Chapter 143: The Baines Family’s Madams!

Despite the tremendous satisfaction brought by his latest cultivation breakthrough, Damian had no intention of immediately resuming his advancement toward Foundation Establishment.

Three entire days had passed since he entered seclusion, and when he considered his activities before that, it had been almost a week since he last visited Shengyuan!

Ordinarily, that wouldn’t have been much of a concern, especially when he considered how cultivators viewed the passage of time.

For someone at Qi Condensation, spending several weeks or even months in secluded cultivation was hardly unusual, and the older monsters inhabiting the higher realms could presumably disappear for years without anyone finding their behavior particularly strange.

Unfortunately, there was one rather inconvenient detail separating Damian from those carefree cultivators.

A bloody war was still ongoing!

Worse, there was an ultimatum hanging over the heads of the Evergreen Sect and Azure Water Sect, courtesy of the Nightmare Corpse Sect.

The enemy had already threatened to launch an all-out offensive unless Damian was killed, expelled or surrendered into their custody, and although several developments had complicated that threat, it certainly hadn’t disappeared.

Of course, Damian had done quite a bit to improve the situation before returning to Valoria. Capturing Ning Ruomei had deprived the Nightmare Corpse Sect of an important figure, while his Holy Water and various potions had provided the two allied sects with desperately needed resources against Corpse Qi.

Then there was Lan Ruyue, whose restoration to Half-Step Foundation Establishment had substantially strengthened the Azure Water Sect’s position.

Mu Jianhong had also recovered his health, meaning the Evergreen Sect could once again rely upon its strongest protector without worrying about his deteriorating physical condition.

Taken together, those developments had completely overturned the previously dire situation confronting the two sects.

What had once appeared to be an increasingly hopeless defensive war was now a conflict in which the Nightmare Corpse Sect had genuine reasons to reconsider its next move.

Damian rubbed his chin thoughtfully, mentally reconstructing the strategic situation as he adjusted his clothing. "Hmm, I should’ve bought them at least a week’s worth of breathing room, assuming those corpse-loving bastards possess enough common sense to reconsider their plans."

Naturally, that was merely an estimate, and Damian wasn’t foolish enough to assume his enemies would behave rationally simply because doing so suited his schedule.

The Nightmare Corpse Sect had already demonstrated a willingness to employ ruthless methods, and desperation could make an enemy considerably more dangerous than confidence.

If he could guarantee another few uninterrupted days, Damian would have happily continued cultivating toward Foundation Establishment without leaving his room.

However, since no such guarantee existed, he decided that checking Shengyuan’s situation before proceeding would be the more responsible choice.

"Ah, what a pain!" Damian grumbled, stretching his newly strengthened body as he approached the door.

"Can’t a man enjoy his cultivation cheats in peace without somebody threatening to exterminate an entire sect?"

Still, before crossing realms, he had another responsibility to attend to.

His family!

......

When Damian finally emerged from his study, he discovered that the Baines Noble Family had continued developing quite comfortably without his constant supervision.

The household was considerably busier than when he first established it, with servants, retainers and employees moving between their various responsibilities under an increasingly organized chain of command.

That was precisely what Damian had wanted when he began recruiting capable people, since the entire purpose of establishing a noble family was to develop an organization capable of functioning without him personally managing every little problem.

After all, there was little point becoming a wealthy nobleman if he still had to behave like an overworked warehouse supervisor!

And judging from what he discovered, his four beautiful Madams were becoming an increasingly important part of that organization.

Eunice was the first person whose activities attracted his attention, although Damian found her contribution rather unsurprising.

The beautiful Priestess had apparently spent much of the past three days assisting Vivienne with household administration while occasionally visiting the commercial establishment to speak with its clerks and other employees.

Rather than issuing orders indiscriminately, Eunice preferred observing how things were done before offering suggestions, gently correcting mistakes and helping employees understand how to handle difficult customers or unexpected situations.

Her manner was patient and considerate, but there was an unmistakable authority beneath that gentleness which made people naturally listen.

Damian happened upon her discussing a matter with several employees, and he watched with considerable amusement as she patiently explained why treating an unreasonable customer with courtesy didn’t necessarily mean allowing that customer to do whatever they pleased.

The clerks listened attentively, their expressions gradually brightening as the Rastian Princess provided examples drawn from situations she had encountered during her royal education.

"Well, well! Look at you, already acting like the mistress of the house! Should I be worried that you’ll eventually take over the entire family while I’m busy cultivating?" Damian remarked as the discussion concluded, causing Eunice to turn toward him with a pleasantly surprised expression.

Eunice laughed softly before shaking her head. "You’re exaggerating, Damian, although I do believe there are several areas where our current procedures could be improved."

