In the evening, the fireplace blazed with flames dispelling the night chill, and the air was thick with the aroma of freshly brewed black tea. Everything was impeccably arranged.
Yet this surface tranquility was utterly shattered by Cedric’s arrival.
Cedric was dressed in a meticulously tailored dark blue noble’s suit today, with a gold family crest pin set with a ruby at his collar. From head to toe, he radiated a smug, self-satisfied confidence.
Behind him, as always, stood his personal butler, Lester—his hair combed perfectly straight, his expression as respectful and deferential as a mask, yet tinged with an unmistakable air of arrogance.
“Aunt Elsa, is everything to your satisfaction at the villa?”
Cedric sat on the sofa, legs crossed, holding the cup of black tea that Liz had tremblingly handed him. He blew gently on it, his tone carrying that undisguised superiority.
“This villa may be a bit remote and quiet, but its peacefulness is perfect for resting after a long journey. I hope you don’t mind.”
“Thank you for your thoughtfulness.” Lady Elsa sat upright, a flawless, dignified smile on her lips. “It’s very quiet here. Leo and I both like it a lot. Compared to the hustle and bustle of the main family estate, I prefer this kind of tranquility.”
A barely perceptible twitch flickered in the corner of Cedric’s eye, but he quickly recovered.
His gaze swept past the coffee table and landed on Leo, who sat across from him in a neatly pressed casual outfit.
Leo was unusually quiet today, just holding his teacup and drinking, not making a fuss like he often did at the estate.
Cedric set down his cup, leaned forward slightly, and wore his signature warm smile on his face.
“Leo, why so quiet today? Back in Fengyue city, you were quite lively, weren’t you? Toasting endlessly at the banquet without getting drunk—that boldness left quite an impression on me.”
Leo’s fingers tightened slightly around his teacup, but he quickly took a deep breath, lifted his head, and forced a decent smile onto his face.
“You’re joking, Third Brother. I’ll rein in my drinking and making a fool of myself from now on.”
“Heh heh… Leo, you’ve really grown up.”
Cedric chuckled dryly, picked up his teacup, and took a light sip.
Leo lowered his head again, drinking his tea slowly without responding.
Elsa watched her son’s composed demeanor, then unhurriedly spoke to steer the conversation elsewhere.
“Cedric, how are the preparations for your coming-of-age ceremony going? We deliberately came early to see if there’s anything we can help with. After all, as your elders, it’s only right to lend a hand.”
“Thank you for your concern, Aunt.” Cedric set down his teacup, and that smugness returned to his face.
“Everything is ready. Father places great importance on this ceremony. He insists it must showcase the Kastian family’s prestige. The venue is set at the Grand Hall next to the Capital Central Square.”
“Not only will all members of the main family attend, but the heads and heirs of the major noble houses in the Royal capital will also be invited to witness the ceremony.”
He paused deliberately, his gaze meaningful as it swept over Leo.
“So, Leo, you’d better prepare yourself well. As a member of the Kastian clan, losing your composure at such a grand event would disgrace the entire family.”
“Don’t worry, Third Brother. I’ll prepare properly.”
Leo set down his teacup and met Cedric’s eyes directly, without flinching as he used to.
Cedric’s brow furrowed slightly. He was about to say something more when his gaze inadvertently landed on a corner behind Leo.
Standing there was a black-and-white figure.
Ailiya stood with her hands folded in front of her, her posture perfectly straight. Her silver-white short hair shimmered faintly in the warm yellow lamplight, and the re-forged mithril hairpin at her ear reflected a soft halo.
She wasn’t looking at him. Those ice-blue eyes calmly stared out the window, as if he, the third young master of the main family, was nothing more than a worthless piece of furniture.
Cedric’s pupils constricted.
This woman was still as arrogant as ever, looking down on everyone.
And…
Why did she seem even more beautiful than at the estate?
That extreme, cold detachment only made him want to drag her down even more.
“One more thing.”
Cedric withdrew his gaze, looked back at Leo, and his smile became even warmer than before.
“The day after tomorrow, in the evening, there’s a magic exchange tournament among the noble children of the capital at the Arena on the eastern outskirts of the Royal capital.”
Cedric’s tone was casual, as if he were just mentioning it offhand.
“It’s more of a small gathering for the young lords and ladies to showcase their talents and socialize. Many noble heirs will attend, and even a few deputy captains of the Royal Capital Knights will be there to observe.”
“For a country boy like you, this is a perfect chance to make a name for yourself and prove your worth in front of the capital’s elite.”
Lady Elsa’s eyes turned slightly cold.
She set her teacup down on the saucer with a crisp click.
“Cedric, thank you for your kindness. But Leo is still young and not suitable for such a high-level exchange. We came here solely for your coming-of-age ceremony and don’t want any complications.”
Cedric smiled faintly, as if he had anticipated her refusal.
“Aunt Elsa, you’re overthinking. It’s just a private, friendly sparring session at the arena, completely voluntary, and they’ll stop at a touch. There’s absolutely no danger. After all, everyone is a person of refinement.”
He paused, then shifted his tone, his gaze landing on Leo with a trace of barely concealed mockery.
“But if Leo is too intimidated, or lacks confidence in his meager abilities, then forget it.”
“After all, not everyone is cut out for the capital’s stage. I’ll go inform the organizers that Young Master Leo of the Kastian family is unwell and unable to attend.”
Leo’s fingers tightened on his teacup, his knuckles turning white.
“Who said I’m intimidated?”
Leo set down his cup. His voice wasn’t loud, but it clearly cut through the crackling of the fireplace.
“Since Third Brother is so graciously inviting me, and it’s an exchange representing the family, how could I, as a member of the Kastian clan, bring shame to the family?”
