The night in the Baronial chamber is steeped in an air of quiet tension, the faint scent of aged wood and parchment adding to the room's solemn atmosphere.
The room is brightly lit by the magic lamps Sera arranged throughout the castle. Although she wants to provide the lamps throughout the baronet, she couldn’t due to cost and maintenance.
A single flickering candle is placed on the large oak desk. Emma, Sera’s trusted assistant, stood before the desk, her eyes fixed on a letter sealed with a distinctive crimson wax stamp, with an intricate insignia.
Emma took a deep breath, steeling herself. She retrieved a small metal spoon from her pocket and held it over the candle's flame, watching as the spoon absorbed the heat.
Once the spoon was sufficiently heated, Emma leaned over the letter. Holding her breath, she gently pressed the warmed spoon against the wax seal, applying just enough heat to soften the wax without leaving any visible traces of tampering.
Once the seal was sufficiently pliable, Emma set aside the spoon and picked up a finely crafted letter opener. The blade slid under the flap of the envelope with ease. She worked meticulously, ensuring the envelope remained intact and undamaged. The letter opener moved with precision, revealing the contents within.
Emma unfolded the letter within, her eyes scanning the words written in elegant, flowing script. Her heart pounded slightly as she absorbed the contents.
Suddenly, a familiar voice broke the silence, coming from the doorway. "It's so convenient to have these magic lamps," Alaric remarked, in a casual tone.
"Argh!" Emma screamed in fright.
Taken aback by her reaction, Alaric quickly asked, "What happened?"
Emma turned to him, her face pale and her eyes wide with shock. "Dammit, don't scare me like that!" she cursed, her voice trembling slightly as tears of relief welled up in her eyes.
"I'm sorry, I didn’t mean to," Alaric apologized, despite not knowing how he was in the wrong.
While Emma took deep breaths to placate herself Alaric approached Emma with concern.
“What happened? Why are you so frightened?”
"It’s nothing," Emma replied, shaking her head as she tried to steady her nerves. "It was my mistake. Sorry for yelling at you."
Seeing that she had calmed down, Alaric pressed on. "So?"
Sighing, Emma explained, “Just after Sera’s departure, two letters were delivered to the castle addressing the Baroness. One of them is a sealed one”
"I was perusing them," she admitted, her voice carrying a hint of guilt.
"Then why are you frightened?"
"Because I'm not supposed to read the sealed letters," Emma confessed.
"It's very rare for sealed letters to be delivered, they usually come from the Countess or from the nearby neighboring lords. Sera always opens them personally. After reading them, she burns them. Sometimes she reveals the details when I inquire, but other times she keeps the contents to herself. Sometimes she hides some and reveals others."
Pausing for a moment, Emma continued, "Usually, she doesn’t reveal the contents of the letters sent from the Countess and Baron Ravenshield. And it’s very rare for Sera to be away for a long time. So, you see, I wanted to see its content."
“So, you are reading them without her knowledge.”
Emma nodded again, her guilt apparent. "It’s my first time doing something like this. I feel like I’m betraying Sera."
"Then you can just not do it, you know," Alaric suggested gently, shrugging slightly.
Emma shook her head.
"Are you worried about what Kevin said?"
Emma nodded.
----------------------------------------
Few months back, after Benedict’s departure from Raven’s Crest.
One day, as the sun began to set, casting long shadows across the cobblestone streets, Emma and Alaric were returning home after offering their prayers at the local shrine. The air was crisp, carrying the faint scent of pine and the soft murmur of distant conversations.
As they walked side by side, a familiar voice called out to them. "Alaric, Emma."
Kevin approached with a warm smile.
"Sir Kevin," they both greeted in unison.
"Could you both wait for a moment? I have something to discuss with you."
Emma and Alaric exchanged a quick glance, "Sure."
As the last of the worshippers left the shrine, leaving it in quiet serenity, Emma and Alaric found themselves alone, waiting patiently on one of the wooden pews. The flickering candles cast a warm, golden glow across the stone walls.
Kevin soon returned, accompanied by a young man in priestly robes who appeared to be in his late teens. The young man’s demeanor was reserved, his eyes downcast as he followed Kevin.
"Sorry for the wait," Kevin took a seat opposite them.
"No problem. Don’t worry about it," Alaric replied with a reassuring smile.
Kevin gestured toward the young man beside him. "By the way, this is the new apprentice priest, Joshua. He’s learning under me and just arrived a week ago. He’ll be taking over my duties at the shrine once I leave."
“Yes, we heard.” Emma and Alaric nodded.
"Hello, nice to meet you," Alaric greeted warmly.
Joshua, however, only offered a brief nod in response. The silence that followed was somewhat awkward.
“....”
“....”
“Hahaha. Sorry about that. He is a silent guy, always serious, shy and lacks communication skills. I will teach him properly.” Kevin smiled awkwardly trying to ease the situation.
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
“Ah, yes, no problem.” Alaric also felt slightly awkward.
