The guest room was an impressive suite, larger than Cass’s entire apartment back home. It comprised three rooms: a sitting room, a bedroom, and a bathroom. That was if one didn’t count the extensive (if rather empty) closet space as its own room, which she probably should.

All three spaces could be generously called comfortably large. It could less generously be called unnecessarily grandiose. If this was the guest space, Cass could only imagine what the rooms of the actual residents must look like.

The sitting room alone had two full-sized couches set opposite one another around a coffee table. Heavy book shelves lined one wall. Its purpose seemed to be so guests could entertain guests? Cass didn’t get it, but it seemed to be the ‘public’ facing portion of the guest suite. One had to pass through it to get to the actual bedroom.

The bedroom was dominated by a four-poster bed flush with silken sheets and feathered pillows. A fire lay low in the fireplace on the opposite wall, the heat radiating off it in warm waves.

The bathroom was in no way lesser to the room she’d used in Hervet, the bath no less of an excitement or highlight for being the second since returning to civilization. Cass had no plans on ever taking baths for granted again.

Cass sat in front of the bedroom’s fireplace on a plush armchair. She’d changed into a robe she’d found in the closet. The soft blue fabric folded around her body like a gentle hug. Her hair hung over the back of the chair, away from her back, still dripping from the bath.

Salos was nosing his way around the suite, looking for who knew what. Assassins or spies, probably.

Just as she was about to doze off in the chair, the door to the suite opened.

Salos tensed.

A man’s voice drifted through the room.

Not Marco’s voice.

What are the chances that’s a servant here to bring me tea and cookies? Cass asked.

Salos padded up to the bedroom door, peering out into the sitting room. He relaxed a hair. About even with it being an assassin.

Cass pursed her lips. But then, the man clearly wasn’t hiding his entrance to the other room, not exactly the actions of an assassin. In fact, it almost sounded like he was talking to someone.

Cass sighed. I guess I should go greet my guest?

Too late, Salos yelped and scurried away from the door as it swung in.

“And this is—” the man stopped when he saw Cass sitting by the fire. He was in his early twenties, probably a year or two younger than Alyx. Their skin tone and facial structure matched, dark and sharp respectively, but his eyes were the same onyx as the woman from the portrait in the main hall.

Those eyes were currently very wide with surprise.

“Who are you?” he blurted. “What are you doing here?”

“I’m Cass.” Cass waved awkwardly. “I was told this would be my room while I stayed.”

“What?” A second man peered over the first’s shoulder. He was a blond man with snake-like eyes the color of limes. “Kohen, you said I’d get the main guest room.”

“One second, I’ll sort this out,” the first man, Kohen apparently, shot back at his guest. To Cass, he hissed, “Who told you could stay here?”

“Telis?” Cass said.

“Telis?” Kohen repeated, confusion in his voice. There was no recognition in his eyes. A second later he snapped, “(Rat?)’s servant?”

Cass raised an eyebrow. Rat?

That wasn’t quite what that word meant, but her skill assured her it was close. Cass could think of few contexts where comparison to a pest or a rodent was said with affection. Or contexts where that tone of voice was used for anything but an insult.

No, from the context, she had a pretty good idea what was happening. The question was what to do about it.

“I don’t know a (rat?),” Cass repeated the word slowly and carefully, repeating it exactly despite not knowing it. She looked down at Salos. “Does that sound like something you might enjoy?”

He blinked at her slowly. What would I do with that?

No idea what it is, Cass assured him. Just pretend to be a cat. It’ll be okay.

“No, I didn’t think so,” Cass said. To the man, Cass continued, “I wouldn’t have thought the Veldor family mansion would have a (rat?) problem. Maybe I should have told Alyx I would rather stay in her townhouse instead?”

The man’s teeth clenched. “You insult the—“

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Cass cut him off. “Who brought (rats?) up first? I don’t think it was me.” She sighed and shook her head. “Honestly, you barge into my rooms, demand to know who I am, barely seem to care that I’m not prepared for guests,” Cass flicked a wet strand of hair from her face for emphasis, “And start yelling about pests? All without so much as introducing yourself?”

Cass leveled a controlled glare at him, while her heart hammered in her chest.

This was almost certainly Alyx’s younger brother, which made him nobility in this place. In this world, that was likely a very real power. Power over life and death.

But, it hopefully also meant that there were certain roles he was expected to fulfill. Roles like courtesy.

And hopefully, Cass hadn’t crossed any line with him such that he felt he no longer had to follow such customs.

“I am Kohen Delim Veldor,” he said, forcibly relaxing his jaw as he spoke, “First son of Warden Thaycer Delim Veldor and grandson of the archduchess of Vaisom, may I have the pleasure of hearing our guest’s name?” He held his hand out, palm up, as he spoke.

She Identified him as she took his hand, shaking it.

