The noble family of Grainhearts was third rate. The only reason that they got the noble title in the first place is because they lived far away from most urban cities.
Originally they were farmers. Once the father of the farm got enough money, he bribed the nobles to give a lord title to them and make him own the land which he was farming in. It was accepted.
Today, a young man was working hard and was harvesting the tomatoes on the fields with a basket along with the other workers.
"Young master Sven, you really didn't have to help us with the harvest." An old farmer came over to Sven and lectured him.
"Us workers are happy with your father's support that kept this humble farmland to keep existi-"
Sven gave nods and looked at the old man as he talked. He didn't actually listen at all. The old man was one of the cons his father hired to increase the reputation of his family.
The con would explain all the benefits and advantages of the farmers if they are under the noble rule of his father.
"-your father, Grain Figtenhood has done huge favors to the fields by-" The old con man kept rattling.
Sven was the only son of the Figtenhood noble family. He agreed to this con lecture so he can escape his duties to study in the library.
Even when he turned eighteen he didn't want to go to school on the urban areas. Since his father was a farmer when he was a kid he didn't see the importance of educating the child.
"-and do you understand? Now let's go. You already helped plenty." The old con man hold out his wrinkly hands.
Sven found his wrinkly hands disgusting, not because it was old but because this con man always opens his hands when begging his father to give him money.
Sven captured the hand and stood up to go back to the manor. The old man stayed in the fields to continue lecture and rattle on praises for Sven's family. He was gonna go the extra mile for that tasty extra tip of cash.
"Where's father?" Asked Sven when he entered the manor. His face was full of dirt, his shirt had stains and his legs were very muddy.
The maids were about to puke at the sight. They knew that young master always helped the farmers at least once a week. They could still not get used to the stench. It was a mix of poop fertilizers and rotten molds.
The maids were from the urban cities and wasn't used to the place. Coming to this noble's house was a death sentence according to some maids who come over to the manor and work here. Not one maid stayed more than a year until they get kicked out by the lord, which was Sven's father.
It was a strange thing, but Sven knew why. It was because his father had an heirloom that requires them to make people leave after a year, except for the direct family members.
The use of the heirloom was unknown, even for both his father and Sven.
"Your father is in the study room young master. Let's get you a bath." The newly hired head maid responded and gently grabbed his arm and gestured for the other maids to help her carry him.
Sven was approximately 5'3 currently, which was short for their culture's standards. However, he was fat and fat means heavy. The maids struggled to carry Sven to the bathroom, wondering why the noble house didn't just hire butlers and found it strange that only maids work here.
The reason for that is Sven's mother, Grain Heartfeuten. She is a very dangerous woman, for her any men is a threat to Sven's and her husbands life. "Any girl is better since they could be of safer service to my dearests." Or so she says, with her hands on her chest in dramatic fashion feigning falling down on a chair and go fakely unconcious as an act.
Sven was used to being bathed, the maids were still in full uniform even when they bathed him. He didn't feel embarassed as they cleaned him up. Ever since he was a child, any person who had a maid uniform became invisible in him since he got used to it.
Going out the bathroom he was put into comfortable clothing before meeting his father.
"Dad, I'm eighteen now gimme the heirloom." Sven was excited now that he came of age.
"Here it is, son. Take care of it you are the owner now." Figtenhood handed the necklace to his son.
"Thank you, dad." Sven was very ecstatic as he received the heirloom. He put it up and stared at the patterns. It looked like a normal necklace, but when you open it. It had the words. "Leave all those in a year apart from family."
Sven closed the locket necklace, and wore it on his neck.
"I don't feel anything." Sven commented as he closed his eyes expecting a thing to happen.
"Its simply an heirloom. Make sure to never lose it." Figtenhood reminded Sven as he turned around and got back to reading, putting on his reading glasses.
"Okay." Sven walked back to his bedroom, the maids following him. Only leaving after hearing the door being locked.
There was a bell outside the room that would chime once Sven pressed the button. The nearest maid would then arrive over and knock on the door and follow his demands.
Once in his bed, he layed down, the mattress creasing down forcefully from under his weight. The necklace was still on his neck.
"This necklace would give me power to buy food anytime I want. And not just wait for the feast at the table every time to eat."
Sven fiddled with the necklace, for him it will give authority and freedom to get more food.
"It would also be nice if I could visit the urban city and try their delicacies..."
Sven opened and closed the locket repeatedly, he then layed down as he was about to sleep.
Although it was in the morning right now, Sven was a lazy bum and would sleep at any time.
Closing his eyes, he grabbed the locket. His hand caught nothing but his skin.
"Wha?" Sven moved his fingers to trace where the necklace was on his neck. He didn't feel the familair cold metal.
He sat up, and opened his eyes, looking down to see if the necklace is still there. There was no necklace.
"What... where did it go!?" Sven panicked and looked on the mattress, taking away the pillows and blanket and throwing it on the floor.
"Its here, young man." A sweet, slightly deep feminine voice responded from behind him. Her pale palm was opened and the necklace was on it.
"Oh shit!" He immediately captured the locket necklace and fell down on the bedframe. His fat cushioning the fall.
"Get out of here wench!" Panic on his vision he didn't have the chanve to look at the womans features. His eyes were red and was about to cry because of the strange situation.
He was always spoiled and comforted in the manor, any stress that was difficult he could simply shed a tear and it would be fixed.
"That was rude, calling me wench. Hmpf!" The woman then dissapeared from his view.
Sven was holding the locket tightly, his heart beating a hundred fifty per minute. It was scary, at least for his weak background.
"What... what was that. A woman's voice came out of the locket."
His breathing about to calm down he laid down on the bed and justified that he needed some sleep. That all of this wasn't real.