The morning of the festival arrived with a clear, piercing sky.
I stood before my bedroom mirror. A dark blue gown draped over my frame—the only dress left in the wardrobe that was still presentable. The fabric wasn't luxurious, but it was enough to ensure I didn't look like a beggar in front of the Marquis.
I stared at my reflection. Sea-blue hair. Sea-blue eyes. And the scar on my shoulder that the gown couldn't quite hide—the mark of a lash from a life I could not remember.
Today, I would meet Marquis Vellon. And he would see the Countess he so foolishly underestimated.
A knock came at the door. Kael entered without waiting for an answer. He wore his finest clothes—though they still looked shabby compared to true high nobility. A sword hung at his hip.
"The carriage is ready," he said, his eyes scanning me. "Are you certain you want only the two of us?"
"The Head Butler will report to the Marquis that I am arriving by carriage with a single guard." I turned away from the mirror. "That is what the Marquis expects to see. A weak Countess with only one protector."
"And the reality?"
I walked past him. "The reality... is that the Marquis is about to meet someone he never expected."
The carriage pulled to a halt at the entrance of Varen Village.
The harvest festival was already in full swing. Wooden stalls lined the main street, farmers sold their produce, and children ran about with cakes in hand. The sounds of flutes and drums drifted from the town square.
It was supposed to be a joyous atmosphere, but I couldn't enjoy it.
My eyes moved constantly, scanning the crowd. They were here. The Marquis's men. Dressed like common villagers, but their movements were too disciplined. Too vigilant.
"Four on the left," Kael whispered. "Three on the right. Two near the stage."
I nodded. "They won't move until the Marquis appears."
We wove through the crowd. I could feel their eyes on us, tracking every step, waiting.
A man approached. Gerald. The Marquis's advisor, clad in a faded red robe. His smile reminded me of a rat that had just found a piece of cheese.
"Countess Varen." He gave a slight bow—far too slight for a member of the nobility. "The Marquis is waiting in the tavern at the end of the road. Please, follow me."
Kael stepped forward, but I held him back with a hand.
"Very well," I said, my voice steady. "Lead the way."
The tavern was named The Golden Sheaf. A local watering hole for farmers that had been rented out exclusively for this meeting.
Gerald opened the door. I stepped inside with Kael close behind.
The interior was empty save for a single table in the center. And behind it sat a man.
Marquis Vellon.
I didn't know what I had expected. Perhaps a cunning old man with a face like Gerald's. But Marquis Vellon was not that.
He looked to be in his forties. Dark hair with a touch of silver at the temples. His face was handsome—too handsome for a predator. His eyes were dark grey, cold, looking at me as if I were a piece of merchandise he was considering for purchase.
Four guards stood behind him, fully armed, making no effort to hide who they were.
"Countess Varen." His voice was low and smooth. "Finally, we meet. Sit."
I took the seat opposite him. Kael stood behind me, his hand resting on the hilt of his sword.
The Marquis glanced at Kael briefly, a thin smile on his lips. "The Count's eldest son. I heard you weren't pleased with your father's will."
Kael didn't answer. The muscle in his jaw tightened.
"You came to talk," I said. "So talk."
The Marquis stared at me, his eyes narrowing, assessing. "You are different from what I've heard. The previous Countess... she was timid. Quiet. Always looking at the floor." He leaned back in his chair. "But you... you look at me as if you aren't afraid."
"What is there to fear?"
He gave a dry chuckle. "You owe me seven hundred gold coins. Your castle is nearly empty. Your lands are barren. You have no army. No allies." He leaned forward. "You have nothing, Countess. So why aren't you afraid?"
I held his gaze for a long, silent moment.
"I have nothing," I said softly. "That is precisely my advantage."
The Marquis's eyebrows shot up.
"People who have things... they fear loss. They can be pressured, threatened, controlled." I leaned forward, mimicking his posture. "But me? I have nothing to lose. The castle? Take it. The land? Take it. I will simply start from zero again. And again. And again. Until you grow weary."
The Marquis stared at me. His smile vanished.
"You won't surrender," he said. It wasn't a question.
"I never surrender."
Silence fell over the room. Then, the Marquis laughed. This time it was louder—not a mocking laugh, but one of... genuine impression.
"Intriguing." He looked at me with different eyes now. Not as a piece of merchandise, but as an opponent. "The Count chose you for a reason, it seems."
"I do not know the Count's reasons." I stood up. "But I know one thing. You want Varen Castle, and you will not get it this way."
"Do you have another offer?"
I looked him in the eye. "Harkon."
The Marquis's expression shifted. Only slightly, but I saw it.
"The merchant in this village," I continued. "He works for you. Lending money at high interest, reporting those who can't pay. You use him to squeeze the villagers, making them dependent on you."
The Marquis remained silent.
"Hand Harkon over to me," I said. "And I will forget about that seven-hundred-coin debt."
The Marquis stared at me for a long time. "You're asking me to sacrifice my own man?"
"I'm asking you to choose. Harkon, or a war you cannot win."
"A war?" The Marquis laughed. "You have no soldiers, Countess."
"I don't need soldiers." I locked eyes with him. "I only need one person. The person you fear. The person you owe a debt of gratitude to."
The Marquis's face paled.
"I don't know who they are," I said. "But I can find them. And when I do... I will tell them that you tried to seize Varen Castle. A castle that happens to be connected to the Eternal Eye."
The name was out. The Eternal Eye.
The Marquis froze. His eyes widened. "How do you know—"
"I know many things, Marquis." I turned toward the exit. "Think on my offer. I will expect your answer tomorrow."
I walked out, Kael following in my wake.
Outside the tavern, the fresh air greeted me. My heart was pounding, my hands were trembling, but I let none of it show.
"You're insane," Kael whispered beside me. "You just threatened a Marquis in front of his guards with information you don't even know is true."
"I know." I kept walking. "But he doesn't."
Kael went quiet. Then, he let out a short, sharp laugh. "You really are crazy."
"You're only just realizing that?"
That night, I sat in my room, still wearing the dark blue gown. I was too exhausted to change.
The Marquis feared the Eternal Eye. That was a priceless piece of information. It meant the organization was even more powerful than I had imagined. And the Count had been a member.
What was my connection to them? Why had the Count chosen me?
In the corner of my vision, the blue screen flickered.
[ SOUL GUIDE SYSTEM – SLEEP MODE ]
[ Data Recovery: 12% ]
[ New Fragment Detected: "Negotiating with Nobles". ]
[ Description: You have faced powerful people before. You know when to press. When to bluff. When to crush. ]
[ Query: Continue recovery? ]
I stared at the screen for a long time.
"Not now."
The screen vanished.
I looked out the window at the crescent moon. The festival was still ongoing in the village, but my mind was elsewhere. The Marquis would be weighing my offer. He would try to find out how much I actually knew. He would send spies. He might even try to kill me.
But he wouldn't dare move until he knew my true connection to the Eternal Eye. It gave me time.
I touched the Count's diary under my pillow. I needed to know more—about the Count, about the Eternal Eye, and about myself.
The first arc hadn't ended yet. But the first move had been made.