21. Karen’s Scheme?

Karen stepped into Mordret's chamber, dressed in an attire distinct from the typical garb donned by the women of the barony. Her white gown clung to her bosom, leaving little to the imagination. The makeup accentuating her features enhanced her innate allure. Observing her breathless state, Mordret deduced that Eliza had subjected the woman to a brisk run.

"Please… Next time… grant me a moment to prepare," Karen implored Mordret with a gaze brimming with entreaty.

"Why the hesitation?" Eliza, however, was having none of it. Her tone remained icy.

"Well…" Karen's gaze darted around as she fidgeted. "Aren't you going to leave?" she inquired with feigned innocence.

"Why should I? Just use your ability and get on with it." Eliza's demeanor exuded caution. She had no intention of abandoning her Lord in the presence of someone like Karen.

"Actually, my method of healing is a tad unconventional. You are aware, aren't you?" Karen's smile bore a hint of cunningness. Eliza's eyes widened.

"You mean–" Eliza's words were cut off as Karen interjected. "I require direct skin contact to maximize the efficiency of my ability." With that, Karen deftly slid the shoulder straps of her dress down her arms.

"If you truly wish for your Lord to recuperate swiftly, lend him a hand with undressing and then take your leave." The urge to land a punch on Karen surged within Eliza, yet she quelled it. After all, her Lord's well-being took precedence.

While Mordret overheard every word, he remained silent, his focus fixed on Karen. The latter smirked, convinced that her ploy was yielding the desired outcome. Unbeknownst to her, Mordret's thoughts dwelled in a realm far removed from her machinations.

I was wrong. I should've accepted the offer. The west village fell yesterday, and that woman has accused me… My servant isn't speaking to me either. It's becoming hard to breathe.

The words from the journal resurfaced in his mind. How could a woman accuse him? If only there weren't irrefutable evidence against him. Mordret's intimacy was confined to Eliza; he had never transgressed with any other woman, at least not to Zephyr's awareness.

Guided by his mother's counsel since childhood, Zephyr had ingrained a vital lesson when dealing with women. "Zephyr, remember, a woman's mightiest weapon… is her tears. Once shed, anyone becomes a believer, and if pitted against a man, he's toast. After all, no one can stand up against a mob." Zephyr had taken those words to heart, ensuring he remained two steps away from unnecessary complications. Hence, the sole question that lingered was how to handle Karen.

"Eliza shall remain within the room," Mordret announced. Karen's smile faltered, her confidence shaken. 'H-how is this possible?' She regarded Mordret with a mixture of astonishment and disbelief.

Even Eliza stood frozen. Is her Lord's decision aligned with her own wish?

"I-I won't strip in front of her!" Karen hastily repositioned her shoulder straps, her complexion paler than ever. She sustained the façade, though her inner turmoil intensified.

"My Lord, you should–" Eliza began to protest, but Mordret intervened.

"If she's unwilling, she doesn't need to perform. You may depart, Karen." Mordret's proclamation inched Karen toward flabbergast.

"But, My Lord, your well-being–" Eliza's attempts at persuasion were cut short by Mordret.

"I've conveyed my stance. Either she executes her task in front of Eliza or she exits. I can wait for the healer's availability." Even as Zephyr upheld his role as a resolute Lord, he remained acutely aware of the time-sensitive nature of the situation. A prolonged healer's delay would waste his entire day, leaving him scant time for the imminent beast raid preparations.

A deadlock ensued.

'What should I do? He’s behaving differently than what I know!' Karen grew increasingly flustered. Her gaze darted about, searching for a solution.

The longer the silence persisted, the heavier it weighed on the room. Yet, a familiar voice shattered the stillness.

"May I enter, My Lord?" Karen reacted first, trembling at the sound of the womanly voice from beyond.

"Allow her entry." Mordret suppressed a grin upon recognizing the all-too-familiar voice—it was Maira.

"Eliza, fetch Chieftess Maria," Mordret commanded, and Eliza hastened to comply.

Within moments, the chieftess graced the chamber. Her gaze fell upon Karen, sending an involuntary shiver down Karen's spine.

"I extend my prayers for my Lord's well-being," Maria adhered to tradition.

Mordret's chuckle greeted her words, and he replied, "As you can see, my health isn't in the best state right now."

Maria's reaction to Mordret's response was one of astonishment. For some inexplicable reason, she sensed a shift in Mordret. The Lord who rarely cracked a smile was now laughing.

The peculiarity of it all perplexed her, just as it bewildered Karen. Strangely, the Mordret before her no longer regarded her with lascivious intent; instead, his gaze held wariness.

‘What on earth is unfolding?’ Karen cursed under her breath.

