THE GENERAL'S DISGRACED HEIR

As night fell over the De Gor estate, casting a serene hush over its towering walls, one section of the castle remained alive with chatter. In a particular quarter, where the female workers gathered after their duties, gossip flowed like wine.

The topics were usually varied—ranging from news outside the castle to how Eric, the Earl's son, was looking quite dashing lately. But tonight, all attention centred on one burning question: Why had they been forbidden from entering the garden section the day before?

Gathered around Shay's bed, the women speculated with wide-eyed curiosity. Some whispered about tremors they'd felt near the castle walls, setting off a ripple of nervous speculation.

"Do you think the castle was invaded?" one of the maids asked, her voice hushed and serious.

"Oh, don't be ridiculous," Meissy scoffed, waving off the idea with a dismissive hand. "Who in their right mind would attack the castle while the Earl himself is present? It would be a suicide mission!"

The others nodded in agreement, the awe for the Earl palpable. Those lucky enough to be romantically involved with high-ranking soldiers often shared tales of the Earl's legendary strength—stories of him defeating an elder dragon were even told as bedtime stories to children. He was a living legend in Aethelwain.

"Yeah, you're right, Meissy. No one would dare attack with him here," one of the maids concurred.

"But still," another chimed in, frowning in thought. "Why were we banned from the garden?"

"I tried asking the Head Maid," Meissy added, leaning forward as if she held the juiciest bit of gossip, "but she brushed me off."

The women groaned in disappointment, knowing that if anyone could get answers, it was Meissy. Their hopes deflated, shoulders slumping—until Meissy turned to another maid, a sly grin forming on her face.

"Vivian," Meissy called out, her tone suggestive. "You must know why we were banned from the garden yesterday."

Vivian, caught off guard, looked up in surprise. "Have you lost your mind? Why would I know anything about that?"

"Don't play coy," Meissy teased, eyes twinkling with mischief. "Everyone knows how close you've gotten to the young master."

Vivian's face turned bright red, her composure crumbling under Meissy's pointed stare.

"What? No! I—" Vivian stammered, her embarrassment only fueling the group's laughter.

"See! I knew it!" Meissy declared triumphantly, as the other maids giggled. "You must have asked him something, didn't you?"

Vivian's cheeks flushed even deeper, unable to deny the growing suspicions, as Meissy's teasing laughter echoed through the room.

"Stop messing with her, Meissy," another maid interjected, her voice cutting through the giggles. "The young master has been acting strange around everyone, not just Vivian." The rest of the group murmured in agreement, nodding their heads.

But Meissy remained silent, knowing more than the others. She was the only one aware that David had saved Vivian from Gareth's men, but she wasn't about to share that piece of gossip. Some things were too sensitive, even for her. Instead, she watched the conversation unfold, a small smile tugging at her lips.

"He's weird and creepy," another maid chimed in, her voice low. "A month ago, he was like a devil, and now he's suddenly this polite angel." The group nodded in unison, recalling David's dark past—how he used to threaten and even strike the maids. His temper was legendary, and none of them had been spared from his cruelty. But now? Now he was a different man, speaking to them kindly and not bothering them at all.

"Maybe it's because he almost died?" someone whispered from the back, only to be met with gasps.

"Shh! Don't say things like that!" Meissy snapped, her eyes darting around nervously. "Walls have ears, and if he's just pretending to be nice, who knows what he'll do if he hears you talking behind his back!"

Despite the shared anxiety, two of the women in the room knew more than the rest. Vivian's heart fluttered as she thought of David's gentle touch, and she could feel her cheeks growing warm. Meanwhile, Shay's mind was racing, trying to piece together what Meissy had meant about Vivian being close to David.

Could it be true? She had heard rumors that Vivian had been kidnapped and saved by him, but she had dismissed them. After all, why would David, who was not related to Vivian, risk his life for her? They were practically strangers.

"Shay? Shay!" one of the maids sitting next to her nudged her, snapping her out of her daze.

"Huh? What?" Shay blinked, startled.

"You seem... off," the maid observed, noting Shay's flushed cheeks and distant expression.

"I'm fine," Shay muttered, but there was an uncomfortable sensation in her abdomen, a strange, twisting feeling that had been there since the day before. She tried to shake it off, but suddenly, her vision blurred. Before anyone could react, she collapsed, her body hitting the floor with a soft thud.

