Meanwhile, Leon stepped out of the array containing the blizzard and found the Viscount glaring coldly at a female maid who hadn't been there when he entered.
The Viscount's voice was icy as he addressed her, "You did well delivering the message, but if I hear a word about this blizzard outside, you and everyone who witnessed it will not live to see another day."
The maid gulped and nodded, her face pale. She understood that the Viscount was not making an idle threat. Her plans to gossip about the blizzard were instantly quashed, and she made a mental note to warn her comrades who had seen the blizzard's onset.
She knew that if word of the blizzard escaped the Viscount's household, it wouldn't matter if she was the one who leaked the information. She and all her comrades—indeed, everyone aware of the blizzard—would be ruthlessly eliminated. They were considered expendable compared to the nobles. The Viscount could easily replace the entire staff to ensure the secret remained hidden, so she knew she had to keep her mouth shut.
Leon, witnessing this, smiled. While the best course of action might be to eliminate the maid and the rest of the staff to ensure the secret was kept, he understood that the Viscount had a reasonable purpose for sparing them. Killing them would necessitate hiring a new batch of servants, which would attract unwanted attention from other nobles. Such attention was not needed at the moment. If the blizzard were discovered, there was a remote chance—one in a billion—that someone might connect it to Amelia's unique physique. Although unlikely, the risk was still present, and many would covet her rare abilities.
The chance of anyone making such a connection was minimal because powerful physiques like Amelia's were rare, and their effects were not widely known. However, the Viscount couldn't afford to take any chances, no matter how slim. He needed all the servants to keep their mouths shut.
It would be foolish for the Viscount to leave such a secret in the hands of the servants without any safeguards, but he planned to make them sign a contract that would bind them with their lives.
As the Viscount turned and noticed Leon, he sighed. "Sorry you had to see that unsightly sight."
Leon waved his hand dismissively, indicating that he understood the reasons behind the Viscount's actions. "I understand. Sometimes, measures must be taken to ensure secrecy."
The Viscount nodded, his expression softening slightly. "Thank you, Leon. It's a delicate situation, and we have to be cautious."
Leon nodded in agreement. "Absolutely. Amelia's safety and the secrecy of her physique are paramount."
The Viscount's eyes hardened with determination. "We must protect her at all costs."
Leon glanced back at the blizzard, its ferocity still undiminished. "Yes, we must. And we'll do whatever it takes to keep her safe."
Meanwhile, as the maid bowed and hurried away, she couldn't help but notice the tone the Viscount used when speaking to Leon. 'Amelia's fiancé is quite something. The Viscount has so much respect for him, speaking to him like he would to a fellow viscount.'
After the maid left, the Viscount waved at Leon and hurried forward. "Come, Leon, someone's waiting. The Leader of the Glacial Frost Lotus Sect is here."
Leon glanced around and noted the absence of the butler. 'He must have left,' he thought, following the Viscount closely. They were heading to the Viscount's office.
The usually bustling halls were eerily quiet. Another oddity was the absence of Amelia's sisters and their husbands. Normally, he would encounter one of them on his way through the estate, but today, it seemed they had all vanished.
Leon shook off his unease and focused on keeping up with the Viscount. They soon reached his office, and upon entering, both men were met with the shock of their lives.
The first shock came in the form of two frozen male servants, standing like ice statues. Their tense postures and outstretched hands suggested they had been trying to explain something before being frozen in place. They were facing a strikingly beautiful woman seated in a spare chair, her expression cold and indifferent.
Her hair was a pure, snowy white, not a sign of age but a natural and striking feature. It was styled in an elegant chignon, held in place by a silver hairpin adorned with intricate designs. She looked to be in her early thirties, her youthful appearance only enhancing her mature beauty. Her robe, as white as her hair, did little to conceal her elegance, making her look both regal and unapproachable.
Behind the frozen servants stood the butler, also facing the icy lady, sweat trickling down his forehead as he tried to explain the situation. His nervousness was palpable, and it was clear he feared saying the wrong thing and joining the servants in their icy fate. Upon seeing the Viscount, he let out a low sigh of relief and bowed.
Leon immediately recognized the woman as the Sect Leader of the Glacial Frost Lotus Sect, the very one Amelia and the Viscount had mentioned.
"A minute..."
The woman's cold, feminine voice resounded through the room, startling Leon and the Viscount. Bewildered, they listened as she continued.
"Had you been a minute late, you would have lost these two servants..." she said icily. "Since they work directly under you, replacing them would be difficult. New servants won't have the same experience or loyalty."
With a casual wave of her hand, the frozen servants began to thaw. The transformation was mesmerizing, like a layer of frost melting away from their heads and slowly down their bodies.
The Viscount gulped, realizing the truth in her words. Losing these two would indeed have been a significant setback.
As their heads were freed from the ice, the servants gasped for breath, shivering from the cold. Mere mortals, they had come incredibly close to death without doing anything to provoke it. The trauma was evident in their wide eyes and pale faces. Though their upper bodies were now thawed, it wouldn't be long before the rest of them returned to normal.
***
AN:
Sorry for not posting the last two days, I've been down due to lack of motivation. No contract, I need more POWER STONES pls