"Vivienne has already done an excellent job establishing the household’s administration, so I’ve mostly been helping the employees become more comfortable with their responsibilities." She added, stepping closer to him.

Damian nodded approvingly, finding absolutely nothing objectionable about the arrangement.

Eunice was a genuine royal princess, raised within an environment where diplomacy, etiquette, administration and the management of relationships formed an important part of everyday life.

More importantly, she possessed something Damian couldn’t acquire merely by increasing his Intelligence to seventy-six.

An intimate understanding of Valoria’s customs and mentality!

He might possess extraordinary comprehension and access to countless useful abilities, but none of those automatically granted him the cultural instincts of someone who had spent her entire life navigating Valorian society.

Eunice understood how people interpreted noble authority, how commoners expected to be treated and which seemingly harmless mistakes could create unnecessary resentment.

"Keep doing what you’re doing, sweetheart, because I certainly won’t complain about having someone who actually understands how nobles are supposed to behave," Damian declared with a chuckle.

"Between you and Vivienne, perhaps this family will eventually become respectable despite having me as its founder!"

Eunice merely smiled, although Damian could tell she was thoroughly pleased by his trust.

He left her to continue her work shortly afterward, confident that this particular aspect of his household required very little additional attention.

Paulina, however, was another matter entirely.

The Wolf Beastwoman had apparently decided that becoming a Madam entitled her to organize a pack, and her chosen victims were none other than Kellan, Ronan and Stella.

Every day, she dragged the three toward the training grounds and proceeded to put them through a regimen that could only be described as enthusiastically unreasonable.

When Damian arrived, he discovered four figures engaged in strenuous training, although their approaches differed considerably.

Paulina looked perfectly delighted, barking instructions with the enthusiasm of a drill instructor who had finally acquired permission to torture people professionally.

Ronan was taking the process surprisingly well, approaching each exercise with the measured attitude of an experienced warrior.

He pushed himself steadily, maintained proper technique and stopped whenever continuing would risk unnecessary injury or exhaustion.

Stella, meanwhile, possessed an entirely different philosophy.

The young woman trained with an almost frightening degree of competitiveness, constantly comparing her performance against Paulina’s and refusing to rest until she had thoroughly exhausted herself.

Unlike Ronan, who favored steady progress, Stella preferred increasing the difficulty whenever she could, pushing each exercise until her body genuinely couldn’t continue.

Damian recognized the philosophy immediately.

Progressive overload, training to failure, and absolutely no intention of allowing the person beside her to remain comfortably superior!

"Heh! Stella’s becoming quite the gym enthusiast. At this rate, Paulina might actually have to start worrying about competition." Damian remarked, watching her struggle through another exercise despite the fatigue evident in her movements.

Unfortunately, Kellan was an entirely different story.

If Ronan was the sensible gym regular and Stella was the competitive athlete, then Kellan looked like a man who had received a FaceTime call informing him that somebody was laying waste to his girlfriend.

The poor lad was operating on what the youngsters back on Earth would enthusiastically describe as ’Demon Time’!

His training possessed an almost suicidal intensity, with each exercise continuing long after his body had reached the point where an ordinary person would sensibly stop.

He would push himself until his movements deteriorated, stagger through another attempt and finally collapse when consciousness itself could no longer tolerate the abuse.

Then, after recovering sufficiently to move, he would begin again.

Damian watched the performance for several moments before releasing a heavy sigh, immediately recognizing that something was wrong.

"Paulina, sweetheart, has he been doing this the entire time I was cultivating?"

Paulina stopped her instructions and glanced toward Kellan with an unusually serious expression. "Pretty much! He’s been like this ever since we returned from exterminating those Goblins, and no matter how many times I tell him to rest, he keeps insisting that he can handle more."

Ronan shook his head from nearby, clearly finding the matter considerably less entertaining than Paulina’s usual training sessions. "The boy listens when we give him instructions, my Lord, but the moment he thinks nobody is watching, he pushes himself again."

Stella folded her arms, her expression containing a mixture of frustration and understanding. "He’s improving, but there’s a difference between pushing your limits and destroying yourself trying to pretend those limits don’t exist."

Damian regarded Kellan thoughtfully, recalling everything the boy had experienced during the recent Dark Goblin incident.

Considering what had happened, he could hardly blame the youngster for suddenly developing an obsession with becoming stronger.

However, understanding someone’s motivation didn’t necessarily mean approving of their methods.

"Kellan! Training until you black out isn’t some magical shortcut to becoming powerful, so stop treating unconsciousness like a personal achievement!" Damian called, drawing the exhausted youngster’s attention.

