The throne room in Blackspire Keep was a relic of an ancient empire—cold stone walls, torches that never burned out, and a ceiling painted with the stars of a forgotten age. Seraphina walked beside Kaelrith, their footsteps echoing as if the past watched them.
He had summoned his inner circle. She wasn't invited.
But she came anyway.
---
The commanders—all hard-eyed, seasoned killers—turned when they saw her. A few glanced at Kaelrith, expecting him to send her away. He didn't.
"She remains," Kaelrith said simply, taking his seat on the jagged obsidian throne. "She is my wife. And my advisor."
Gasps rippled. Someone coughed. One man—Lord Veyrin, a wiry general with a cruel mouth—snorted.
"A noblewoman with opinions? What next? You'll let her draw our battle plans?"
Seraphina didn't blink. "If I did, you'd still be alive by dawn."
He turned red.
Kaelrith raised one hand lazily. "Careful, Veyrin. She killed three of the Crown Prince's assassins last night. With a boot knife."
---
> [Reputation Gained: +8 (Dark Court Officials)
New Title: The Crimson Wife
Trait Gained: Political Acumen Lv.1 – You can detect deception and manipulation in formal gatherings.
---
Veyrin fell silent, but others looked at her with new interest—perhaps even fear. She met each gaze without flinching.
Kaelrith spoke next.
"Prince Caelan has declared open hostility. He wishes to kill my wife and take the east."
"Then we retaliate," Veyrin snapped. "Burn his garrisons. Poison his water."
"No," Kaelrith said, eyes narrowing. "We make him bleed… in court."
Everyone stilled. Even Seraphina tilted her head.
"In court?" she asked softly.
Kaelrith looked at her.
"You once played the noble houses like instruments. Do it again. But this time, play for war."
---
Later that night, Seraphina sat alone in the keep's ancient library, poring over letters, ledgers, and old alliances. The candlelight flickered, but her mind burned brighter.
Each noble family was a piece on the board. Each scandal a weapon.
And she remembered everything.
The Marquess of Elreth who'd once tried to bribe her father with cursed silver.
The Viscount's daughter who'd lied about a bastard child to secure a marriage alliance.
The Dowager Duchess who'd paid assassins to eliminate rival heirs.
She had the dirt. She had the mind.
Now, she just needed the poison.
---
> [New Skill Acquired: Court Poisoncraft Lv.1]
You gain knowledge of non-lethal toxins used in high society. Ideal for manipulation, blackmail, or silent silencing.
Warning: Use will shift your alignment slightly toward "Villainess."
---
Just then, Kaelrith entered. He didn't announce himself. He rarely did.
"Planning murder?" he asked.
She didn't look up. "Only the slow kind. The kind that makes a man kill himself to avoid scandal."
He studied her a moment, then said quietly, "This is who you truly are."
"Yes."
"And if I asked you to stop?"
She finally looked up.
"I'd stop. But I wouldn't forget what I'm capable of."
He came closer, placing a small obsidian box on the table. Inside, nestled in velvet, lay a single vial of shimmering violet liquid.
"What's this?"
"Memorybane. Causes vivid hallucinations. Excellent for making enemies believe their sins are haunting them."
She picked it up, smiling.
"Perfect."
---
> [Quest Unlocked: Collapse the Noble Circle]
Stage 1: Target the House of Merinth.
Objective: Plant scandal, weaken alliance, cause noble withdrawal from Prince Caelan's court.
Reward: Favor +15 with Kaelrith, Access to Shadow Council, Custom Title Unlock.
---
Before Kaelrith left, he said something unexpected.
"Power suits you."
She paused, the vial cold in her fingers.
"So does danger," she replied.