The Four Valkyries were under an extraordinary amount of pressure, and none could quite understand how the situation had deteriorated so rapidly.
Only a short while ago, they had been going about their respective responsibilities within the Baines Estate, enjoying the relative peace that followed Damian’s departure for Shengyuan.
Eunice was assisting with household administration, Paulina had been training, Julia was attending to her own affairs, and Janet was occupied with the intelligence network.
Then a retainer had come rushing into the manor with terrible news.
Vivienne had been arrested!
"Madams! Something terrible has happened! Lady Vivienne has been taken into custody by a group of royal officials!" the breathless retainer reported, barely managing to maintain his composure before the four women.
The announcement immediately brought everything to a halt.
Eunice rose from her seat, her expression transforming from confusion into disbelief.
Vivienne was the Baines Family’s Seneschal, responsible for managing much of the household’s growing commercial and administrative operations, so arresting her was hardly some insignificant matter!
"Royal officials? From where?" Eunice demanded, her voice becoming unusually sharp.
"From the Kingdom of Rastia, Your Highness! They arrived claiming to represent His Majesty the King, and their leader ordered Lady Vivienne detained!" the retainer explained anxiously.
For several moments, Eunice simply stared at him.
Then her expression darkened.
Rastia?!
Her own kingdom?!
Of all the people who could have arrived to cause trouble during Damian’s absence, she hadn’t imagined that representatives of her father’s court would be among them!
Paulina immediately slammed one hand against the nearby table.
"What?! Who the hell gave them permission to arrest our Seneschal? This is Damian’s family estate, not some bloody royal prison!" the Wolf Beastwoman snarled, her tail lashing furiously.
Julia was considerably more restrained, although her expression revealed unmistakable concern.
"Was Lady Vivienne injured? Where have they taken her, and what reason did they give for the arrest?" Julia questioned, turning toward the anxious retainer.
"She wasn’t injured, Madam. They escorted her to the inn where their delegation is staying, but they wouldn’t explain much beyond claiming royal authority," the retainer answered hurriedly.
Janet’s eyes narrowed.
"So they took the woman responsible for running our husband’s business, refused to give a proper explanation, and expect everyone to accept it because they’ve got fancy clothes and a royal seal? How charming," Janet remarked coldly, her usual mischievous smile disappearing.
However, Eunice had already made her decision.
She turned and strode toward her chambers, ordering the retainer to inform the household guards that the royal delegation was not to be allowed unrestricted access to the estate.
A short while later, she returned wearing her magnificent white-and-gold armor, the personalized equipment Damian had recently crafted for her.
The other Valkyries quickly prepared themselves as well.
Eunice had always been compassionate and generally preferred resolving disagreements through conversation, but there were limits to her patience.
And having officials from her own kingdom arrive to bully the family she had chosen was considerably beyond those limits!
"Come with me. I want to see precisely who believes they can behave this way in my husband’s absence," Eunice instructed, her expression colder than any of the others remembered seeing.
The four women immediately headed toward the estate’s entrance.
......
They encountered the royal delegation outside Baines Manor, where several lavishly dressed officials had gathered beneath the family crest.
Their white-and-gold attire immediately identified them as representatives of Rastia’s royal establishment, although the splendid garments did little to improve the Valkyries’ opinion of their behavior.
Several household guards stood nearby with grim expressions, clearly unhappy about the situation but unwilling to initiate a confrontation with an official diplomatic entourage.
Eunice stepped forward without hesitation.
"Who is responsible for this delegation? I demand to know why the Baines Family’s Seneschal has been detained!" she declared, her normally gentle voice carrying unmistakable authority.
A portly middle-aged man emerged from the group, his round face displaying a smile of extraordinary politeness.
He wore an expensive ceremonial outfit decorated with royal insignia, while several jeweled rings adorned his fingers.
His movements were remarkably graceful for someone of his considerable size, and he bowed toward Eunice with an elegance that suggested many years of experience navigating royal politics.
"Your Highness, the Fourth Princess! What a delightful surprise to encounter you here!" the man greeted warmly, his smile widening as he straightened.
"Lord Ferdinand, at your service. His Majesty will undoubtedly be pleased to learn that his beloved daughter remains in excellent health."
Eunice’s expression changed immediately.
Lord Ferdinand!
