Chương 86: Chapter 83: Those Crimson Eyes

In the royal garden, tiered waterfalls spilled over polished stone, feeding into obsidian-lined ponds where lotus flowers drifted. Every few yards, a hidden stone fountain or the rhythmic gurgle of a bubbling stream pierced the morning silence.

"Look at those two. Something must've happened last night," Rose muttered, observing the approaching pair.

"Mmm-hmm," Lucien nodded from the side.

"Are you surprised?" Kaelen asked, looking at Rose.

"I will be surprised if I ever manage to get surprised by them again," Rose's mouth twisted to one side.

"True…" The four—including Elan, standing slightly behind the rest—watched the approaching lovebirds, who seemed happier than ever today. [Reserve] Walking down the path toward the group, Vionette extended a hand and activated Noa's skill—which was now their skill. A crack formed beneath her palm and moved with her as she walked. Unclipping Crimson Night from her waist, she slid the sword into the rift and gave it a slight push, watching the steel vanish into the pocket dimension.

She then tossed a handful of gold coins inside as well.

"Finally, something to store items," she said cheerfully, her eyes bright.

"Now I don't have to adjust this shit every time I want to sit down. It was getting so annoying."

"Yeah, this is much better than carrying coins around," Noa added, activating the skill to stow Acheron away. Vionette turned her attention to the group as they finally reached the shade of the white gazebo.

"Seems like they were waiting for us." She wore a dark, modern alt-goth ensemble centered on a black, cropped, long-sleeve sweater paired with a complex, harness-accented miniskirt, knee-high socks, and chunky platform sneakers.

"It's your fault, Blackie. You made me try on all different kinds of outfits early in the fucking morning," Vionette complained, pouting at him.

"I could've slept a lot more if not for you!"

"Don't blame me. It's not my fault that you're too lazy to get up early," Noa looked her up and down.

"And you look too gorgeous, so I had to." Vionette glared at him.

"You… I know that already." Noa himself wore black tactical cargo pants adorned with hanging straps that swayed as he walked, paired with an oversized white hoodie. His white sneakers featured black laces and trim. Gotta thank Nymira for letting me see Vio in these modern outfits, Noa thought, closing his eyes with a satisfied smile.

"My Lord, would you like tea or coffee?" Rose asked as the two stepped into the gazebo.

"Tea is fine," Noa replied, taking a seat on one of the white chairs. Rose turned toward Vionette.

"My Lady?"

"Mmm…" She paused in thought for a few seconds.

"Get me tea, too." She sat in the chair next to Noa, their shoulders almost touching. In the center of the gazebo stood a round table of polished white quartz, surrounded by five chairs. As soon as the pair was seated, Kaelen and Lucien followed suit. Elan, however, hesitated, glancing at the others before nervously sliding into the seat next to Lucien.

"Nice outfit, it looks good on you," Noa said, glancing from Elan to Lucien.

"And not gonna lie, dude, that military uniform we made actually fits you. Are you going to use that as your usual now?"

"As Lady Vionette said, Miss Nymira's shop is the best in the kingdom," Lucien replied with a smile.

"Yes, the fabric is high quality, and the clothes are beautiful. Though…" Elan looked down at her outfit, her fingers fidgeting with the hem.

"Does this look… too much?" She wore a vibrant golden-yellow shirt with a slim black tie, tucked neatly into high-waisted dark trousers cinched by a gold-buckled belt. A dark, tailored jacket featuring subtle gold embroidery was draped over her shoulders. Stolen story; please report.

"It suits you perfectly," Vionette said with a smile, resting her chin on her hands atop the table.

"Look, even Lucien's military outfit matches it." It fits her tsundere vibes too, Noa thought, stifling a soft smirk.

"Thank you, My Lady. I will try to get used to it, then," Elan said, a flush of embarrassment on her cheeks. <Did you choose that for her? > Noa asked, looking at Lucien. Lucien returned his smile. <Yes. What do you think? > <You've got some taste, huh? What if I… make Vio wear something like—> Suddenly, Vionette's fist came down on Noa's head without her even looking at him.

