22. Misunderstanding and Some More Misunderstandings.

As expected, time waited for no one. Jon returned just before midnight, carrying the viscount's letter.

"You've done well," Mordret commended as he handed Jon a Dormant Beast shard, a token of appreciation for his accomplishment. Had Jon failed to deliver the message to the viscount and return safely from the wilderness, Mordret would have suffered significant setbacks, losing precious time and a valuable warrior.

In a world where survival ranked above all, Mordret couldn't help but be impressed by Jon's unwavering commitment to his word.

"Anything for the Lord," Jon replied with a respectful bow before taking his leave. He felt a sense of contentment knowing his efforts were recognized by the Lord.

Jon's inherent abilities had augmented his physical prowess twofold, making him far stronger than the typical Nascent soldiers. This unique strength positioned him perfectly for tasks involving both border security and delivering messages.

After Jon's departure, Zephyr sighed with satisfaction. "You know what, Mordret's best quality might just be his treasury. That dude is loaded. One of the reasons I was willing to pay the Viscount quadruple taxes, no kidding." Zephyr chuckled to himself, appreciating his own cunning.

Mordret's propensity for saving individuals from dire situations had prevented the need to resort to more ruthless measures when seeking assistance from the Viscount. It could've easily turned into a ruthless transaction otherwise.

Since Jon had left recently, Mordret found himself amidst paperwork, seated on a couch in the hall. He was just about to open the Viscount's reply to his letter when he heard a soft knock on his door. "Yes?" he responded, his brows furrowing slightly.

Mordret wasn't expecting any visitors at this hour, intensifying his perplexed expression. Having wasted an entire day due to his injury, he'd made it clear to Eliza that they'd be refraining from intimate encounters until the beast raid situation improved.

"Who could it be at this hour?" he mused to himself.

"My Lord, it's Maria," the voice answered, and in walked the chieftess, draped in a captivating nightgown.

"You're well aware of the time, Chieftess," Mordret commented dryly. "Still, if you've come all this way, it must be something of importance." Mordret leaned back on the couch, motioning for her to take a seat opposite him. With a sigh, he put the letter aside momentarily, preparing to listen to what Maria had to say.

Maria wore a stunning black night dress, a shade that matched her flowing hair. Despite her graceful appearance, Mordret's expression contorted when he heard the impending news.

"Apologies for intruding at such an hour, my Lord. Unfortunately, things have taken a turn for the worse." Maria's tone was a mixture of apology and determination. Mordret handed her his glass of water, recognizing the signs of her distress.

"Thank you," Maria said, swiftly gulping down the water in her haste.

"Compose yourself, Chieftess. Worry lines don't suit your lovely face," Mordret offered, his voice steady.

Chuckling nervously, Maria fidgeted before continuing, "Someone is plotting against you, my Lord." Her words held resolve, yet the disappointment in her eyes was undeniable.

Maria paused for a prolonged moment, her gaze distant. Noticing her distant expression, Mordret inquired after a brief silence. "Hmm, and?"

"Yes... And I am well aware of the traitor," Maria's voice grew tense, her teeth clenched.

"It's my daughter, Rebecca," Maria admitted, bracing herself for Mordret's reaction.

A heavy silence enveloped the room as Mordret locked his gaze onto Maria. His azure-blue eyes remained unblinking, brimming with a mixture of conflicting emotions.

'My Lord, he must be let down,' Maria's heart raced as she averted her gaze from Mordret's unwavering stare. 'How can I shield my daughter from her transgressions?' She was grappling with inner turmoil.

Not long ago, during her visit to Mordret's mansion, Maria had overheard her future daughter-in-law, Karen, being reprimanded by Eliza, one of Mordret's servants. 'In just a day, I've committed numerous mistakes! First, doubting my Lord—questioning his character wasn't enough. I even intended to challenge his authority!' Maria's anxiety heightened, and her palms grew clammy. 'I reaped the consequences swiftly as karma struck my son, Jon, as punishment as his future wife attempted to seduce my Lord! And now this! My own daughter, a traitor! Once again, someone I confided in has betrayed me! And I've shattered my Lord's trust in me!' Maria teetered on the edge of tears. 'The Lord must be furious!' She nervously rubbed her palms together.

