Puuuuuu!

The sharp, piercing blare of a trumpet echoed through the entire village as a carriage stopped in front of the Aurelain barony.

Dorian was still fast asleep on the bed when the sound blared from outside his window.

His sister, who had snuck into his bed to sleep at some point, was the first to open her eyes from a deep sleep and look towards the window with a yawn.

"Who the hell is making that much noise so early in the morning?" Yelena blurted out loud as she slowly sat upright.

Since she was in her black nightwear, the thin strap slipped down her shoulder, revealing a hint of her cleavage as she carefully rubbed her eyes.

Once again, the trumpet sounded.

Puuu!

Not only did it cause Yelena to flinch, but it also immediately woke Dorian up from his deep sleep.

He sprung up from the bed and accidentally slammed his head into Yelena's.

"Ow!" They both grabbed their heads and looked at one another.

"What are you doing in my room?!" yelled Dorian.

"I was sleeping! Why did you have to hit me so hard?!" Yelena pouted.

Before Dorian could give another remark, the trumpet sounded once again. Puuuruuu!

"The king has a message for you!" a loud, manly voice followed.

As soon as he heard this, Dorian leaped up from his bed and headed towards the window to check who could be making such a noise.

"The king? Huh?" Yelena followed slowly, still rubbing her eyes as she walked.

Right then and there, the door snapped open as Maria and Seraphina walked right in, panic etched on their faces.

"The king's messenger is here!" They yelled in unison.

Dorian was already standing at the window, peeping at the golden carriage parked in front of his mansion.

A red rug had been rolled into place, where a man dressed in livery so garish he looked no different from a clown stood, holding a large scroll in his hands.

At both sides of the carriage were knights, all wearing silver armor and carrying the finest-looking swords any warrior would kill to have.

But of all the things he saw, what truly surprised him was the crest drawn on the banner dancing at the side of the carriage: the banner of the golden horse.

No doubt about it, these people came from the royal capital.

Dorian chuckled a bit.

'They sent a messenger here? Isn't that a bit of overkill for an invitation?'

He sighed, then slowly turned to the girls.

"Let's go welcome our guest. My father isn't going to be the one handling this anymore since I am the current baron anyway. Might as well get this over with."

He then walked away, heading towards the door.

His parents were watching from another window, waiting to see if Dorian would come out to attend to the king's messenger.

Jordan and the first-division soldiers were already present, standing at the side as a form of security, while Ishtar, who was the first to step outside after hearing the trumpet, knelt on one knee and bowed her head.

"Please be patient; my husband is heading here now. He was quite tired yesterday and was sleeping in."

The messenger looked at Ishtar, his face etched with disgust and impatience.

The maid right beside him was rather calm and only seemed interested in observing the scenery around her, something she was unable to do while inside the carriage.

She had long, beautiful hair that fell behind her back, highlighting her perfect dark, piercing eyes.

Her skin was as white as snow, with a captivating smile that could make any man fall in love with her in an instant.

Ishtar, seeing the maid beside the messenger, could only sigh as she lowered her head a bit more.

The messenger, having had enough of waiting, slowly opened his mouth.

"Is that so? Well, I suppose the great Aurelian baron has forgotten his place. How dare he make the king's messenger wait? Does he not know the consequences of such actions?" His voice was laced with scorn and arrogance, clearly looking down on Ishtar and the entire barony.

Ishtar gritted her teeth, her hands clenched into fists, but she dared not raise her head or speak another word.

She knew the power of the royal capital and the king's wrath. A single wrong move could bring ruin to their barony.

Just as the messenger was about to continue his tirade, the main door of the mansion creaked open, and Dorian stepped out, followed by Yelena, Maria, and Seraphina.

Dorian's face was calm, betraying no emotion, but his eyes held a subtle glint of annoyance.

He walked with a confident stride, his noble attire perfectly accentuating his strong build.

As he reached the red rug, he stopped a few feet from the messenger, his gaze steady and unwavering.

"I apologize for the delay, esteemed messenger. I am Baron Dorian Aurelian. I was under the impression that urgent royal matters would be announced with more... subtlety, and not with the cacophony of a thousand trumpets disturbing the peace of my household." Dorian's voice was smooth, yet it carried an undercurrent of steel that took the messenger by surprise.

From hearing him speak, the maid narrowed her gaze, as though making a thousand judgments just from staring at him and hearing his voice.

As for the messenger, he frowned at Dorian's words and replied, "Are you questioning this kingdom's tradition?!"

"Me? No, of course not, but you have to agree you were making a lot of noise. My humble respect to the king; I just wish my people don't get an earful randomly in the morning when they are resting with their families."

This angered the messenger even more. "You speak with respect, and yet I don't see you on your knees."

Dorian looked at Ishtar, who was already giving him signs to bow his head as well.

However, this was exactly what Dorian wanted: a chance to stand his ground and prove to the higher-ups how the power dynamic was going to work from now on.

With one hand in his pocket, he replied, "I believe you came here to deliver a message. Do so and leave. I haven't disrespected you yet, but I will not be bowing my head to you."

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