Reincarnated In A Women Dominated World

A tense silence followed Elaine's words. Even her attendants seemed to realize she might have gone too far.

Lilia's gaze remained steady, but Julian could see the slight tightening of her fingers. A lesser noble might have backed down in the face of Elaine's provocation, but Lilia wasn't just anyone.

Julian had only known her for a short time, but he already understood one thing. Lilia Averill didn't tolerate disrespect.

"You must be quite bold," Lilia said, her tone eerily calm, "to speak of my mother that way in public."

Elaine tilted her head slightly, feigning innocence. "Oh? Did I say something wrong? My apologies, I simply assumed that a noble daughter of a D-rank would have more humility."

Julian sighed inwardly. Yeah, she's really asking for it.

Lilia took a step forward, forcing Elaine to tilt her chin up to maintain eye contact. "And yet," Lilia said, voice as smooth as silk, "despite my lowly upbringing, here you are, desperate for my attention."

Elaine's fan twitched.

"I wonder," Lilia mused, "is it because you've realized that your influence isn't what it used to be? Or is it because your family is struggling to keep up, and you're lashing out to compensate?"

Elaine's attendants stiffened, their previous amusement vanishing in an instant.

Julian almost felt bad for them.

Almost.

Elaine's smirk faltered for a fraction of a second. 

She was rattled.

Lilia stepped back and took a breath."You should be careful with your words, Elaine," she said, voice light but sharp. "The Sinclair family may still hold power, but insulting the Averill name in public? Even you should know better."

Elaine's lips pressed into a thin line. She didn't respond immediately, and for a moment, it seemed as though she might actually drop the act.

But then, she exhaled softly and smiled.

A slow, deliberate smile.

"My mistake," she said, voice as sweet as honey. "I didn't mean to offend."

Lilia didn't respond.

Elaine turned her gaze to Julian once more, her eyes flickering with something unreadable. "I'll be seeing you again, servant."

Julian held her gaze for a brief second before offering a small, amused smile. "I look forward to it."

Elaine narrowed her eyes but didn't respond. With a graceful turn, she motioned for her attendants to follow, and the group departed down the street, leaving a subtle but lingering tension in the air.

Julian watched them disappear into the crowd before shaking his head. "Well, that was fun."

Lilia let out a short breath. "Annoying, more like."

He smirked. "I don't know, I think you won that one."

She shot him a sideways glance, but there was the slightest hint of amusement in her expression. "Come on. We're done here."

Julian adjusted the bags on his shoulder and fell into step beside her, the encounter with Elaine already stoking his curiosity.

One thing was clear, this city wasn't just about strength. Power, influence, and status all played their roles.

And Julian had every intention of learning how to navigate it.

***

As Julian and Lilia walked through the city streets, the tension from their encounter with Elaine slowly faded into the background. The morning sun was higher now, casting long shadows along the stone roads. The market's usual hum of activity had resumed, vendors calling out their wares, passersby engaged in conversation, and the occasional patrol of guards making their rounds.

Julian adjusted the weight of the bags on his shoulder. "So… was she always like that?"

Lilia scoffed. "Elaine Sinclair has always been arrogant, but lately, she's been worse. Probably because her family's influence isn't what it used to be."

"Trouble in paradise?" Julian mused.

Lilia didn't respond immediately, her gaze flickering toward the passing crowd. "The Sinclair family was once a dominant force among mid-level nobles. They were well-respected.However, in recent years, their position has weakened."

Julian frowned slightly. "Weakened how?"

Lilia glanced at him before answering. "Their businesses are struggling. They've lost trade deals, and their support among other nobles is wavering. Some say they got too comfortable at the top and didn't see the changes coming. Others think one of the ruling seven is deliberately suppressing them."

Julian hummed in thought. "And Elaine is trying to compensate by throwing her weight around?"

Lilia smirked faintly. "Something like that."

Julian didn't miss the implication. Power in this city wasn't just about personal strength, it was political too. Even if Elaine was a spoiled noble, she still carried influence. That meant Julian would likely see more of her in the future, whether he wanted to or not.

They soon reached a quieter part of the city, where the Averill estate's carriage awaited them. The driver, a middle-aged man with a neatly kept beard, gave a respectful nod as they approached.

"Lady Lilia. Everything went smoothly, I presume?"

"No issues," Lilia replied, handing off one of the market bags before stepping into the carriage.

Julian followed, setting the remaining bag beside her before settling into the seat across from her. The carriage started moving, the sound of hooves clattering against stone filling the space.

Lilia leaned back, exhaling softly. "That was more annoying than expected."

Julian smirked. "I don't know. Watching you tear her apart was the highlight of my day."

She shot him a look, but there was no real irritation behind it. "Don't get too comfortable. You'll be running more errands like this soon enough."

Julian only shrugged. If all his tasks were this easy, he wasn't going to complain.

Still, his mind lingered on Elaine's parting words.

I'll be seeing you again, servant.

He had a feeling she wasn't just saying that for show.

***

The rest of the day was quite uneventful, Julian and Lilia went from one place to another, picking up something or buying stuff.

By the time they returned to the Averill estate, the sun was beginning its descent, casting a golden hue over the city. Julian flexed his shoulders as he stepped out of the carriage, rolling out the stiffness from carrying the market bags for most of the day.

Lilia, as composed as ever, barely seemed fazed by their errands. She glanced at him as they walked toward the entrance. "Tired already?"

Julian smirked. "I've survived worse."

She huffed in amusement but didn't reply. A servant approached, bowing slightly before taking the market bags off their hands. With that, Lilia stretched briefly before turning toward the main hall.

"I'm going to report to Mother. You're free to do whatever."

Julian nodded, watching as she disappeared into the estate's interior. He considered going straight to his room, but after a moment's thought, he changed his mind.

Instead, he took a slow walk through the estate's courtyard, where the evening breeze cooled the air. The day hadn't been particularly difficult, but it had given him plenty to think about.

Elaine Sinclair's attitude, the state of noble politics, the importance of influence beyond sheer strength, it was becoming clearer that survival in this city will require him more than just leveling up and grinding stats.

Julian leaned against a nearby stone pillar, exhaling softly. He wasn't in a rush, but he needed to find his own way to gain power. Right now, he was at the bottom of the hierarchy, a servant at best.

That wouldn't last forever.

With that thought, he finally made his way to his room. He shut the door behind him and flopped onto the bed, letting his body sink into the mattress. The system interface flickered into view as he idly pulled it up.

[Coins: 1000]

His gaze lingered on the shop tab, but he didn't make a purchase just yet. Instead, his thoughts wandered to what came next.

A new day meant new opportunities.

And Julian intended to take full advantage of them.