Chapter 16: The Sealed Castle and a Hostile Council

In the dim corridor, grizzled rats lurked in the shadows, their ears twitching at the faint, distant footsteps.

The faint lamplight gradually brightened as the footsteps drew near. Lucia, holding an oil lamp, dispelled the oppressive darkness before them, with Chloe and Alice following closely behind.

A lone candelabra appeared every few dozen meters along the corridor, its flame so dim it threatened to flicker out at any moment. Indeed, the only reliable source of light was the oil lamp in Lucia’s hand.

“It’s so dark,” Alice remarked, clasping her hands behind her head with a bored sigh. “Are there no windows here at all?”

“There used to be,” Lucia replied, pointing to a recessed section of the corridor wall. “This alcove had been completely sealed off; only the wooden frame of a window and the faint glimmers of light seeping through its cracks hinted at its former purpose.”

“I don’t understand. Why would they seal the windows?” Alice asked, tapping the wooden board with her fingers, producing a hollow thud.

“Perhaps due to war,” Chloe speculated. “No one wants to be struck down by an arrow.”

“That’s certainly a factor,” Lucia explained, continuing to walk. “However, Lord Norlin himself desired the windows to be sealed. Initially, he claimed to detest sunlight, so he ordered his servants to seal the windows in his personal chambers. But eventually, his aversion to sunlight became so profound that he commanded all windows throughout the entire castle to be irrevocably sealed.”

“Hmph, quite the character,” Alice commented. “I, for one, couldn’t endure a life without sunlight. Remember to have the windows in my room unsealed later.”

“Very well,” Lucia affirmed, halting her steps. “We’ve arrived. Lady Chloe’s room is to my left, and Lady Alice’s is just next door. I will instruct the servants to prepare your daily necessities shortly. I shall now take my leave.”

Lucia nodded to both of them before turning and departing. The lamplight gradually receded with her, leaving only a single candelabra hanging solitary on the wall.

“I truly miss my grand villa in the Eledis Mountains,” Alice murmured. “It had an open-air bath, hot springs, and a garden. Compared to this dilapidated castle, it was paradise.”

“Just having a place to stay is good enough,” Chloe said, pushing open her room door and promptly closing it behind her. Alice’s footsteps outside instantly vanished; the soundproofing, it seemed, was excellent.

The room was considerably brighter than the corridor, with two candelabras illuminating it from opposite sides. Under their combined glow, the interior decor was revealed in full: first, a colossal bed, occupying a third of the room’s total area. Four wooden posts supported a canopy, from which drapes, smooth and silky as a waterfall, cascaded down. This grand bed could easily accommodate at least three people.

Chloe collapsed onto the bed, the soft mattress seeming to embrace her tightly. It had been a long time since she had felt the comfort of a bed, and she wriggled on it like a worm for nearly an hour, savoring the sensation.

‘This is bliss,’ Chloe thought, her most immediate feeling. She recalled her bed in her real life, which was far more primitive than this—just a metal frame with a mattress, her blanket often crumpled into a ball. Yet, her sister always tidied it neatly every day.

Chloe sat up and looked around. The room was meticulously clean and orderly; the pale grey floor was spotless, the wall hangings neat and tidy. Though the dressing table and bookshelf were bare, they were completely free of dust. It seemed Lucia managed this place with remarkable diligence.

Just as Chloe thought of placing her book on the history of the kingdom onto the shelf, she suddenly noticed a protruding button deep within the bookshelf.

Chloe was about to reach out and touch the peculiar button when she heard a knock at the door.

“Coming!”

Chloe blindly guessed it was Alice, seeking her for something again, and hurried to open the door.

As the door swung open, a pair of crimson eyes glowed faintly in the darkness. Chloe instinctively recoiled half a step, a faint scent of blood still emanating from the figure.

Lucia offered a faint smile, then parted her lips to speak. “Lady Chloe, Lady Xina is awaiting your presence in the council hall.”

“What does she need?” Chloe asked, her heart having nearly stopped beating just moments ago. She struggled to keep her tone natural, hoping to avoid arousing suspicion.

“She has convened the territorial cabinet and wishes for you to attend with her,” Lucia said softly.

As she and Xina co-governed, attending a cabinet meeting together was only natural. However, going alone always made her a little nervous, so she decided she might as well call Alice to come along.

She arrived at Alice’s door and gently knocked.

“Alice, are you there?” Chloe asked.

There was no reply.

“Lady Alice may have retired for the evening, weary from her travels,” Lucia said from behind Chloe. Chloe spun around quickly, only to find Lucia still wearing her customary faint smile.

‘This is absurd,’ Chloe thought, a metaphorical sweatdrop appearing on her brow. ‘Here I am, a dignified Earl, the Elder Council’s chosen ‘Divine Select,’ the true ancestor of vampires, and I’m being scared witless by a mere housekeeper!’

Perhaps it was all Chloe’s imagination. Lucia was likely no vampire at all, nor harbored any ill intentions; it was simply Chloe’s nerves, constantly on edge, playing tricks on her.

She let out a long breath and said, “Lead the way.”