Of all the officials her father could have sent, it had to be this man!
Her familiarity with him was unmistakable, although judging by the profound distaste appearing upon her face, it certainly wasn’t a pleasant familiarity.
"Lord Ferdinand, you had better release my family’s Seneschal immediately. Otherwise, don’t blame me for what happens next," Eunice warned darkly, her eyes fixed upon the portly official.
Ferdinand raised an eyebrow.
The Fourth Princess he remembered was a gentle and devout young woman who generally avoided political confrontations, preferring religious service and charitable responsibilities to the unpleasant business of royal administration.
Yet the woman standing before him now possessed an entirely different bearing, one that reminded him considerably more of the formidable members of her family.
Interesting!
Nevertheless, he wasn’t particularly intimidated.
"Your Highness, surely there’s no need for such unpleasant language. I am here as an officially appointed envoy of His Majesty, and you understand perfectly well what that entails," Ferdinand replied smoothly, maintaining his respectful posture.
"The royal laws are quite explicit concerning the authority vested in an envoy acting as the King’s representative."
Eunice’s eyes narrowed further.
Ferdinand’s smile became slightly more pronounced.
"However, perhaps I should clarify something before we continue. Are you addressing me in your capacity as the Fourth Princess of Rastia, or as one of the so-called Madams of the Baines Noble Family?" Ferdinand inquired with exaggerated politeness.
The question immediately made Paulina bristle.
"What kind of stupid question is that? She’s both, obviously!" the Wolf Beastwoman snapped, taking half a step forward.
Janet caught her arm before she could advance farther, her sharp eyes remaining fixed upon Ferdinand.
Because unlike Paulina, she immediately understood the trap.
Eunice understood it as well.
If she confronted Ferdinand as a Princess of Rastia, she would be invoking her royal standing against an envoy officially acting under the King’s authority.
Their political positions would place them on roughly comparable footing for the purposes of this confrontation, and she couldn’t simply override his mandate by invoking her birth.
Worse, her authority as a Princess wouldn’t automatically grant her jurisdiction over the internal affairs of the Baines Noble Family.
On the other hand, if she approached him purely as a Madam of House Baines, she would be confronting a representative of the Crown from the position of an ordinary noble household member.
And that was even worse!
Under such circumstances, Ferdinand could invoke his diplomatic authority to place her beneath him, potentially subjecting her to the same treatment he had inflicted upon Vivienne.
It was a remarkably unpleasant arrangement, and Eunice had no intention of walking into it!
Instead, she deliberately ignored Ferdinand and directed her attention toward another familiar figure standing beside him.
A tall, thin middle-aged woman wearing glasses regarded her with an expression of severe disapproval.
"And you, Madam Gertrude. Are you supporting Lord Ferdinand’s actions?" Eunice demanded, her voice becoming colder.
The woman’s face immediately tightened.
She pushed her glasses higher upon her nose, her lips compressing into a narrow line as she examined the young Princess.
"Fourth Princess, you would do well to remember your etiquette when addressing your elders! Regardless of your present circumstances, you remain a daughter of Rastia’s royal household, and I distinctly remember teaching you better manners than this!" the woman reprimanded sternly.
Eunice’s expression darkened to an almost frightening degree.
For several moments, she looked at the woman without speaking.
Then her voice rang out across the manor entrance.
"My name is Eunice, not Fourth Princess, and you will address me properly! This is your first and last warning, Gertrude Opper!" Eunice declared with such authority that several nearby royal attendants instinctively straightened.
Gertrude froze.
The woman had spent years dealing with members of Rastia’s royal family, and her position had accustomed her to correcting the behavior of younger nobles without expecting serious resistance.
However, the Eunice standing before her was clearly no longer the obedient young Princess she remembered.
Worse, the warning had been delivered in a tone that left very little room for misunderstanding.
Gertrude pushed her glasses upward once more, releasing a faint, dissatisfied huff.
But she didn’t dare respond!
Ferdinand’s eyebrows rose again.
Oh? This isn’t going quite as expected.
He had conducted considerable research before arriving in Rosewood Town, particularly concerning the mysterious young man who had established the Baines Noble Family.
Damian Baines!
An Otherworlder who had appeared almost from nowhere before accumulating extraordinary wealth, supernatural abilities and political influence within an astonishingly short period.
