Chapter 6: A Good Show

“Hmph, hmph, hmph.” Yexi hummed a little tune, a rare and genuine contentment warming her as she went to prepare for her next task.

Then, she saw them—two figures standing like statues before the estate’s main gate.

Even in the fading twilight, Yexi’s sharp eyes could easily identify them. One was the guest of honor for this evening’s banquet: Klieg, the eldest son of the house, returned after years of study and training in the capital. It was clear that even without his father’s direct supervision, he had been diligent. His well-toned body, the warrior’s calluses on his hands, and the confident air about him spoke of his hard work. For his age, he was quite impressive.

At the moment, however, this impressive young man was blushing like a schoolboy, at a complete loss for words as he spoke with another maid. He hadn’t even stepped through the door yet.

That maid was Elienla. She stood with a demure shyness that was utterly charming, her head bowed as she listened, twisting a loose thread on her apron.

The flame of gossip in Yexi’s soul roared to life. I need to get closer, hear what they’re saying.

Her mind made up, Yexi began to move with the silence of a hunting cat, only to be suddenly snatched by a hand and pulled into the deep shadows of a sculpted hedge.

“Shhh…”

The only person who could get so close to Yexi without setting off her alarms—and whose voice she recognized instantly—was the Lady. Behind her mistress was a gaggle of maids and butlers, all craning their necks to spy on the young master, their faces alight with shared amusement.

For some unknown reason, the formidable Lord of the Trefle family, a man who commanded legions, was lying unconscious on the ground, completely still. Judging by the ornate, glowing staff clutched in the Lady’s other hand, there was no doubt as to the culprit.

Yexi found herself held tightly in the Lady’s embrace. Even when she indicated she wouldn’t move, the Lady showed no intention of letting go, so Yexi gave up the struggle with a resigned sigh.

“Xi-chan,” the Lady whispered, her breath warm against Yexi’s ear, “do you think I should wish for a grandson or a granddaughter first?”

Yexi remained silent. We’ve already skipped past the wedding and gone straight to children?

“How many should they have, I wonder.”

“I feel like you should probably discuss that with them,” Yexi deadpanned. “And they aren’t even married yet.”

Yexi sighed internally. The family’s second son had fled to the capital precisely to escape his mother’s constant nagging about this very subject. It was only this year, after finally finding a suitable girlfriend whom the Lord and Lady both approved of, that he had dared to return home.

The Lady pouted. “Honestly, Elienla is of marriageable age now. Why is my useless son still dawdling?”

“…” Yexi paused for a moment. “Elienla just came of age last month.”

The Trefle family did not have strict requirements for their heir’s spouse; in fact, it was better if they weren’t entangled with the vipers of the capital. The Trefle domain was a bastion on the kingdom’s border, holding back the dangers of the Beast Forest, and the family held significant autonomy. Though their rank was Marquis, their status was comparable to a Duke’s. As their efforts had finally stabilized the region, certain factions in the capital had begun to get ideas. Thus, the family rarely associated with them. This was why there was no opposition to the budding romance between Elienla and the eldest son.

Well, Yexi thought, glancing at the unconscious Lord on the ground, even if there were any objections, it would probably only take one well-aimed whack from the Lady’s staff to solve the problem.

The Lady sighed, deflating a little as she nuzzled Yexi’s hair. “Is that so? It feels like they’ve been together for so long.”

Isn’t that because of your relentless meddling? Yexi recalled how her mistress, upon discovering the first sparks between Elienla and her son, had become frighteningly proactive, determined to fan those sparks into a raging inferno. The Lady’s efforts were a huge reason the two had progressed so quickly. Yexi, of course, had also played a major, unwilling role, as she was always the one dispatched to carry out the Lady’s “brilliant” schemes. Those days had been mentally exhausting; she’d even had to use the skills from her past life to arrange a series of “coincidences.” To this day, Klieg and Elienla were still completely, blissfully in the dark.

“Um, that is~”

A small, pained voice suddenly piped up from the ground. The Lady and Yexi looked down to see that the Lord had woken up.

He rubbed the back of his head, speaking cautiously to his wife. “I already told you I don’t object, didn’t I? Why did you still have to hit me?”

“Hmph,” the Lady said, dissatisfied. “The young couple is having a romantic moment. Why were you about to just stroll right over there like a lumbering oaf? If I hadn’t stopped you in time, you would have disturbed them.”

“That little rascal is back to inherit the estate this time. He’s not leaving. They can talk whenever they want,” the Lord grumbled, getting to his feet with a wry smile. “If we don’t go eat soon, the banquet we worked so hard on will get cold. And don’t we have another guest? It’s not good to keep them waiting.”

