Chapter 134: The rules of the Kaelion house.

Lita practically jumped out of the seat, her heart pounding against her ribs. Her heart started to thud and her mind raced. Why was Andrea asking about Sunshine? She clearly remembered her father telling her to stick to the story the Divine maiden had fabricated. She was already disliked in this house for her poor background; she couldn’t risk adding murderer to the list of reasons why she was the bad choice for Sabrina’s precious son.

"I... kidnapped. She was kidnapped." Lita blurted and quickly continued. "About the chair, I-I’m so sorry, mother, sister-in-law," she stammered, standing awkwardly in the center of the room. She bit down hard on the inside of her cheek, her fingernails digging into her palms.

Andrea shrugged. "Okay. How boring."

Sabrina didn’t acknowledge the apology or the lie about Zyra. Instead, she walked over to the shelf, picked up a book from the center, and casually threw it to Lita.

Lita fumbled, barely catching it with nervous hands. This too annoyed her. Couldn’t the woman hand over the book properly like a normal human? This action had to be another form of humiliation.

"That first one," Sabrina said coldly, "is the history and protocols of the Kaelion family. What we do, what we do not do, and especially how we conduct ourselves in public. Let me remind you, girl, you signed a strict non-disclosure agreement. Whatever happens within the walls of the Kaelion estate stays inside. If a single rumor leaves this house, your entire bloodline will pay for it."

Lita nodded quickly, holding the heavy book. Truthfully, she couldn’t remember signing any NDA, but then she remembered her father frantically shoving legal papers into her face days before the wedding. In her rebellious anger back then, she had refused to read a single word and just scribbled her name and signature. Great. I imprisoned myself without knowing, she thought bitterly.

Another book was tossed at her, and she leaped to catch it.

"The next book," Sabrina continued, approaching and pacing around Lita like a drill sergeant, "details like the Grand Patriarch’s personal likes, dislikes, his dietary restrictions, and exactly how you are expected to serve him. If his tea is one degree too hot, you will answer to me."

A third, even heavier volume hit Lita’s hands, shoved into her arms by Andrea.

Sabrina snapped her fingers, staring down at Lita. "That one outlines your expectations to the entire household as our lowest-ranking daughter-in-law. You are at the bottom of the food chain here, Lita. Act like it. This whole rebellious princess act will not work here. Being humble on the other hand, will earn you a peaceful life."

The final, massive book landed on top of the pile, nearly causing Lita to drop the whole stack. Andrea shoved it into her arms with unnecessary force.

"And the last one is a marital guide. It details exactly how you are supposed to serve and please your husband." Sabrina shared, in a cold voice.

Lita stood there, struggling to balance the heavy volumes in her arms. Two were so thick they could be used as deadly weapons. She groaned internally, wondering if she would even finish reading these by the time she turned eighty.

She stood perfectly still as Sabrina dived into Elliot’s information with a rare smile. The moment her husband’s name left Sabrina’s mouth, her tone shifted. From her proud, glowing speech, Lita could easily tell that Elliot was absolutely his mother’s favorite child. He was praised as a peerless hunter genius, a warrior, a god among men.

But then, Sabrina paused, her eyes narrowing as she looked Lita up and down. "Elliot is a hard, unyielding man. He has no time for weakness. I believe the only way to soften his rough edges is for you to give him a child. A grandson for this house. A baby will soften his heart and bring back the old Elliot. "

Lita’s face burned. She nervously tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear, her voice trembling slightly. "M-Mother... how is that going to be possible when I have never even met my husband? He wasn’t even at our wedding."

Sabrina scoffed, waving her hand dismissively. "Be patient with my son. He will be back in time for the general clan meeting. When he arrives, you are to use your... sexual skills to entice him into sleeping with you." Sabrina’s lip curled in disgust. "Low-born women like you are supposed to be naturally good at that sort of thing anyway, aren’t you? Since your people contribute absolutely nothing of value to the new world, the only thing you are good for is procreation to fill the army and do menial work."

From the corner of the room, Andrea let out a cruel chuckle, resting her chin on her hand. "Oh, wow. This is going to be a fun to watch. I can’t wait for the show."

Sabrina ignored her and glared at Lita. "Have you understood everything I said?"

Lita quickly nodded, her throat tight. "Yes, Mother." A child would be good for her too. It would elevate her status. If she was lucky, she could give birth to a Soul maiden. Who would look down on her then? Even Andrea would have to bow before her.

"Good, if you give me a grandchild your status here will change. Now get out of my sight," Sabrina said, shooing her away with an impatient flick of her wrist.

Lita turned on her heel to leave. But as she reached the door, she suddenly remembered something crucial. She stopped, wiped her eyes quickly, and turned back around.

"Mother... may I please have permission to go out to the mall? I need to buy a few basic essentials," Lita asked, her voice small.

Andrea instantly winced, leaning forward in her chair, her eyes flashing suspiciously. "You can just have them delivered. You’re not thinking of running away, are you?"

Lita gasped loudly, her heart stopping for a beat. She looked exactly like a thief who had just been caught red-handed with her hand in the gold vault. "N-No! I wasn’t! I swear, I just need to buy myself basic things. I will even use my own money. I really have no plans to run."

Sabrina eyed her coldly for a long, agonizing moment. "That better be true. If you run, we will hunt you down. I give you permission but be back before 5pm. You have to prepare dinner with the cooks."

"Thank you, Mother," Lita whispered. She clutched the books to her chest, opened the door, and practically bolted out of the office.

Run away? Lita bit her lip as she walked down the grand hallway. She couldn’t run even if she wanted to. Her family would not hide her. In this harsh, world, living as a hunted woman was one of the worst fates one could suffer.

If she was caught, she would be thrown into the army and sent to the front line to fight wild beasts, knights and other horrors created by Somnivores.

Even if she made it to the wild lands, where would she go? She was not as crazy as Zyra to risk her life for freedom.

No, running wasn’t the answer. But she wasn’t completely helpless. As soon as she got to the city, she would go straight to the Mystic sanctum. She would tell the Divine Maiden everything that was happening to her.

The Divine Maiden was powerful, kind, and just_ surely, she would know how to help her.