Chapter 24: Settling In
A hidden Investment
The morning sun cast golden streaks through the large windows of the new estate, illuminating the pristine floors and high-arched ceilings. The air smelled fresh, a blend of polished wood, delicate flowers from the garden, and the faint lingering scent of morning dew. Despite the sheer beauty of the mansion, there was a distinct lack of warmth within its grand halls—one that came from the absence of people.
At the moment, Elysia was the only servant tending to the estate.
Kitsaro had woken up early, filled with excitement as he dashed through the corridors, eager to explore every corner of his new home. Yet, every time he turned a corner or entered a new room, he found them eerily empty.
Eventually, he found himself in the grand dining hall, where a single figure stood at the far end of the room, meticulously arranging a breakfast spread on the long, gleaming table.
"Elysia?" Kitsaro called, his small voice echoing slightly in the vast space.
Elysia, who had been placing a pot of tea down with practiced elegance, turned her head toward him. "Good morning, young master," she greeted with a soft smile. "Did you sleep well?"
Kitsaro nodded eagerly and ran up to her. "Are you the only one working here?" he asked, tilting his head. "This house is huge! There's so much to do."
Elysia let out a small chuckle. "For now, yes. But don't worry, I'm more than capable of managing things until we hire more staff."
Kitsaro frowned. "But isn't that too much work for one person?"
She reached out, brushing a strand of silver hair away from his face. "I've handled worse, young master," she said with a reassuring smile. "Besides, it's only temporary. Lady Sylvara and Lord Cassian will be making arrangements soon."
Kitsaro pursed his lips, then his eyes lit up. "I can help!" he declared.
Elysia raised a delicate brow. "Oh?"
"I can help carry things! Or clean! Or… um… do something useful!"
She chuckled, placing a hand on his head. "That's very kind of you, Kitsaro. But your mother might have my head if she finds out I let you do servant work."
Kitsaro pouted, crossing his arms. "But I wanna help…"
"Then, how about this?" Elysia knelt to his level, meeting his determined gaze. "You can help by keeping an eye on things while I work. If you see something that needs fixing or anything out of place, tell me right away. That way, you'll be my little assistant."
Kitsaro beamed. "Deal!"
Elysia smiled. "Now, how about breakfast?"
As she guided him toward the table, Kitsaro glanced around again, still noticing how empty the estate felt. But with Elysia here, he at least felt a little more at home.
Later that morning, Sylvara and Cassian sat in one of the lavish drawing rooms, its velvet-lined chairs and intricate chandeliers giving the space an air of regal comfort. A tea set had been placed on the table between them, steam rising from delicate porcelain cups.
Cassian leaned back into his seat, watching Sylvara with amusement as she counted the financial documents she had brought with her. He had always known her to be a meticulous woman, but he hadn't expected her to be this well-prepared after years of being confined within House Vaelthyr.
"You know," he mused, swirling his tea lazily, "I always assumed Zephiron was the one managing the funds. But judging by that look of utter satisfaction on your face, I'd say you've got quite the hidden fortune stashed away."
Sylvara smirked, setting the documents down. "Did you think I spent years in that gilded cage without making preparations?"
Cassian raised a brow. "Do enlighten me, dear exile. How exactly did you manage to amass enough wealth to last you years, despite never stepping foot outside?"
Sylvara took a sip of her tea before responding. "When I was first brought into House Vaelthyr, I was given a personal budget—a generous one, at that. Noble wives are often expected to indulge in luxuries, after all. Dresses, jewelry, extravagant hobbies. But instead of wasting it on frivolous things, I invested it."
Cassian's eyes gleamed with interest. "Invested? In what?"
A small smirk curled her lips. "In the trade routes Zephiron himself controlled."
Cassian choked on his tea. "You—wait. You mean to tell me that you used House Vaelthyr's own assets to make a profit for yourself?"
"Precisely."
Cassian burst into laughter. "Sylvara, you absolute fox. You manipulated your own husband's finances under his nose and built a fortune without him ever noticing?"
Sylvara's gaze was sharp. "It was never about greed, Cassian. I knew that my position in that household was never secure. I needed leverage, something that would give me the power to leave if the time ever came."
