at the exchange.

'At first, I had assumed Mother was simply trying to calm Uncle Alaric down and lighten the mood.'

"But now...I think something is off."

'

I think mother was really anxious that uncle Alaric may break the table.

Tia chuckled softly.

'Uncle Alaric and Aunt Emma...

'Those two love birds really believe they're hiding their feelings from everyone.'

She shook her head.

‘Even their parents figured it out long ago. That's probably why they've stopped pressuring Aunt Emma about marriage... although they still nag her every chance they get.'

Her smile soon faded.

'Of course Uncle Alaric would lose his temper.

'Any man would be furious after hearing that someone harbored ill intentions toward their woman.

'Especially a knight like Alaric.

'

His anger is understandable

.

Tia slowly placed a hand upon the stone table.

'The Sera I know isn't the type to worry about furniture.

'She probably wouldn't even care even if Alaric  punched a hole through one of the castle walls.

'She isn't such an insensitive person who would become anxious and scold him for breaking a mere table.

'Unless....'

She gently traced her fingers across its smooth surface.

'Unless this table is really expensive. Which cost her a pretty penny.'

A smile curved across his face.

"So, what's so special about you that made her anxious?" she murmured as if speaking to the table.

With a deeper curiosity, he leaned closer to carefully examine every inch of the table.

The polished tabletop appeared to consist of two thick stone discs connected by a solid stone pillar.

The craftsmanship was beautiful from above.

But as she crouched to inspect the underside, something immediately caught his attention.

"Hmm..."

A second layer of stone had been crudely attached beneath the tabletop.

Unlike the rest of the gazebo, whose craftsmanship was refined and elegant, this section looked rough and unfinished—as though someone had hurriedly added it afterward simply to conceal something.

Tia narrowed her eyes.

There was a narrow gap between the added stone layer and the supporting pillar.

Curious, she leaned closer.

Inside the gap...

She saw faint engravings.

Tiny symbols had been carved into the hidden surface resembling magical runes.

Tia's eyes widened.

"Bingo!" Tia snapped her fingers.

She couldn't hide her excitement.

"There really are runes..."

Most of them were concealed by the added stone layer, making them impossible to examine properly.

'Still

...

"This table definitely has something to do with magic."

After studying it a little longer, she frowned.

"The person who concealed these runes was either not very skilled or was too lazy to care."

She ran a finger along the uneven stonework.

"It looks as though they only cared whether it worked or not."

"They didn't bother making it beautiful."

She shook her head.

"And if I could notice these runes after looking carefully for sometime..."

"...then this isn't much of a disguise at all for someone who is looking for it deliberately."

Tia shifted her attention from the tabletop to its base.

The thick stone pillar extended downward into another circular stone disc firmly embedded in the gazebo's platform.

She slowly circled the table, carefully studying how the base connected to the floor.

Then she crouched and gently tapped the platform with her knuckles.

Knock... knock... knock...

She paused after every tap, listening to the sound.

Most of the platform produced a dull, solid echo.

However...

As she moved closer to the table, the sound gradually changed.

"Hmm..."

She tapped again.

Tok... tok...

Tia's eyes narrowed.

"That's different."

She immediately lay flat on the cool stone floor, pressing one ear against the platform.

Silence.

Then she knocked once more.

A faint, hollow echo vibrated beneath the stone.

Tia's eyes widened.

"There's an empty space underneath..."

She quickly got back to her feet and began estimating its size by tapping the floor in different places.

After several minutes, she had a rough idea of its boundaries.

The hollow space seemed circular, centered directly beneath the stone table.

"If the table could be moved..." she muttered.

"...someone could probably fit through the opening."

She looked back at the massive stone table.

Unfortunately, it was carved from thick white stone.

Even if the tabletop wasn't fixed in place, it was far too heavy for a single person to lift.

Tia folded her arms.

"A hidden room?"

"Or perhaps a secret storage chamber..."

She smiled to herself.

"Maybe Mother keeps treasures down there."

The thought amused her.

But her smile slowly disappeared as another memory surfaced.

Sera...

Whenever she slips out during the middle of the night...

I've seen her heading toward the garden more than once.

Tia turned to look around the quiet gazebo.

"Could it be related to this place?"

"If there truly was a hidden chamber beneath the gazebo...

"What is she hiding?

"Treasures?

"Documents?

"Magical artifacts?

"Or...Something far more important?"

Just as she was about to continue her investigation—

"Tia?"

A familiar voice suddenly called out.

"What are you doing here?"

Startled, Tia quickly stood upright and turned around.

Vina was walking toward the gazebo, dressed neatly in her favorite gown.

Tia sighed in relief as he exhaled to calm herself.

Over the past few years, she has grown tall. Her gentle smile and bearing started to resemble Sera.

For a brief moment, Tia found herself staring.

When Vina noticed, she tilted her head in confusion.

"What is it?"

Realizing she had been caught staring, Tia coughed awkwardly and looked away.

"N-Nothing."

"I was just... looking around."

Vina glanced at the stone table before smiling.

"I've been looking for you everywhere."

"Did you have breakfast?" Tia asked, trying to change the subject.

"I did."

"And you?"

"I just finished."

"Good."

Vina smiled warmly.

Just then Tia suddenly realized the bundle of cuteness that stood slightly behind Vina he had ignored.

Tia smiled, "is little lily also coming with us?"

Lily nodded, a bit shy.

This little girl is Lily, for whom Tia stood up for when she was being bullied by Julian previously.

After Sera gave a job at the castle, her mother brought lily to the castle after sera gave permission, as lily's father was expired and could not be left alone at home.

Vina smiled. "Yes, the head maid asked me to take her along as everyone is busy dealing with the guests."

"Oh" Tia nodded in understanding.

"Shall we go? Everyone is probably waiting for us."

"Okay" Tia as he followed Vina

However, Tia couldn't help stealing one last glance at the stone table.

It stood exactly as it always had.

Silent.

Ordinary.

As though it had never concealed anything at all.

Yet Tia knew better.

Beneath that quiet gazebo...

A secret was sleeping.

One she intended to uncover.

With that thought lingering in her mind, Tia followed Vina along with Lily out of the garden, and together they left the castle.

-------------------------------------------------

Copyright © [September] [2026] [The Rainy Imp]. All rights reserved. 

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].