"Shay! Shay!" The maid next to her screamed, kneeling beside her fallen friend. Panic rippled through the group as Shay's body began to glow, a strange dark blue light radiating from her skin. The maid closest to her recoiled, her heart racing. What was happening?

Before anyone could make sense of it, Messiy turned, her eyes wide with horror as she spotted Vivian. She, too, had collapsed, her body glowing with the same eerie blue light.

"Vivian!" Messiy screamed, rushing to her friend's side. "Someone get the Head Maid!" another maid shouted, dashing out of the room as fast as her legs could carry her.

The light surrounding both Shay and Vivian intensified, growing brighter with every passing second. The remaining maids huddled together, unsure of what to do, fear gripping their hearts. They had no idea what was happening, but one thing was certain—something strange and terrible was unfolding, and it was only getting worse.

****

"This is going to be hard," Mage Marvel muttered, his voice heavy with frustration as he sat across from the Earl, Lord Hilton, in the grand chamber.

"What's so difficult about it?" the Earl replied, lounging in his chair with a dismissive wave. "Just head to Aragorn Spire and explain what happened yesterday. Simple."

Marvel sighed, rubbing his brow in thought. "You have no idea how stubborn those people are. Every time I go, they start demanding evidence, facts, reports... I'm so sick of it." His voice carried the weariness of someone who had dealt with bureaucratic nonsense far too often.

"Then take me as a witness," the Earl suggested. "They won't dare question me."

Marvel shot him a baffled look. "You do realize how much they hate your guts, right?"

The Earl leaned back, a smirk playing on his lips. "So what? We're talking about the fate of the empire here."

But both men knew the truth. The Mage Society despised the Earl, particularly for his refusal to share the remains of the elder dragon. They would probably be more pleased if the castle had been attacked rather than take a report from a mage associated with Lord Hilton.

"Why can't things ever be easy?" Marvel groaned.

Their conversation was interrupted by a gentle knock on the door. A figure stepped inside, balancing a tray of sweets and a pot of tea.

"Head Maid, perfect timing," the Earl exclaimed with relief, eyeing the tea.

"It's good to see you again, young one," Mage Marvel greeted Katrina warmly as she placed the tray on the wooden table.

"It's good to see you too, godfather," Katrina replied, a playful pout on her lips. "But I'm not a child anymore."

Both men chuckled. "It feels like only yesterday you were a little girl, following me everywhere, eager to learn magic," Marvel reminisced fondly. Though Katrina had never awakened any magical abilities due to her poor talents, her dedication to studying magic theory had always impressed him. He'd often wished she had the aptitude to become his disciple.

"Speaking of magic," the Earl interjected with a teasing grin, "how in the goddess's name did you manage to bewitch my son?"

Katrina's cheeks flushed a deep crimson. "I have no idea what you're talking about, my Lord," she whispered, clearly embarrassed.

"Am I missing something?" Mage Marvel inquired with a sly smile.

"You should've seen it," the Earl continued, ignoring Katrina's growing discomfort. "David stood up for her in front of the elder and me. It was quite the sight."

"Uncle!" Katrina blurted out, using the informal address in her embarrassment. She covered her mouth immediately, realizing her slip.

The Earl laughed heartily. "It's been a while since you called me that. David must really be something special for you to get this flustered."

But before Katrina could respond, her body swayed. In an instant, Mage Marvel, ever vigilant, caught her before she collapsed.

"Are you alright?" he asked, concern filling his voice as he steadied her.

Katrina held her head, her expression pained. "I'm just... a bit tired," she confessed, her voice barely a whisper.

"Don't push yourself," the Earl said gently. "You're excused. Go rest."

Katrina nodded, picking up the tray and bowing before turning to leave. But just as she reached the door, her legs gave out completely, and she fell.

Both the Earl and Mage Marvel rushed to her side. "Katrina!" Marvel called out, quickly casting a spell to assess her condition.

"Will she be alright?" the Earl asked, his voice tight with worry.

Mage Marvel's eyes widened as he saw the faint dark blue light radiating from Katrina's body. His expression shifted from concern to astonishment.

"Marvel, what's happening?" the Earl pressed.

After a moment of stunned silence, Marvel finally spoke, his voice filled with disbelief. "She's awakening."