The journey to Moonvilla took nearly two hours by carriage.
Their escort consisted of a bunch of maids, two of whom Qin Wei recognized as Thea's personal attendants, and a handful of armed guards clad in the House Griffin's blue-and-white armor.
The road curved gracefully through the core of Ashenford City, which looked quite bustling during the morning.
Inside the carriage, however, the atmosphere was quite restrained.
Qin Wei sat comfortably with a hand resting on his knee, peering out the window with idle curiosity.
Thea, by contrast, sat straight-backed, arms folded, eyes closed in light meditation, as though she had no intention to talk to him. Qin Wei didn't disturb her either.
When they finally arrived, the carriage slowed at a pristine stone gate. Twin lion statues flanked the entrance, staring with such sharp eyes as though judging those who dared to enter.
As the gate swung open, the villa revealed itself to be a sturdy stone house with timbered beams and tall, narrow windows. There was a courtyard stretched before it, ringed by stables and workshops.
Beyond the walls lay orchards and rose gardens, filling the place with their fragrance. At the heart of the grounds, a fountain is placed with the statue of four lions, spitting out water outward in different directions.
Stepping down from the carriage, Qin Wei took it all in with a low whistle. "This is nicer than I expected."
"Get used to it, then," Thea said at last as she followed him down, but her voice seemed quite cold, in contrast to the words she wrote him in the letter. "Once I return to my training, it will be you and Vanessa managing this place."
Qin Wei didn't know what was happening with her, but he played along with an indifferent shrug of his shoulders.
Vanessa, who stood nearby giving orders to the servants to begin unloading their belongings, gave a loud snort but said nothing.
As the maids scattered into motion and guards took their posts, Qin Wei stood still for a moment at the steps of the main hall.
His gaze swept across the courtyard, then up toward the villa's main structure, the Moonlight Hall, where he would be spending most of his days.
Or so he expected.
But then, Thea gave him a twist.
"Vanessa," she said sharply, her tone brisk and formal. "Take him to his quarters and recite to him the rules."
Without waiting for acknowledgment, she turned and headed straight toward the Moonlight Hall, leaving behind a surprised Qin Wei. "Eh?"
He raised an eyebrow but said nothing, adjusting the cuffs of his new robe.
Vanessa motioned silently, and he followed her southward, toward a quieter part of the estate instead.
The southern wing was separated from the main residence by a line of red maples.
The moment they passed beneath the oak gate, Qin Wei's new living space unfolded before him: five spacious rooms wrapped around a small courtyard.
It was nothing like the main residence, but since it screams privacy, he wouldn't mind living here either. After all, he lived for 10 years in his past life, confined himself to those four walls, writing novels all the time. Isolation doesn't scare him. The only thing he didn't understand was why. Did his wife really intend to live separately from him? Qin Wei was confused by her actions.
As soon as he entered the main chamber and took a seat beneath a wide painting of what seemed like a battle between humans and the demons, Vanessa remained standing and cleared her throat.
"Now that we're here, Master Icarus," she began with practiced crispness, "here are the house rules as dictated by Lady Thea and approved by the Lord himself."
Qin Wei arched an eyebrow and leaned back slightly. "Can't wait."
Vanessa ignored the sarcasm.
"Rule One: You are not to step outside this residence without at least one battle maid accompanying you. This is non-negotiable."
"Hmm..."
"Rule Two: You are forbidden from laying a hand on any of the maids assigned to you by the House Griffin."
"Rule Three: You may hire sexual maids for personal service if you wish, but their costs are your burden, not the family's. Also, you may only approach them when Milady is absent from Moonvilla, not at your convenience."
"Rule Four: Whenever a relative from the House Griffin visits Moonvilla, you shall sleep in the main residence. And if Lady Thea is absent, you will host them yourself."
"Rule Five: You will receive a monthly allowance of 200 gold coins, which you have the freedom to spend however you want with no questions asked. An additional 500 coins will be given for other expenses, but it has to be reported in detail."
"Rule Six: You may not take in a secondary wife and Mistresses without Lady Thea's written approval."
"Rule Seven: You are strictly forbidden from visiting brothels. You may visit a gambling house, but with the approval of Lady Thea. If Lady Thea is absent, your protector and personal battle maid, Vanessa's permission is required."
"Rule Eight: You may employ servants and bodyguards at your own expense, but they will have to go through a full background verification. And if they are to be paid by the family, you will need approval from Lady Thea or the Lord."
"Rule Nine: You may accept gifts from the visitors, but you must report each one to Lady Thea, in writing."
"And finally, Rule Ten: You may not leave Ashenford City without Lady Thea's approval. In emergencies where she is unavailable, I have full authority to act in her stead."
She finished reciting without so much as glancing at a scroll.
As an afterthought, she added, "Failure to comply with any rule will result in punishment, which range from reduction of allowance to restriction of facilities and even more freedom."
Qin Wei rose from his seat slowly, walking to the open window overlooking the garden while going through every rule in his mind.
After thinking a bit, he said in a light tone but edged with a tiny bit of displeasure, "So, briefly speaking, I'm a bird in a golden cage, and you're the keeper?"
Vanessa bowed slightly. "If you may consider yourself as a bird in a cage, then, yes, I'm the cage keeper."
A moment of silence passed.
Qin Wei didn't bother to argue or react to any of Vanessa's words. He simply nodded to Vanessa. "I understand."
He didn't ask further questions. Just turned his back, heading toward the bed. "I'm a bit tired, I'll rest for now."
Vanessa hesitated for a fraction of a second, perhaps expecting him to demand more, or perhaps curious if he would lash out, but seeing no such reaction, the battle maid bowed slightly, turned, and walked away without another word. The heavy wooden door slid shut with a soft thunk.
As silence settled over the room, Qin Wei let himself fall backward onto the bed with his arms spread. "Ugh…" he groaned, staring at the painted ceiling of clouds and cranes.
"Those damn rules are too insulting."
Can't go out alone. Can't touch the maids. Must get permission to sneeze.
Complaining for a while, Qin Wei forced himself to drift into sleep.
But not long after, from the shadows of the dimly lit room, a figure emerged, tall and graceful, cloaked in tight-fitting assassin's attire.
Her face was hidden beneath a thin muslin veil, and her long hair flowed like dark silk down her back.
She reached the bed soundlessly, like her presence no more disruptive than the wind. Sitting beside him, she slowly raised a gleaming dagger with both hands.
But just as she began to drive the weapon down…
His hand snapped up, catching her wrist in reflex.
Qin Wei's eyes flared open at the same time, and in an instant, they shifted, one eye turning radiant white while the other pitch black.
"Wha..."
The assassin gasped softly in surprise. That moment of hesitation was all he needed for Qin Wei to act.
They struggled a bit before her blade was knocked away with a twist of his elbow. She fell back, and he pinned her to the bed in one smooth motion, and then pressed his body against hers. "Who are..."
Her veil slipped right then, revealing her face.
Qin Wei froze for a breath as he recognized the face. "Luna?" he gasped in surprise.