CHAPTER 23: GOSSIPS

It was still early morning, and the manor was already alive with movement. Servants bustled about with their daily chores, the sound of brushes sweeping, buckets clinking, and brooms tapping against the stone floor echoing through the hall.

In the corridor of Emilia’s residence, two maids, Lisa and Maria, worked side by side. Maria carefully brushed the dust off an ornate suit of silver armor. Beside her, Lisa knelt on the polished floor, scrubbing until the marble shone like glass.

And, as always, their hands worked while their tongues whispered. Today, the hottest rumor in the entire clan concerned none other than their young lady.

"Hey," Lisa leaned closer, her voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. "Have you heard? Lady Emilia just summoned a Noctifelis!"

Maria’s hand froze mid-stroke, her eyes going wide. "What? No way!" She nearly dropped her brush in shock.

Even though she was only a servant, not a beast tamer, Maria knew well enough what kind of creature a Noctifelis was.

The weakest of all magical beasts.

Infamous, ridiculed. So feeble, it was said it could not even catch a rat.

"Are you sure this is true? There’s no way the genius of our clan would summon something like that!" Maria whispered sharply.

"Of course it’s true! Everyone’s talking about it right now," Lisa said, her lips curling with excitement.

Maria frowned deeply. "But... I thought Silvervein blood could only summon rare beasts or above!"

"Yeah, me too! But apparently..." Lisa leaned in even closer, eyes darting nervously around. "This is the first time in history something like this has ever happened. And you know what? There’s even a rumor that Lady Emilia is actually—"

"WHAT?" Maria’s jaw dropped, her voice escaping in a startled gasp. "Don’t tell me... you’re suggesting she’s not a real Silvervein???"

But before the whisper could carry any further, the air in the corridor shifted.

Footstep.

The moment the Lord, the First Lady, and their daughter turned the corner, silence struck the hall like thunder. Every servant froze, spines snapping straight, tools set aside. Heads lowered immediately, their voices rising in unison:

"Greetings, Lord Draco!"

"Greetings, Lady Ariana!"

"Greetings, Young Lady Emilia!"

Their tones were filled with reverence, their foreheads nearly touching the polished floor.

Maria tugged hard at Lisa’s sleeve, her face pale. Not a single word more could be said under such a presence.

Of course, none of them would dare breathe their gossip in front of the clan’s ruling family.

...

And yet, Emilia could feel their eyes. They were not on her, but on the small Noctifelis perched comfortably on her shoulder.

Her chest tightened faintly.

These were not strangers. These maids had served her household for years. She had seen them almost every day, exchanging words in the halls, hearing their greetings each morning. She had never once treated them harshly. On the contrary, she had gone out of her way to ensure they received fair treatment, lighter workloads when ill, and even extra benefits when she could manage it.

But now... all of that seemed to mean nothing.

The moment she had summoned Mimi, the weakest of beasts, she could already sense the shift. Their eyes, once filled with warmth and respect, now carried doubt, curiosity, and even quiet scorn. It was subtle, no one dared show it openly, but Emilia was sensitive enough to feel it.

It stung.

The only one who showed no hint of negativity was Lina, her most trusted maid, who stood a few steps behind with calm, unwavering loyalty in her eyes.

Emilia’s lips curved in a faint, bittersweet smile.

She sighed softly, lowered her gaze, and kept walking.

_____________________

As soon as they stepped out of the manor, Draco broke the silence, his voice low but edged with steel.

"Are you certain you don’t want me to deal with those who dared show you such disrespect?"

Of course, he had heard the gossiping. He was more than aware. Emilia knew it too. They had simply chosen not to act.

"No, please don’t, Father..." Emilia shook her head gently. "I will speak with them later. But there’s no need for harsh punishment. Those maids have served our household for many years. They didn’t commit a crime... they only spoke the truth."

And as she continued, her voice grew quieter, tinged with sorrow. "And besides... even if you replaced them, who is to say others would not think the same? After all..." She paused, her hands clutching at her cloak, trembling faintly. "I really am the disappointment of the Silvervein..."

Draco’s eyes darkened, but before he could reply, Lady Ariana cut in sharply.

"No, you are not!" she said, her hand firm on Emilia’s shoulder.

"Thank you... Mother..." Emilia whispered, her lashes lowering.

Draco let out a long breath, rubbing the bridge of his nose with one hand. "You are too soft, Emilia. Far too soft... But very well. These are your people. I will trust your judgment."

"Yes. Thank you, Father."

Straightening his mantle, Draco brushed the matter aside with a wave of his hand. His expression hardened back into calm authority.

"Enough of this. Shall we head out now?"

Emilia nodded softly.

And just like that, the family pressed forward. Their footsteps echoed against the polished stone floor, carrying them down the long corridor toward the chamber of Teleportation—toward the gateway that would lead them to the Forbidden Peaks.