On the stone path passing through the front garden leading to the palace, a group of individuals moved gracefully. Their figures, clothing, and the way they carried themselves spoke only of their high status.
Deon watched from his position at the palace gate with an indifferent expression.
“Let’s proceed.” Beside him, Vierenna, who wore a friendly smile, spoke and moved down the steps.
Deon followed her without delay.
The group of people approached, led by Vierenna’s personal maid with her radiant blonde hair, alongside the butler with his neatly trimmed brown hair and beard. With each step closer, the shapes of the guests became more distinct.
There were four in total. An elderly man with white hair and a long white beard, wore loose gray garments and carried a long sword in his hand. His gaze was sharp but carried a sense of calm within.
Beside him was a middle-aged woman dressed in what appeared to be a long blue gown, though its modest appearance negated the idea of it being a dress, especially with the long black cloak she wore. Her hair was a shade of black tinged with gray, and her light blue eyes resembled the sky on a good day. She carried a gentle smile as she looked at both Deon and Vierenna in her line of sight.
One of her hands held onto a young girl with short, layered, glowing icy-blue hair, giving her a radiant and ethereal appearance. Her hair fell over her forehead, partially covering it. Her face was partially hidden by a band covering her eyes, though it did nothing to obscure her beautiful features. She wore an elegant blue dress with a shimmer that matched her icy hair.
Despite her eyes being covered, Deon felt her gaze on him from all directions. It was a strange sensation, but he managed to connect it to her.
Behind the trio, a boy with similarly icy-blue hair walked with steady steps. His gaze was calm, but it lingered on Deon and Vierenna, especially Vierenna. Like the old man, the boy wore long, loose black garments and carried a sword, though it seemed more like a decoration than a functional weapon in his hands.
“This humble household welcomes the esteemed De Ressa family. Welcome with us today.” Vierenna bowed slightly, her hand placed over her chest as the distance between her and the guests narrowed to just a few steps.
Deon followed her lead but remained silent.
The servants who had guided the guests toward the palace gate stepped aside and disappeared into the space, as if their work was done.
“It is our honor,” said the elderly man, bowing deeply, with the others following his example.
Vierenna turned toward Deon with a friendly smile, gesturing to him with her hand as she spoke proudly. “This is my younger brother, Deon V. Eirenios.”
Deon did not wait for the group’s reaction as he bowed once more. “Pleased to meet you.”
The elders of the De Ressa group smiled at the respect Deon displayed, returning it in kind—except for the boy in the back.
He looked at Deon with a sense of mockery and spoke, his tone matching the derision in his gaze. “We are well aware of the youngest of the Eirenios Household… and his reputation.”
‘Great, just what I needed!’
Deon raised his calm gaze toward the mocking boy and responded with a cold, composed tone that defied expectations. “I wish I could say the same…”
The group’s expressions faltered, especially Vierenna’s. She glanced at Deon from the side with a knowing look, but Deon paid her little attention. “But it’s never too late to get acquainted, and I trust you share the same sentiment.”
Deon’s words carried a deeper meaning. He would not allow anyone to belittle him. Though he didn’t care much, in Vierenna’s presence, he cared enough. Letting her defend his honor was not ideal for him.
The group’s smiles returned, albeit forced.
“Then let’s make use of this opportunity,” said the middle-aged woman on behalf of everyone.
Vierenna seized the moment and addressed them all with a smile. “As Lady Lena said, let’s do so over breakfast. Everything is ready.”
She gestured toward the palace gate and led the way, followed by Deon. She couldn’t help but glance sideways at him, her smile revealing much about her thoughts.
Well handled.
For the next few minutes, Vierenna initiated small conversations with the De Ressa group to dispel the awkward silence. Meanwhile, Deon maintained his quiet and calm demeanor. None seemed eager to engage with him now, which suited him perfectly.
Before long, the group arrived at their designated destination and took their seats at the breakfast table, which was organized and filled with various delights. Deon sat beside Vierenna on the side of the table facing the window, while the rest of the family sat on the opposite side.
…
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“I wouldn’t say I was that good; I was just fortunate with my opponents in the tournament,” Vierenna said, speaking about her victory in some kind of competition between imperial academies. Though she insisted her win was mere luck, everyone emphasized her talent and mindset.
“Even if you say so, my eyes tell a different story,” said the elderly man, Jan De Ressa, his tone calm but filled with praise.
“Luck or not, you have brought great honor to your name. That alone is worth mentioning,” added the woman, Anna-Lena De Ressa.
Deon paid little attention to the conversation, his focus instead on the girl with the band over her eyes. From his observations, he discerned that she was blind… yet not blind.
Though her mother held her hand to guide her here, the girl’s movements didn’t align with those of a blind person. Deon himself would have sworn that the girl was looking at him, though he couldn’t pinpoint the source of her gaze. It was as if she saw him from every angle.
She truly made him uneasy.
And all the while, she seemed aware of his focus on her, though she couldn’t understand why. Thus, her focus didn’t waver from him either.
“Pleasure to finally meet you. Vierenna has spoken much about you…” She was the first to initiate a conversation. “My name is Anna-Accia De Ressa, if you weren’t aware. Knowing Vierenna, you’ll have to take that route.”
‘I already like her.’
