Esper Harem in the Apocalypse

Chapter 1167: Empowering Niti

Rudy guided Niti down the damp stone corridor, moving away from the washing pavilion with slow, unhurried strides. Large, glistening drops of moisture clung to the rough-hewn obsidian bricks, reflecting the dim torchlight illuminating the basement levels.

Niti kept her chin buried against her chest, her small hands frantically picking at the damp, soap-scented fabric of her stained apron. Every few steps, her gaze flicked to the stone floor, terrified that the heavy clatter of her leather flats might draw unwanted attention.

They had barely crossed the threshold into the main logistical hall when a sharp heel clicked against the flagstones.

A tall, pale vampire wearing a pristine black uniform and holding a heavy silver-embossed clipboard slid into their path. It was Mistress Verna, the senior overseer of the lower palace staff. Directly behind her, Elara paced like a caged animal, her fangs fully bared and her finger pointing aggressively over Verna’s shoulder.

"Stop right there," Verna commanded, her cold, monotonous voice echoing off the vaulted stone arches. She tapped her heavy silver pen against the edge of the clipboard. "Niti, you have left your designated workstation without authorization. The mountain of royal cookware remains unwashed. Return to the basins this instant, or your rations will be permanently forfeited."

Rudy shifted his weight, stepping directly in front of Niti to block the overseer’s piercing glare. He buried his hands deep inside his trouser pockets, his pristine black suit forming a stark contrast against the dark, grimy basement surroundings.

"She is finished with the basins," Rudy announced smoothly, his tone entirely casual. "In fact, she is finished with your entire department."

Verna narrowed her blood-red eyes, looking Rudy up and down with profound condescension. "A mere human thinks he can dictate the logistical hierarchy of the OrionHeart Palace? Castle staff are bound by royal blood contracts. You possess absolutely zero authority here."

Rudy did not look at the overseer. He tilted his head slightly, speaking directly to the trembling woman standing in his shadow.

"Tell her, Niti," Rudy murmured, his voice cutting through the damp chill of the hallway. "You need to say the words yourself. No one else is going to claim your freedom for you."

Niti’s breath caught in her throat. She stared at Rudy’s broad back, her heart hammering violently against her ribs.

For over a century, she had quietly endured the systematic bullying, the extra chores, and the cruel whispers of the other maids, viewing the endless labor as a necessary shield to protect the half-human Princess Jane from the court’s vitriol.

"I... I cannot," Niti whispered, her voice cracking. "If I leave, they will make Jane’s life a living hell when she returns from the trial."

"Jane is a warrior," Rudy countered, turning his head to look at her with an encouraging smirk. "She would gladly starve for a month if it meant seeing you finally stand up for yourself. Stop letting these lesser parasites use your loyalty as a weapon against you. Tell her."

Elara sneered, taking a bold step forward to grab Niti’s wet sleeve. "Don’t listen to this mortal insect! You belong in the kitchens, scrubbing—"

Rudy shifted his weight by a fraction of an inch. A heavy, localized wave of raw gravitational pressure snapped outward from his position, instantly slamming Elara face-first onto the stone floor.

The flagstones cracked beneath her chin, and she let out a strangled, choked gasp, completely pinned by the localized force.

Verna stumbled back, her clipboard rattling against her silver rings as she felt the ambient temperature in the hallway plummet to freezing levels.

"I am waiting, Niti," Rudy stated calmly, completely ignoring the groveling vampire at his feet.

Niti looked down at Elara, then up at Verna’s pale, terrified face. A sudden spark of long-buried dignity ignited within her hazel eyes. She straightened her spine, pulling her hand away from her wet apron, and squared her shoulders.

"I resign," Niti declared, her voice ringing out clearly across the grand corridor. "I am completely finished with your dishes, Verna. I belong to Jane’s household, and I will no longer carry the weight of your entire staff."

Verna swallowed hard, her bureaucratic pride thoroughly shattered by the sudden display of overwhelming force. She dropped her clipboard to her side, watching helplessly as Rudy offered his arm to the maid.

"Perfect," Rudy smiled. He guided Niti past the shivering overseer, stepping over Elara’s pinned body without a second thought. "Now, let’s go find a place to dry your uniform."

They navigated the labyrinthine lower tunnels, leaving the screaming drama of the servant hierarchy behind. Rudy led her toward a small, secluded courtyard situated on the eastern fringe of the living quarters.

A thick canopy of dark ivy overhung the stone walls, filtering the crimson light of the vampire sky into a soft shadow.

Niti leaned against a stone pillar, letting out a long, shuddering sigh of relief. "Thank you. I never would have found the courage to walk out of that room on my own."

"You did the hard part yourself," Rudy replied, leaning against the parallel archway with a relaxed posture. "I just provided the background music."

Before Niti could wring out the remaining moisture from her hair, a faint scratching sound echoed from the dark corridor adjacent to the courtyard. It was the distinct sound of heavy wooden crates dragging across stone, followed by low, hushed whispers.

Rudy instantly held up a single finger, silencing her. Niti froze, her survival instincts kicking in as she stepped into the deep shadow of the ivy canopy. They pressed their backs against the cool stone wall, creeping closer to the heavy mahogany doors of an old, abandoned supply vault.

The doors were slightly ajar, letting a sliver of candlelight slice through the darkness of the hall.

"Hurry up, you fools," Clara’s sharp, irritated voice drifted through the gap. "The twins are completely isolated on their sacred trial, and King Virgil is too distracted by the political borders to check the deep reserves. If we don’t move the refined silver crates out through the eastern gates by midnight, the vanguard guards will rotate shifts."