Chapter 140: Becoming a spy.

Trinity frowned at her. "Didn’t your father prepare you for this? I thought he would drop some hints. I can’t believe they sent you into this marriage as a blank sheet." She muttered a curse. It was bad enough that she was a stupid fool, but she was clueless too.

The woman reeked of sex--with a low-born. Did she even know that? Anyone with a sharp smelling sense could tell. If Sabrina brought a salamander and it sniffed between Lita’s legs, it would find her adulterer within seconds.

It seemed silly Lita was not aware of the ways in which privileged families kept their bloodlines from being mixed by low-borns looking to elevate their statuses. This was another mess she would have to clean up. "I can’t believe they sent me a whore!" She muttered.

Meanwhile Lita was still coming to the realization that she was being used as a pawn in a game she didn’t even know existed. Lita was not happy especially because her father had probably known about this from the start. She was not happy at all. Her hands trembled with a mix of fury and sheer panic.

"How can you treat my life like a game?" Lita demanded, her voice cracking slightly under the weight of her emotions. "I’m a real person! I have feelings! This is my life!"

Trinity’s face remained completely expressionless, though a cold, sharp smile touched the corners of her lips. She didn’t look bothered at all. She raised a teacup that an assistant handed to her, taking a slow sip before looking Lita dead in the eye.

"You are low-born, Lita," Trinity said bluntly, her tone as smooth as silk and twice as cold. "Instead of crying, you should be happy that I, the Divine Maiden, have found a use for you. In this world, those without power are used like toys by those who have it. That is just how the world works. If you don’t want to be a toy, build your own power by joining my side. Or build it without me, but I doubt you have the ability."

Lita folded her lips tightly, the harsh words sinking deep into her chest. It hurt, but worse than that, it was true. This was a world where the strong ate the weak for breakfast. She wasn’t going to gain any real power just by being the pitied, outcast daughter-in-law of the Kaelion family. They looked at her like a bug. They would never accept her unless she had a Soul maiden daughter and this was not guaranteed. Since they didn’t want her...why not join Trinity? At least Trinity was honest about being a villain.

Lita stood up straight, wiping her dusty hands on her skirt. "If I decide to become your spy... what’s in it for me?"

Trinity placed the teacup gently back onto the saucer with a soft clink. "Now you are talking like someone that wants power, I will give you protection. I can’t directly defend you inside the Kaelion estate, of course_ that would look suspicious. But I can teach you how to become powerful inside that house. And, of course, money and connections. A lot of it. Enough energy stones to fill a small mountain with time. The Kaelions are not going to empower and nor will your father."

Lita shifted in her seat. Her eyes sparkled just a bit at the mention of the rewards. Connections and protection plus a mountain of energy stones? She was already tempted. She leaned forward. "How exactly do I get this power?"

Trinity tilted her head, her smile turning sly. "Are you accepting my offer, then?"

Lita nodded strongly, her mind made up. "Yes! I’ll do it. I’ll report every single piece of important gossip_ I mean, information_ I get my hands on!"

"Good," Trinity smiled, giving a single nod of approval. "First, you have to take care of the Grand Patriarch. Find a way to become his favorite little sweetheart. He holds the real authority in the family, if you have his support, your life in that family will be better as will your access be to their private vaults. I will give you tips on how to wrap that grumpy old man around your finger."

"Okay, Grand Patriarch, check," Lita muttered, taking mental notes.

"Second, befriend the servants," Trinity continued, ticking off a finger. "If anyone knows the secrets floating around that household, it’s the servants. Treat them well, eat with them, listen to them complain. Be one with them."

"I already had a bad start with them but, it cannot be hard to switch them around," Lita said.

"Third_" Trinity smirked, "_lick Sabrina’s feet. Make her like you. She’s powerful in the trade and hunter guilds. If she likes you, she’ll be forced to give you a position in the black flower guild, which gives you your own standing."

Lita swallowed hard, her mouth suddenly feeling very dry. "Lick her feet? Metaphorically, right? Please say metaphorically."

Trinity ignored the question entirely.

"What about Elliot?" Lita asked, her face heating up as she remembered her ice-cold, terrifying new husband. "Sabrina told me_ she told me I need to give him a baby to secure my standing in the family."

Trinity let out a long, heavy sigh, rubbing her temples as if Elliot gave her an instant headache. "Ah, Elliot. He is another problem entirely. But_ maybe a baby could soften his stone-cold heart. That is, assuming you can actually get him to sleep in the same room as you. If those rumors about him being an unfeeling ice block are true, good luck."

Lita nodded in understanding, pumping her fist with fake confidence. "Right. I’ll... I’ll have to try. Maybe I’ll put some arousing powder in his tea. Or wear a nice outfit."

Trinity blinked. "Just be careful with him, Lita. He might snap your neck before you get within a foot of him."

"Right, I will," Lita quickly corrected herself. She checked the small wristwatch on her wrist and gasped. "Oh no! I have to leave before Sabrina finds out I came here! She’ll skin me alive!"

Trinity laughed softly. "She probably already knows that you are here. Sabrina has ears everywhere in this city. But don’t panic. If she asks, I will tell her you came here begging for advice on how to be a good, dutiful daughter-in-law, and that you brought an offering for the sanctum."

A small, relieved smile formed on Lita’s face. "That’s... actually really smart."

Trinity pulled out her phone, tapped it, and made a quick call. "Bring me a box of high-grade dried persimmons. Now."

A few moments later, a guard bowed and delivered a beautifully wrapped box. Trinity pushed it across the table to Lita. "Take these to the Grand Patriarch. Find a way of giving it to him indirectly. Maybe this evening as he feeds his fish."

Lita looked down at the box of dried fruit. Dried persimmons? The Grand Patriarch was an ancient, terrifying master who could split mountains with his fist. He could buy a whole orchard of persimmons if he wanted to! After all it was a fruit only the rich enjoyed. But Lita didn’t ask questions. She picked up the box and hugged it tight against her chest.

Trinity twisted her nose. "Go to a restaurant with a nice bathroom, order food that takes long to be delivered and use the opportunity to bump into a waiter. Make sure food rubs all over you. Then take a bath and change into new clothes. You reek of low-born sperm."

Lita paled.

Trinity sneered. "Kill the idiot you slept with as soon as possible. When you get home, your privates will be sniffed for traces of illegal sex. My assistant will give you a cream to apply that will mask the scent and heal whatever signs of fuckery are down there before you are checked."

Lita’s hands trembled. "Wait...what? they check for what?"

Trinity laughed. "Welcome to life in a privileged first-class family. Now, you owe me one, because I have just saved your life."

Lita’s almost collapsed there and then. This wasn’t just a marriage anymore. This was a game of survival.