Cassian's laughter died down into an impressed chuckle. "And now you have enough to sustain yourself for years, even without House Vaelthyr's resources."
Sylvara nodded. "Enough to rebuild, to secure Kitsaro's future, and to ensure I am never placed in a position of dependence again."
Cassian shook his head in admiration. "You never fail to impress me, dear Sylvara. But still, wealth alone won't be enough to run this estate. You'll need people."
Sylvara exhaled, leaning back into her chair. "Yes, which brings us to our next order of business—hiring servants."
Cassian smirked. "Well, if you're looking for quality, I have a few recommendations. But let me guess—you want full control over the hiring process?"
"Naturally," she replied. "I don't trust just anyone to work in this house. Every servant must be competent, loyal, and above all, not tied to House Vaelthyr or its allies."
Cassian nodded. "A wise approach. I can put out some discreet inquiries—there are plenty of skilled individuals who would jump at the opportunity to serve a high-ranking household."
Sylvara sipped her tea thoughtfully. "I'll also be looking through my own connections. There are a few people I had my eye on before, but I couldn't reach out while under the councils watch."
Cassian grinned. "Ah, so you did have your own little network. I should've known."
Sylvara didn't respond, but the look in her eyes was enough to confirm it.
"Very well, then," Cassian said, setting his cup down. "Shall we consider this our first step in establishing your household properly?"
Sylvara nodded. "Yes. A new beginning, after all."
Cassian smirked. "Indeed."
Cassian leaned back into his chair, watching Sylvara with undisguised curiosity. He had long since known she was a woman of secrets, but even he hadn't expected this level of cunning.
"You know, there's something that still bothers me." He swirled the remaining tea in his cup lazily, his rainbow eyes gleaming with amusement and intrigue. "How in the Abyss did you manage to do all of this without the council—or Zephiron, for that matter—finding out?"
Sylvara set down her cup with deliberate elegance. "You underestimate how easy it is to make powerful men ignore what they consider 'insignificant.'"
Cassian smirked. "Oh, do tell."
Sylvara tilted her head slightly, fingers tracing the rim of her cup. "The council never paid much attention to me though ofcourse after birthing Kitsaro everything changed and despite being monitored by them, still I was merely Zephiron's lost and found wife from the outside, a wife with no real power or authority. They were I guess only wary with what I showed with my power but not with how I handle things. Zephiron might have loved me, but time showed that it wasn't enough.
Duty made us what we are today and so did the council think." She scoffed. "He along with the council never once considered that I might be playing a longer game."
Cassian chuckled. "And yet, you played it masterfully. But that still doesn't explain how you managed to move and keep that much money. Surely someone in House Vaelthyr's financial circles would have noticed if you were secretly amassing wealth."
Sylvara smirked. "They might have. If they were looking in the right place."
Cassian raised a brow. "Meaning?"
Sylvara leaned back, crossing her legs in a show of effortless confidence. "I never kept my wealth in one place. The funds I used to invest in trade routes? Those were funneled through third-party merchants—ones who owed me favors or simply saw me as an anonymous benefactor. Whenever those investments yielded profit, I had them redirected into smaller, scattered accounts under different names. Some were under merchant guilds, others under lesser noble families who had no ties to House Vaelthyr but benefited from my patronage."
Cassian let out a low whistle. "Clever. So even if someone noticed a discrepancy, they'd be tracing money through multiple hands before they ever linked it back to you."
"Exactly."
"But," Cassian tapped his fingers against the table thoughtfully, "how did you keep your personal fortune hidden? Surely, you couldn't just walk into a bank and withdraw funds without raising suspicion."
Sylvara's lips curled into a knowing smile. "That's where trust—and deception—came into play."
Cassian's brows lifted. "Go on."
"Over the years, I carefully selected individuals who had nothing to gain from betraying me. A few discreet bankers, certain merchants, and even a handful of minor nobles who were grateful for my financial assistance. I ensured that none of them ever knew the full extent of my wealth—each only handled fragments of it. Some believed they were merely holding onto temporary assets for me, others thought they were involved in a simple business transaction. None of them ever saw the bigger picture."