"I didn’t give you cultivation techniques, medicines and personal instruction just so you could destroy yourself before any enemy gets the chance!"

Kellan lowered his head, his expression tightening slightly as he struggled to respond.

Damian could tell that the boy wanted to argue, but whatever answer he had prepared gradually disappeared beneath the weight of his Lord’s displeasure.

"Listen, I understand why you’re doing this, and I’m not telling you to stop taking your training seriously," Damian continued, his expression softening somewhat.

"But if you want to become strong enough to protect the people around you, then learn how to improve without constantly putting yourself out of commission."

Kellan finally nodded, although Damian suspected the lesson would require considerable reinforcement before it properly settled.

Fortunately, Paulina seemed perfectly willing to supervise him, and Ronan and Stella were both experienced enough to recognize when enthusiasm was becoming self-destructive.

Speaking of those two, Damian had another matter to address.

"Ronan, Stella, I want both of you to understand something about your positions within the Baines Noble Family," Damian began, causing the pair to immediately straighten.

"From this point onward, your duties aren’t limited to protecting me personally, because I consider you protectors of my bloodline."

The statement immediately captured their full attention, especially when Damian explained what that responsibility would entail.

They were expected to safeguard the Four Madams, Damian himself and any children born into the Baines Family, extending their protection beyond one individual to the household’s continuing lineage.

"That doesn’t mean I intend to keep you tied to my side every hour of the day, either," Damian added, waving away the possibility before either could misunderstand him.

"You still have responsibilities to fulfill, opportunities to pursue and House Merits to earn, so I expect you to become stronger rather than spend your lives standing beside my bedroom door!"

Ronan’s lips twitched at the last remark, while Stella immediately bowed with unmistakable seriousness.

Both understood that Damian was granting them considerable trust, along with the freedom to pursue advancement through the very family system he had established.

Damian nodded in satisfaction, then left Paulina to continue terrorizing her newly acquired pack.

His next discovery was considerably more amusing.

Julia had apparently spent much of the previous three days attempting to establish a productive relationship with Serra, and the experience had tested her patience more severely than almost anything she had encountered during her Adventurer career.

The beautiful Elf had always considered herself relatively even-tempered, but dealing with the Moon Elf was beginning to challenge that assumption!

According to Julia, Serra had little interest in speaking with the other members of the household, viewing most of them as beneath her attention.

Julia was the exception, primarily because both women were pureblooded Elves who had received the direct blessings of their respective deities.

Unfortunately, their shared heritage did absolutely nothing to make the Moon Elf more agreeable.

"Damian, I genuinely believe I’ve become a more patient person over the past three days. Before meeting Serra, I never imagined I could endure this much provocation without strangling someone!" Julia declared with an expression so serious that he almost laughed.

Damian struggled to maintain a straight face, especially when Julia began explaining the nature of their conversations.

Apparently, attempting to reason with Serra as an equal had produced little more than endless arguments, offended pride and increasingly unreasonable demands.

Then, Julia discovered something remarkable.

Serra became significantly more cooperative when Julia stopped treating her like an equal and began handling her like a particularly spoiled child!

Rather than challenging every arrogant declaration, Julia had started acknowledging the Moon Elf’s supposed superiority, gently validating her complaints and responding to her tantrums with the patient indulgence ordinarily reserved for children.

The results had been nothing short of miraculous!

"Wait, you’re telling me she actually became easier to handle when you started patronizing her? You mean all this time, the secret to dealing with a dangerous Moon Elf was treating her like an overgrown toddler?!" Damian asked incredulously, barely suppressing a burst of laughter.

Julia closed her eyes and sighed deeply, the expression of someone who had already suffered far too much to appreciate the humor. "Unfortunately, yes, and the worst part is that she genuinely enjoys it! I’ve learned more about the Wild Court in the past day than I managed during all our previous conversations combined."

According to Julia, the Moon Elf had begun volunteering information about the Wild Court, its customs, internal relationships and various matters that Julia had originally hoped to investigate.

Even more ridiculously, Serra occasionally wandered into subjects Julia hadn’t wanted to know about in the slightest, apparently delighted to possess such an attentive audience.

Damian finally burst into laughter, finding the entire situation far too entertaining to endure with dignity. "Hahahaha! Please tell me you’re going to keep doing it, because I really want to see how far this goes!"

Julia glared at him with an expression that promised future retaliation, although Damian noticed that she was struggling not to smile herself.

Despite her complaints, she had clearly discovered an effective method of communicating with Serra, and the intelligence she was gathering could prove quite valuable.

Of course, Damian wisely decided against informing Serra that her greatest weakness had apparently been identified as excessive praise and maternal indulgence.

Finally, there was Janet.

