CHAPTER 65: CHAPTER 65: MINE

The heavy iron gates of the estate groaned as Aiden pushed them open, their creak echoing faintly in the cool night air. The moon hung low, casting a silver sheen across the sprawling grounds, its light catching the delicate curves of Akidna’s figure as she stood waiting.

Her silhouette was almost ethereal, her flawless, luscious form glowing under the lunar glow, her dark hair cascading in soft waves that shimmered like dark copper.

The faint scent of jasmine clung to her, mingling with the crisp night breeze.

"Aiden!" Her voice cut through the stillness, sharp with a mix of relief and worry. "Where were you? I’ve been looking everywhere!" Her raven eyes searched his, a faint crease forming on her brow, betraying the anxiety she tried to mask.

Aiden’s hand found her shoulder, his touch firm yet gentle, grounding her. His demeanor was calm, almost unnervingly so, but beneath that composed exterior, he felt it—a pulsing, electric surge of mana radiating from the mansion ahead.

It was like a storm brewing, a pressure that pressed against his skin, making the air heavy with unspoken tension.

"I think," he said, his voice low and smooth, almost teasing, "it would’ve been better to call our lord than me, Akidna." A smirk tugged at the corner of his lips, barely perceptible but enough to hint at the mischief lurking beneath his innocent tone.

Akidna’s eyes widened slightly. "Lord Augustus? He’s already stormed off, muttering complaints when the mana pressure from Lady Sabrina and Lady Catherine started clashing." Her voice carried a hint of exasperation, as if she were used to the chaos of the noble household but still found it exhausting.

Aiden’s fingers brushed against his brow, a theatrical gesture of frustration. "Sometimes, I wonder if I’m serving the wrong lord," he said, his tone light but edged with a daring that made the words feel less like a jest and more like a challenge.

He began walking toward the mansion, his steps deliberate, his broad shoulders cutting a striking figure against the moonlit path.

Akidna followed, her gaze fixed on his back. There was something about his calmness, that faint smirk, that stirred a suspicion in her mind.

She hadn’t known him long, but she knew enough—his charm, his cunning, the way he could twist words and emotions to his will. She’d heard the whispers, the way Lady Sabrina and Lady Catherine’s voices had carried Aiden’s name in heated arguments, their tones laced with something more than mere frustration.

And now, here he was, striding toward the chaos with an amused glint in his eye, as if he were the orchestrator of it all.

’Could he have...’ Akidna’s thoughts raced, her heart quickening. ’No, it can’t be. Lady Catherine, maybe—she’s impulsive, emotional—but even the Duchess?’ She shook her head, trying to dismiss the thought, but it lingered like a shadow.

Aiden’s confidence, his unshakable poise as he approached a manor crackling with mana, suggested he was walking into a game he’d already rigged.

He paused before the grand double doors of the mansion, the muffled shouts from within slicing through the night. The voices were unmistakable—Lady Sabrina’s commanding tone clashing with Lady Catherine’s fiery retorts.

The air thrummed with their mana, a volatile dance of power that made the chandeliers inside flicker faintly.

"Haaa..." Aiden sighed, his breath visible in the cool air. ’They’re shouting about war now. Well, Sabrina, this is your doing. You thought you could play me, manipulate me like some pawn.

But I’m not your simple servant to be owned.’ His thoughts were sharp, calculating, a predator’s mind cloaked in the guise of a loyal retainer. ’If you want me, you’ll have to wager everything. And you will—oh, you will. Only then might you get a taste... maybe.’

[Aura of Allure, activated.]

[Emotion Amplification, activated.]

[Targets in range: Sabrina... Catherine... Akidna... Flora... Luna...]

Aiden’s lips twitched at the unexpected names. ’Flora and Luna are here too?’ He hesitated for a fraction of a second, then steeled himself. ’No matter. I’ll deal with them all.’

"Ladies!" His voice boomed as he pushed open the doors, the sound reverberating through the opulent hall.

The room fell silent, the air thick with tension. Sabrina and Catherine stood at opposite ends of the grand parlor, their eyes blazing with fury, mana crackling faintly around them like halos of raw power.

The other two—Flora and Luna—were nowhere in sight, but Aiden could feel their presence, their mana signatures faint but unmistakable.

"Aiden?" Catherine’s voice was sharp, surprised, her blue eyes locking onto him.

"Aiden!" Sabrina’s tone was lower, laced with authority, but there was a flicker of something else—anticipation, perhaps.

The room was a study in contrasts: Sabrina, regal and imposing, her crimson hair cascading over her shoulders, her towel clinging to her curves, barely containing her commanding presence.

Catherine, fiery and defiant, her golden locks disheveled from the intensity of their argument, her eyes burning with a mix of anger and something deeper, something directed at Aiden.

[Targets in range:

Sabrina... success.

Catherine... success.

Akidna... partial.

Luna... Flora... pending.]

’I’ll focus on these two first,’ Aiden thought, his golden eyes narrowing slightly. ’The others can wait.’

Step.

Step.

Step.

His boot echoed on the polished marble floor, a deliberate sound that seemed to command the room. Behind him, Akidna closed the doors with a heavy thud, sealing them in.

The sound was drowned out by the weight of Aiden’s presence, each step radiating confidence, power, and something dangerously alluring.

His scent—woodsy, with a hint of spice—spread through the room, subtle but intoxicating, curling around the women like invisible tendrils.

Step.

"If I may be so bold," Aiden said, his voice smooth as velvet, accompanied by a humble bow that felt more like a performance than genuine deference, "why is the mansion on the brink of collapse?"

Sabrina and Catherine faltered, their mana auras dimming as they inhaled deeply, caught in the pull of his presence. The tension in the room shifted, the air growing warmer, heavier.

"Aiden..." Catherine’s voice was softer now, almost pleading. She stepped closer, drawn in despite herself. "It’s your fault." Her words were accusatory, but her tone betrayed her—she wasn’t entirely in control.

"You agreed to be the knight of the duchy! Why? Was the income here not enough? I assure you, you’ll be paid—paid plenty!"

Aiden’s ear twitched, but his expression remained composed, a mask of calm calculation. "My lady," he said, his voice steady, "you know the state of our fief. This is all part of the plan—a carefully woven strategy for devolution of corruptio.." His eyes met hers, golden and unyielding, holding her gaze like a tether.

"We can make another—" Catherine began, her voice rising, but Aiden’s hand shot out, gently but firmly grasping hers. The touch silenced her, her breath catching as his fingers brushed against her skin, warm and deliberate.

"Don’t worry, my lady," he said, his voice dropping to a soothing murmur. His thumb grazed the back of her hand, treating it like a delicate treasure. "I’ll return once the work is done. And then..." He paused, his gaze locking onto her blue eyes, warm and golden, like sunlight breaking through a storm. "Then I can serve you... personally."

Catherine’s cheeks flushed, her resolve crumbling under the weight of his words. "O-okay then," she stammered, nodding almost instinctively.

Sabrina’s eyes narrowed, her grip tightening on the towel wrapped around her. The fabric was already scandalously short, clinging to her curves, accentuating the plumpness of her thighs and the deep valley of her chest, illuminated by the flickering chandelier light.

Her presence was magnetic, but there was a fire in her gaze, a jealousy that burned hotter as she watched Aiden and Catherine. She hated it.

’ Why did he only look at her, not me?’

"Aiden," Sabrina beloud, her voice sharp, commanding, carrying the weight of her title as Duchess. "What makes you think you can just...leave?"