Meanwhile,

'What in the actual hell is this woman saying?' Zephyr scratched his head. 'Am I the only one not on the same page?' He suffered from severe headaches as he looked at a crying Maria. Not only was a woman older than him crying in front of him, but he was also completely unaware of the reason behind it. 'Who is Rebecca? Should that be my first question?' After losing his virtual virginity to Eliza, Zephyr had long forgotten the beautiful naked woman on the other side he had seen in [Obelisk of Mirage].

After all, his standards had risen ever since his naughty nights with Eliza.

"N-now I understand why my Lord kept an eye on us!" Maria suddenly knelt and stammered.

"Now, waaiiiit a minute!" Zephyr struggled to process so many things at the same time. But the system came to his rescue not long after.

... [The effectiveness of <Calm > has increased twofold.] 

...

[Player003 is recommended to remain calm!]

...

For some reason, when Mordret heard the word 'Betray', his blood boiled, and Zephyr was unaware of this.

His face darkened, and what Maria witnessed was the most fearsome man she had ever seen clench his fists in anger. The misunderstanding continued to build like a chain of dominos.

"I-I am the one at fault, My Lord! I couldn't educate my daughter properly—" Maria did not stop her rambling either, fearing that her Lord might outright kill her daughter.

Click!

On the other hand, the sudden rush of euphoria of <Calm > that kicked in his brain helped Zephyr understand the situation vividly. 

Rewinding the things that had transpired, he realized what Maria meant or at least thought.

During his visit to her house in [Obelisk of Mirage], Mordret had suggested that Rebecca, Maria's daughter, follow her mother's advice. 

'This could be translated as following the Lord's side instead of Karen—or rather, the opposing side. This served as Mordret keeping an eye on Rebecca.' Zephyr nodded in satisfaction.

His order to Eliza to keep an eye on Maria, which was done to discern her true loyalty and motives, as well as to notify her immediately if Karen did something bad, indicated that Mordret doubted the mother AND daughter pair!

'Am I a genius of some sort?' He jumped in joy.

'If I am following the logic correctly, Maria first found out about Karen's scheme, which anchored her trust in her Lord's character! And now that Rebecca is betraying WITH Karen, about which I have no fucking idea, Maria thought that her Lord, Mordret, knew since he kept an eye on them! Thus, she came forward to save her daughter from being sentenced for treachery!' Zephyr froze as the pieces fell correctly.

"Aha!" Zephyr felt like solving the puzzle created by the director of Interstellar. 'How complex! Yet I did it!' He had never felt so proud of himself, not even when he topped the university!

"—My Lord, this lowly Maria beg you to—" Just before Maria, who now somehow held a cold dagger in front of her chest, could do something rash, Mordret, who had been watching all of this drama with an unamused expression, ordered in a calm voice, "Maria. Sit." 

Maria shivered upon hearing her Lord's voice—a deep, authoritative voice devoid of all humor and expression that monotonously ordered her to sit. Like an obedient lamb, Maria sat in front of Mordret, shivering.

…

The next day, when Mordret woke up, someone was staring daggers at him. "Good morning, Ellie," Mordret said, sliding the sheets away.

"My Lord, you said you wouldn't spend intimate time with this servant of yours anymore until the Beast Raid, right?" Eliza asked, her eyes turning red.

"Yes, I remember saying that," Mordret replied, getting up. The sensation of something sticky on his body made him wonder.

"Then how did you have time to spend it with the Chieftess?" Eliza puffed her cheeks, tears collecting in the corners of her eyes.

Mordret froze. 'What did she–' As Zephyr's eyes wandered to his side, he found something unthinkable beside him.

Her long raven hair, disheveled, cascaded over the sheets while her soft, yet voluptuous body nestled calmly beside him.

It was the Chieftess, Maria.

***

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