“Oh my, you’re right.” The Lady reluctantly released Yexi. “Honestly, ever since little Yexi grew up, she never lets me hold her like this anymore. Xi-chan, please go call the young couple. Oh, and that guest. I don’t know where he’s wandered off to. If you see him, bring him along as well.”

“Yes, my Lady.”

Yexi nodded and went to carry out her mistress’s command.

“Young Master, you’ve returned.”

She walked openly toward the main gate. Seeing her approach, the couple sprang apart as if they’d been struck by lightning.

Klieg pretended nothing had happened, a terrible actor. “Oh, Yexi. I just got back and ran into Elienla, so we were just chatting for a bit, haha.” He scratched his head awkwardly, his eyes still darting toward Elienla, who had turned her head away, her cheeks burning.

Who are you kidding? You forgot to let go of each other’s hands. Yexi didn’t expose the foolish lovebirds, instead stating calmly, “The Lord and Lady have been waiting for some time. They sent me to see if the Young Master had returned.”

Klieg slapped his forehead. He had been so lost in the bliss of his reunion that he had completely forgotten to greet his parents.

“Oh, oh, right! I’ll go right away. Let’s go.”

“Young Master and Elienla, please go on ahead. I still have another guest to notify.”

Though curious about the other guest, Klieg was more than happy for another moment alone with Elienla. He gave Yexi a quick nod and left, hand in hand with his love.

Yexi shook her head with a helpless smile and looked toward the bathing area. Now, where did that troublesome guest wander off to?

……

Ard, now dressed in a fine tuxedo that fit him surprisingly well, was exploring the sprawling estate. He was eternally grateful that the sharp-tongued maid hadn’t, in the end, been cruel enough to make him wander the Trefle home in a dress. The tuxedo had been neatly folded and hidden beneath the maid’s uniform in the basket. If he hadn’t summoned the courage to lift the offending garment, he never would have found it.

He wandered through the historic old mansion—the Trefle family was not its first owner—and paused before a room at the end of a long, shadowed corridor. He didn’t open it, of course; that would be a grave discourtesy. He merely assessed the new-looking door, which had clearly been recently refurbished. This wasn’t the room he was looking for.

This city, Pekoin, had existed long before the Trefle family. It had not been built for common people, but as the stronghold of a religious cult. That cult had been declared heretical 600 years ago and was eventually eradicated by the kingdom’s forces. The city became spoils of war, a new border outpost.

This was all information Ard had gathered in his past life. The village that had raised him had been destroyed in the fires of a war started by that same cult, its people sacrificed to summon a demon. When he learned the truth, Ard had been consumed by a near-maniacal desire for revenge. But reality had dealt him a harsh, soul-crushing blow. In a world where strength was everything, without power or influence, he was an ant trying to shake a great tree. His enemies hadn’t even deigned to notice him.

But reborn, he would not let history repeat itself. That was why he was here. The fall of Pekoin had been the beginning of the cult’s insurrection. Looking back, it was clear they wanted something in this city. This old mansion, the only building that had remained unchanged for a thousand years, was the most likely place to find a clue.

But this was all just speculation. After the cult was destroyed, the Grand Holy Church had sealed all information about this place, classifying it as top secret. A nobody like Ard couldn’t possibly know the details. He had wandered the estate, but the public areas revealed nothing unusual. He would have to find a way to speak with the head of the house.

His mind made up, Ard stopped his investigation and turned to head back for the banquet. He found Yexi standing at the other end of the corridor, watching him silently.

Night had fallen. Pale moonlight streamed through the corridor’s arched windows, bathing Yexi in a silvery, ethereal glow that intertwined with her beautiful hair, giving her a noble grace that transcended her simple maid’s uniform.

If only the look in her eyes were a bit kinder, Ard thought, his heart giving a sudden, heavy thud. Her golden eyes were like still water, deep and unreadable, without a single ripple as she watched him.

“Mr. Guest,” she said, her clear voice breaking the tense, heavy silence. “The banquet is about to begin. Please follow me.”

The sound of her voice was a relief, and the tension in Ard’s shoulders eased.

“Yes, thank you for the trouble,” he replied, his own voice sounding rough to his ears. Yexi turned and began to lead the way, a profound silence falling between them once more. Ard felt his palms begin to sweat. He didn’t sense any hostility or threat from her, but he felt like a husband caught in an act of betrayal. From her calm, placid gaze, he felt as if he were staring into the ancient, knowing eyes of a primordial beast.