Chapter 261: Plan for the stepmother

Damon remained silent for a few seconds after Morgana finished speaking, watching her intently as the cold expression that had appeared on her face slowly settled back down. He picked up his teacup once more, swirling it slightly between his fingers as he seemed to ponder everything he had just heard. The steam rising from the hot liquid dissipated slowly into the tranquil air of the room, creating small, almost hypnotic swirls that followed the calm rhythm of his breathing. Finally, he took a small sip and placed the cup back on the saucer with a soft, porcelain-like sound.

“All right,” he said simply, resting his arm on the back of the armchair as he tilted his head slightly to the side. “I agree.”

Morgana raised an eyebrow.

Damon continued with his usual calm. “If someone is truly manipulating your father with magic, that’s a serious problem. Not just for your family, but for anyone who depends on his decisions.”

He uncrossed his legs and leaned forward slightly, resting his forearms on his knees.

“So the real question is simple.” He looked directly at her. “What exactly do you want me to do now?”

Morgana remained silent for a few seconds, as if she had already thought about that question many times before Damon even arrived in town. She picked up her teacup again, but this time she didn’t drink immediately. Her fingers just swirled the porcelain slowly as she organized her thoughts.

When she finally spoke, her voice was completely controlled again.

“I need you to go inside the mansion.”

Damon blinked slowly.

“Go inside?” he asked.

Morgana nodded. “But not as a guest.”

She took a small sip of tea and then put the cup down again.

“The problem inside Arven Manor is that everyone is watching everyone else all the time. Servants, guards, advisors, nobles visiting the property… no one makes a move without someone else noticing.”

Damon rested his chin on his hand.

“So you want someone who can move without drawing attention.”

“Exactly.”

She elegantly crossed her legs in the armchair as she continued.

“If I simply invite you to the manor officially, half the town will know in less than an hour. My stepmother will certainly hear before you even cross the main gate.”

Damon let out a small, amused sigh.

“Noble families are truly fascinating.”

Morgana ignored the comment.

“That’s why we need a different approach.”

Damon made a small gesture with his hand.

“Go on.”

Morgana leaned forward slightly now, her eyes focused on him.

“In the coming days, there will be a small reception at the mansion.”

Damon raised an eyebrow.

“A party?”

“Not exactly. More like a social gathering among some influential families from Arven.”

She rested her elbow on the table as she spoke.

“My stepmother organized it personally.”

Damon smiled slightly.

“That already sounds suspicious.”

“Yes.”

Morgana continued.

“But it’s also the perfect opportunity.”

Damon watched silently.

“During this type of event, the mansion is full of people. Nobles, merchants, musicians, extra servants, temporary cooks… the movement increases so much that control over who enters and leaves becomes much looser.”

Damon understood immediately.

“You want me to walk into the middle of this chaos.”

Morgana nodded.

“Yes.”

He tilted his head.

“How?”

She finally smiled slightly.

“Disguised.”

Damon chuckled softly.

“Now this is interesting.”

Morgana leaned back in her armchair again.

“During the reception, several performers will be hired to entertain the guests. Musicians, dancers, storytellers…”

She paused briefly.

“And fighters.”

Damon raised an eyebrow again.

“Fighters?”

“Yes.”

She explained calmly.

“My father always enjoyed combat displays during social events. Demonstrations of martial skill between invited warriors.”

Damon leaned forward a little more now.

“So you want me to infiltrate as one of those fighters.”

“Exactly.”

He rubbed his chin slowly, thinking.

“That would give me access to the property.”

“And much more.”

Morgana continued.

“During the event, everyone will be distracted. My stepmother will be busy impressing the guests, and my father will probably be in the main hall watching the performances.”

Damon nodded slowly.

“Meanwhile, I can move around the mansion.”

“Yes.”

She pointed slightly at him.

“I need you to observe.”

“Observe what?”

“Everything.”

She spoke firmly.

“The routine of the house. The guards. The new servants. Any sign of magic.”

Damon tilted his head.

“You think I’ll be able to detect that?”

Morgana replied without hesitation.

“If there really is some kind of enchantment controlling my father, someone needs to be maintaining it.”

She paused briefly.

“Magic of that kind rarely works alone.”

Damon crossed his arms slowly.

“So you believe your stepmother has an ally.”

“Or several.”

Silence returned for a few seconds.

Damon finally asked, “And you?”

Morgana raised her chin slightly.

“I’ll be there.”

“Officially.”

“Yes.”

She sighed. “My job will be to keep up appearances. To talk to the guests, to act as if everything is perfectly normal.”

Damon smiled slightly.

“Politics.”

“Unfortunately.”

He tilted his head again.

“And when I find something out?”

Morgana replied immediately.

“Then you come to meet me.”

“During the party?”

“Yes.”

She thought for a moment.

“There’s a private library on the second floor of the west wing of the mansion. Almost no one uses that place during events.”

Damon memorized the information.

“West wing library.”

“That’s it.”

She placed her hands on the table.

“If you find any evidence of magic, any strange object, any suspicious behavior… tell me immediately.”

Damon was silent for a few seconds.

Then he smiled.

“I like this plan.”

Morgana smiled slightly as well.

