Chapter 242: Where you are born matters

Empress Borough. Hall Villa 

"Don't worry sweetie. Everything will be fine, I'm sure the Churches forces are doing everything they can to sort this out." Caitlyn Hall comforted her daughter who was in her arms, the last mentioned pet was sitting glued to her feet doing her guard dog job. Her personal servants were off to the side checking that everything in the bunker was in order while some guards were making sure that the bunker was protected.

Everyone present was covered in dust, some more than others as in the case of the servants. Some had bruises and cuts, a few had bandages wrapped around their arms or heads. Even the prestigious and powerful Hall family was not spared, Audrey had a bandage wrapped around her right arm where she had been cut by broken glass.

As soon as the explosion and the earthquake had passed, the entire Hall family - those present at the moment as one of the sons was in Bayam - were transported to the bunker under the Mansion.

Earl Hall watched his beloved wife and only daughter as he scratched the collar of his shirt, his face impassive as a rock. Next to him was his eldest son Hibbert Hall who tried to look composed like his father but the slight nervousness in him was noticeable. Both men were covered in dust, Hibbert had a bruise on his cheek while Earl had a bandage wrapped around his head.

"Take a deep breath son. That will help your nerves." Earl commented casually with his back straight as he settled his tall hat, the fine expensive material felt soft to his fingers.

Hibbert nodded slightly at his father's words, he took a slow breath to regain his composure. After a few seconds, he asked in a somewhat disbelieving voice.

"Father, what was that?"

"That, my son, was an earthquake." Earl Hall commented without changing his expression.

Hibbert's eyebrow twitched slightly. Swallowing his annoyance, he continued, "I know what it was Father. But in Backlund? There's never been an earthquake in Backlund!"

For the first time in the last few minutes, the expression of the head of the family changed, his brows furrowed slightly and he let out a slight sigh, "I am in the same darkness as you Hibbert. I don't know how this is possible, and also that explosion... I fear this could be an attack by Feysac or Intis."

Hibbert bit the inside of his cheek, something all the sons of the family did when they were nervous, taking a slight breath he replied seriously, "An attack like that out of the blue? Father, relations with the Feysac Empire and the Intis Republic have been strained and even somewhat aggressive but I find myself on the side of denying that possibility. There is no human weapon that could set off an explosion big enough to cause an earthquake!"

Earl Hall's eyes twitched for a moment before he fell silent for long seconds. When he spoke again, his voice was heavy carrying the weight of age and the emotion of a worried father.

"I've already sent a telegram to the Church of the Evernight Goddes. It's only a matter of time before we find out what's going on out there" Turning to look at his son, Earl Hall added, "Now try to act like a man and try to stay calm. We don't want to scare your mother and sister anymore."

Hibbert who was about to speak again immediately swallowed his words, what his father had said was like a bucket of cold water and he found himself abnormally calm. He immediately understood the reason for this and straightening up, he held his head high.

The duty of an older brother will always be to protect the younger sibling. 

He might not be a Beyonder like Alfred but that wouldn't mean he wouldn't do everything he could to defend his family.

This long but also short exchange was watched by crystalline emerald eyes that hid a mixture of some exasperation and a lot of affection.

Easily reading what her brother was thinking, Audrey rolled her eyes internally as she sunk her head into her mother's chest who was trembling and she could feel her grip getting tighter.

'As soon as I get the chance I'll go to the bathroom and pray to Mr. Fool. I'm sure He will know what's going on!' With eyes shining determinedly, Audrey hoped the opportunity would come soon.

But from the way the back of her neck felt slightly wet, she doubted her mother would let go any time soon. Swallowing saliva, Audrey bit the inside of her cheek and could feel her body begin to tremble slightly.

No matter how much she tried to deny it, she was scared too.

A few minutes ago she had experienced her first earthquake firsthand as she watched it turn dark all at once. It would be strange for her not to be afraid.

Elsewhere in Empress Borough...

Everything around her was spinning, a horrible buzzing sound threatening to burn a hole in her brain.

After a few seconds, Hazel realized she was lying on the floor of her room, above her was the couch she had previously been lying on.

Her brown eyes drifted to the side and she could see her expensive ceramic set broken, her favorite mug now shattered to pieces a few feet away from her. But her attention wasn't on that. No, her attention was on the legs of a woman dressed as a maid lying a few feet away from them.

"Urgh..." A sharp pain caused her to bring her hand to her forehead and she could feel something warm. Lowering her hand, she saw how it was covered in red.

'I have a cut on my head... A concussion is very likely...' Hazel thought somewhat dazedly as her sight went down to her torso.

Her dress was ruined, the neck was stained with the blood from her head and torn in several places. To her relief there didn't seem to be any bloodstains further down, unfortunately, her dress prevented her from seeing her legs and their condition but judging by how she felt them, everything was as it should be.

