"OPEN THE GATES!"

The guards shouted, the main gates were open simultaneously as a carriage running with speed entered the estate of the Hartpinjer.

"Where is my daughter?" The duchess asked as she stood waiting outside for the carriage but it rather went the other way.

"Release the knights and guards, have them secure our house from any potential threat. Those who will not act according to my command will have their heads on a spike."

The duchess made her way to where the carriage went. Watching her wounded youngest daughter carried out for their doctor to heal.

"That damn household..."

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Word of the Hartpinjer daughter being wounded has spread throughout the empire. Making every household wary of the said road, not only that but the house Galkien was on every paper too.

The house Hartpinjer's reputation also became in a dire situation to prove their function. Deeply hurt by what the papers have spread to ruin their power to provide the safety of their daughter, despite being the most capable of such priorities, how ironic.

"your grace, a letter from your husband, the duke." handing the sealed letter to the duchess. The butler distanced himself.

"Leave me be..." With those words alone, he did not dare question her grace as he took his leave.

Opening the letter, the duchess braced herself for what her husband was going to say.

standing outside the door, the butler and lady in waiting were there listening to the rage going inside the duchess's chamber.

No matter what happens they are fully aware of who these Hartpinjers are, truly the temper they possess is something they only can deal with.

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It has been two days, and the doctor can see the youngest daughter's wounds healing up. Informing the duchess, relief can be seen in her eyes, even though she isn't that expressive.

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"Good. See to it that she is taken care of"

The doctor nods, as he confirms the duchess's orders.

"your grace, a letter from the Temple has arrived."

"...any letter from his grace?"

"none, your grace."

With disappointment in her eyes, she took the letter as she left her daughter in the hands of their trusted doctor.

A letter from the temple can mean two things: either good or bad, nonetheless, they are important and make everything difficult.

Arriving at the garden, she made a stop at the fountain to take a rest. Ripping the seal, she read the contents of the letter.

The butler and maid watching their master reading got them scared but tried to be stoic. They know the rumors about what is going on outside the mansion, especially about how the temple hates the Hartpinjer, and the Hartpinjer share the same hatred.

Releasing a heavy sigh, the duchess stood up.

"Start making everything look lively, in two days the brotherhood and sisterhood will arrive to check on us."

"What kind of 'lively' your grace?"

"...the kind that everything is fine and that we can still go forward."

Nodding, they began to share information about what the duchess wanted.

The temple has always been hard to deny. The Hartpinjer have already suspected the head priest knew whom the crown prince would soon marry, which could mean that they are part of the potential crime towards the precious child of Hartpinjer.

"Send the meals to my chamber, I will be busy as usual. Also, report Lady Francheska's condition to me, and today's wind seems strong today, lighting a fire would not be good."

The duchess uttered those words like it was poetry, so gentle and soft that made the butler stand there motionless, as he shivered at the thought of who made her grace mad. He can only keep his worries to himself as he cannot imagine what will happen to the idiots who dared harm the daughter of such a scary household.

Inside the mansion, her grace could only keep her face emotionless like a blank paper. Always like an empty canvas, known for her cold gaze and presence since she was a maiden. Who knew that his grace-- Ferriendan Marcelo Von Hartpinjer could only paint her grace's empty canvas into a masterpiece?

Starting from her grace's window, the view of her beautiful garden can be seen, it left her reminiscence of the day when she was young. A girl who swore to serve the empire on her dear life, but now that her precious daughter is on the line-- a doubt starts to linger on the world she proudly holds.

It was a duty to marry the duke. A love born from a scheme to protect the empire-- She could not bear a son for his grace, which made her disappointed in her devotion.

Making things right, she made her two daughters suitable to become the next empress of the empire to hope for. But something ignited in her when she saw her youngest daughter wounded from an attack, not sure if it was fear of losing a potential empress or perhaps losing a child she had known in her life-- came from the same blood.

crumpling the letter she received from the temple, a tension of anger came over her as she threw the paper into the fire of her candelabra.

'They won't get away from me, they will get what they deserve. When you awake my sweet child those monsters will be dead and gone.'