There had been many things Raven hated in life. One of them was being disturbed during her deep rest. Even if she was widely aware of her new life in a new world....or a novel, Raven still abided to her no-disturb rule.

As a light and sensitive sleeper, she was very much awake when Jane knocked on her door. She was also conscious of the maid entering her room. Her ears were sharp to catch the light footsteps and painful moan. A moment after that, the shuffling and bustling sound could be heard in the quiet room. Raven expected that Jane would give her a little time to sleep more as always, but.....

''AHHHHH!''

A loud scream eventually forced her to open her eyes, and sit up on the bed for Jane to know that she was awake, and that was successful because Jane began to call out to her in a stuttering voice.

''Y-Young-g L-Lad-dy-y.'' Her forefinger trembled while pointing in a particular direction. Her other hand hovered over her mouth as if she couldn't believe her sight.

'What is it now?' Raven was particularly annoyed with the disturbance, but as her eyes followed to the area where Jane was fearfully pointing at, she froze at the sight of the dead body.

''Shit....'' Raven muttered, her eyes fluttered closed while recalling what had taken place in the previous night.

She could feel a headache coming in right now.

****

Jane's scream was very loud and alerting for the entire manor of the sixth madam. The entire servants which were small in number arrived at the entrance of Raven's room. It was from there that rumors began to circulate and expectedly spread to the ears of many, including the entire Langston family.

''Did you hear?''

''The dead killer in the fourth young lady's room?''

''That's impossible! The fourth young lady is someone that faints at the sight of blood.''

''But there was killer in the fourth young lady's room.''

''Perhaps the sixth madam hired someone to take care of the killer. Fourth young lady has miraculously survived until now.''

''You are right.''

''Now that you mention it, she is still alive.''

''Her age has protected though...''

'' *snort* you still believe that. I am sure her excellency and the other madams have tried to take care of the fourth young lady. Our madam is also the same.''

''Shhhh! What if she or the young master hears about this?!''

''Relax, we are the only people in the hallway. The young master is in training.''

In a glittering long hallway, three maids could be seen whispering to themselves and the topic of their discussion was none other than the fourth young lady and the dead killer.

''I have been wondering, but what if....the fourth young lady has awakened that power....'' The middle maid who started the conversation whispered in a more silent tone, especially the last words after the brief pause.

''Don't talk nonsense!'' The left maid was quick to interrupt the middle maid. She added cautiously. '' If she has, his excellency would be the first to know. As of recent, nothing has been said so don't jump into that conclusion unless we will be in trouble if the fifth madam and fourth young master hears of this.''

''Besides, we as maids are not supposed to talk about this!'' The right maid added as well, hissing with a pointed look at the middle maid. Who knows if someone was listening to their words right now. She couldn't afford to lose this job because of her colleague's loose mouth.

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''You are right. I misspoke.'' The middle maid was quick to realize her mistake. Her fellow maids were right. Talking about that power so openly could result to the end of her life. Thinking about the possibility, the middle maid hastened her steps as if her feet were on fire. Probably with the same thoughts, the two other maids did the same.

Their backs ran cold just from the thoughts of the results of their careless actions.

Right behind them was one of the people they served in the manor. The left maid's worries were not for naught, as someone had been listening to their words.

Without a word, the person stepped out from behind a wall leading to another hallway. His eyes, forward and fixed on the spot, but his thoughts were elsewhere. The maids had disappeared, leaving him alone to ponder over their words.

''That weakling....'' The person gritted his teeth with tight fisted hands. His eyes flashed with envy and resentment. Why was she blessed with that blood and not him?

Why?

****

*knock*

*knock*

''Come in...'' A voice expressed after the series of knocks on the door. Shuffling sounds could be heard alongside the opening and closing of the door.

''This maid will be the one to guide the young lady to the battlegrounds.''

''You are not training me today, lily?'' Facing the dressing mirror, Raven questioned, putting her ebony hair into a high ponytail. Normally, Jane would have been present with her, but Raven chased her away as the maid kept on shaking every now and then which was terribly bothersome.

It was blatantly obvious that her innocent heart could not digest the gruesome scene of a dead body.

'It seems I have to change her...' Raven couldn't help but have that thought.

''As the young lady knows, this maid is useless now. Young lady has to pick a worthy tutor from his Excellency's elite slaves.'' Unlike the bright and innocent Jane, Lily was the exact opposite.

''I see....'' From the mirror, Raven stared at the rigid maid whose gaze was on the ground, not looking at her in the eyes. The way lily behaved right now was exactly like the servants from the grand duke's manor, the main manor.

Strict and disciplined.

The sixth madam and the grand duke were very similar in handling the people serving under them.

Getting down from the chair, Raven turned around with her sweet smile directed at the rigid maid. ''I am ready, lily.''

It was time for her to pick an elite slave; one of the many traditions of the Langston family, concerning the succession battle.

'This should be fun...' Walking out of her room under lily's guidance, Raven thought to herself. Originally, today was the supposed day for her to experience the training that the original owner had gone through with lily.

Apart from being a personal maid of the unfavoured sixth madam, Lily had another identity.

An assassin.

To be more precise, a killer. A term that was used in this world rather than an assassin.

A killer affiliated with no organization, working and devoted only to the sixth madam of the Langston family.

Other than the maid herself exposing this to the original owner, there was nothing else about the lily's past as a killer, or how the sixth madam had won her unbreakable loyalty.

'She would have been perfect...' With a bit of regrets, Raven watched the back of an assassin that could kill her anytime if it wasn't for the same blood as her master. This was the kind of person that Raven wanted on her side, not the innocent Jane who couldn't stand the sight of a dead body.

'Anyway, I could deal with that later.' Raven pushed the thoughts aside and focused on what was going on here now.

Today was the day for her to choose an elite slave. Since the original owner had clocked the age of succession, this moment could not be delayed any longer.

An elite slave.

The two words did not even go well together, as one was about superiority in terms of ability, and the other was about a full human in possession of another human, regardless of one's will.

In the Langston family, among the children, each one of them possessed an elite slave. A slave that has gone through rigorous training just to serve them one day after reaching the age of succession.

Under each Langston child, the elite slaves could be anything, since they are now under one's possession. Their fates lie on whatever the Langston's child deemed for them.

'So I basically have a human under my control.' Raven summarized up everything she got from Lily, who had visited her with this information.

'That's exciting.' Crimson eyes twinkled like stars, and anticipation bubbled up in Raven's heart as she followed Lily to the battlegrounds of the sixth madam's manor.

If all was well, which she doubted it would be, the elite slave could be the first person she could recruit and brainwash to follow her commands in this world.

As of now, her goal was to survive in this cruel family. The measly seat of an heir or whatever was not of her concern.

''Greetings, fourth young lady.'' Raven's attention was brought to a man bowing in front of the closed wooden doors leading to the battle grounds. Two other knights were behind him, but this man took her undivided attention.

Clad in an armor of two colors, black and red, with a long black cape attached to broad shoulders down to his feet shielded in black boots, the man never stood upright. His bowing posture remained, silently waiting for her words.

Such humble yet courteous greeting towards herself, the weak young lady of the Langston family.

'Who's he?'