“So, Sir Kevin, what is it that you wish to discuss with us?” Emma interjected trying to elevate the discomfort.
“Yes, about that, you see, mmm, it is hard to ask this of you but, I would like you both to keep an eye on Sera and her children.” Kevin said hesitatingly.
Hearing Kevin’s request, both of them frowned, their expressions darkening with surprise and indignation.
“Sir Kevin, you are our benefactor. But no matter how we see it, what you are asking is a bit inappropriate.” Alaric said with displeasure.
Emma’s brows knitted, she said in a sharp tone tinged with slight anger, “Do you really think we would stoop so low as to spy on our friend?”
‘Wow, their reaction is stronger than expected. It seems like Sera is very much loved.’ Kevin felt amused.
“Wait, wait, please don’t misunderstand me,” Kevin said, waving his hands in a placating gesture. “I didn’t mean it in that way. Please, let me explain.”
Realizing that they had allowed their emotions to get the better of them. They took deep breaths, calming themselves, and gestured for Kevin to continue.
“What I’m about to explain must be kept a secret, okay?”
Emma and Alaric nodded.
“When priests are dispatched to various areas of the kingdom, we are assigned numerous tasks. One of those tasks is to observe the nobles and their families from time to time.”
Emma and Alaric’s eyes widened in surprise at this unexpected revelation.
“This is done to ensure that no one practicing dark magic or any demon kin have infiltrated a noble family” Kevin explained.
A whirlwind of thoughts swirled in Emma and Alaric’s minds as they tried to process the information.
“So,..”
Just when Kevin is about to continue, Emma interjects, “So, you’re asking us to watch Sera and her children to watch out for any demon kin who might have disguised themselves as them?”
“Huh?” Kevin blinked.
“....”
“....”
‘I was trying to say to keep an eye on someone new who might enter their family. But this might be much better,’ Kevin thought.
“Yes, there might be some demon kin who could disguise themselves as members of the family. Or perhaps someone could marry into the family with the intention of gaining noble authority.”
He let that sink in before adding, “There might even be someone who could replace one of you two.”
Emma and Alaric exchanged uneasy glances as Kevin continued, with a pained expression, attempting to convey the weight of the responsibility.
“So, although it might feel wrong to spy on them, I ask that you carefully observe any peculiarities or differences in their behavior from time to time. This is for the good of the Baroness and her children.”
“If you notice anything suspicious, please inform us immediately—without taking any unnecessary risks.”
Alaric and Emma, though still uncomfortable with the idea, nodded in agreement.
“Alright, we understand.”
After some minor discussions, both of them took their leave.
Copyright © [October] [2024] [The Rainy Imp]. All rights reserved.
----------------------------------------
“Sir Kevin, why did you lie to them?” asked Joshua.
“Lie?” Kevin asked with a faint smile.
“There’s no such thing as a demon kin disguising as someone else,” Joshua pointed out.
“Ah, well, there are all kinds of possibilities in this world,” Kevin said, his tone light. “We may have never found someone who could disguise themselves as others, but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible. So technically, I didn’t lie.”
“....”
Feeling the awkward silence, Kevin admitted, “I was actually trying to say something else, but this is much better. This way, they can keep watch over the Baroness and her family without feeling guilty about it.”
“But why?” Joshua pressed. “Didn’t you already complete the investigation? Do we even need their help?”
“Yes, I did,” Kevin acknowledged. “But something still feels off. I’m just poking the bushes blindly, hoping to stir something up.”
Felling Joshua’s confusion, Kevin elaborated.
“This whole damn thing started with the priest who was here before Sir Benedict, sending that letter about the supposed tyranny of the Ravencrest nobles
“That’s when the higher-ups began paying attention to this area. That's when they suddenly realized that there’s this massive forest nearby, but no monster attacks. It raised some eyebrows.
“After checking the records, they found some interesting details about a pact.
“But they didn’t know how to prioritize this. So, they asked Sir Benedict to investigate this forest and the ravencrest, as he was about to leave for some vacation as a time pass. But they also asked him not to interfere until the investigation is complete.
“Then the incident with the corrupt nobles came to light, thanks to Sera and the Countess. That’s when the Empire finally paid their attention to this remote area.
“‘Oh my god, there is a huge forest here. Should we not form a Second defense wall? Why is it so safe?’ they thought”
“Those idiots finally realized this when the King pointed out this fact.
“And when they dug through their records, they too found the details of the pact.
“Both the church and royal records show the same content, stating that for the safety of the empire, someone of the Ravencrest bloodline should govern the Raven’s Crest territory.
“But it was too late. All the Ravencrest nobles were killed in a single night, leaving only two little children behind.”
“They can’t just crown those children as the new heads of House Ravencrest. Because it could draw unnecessary attention from dark wizards. If they were to discover the peculiarities surrounding this territory, it may lead to dangerous consequences.
“Thus, they gritted their teeth and let Sera become the baroness, hoping the pact made provisions for such an unusual situation—a time when the bloodline of Ravencrest might not be directly ruling the territory. At least temporarily.
