The conflict did not disappear immediately — it lay dormant.
After the Trevern visit, the pressure became more subtle and dangerous. The letters no longer contained direct threats, but they carried a warning. Attempts were made to bribe the mine managers, copies of documents suddenly "went missing" in the capital, and rumors about my involvement in the count's death began to spread faster than I had expected.
That's when I realized that defense wasn't enough. We could reinforce the walls, hire guards, build barricades of laws and connections, but that would only delay the inevitable. The Trevern family was like a river washing away the shore: slowly but surely. If we didn't take the initiative, they would flood us.
"We will act openly," I told Ruby one morning as we sat in my office. Ruby nodded, but I saw a flicker of anxiety in her eyes. "And we will be the first."
"Are you sure, Auntie? That might attract even more attention."