Vaisom Noble

Lvl 28

[The son of a prominent noble of the duchy of Vaisom. He exudes the expectation of authority, if not authority itself.]

“I’m Cass.” She was pretty sure she’d already said that. Maybe he wanted a full name? He had given her all of his, after all. “Cass Yuan. Nice to meet you.”

He had a strange look on his face as Cass pulled her hand away.

He wanted to kiss your hand, Salos said.

Oh. Gross. No, thank you. Do they do that here?

Evidently.

“And I am Tiador Ophir,” the second man interjected, pushing past Kohen, hand also out for Cass. “Second child of the Ophir Clan of Mystev.”

“Nice to meet you as well,” Cass said, shaking his hand just the same as Kohen.

Vaisom Noble (lvl 25)

“Please excuse my dress,” Cass continued. “As mentioned, I was not prepared to meet any guests.”

Tiador laughed. “Neither was I, Miss Yuan, was it? Ko, here said the room’d be free.” He slapped Kohen on the back with a grin. Kohen shot his friend a glare.

“I am sure that Mister Veldor can find you another room in this great manor with little difficulty,” Cass said with a smile she was sure didn’t reach her eyes. She didn’t know how much harder she could hint that she was done with this conversation without saying it outright.

Kohen actually glared at her in return.

Her heart pounded, but she ignored it and him.

“I think there has been a mixup in room assignments, actually,” Kohen said, his voice highly controlled. “You might not be aware, but this is the primary guest suite. It is for important dignitaries from other cities. People who are here to do business with the family.”

“Is that so?” Faux interest dripped from her voice like slime. He was going to make this difficult. Tiador leaned back in the door frame, clearly bored.

Kohen was playing a game with her then. Probably a political one within the family. Trying to exert some social capital over Alyx. Cass could imagine the outlines of the rules but couldn’t care less about the details.

This wasn’t her world. This wasn’t her game.

What she did recognize was the stare of a man who thought she didn’t belong here. It was a stare she was all too familiar with. And all too familiar ignoring.

“Yes.” Kohen’s voice had taken a soft, almost lyrical tone. Unnatural as it was pleasing to the ear. “So why don’t you come with me, and I’ll ensure a servant sees you to more fitting quarters.”

The words rang with a kind of sense. Obvious and reasonable. Alyx didn’t have the station in this house to give Cass the best guest room. Who was Cass to expect it?

These thoughts were nonsense, of course. Cass laughed as a window popped up in the corner of her vision.

Status Effect (Noble Suggestions) Ignored.

“That is very thoughtful of you.” Cass flashed a smile with far too much teeth. “But I see no reason to turn down the room my host has already given me. It seems like it would be rude to turn down what I’ve already accepted. Wouldn’t you agree?”

Kohen’s eyes widened as whatever skill he’d used washed uselessly over her. His guest behind him stood up a little straighter, an eyebrow raised.

They both had expected it to end with a little magic then? Just some casual brainwashing? Was that normal, then? Or only normal for those in power on those without?

Cass cared little for either of the potential answers.

“So, if you don’t mind,” some of her distaste leaked into her voice without her meaning to, “I would appreciate it if you both left now. It sounds like you have more arrangements to make to find Mister Ophir a room. No reason to loiter here any longer, hm?”

She gave them another small wave and sat back down in her chair. “I’m sure you don’t need me to see you out?”

Wordlessly, the two men left the room, Salos slinking after them to be sure they’d left.

It wasn’t until the outer door closed again and Salos slunk back that Cass let out a huge sigh of relief.

“What was that?” She sunk into an armchair, her head in her hands.

“Your friend’s brother, by the sound of it,” Salos observed dryly.

“And the casual manipulation skill?” Cass asked.

“Not uncommon, especially among nobles.”

Cass groaned. “That’s so gross. I can’t express how gross that is.”

“Why?”

“Why?” Cass shot him an incredulous look. “I would have thought you, of all people, would have problems with skills that force someone’s will on another.”

“A skill like what the brat used is hardly in the same class as a Command.” He shrugged. “A Command overrides any free will. It is all but absolute. It affects the target down to their very soul.

“A skill like that was a social skill. It alters thought patterns at best. Makes his words sound like a good idea. But they need to be halfway reasonable in the first place.

“A true Command could end the target’s life, force them to kill or maim those they care for, or otherwise betray their very core. Social Manipulation is incredibly shallow in comparison. It can’t convince you to do something that you couldn’t already see yourself doing. Not unless the user was very powerful.

“Besides, it is not like anyone can make you do anything with a skill like that.”

Cass shook her head. “That isn’t the point. How many people is he able to exploit because of a skill like that?”

“Very few more that he wasn’t already able to exploit with your garden variety forms of violence and power,” Salos said with a yawn.

Cass glared at the door, hating every bit that Salos was probably right.