“Please follow me,” Lucia’s voice rang out, as melodious as silver bells. She led Chloe away, disappearing into the corridor’s darkness.

The ‘council hall’ was, in truth, merely an enlarged living room, utterly lacking the grandeur of a royal court. Weapons and armor lay haphazardly piled at the foot of the steps. Several cabinet members chattered noisily, their words indistinguishable, while their accompanying knights had even started playing rock-paper-scissors, clearly treating the meeting with utter disregard. Two tall, imposing chairs were placed against the wall, and Xina sat in one of them.

Upon seeing Chloe arrive, Xina happily waved her over. All eyes in the room instantly fixated on her.

Chloe suddenly felt an acute sense of awkwardness. She could discern confusion, anger… and even lust in their gazes.

‘No, just treat it as a game!’ Chloe resolved. ‘In a game, these are merely data points!’

Chloe adjusted her mindset. She confidently took her seat at the lord’s position, adopting a commanding posture.

Lucia stood beside the two of them. With her presence, the crowd became considerably more subdued; the playful knights picked up their weapons and returned to their positions beside the cabinet members.

“Then,” Lucia announced in a clear, resonant voice, “let the meeting commence. We welcome the Earls of Avros, Pannoria, and Lagaya, Elder of the Empire, and eternal ally of Saint Fros—Chloe Raina, and her co-ruler, Xina Sirena.”

‘Huh, when did I acquire so many titles?’ Chloe wondered, turning to glance at Xina. Xina’s brows were tightly furrowed, her attention entirely focused on the cabinet members below, with no time to spare for Chloe.

“Who wishes to speak?” Xina asked the people below.

“Me!” shouted a middle-aged man with a goatee. “Lady Xina, what exactly is going on? Why have we suddenly seceded from the Principality? And why has a mere wet-behind-the-ears brat become our Earl?”

“Sir Rurik, you should recall that my father sold the territory to His Majesty Cliff, and ownership resided with him. However, by His Majesty’s grace, Cliff bestowed the territory upon Chloe, and I am fortunate enough to be her co-ruler. These details should be clearly stated in the Prince’s decree.”

Xina spoke each word distinctly, appearing utterly transformed from her usual self, now possessing the true authority of a lord.

Sir Rurik wore a green badge on his chest, signifying his role as Treasurer. Fortunately, Lucia had introduced each cabinet member and their respective badges to Chloe, otherwise, she would still be utterly clueless.

This Sir Rurik was greedy and lecherous, uncouth in manner, and utterly ignorant of financial matters. Were it not for his friendship with Norlin, he would never have occupied this position.

“Sir Rurik, the decree explicitly states everything. Why are you creating such a scene here?” a handsome man retorted sharply. He was the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Baron Mosin Bruen, identifiable by the blue badge on his chest and his entirely blue attire. No wonder he was called ‘Blue’.

Baron Bruen continued his address: “I trust everyone has seen the decree. Lady Chloe commands us by the Prince’s order, which is entirely reasonable and lawful. Moreover, she is a distinguished Elder of the Empire. Having witnessed her charm today, she is truly an exceptional figure. I firmly believe that as our Earl, you will certainly set things right and lead Avros towards prosperity. On behalf of all members of the Arin Barony, I pledge my allegiance to you.”

Baron Bruen bowed respectfully to Chloe.

The flattery was so extreme that even Xia Ni’s former team leader would have been ashamed. Chloe shook her head helplessly, but at least she had to offer some kind words to her supporter.

“Thank you very much for your support, Baron… Bruen,” Chloe said.

“Baron Bruen, you damn turncoat!” Sir Rurik cursed venomously. “What even is an Elder of the Empire? Is she a spy sent by Eledis?”

“She is an Elder of the Ancient Empire, you fool. Those Elders could turn you to dust with a mere clap of their hands,” Baron Bruen shook his head. “Read a book, you blockhead.”

“Silence! The council hall is not a place for your squabbles,” a burly man declared in a deep, booming voice. He was Baron Olga Bryan, the Knight Commander, his skin dark, matching the color of the badge on his chest.

“Olga, what are your thoughts?” Xina asked.

“Lady Xina… and Lady Chloe, Cliff’s bandit knights have burned half of Avros to ashes. Many bandits have emerged from the ruins, carving out their own territories. Please allow me to dispatch troops to suppress these scoundrels.”

“Very well. I shall allocate two hundred men and five knights to accompany you,” Xina said, winking at Chloe.

“I have no objections,” Chloe could only nod, feeling like a mere doll seated on the throne.

“Then it is settled, Olga. We await your triumphant return.”

Olga nodded in agreement. It seemed that among this group, he was the only relatively normal one.

*Click* The council hall doors suddenly swung open, and everyone turned to see a white-robed cleric standing in the doorway.

“My Lords, my colleagues, my apologies for being late. I am the newly appointed Bishop—Alexei.” The Bishop was breathless, with golden hair and emerald eyes that met Chloe’s gaze.

‘Is this some new form of cosplay, Alice?’ Chloe mused inwardly.