It had been a week since the Baron fell ill suddenly. The servants of Percival Mansion were completely surprised by the strange developnts that had taken place since that fateful day. There were rumors circulating around the territory, whispers that the Baron, once a harsh ruler, had entirely changed because of this.
People spoke in hushed tones, wondering if the sickness had given him so sort of reality check. He was now a different man—llow, sick, and sohow kinder. It was said that he treated the servants better, showed more respect to the people around him, and didn’t look down on anyone. It was a complete turnaround from the man he used to be.
"The Baron has changed," one servant whispered to another. "It’s like he realized we’re all the sa when it cos to death."
Another servant nodded. "It’s a good thing. People around here say he needed that reality check. If more higher-ups got sick, maybe they’d change too."
While the change in the Baron would have been a big deal in any other household, the situation in Percival Territory had already taken a turn for the better.
But in fact, all of these were just illusions. They were illusions created by Shennong and Cassandra to hide the fact that Percival had been completely brainwashed by Yenissa’s [Hypnosis] and was acting as a docile servant for Yenissa and Shennong. Yenissa mostly refused to even see Percival, while Shennong used him whenever needed. He had essentially beco a husk who ate, slept, and acted according to his master’s orders.
Lady Cassandra, the Baron’s wife, had completely taken over the managent of the territory. Under her leadership, things were flourishing. The taxes beca fairer, and the prices of commodities beca reasonable.
Cassandra wasn’t foolish enough to reduce prices so drastically that it would collapse the economy, but she was smart. She had a sharp mind for business, and it was evident. She earned more than the Baron ever could by increasing mining capabilities and improving the overall economy.
It was a welco change for the people. But the one thing that caught everyone’s attention recently was a strange visitor at the mines.
One afternoon, the miners were hard at work when they spotted a woman dressed in leather trousers and a cloak walking among them. She didn’t look like soone from the noble class. She looked more like an adventurer, soone who had seen the world. She moved with purpose, asking questions about the mines, the resources, and the workers’ well-being.
"Who’s that, babe?" one of the miners muttered, wiping the sweat from his brow. "She looks like she knows her way around."
The miners exchanged confused glances before one of them recognized her.
"That’s Lady Cassandra," one of them said, a look of shock on his face. "She’s been visiting the mines more often lately. She’s actually taking a hands-on approach, unlike the Baron."
It wasn’t just Lady Cassandra’s sudden interest in the mines that caught the miners’ attention, though. It was the young man who always accompanied her.
The boy, as the miners called him, was quite the sight. Tall, handso, and with a deanor that made him stand out in a crowd. He had striking features that caught the attention of many, especially the young girls and even so of the older won in the territory. His na was Shennong, and he had beco quite the sensation in Percival Territory.
So of the people, particularly the gossiping townsfolk, had given him a nickna: boy toy. It was no secret that Shennong and Lady Cassandra shared sothing special.
"Have you heard the rumors?" one of the miners asked in a low voice. "It’s said that Lady Cassandra and Shennong are more than just servant and lady. People say they’re... involved. You know what I an."
The miners didn’t say much about it, but everyone in the territory knew about the whispers. They also knew about the affair between Baron Percival and a woman nad Lily and how it had stirred up a lot of anger. Lily’s house had been stoned, and people felt nothing but rage toward her. It was an unfortunate situation that seed to get out of hand.
Shennong, however, wasn’t surprised by any of it or fond of it.
"I didn’t expect her to suffer this much," Shennong said, his voice tinged with a hint of disbelief. The two of them were walking away from the mines, heading toward the carriage that would take them to the next mine. They were travelling from one mine to another as if they were searching for sothing.
Lady Cassandra glanced at him, her expression softening. "What do you an?" she asked.
Shennong sighed and shook his head. "Lily," he said, "she went crazy after everything. I never thought she’d lose control like that."
A flash of mory ca to him—of Lily running through the town, completely naked, screaming, "My lover! My lover!" It was a sight that still made him uneasy. She went insane, and she couldn’t even recognize anyone, including her own family.
Shennong’s face grew serious. "I never expected it to co to this."