"Indeed, my Lord," the chieftess regained her composure and responded with a smile.

"I've heard from the villagers that Miss Eliza was in search of healers. Currently, Karen is the only one available, as the others are at the camp," Maria, her usual professionalism intact, approached Karen and inquired, "So, what's the holdup, Karen?" However, Maria's smile didn't reach her eyes.

Observing Karen's suggestive attire and catching a whiff of her applied perfume, a vein pulsated on Maria's forehead.

"I-I..." Attempting to mask her embarrassment, Karen quickly shed her clothes without a second thought. "I was about to attend to my Lord, right away!" As she moved, Maria suddenly gripped her wrist.

"What's with the underwear you might be lacking, Karen?" Maria's gaze intensified, fixed on Karen's lowered face.

To allure the Lord, Karen had donned her dress without any undergarments. "I-I," Karen stammered, struggling to find a response, ultimately giving up.

An uneasy hush fell over the room. Karen was intended to be Maria's future daughter-in-law. With Jon's wish to marry Karen, Maria allowed their betrothal.

The confidence in Karen was eroding by the day. Even though all she had to do was place her hand on Mordret's back to activate her ability after his spinal injury, the question remained: why did Karen opt for such alluring clothing? And to top it off, without any undergarments?

The answer was simpler than Maria would have thought necessary.

"First, heal the Lord; then we can have a conversation," Maria handed Karen her dress, waiting in the room while Karen performed her task.

Placing her hand on the Lord's solid back, Karen channeled her ability. Immediately, a warm light enveloped Mordret's back, and in an instant...

Click.

His spine readjusted. He felt remarkably improved. The awkward posture he had been maintaining now straightened.

"Eliza, compensate Karen accordingly–" Before Mordret could complete his sentence, Maria, who stood resolute in a corner, interjected.

"My Lord, allow me to handle this; let Miss Eliza rest." Maria took the initiative without waiting for Mordret's consent, guiding Karen out of the chamber.

Once both had departed, "Good job, Ellie," Mordret commended Eliza, patting her head, which took her by surprise.

"W-why are you thanking me, My Lord?" Eliza blushed.

"Well, you kept an eye on Maria," Mordret replied. "As I said, you did splendidly." While Zephyr was content with his choices, a sigh of realization echoed within him.

'So Mordret's integrity isn't taken for granted anywhere?' Zephyr pondered.

Monitoring Maria served dual purposes: to ascertain whether she was genuinely trustworthy – often the ones trusted the most were the quickest to betray – and to gauge her awareness. In the grand scheme of things, the person closest might be the one possessing ulterior motives.

Maria excelled in both aspects. She proved herself worthy of trust, and her perceptive faculties extended beyond what she had conveyed to the village. This revelation was an added boon for Mordret.

"But, my Lord, why did you watch over your second most devoted follower? Why not Karen?" Eliza's curiosity emerged.

"Well, to assess Maria's awareness," Mordret evaded the question, redirecting the conversation while asking Eliza to serve him some tea, now that his injury had healed.

... Beyond Mordret's residence.

"Karen, care to elucidate?" In a secluded corner away from Mordret's mansion, Maria grabbed Karen, almost like a ragdoll, and shoved her towards a stone.

"Mother-in-law! What do you think you're doing?!" Karen protested, narrowly evading impact with the stone.

"I'm asking you something; stop referring to me as mother-in-law." Maria's icy glare rendered Karen tongue-tied.

"T-the Lord! He wanted some intimate time with me! That's why he sent his servant!" Karen blurted, attempting to save face. "Thank the gods you arrived, mother-in-law! Otherwise, that lustful Lord–" Before Karen could further besmirch Mordret's image, a sharp slap echoed through the air.

"Wha–!" Karen felt her cheek sting, Maria's fingerprints vividly coloring her pale skin.

"Seal your reckless mouth!" Karen stood frozen.

"Are you even aware of what you were doing?! Had it not been for the same Lord you sought to seduce, our village would have been obliterated, leaving no trace!" Maria's tone dripped with scorn.

"Without Lord Mordret, we wouldn't have survived the first beast raid, let alone the recent ones!" Maria's frustration was palpable. Why did these young ones remain oblivious to the Lord's magnanimity? Did they truly believe the Viscount could rescue them?

"Just answer me one thing, Karen." Fury blazed in Maria's eyes. "Who orchestrated this? Your feather brain couldn't have concocted such a scheme." Maria's questions demanded immediate answers.

Karen, however, was infuriated. 'Who does this woman think she is?' Clenching her teeth, a cunning grin spread across her face.

"Why don't you ask your daughter, Maria?"