The grand hallway of the mansion echoed with the murmurs of its gathered staff. Every servant, from the highest-ranking stewards to the lowest washing maids, walked in uneasy groups, their voices hushed as they exchanged nervous glances.
The soft tread of their footsteps seemed louder in the tense silence, the grandeur of the marble floors and towering ceilings doing nothing to ease their discomfort.
"Why do you think the head butler called us all here?" A sweeper whispered to the maid walking beside him.
"I don't know." She replied, clutching her apron anxiously. "Do you think it's about...the attempt on the young master's life?"
The mention of the assassination attempt sent a ripple of unease through the group. Others joined in the sneering, their voices low but urgent.
"Could it be about punishments? Do they think one of us is involved?"
