Chapter 282: Time To Claim!
I stood alone in the center of my bedroom, adjusting the cuffs of my formal evening attire.
Three separate maids had tried to enter earlier to assist me with the fastening of my tunic, but I had flatly refused them, locking the door behind their nervous bows.
In a household where every wall had ears and every servant reported to either my father or Cassandra, I didn’t want anyone anywhere near my personal space.
I took one last look at my reflection in the full-length vanity mirror. My sharp, pale features were framed by neatly styled blonde hair, and my deep blue eyes looked back at me with a cold, unblinking clarity.
I smoothed down the obsidian-black fabric of my high-collared doublet, which was heavily embroidered with silver and crimson threads forming the stylized geometric runes of the Raith family crest.
Turning away from the glass, I walked over to the arched window.
Outside, the sun had fully dipped below the horizon, painting the sky in a bruised gradient of deep violet and twilight blue. The vast courtyard below was in full, chaotic swing.
Dozens of carriages were lining up along the cobblestone driveway, discharging a colorful array of nobles, local lords, and influential figures from across the territory.
The sheer scale of the preparations was staggering, clearly, the family was sparing no expense to show off the sudden, unexpected political leverage of having a Rank 2 Academy prodigy in their bloodline.
I leaned my forehead against the cool glass, watching the distant twinkling lights. For a brief second, my mind drifted away from the suffocating politics of this manor and went straight back to the top-floor dorms of the Academy.
I wondered if Kyle was currently getting scolded by Tobias for something stupid, or if Emma was sitting by her window, humming that quiet little melody.
Before I could ponder any further, the wooden door behind me violently clicked and swung open without a single knock.
I turned around slowly.
Standing in the doorway was Aldric Raith. My father.
He wore a heavy, midnight-blue velvet robe. He looked at me, his eyes entirely devoid of paternal warmth, carrying only a sharp, critical impatience.
"What are you doing still idling in here?" Aldric demanded.
"The guests have already arrived. They are waiting downstairs for you."
He stepped into the room, his gaze dragging up and down my form, analyzing my posture. He let out a low, rough grunt.
"At the very least, you managed to do one thing right by securing a high rank at the Academy. You’ve brought some temporary value to the family name. Do not tarnish it by acting like a fool in front of the council lords tonight."
I looked him dead in the eye, my face a perfect, expressionless mask.
"I’ll do whatever I want tonight," I replied, my voice cool, detached, and entirely devoid of the trembling fear the original Jin used to have.
"You don’t need to tell me how to carry myself."
Aldric’s brow furrowed, a flash of genuine anger and irritation crossing his features at my sudden defiance. He snorted loudly, a mocking sneer curling his lip.
"It seems a few weeks outside my walls have made you arrogant. We will see how long that spine lasts."
Without another word, he spun on his heel and marched out of the room, leaving the door wide open.
I let out a slow, heavy sigh, stepping forward to straighten the lapels of my coat. I checked my cuffs one last time and walked out into the corridor, heading toward the grand staircase.
As I reached the mezzanine overlooking, the sensory overload hit me. The air was thick with the scent of expensive perfumes, roasted meats, and rare, imported wines.
Multiple crystal chandeliers hummed with light-attribute mana, casting a warm, brilliant glow over hundreds of elegantly dressed nobles who were huddled in tight, whispering circles.
I looked down at the plastic smiles and calculated laughter of high society.
What a total headache, I thought, suppressing the urge to turn right back around.
Originally, I had fully intended to decline this entire farce. I had planned to stay in the academy, refuse to come here altogether, completely sabotaging my father’s attempt to use me as a political prop.
But as I began my descent down the wide, marble staircase, my eyes locked onto a specific figure standing near the bottom of the steps.
"Ah, happy birthday, Jin."
A man stepped away from the crowd, intercepting me as my boots hit the lower landing. He was a distinguished gentleman in his late forties, wearing a precisely tailored, scholarly charcoal-grey coat pinned with the golden crest of the Imperial Merchant and Alchemist Guild.
He had sharp, intelligent amber eyes and a neatly trimmed beard, radiating an aura of immense wealth, but more importantly, absolute pragmatism.
This was Lord Matthew Vance, the head of one of the most powerful trade syndicates in the neutral territories and a key distributor for high-end alchemical goods.
"Thank you, Lord Vance," I replied, offering a polite, perfectly measured aristocratic bow.
"I am honored by your attendance tonight."
"The honor is mine, young man. Your performance at the Academy has been... highly discussed in the capital," Matthew smiled, a knowing, calculating glint in his eyes as he raised his wine glass toward me.
I offered a diplomatic smile in return, but internally.
The reason I came here was him.
Even before Cassandra informed me of Father’s summons, I had received a letter from Tessa.
She reported a sudden disruption in our trade network, our potions were rapidly losing sales, and dealers who had once eagerly signed contracts were now pulling away.
Worse, she mentioned that Yenna had discovered someone selling products nearly identical to ours.
Is someone copying our formulas?
That was my first thought.
After all, although these potions were created through my skill and the System, the world was filled with Alchemy Masters capable of analyzing and reproducing them.
But if someone thought they could steal my work without consequences...
Then it was time for me to claim my copyrights.