His commercial operations were expanding rapidly, and the unusual products entering circulation through his businesses possessed the potential to transform entire industries.
Naturally, such a person had attracted the attention of the Crown.
And Ferdinand had developed his own opinion regarding how someone like Damian should be approached.
Flattery was a mistake!
In his experience, extraordinary individuals who rose too rapidly often became difficult to control because everyone surrounding them rushed to offer praise, concessions and increasingly valuable privileges.
Eventually, they became so accustomed to receiving favorable treatment that ordinary political authorities found themselves unable to influence their decisions.
Someone needed to remind such individuals that they weren’t above the established order!
That was precisely what Ferdinand intended to accomplish.
His decision to detain Vivienne had been calculated carefully, rather than motivated by some uncontrollable desire to cause trouble.
The Seneschal occupied an important position within Damian’s household, making her temporary arrest sufficiently significant to demonstrate the Crown’s authority without inflicting irreparable damage upon the family’s operations.
After all, he hadn’t ordered anyone to beat or torture her!
Vivienne was currently being accommodated at the delegation’s inn, under comfortable house arrest with proper meals, respectable furnishings and every reasonable convenience.
From Ferdinand’s perspective, his treatment had been exceedingly generous.
He wasn’t trying to create a blood feud with the Baines Family.
He was establishing a precedent!
By demonstrating that royal officials could still interfere with Damian’s household when necessary, Ferdinand intended to leave a lasting impression upon the rapidly rising Otherworlder.
If Damian learned to respect that authority now, future negotiations would become considerably easier to control.
It was a perfectly reasonable strategy!
At least, that was what Ferdinand believed.
Unfortunately, the unexpected aggressiveness of Eunice and her companions was complicating matters.
Still, he remained confident that the situation could be salvaged.
"Your Highness, there’s truly no need for this confrontation. Lady Vivienne has been treated with every courtesy, and I’m certain that once Lord Damian returns, we can resolve everything through a perfectly civilized discussion," Ferdinand explained smoothly, spreading his hands in an appeasing gesture.
Eunice stared at him with undisguised contempt.
"You arrested an innocent member of my family without properly explaining your actions, then came here to lecture us about royal authority. Do you genuinely expect me to thank you for your courtesy?" she demanded sharply.
Ferdinand maintained his smile.
"Surely, Your Highness understands that a royal envoy must occasionally take measures that appear inconvenient to private individuals. The important thing is that everyone remembers their obligations toward His Majesty and the Kingdom of Rastia," he replied with practiced patience.
Janet’s expression became thoroughly unpleasant.
"Oh, I understand perfectly. You want to frighten us, pretend you’re doing us a favor, and then expect Damian to be grateful when you finally release our Seneschal," Janet remarked with a sweet smile that possessed absolutely no warmth.
Ferdinand’s eyes narrowed.
The little Rogue had identified his intentions rather accurately, but he certainly wasn’t about to admit that before the surrounding retainers.
"Young lady, I would advise you to exercise caution when making accusations against royal representatives," Ferdinand warned, his earlier politeness developing a distinctly sharper edge.
Before Janet could answer, however, the situation changed completely!
A brilliant beam of purple-and-silver light suddenly descended from above!
The radiance struck the open space near the manor entrance, illuminating the surrounding street with such intensity that several spectators instinctively shielded their eyes.
Strange spatial fluctuations spread outward, accompanied by a low humming sound that made the nearby Mana tremble.
Everyone turned toward the disturbance.
Even Ferdinand momentarily forgot his dispute with the Valkyries, his eyes widening as the extraordinary phenomenon unfolded before him.
Then several figures emerged from the brilliant light!
They were nonhuman beings, their appearances ranging from vaguely humanoid to thoroughly extraordinary, and each possessed an unmistakably powerful supernatural presence.
However, the most striking figure stood at their forefront.
She was an imposing centaur-like woman whose upper body resembled that of a beautiful humanoid female, while her lower body possessed the powerful four-legged structure of a magnificent horse.
Elegant natural ornaments decorated her appearance, and the cold expression upon her face gave her the bearing of a noblewoman accustomed to commanding formidable warriors.
The moment she arrived, an overwhelming pressure spread throughout the surroundings.
Legend!
