Lady Erenia was a late-30ish human lady, mother to Kiara, and the wife of Lord Kenarias. Now, she’s locked up in her room, in chains, but mostly still comfortable. The servants, however few they are, ensured that she’s fed. 

 

She had accepted that her fate was doomed. Her husband had somehow gotten addicted to the drug and he was never the same. In the first place, he wasn’t even a great husband. He was power-crazy, money-crazy, and lately, constantly high on drugs. But, life being what it is, Erenia had resigned herself to her fate. She only hoped that Kiara didn’t suffer like she did.

 

So, when the door opened, she thought it would be her husband, here to gloat and beat her with a stick.

 

But no, it was a person Lady Erenia had seen a long time ago, back when she got married. 

 

“Greetings, Lady Erenia.” Edmund smiled. A little [hypnotism] here and there, and the keys were his. 

 

“You...” She couldn’t quite recall the name.

 

“Edmund Natar. I believe the maids would have informed you of my arrival?”

 

She shook her head. “My husband ordered all information cut off. I’m only fed here. What little I know of the world, all comes from my daughter.” 

 

Edmund smiled, he knew a part of that sentence were lies. The maids didn’t cut off everything. Some of the maids are loyal to her, and her alone. They still gave her bits of the world, here and there. “Well, it’s a pity that you are locked here.”

 

Erenia shrugged. “Fate is what it is.”

 

“Tell me, then.” Edmund walked a step closer. Erenia was still chained up. “Do you want me to help you?” He dangled the keys. The moment Edmund laid eyes on Erenia, a part of him stirred. She was the mature woman, confident, poised and willing to do what it takes to protect her daughter. She had a beautiful body too, though a little battered. In some ways, she matched him very well, with her age close to his own. 

 

“And at what cost?” 

 

“Everything, of course.” Edmund was frank. “Everything.” He was greedy. He wanted her. Now that he already had sex, he wondered whether he awakened the demonic part of his power. He is, after all, one of the demon lords, and resisting his own demonic urges had been exceptionally difficult. 

 

She stared. “Everything?”

 

“Things will be better, for sure.” Edmund smiled, “But I will want everything, starting with you.” 

 

“Me?” Erenia frowned, and then she realised the sexual undertones. She blushed. “Ah.”

 

“Tell me, Erenia. Do you want this to continue? I’m sure you’ve heard of the things your husband did to your land.”

 

Erenia shook. “He is the Lord of the Land, he has the right to decide...”

 

“And that’s bullshit.” Edmund walked closer, his hand touched her chin. “Your daughter’s now frolicking with the hero, attempting her very best to seduce the hero, just so that she can somehow save your lands.”

 

Erenia froze. Edmund knew that from the game, so it wasn’t hard. 

 

“She’ll almost whore herself out to the hero, but the hero will have many choices. She’ll be heartbroken if she loses, but even if she wins, she won’t be happy. She never truly loved him, he was just a tool to help you.”

 

The lady looked sad. 

 

“Maybe there’s somebody she’d rather be with, than the hero.” Edmund said. It wasn’t hard to get a grip on her personality, just from interviewing all the maids and servants that spend so much time with her. “But because of you and your husband, she’s there. With the hero. As his whore.”

 

She wanted to say he’s wrong. But he had the gist of it. Kiara would have preferred to be a lady, but she inherited her husband’s swordsmanship, and so she became a knight. Because a knight paid well, and offered her a chance to earn her own land. It was one of the ways she thought she could save her family from the situation it was in. 

 

“...what do you want to do?” Erenia looked at Edmund, and Edmund sat on a wooden stool.

 

“Simple, your husband’s going to find himself with an accident.”

“And what are you going to do with the criminals that come for the debt afterward? The various gangs that have bought the loyalties of the remaining soldiers?”

 

Edmund smiled. “I... have my way with them. I suppose you know my reputation?”

 

Erenia paused. She was aware that Count Edmund was a wealthy noble. She was thinking, weighing her odds. 

 

“Does your daughter admire your husband?”

 

Erenia paused. She knew the answer to that. Kiara loved her, not her father. Her husband was absent, and outside of a few combat spars, they barely spent time with each other. In fact, she knew Kiara’s in denial over her relationship with her father, pretending everything was fine. It wasn’t. 

 

“If you want things to be as they are, then so be it. Or, I can help end it. Let your daughter have pleasant memories of her father, and never learn of the truth of his condition and depravity.”

 

Erenia’s still chained up, but she clearly was thinking about the offer. “What... do you want?”

 

“I believe should an accident befall your husband, your daughter would need a father figure.” Edmund smiled, “And a woman like yourself... would need some comfort.” 

 

Erenia jerked at the word ‘comfort’. She understood the undertones. “And you will help us get back on our feet.”

 

“Yes. Of course. I’ll even help you with the gangs, and make some investments into your lands. The two of us can have a more... intimate arrangement.” 

 

Erenia took a deep breath, and nodded. “Yes.”

 

Edmund smiled, and he gave her the keys to the chains.

 

“Now, your province will be dangerous soon. But don’t worry. You will know when something happens.” 

 

Edmund left the Kenarias family lands the next day. Once he was back, he quickly arranged for his agents to infiltrate their lands, and make contact with the criminals that supported Lord Kenarias. 

 

It would take some time, but good plots need some time. He would have to set up just the right kind of accident on Lord Kenarias. One that can’t be traced back to him.