"Sir, an envoy from the Ostros family has arrived!"

Already back in the castle, I intended to play around with Elia a bit, only to have one of the servants come with an urgent report. Were it any other, smaller family and I would simply force them to wait for my l.u.s.t to be satisfied, yet there was no playing around with Ostros family. 

Despite being a major family in the current Commonwealth, rather than looking to ally myself with them, so far, I wanted to avoid starting any relations.h.i.+p with this household for a really simple reason. They were the ones that in the original timeline lead the great Tarnowian castle to its downfall! 

Taking it over after the death of my great ancestors, they used it as nothing but another card in their hand to play against other n.o.bles, swiftly causing their own political adversaries to burn not only the castle along with its many treasures but even the city itself!

Yet as all those events belonged to the time that never happened in my current life, I had to refrain from showing any signs of hostility towards them, especially with how it would escalate anyway with this d.a.m.ned family belonging to the faction that would opt for not only keeping Henry on the throne despite his desertion but later on they would support a d.a.m.ned Habsburg candidate on the Polish throne!

"It seems that I don't really have much choice but to go and pay him a visit…"

After the servant left our chambers, I lifted the featherbed and looked at Elia's face twisted by her attempt to hold back her giggle. With how she was supposed to attend a meeting with a random group of local n.o.blewomen during which they would discuss the intricacies of new sewing methods brough from the west, it was no wonder she would much rather sneak out of it in order to spend some time with me.

"I know, I know. Don't worry, I will keep the bed heated for you."

Resting her hands on my shoulders and pulling herself up, she graced me with a short peck on my lips before moving to the side and freeing me from the pleasant burden of her warm body. 

Accompanied by her smile as warm as her skin, I hastily pulled some clothes on my back and left the chambers. With just a few more steps, I arrived at the upper-castle courtyard, where the envoys were awaiting my presence.

"Welcome to Tarnowian Castle! How might I be of service for the great family of Ostros?"

No matter how much I was earning already from all kinds of projects of mine, no matter who I was backed by, it didn't change the fact that I was still considered a minor n.o.ble when compared to the prowess of the purpure households!

"Ah, there is no need for such formalities. Please, may we enter the castle? We are tired after the long journey…"

While those not well-versed with the n.o.ble etiquette might think that this exchange was rather nice for potential rivals, in fact, it was nothing more but a set of pleasantries that would be exchanged even between the greatest political enemies. Despite how Commonwealth was known for its people to be rather direct in interpersonal matters, it didn't change the fact that at the current level of society as I was, unless we would be completely drunk, there was no way to avoid acting like everyone expected us to act.

"Ah, forgive me my unbecoming att.i.tude, please, come in."

Turning my body to the side, I pointed my hand at the living quarters of my castle in the universally known gesture. As the envoy himself along with several servants and guardians of his pa.s.sed by me, I could only swallow my saliva in an attempt to hold back my anger. 

By not following up with "After you, sir brother", they clearly showed how superior they felt as if they were privy to the right of housing that only officially recognised royal envoys could make use off.

In short words, by going first into my own house, they acted as if just by appearing in my lands they were ent.i.tled to living in my place, no matter what my opinion about this topic would be. Even though I still had some hopes that this visit wouldn't be a spark that would fire the conflict between our households, seeing the looks of contempt that the guardians of the envoy were throwing at everything they pa.s.sed by, even this hope was starting to die off.

"Okay then, I will cut the pleasantries and get straight to the point."

As soon as we arrived in the room that served the function of both accepting the diplomatic missions and as a dining room when a greater situation arouse, the envoy took the seat at the head of the table, spitting me in the face with this action.

Even simple fact that he decided to speak informally without my prior invitation showed meant that he was already acting as the owner of this entire place! While I knew that in the original timeline they managed to take over the city and all its surrounding thanks to some ages-old claim they had to it, with how I was a direct descendant to my great ancestor, there was no way they would attempt to force those claims on me!

"Excuse me, sir, but I think that you are overstepping your bounds. I don't know how people treat their peers in the desolate outskirts of the Great Lithuanian Princedom, but I won't accept your att.i.tude here, so close to the royal capital!"

Despite how going against Ostros meant making a great enemy in the times of great chaos, there was only so much that I was willing to accept in terms of rudeness. If I were to allow the envoy to act too much out of the line, my dignity as the n.o.ble would suffer!

And it wasn't something to be taken lightly!

"Ah, forgive me then, I was used to some minor n.o.bles knowing their place instead. But before we will turn this meeting into useless squander, let me pa.s.s the message from my father. It's time for you to return the lands that belonged to my mother, and your aunt, to their rightful owners!"