Building A Carnal Empire In The Fantasy World-Chapter 14: Count Varnell I

Meanwhile, back at the Leisure Wand...

Jace stood in the doorway until the carriage disappeared around a corner. His hands clenched and unclenched at his sides.

Two weeks. Two weeks of watching that newcomer steal everything that should have been his.

Madam Vex used to trust him with important things. She used to ask his opinion. She used to look at him with something like respect.

Now she barely noticed when he entered a room.

"Jace?" Mira’s voice came from behind him. "You’re letting all the warm air out."

He turned to find her standing with her broom, concern creasing her forehead. For a moment, he almost told her everything. About the jealousy eating at his chest. About the plans forming in his head.

Instead, he forced a smile. "Just watching them go. Big night for the house."

Mira nodded and went back to her sweeping. Jace watched her for a minute, then made his decision.

He slipped back inside and up to his room. From under his bed, he pulled out a small bag he’d been saving for emergencies. Inside were a few silver coins and a short sword with a worn handle.

The sword went into his belt, hidden under his shirt. The coins went into his pocket.

Mira was still sweeping when he came back downstairs. She didn’t look up as he walked past her toward the back door.

"Going for a walk," he called over his shoulder.

"Don’t be out too late," she replied.

Jace stepped into the alley behind the building. The night air bit at his skin, but he barely felt it. He had work to do, and it couldn’t wait.

He knew where the gala was being held. Everyone in their part of the city knew about the Blackwood Estate beyond the city and the Blackwood Forest. What most people didn’t know were the secret ways in and out of the grounds, and the fact that it belongs to Count Varnell.

Jace had learned those paths years ago, back when he was young and stupid enough to think he could make easy money robbing rich folks.

Tonight, those old skills might finally prove useful.

He pulled his coat tighter and set off into the inner parts of the city, his footsteps silent on the cobblestones.

---

Blackwood Estate...

Madam Vex led the way, her gold mask catching the light as she strode forward, her crimson dress flowing like liquid fire. A butler approached them at a side entrance, his face blank but his eyes sharp, scanning them like a hawk.

The butler was a tall, thin man with gray hair slicked back like wet stone. He wore a crisp black uniform and moved without making a sound. When their carriage stopped at the estate’s entrance, he was already waiting. 𝒻𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘸ℯ𝒷𝘯𝘰𝑣ℯ𝑙.𝘤𝑜𝘮

"Madam Vex," he said with a small bow. His voice was smooth as silk. "Welcome to Blackwood Estate. Lady Leya has been anticipating your arrival."

"The pleasure is mine, Sterling," Madam Vex replied, stepping down from the carriage. "May I present my assistants for this evening."

The butler’s pale eyes swept over Kael, Sara, and Lila. His gaze lingered on each of their masks before he nodded once. "Of course. Please, follow me."

They walked through a narrow door into a stone hallway. The walls here were plain, lit by simple oil lamps. This wasn’t the fancy part of the house, this was where the servants worked.

Kael heard the sounds before he saw anything else. Music drifted through the walls, mixed with laughter and the clink of glasses. His heart picked up speed with each step.

The hallway opened into a large kitchen. Servants rushed back and forth like ants in a disturbed hill. Steam rose from huge pots. Knives chopped on wooden boards. The air smelled of roasted meat and sweet wine.

A rotund woman with flour-dusted hands looked up as they entered. "Sterling, are these the extra hands you promised?"

"Indeed, Chef Martha. Four more for the evening service."

Chef Martha wiped her hands on her apron and looked them over. "Good, good. We need all the help we can get tonight." She pointed to a row of silver trays loaded with crystal glasses. "Red wine, white wine, and that sparkling stuff the nobles love. Don’t drop anything, those glasses cost more than most people make in their lifetime."

Kael picked up one of the heavy trays. The glasses clinked softly as he balanced the weight. Sara took another tray, her eyes wide as she stared at the crystal. Lila moved with practiced ease, like she’d done this before.

"Remember," Madam Vex whispered as they prepared to enter the main hall. "Don’t do anything stupid."

Sterling pushed open a set of double doors, and suddenly they were in a different world.

The main hall was enormous. Crystal chandeliers hung from a painted ceiling that showed scenes of battles and hunts. Gold leaf decorated the walls between massive portraits of stern-faced men and women. The floor was polished marble that reflected the lights like a dark mirror.

And everywhere, there were people.

Men in fine suits with jeweled buttons talked in small groups. Women in silk dresses that probably cost more than the Leisure Wand made in a year laughed behind painted fans.

And as expected, everyone wore masks—some simple like Kael’s, others decorated with feathers and gems.

At the center of it all stood a man with an imposing aura.

Despite having never seen him before, Kael could immediately guess who it was...

"Count Varnell." he muttered.