“I figured.”

Damon picked up his teacup again and finished the rest of his drink in one go.

“So when is this reception?”

Morgana replied calmly.

“Tomorrow night.”

Damon blinked once.

“Tomorrow?”

She nodded.

“Yes.”

He chuckled softly.

“You really don’t like to waste time.”

Morgana rested her chin on her hand, watching him with that same amused glint in her eyes.

“I’ve waited too long to act.”

Damon placed the empty cup on the table.

“So I guess tomorrow I become a hired martial artist.”

Morgana tilted her head slightly.

“Something tells me you’ll have fun with this.”

Damon smiled wider.

“Probably.”

Then he looked directly at her.

“But if your stepmother really is dabbling in forbidden magic…”

His tone grew slightly colder.

“…this party might turn out to be far more interesting than she expects.”

Morgana maintained a steady gaze.

“I sincerely hope so.”

A comfortable silence returned to the small room after the two finished their tea. The candles continued to burn slowly on the low table, casting soft shadows on the walls as night progressed outside the mansion. The air was tranquil, heavy only with the faint scent of tea leaves and the old wood of the house. Damon remained relaxed in his armchair, watching Morgana as she finally seemed to allow herself a little rest after the long day she had clearly endured inside Arven Manor.

Morgana stared at the empty cup in her hands for a few seconds, as if still organizing her thoughts after the long conversation. The weight of the responsibilities she carried during the day seemed a little lighter at that moment. Being there, far from the main mansion, away from the watchful eyes of nobles and advisors, allowed her to relax in a way she rarely showed in front of others.

She finally let out a small sigh and placed the cup back on the saucer.

“I almost forgot how good it is to talk without having to measure every word,” she murmured, distractedly running a hand through her hair.

Damon chuckled softly.

“You seem like someone who spends too much time surrounded by dangerous people.”

Morgana raised an eyebrow with slight amusement.

“Does that include you?”

Damon smiled calmly.

“It depends on the point of view.”

She observed his smile for a moment before shaking her head slightly, as if she were already used to that kind of response. Then, she rested her hands on the arms of the armchair and rose with an elegant movement. The fabric of her dress slid smoothly as she stood, automatically regaining that confident posture that was so natural to her.

She walked a few steps across the room, approaching one of the windows. Outside, the property’s garden was illuminated by lanterns scattered among the stone paths. The night breeze made the leaves of the trees move slowly, creating a soft sound that passed through the closed glass.

Morgana stood observing the landscape for a few seconds.

“I need to rest a little before tomorrow,” she said finally, without immediately turning her face away.

Damon tilted his head slightly.

“Planning to rule a hall full of nobles?”

“Something like that.”

She then turned back to him, her face now more relaxed than before. The tension that usually accompanied her expressions when she spoke of politics or her family had lessened somewhat.

“I’m going up to my room.”

Damon nodded calmly.

“Sounds like a good idea.”

Morgana walked slowly toward the door of the room, but before leaving completely she stopped. Her fingers touched the doorknob for a moment, but she didn’t open the door immediately.

Instead, she turned her face over her shoulder to look at Damon again.

There was a small smile on her lips now.

It wasn’t the calculated smile she wore before nobles.

It was something much more mischievous.

“Ah… Damon.”

He looked up at her.

“Yes?”

Morgana tilted her head slightly, as if remembering something important.

“I believe we still have some unfinished business.”

Damon narrowed his eyes curiously.

“We do?”

She took a small step back into the room, just enough to be fully visible again.

“Yes.”

Her smile widened slightly.

“Something about a certain clothing store.”

Damon chuckled immediately upon understanding the reference.

“Ah.”

Morgana leaned one shoulder against the doorframe, crossing her arms with an almost innocent expression, though the amused glint in her eyes clearly betrayed that posture.

“I haven’t forgotten.”

Damon shook his head slowly.

“I should have guessed.”

She shrugged casually.

“Some things are hard to forget.”

For a second, the silence between them returned, but this time there was something lighter hanging in the air. Something that contrasted completely with the tense conversation they had had about conspiracies, magical manipulation, and family intrigues.

Morgana then winked at him.

Literally.

A quick gesture, accompanied by that same provocative smile.

“I’ll wait for you in my room.”

Damon slowly raised an eyebrow.

Morgana was already opening the door now, clearly pleased with herself.

“Don’t take too long,” she added naturally.

And then she left the room.

The door closed softly behind her.

Silence returned to the room once more.

Damon remained seated in the armchair for a few seconds, looking at the closed door as a small smile began to appear on his face.

He let out a low sigh, almost amused.

“That woman…”

The sentence remained incomplete as he ran a hand through his hair.

For a few moments, he simply stood there, quickly recalling the episode she had mentioned. The visit to the clothing store, the way she had transformed a seemingly simple situation into something far more interesting than any ordinary outing.

Damon finally rose from the armchair.

The candles on the table continued to burn slowly as he walked calmly to the door of the room. The mansion’s hallway was silent, illuminated only by the lanterns fixed to the wooden walls.

He opened the door and stepped into the hallway.

For a moment, Damon looked to both sides of the empty hallway.

Then he let out a small, low laugh.

“She definitely planned this.”

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