“The decision wasn’t without risk, but somehow, the entire mess settled down. Things improved across the region, as if the land itself accepted the new order.
“For a while, all the churches and the empire watched closely, expecting something—anything—that might signal a breach in the pact. But nothing happened. Everything remained stable.
“And that’s when everyone started to suspect that Sera might be part of the Ravencrest lineage herself.
“It was the only explanation that made sense. Her ability to govern the land and the virtues of a noble she possessed despite being a commoner. Everything seems to fit perfectly.
“Most of the higher-ups are now leaning toward that theory. After all, it’s been a long time since Aldric Ravencrest. It’s entirely possible that someone from the family had a liaison or left the family behind at some point. Sera could very well be a descendant from one of those unknown branches. Or from an extra marital affair.”
Joshua frowned, “So, they’re treating her like a Ravencrest, but without any proof?”
“Precisely,” Kevin said.
“So why do you feel the dissonance, then?” Joshua asked in a steady voice.
“According to Sir Benedict, a few years after Sera arrived at Ravencrest, something strange happened. The entire Baron’s family, along with the people living in the castle, started to change. They became more tyrannical and unstable, to the point where the townsfolk were genuinely afraid of them.”
“But Sir Benedict didn’t find any traces of corruption or black magic on them, right?”
“That’s the perplexing part. They were tyrannical by nature, so it wasn’t entirely out of character for them to become more egotistical. But the way they escalated their behavior, going overboard with their cruelty and madness—it wasn’t just a natural progression. It was like something was pushing them over the edge.”
“And Sera? She was there the whole time?”
“Sir Benedict suspected her for a while. She was new to the castle, and while the others were descending into madness, she seemed...normal. A bit insane but relatively normal. But considering what she was going through at that time, perhaps it was normal.
“But after the Baron’s family was killed and Tia was born, Sera took over the baronet, and everything turned around. The land started to prosper, relations with neighboring territories improved, and life became peaceful and fruitful.”
“And no signs of dark magic, no people going missing, nothing out of the ordinary
“On the surface, everything appears to be going well. But that sudden shift from egoistical to tyrannical, from chaos to peace—it feels too convenient.
“But we can’t think of anything that Sera would gain by doing this. She could put the same efforts in another territory. She did not gain much from all this.
“I am worried that the madness that gripped the Ravencrest family wasn’t just a random occurrence. Even if it is not Sera, whatever caused it might still be lurking, waiting for something.”
“Later, I was also sent here to train under Sir Benedict.
“During our joint investigation, we discovered that the forest surrounding Raven’s Crest is far deeper and more expansive than we initially believed. The area is populated mostly by wild animals and low-level monsters, whose danger escalates as one ventures deeper into the woods.
“As we attempted to explore further into the forest, we encountered a strange phenomenon. At a certain point, we would inevitably lose our way, only to find ourselves inexplicably back where we started, unable to penetrate further.
“We even tried sending animals and smaller monsters to test the boundaries, but they too were unable to venture beyond.
“This strange phenomenon is the most concrete evidence we have of the pact’s existence.
“We came up with a hypothesis that the same force preventing us from exploring deeper also keeps the forest’s more dangerous inhabitants from crossing into Ravencrest. This is likely why the area has remained so inexplicably safe.
“Despite our efforts, we couldn’t uncover anything more about the forest or the pact. And from what we’ve observed, Sera seems completely unaware of the pact or the forest’s peculiarities. She is an outsider to begin with, it is normal for her to not know anything about Ravencrest’s family history.
“For now, that’s where our investigation stands.”
“After I leave, your primary task will be to monitor the forest for any abnormalities. Keep an eye on the Baroness and her family as well, though be discreet about it.
“Since things have remained peaceful, it’s likely that once your tenure is over, normal priests will be sent to replace you. However, this forest issue has sparked considerable debate among the higher-ups, yet no one has reached a definitive conclusion.
“It’s astonishing that such a powerful pact exists and that it went unnoticed for so long. Given the forest's sheer size and significance, it should have been impossible to overlook. This isn’t just any forest—it spans a vast area that should have warranted the construction of an additional defense wall. It covers multiple territories, which makes its neglect all the more abnormal.
“Occasionally, investigation teams may be dispatched to study the forest further. In the meantime, we must also be vigilant about anyone who might join the Baroness’s family—particularly those who may marry Tia or Vina.
“If anyone new enters their circle, we’ll need to conduct a thorough investigation of their background.
“Above all, if anything unusual occurs, prioritize the safety of the children. As the last known descendants of Aldric Ravencrest, their well-being is paramount.
“We can only take precautions at this point, as the issue is far from being resolved.
“Understood?” Joshua nodded.
----------------------------------------
Copyright © [October] [2024] [The Rainy Imp]. All rights reserved.
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This is a work of fiction. Unless otherwise indicated, all the names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents in this book are either the product of the author's imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.