Enter the Story, II

While walking through the hallway, one of the doors suddenly opened.

On his way out was a young man reviewing a small stack of paper. His dashing blonde hair gave him an air of coolness while also maintaining a respectable appearance. Those emerald eyes served as the symbol of the Reginar County, belonging only to the count and his heirs. He turned, and the moment he saw Lahn, he flashed an overly bright grin.

"Ah! Hey, Lahn!" he exclaimed. "Where are you off to?"

"Greetings, Young Master. I just finished patrolling the garden."

"Still going on with those petty formalities, huh? And here I was starting to think we'd gotten past that stage. What a shame. Anyway, what's with you? You don't look so good."

Tian Reginar is one of the two children of House Reginar. He is also the eldest, making him the rightful heir of the countdom. As such, Lahn has to be careful around him, lest he incur the wrath of the count.

At least, that's what he thought going into this.

"My apologies," Lahn sighed. "It seems I still have a headache from the conference that was held earlier today. That, or it has something to do with that lady.

"Lady? What lady?"

"First, do you happen to know where my lord is?"

"Uh, he should be in his office. Do you have business with him?"

"Well... Yes and no. Not me, specifically. A visitor is requesting to meet with him. That's the lady I am speaking of."

"Who is it?"

"She greeted herself as Lady Erina Astrada, princess of House Astrada."

At that moment, Tian's demeanor shifted.

"Pink hair? Turquoise eyes?" he asked.

"Yes, that is correct. Do you know her?"

"Know her? I'd be surprised to find someone who doesn't, especially those who regularly mingle in the cesspool that is high society. For all the wrong reasons, might I add. I'm surprised you aren't familiar with her, given you were recommended by Sir Radeus himself to be my escort knight. Surely, you must've encountered her at least once."

Until today, Lahn absolutely had never encountered her, not even once. He made it a point for Radeus to leave his name out of the hero's party, for unnecessary attention was the last thing he desired.

"My upbringing... wasn't normal, to say the least," Lahn replied. "As you know, I was a farmland commoner before Sir Radeus recognized me. There weren't many opportunities for me to get involved with nobles."

"Hey."

With a confident smile, Tian lightly tapped Lahn's shoulder.

"Noble or commoner, I don't care. You're useful, and you're good at being a normal person. That's more than enough for me. Understood?"

Tian is the rightful heir of House Reginar, but the first thing that Lahn had learned was that he didn't conduct himself the same way as others. In a place where bullying and betrayal were common, he proved that he didn't need underhanded tactics to stand out.

"I understand, Young Master," Lahn said as he bowed.

"Good. So... You're going to refer to me by my name instead of Young Master from now on, right?"

"Not a chance."

"Damn. Almost had you. Anyway, I don't want Father meeting with the likes of Lady Erina. I'll go instead, and you're coming with me."

"Pardon?" Lahn said, tilting his head. "Is there a need?"

"Yeah, man! As I said, she's well-known for all the wrong reasons! What if she jumps onto me, bites me in the neck, and sucks my blood?!"

"...You speak as if she is a blood demon."

"Honestly, put the two next to each other, and I wouldn't be able to tell the difference."

"You exaggerate, Young Master."

"I am not!"

The two made their way downstairs toward the reception hall. However, instead of going in right away, Tian decided to peek through the half-open door.

Sitting on one of the lavish couches was Erina, facing forward with her arms crossed. In front of her was an empty coffee table.

"Young Master..." Lahn whispered. "This is unethical."

"I'm being cautious, okay? Lady Erina is supposedly prone to manic tantrums. To successfully engage with her, one must approach this with the care of a seasoned alchemist. Stand back and assess the situation as if your life depends on it. We don't know what she'll—"

"Ahem."

Tian's body visibly jolted as Erina twisted her head to glare at him.

"Many men dare to watch me in secrecy," she smirked, "though fewer have gotten away with it. None, if I may be so bold."

"Ahaha, I'm... not sure what you mean, my lady," Tian said, poking out with a nervous chuckle.

"Uh-huh. I'd sooner believe the dogs who claim to love me so much, yet all they can do is drool at my body. Now, I am truly questioning whether or not you are an exception, Lord Tian."

The mask slipped. Tian was no longer the carefree jokester he made himself out to be. His body stiffened, his eyes narrowed, and his lips parted just slightly.

"They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder," he muttered, walking forward. "I happen to agree. Do I think you're beautiful, my lady? Of course. Any man who thinks otherwise is a fool. However, beauty can only take you so far when everything is absolutely rotten from within."

He stopped at the edge of the coffee table, glaring down at her. Likewise, she did the same. The pressure alone was suffocating, even to Lahn.

"That is my opinion," Tian added. "So, my lady, you may relax. And while you're at it, stifle such a senseless question. Rest assured, my eyes will never linger upon you for any longer than necessary."

"...Hah. You are truly one of a kind, Lord Tian," Erina scoffed. "And so is that man over there. Is he your escort knight?"

Just then, the doors clicked open. One of House Reginar's many maids rolled in with a tea trolley.

"Ah, just in time," Erina said. "Since no one was here to greet me, I took the liberty of having this maid fetch me some tea. I hope you don't mind."

"Funny you say that after the fact when I surely would've refused beforehand," Tian sighed, sitting at the other end of the coffee table. "State your business, Lady Erina."

"Fufu~ So hostile in the face of the grand duke's daughter. I can't tell if you're stupid or brave."

"Take it as you will. Now, answer me."

When the maid finished pouring the tea, Erina elegantly picked up her teacup.

It was one of those things that Lahn couldn't help but cringe at. Lifting the cup with grace, taking slow sips, all with a pinky out. Nonetheless, he kept it to himself.

"I'm merely here for a formal visit to the lovely lady of the house," Erina said. "I heard she'd fallen ill recently."

"Why would that be any of your concern? I don't recall you and my mother being so close."

"Ah, and that is where you are wrong. Lady Claire and I grew quite a bond during the last tea party with Her Majesty, The Empress."

"How do you intend to prove that?"

"Do I need to? Best believe, Lord Tian, if it were your father speaking to me right now, he wouldn't think twice about my request."

"Unfortunately for you, I am not my father."

It was clear that Erina was growing increasingly weary, so much so that Lahn felt the need to lean over and whisper to Tian.

"Young Master... From what I could gather, Lady Erina is only here to visit the lady of the house. There's no harm in that, so for now, let's drop the ego and give her what she wants. If you'd like, I will escort her. I may not understand much about nobles, but I do know that the grand duke holds greater power than the count. Let us not give them a reason to be angry."

As he leaned back, Tian pondered for a moment. Shortly after, he let out an exhausted sigh.

"Very well," he said out loud. "You may visit my mother. If you don't mind, my escort knight will guide you to her room."

"Oh, dear... Hehe," Erina giggled with a hand over her mouth. "Forgive me. This is perhaps my first time seeing a fellow noble taking advice from a mere retainer. You must have a lot of faith in him."

"For once, you are absolutely right. Do what you need to do and leave."

With that, he left, leaving Erina alone with Lahn.