Cassian had made it through half of the book by the time his night duties called, including his cleaning tasks and the anticipated massage session. He realized he would miss Sumina's farewell dinner, but he wasn't particularly saddened by it. They hadn't been that close, and besides, he was far too excited about everything he had just learned in the book.
His curiosity was also piqued by the author, a man named William Resington. The book encompassed a vast array of information about mana, condensed into a single volume. Despite its size, the book managed to cover so much ground that Cassian couldn't help but marvel at the author's ability to simplify such a complex topic.
Although it didn't delve into the advanced uses of mana, it provided an excellent foundation for anyone wanting to acclimate to the basic knowledge of mana and the larger society of mana wielders.
When Cassian arrived at Lady Katherine's room, she wasn't there, so he immediately set to work on his cleaning duties. He managed to finish just minutes before Lady Katherine returned, accompanied by her three personal maids.
"My lady," Cassian greeted her, along with his helpers, Jimmy and Nesha.
Lady Katherine acknowledged their greetings with a simple nod. "Cassian, return in half an hour."
"Yes, my lady," Cassian replied with a bow, before leaving with his helpers. As they exited, Laureen, one of the maids, watched them with a curious smile. Once the door closed behind them, she turned to Lady Katherine and asked, "My lady, are you truly considering taking him in?"
Katherine merely nodded as the other two maids helped her remove her coat and then her other garments. Laureen's smile grew sly as she remarked, "Is that so? I was considering taking him for myself if you rejected his service."
"Have you already gone through every man your age, and now you're setting your sights on the younger ones?" Lucy teased with a smirk while carefully removing Katherine's jewelry and placing it neatly in a box.
Katherine chuckled at Lucy's words, prompting Laureen to pout and protest, "Do you really think I'm a slut?"
"Not just her—I think of you as a slut too," Fuyuko chimed in, causing Laureen to pout even more. She replied with mock sadness and shock, "You too, Fuyuko?"
Katherine, still chuckling, intervened, "Enough, you two. So what if she can't settle on a man and changes them every week? It's not her fault she's already gone through every eligible man in this castle."
This playful jab was also an insult aimed at Laureen, who looked at Katherine in shock and protested in an almost tearful tone, "My lady, it's not like that..."
Katherine, unable to suppress her amusement, waved off Laureen's protest with a dismissive hand. "Oh, come on, Laureen, we're just teasing you. But seriously, you do have a way of keeping things... interesting around here."
Laureen, still pouting, crossed her arms defensively. "Well, maybe I just have high standards. You can't blame me for wanting the best."
Lucy, who had been quietly organizing Katherine's jewelry, glanced up with a sly smile. "High standards? Is that what we're calling it now? More like an appetite that can't be satisfied."
Fuyuko giggled softly at Katherine's words, earning a playful glare from Laureen. Without responding to Fuyuko, Laureen turned her attention to Katherine, who was now almost completely undressed, save for her red undergarments and a sheer, translucent layer of fabric that barely concealed her skin. "But seriously, my lady, can I have a piece of him here and there?
He's so cute—it's going to be so much fun teasing him."
Katherine looked amused at Laureen's request. As she walked toward the washroom, she replied with a smirk, "Well, let me have my fun with him first, then you can have your turn."
"Thanks, my lady," Laureen said, a big, excited smile spreading across her face at the thought of teasing Cassian. Lucy, however, looked a bit troubled by their conversation, but chose to stay silent as she followed Katherine to the washroom.
Outside Katherine's chamber, Cassian stood with his helpers, Jimmy and Nesha. As Jimmy organized some items on the servant trolley, he looked over at Cassian and asked, "You really won't join us for dinner? Even Miss Lucy and the other two will be there."
"Nah, Lady Katherine needs me. But I'll try to get there if I'm free in time," Cassian replied, helping Jimmy arrange a few things while setting aside a bottle of oil.
Noticing the bottle, Nesha raised an eyebrow and asked, "What do you need that for?"
Cassian hesitated, unsure whether to tell them the truth—that he used it to massage Lady Katherine's feet—or to come up with a lie. Before he could decide, Nesha continued, "That one's for mixing in the bath. If you need something for hair, take this one instead," she said, handing him a bottle filled with a slightly transparent, purplish liquid.
Cassian took it and then asked, "I actually need one for a massage."
"Oh, take this one then," Nesha said, handing Cassian another bottle, this one with a reddish-brown tint. "You must need it for after practicing, right?"
"Yeah, thanks," Cassian replied, accepting the bottle.
"No problem. Do try to make it to Sumina's farewell party if you get free in time," she added, placing the last of the items in the trolley. "She'd be happy if you came."
With that, Nesha and Jimmy left, leaving Cassian alone. He glanced at the book, eager to dive back into its pages, and began reading while he waited for the half-hour to pass before he could return to Katherine's chamber.
While Cassian's life seemed to be taking a turn for the better, the one responsible for this shift was now seated in a dimly lit room, the darkness thick and oppressive. Before them loomed an almost two-human-tall figure, its features obscured by shadow.
While the three men sat with their head bowed, their half-naked body marked with a symbol—a carved eye with a triangular pupil, within which another eye was nested. The eerie symbol seemed to pulse with an otherworldly energy as the figure chanted in a language that was impossible to recognize, the words heavy with ancient power.
At the foot of the tall statue, whose face was shrouded in darkness, lay two severed heads—one male, one female. Their eyes had been gouged out, the hollow sockets staring blindly into the void. The heads were placed together, a gruesome offering at the statue's feet, surrounded by an unsettling silence that hung in the air like a thick fog.