Cassie stared at the recovering Diana, who was now capable of standing on her own. Supporting her child with mana in such harsh conditions hadn't been an easy task.
The family guardian had visited the matriarch. With the serious expression on her face, Diana could only assume this was an important matter.
"Do I know what you want?" Diana asked in a blank tone, showing no interest in the matter.
Cassie crossed her arms. "When will you send that kid to me? I want him to be my disciple."
Diana snorted. "What? You're really serious about that? No. My answer is still no."
Cassie moved closer, frustrated. "Why? Do you still believe he's talentless? Can't you take my word as a guarantee?"
Diana didn't respond, simply staring at her with no particular intent. Letting the silence grow awkward, she turned her back and went to her desk. "You should leave."
Cassie sighed in frustration. Her robe shimmered under the dim light, with a few particles of mana floating around her. "Are you planning to execute him?"
Hearing this, Diana's hand stopped as she reached for the drawer. She turned back, her expression cold and disinterested. "He's a tool. I can use him to show my dominance to the Prestige Clan."
"So, I was right? You don't want to believe me and would rather waste him?"
"He's useless. That's final. This could be his only use to me. I don't care what potential he has, if he can't take significant steps compared to others, then he's already a waste of my blood."
Sighing in endless frustration, Cassie sat on Diana's bed, the soft mattress sinking as she settled down.
"Does that really matter? They'll still hide from you. They won't expose the traitor. So, why waste a kid like him? He has the talent I keep telling you about."
Diana shook her head. "I still respect you, White Guardian, but you know the final decision is mine."
Cassie, finding no other way to persuade her, stood up in disbelief. She couldn't believe her words had no effect on her.
'How are my words not working? I am the White Guardian, the family guardian of the Silverfein family!' Cassie fumed inwardly as she walked to the window, gripping the railing tightly. Turning back to Diana one last time, she declared, "I'll create a dummy of him and use that for the execution. After that, he's mine, and you won't be able to do anything about it."
Diana was left speechless and bewildered, her gaze slightly shifting as Cassie left the chamber. Closing her eyes, she leaned back in her grand chair and sighed. She murmured for her servant, then glanced to the side as a shadow appeared.
"Take the second young master away from the third one. Return him to his estate, and then deliver the third to the hidden master. I want him trained there. Ensure both are erased from public knowledge."
The shadow materialized into a humanoid figure, bowing slightly before disappearing.
A hint of worry flickered across Diana's face—a rare departure from her usual cold demeanor. She sighed deeply, an uncommon frustration mingling with what seemed like a hidden concern.
Biting her lip, she reached into her drawer and pulled out a small orb, a mana pill. She took one and consumed it herself.
"The Silverfein family will remain the best… I promise that… to Father."
***
Word had spread throughout the city, the second young master and the Prestige Clan were branded as traitors. Anyone bearing their features would meet a brutal end under the command of the "Brutal Cold Lady."
Then, the execution took place. The second young master was killed in full view of the public, while the rest of the Prestige Clan was massacred, nearly sparking a civil war in the neighboring territories of North Sword. Diana's reputation was cemented as that of an unyielding leader, merciless even toward her own blood. Although this tarnished her maternal image, she didn't care—power was the center of her world.
A year passed, and the real second young master, Vonn Silverfein, had miraculously escaped his execution.
Lying on his back and staring at the ceiling of his new room, he still couldn't believe he was alive. 'Did my plan work? Helping Linn? Is that why a year has gone by, and I'm still breathing?' Vonn wondered. No matter how much he thought it over, he couldn't find a clear answer.
Now, he was within the main family estate, though under a different family name. A woman named Cassie Caldwell had given him this new identity. Having no attachment to the Silverfein name, he accepted it willingly. But he was still puzzled about why he'd been brought into the main family estate.
'The main family estate is divided into two parts: the main Silverfein family and the vassal families that uphold the Silverfeins' power,' he recalled from the novel's details.
'Over the past months, I've been working to connect with the surrounding mana,' he thought. 'I've made progress, but it's not exceptional.'
Vonn received private training from Cassie, who, to his eyes, was both beautiful and alluring. Yet, keeping himself composed, he understood that, for now, Cassie had taken on the role of his mother.
Cassie had shown him what a real mother should be. She wasn't just training him, she was also providing the care and nurturing attitude that only a mother could give.
During those months, he felt truly alive and motivated. At times, he even caught himself thinking he didn't need to worry about Linn or the storyline of this novel. Yet, something deep inside kept him tethered to the unfolding events.
'The butterfly effect really is no joke...' he thought, a smirk crossing his face as he stepped out of his luxurious room, deciding to explore the residence and see if this estate was just an enormous compound.
After a few moments, he paused, panting.
'This place really is just one giant estate. It's like a compound fused into one colossal building. Feels like I'm walking through a giant mall.'