'My only and most serious wound is in my head...' Letting out a shaky sigh, Hazel turned to what she asked would be the unconscious woman and called out in a somewhat tinny voice.

"Anabette... Anabette talk to me." 

For a few seconds there was no response but just as her heart was racing, her maid stirred slightly.

"Urgh... Se- Miss?' Anabette spoke with clear weakness and sleepiness in her voice with slurred speech, dancing between consciousness and unconsciousness.

Hazel clicked her tongue softly, with clear annoyance.

'She won't be able to move in that state. I'll have to do this alone.' Without alarm or shock, her training kicked in, her mind cooled and her eyes sharpened.

She placed her hands on the edge of the couch and pushed, lifting the furniture with little difficulty. Satisfied with the space she made and with one smooth, nimble movement, Hazel slid out of her trap skillfully avoiding the broken ceramic on the floor.

Looking around her room, Hazel's expression fell slightly.

The only way to describe it would be as if a tornado had passed through. Everything was out of place. Her bed was upside down and clearly broken. Her multiple decorations hanging on the wall were scattered all over the finely polished wood floor, expensive imported Intis and Feysac ceramics just as broken as her tea set.

The windows were mostly broken tearing the curtains.

But that wasn't what she focused her attention on, just giving them a pass. Her attention was focused almost entirely on the wall and ceiling looking for cracks or any sign that it might fall.

But she finally allowed herself to let out a sigh of relief when none of those signs showed up.

The great Macht mansion stood strong through the earthquake. The fortune spent to make it, one that easily could fed 50 middle-class families for months at a time, proved to be the best investment her great-great-grandfather could have made.

"Good job Grandpa..." Hazel thanked quietly as she approached Anabette.

This close she could see the state of her maid, her right forearm was bent and she had a large gash on her scalp that spurted out a stream of blood.

'Broken arm, because of the lack of blood the bone did not go through the flesh... A wound on the head...'

Her sharp eyes scanned the body for any other wounds and seeing that she hadn't skipped anything, she just nodded softly, bent down, and gripped the edge of her dress tightly.

Crrririiiiiiiii

Carefully wrapping her caregiver's head with the fabric of her dress, which was quickly stained red, as well as making a makeshift sling out of it, Hazel used the remaining fabric to do the same to her head.

That done, Hazel looked down at the heels she was wearing and shook her head with a frown.

She couldn't walk comfortably across her room in heels so grabbing the heel, a resounding zap sounded.

If Anabette were conscious, she would faint at the sight of the 1,000+ pound heels being snapped like a mere twig.

Testing her footing, Hazel smiled in satisfaction.

With the wounds she could treat finished and with new 'shoes', the noblewoman bent down and carefully grabbed the woman's healthy arm and placed it over her shoulder. With extreme care, she stood up, lifting the woman's unconscious body with her.

The strength of a Swindler was nothing compared to that of a Pugilist but at least it was enough for her to carry Anabette and not stagger with each step.

A few steps away from reaching the door, it burst open, he dialed crashing hard into the wall causing her to tense up and unconsciously try to grab the charms that were still hidden in her dress with her free hand.

But before her fingers could touch the warm metal of them she stopped when she saw who it was that had opened the door. A sense of relief washed over her as she saw that it was someone somewhat familiar.

The one who opened the door was a man who looked to be in his mid 30's, with white streaks in his hair and a well-groomed mustache wearing an elegant suit that highlighted his strong body, Hazel recognized him as one of the guards that her father hired some time ago.

He looked visibly surprised at her current state and how she was carrying her maid but recovered immediately, the professionalism of a guard shone through and he quickly approached her.

"Miss Hazel! Are you all right?!" 

Her brow furrowed slightly but keeping her elegance and politeness above all else, the noblewoman nodded, " I'm fine but Anabette sustained serious injuries. Carry her."

The calm with which she had spoken came as a considerable surprise to the guard who looked quizzical.

This only made Hazel click her tongue internally but she swallowed it, this was not the situation to make enemies, especially someone who was quite possibly stronger than her, " Carry her."

Recovering and giving a sharp nod, the guard quickly walked over to her and carefully grabbed the maid from her arms.

" Something happens to her and you're fired." 

Pursing his lips, the guard nodded slightly and added more care to his grip. Anabette's face frowned slightly but returned to its former state not long after.

Making sure her maid was comfortable, Hazel looked into the guard's experienced eyes.

"Where are my parents?"

"Mr. and Mrs. Macht are in the dining room miss. They are waiting for you."

Nodding, Hazel simply nodded, "Let's go."

Walking down the hallway filled with shattered paintings and broken furniture, the noblewoman's brow furrowed more and more. Her exterior didn't show it but she was quite worried about the rest.

She hoped they were all right.

