Chapter 9: Inspection
The inspection did not begin loudly.
There was no announcement sent through the mansion, no servants rushing about in a panic, no visible preparation meant to draw attention. That alone told Lucian everything he needed to know.
This was not meant to intimidate.
It was meant to measure.
Lucian woke early, not because he was restless, but because the mansion itself had shifted into a different rhythm. The faint sounds of footsteps in the corridors followed patterns he had not heard before—measured, deliberate, unfamiliar.
Aria was already awake.
"They're moving," she said quietly, standing near the door. "Not guards. Officials."
Lucian sat up slowly and nodded once. "As expected."
He dressed without hurry, choosing simple attire—neither formal nor careless. The kind of clothing that did not invite interpretation.
Aria observed him as he adjusted his cuffs.
"They will test more than cultivation," she said.
"Yes."
"They will test behavior."
"Yes."
"And relationships."
Lucian paused briefly.
"…Especially that."
That was the real danger.
An inspection was never about what was visible. It was about what reacted when pressure was applied.
A knock came at the door.
Lucian did not tell Aria to open it immediately. He waited a few breaths longer than necessary. Not enough to be rude. Enough to establish pace.
Then he nodded.
Aria opened the door.
Three men stood outside.
All wore neutral robes bearing the Valemont crest—official, but not personal. Two were elders from the internal council. The third was unfamiliar, his presence sharper, more controlled.
An auditor.
Lucian noted that immediately.
"Young Master Lucian," one of the elders said with a polite incline of his head. "We will be conducting a routine inspection today."
"Of course," Lucian replied calmly. "Please come in."
No resistance.
No confusion.
The men exchanged a brief glance before stepping inside.
The auditor's gaze swept the room quickly—not lingering on furniture, but on space. Distances. Sightlines. The window. The door.
Trained.
Lucian stepped aside slightly, allowing them a clear path.
"This inspection will include a review of your cultivation, resources, and personal arrangements," the elder continued. "It is not accusatory."
Lucian nodded. "I understand."
They began with the obvious.
The room was modest. Sparse. No hidden artifacts. No excessive resources. Nothing that suggested hoarding or preparation.
The auditor moved toward the desk.
"May I?" he asked.
Lucian gestured. "Go ahead."
The man inspected the drawers carefully, using a thin thread of mana to check for concealed compartments. He found nothing.
Lucian had expected that.
They moved to the window.
"Do you always keep it open?" the auditor asked.
"Only during the day," Lucian replied. "Ventilation."
Reasonable.
Too reasonable.
The auditor's gaze flicked to Aria.
"And your maid," he said. "She is new."
"Yes."
"Unregistered," the elder added.
Lucian met his gaze. "She was registered yesterday."
The elder frowned slightly and glanced at the auditor.
"Confirmed," the auditor said after a brief pause. "Late entry. Approved by the Marquis."
That piece of information landed heavily.
Lucian did not react.
The elder nodded slowly. "Very well."
They turned their attention to cultivation.
"Please circulate your mana," the elder said. "Slowly."
Lucian complied.
He did not suppress it completely, nor did he release it fully. He allowed just enough to confirm his realm—Awakening Stage, peak tier—while keeping the deeper layers folded inward.
The auditor watched closely.
No fluctuations.
No instability.
No residue from the tonic.
Lucian could feel the man's confusion.
The elder cleared his throat. "Your progress is… notable."
"Yes," Lucian replied.
"May we ask how you cultivated?" the auditor said.
Lucian considered the question.
"I followed a breathing technique," he said. "Nothing extraordinary."
That was true.
And incomplete.
The auditor did not push further.
Instead, he changed direction.
"Do you have any private instructors?" he asked.
"No."
"External contacts?"
"No."
"Private funding?"
"No."
The elder frowned. "Then how did you—"
"Consistency," Lucian said calmly. "And time."
The words were unremarkable.
The implication was not.
They moved on.
Resources were checked next.
Allowance usage.
Minimal.
No recent withdrawals.
No unusual purchases.
No accumulation of pills or artifacts.
The elder's expression grew tighter with each confirmation.
This did not fit.
Finally, they turned to Aria.
"Step forward," the auditor said.
Aria complied, posture relaxed.
"What is your role?" he asked.
"I serve my lord," she replied.
"Only that?"
"Yes."
The auditor's gaze sharpened. "You are not a combat retainer?"
"No."
"A guard?"
"No."
"A spy?"
"No."
Each answer was calm.
Too calm.
The auditor took a step closer and released a thin thread of pressure.
Aria did not react.
Lucian felt it immediately.
He raised his gaze.
"That is unnecessary," he said.
The pressure vanished.
The auditor stiffened slightly.
The elder coughed. "We are merely being thorough."
"I understand," Lucian replied. "But she is registered as a maid. Nothing more."
The auditor studied Lucian for a long moment.
Then he nodded.
"Very well."
The inspection continued for another hour.
Nothing was found.
Nothing reacted.
Nothing broke.
By the end, frustration was evident—subtle, but present.
The elder finally closed his ledger.
"This concludes the inspection," he said. "Thank you for your cooperation."
Lucian inclined his head. "Of course."
They left without another word.
The moment the door closed, Aria spoke.
"They learned nothing."
"Yes," Lucian said.
"That will bother them."
"Yes."
The system surfaced quietly.
[Inspection Event Concluded.]
[Outcome: Inconclusive.]
[Narrative Pressure: Increased.]
Lucian dismissed it.
Elsewhere, Cassius Valemont received the report.
He read it once.
Then again.
Then a third time.
"Inconclusive?" he murmured.
No violations.
No irregularities.
No reactions.
Cassius leaned back slowly.
That was worse than failure.
That meant Lucian had anticipated the inspection.
Which meant Lucian had anticipated him.
Cassius closed the report.
"…Annoying."
Across the estate, the Marquis read the same document.
He did not frown.
He did not smile.
He simply set it aside.
"So," he said quietly, "you prepared for scrutiny."
The Marquis stood and walked toward the window.
Lucian Valemont had passed the inspection.
Which meant the next test would not be gentle.
And this time—
It would not follow rules.