Cassian let out an impressed chuckle. "And let me guess—you only dealt in written correspondences, never in person?"
"Of course," Sylvara said smoothly. "A noble lady managing finances in person would have raised too many questions. But a noble lady engaging in 'meaningless hobbies' like charity, art commissions, and sponsoring merchants? That was expected. So, I played the role they believed I should play—while ensuring that every 'charitable donation' I made was, in reality, a method of securing my assets elsewhere."
Cassian shook his head in admiration. "Sylvara, you are a terrifying woman."
She smirked. "Is that fear I hear in your voice, Cassian?"
He chuckled. "Fear? No. Respect? Absolutely." He leaned forward, propping his chin on his hand. "So, tell me—where exactly is your hidden fortune now?"
Sylvara's expression remained unreadable. "Even you don't need to know everything, Cassian."
He laughed. "Fair enough. But one thing is certain—Zephiron and the council never stood a chance against you, did they?"
Sylvara took a slow sip of her tea, her eyes gleaming with quiet satisfaction. "No, they didn't."
As the discussion settled, a newfound sense of purpose filled the air. The estate was grand, but an estate was nothing without people to run it. And Sylvara, as always, intended to do things on her own terms.
A new household would be built. One not bound by the old chains of nobility, but by the careful selection of those who would stand by her side.
As the discussion about hiring servants concluded, Cassian leaned back into his chair, a smirk playing at the corner of his lips. He swirled his tea idly, eyes gleaming with mischief as he studied Sylvara.
"You know," he mused, "for someone who claims to be careful with her wealth, you were rather generous with me."
Sylvara raised a brow. "Generous?"
Cassian chuckled. "Don't play coy. I haven't forgotten the *sizable* amount of money you entrusted to me before entering House Vaelthyr."
Sylvara's expression remained unreadable, but there was the faintest twitch of her lips. "And?"
"And," Cassian drawled, setting his cup down, "you might be pleased to know I didn't let it sit idly. I increased it."
Sylvara leaned forward slightly. "Go on."
Cassian's grin widened. "I invested it in an entertainment district."
Sylvara blinked. "...An entertainment district?"
"Yes," he said, clearly enjoying her reaction. "Not just any entertainment district, but one that caters to the elite. High-end gambling houses, exclusive theaters, private lounges—places where the nobility and wealthy merchants loosen their purses without a second thought."
Sylvara exhaled slowly, tilting her head. "You turned my money into a business that thrives on noble indulgence?"
"Of course," Cassian said smoothly. "The nobility will always have vices, and as long as those vices exist, the coin will keep flowing."
A short silence stretched between them before Sylvara finally spoke.
"How much did you make?"
Cassian's smirk turned into something dangerously smug. "A tenfold return."
Sylvara's fingers stilled against the rim of her teacup.
Cassian leaned forward, his tone teasing. "Shocked, dear Sylvara?"
She took a slow sip of her tea before responding. "Impressed, actually."
Cassian let out a low chuckle. "I did learn from the best, after all."
Sylvara allowed herself a small smirk. "So, what do you intend to do with the profits?"
Cassian rested his chin on his hand, watching her intently. "That depends. Since you were the original investor, I assume you want a cut?"
Sylvara considered this for a moment before shaking her head. "No. I entrusted that money to you. If you increased it, then it's yours."
Cassian arched a brow. "Are you certain? You *could* use it to further secure your new household."
Sylvara's gaze was steady. "I already have enough for what I need. You, on the other hand, have built something that can serve us both in the long run."
Cassian tilted his head. "Ah… so you *do* see the potential."
"I see the advantage," Sylvara corrected. "A well-placed business in the entertainment industry means access to rumors, connections, and influence over those who frequent it. If used properly, it could become one of our most valuable assets."
Cassian's grin widened. "I was hoping you'd say that."
Sylvara exhaled, shaking her head slightly. "You truly are insufferable."
"And yet, you trust me with your money," he said, laughing.
She didn't deny it. Instead, she simply took another sip of her tea.
"Very well, Cassian," she murmured. "Let's see how far this investment can take us."