Somehow, the little Demoness had located Marek and promptly decided that his intelligence operation represented an excellent opportunity for entertainment.

More accurately, she had practically seized control of the entire affair, much to the initial astonishment of the family retainer!

Damian learned about the development when he sought Marek for an update and discovered the normally composed Rogue looking considerably more exhausted than usual.

The fellow’s expression became particularly complicated when Damian asked how his operations were progressing under Janet’s enthusiastic supervision.

"Madam Janet has been assisting us, my Lord," Marek explained carefully, choosing his words with the caution of a man who had discovered an extremely dangerous creature living inside his workplace.

"I initially believed she was merely interested in observing our activities, but her understanding of intelligence gathering and clandestine operations has proven... exceptional."

Damian raised an eyebrow, immediately recognizing that Marek was understating the situation.

The man had originally been placed in charge of establishing the family’s intelligence network, including the Zephyrs and Hounds, and he was hardly someone who impressed easily.

Yet Janet had apparently turned his entire understanding of espionage upside down!

At first, Marek had been completely helpless because Janet was a recognized Madam of the Baines Noble Family and possessed authority far beyond his own.

If she wanted to play around with family resources, there was very little he could reasonably do beyond ensuring she didn’t accidentally destroy something important.

Unfortunately for Marek’s peace of mind, Janet wasn’t merely playing.

The little Demoness possessed an extraordinary understanding of deception, manipulation, stealth and the countless unpleasant methods through which useful information could be obtained.

She quickly identified weaknesses in existing procedures, suggested improvements to how agents approached suspicious individuals and demonstrated methods of exploiting seemingly harmless conversations that left Marek thoroughly shaken.

Even worse, she seemed to enjoy the work immensely!

"She managed to identify several vulnerabilities that I had overlooked, my Lord, and her methods of handling difficult sources are considerably more... creative than anything I would ordinarily recommend," Marek admitted, his respect unmistakable despite the slight unease in his voice.

"I believe the intelligence network will benefit tremendously from her continued involvement."

Damian regarded the fellow for several seconds before slowly smiling, realizing that Janet had somehow managed to terrify a seasoned Rogue into genuine admiration.

Considering her Demonic heritage, exceptional stealth abilities and rather questionable sense of entertainment, perhaps that shouldn’t have been surprising.

"Well, if she’s producing results, I don’t see any reason to interfere," Damian concluded, folding his arms as he considered the arrangement.

"Just make sure everything remains properly documented and that she doesn’t turn the entire operation into some kind of private amusement park."

Marek’s expression became rather strained, but he bowed respectfully without attempting to argue. "Understood, Lord Damian. I shall coordinate with Madam Janet accordingly."

The sincerity behind that final title was unmistakable, and Damian couldn’t help noticing that Marek now spoke of Janet with considerably more genuine respect than mere household protocol required.

Whatever the little Demoness had demonstrated during those three days, it had thoroughly convinced him that her authority was backed by frightening competence!

As if summoned by the thought, Janet appeared shortly afterward wearing an expression of extraordinary satisfaction.

When Marek greeted her with a particularly respectful "Madam Janet," the little Demoness immediately began cackling like a wicked witch who had just discovered an especially amusing way to torment an entire kingdom.

Damian stared at her for several seconds before shaking his head in helpless amusement, deciding that the intelligence network was probably in excellent hands.

Whether those hands should be trusted with so much authority was an entirely different question, but that was a problem he could deal with another day.

For now, he was satisfied.

His four Madams were gradually finding their places within the Baines Noble Family, contributing their individual talents without requiring him to personally direct every aspect of their activities.

Eunice supported administration, Paulina strengthened the family’s younger combatants, Julia handled the increasingly troublesome Serra, and Janet had somehow become an object of terror within his intelligence network.

"Not bad, not bad at all! I disappear for three days, and these women practically turn the family into a proper organization without me!" Damian remarked to himself as he considered the developments, feeling unexpectedly pleased by how comfortably the household was functioning.

There was still one final person he needed to speak with before returning to Shengyuan.

Vivienne!

As the Seneschal of the Baines Noble Family, she was responsible for managing the household’s everyday affairs, coordinating its servants and supervising numerous administrative responsibilities.

Damian intended to discuss several outstanding matters with her, particularly those involving the family’s continued expansion and the practical requirements of managing an increasingly influential noble household.

He sent for her shortly afterward, expecting a fairly ordinary administrative discussion before finally departing for Shengyuan.

However, when Vivienne arrived and began providing her report, something she mentioned immediately captured his attention.

Damian listened carefully, his expression gradually changing as he considered the unexpected information.

A moment later, the corners of his mouth curled upward into a thoughtful smile.

"Oh, is that really the case? Heh, interesting!"