An Owl's Rise

Chapter 486: Chapter 486 The First Annoyance

After Maeve had finished paying her respects to her parents’ graves, Evelyn, along Rehni, Aralee, and Lucia followed her back inside her residence. Which was the size of a mansion without even counting the side building on the grounds.

Immediately she called for her attendants to gather and told all of them of her intent to become the next head of the Taidale.

"The Patriarch already favored me for the role before my departure five years ago, and now I have come back far stronger and prepared. I promise that the support and loyalty you have all shown me will be rewarded."

"Understood Lady Maeve. We will do what we can to help facilitate your desires." The head of Maeve’s staff, a woman by the name of Meredith said.

She, along with three of the other servants, were beaming at the announcement.

However, Evelyn noted that Beatrice, and one other girl she had not gotten the name of, were less enthusiastic.

Evelyn did not know if this was because they were afraid of the potential danger Maeve’s actions might put them in, or for some other reason.

’Whatever it might be, I should keep an eye on the two of them. Best to curb any potential problems before they begin.’

With her objective made clear, Maeve began instructing her servants to prepare letters to be sent out to certain members of the family.

She wanted to get into contact with those that supported her or her parents in the past. Naturally, this included the current head of the family.

If they received her great grandfather’s support, that make all of this much easier. Though, even without it, Evelyn, Lucia, Rehni, Bylur, and Aralee planned to force the issue if necessary.

"Meredith. I have something else for you to do. I’ve been away for some time and need to know the current state of the family. I understand that you may not know everything but tell me what you can. Ignorance will only serve to harm me."

Maeve’s head attendant nodded her head and was about to do so, when a soft sound chimed through the building.

Evelyn had no idea what the noise meant, but from the changes in Maeve’s and Meredith’s expression, she figured that they did.

"Lady Maeve, we have guests. Should I go and greet them?" Meredith asked.

Maeve gave her approval, and the matronly head servant gracefully hurried towards the entrance to meet the people that had just rang what was essentially a magic doorbell.

Not caring to wait until the new arrivals were in front of them, Evelyn subtly spread out her wind magic to gain a feel for who was approaching.

She picked up seven individuals that were all wearing elaborate robes and had several magic items on their person.

Four of them were at the low tier of the mage rank, two were at the mid-tier, and one was at the peak.

Evelyn relaxed a bit when she felt how weak they were. Even if a fight did break out, any one of them could handle the group.

Naturally, Evelyn relayed the information she had discovered to the others, and while the tension in Maeve’s face left, it was replaced with a hint of irritation.

"I suspect that its one or more of my cousins and their followers. Any of my aunts or uncles that hold positions of prominence have already reached the arcanist rank. Maeve said, her expression similar to if she had been forced to swallow something especially bitter.

"I figured that this would happen eventually, I just wish that they would have waited until tomorrow so that I could have gotten my bearings."

Maeve clearly did not want to deal with any of her family members right now, but she knew better than to turn them away.

Doing so would give them justification to criticize her even if it was rude of them to show up unannounced in the first place.

Unfortunately, Maeve had a lot enemies among her family, and plenty of them would lend and ear and help spread nasty rumors if given even the slightest opening.

Since she wanted to meet with her great grandfather and potential family members that might become her allies in order to develop a support base, she could not start making any overt moves yet.

She would just have to deal with whichever one of her cousins was showing their face.

"Lady Maeve, Lord Wilfried is here to see you." Meredith said, wearing a smile that did not reach her eyes.

It was obvious from the woman’s change in demeanor that this Wilfried was not one of the few members of the Taidale Family that were friendly, or at least neutral towards Maeve.

’Yep, he’s just as a I thought. If someone were to look up the term, ’Stuck Up Prick.’ A picture of this guy would be right there as an example.’

A single look at the man at the front of the group was enough for Evelyn to figure out what kind of person he was.

There was a haughty grin on his face, like he was the most important person in the world. Along with a malicious glint in his eyes when he looked at Maeve.

His slicked back blond hair, dark green eyes, and twirly mustache that honestly looked a bit too thin and probably should have been shaved off, gave him the impression of some minor bully who would go screaming to his rich parents the second things started going wrong for him.

His hangers-on were not any better.

Each of them screamed two-bit thug expect for the sole woman of the group.

Instead, her admittedly cute face was caked in far too much makeup to try and give herself a more mature look, and she was draped in so much jewelry that Evelyn was almost convinced that it was a form of weight training.

Yet it all just ended up making her look out of place and ostentatious rather than whatever intended effect the girl was going for.

"Wilfried, to what do I owe the pleasure of your sudden arrival. I just returned home not but a little while ago. You must have been eager to greet me. I’m touched that you care so much about me, cousin."

Maeve’s words might have seemed pleasant enough on the surface, but they were laced with criticism.

No doubt Wilfried picked up on this, but he did not seem to be the type that would take a hint.

Maeve was trying to get him to leave quickly.

Regrettably, her cousin had come here for a reason and he was not going to stop now.

"Yes, I wanted to see how you’ve fared after being gone for so long. Though, this is hardly a place to have such a conversation. Shouldn’t you welcome your guests into your parlor. Or could it be that this place has fallen into such disrepair that you cannot even accommodate seven people." Wilfried said, his tone chiding and his lips turned up into a smug grin.

His followers started laughing and a couple threw their own barely disguised insults in the form of concern at Maeve.

"I’m perfectly capable of receiving guests. However, you and your friends arrived here unannounced, not even an hour after I returned to my residence. I’d be more than happy to host all of you two days from now, if you send a proper letter first. So, as appreciative as I am for your greeting and concern, I would ask that you come back later." Maeve said as affably as she could manage.

Except, despite her trying to end things cordially, Wilfried never had any intention of doing so.

So, he sneered at her and said, "I came all the way from my residence on the other side of the estate just to meet with you, and this is how you treat me. You! Someone that could barely even be considered a member of this family.

"You were supposed to be in the Miris Sect. But you ran away not long after your arrival and have been missing for five years. And now you think that you can just come back here after like nothing happened after so long. I don’t know if you’re just pitiful, or so dense that you don’t understand your place. You should be rejoicing that I even deigned to visit you. That you were even let back into the estate was only because of that stunt out in the city you pulled. Had you shown up at the gate without all that fanfare, you would have been turned away."

It had not taken much for Wilfried to reveal his true character and feelings.

He sneered at Maeve, clearly trying to get a reaction out of her.

However, while her smile became stiffer, she did not respond to his provocations.

Evelyn, on the other hand, was well and truly done with this.

She stepped forward, putting herself between Maeve and Wilfried and get as close to the man as she was willing to do.

"Go. Or I will be forced to move you."