The Sinful Young Master

Chapter 347: Two women, one Jolthar

What followed over the remaining days of their journey was a battle of wills and desires worthy of epic poetry.

Both women, driven by different motivations, Raayani by conquest, and Cleora by the need to reclaim what was hers, began what could only be described as a campaign for Jolthar’s attention.

The young swordsman found himself the unwilling center of an increasingly intense competition, as each woman sought to prove her superiority in the most intimate ways possible.

By the time the towers of the Imperial City came into view, all pretense of propriety had been abandoned.

The journey that had begun for the well-being of the barony ended up as a woman’s quarrel.

The situation became so unbearable for Gunter that midway through their journey, he could no longer stomach witnessing the escalating rivalry between the two women over Jolthar.

A young man.

It was what he couldn’t digest that he lost to a young man.

One morning, as camp was being broken, he announced his departure.

"I have business elsewhere," he said stiffly, avoiding everyone’s eyes as he mounted his horse.

"I shall make my own way to the capital."

With that, he rode off, leaving the remaining three to continue their complicated dance of desire and politics.

***

The grand gates of the capital loomed before them, carved stone archways that had witnessed centuries of arrivals and departures.

Their carriage rolled to a stop at the checkpoint, wheels crunching against the cobblestone road. The driver pulled the reins, bringing the horses to a gentle halt.

"State your business and destination," called out the gate guard, a grizzled man with a worn ledger in his hands.

The carriage driver leaned down from his seat. "Baron Jolthar Kaezhlar and Lady Cleora of Tekkora, along with Matriarch Raayani of the Blue Rose Seragilo.

They’re expected in the capital."

Inside the carriage, Jolthar sat between two remarkable women.

To his right, Cleora adjusted her traveling cloak, her elegant features composed despite the long journey. Her dark hair was pulled back in a practical style, though it did nothing to diminish her beauty.

To his left, Raayani gazed out the window with those striking eyes that had captivated many across the empire. Her blue silk dress seemed to shimmer even in the dim interior of the carriage.

The guard consulted his ledger, running his finger down the page. His eyes widened slightly when he found the entry.

He looked up at the carriage with newfound interest, then turned and spoke urgently to another guard. That guard sprinted off into the gatehouse.

"What’s happening?" Cleora asked, leaning forward to peer through the window.

Jolthar watched the guards with calm attention.

"They’re checking something. Just routine, I’m sure."

But it wasn’t routine.

Within seconds, the sound of marching boots echoed through the gate passage. Soldiers emerged from multiple directions, their armor gleaming in the afternoon sun. They moved with purpose, surrounding the carriage in a loose circle. Twenty men at least, maybe more.

The carriage driver’s face went pale. He was confused, and fear gripped him as he leaned back to the window and said, "My lord, we have a problem."

Jolthar frowned. "What is it?"

Then he peered out through the window of the carriage.

Jolthar’s expression remained unchanged. He took in the formation of soldiers with quick, analytical eyes. They didn’t draw weapons, but their hands rested on sword hilts.

This was a show of force, but not an immediate attack.

"Stay here," he told the women quietly.

"Let me see what this is about."

He opened the carriage door and stepped down onto the cobblestones. The soldiers tensed but didn’t move.

Jolthar stood there in his travel clothes, looking younger than his years but carrying himself with the bearing of someone who had faced worse than a circle of armed men.

A captain pushed through the ranks. His armor was better quality than the regular soldiers, and a red plume adorned his helmet. He removed the helmet and tucked it under one arm, revealing a weathered face with a scar running along his jaw. His eyes were hard but professional.

"Are you Jolthar Kaezhlar?" the captain asked, his voice carrying across the space between them.

Jolthar nodded once. "I am."

The captain drew a rolled parchment from his belt and unrolled it with a practiced motion.

"By order of the Imperial Ministry of Justice, I am placing you under arrest for the murder of Baron Rothgard of Tekkora."

The words hung in the air like a physical presence.

Around them, the crowd that had been passing through the gates stopped to watch. Merchants, travelers, and city folk—all turned their attention to the scene unfolding before the capital’s entrance.

Inside the carriage, both women reacted instantly.

The door flew open, and Cleora stepped out, her face a mixture of shock and fury. Raayani followed immediately behind, her usual serene expression replaced by sharp concern.

"What sort of accusation is this?" Cleora demanded, moving to stand beside Jolthar.

"Baron Rothgard died many months ago. This is absurd."

Her voice cut through with icy precision. "The Baron was executed for crimes against the people of Tekkora. It was done lawfully, in front of witnesses, including Lady Maena Kaezhlar herself. This arrest is either a mistake or a mockery of imperial law."

The captain’s expression didn’t change. "I have my orders, my lady. The legality of the execution is in question. That’s for the courts to decide, not me."

A crowd was gathering now.

People pressed closer, drawn by the spectacle of soldiers, a carriage, and what appeared to be nobility in some kind of confrontation. Whispers rippled through the onlookers.

Jolthar thought about the ones who would do this, but he wasn’t sure. He didn’t know the people in the capital that well.

But this wasn’t random.

They were expected at the capital; someone knew they were coming. The timing was too perfect, the charge too specific. Rothgard had been dead for several months now.

Why bring it up now? Who stood to gain?