The door opened to admit an older woman with greying fur and the long, gentle face of a sheep beastman. Her ears were drooped slightly, and she kept her hands clasped in front of her as she stepped inside. She stopped just past the threshold, eyes darting to the desk, to Lin Yue, to the baby on the blanket, then back to the desk.
"You must be Madam Lin Yue," she said, her voice quiet. "I am Elara. I have been with the estate for thirty‑two years."
Lin Yue smiled warmly and gestured to the chair across from the desk. "Please, sit. I wanted to meet everyone who helps run this house. Thirty‑two years is a long time. You must know every corner of this place."
Elara sat carefully, perching on the edge of the chair. "I was here before His Majesty inherited it. Before his father, even. I knew the old prince when he was a boy."