Cassandra’s face turned regretful as she glanced down. "I regret taking revenge on her. She didn’t deserve this. I’m partly responsible for what happened to her."
Shennong stayed silent for a mont before speaking again. "I’m responsible too. But I don’t regret anything. If I make a decision, I stick to it. I still think your revenge was justified. She did the sa to you, but you were strong, and I simply see Lily as a weak person."
He looked at Cassandra, his expression determined. "I won’t regret it, but I still pity her. The least I can do now is help her mother, help Lily to recover, and support her brother. That’s the only thing I can do now."
Cassandra’s eyes narrowed slightly as she looked at Shennong. "But her brother is already getting involved with the underworld. It’s a dangerous path he’s walking. Do you think it’s a good idea to get involved?"
Shennong smiled, his expression almost playful. "Exactly. That’s exactly what I wanted. If he stayed like a normal boy, he’d live a good life, a comfortable life. But it would be boring. Nothing interesting would co from it. I do feel bad for him, but I am curious about what he will beco. I will watch over him, that’s it."
Cassandra blinked in surprise. "You’re a twisted man, Shennong," she said, exasperated.
Shennong grinned at her, his eyes gleaming. "Do you hate for that?"
Cassandra paused for a mont. She looked down at her feet, her fingers brushing against the hem of her cloak. "I hate how you think of people as tools, as pieces in a ga for you to play with." She looked up at him then, a soft, almost wistful expression on her face. "But I could never hate you."
Shennong’s grin softened, and he looked at her with a look of fondness. "I’m glad," he said quietly. "I could never think of you as a tool, Cassandra."
Cassandra’s heart fluttered at his words, but she kept her composure. "You are one hell of a man, Shennong. But I suppose that’s what makes you... unique and the fact that you can take over a barony without any war. You’re truly a dangerous man."
"Ehhhh... I just wanted you to take control. I don’t really care about the Barony. I just want to build my dungeon," Shennong muttered, and Cassandra looked curious.
"When are you going to show this dungeon of yours? You know, if the capital finds out what I’m doing, I’ll be hanged because I’m basically a traitor now." Cassandra made that remark, not because she hated her position right now, but because she felt like she needed to say it.
"I won’t let that happen, but I won’t show you the dungeon. I am a man. I can’t show you how incompetent I am. I’ll only take you there once I finish the first floor of the dungeon to my full satisfaction, and to do that..." Shennong paused, as Cassandra finished his sentence.
"You need so extraordinary ores."
Shennong didn’t say anything imdiately, instead just like the other mines he scanned the piles of ore. His fingers brushed over several chunks, and then he clicked his tongue.
"Iron, copper, zinc... these are all common ores," he said, his tone filled with mild disappointnt. "I’ve got plenty of these already in my storage area. I’ve been mining below these layers to find sothing extraordinary."
Cassandra raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "Extraordinary ores, huh? What exactly are you looking for, Shennong? Are you looking for sothing like mana crystals, but they are very rare?"
Shennong glanced at her, a small smirk forming on his lips. "Mana crystals are rare if you can’t dig deep enough. It forms in the deep layers, so I have plenty of those too," he said, a hint of amusent in his voice.
Cassandra’s eyes widened. "Do you have those too?"
"I do," Shennong replied nonchalantly. "I found a lot while I was digging. But that’s not all. The mineral composition beneath these mines is much greater. I know most of the miners can’t go that deep, but if you could find a way to reach those layers, the Percival Barony could easily beco one of the most influential noble families. Right now, you are just licking the surface."
Cassandra took out a small notebook and began writing down everything Shennong had said. She was careful to make sure she didn’t miss any important details. "I’ll look into it," she said, her tone thoughtful. "But do you even know what kind of ores you’re searching for?"
Shennong didn’t hesitate to answer. "I don’t."
"Hmm~ my knowledge about ores and minerals is very simple, but..." Cassandra paused. "In capital, there is a rchant guild and they are the people that are dealing with these ores and minerals. If you go there, you might find sothing useful like information where you can mine special ores."
Shennong thought about it for a second. "I’ll think about it, but for now, I’ll keep digging until I find sothing useful."
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