Night fell.
In the sub-basement of Blackthorn Manor, servants were busy clearing the remnants of the masters' dinner while preparing the essentials for their nightly retirements.
A few servants, who had been too busy attending the dining room to eat, were now wolfing down leftovers provided by their colleagues, chatting animatedly about the day's events.
"Hey, have you noticed? Since Butler Silas came back from his punishment, he’s become much more... approachable. I passed him earlier to bring Mistress Selena her tea, and he actually smiled at me."
"Really?" a maid asked, her interest piqued. "That’s rare. Usually, Silas only has eyes—and smiles—for Mistress Selena. To the rest of us, he’s nothing but endless frost."
"Well, I’m definitely going to find an excuse to walk past him late