Indeed, Deon didn’t know the names of any members of the De Ressa household. He had read about them during his studies in his room but never knew that his soon-to-be knight bore this name. Thus, he remained ignorant. Moreover, he appreciated Anna-Accia’s gesture.
“Pardon my ignorance. Pleased to meet you as well,” Deon finally replied.
“If you have any curiosities, feel free to ask me anything. And as you might have guessed, I am indeed unable to see. It wasn’t natural but the result of a past incident.”
Everyone at the table seemed to ignore their conversation, busy with their own talks. However, Deon felt their attention hadn’t strayed from them, especially Felice and Vierenna, for some reason.
“I do have my curiosities, but you’re free not to answer. Well then, how can you see if you’re blind?”
The girl tensed at that but quickly regained her composure, smiling at him.
Before she could speak, however, Felice intervened in their conversation.
“That goes beyond curiosity, and forgive me for interfering,” he said respectfully, though the anger in his voice was evident.
Deon couldn’t blame him for this; he was trying to protect his sister. Deon himself thought the question had crossed the line and was ready to apologize.
But Anna-Accia spoke directly behind her brother. “I don’t see it that way. It only goes to show that young master Deon has sharp vision and a high sense of his surroundings.”
Deon said nothing, and Felice simply turned his face and returned to his conversation with the rest of the group without another word.
“Though I am unable to see with my eyes, I can sense my surroundings and the people around me,” the girl continued enigmatically.
Deon fell silent for a moment, observing her honest expression before deciding to continue his questions.
“That’s impressive, but other senses aren’t as precise as the eyes, if I may say so. And I can tell your training is above mine, which speaks volumes about your talent.” Deon left his question ambiguous; he didn’t want to pressure the girl to answer but was genuinely curious.
‘Could she have something similar to my mana sense?’ The thought crossed Deon’s mind, but he didn’t voice it aloud.
The girl’s expression flickered, but she was good at maintaining a neutral face. The same smile never left her lips. “The young master is right in his assumptions. I don’t know how to explain it, but I’ll say that when you lose something, you gain something in return. Although it’s not always fair or present in most cases, I count myself lucky for what I have left.”
“That’s an excellent mindset. I wish I had it, but it’s never too late,” Deon replied, knowing the girl wouldn’t say more about her condition.
And so, silence returned between the two, leaving room for the rest of the group to talk as they enjoyed their breakfast. Deon himself was still waiting for his coffee with milk but didn’t stop himself from tasting the food out of respect for the group.
Not even a minute had passed before Yven entered the room, carrying a small tray with a single white cup on its surface. She handled it with the care of a mother toward her only child, seeming completely unaware of her surroundings. Her eyes were fixed solely on Deon and the cup as she made her way toward him.
She reached his side, oblivious to the curious gazes that followed her. Carefully, she picked up the cup and placed it in front of Deon with the same exaggerated delicacy.
Standing upright again, a satisfied smile adorned her captivating features.
“Eh…”
But the smile quickly faded, replaced by unease, as she glanced nervously around at the other attendees.
For a moment, she seemed unsure of what to do, but Deon, feeling pity for the young girl, decided to help her this time.
“You may go now, Yven.”
The words seemed to release her. She gave Deon a slight bow before hastily exiting the room.
At that moment, Deon raised the cup of coffee with milk to his lips, ready to savor its heavenly taste.
But Felice couldn’t hold back his comment, interrupting Deon’s single moment of happiness with his cup.
“You have quite an interesting choice of maid.”
Deon stopped the cup just before it reached his mouth. The aroma of the coffee tempted him to ignore the remark and focus on his joy, but he couldn’t.
Lowering the cup back onto the table, he turned toward Felice with a sharp gaze.
“You have a keen eye, indeed. Yven is fascinating, but not for the reasons you think. She was my mother’s choice. Who am I to question it, let alone anyone else?”
The expressions around the table soured, and all eyes turned to Felice, particularly Vierenna, who cast a piercing look at the boy when their mother was mentioned.
Realizing his mistake, Felice lowered his head slightly and apologized. “I misspoke. Please forgive my rudeness, young master, and don’t see my words as a lack of respect.”
Deon shifted his gaze between his cup and Felice before deciding not to escalate the situation. “I won’t hold it against you, but I expect more of these reactions in the future. Yven has that effect, and I’m the one who will bear the consequences. How unfair.”
The middle-aged woman, Anna-Lena, chuckled softly, seeming to grasp the meaning behind Deon’s words. “Such is the price of beauty—the blessing of women and the curse of men.”
Even Deon couldn’t suppress a smile at that. She wasn’t wrong, though he bore no grudge against Yven. The coffee she made was more than enough to make up for anything.
From there, the conversation returned to its relaxed flow. No one addressed Deon, leaving him free to enjoy his coffee.
But all good things come to an end.
Deon felt a pang of sadness as he stared at the empty cup, but he also felt hopeful for tomorrow morning.
A new day, the same coffee with milk.
‘If only life is that simple.’
Setting the cup back on the table, he shifted his focus to the conversation around him, which, fortunately, was reaching its end and moving toward a more serious topic.
The elderly man, Jan De Ressa, adjusted his posture, his previously relaxed demeanor giving way to a professional seriousness as he addressed everyone at the table. “Let’s talk about why we’re really here.”
‘Finally.’