Kael, Laura, and Seraphina stood in the grand hall of the Sinclair mansion, its polished marble floors and ornate tapestries exuding wealth far beyond what a mere Baroness could have. The tension was obvious as Baroness Fianna Sinclair, a stern woman with fiery auburn hair and piercing green eyes, examined the trio from her elevated seat.
Fianna's gaze lingered on Seraphina, recognition flashing in her eyes. "An imperial princess in my town?" she said, her voice laced with a mixture of respect and suspicion as she rose from her seat. "What brings you to Emberfell, Your Highness?"
Seraphina maintained her composure, offering a slight bow. "We are merely passing through, Baroness."
Fianna's sharp eyes shifted to Kael and Laura. Her expression darkened as realization dawned. "And this man... could he be the famed royal consort of Moonstone House, the Queen's son-in-law, as in your husband?"
Seraphina nodded. "Indeed, this is Kael, my husband. And this is my younger sister, Laura Flamehart."
The inspector, standing beside Fianna, interjected in his grave tone. "My Lady, it was these two who fought Lady Roselyn in the town square and left her with burns, Lady Roselyn's murder suspects."
Standing to the inspector's left, the imposing figure of Elizabeth Twilight, a Tier-7 Elite Guard clad in gleaming armor, confirmed the report with a solemn nod. "I witnessed the aftermath myself, Baroness. They were involved."
Fianna's expression hardened, her eyes narrowing at Kael and Laura. Her earlier respectful attitude toward them turned hostile all of a sudden. "Inspector, throw them both into the dungeon until we've uncovered the true culprit."
Laura's eyes blazed with fury as she stepped forward, her voice rising. "How dare you treat members of the imperial family in this manner? Do you know the consequences of your act?"
Fianna's lips turned into a cold smile. "The town of Emberfell was granted autonomy by the previous queen. Here, no one—not even imperial princesses—is above the law. My authority is absolute within these borders."
She gestured to the guards, who began to move toward Kael and Laura.
Seraphina stepped forward to resolve the situation calmly. "Baroness, consider this carefully. It hasn't even been two days since we arrived in your town. The argument with Lady Roselyn occurred eighteen hours ago. The assassination happened eight hours ago. Are you suggesting we could hire the infamous assassin K of the Imperial City and arrange for him to carry out such a deed within a mere ten hours?"
Laura added, her voice dripping with disdain, "And let's not forget who K is. Everyone knows he doesn't take contracts like a common killer. Those who fall to his blade are invariably corrupt and deserving of their fate. If Roselyn was slain by his hand, she must have done something truly vile to provoke his judgement."
Fianna's jaw clenched, her hands gripping the arms of her chair. "Mind your tongue, Your Highness." Her voice thundered in a roar. "Do you think we aren't aware that K is the throne's dog and his being the enemy of the throne is something the Queen created?"
As the sisters exchanged glances in confusion, furrowing their brows, Fianna continued. "Was it a coincidence that Assassin K is three hundred kilometers away from the imperial city and at the same time you were here too?"
Kael then stepped forward, his voice steady as he tried to deal it calmly. "Baroness Sinclair, let's set aside accusations and hypotheticals. Do you have any solid evidence tying us to this crime? Or is this arrest based solely on your speculation?"
The room fell silent. Fianna furrowed her brows, staring at him in displeasure. She was about to refute 'how dare a man try to speak in that tone against her,' but remembering his identity as the Queen's only son-in-law, she swallowed those words.
In the meantime, Laura seized the moment of silence from the Baroness. "Lady Roselyn attacked us first, and there are countless witnesses in the town square who can attest to it. If anything, she had a motive to harm us, not the other way around. If you wish to use your town's autonomy as an excuse to take revenge against the imperial family for that incident, you should be prepared for the consequences." Her tone was icy and cold.
The words hung in the air like a thundercloud. Even Seraphina, typically the voice of peace, allowed a hint of menace to creep into her tone. "Consider carefully, Fianna Sinclair. Is this a fight you truly wish to pick with the the imperial family over speculation? If you think we are culprits, go and do your investigation and file the case for public trial at the imperial court."
Fianna's eyes darted between the three of them. For a moment, her confidence faltered. Seraphina's icy glare, Laura's defiant stance, and Kael's calm yet unyielding presence were enough to give her pause.
For that one moment, she stopped thinking like a mother of a departed girl but as the Baroness of the Emberfell town.
Finally, she exhaled sharply and leaned back in her chair. "You are free to go," she said, her voice clipped.
The inspector looked surprised. "Baroness, are you sure—"
Fianna cut him off with a wave of her hand. "I will not act without evidence. Dismiss the charges. You go and proceed with a deep investigation on the matter. See if any third party is conspiring against me."
Kael gave a slight bow, his expression unreadable. "A wise decision, Baroness."
As they turned to leave, Fianna's face reddened, but she said nothing as the trio exited the hall. She controlled her rage by clenching her fists so tight that her nails dug into her skin and bled her palm.
Once Kael, Seraphina, and Laura exited the Sinclair mansion, the heavy doors slammed shut behind them. Inside, Baroness Fianna Sinclair's composed facade melted into a scowl. She turned to her steward, a thin old man with a hawk-like nose and sharp eyes.
"Send a message to Romi," she ordered roughly. "Invite her for the lunch."
The steward bowed deeply. "At once, Baroness."
As the steward left, Fianna muttered under her breath; the rage in her body hadn't subsided yet. "Regardless of whether you two had a hand in my daughter's death or not, you will pay consequences for hurting my daughter for sure."