Hilas was scared of losing Ramiel, and having a vivid dream like that was not normal. She could still remember the smell of blood in her hands. Was she overthinking things? Was she doing the right thing? She had too many questions but was too scared to bring herself to ask for help from those who were close to her.
This was a mistake, considering this was never an issue before, so what change? Hilas couldn't shake the feeling that something was wrong, but she couldn't pinpoint what it was. But she was sure that fear was the driving force behind her actions,
And asking to interpret her dream was not that much of a huge deal, Earl Galthir Allannia was a businessman, and she knows everything has a price. Hilas was greeted by the main butler of the Allannia clan. The mansion was stunning and quite elegant, which made her feel even more out of place. It might be the smallest among all of the Ivlares cities, but it had this distinct calm atmosphere. Hilas was more impressed as the head butler accompanied and escorted her to a different location, not into the palace but into a small cottage standing on a small artificial hill.
Earl Galthir Allannia's dead wife was born and raised in a small town with numerous hills filled with different plants and flowers. The cottage was surrounded by a beautiful garden, reminiscent of the one his late wife used to tend to in her hometown. It was clear that he had created this peaceful retreat as a tribute to her memory.
The hill that was filled with so many flowers blooming was a spectacular view, while in her own house, which has a bigger garden and a larger land area, her residence looked more like a warehouse than an actual home. There were too many people coming in and out of her place, unlike the place that was small but cozy and serene. The contrast between the two homes was striking, highlighting the different ways in which they each chose to honor their loved ones.
Hilas smiled, thinking she never had the reason to honor her late, dead ex-husband—the fact he never showed any kind of intimate effort in making her feel like a true woman. He didn't even touch her on their wedding day, and as soon as they went back to the Ugrihron main mansion, she was left alone to manage the affairs of the entire mansion.
While Viscount Ugrihron was pleasuring himself and being surrounded by young male attendants, she was left to navigate the complexities of running the household on her own. Despite the lack of intimacy and support from her late ex-husband, Hilas found strength in her independence and in nurturing and developing her skills as a merchant and a figurehead.
It was a time of internal turmoil and secrets that turned everybody against one another, loyalty was measured with gold, and honor was a rare commodity. Hilas learned to trust no one and rely only on herself, building a reputation as a shrewd and cunning businesswoman in the process. She never expected that she would meet with the same man who saw Viscount Ugrihron's untimely death in the hands of those whom he gained happiness from.
the butler pointed toward a small path leading the small cottage like house, there she proceeded as the butler remained at the foot of the man made hill, the cottage house was made of wood and it was hand crafted meticulously , Hilas could see and feel the patience of the person who crafted and built this small cottage over looking the hill filled with flowers and landscaped to highlight the simplicity of the terrain.
Hilas was never a big fan of these things, she was simple but calculating when it comes to her action, especially when it comes to business transactions, she was keen in drafting legal documents and personally oversee all of the negotiations, she never let anybody be her representative,
the town Helmfirth was located west ten miles from the boarder of Beastkin Nation, the plants separating this small town was slightly influence by the energy coming from the forsaken forest as the wind coming from south would guide the residual energy from the forsaken forest toward the vast open wide valley, within that ten miles many types of free range animals roam the are and made the place their new habitat,
many Beastkin travelers usually end up at the town Helmfirth to seek rest and after they continue their journey to the main city of Ivlares , the factory that Earl Galthir Allannia could be seen near his walled land as he was a known recluse after his wife death, he would only go out to tend to his factory and after just stay within the confinements of his solitary life,
but as soon she set foot of Earl Galthir Allannia land something was off, she felt too emotional, was this just coincidence, the smell of flowers was making her feel happy , this not a good sign, something was making her act this strangely, now she thought going here alone without anybody knowing was a stupid mistake, she took out the small device in her pocket when the cottage door open and just like that Earl Galthir Allannia was standing a feet meters in front of her, she was still at a safe distance and running away was still possible,
"'Greetings, Viscountess Hilas Ugrihron!"
"Or should i say , future Queen."
"These words made her more uncomfortable, "
"Please come in, welcome to my humble abode,"
He replied, trying to maintain his composure despite the expected encounter. "
Hilas greeted him but wanted to excuse herself as she stated that something very important came to her attention and she needed to address it immediately. However, Earl Galthir Allannia insisted on discussing the matter at hand before she left, leading to a tense and unexpected conversation between the two of them. In a blink of an eye, he was standing right in front of her , his piercing gaze demanding her full attention as he began to unravel the secrets that had been hidden for so long. The intensity of his words left Hilas speechless, unsure of how to respond to the revelations that were being brought to light.
.
She was sure something was really wrong, she could not react , her mind was floating, and she felt like she could easily be persuaded. Earl Galthir Allannia voice has no lingering mana, nor does she feel any around the hill where the cottage was located.
The eerie silence surrounding them only added to the weight of the voice being told. Hilas felt a sense of unease creeping over her, wondering what was happening.
Was it the flowers? or the air she was breathing in? She needs to identify the source of this feeling that is consuming her body, as if she were a drug.