The newcomer’s aura immediately revealed her terrifying status, and the faces of practically everyone present changed.
The weaker retainers struggled to remain standing, while several royal attendants instinctively retreated behind Ferdinand and Gertrude. Even the Four Valkyries felt the pressure settle upon them, their expressions becoming increasingly grave as they realized that this delegation possessed a powerhouse far beyond their current capabilities.
And the surrounding crowd?
It practically exploded with excitement!
Townspeople hurried over from nearby streets, merchants abandoned their conversations, and curious spectators began gathering around the manor entrance in increasing numbers.
A Legend-level nonhuman being had appeared in Rosewood Town!
Moreover, judging by the hostility radiating from the newcomers, they certainly hadn’t come to enjoy the scenery.
The centaur woman surveyed the gathering with cold eyes before stepping forward.
"Where is Serra?" she demanded in the universal common tongue, her voice carrying an authority that immediately silenced the nearest spectators.
The question caused considerable confusion.
Ferdinand exchanged a bewildered look with Gertrude, neither possessing the slightest understanding of who the woman was referring to.
However, the Baines Household’s representatives reacted very differently.
Serra, the captured Moon Elf!
Eunice’s expression changed, while Julia instinctively stiffened as she recognized the significance of the name.
The Wild Court!
Their visitors had finally arrived!
Unfortunately, before any of the Valkyries could formulate an appropriate response, another flash of purple-and-silver light appeared beside the centaur woman, and a familiar silver-haired beauty emerged from the radiance.
Serra!
The Moon Elf stood beside the powerful newcomer with her arms folded, her expression carrying an unmistakably smug sense of vindication.
Her eyes moved across the Baines Household’s representatives, lingering upon Julia for a moment before settling upon Eunice and the others.
The centaur woman immediately turned toward her.
"Serra! Explain yourself! Why are you here, and what exactly happened to bring you into the custody of these people?" she demanded coldly.
Serra lifted her chin.
"These people kidnapped me and held me prisoner within their estate! Worse, their patriarch, Damian Baines, even attempted to force me into marriage against my will!" Serra declared indignantly, pointing directly toward the Four Valkyries and the retainers behind them.
The effect was immediate!
A collective gasp spread through the surrounding spectators, while several people began whispering furiously among themselves.
Kidnapping?!
Forced marriage?!
And the alleged victim was a Moon Elf associated with a group powerful enough to command a Legend-level expert!
Even the royal delegation appeared stunned.
Ferdinand’s mouth opened slightly before closing again, his earlier confidence suddenly wavering as he realized that the Baines Family might be facing a controversy far more dangerous than his own calculated provocation.
The centaur woman’s expression became terrifyingly cold.
Her immense aura surged outward once more, this time directed unmistakably toward the Baines Household’s representatives!
Eunice and the others immediately felt the pressure intensify.
Paulina clenched her fists, her powerful body trembling as she struggled against the overwhelming force pressing upon her.
Julia instinctively reached toward her Elven Bow, while Janet’s expression became murderous despite the obvious difference in their strength.
Even Eunice found herself struggling to maintain her footing.
The difference between an Adept and a Legend was simply too enormous!
"How dare you!" the centaur woman thundered, her voice reverberating across the entire street.
"What gave your miserable household the courage to kidnap a member of our people and attempt to force her into marriage?!"
The surrounding spectators instinctively retreated.
Several household retainers had already dropped to one knee, while others desperately maintained their positions behind the Four Valkyries.
The centaur woman advanced another step, her cold eyes sweeping across the manor entrance.
"Where is Damian Baines?! Bring him before me immediately!" she demanded, her overwhelming presence making the surrounding Mana shudder.
For a moment, nobody answered.
Two powerful delegations now stood before Baines Manor, one representing the authority of Rastia’s Crown and the other accompanied by a genuine Legend-level powerhouse.
And between them stood four Adept-level women attempting to protect their absent husband’s family!
The atmosphere had become almost unbearable.
Then, just as the pressure reached its peak, a low chuckle suddenly sounded across the courtyard.
"Well, well, I leave for only a day and everyone thinks it’s fine to try and bully my family. Very good!" a familiar male voice remarked, its casual tone carrying a chilling edge.
The Four Valkyries immediately turned toward the source.
Damian Baines had arrived!
And the expression upon his face was utterly sinister!