Persona : The Phantom Duke

The butler and the maids couldn't believe their eyes. Until now, there had been no one else in the Duchy except them, but suddenly, the training grounds were full of knights. Some were resting in the knight's dormitory, while others trained diligently. One of the maids gasped, realization dawning on her. 

"Now I get it! The lord told some of us to tidy up the knights' dormitory and training ground a few days ago, and I couldn't understand why. But now it all makes sense!" 

Another maid chimed in, "The lord also ordered the cook to prepare a large feast today—especially a lot of meat."

Meanwhile, Kaisel was walking through the manor alongside Ezra, Anton, and two knights. As they explored the grounds, Kaisel suddenly stopped, sensing a familiar presence. Without even looking back, he spoke calmly.

"Come out, Nerissa."

From behind a pillar, a young girl hesitantly stepped forward. She was about twelve years old, with white hair and striking emerald-green eyes, a clear resemblance to her mother, Elizabeth. This was Nerissa de Ravengard, the youngest among the three Ravengard siblings. Her face brimmed with curiosity as she ran toward Kaisel. 

"Big brother, are they really knights?"

Kaisel smiled. "Yes, they are."

The knights bowed slightly, showing their respect. "It's an honor to meet you, young lady."

Nerissa blushed at their formal greeting and quickly hid behind Kaisel.

A short while later, they arrived at Kaisel's study. Kaisel sat down while Anton and the others stood before him. He turned to Ezra and asked, "Are these the ones?"

Ezra nodded. "Yes, they are."

He gestured toward the two individuals who had accompanied them to the manor. One had light blue hair, while the other had light green hair. They didn't possess the physical build of knights, but their demeanor suggested intelligence and competence.

The blue-haired one stepped forward and introduced himself. "It's an honor to meet you, my lord. I am William."

The green-haired one followed. "And I am Angelo."

Kaisel turned to Anton. "These two will assist you in managing the Duchy's finances and affairs."

Anton looked at them hesitantly before giving a small nod of acknowledgment.

Meanwhile, near the training grounds, Melvia—the Duke's personal maid—observed the knights with a soft smile. She had vibrant red hair and deep blue eyes, her fair skin contrasting against her neatly tied hair and well-maintained maid uniform. She appeared to be around Kaisel's age and had served him faithfully for years."The lord... brought knights back to Ravengard",she said softly.

Back in the study, after Anton had left, only Kaisel, Ezra, William, and Angelo remained. The atmosphere turned serious.

Kaisel leaned back in his chair. "So, what's the situation outside?"

William stepped forward, his voice carrying a note of concern. "The merchant organization under Count Camelot is introducing a healing potion that works faster than normal ones. But it's merely a distraction—they are using it as cover to smuggle highly valuable magic crystals with the assistance of Count Delphine."

Kaisel narrowed his eyes. "And who are they delivering the magic crystals to?"

William hesitated before answering. "The Luthbrecht family."

A cold smirk formed on Kaisel's lips. "Ah… so it's for the Duke of Luthbrecht. They are brilliant mages with extensive knowledge of alchemy and ancient magic formations. They can create artifacts as well. If they require such rare and expensive resources, they must be working on something interesting. The potion must be their creation as well."

Kaisel leaned forward, tapping his fingers against the table. "No matter. We'll deal with it later. For now, enjoy the feast with the knights."

Ezra, William, and Angelo nodded before taking their leave.

Now alone in his study, Kaisel closed his eyes. The moment he did, whispers echoed around him. 

But these were not the voices of ordinary men.

Voice 1: "So… are you going to kill the Count?" *A soft giggle followed.*

Voice 2:"No… what's the fun in simply killing them? You should destroy them slowly."

Voice 3: "Yes, yes! Piece by piece!"

Kaisel remained silent, his expression unreadable. He simply exhaled and leaned back in his chair, and closed his eyes.