The air seemed thick, almost suffocating. She tried to take deep breaths, but it felt like she was breathing in something heavy and toxic. Her thoughts were jumbled, she couldn't seem to focus on one thing for more than a few seconds. She looked around, trying to find anything that could help her make sense of her current state. But all she could see was the peaceful countryside, with its rolling hills and colorful wildflowers. She couldn't understand why she was feeling like this, everything seemed so serene and tranquil.
But then she noticed something strange, a dark figure standing at the edge of the hill. It was hard to make out any details, but she could sense that it was looking directly at her. Her heart started racing, and she could feel her palms getting sweaty. She tried to move, to run away from this unsettling presence, but her body wouldn't budge.
She was paralyzed with fear, unable to do anything but watch as the figure slowly made its way towards her. She desperately wanted to scream for help, but her voice seemed to have disappeared. The figure was getting closer, and she could feel its cold breath on her skin.
she knew she was under the influence of a powerful spell, and she needs to break free
when she woke up, she was laying on her bed, Hilas was confused and disoriented. she now thinks if she really did went out to visit Earl Galthir Allannia home, or everything was just a dream, she hated this feeling but when she stood up to get out of bed she notice her dress was different and her feet was dirty,
this was a clear sign that she did went to Earl Galthir Allannia domain, the fact the color of the dirt of her sole was lighter unlike the soil on her territory, something happened but she cant put a finger on it, her mad came and drop the silver tray she was holding and the maid expression was filled with fear and joy at the same time,
the maid ran toward Hilas and hug her master , saying she finally woke up. Hilas was confused and asked her maid what was doing on, the maid told her two days ago she went out and after a few hours comeback and was walking in a trace like state, they all desperately tried to wake her up, the maid mention she went to her room , change her clothing's and went to sleep.
the next morning everything was normal but, she just cant shake the idea on what er maid told her, even the guards that saw her was shaken to the fact she went out and came back in that kind of state,
Her usually calm and collected demeanor was now replaced with anxiety and paranoia. She couldn't concentrate on her work and her relationships were starting to suffer. Everyone around her noticed the change in her, but she couldn't bring herself to tell anyone because It sounded ridiculous even to her own ears.
She found herself constantly questioning her action, feeling like something bad happened when she went to Earl Galthir Allannia place, the problem was if she really went their in the first place, she was asleep for two whole days, she summoned the best physician in t he city and go a thorough medical test on her body and fund nothing abnormal in her body.
she felt ashamed but in past few days , she was loosing control over what and didn't happen she wanted to check but was too scared because it was truly a foolish action, more mistake will keep on coming just because of that stupid dream she had, now Hilas was now getting frustrated,
she needs to find out what really happened on that day when she set foot into Earl Galthir Allannia home, but she cant do anything illegal because he didn't do anything wrong nor illegal to her knowledge, this was making her upset, she should have known better, she was so upset toward her action
Earl Reeve Gallien personnel reported that his cousin the former lord of the city was seen having a hard time dealing with some personal issues, so within that week he visited his cousin Viscountess Hilas Ugrihron Gallien , everything seemed to be fine but something was off about his cousin, he wanted to really help and understand what was giving her this much anxiety.
so he told her its better to ask for Ramiel assistance if she doesn't want to tell him, this made her mad and beg hi cousin to not say anything, this reaction made Reeve Gallien more
She couldn't believe what she was hearing. How could he suggest involving Ramiel in this situation? She had explicitly asked him not to tell anyone, and now he was suggesting bringing in another person? She could feel her anger rising, but she tried to keep her voice steady as she pleaded with her cousin to keep her secret.
She constantly begged him to understand that she wasn't ready to tell anyone yet, and bringing in someone else would only complicate things further. She was afraid of what Ramiel would think of her, or worse, what he might do. She knew her cousin meant well, but she couldn't help but feel betrayed by his suggestion.
She had confided in him, and now he was breaking her trust by going against her wishes. She felt her heart sink as she realized that she couldn't even trust her own cousin to keep her secret. She pleaded with him to reconsider, to think about how she would feel if Ramiel found out.
But her cousin was stubborn, and he was convinced that involving Ramiel was the best solution. She could feel tears welling up in her eyes as she realized that she was completely alone in this situation. She had no one she could turn to, no one she could trust.
And now, even her cousin had turned against her. She couldn't help but wonder if anyone would ever understand her or support her decisions. She felt like a prisoner, trapped in a situation that she had no control over. She knew that she had to find a way out, but for now, she could only hope that her cousin would listen to her and keep this unresolved question and situation she might or have not encounter at Earl Galthir Allannia land,
so her only course of action was to investigate any wrong doing Earl Galthir Allannia must have done in the past and use that as leverage against him for her investigate his land,
As the sun began to set somewhere at the Allannia recidence, Countess Isabella Allannia sat in her chambers, deep in thought. She had recently received the last gift that her husband Earl Galthir, finally obtain. Isabella knew she could really trust her husband in fulfilling his promise
the room she was staying was beautifully decorated and every item was expensive , giving off an air of luxury and sophistication. The plush velvet curtains and crystal chandelier added to the opulent ambiance of the space. The only thing that was making the place dreadful was a rotten smell of the undead.