Ju's eyes seemed to fixate on my wings as if she were only just now noticing them. After a moment of silent observation, she turned her gaze back to me.
“How did you come up with the idea to give yourself those wings?” she inquired, a curious expression on her face.
I wasn't entirely sure what she was getting at.
"What's wrong with my wings? They're perfectly fine as they are!" I responded, giving them a confident flutter that stirred the air around us.
She chuckled, her gaze shifting between me and my wings once more.
"You should have modeled your wings after an avian, not a fairy. Only a fairy can fly with such wings; they have their secrets."
Confusion clouded my expression.
"What do you mean?" I asked. "I can fly, I'll show you!"
With determination, I gave my wings a strong flap, lifting myself briefly into the air as a rush of wind swept through the room, my mana forming an air cushion in conjunction with the wings.
"See? Like this! Lynx, tell her that I can!" I declared proudly, a grin spreading across my face as I basked in my accomplishment.
Her gasp caught me off guard; apparently, my little demonstration had surprised her more than I expected.
“Did a fairy teach you how to do mana flying?” she inquired, her tone tinged with astonishment.
Confusion filled my features.
"What is mana flying?" I asked.
She eyed me skeptically.
"What you just did. Are you a fairy?" she questioned, her gaze narrowing as she looked at me. "Was this demon thing just a disguise?"
I couldn't help but burst into laughter.
"I wish it was," I replied with a sigh, "Unfortunately, it is not. I thought we had clarified that!" I added, sticking out my tongue to emphasize my response.
I know it was a childish gesture, but I felt the need to express myself in some way. To my relief, it seemed to ease the tension a bit.
“Okay, I almost thought I made a deal with a fairy!” she chuckled, "but now that I've calmed down, it's only a deal with the devil I made."
It was good to see her regaining her humor, though I couldn't help but feel a bit uneasy being labeled as the devil. I mean, I was a demon, not 'The Devil'.
She continued.
"Now, if people see you with those wings, they'll think you're a fairy!” she chuckled. “That's another can of worms you've opened with those wings. Couldn't you have just made yourself a normal human without wings and horns?"
I sighed. “But you saw that I am human when you tried to identify me!” I protested.
“Half-human,” she specified, “and as far as I can see, half-fairy!”
“What's wrong with that?” I questioned, raising my shoulders in a shrug.
She sighed. “Well, fairies do have their peculiarities and see things in their specific way...”
At that moment, the door creaked open and Tina peeked in, letting in a stream of sunlight that danced on the floor.
"Morning!" she greeted cheerfully from the doorway.
“Hi, Tina!” I responded.
“The boys are wondering if everything's okay and if we're all going to breakfast together?” she asked.
This tale has been pilfered from Royal Road. If found on Amazon, kindly file a report.
Alice turned to me. “Ah, they're early today as I asked them to be! Are you up for breakfast? Would you like to join them in the dining room, or should we have it brought to you here, my lady?”
I chuckled at the endearment.
Opting to join them in the dining room, I quickly got ready. Fifteen minutes later, clad in blue jeans and an elegant blouse that discreetly concealed my folded wings, I made my way to the dining room.
My horns, now larger and heavier, caused a slight strain on my neck, prompting me to adopt a more upright posture—a change that Ju seemed pleased about, as she had often criticized my tendency to slouch. That was not noble at all according to her. Oh well, at least someone was happy about my bigger horns.
The morning was still young, and the room had a sparse attendance, gradually filling up with more patrons. Our group claimed a corner of the spacious room, where a large table, fit for ten to twelve people, stood reserved solely for our use.
As we settled around the table and the food began to arrive, I surveyed the faces of my companions. It was comforting to be reunited, yet a sense of concern gnawed at me as I observed the apparent frailty of most of my pack members. This called for immediate action. They needed to be empowered, to learn the art of the hunt, to become stronger. It was clear: they must be trained to fight.
But before I could dwell on that further, Mike's voice broke through my thoughts.
"Have you considered getting a butler?"
His unexpected question jolted me from my reverie.
"Certainly not," I retorted with a snort. "I have enough on my plate as it is."
Ju's voice chimed in from across the table. "That's exactly why a butler could be useful," she argued.
Alice nodded sagely in agreement.
"You need one. Every noble house has someone to manage these kinds of arrangements and tasks."
Their synchronized argument left me feeling puzzled. It seemed like they had discussed this beforehand, but for what purpose?
"Mike wants to take charge of the job!" Tom blurted out, earning himself a glare from Ju. It seemed he wasn't the one supposed to divulge that information.
I raised a brow.
"What kind of crazy idea is this? We're friends; he can't be my butler. I refuse to lower him to that!" I protested.
"Don't fret about it, Lores," Mike reassured. "Every noble has a butler. You can't expect to play the part without one. Are you suggesting we find a stranger on the market, someone with questionable loyalties? And does this mean we can't be friends if I take the job? You need someone you can trust."
"Ah? I hadn't thought about it, Mike. Do we really need to discuss it now?" I questioned, hoping to buy some time. He shrugged.
"Well, there are already things that need to be arranged, like accommodations for your suite in Guaranga, ordering clothes for various events, and so on. But once you receive the nomination, there will be more to consider. Just let me handle it!"
"Hold on a second!" I protested "Making decisions about clothes without me? Not happening!"
He cleared his throat discreetly.
"Naturally, you'll have the final say on your wardrobe, but we do need to find something suitable for this setting, wouldn't you agree?"
"Mike, you're putting me in a tough spot, you know? What if some snobbish nobleman approaches me? How would he treat you? You know, like those arrogant viscounts and such?"
"That's precisely the point," he countered. "How do you think a regular butler would handle such situations with noble families? Trust me, I'm up to the challenge. I'll handle interactions with those noble types and blend in with their staff. We can maintain our friendship in private while keeping up appearances as butler and employer in public."
"Hmm, let me mull it over for a bit..." I responded, trying to buy some time.
"Of course!" he graciously granted my request, only to contradict himself in the next breath. "In the meantime, I'll take care of things, and you can let us know later! Perfect, my lady!"
He winked at me, Tina chuckled, and Ju rolled her eyes.
"Wait a minute, do I have to foot the bill for this?" I quipped amidst the laughter that erupted around the table, but before I could get an answer, we were interrupted by a boy who dashed over to our table. He positioned himself behind Alice and tugged gently on her arm to get her attention, then whispered something in her ear.
Surprisingly, I felt my ear twitch, and I caught every word of his whisper:
"Milady, the carriage has arrived, and there are five vacant seats!"
Alice turned to me. "We could secure five seats on the carriage to Guaranga. Should we take them, and who should come along? We need to decide quickly!"
My decision was already made. "Take the boys!" I instructed. "Once you're in Guaranga, send me a message!"
She rose from her seat. "Excellent! Thank you, milady!"
With a slight nod of her head in my direction, she then turned to address our companions.
"Gentlemen, we're departing. Now!"
The four exchanged glances briefly. Mike was the first to react, rising hesitantly from his seat, and the others followed suit.
"Quickly, quickly!" the boy urged. "The carriage waits only until they change the horses!"