He looked Cedric straight in the eye and said, word by word:
“I’ll attend that sparring session.”
Cedric’s smile grew even brighter.
“Good! Ambitious!”
Cedric clapped his hands and laughed, stood up, and patted Leo’s shoulder warmly.
“The day after tomorrow, I’ll send someone to pick you up. All the capital’s noble sons will be there then. Do your best, and don’t disappoint your Third Brother.”
With that, Cedric didn’t give Lady Elsa any chance to decline. He gave a slight bow with an elegant farewell gesture.
“Aunt Elsa, it’s getting late. I’ll take my leave now. Cousin Leo, rest well and recharge. See you the day after tomorrow.”
Cedric strode out of the reception room with Lester.
The reception room fell silent for a moment.
Leo clenched his fists, his chest heaving. The impulse from a moment ago was now cooling, replaced by a hint of regret and anxiety about the unknown.
“This child…”
Lady Elsa sighed helplessly and rubbed the bridge of her nose.
“Such a low-grade provocation, and you couldn’t hold your temper?”
“Mother, I know you’re worried about me. But there are some things I have to face. Just like in Fengyue city, if I want to truly grow stronger, hiding at the estate isn’t enough.”
Lady Elsa was silent for a moment. She looked at the seriousness and barely concealed fear in her son’s eyes, then finally let out a deep sigh.
The night was cool as water.
In the back garden of the Kastian Villa, laurel trees rustled softly in the breeze, and the air was filled with a faint floral fragrance.
Ailiya sat alone on a stone stool in the pavilion, her legs elegantly crossed, holding a cup of black tea.
Her ice-blue eyes quietly gazed at the same bright moon in the night sky as the one over Fengyue city. Her silver-white short hair gleamed with a cold, pale light in the moonlight.
She rarely looked up at the sky so purely.
This night sky was tranquil, beautiful, and comfortable enough to make one want to sit here forever.
But if it weren’t for that stalker ruining the mood.
A panicked rustling came from behind the flower bed, and a few laurel leaves were knocked off, fluttering to the ground.
Without turning her head, Ailiya took a sip of her cold tea and said in a tone as flat as stating an objective fact.
“Is the Young Master planning to squat in the flower bed until dawn?”
Immediately, a golden head awkwardly poked out from behind the neatly trimmed hedge.
“I-I wasn’t hiding! I just happened to pass by! And… and I’m looking at the moon!”
Ailiya cast a sidelong glance at him, then nonchalantly looked away, gazing back at the sky.
“Oh.”
Just a single syllable, yet it was more devastating than a whole paragraph of mockery.
“I…”
Leo choked, unable to speak. He gritted his teeth, finally came out from behind the flower bed, walked to the pavilion, and plopped down on a stone stool an arm’s length away from Ailiya.
“I can’t sleep.”
Leo said sullenly, hands on his knees, head down, staring at his slippers stained with mud.
“Every time I close my eyes, all I see is the sparring session the day after tomorrow.”
“That Cedric guy went to so much trouble to provoke me into going. He definitely has something up his sleeve.”
“If I get beaten down by those capital nobles on stage, I’ll not only disgrace myself but also drag Mother down with me.”
Ailiya put down her teacup and turned to look at him.
“It seems the Young Master isn’t so stupid that he can’t see through a simple provocation.”
She turned her gaze back to the night sky. Her tone was still cold, but it no longer carried its usual sharpness.
“Since you knew it was a trap and still accepted it in front of Cedric, it proves your courage has grown considerably since your time in Fengyue city.”
“This means your training has been effective—at least in terms of the thickness of your skin.”
Leo lifted his head, looking at her uncertainly.
“Are you… praising me or mocking me?”
“Just stating a fact.”
Ailiya stood up, walked to the edge of the pavilion, and turned her back to him.
“Since you’ve accepted it, complaints and fear are meaningless now.”
Leo stared blankly at her slender, always-straight back. The tension and anxiety that had weighed on him all evening seemed to be gently smoothed away by an invisible hand.
He stood up, hesitated, then mustered the courage to step beside Ailiya. He reached out and lightly poked her arm.
Ailiya turned her head to look at him.
“Um… will you come?”
“Are you sure a maid responsible for cleaning is needed at such a boring noble gathering?”
“Yes.”
Leo nodded without hesitation.
The air fell silent for a moment.
“When you’re standing there, I feel at ease.”
The moment those words left his mouth, Leo himself froze.
His cheeks instantly burned. He quickly looked away, pretending to examine a pillar of the pavilion.
Ailiya brushed non-existent dust off her skirt.
“… I’ll reluctantly agree.”
Leo was still frozen in place. After a few long seconds, he snapped back to reality, stood up, and tried to say something.
“Um… thank you, Ailiya.”
His voice was awkward, as if he rarely said those two words, and they rolled off his tongue with clumsy hoarseness.
“I’ll… I’ll see you tomorrow! I’ll train seriously!”
With that, it seemed he had exhausted all his courage for the night.
He stood stiffly, not knowing what to do with his hands, then finally turned around and quickly walked toward the villa.
The moonlight was like water, painting the stone path in the garden a silvery white.
Ailiya stood alone in the pavilion, finishing her remaining black tea, and murmured softly to herself:
“Sentimental tricks like that have never worked on me.”
She watched the golden head disappear through the side door. Her ears caught the faint sound of the young man tripping on the steps and cursing softly under his breath.
The corner of her lips lifted into the faintest hint of a smile, fleeting and unseen by anyone.
A moment later, she turned and walked toward her room.
In the evening breeze, only a single, cold, gentle whisper remained.