In the quiet night, the shouts and screams from the Holmo family compound rang out with piercing clarity, their sounds carrying far, even reaching Jennie and Kienen within the castle.
"What's going on?"
Kienen ran out in his nightgown, and Jennie, her hair down, followed suit. The siblings exchanged a bewildered glance and headed straight for the castle gates. The ever-vigilant old servant, Lambert, was already there.
"The Madam has given orders. No one is to leave the castle at night."
The two guards at the gate crossed their spears, speaking coldly to Lambert.
"What's this? Let us pass immediately!" Kienen ordered.
The guards saw Jennie and Kienen approaching and exchanged a glance. Everyone in the castle knew Kienen was the heir to the city lord. Yet, they also understood that Madam Wid wasn't about to relinquish control easily.
"Young Master Kienen, Miss Jennie, our apologies, but the Madam's orders are clear: no leaving the castle at night. Please, go back and rest," said the taller guard.
Kienen's face turned cold. "Step aside."
The tall guard held his ground, pleading earnestly. "Young Master Kienen, don't make this hard for us. Forcing us like this is as good as sentencing us to death. We truly cannot disobey the Madam's command."
Kienen was seething with frustration.
Jennie spoke up gently, "Alright, Kienen, don't make it difficult for them. They are in a tough spot."
"Thank you, Miss Jennie! Thank you!" Both guards said quickly, their gratitude genuine. Jennie, who looked like a sacred angel, was just as kind-hearted.
Jennie inquired softly, "May I ask what is happening outside? I heard those screams. It seems very chaotic to the east."
The tall guard lowered his voice. "Miss Jennie, just a short while ago, the Madam left the castle with a group. A lot of city guards passed by the gate earlier."
"The First Madam? City guards?" Jennie and Kienen were both confused. What would Madam Wid be doing taking a large force of city guards out in the middle of the night?
"Miss, Young Master, please rest here for a moment," Lambert said, gesturing to a stone bench nearby. Kienen and Jennie nodded and walked over. The three sat down.
Jennie, Kienen, and Lambert were all troubled. Madam Wid's existence was like a fishbone stuck in their throats, a constant source of pain.
"That vile woman, using my age as an excuse, insists I wait another two years. Hmph... two years. In two years, she'll probably have gotten rid of me already," Kienen muttered under his breath.
Jennie nodded. The siblings knew clearly that they couldn't just let Madam Wid continue like this.
"Miss, Young Master, the First Madam has managed Chier City for a long time now. The city guards, the castle guards, everyone listens to her. Her authority here is immense. If Young Master Kienen doesn't inherit the city lord's position, it will be very difficult for us to oppose her. After all, here... there are far too few who truly support us," Lambert said, his tone full of helplessness.
Jennie, Kienen, and Lambert fell silent. Support for them in Chier City was indeed scarce. Even those who might want to back them likely lacked the courage. In Chier City, Madam Wid was an untouchable local emperor.
*Whoosh!*
A sound of wind.
"Who's there?" Both guards tensed, looking up. They saw a man in black warrior's attire land lightly on his feet. A heavy, dark-blue sword was strapped to his back.
"It's me," Lin Lei said, glancing back at the guards.
The guards immediately fell silent. They had heard of Lin Lei's strength. With their own abilities, they wouldn't even stand a chance of stopping him.
"Brother Lei!" Jennie and Kienen stood up.
Lin Lei turned to look at them. Early summer had arrived, and the evening air was still quite warm. Both Kienen and Jennie wore simple nightgowns, their hair slightly tousled.
"Brother Lei, what's happening outside? Why was the noise so loud?" Kienen asked first.
Lin Lei replied casually, "Madam Wid led the city guards and raided the Holmo family compound. What did you expect, quiet?"
"Raided?!" Jennie and Kienen were stunned.
"The Holmo family?" Lambert, the old servant, was equally shocked.
Lin Leisurely sat down on one end of the bench and smiled. "Just wait here and rest. Before long, you'll hear some good news."
"Good news? Is that nasty woman giving me the money from the raid?" Kienen cursed softly.
*BOOM!*
At that moment, a deafening explosion erupted from the east, so loud it sounded like dozens of thunderclaps at once. The blast surely awakened more than half the people in all of Chier City.
"What was that?!" Jennie, Kienen, and Lambert leapt to their feet, startled.
Around them, the other guards, as well as some servants and maids, looked toward the east with shock and confusion. A towering pillar of fire now illuminated the eastern sky.
"Why such a huge fire and such a loud explosion?" Lin Lei also looked toward the east, puzzled.
Everyone in the castle was bewildered. They waited in silence for the city guards to return, for Madam Wid to return. Perhaps then they would understand the cause of the massive flames and the tremendous blast.
A short while later—
The rhythmic sound of hooves echoed from outside the castle gates, followed by continuous shouts. Then came an urgent pounding on the door, rapid as raindrops in a thunderstorm.
*Bang! Bang! Bang! Bang!...*