Chapter 28

Meeting the Corrupted Compass

  After the visit of the unknown dark mana wielder, supposedly Xandor, Hans turned to the God he does not believe in for his survival at least until he reached Concordia. Just before dropping him off in his room, Rudolf informs him that the only place he could live without worry is Concordia.

  He was not wrong. That place was very intimidating as an enemy. They only allowed mages and Knights' families to live there. Even a farmer or stone mason was a knight or a mage, which also made that place a hell of a lot more expensive to live in. Usually, Concordia always stays neutral and didn't interfere with the world's politics, but it all changes when one of theirs gets harmed.

  Hans laid on his back in the bed, trying to get some shuteye, but couldn't sleep this time either. He thought after knowing who the intruder was, he might sleep a little, but the effect was reversed. After tossing and turning, he finally fell asleep and no one in the Mansion tried to wake him up, even though it was late afternoon.

  He felt another presence staring at him that had broken his sleep. The presence was quite close to the bed and was stalking him quietly for some time. He was praying that this time his grandfather would notice to it first, but Rudolf was nowhere to be around.

  This got him scared and his habit of hiccuping responded with the weird noise making the person staring at him chuckled a little. Hans found the voice different, and he slowly opened his eyes, only to see none other than Vanessa looking at him. This made him feel relieved, and he started massaging his chest to stop hiccuping.

  She looked different from what Hans had seen until now. With clean clothes and recently washed hair, she was nothing but beautiful. Hans got embarrassed when he realised what he was doing in front of her and pulled the blanket over him to hide his embarrassed expression. Rudolf’s voice came from outside the room “is he hiccuping? He must be scared”. The boy wanted to shout at Rudolf, but Vanessa was still in the room. He didn't want to ruin his image any further.

Vanessa replied to Rudolf,

No, Count Rudolf, our young Lord, is quite cute.

Wait till you hear him cursing, Vanessa.

Hans slowly spoke up from inside the blanket.

Can you leave for a moment?

Vanessa replied to him gently,

Yes, come out when you are ready, young Lord.

  Her voice was sweet, and her way of saying was gentle and that made him shiver all over. He didn't understand what was happening to him. These were all symptoms of him being scared, but he was not hiccuping. His heart was racing and his face was burning. He didn't know this feeling too. After coming to Genas, Hans felt many emotions that he was not used to.

  When he calmed down, he made himself presentable and walked out of the room to get surprised again by the girl. She was leaning back beside the door. Hans couldn't maintain eye contact with her and simply looked down.

She asked him,

Shall we go down, Young Lord?

  Hans just nodded in agreement, and she walked right a bit behind him, making him nervous again. The gossip of him facing an assassin was already spreading among the servants, so she thought that was making him nervous. She came closer and whispered in his ears, which surprised him even more.

The more you think about last night, the more you will get stressed.

  The cause of his nervousness was not Xandor or whatnot, but because he was not sure how to deal with this girl. The sweet smell of her perfume was making him shiver even more. He tried calming himself by taking long breaths and seeing him do that, Vanessa got even more concerned. She confronted him by blocking him right at the front and asked,

Young Lord, are you alright?

Yes, yes I am, can you… can't you just stay a little away...from me...

  Vanessa made a troubled expression. She wanted to get along with her saviour so she was behaving as politely as she could, which was not her true nature. She asked him in an even more polite tone.

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Did I do something wrong?

  Her melodious voice was one thing, but her sweet expression was the one that was making Hans hazy. He was very close to having a mental breakdown. He jumped back a little and shouted at her.

just...Stay away.

Vanessa got startled and tried to remember what wrong she did to make the kid feel this way. Sierra came right behind her and said,

He doesn't know how to talk with pretty girls. It's not your fault, Vanessa.

The new revelation was more surprising for her, on the other hand, Hans was flustered and avoided her.

Sierra continued with her words towards the girl.

Stop the pretence. He would like you even more if you behave like your usual self.

Should I?

  In their conversation, Hans found a perfect time to escape. Rather than being stuck between these ladies, he felt it was far more comfortable to be with the old men in the house. But Rudolf just got excellent material to mock him, and sparing this chance was not like his character.

He asked Hans,

So squeaky. How was it, meeting a pretty girl for the first time?

Oh shut up, gramps.

He laughed, seeing the child’s flustered face. After making fun of him for a while, he said to him,

Get used to it Hans, what will happen to you when you see Elven girls?

I feel like I don't wanna meet them.

It's alright you will get used to it. Just stare right at them, if you can.

  He burst into laughter but stopped when Sierra came down with Vanessa. Hans didn't want to be mocked again, so he forced himself to look right at Vanessa, who was smiling at him. It didn't take him long to lower his gaze, and Rudolf burst into laughter once more. Suddenly the laughing knight got covered in vines which were trying to gag him.

  Aldrich got surprised and became cautious, it was clear that this was Hans’s doing but there were no light circles formed around his hands this time either. A mage couldn't activate spells without mana circles manifesting around the body. Vanessa mumbled in surprise.

He really is special, as he should be, Lady Sierra.

Rudolf kept tearing down the vines, but Hans was keeping up with his speed. Sierra stopped both of them and said to Hans.

It's okay, Hans, this is normal. You wanted to live among others, don't you?

Hans didn't reply to her, and she continued,

You know you will be entering as a Richardson in Concordia, right?

Mhm…

Then that makes Vanessa your sister, right?

Mhm...

Then do you know the duty of a brother to her sister?

  Hans looked at Sierra in confusion. He didn't know what Sierra was talking about, but the lady has a knack for manipulating Hans very well. He was a child who would go all the way if she entrusted him with responsibility and the lady exploited the very thing,

A brother is responsible for her sister’s happiness, to protect her from any harm.

Hans’s eyes brightened up, and Sierra struck the anvil while the iron was hot.

How can you take that responsibility when you are this uncomfortable around her?

She had Hans in hook, line and sinker. He stood up and declared,

Don't worry, I will be her brother.

Then you don't have to feel awkward around her. She is going to be your elder sister, right?

Hans looked straight at her and said,

Then she doesn't have to talk weirdly. After all, she is going to be my sister, right?

  Everyone was looking at Vanessa, and she was thinking about how easily the boy got manipulated by Lady Sierra. He was very gullible and innocent, which made him look very innocent and cute. She nodded and said to Hans,

So it is alright if I call you Hans.

Hans felt comfortable hearing that, and he acknowledged her back.

yes, then I should call your sister or sis Vanessa.

Whatever you prefer, Hans.

  Aldrich was stopping her to not address their young Lord this way, but Rudolf signalled him to stop. Tying Hans with the word "responsibility" was the best way to get something from him. But meeting Vanessa was going to shape Hans’s future in a very different direction because Vanessa was thinking of removing his gullible nature first and foremost so no one could manipulate him any further.

  There are roughly three months in her hand to shape Hans into something that suited him to be called Samson’s child, but she didn't know that her decision would birth the most narcissistic and psychotic Mage of all time.   

Sierra asked her to guide Hans so he could adjust to the world of people, but Vanessa's influence was akin to a corrupted compass for Hans. She replied to the lady,

Don't worry, my lady, I will make sure that he develops a mindset which helps him live longer.

***