Blood God Reborn as the Mudblood Heir

For a moment, the street felt like a drawn bow. Then Mirena’s mana lowered. She looked back at Robi. "Ten years is long. It is not forever."

Robi said, "For some people, ten years is more than enough time to make terrible decisions."

Mirena’s gaze moved from him to Lucard.

Lucard stood quietly beside Jenny and Jake.

Mirena looked at him for several breaths, and her eyes became sharper. "House Vardros seems very silent for a house standing at the center of so much blood."

Jenny’s shoulders tightened.

Jake’s fingers gripped his sleeve.

Lucard answered before either of them could speak.

"Silence keeps people alive."

Mirena’s expression did not change. "Does it?"

Lucard looked at her calmly. "It has worked better than shouting so far."

A few nobles forgot to breathe.

Celia’s face tightened as if she wanted to step on Lucard’s foot.

Robi lowered his eyes, hiding amusement.

Mirena stared at Lucard for a long moment.

Then Prince Caelan spoke again, impatient now that the first moment of power had passed.

"Enough street talk. Take me to the royal property of this city."

Lord Havel immediately bowed. "Yes, Your Highness. The royal residence is prepared. It is near the northern administrative quarter."

Every city of worth had a royal property. It was not always a palace. Sometimes it was a manor, sometimes a fortified house, sometimes only a formal residence used by imperial officers during inspection. Gravehold’s royal residence was called the Crown Rest House. It belonged to the throne, not the city lord, not any duke family, and not any local noble. When someone from the royal family came, it became the safest and most watched building in the city.

Prince Caelan turned toward his carriage.

Aldric looked once more over the gathered houses.

"All involved families will remain available for summons. No one leaves Gravehold without informing the imperial office."

That second command made several nobles stiffen.

Then the prince entered the carriage.

Aldric followed after giving quiet instructions to his two men. Lord Havel and several city officials hurried to lead the way. Marovain guards stepped aside. Velkhur guards moved back. The plain carriage began rolling toward the northern district, and the gathered nobles watched it leave like people watching a storm move toward a roof they might soon have to stand under.

Only after the carriage disappeared around the bend did the street begin breathing again.

The smaller nobles left first. They bowed to Robi, avoided Mirena’s eyes, and hurried back to their own carriages. The Karswell group vanished quickly, pretending they had never wanted to be noticed. Baron Ravencroft left with a stiff back and a face that showed he was already calculating how to survive the next imperial questions.

Mirena Velkhur left last.

Before entering her carriage, she looked at Lucard again.

"This city has become very interesting because of you."

Lucard answered, "Then leave before it becomes educational."

Celia whispered, "Lucard."

Mirena did not smile, but something dangerous moved in her eyes.

"We will meet again, Vardros."

"Likely."

Then she entered her carriage, and the Velkhur party withdrew.

Robi waited until the street had mostly cleared before turning to Lucard.

"You enjoy standing close to knives."

Lucard said, "Only when I know where the handle is."

Celia exhaled slowly. "That woman is not Garran. Do not provoke her carelessly."

"I did not do it carelessly."

"That is worse."

Jenny stepped closer to Lucard and spoke softly. "The decree helps us."

Lucard looked at her.

She had understood part of it.

Good.

"Yes," he said.

Jake looked between them. "Because no one can fight in the city?"

"Because anyone who attacks us now attacks the emperor’s order," Lucard said. "That makes our enemies slower."

Jake nodded slowly. "Slower enemies are better."

"Not always. But today, yes."

Robi looked at the Vardros family with a thoughtful gaze but did not ask what passed between them. He was too smart to ask questions in the street when the emperor’s decree had just made questions dangerous.

After some time, everyone left the front of the Marovain shop.

Jenny, Jake, and Peter returned to Silver Ash House with a heavier guard. Robi went inside the shop with Celia and Lucard to discuss what could still be discussed. No one spoke of the silent knight below the shop in front of outsiders. No one spoke of the Vardros seal. No one spoke of why the emperor’s order felt too perfectly shaped.

The city became quiet on the surface.

But quiet did not mean peaceful.

It only meant every blade had been pushed under cloth.

Near evening, a royal messenger arrived at Silver Ash House.

Peter received him at the gate and checked the seal before bringing the message inside. Jenny opened it with Jake beside her and Lucard standing near the window.

The message was short.

’Second Prince, Caelan Valorian and Sir Aldric Veyne requested the presence of House Vardros at the Crown Rest House.

Tonight.’

Lucard looked at the imperial seal on the paper.

Jenny’s fingers tightened slightly.

Jake swallowed.

Peter stood straighter near the door.

The emperor had given them time in the street. Now his people wanted to see what that time was protecting.

Jenny read the message twice.

The first time, she read it like a noble daughter trying to understand an imperial summons. The second time, she read it like a sister wondering how close danger had come to Jake.

"Tonight," she said quietly.

Peter’s jaw tightened. "That gives little time to prepare."

Lucard looked toward the darkening window. "That is the purpose."

Jake looked up at him. "They want to see us before we can plan?"

"They want to see what we do when we have little time to plan."

Jenny folded the message carefully. "Then what do we do?"

Lucard turned from the window. His face was calm, but his eyes had already become sharp.

"You dress properly. Jake stays beside you. Peter stands behind. I speak only when needed."

Jake swallowed. "And if they ask about the seal?"

Lucard’s voice became colder.

"Do not answer them. I will be the one who talks about anything."

Outside, the last light faded from Gravehold’s walls.

Tonight, House Vardros would walk into the emperor’s shadow.