The large double doors to the dining room were open so her arrival was seen by the group of over 24 people inside. Among them were servants and maids, cooks, guards, and so on. The vast majority of them had blood bandages covering their heads or had their arms wrapped in bandages.

Hazel didn't get much of a look before she was enveloped in a powerful hug which she saw coming but gladly received and returned. Her expression softened slightly as she heard the sob.

The woman who was hugging her was wearing an expensive dark purple ball gown with black accents but which was now full of dust and some torn parts, blackish green hair very similar to her own, and soft brown eyes. She was her mother, Ryana Macht.

The man on her side was pushing 40. He had black hair and brown eyes, much darker than those of his wife and daughter. He had a deep outline with a receding hairline. His face was long and thin. 

Both parents were with multiple cuts and their clothes were extremely dirty.

"I was so worried! Let me look at you! You didn't get hurt did you?!"

Gloved hands touched her face, older brown eyes widened in horror at the sight of the makeshift bandage on her head," By the Goddess..."

Her father wasted no time in raising his voice, " Doctor! Doctor! My daughter is hurt!"

Rolling her eyes internally, Hazel grabbed her mother's hands and carefully removed them from her face, "Mother, Father I'm fine. It's just a cut."

Her mother shook her head and continued to check her over as the family's doctor arrived, a man in his late 50s whose face showed his age and experience. With a black leather briefcase in his right hand, he spoke, "Miss Hazel please let me at least check you, if that cut becomes infected it will be more difficult to treat."

Mr. Macht nodded with a stern expression, "You'd better take a seat, honey. The sooner this passes the better you can rest."

Hazel shook her head and pointed to Anabette who was still being carried by the guard.

"First attend her, her wounds are more serious than mine."

All sound in the dining room stopped, the servants who overheard the conversation looked at the lady in astonishment. The guards hid it better but they too were shocked.

Her parents' eyes widened in stupefaction and disbelief, unable to believe what their daughter had said.

Hazel Macht, well known for being an arrogant and spoiled child... She had asked for someone to be treated before her? A commoner none the less?!

Shaking off the shock, her father spoke first, "Of course we will treat her Dear but you are the priority, once the Doctor sees the wound on your head he will treat Anabette."

Hazel gave her father a hard look and rejected this, " She first."

Despite being a man of character, the man found himself unable to return his daughter's intensity luckily for him, his wife jumped in to help him.

"Hazel look at me."

With a serious face, her daughter obeyed.

"You are the sole heir of the family. Your health is the most important thing to us. A simple-"

"What makes her less than me?"

At the sudden question, Riana swallowed her words and looked at her daughter with saucer-like eyes.

 Hazel's brow was furrowed in disgust, anger, and disappointment. Disappointment in them caused Riana to hold a hand to her chest and her father to freeze.

Everyone present watched the exchange between the heads of the family and the young miss with their mouths hanging open.

"Answer me. Father, Mother."

"What makes her less than me? Is it because she is a servant? Or is it because she is not a noble?"

"Hazel Dear-" Mr. Macht tried to say something but his daughter's burning gaze silenced him.

"How can you be part of the New Party and not practice what you say? Anabette is more injured than me but you want to prioritize my health over hers, how can you take that seat and turn your back on your promises like that?"

"..." With his jaw trembling slightly, all Mr. Macht could do was lower his gaze in shame. His wife was the same.

Hazel snorted and looked at the doctor who almost looked like his jaw would drop, "Treat her."

"Yes Miss Macht!" without wasting any time, the Doctor quickly opened his briefcase and carefully began to remove the cloth wrapped around the maid's head. 

As he did this the man couldn't help but notice the high quality of the blackened cloth which caught his attention. Paying a little more attention to it, his eyes widened in shock as he saw how the parts that were not obscured by the blood had a fine pattern.

Her attention moved to the lady's dress that shared the same pattern. Disbelief filled his heart and before he could point out his discovery, the heiress of the family spoke.

"Is there a problem?" 

Swallowing a bit of saliva, the Doctor shook his head and stowed the soiled fabric in the briefcase. 

"No, miss." 

This was something the Lord had to know but now was not the time, now he would focus on treating the woman's wounds and when everything calmed down he would report his discovery to Mr. Macht.

Hazel noticed how the Doctor moved the improvised bandage he had made but did not comment on it. She thought about it for a few moments before her lips lifted slightly.

With everything calmer and no longer so focused on helping Anabette. Hazel focused her attention on the dining room window, her gaze on the black sky. Her heart pounding at such a strange yet disturbing scene.

'I hope the rest is all right...' 

Mr. Macht looked at his daughter with an expressionless face. His pride as a man and nobleman had taken a bit of a beating but his pride as a father was now so great that he could barely contain his smile. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw how his wife was smiling at their daughter, a mother's pride shining in the brown eyes he loved so much.