"I can guess what you're thinking right now," she stated with a teasing smile. Her expression wasn't one of anger, but rather an amused confirmation—as if she were already mentally agreeing to play along with whatever 'fashion show' he had in mind for later.

"Here's the tea, My Lady," Rose said, her voice dropping to a dangerously low timbre.

"You too, Lord Noa."

"Ah—y-yes."

"The tea… right." Noa and Vionette, feeling the unspoken threat behind her polite words, immediately straightened their backs and stared rigidly forward. Elan observed the strange dynamic, her gaze drifting from Rose to Kaelen, and then back to the rulers. I still don't get what's wrong with these people. Or… am I the weird one here? She closed her eyes and exhaled. Why was I even invited to this meeting anyway?

"Okay, let's start our discussion with Elan while we're on the subject," Vionette stated, taking a sip of the fragrant tea.

"Me…?" Elan's eyes widened as she pointed at herself.

"What do I…?" Vionette flashed a sweet smile and extended a hand toward her with a laugh.

"From now on, you're the Archduke of Aurelyth. Good luck!"

"Yes, My La—wait…" Elan's face went pale, and she leaned back with wide eyes.

"…What?"

"I heard from Lucien that you have the intellect for the position," she said, her eyes flicking toward him.

"And he trusts you, too. So, try to do your best."

"W-wait, Lady Vionette! I can't take this position. I'm not ready to become a duke yet, let alone an archduke!"

"Elan, titles don't really matter inside Crimvane right now; they only matter to the outside world." Vionette's carefree tone vanished, her crimson eyes locking onto Elan's.

"Do you think just being an 'archduke' will make people fear you more than Elina, who doesn't even have a formal status here?" Elan immediately lowered her gaze, her fists clenching tight in her lap.

"…No."

"I chose Lucien as my Loyal Envoy, but do you see any strength in him?" She placed her teacup down with a soft sound and leaned forward.

"I don't care if you're a dragon, a king, or even a god. What I care about are the results of your actions, and your loyalty. Not your title. Not your strength." Throughout the exchange, Elan's mind repeated a single, unbreakable command: Do not look into those eyes.

"And all I ask you to do is to protect the citizens in Aurelyth. Now, can you do it?" Maybe? But she won't take that as an answer… Becoming an archduke out of nowhere, just because Lucien trusts me? Why would she—? Feeling a cool touch, she shifted her gaze down and found Lucien's hand resting gently over her clenched fists. <Don't worry. You've got this.

> I'm able to infer what others are thinking by looking into their eyes, but when I looked into hers, I only saw tens of thousands of ways to kill or manipulate me being calculated in a mere second. She followed his hand, glancing up to find him casually looking at those same eyes. Just how can you look at them so casually? Baffled, she looked around nervously. She glanced at a confused Noa, then at Rose—who was actively glaring at him—and finally found the courage to meet Vionette's crimson eyes once more.

Unlike last time, the woman's gaze held a welcoming, familiar warmth. And, Elan could see nothing but the beauty of those crimson gems. I see… Elan's eyes softened with quiet adoration as the tension bled from her shoulders. Even those calculations can cease when she's with the people she trusts. While Vionette waited, Elan finally found her voice.

"Yes, I will try." <Thank you, > she relayed to Lucien. Lucien looked at her, confused. <Huh? For what? > Her only answer was a gentle smile.

"Great!" Vionette clapped her hands together with a cheerful smile.

"Now onto the next order of business: Who should we give the Caldris dukedom to?" Rose looked at Vionette, then turned toward Lucien.

"Those two rasca—I mean, Lady Lina and Lady Elina are already out of the question. Kaelen and Elan are occupied now, leaving…"

"No, nope! I will be staying with Elan," Lucien instantly rejected the unspoken offer, waving his hands in the air. Rose sighed, shaking her head.

"Yeah, I thought as much."

"Mmm… then, Kaelen, assign Numael to temporarily control Caldris." Vionette leaned back in her chair.

"I have someone in mind for that position, so just tell him to manage it for now." Kaelen bowed his head slightly.

"I will tell him, My Lady."

"Next, we need a specialist for magical affairs." She sighed, her expression turning disappointed.

"Our current strongest magic user is a dumb lizard who only knows fire magic, so she's useless for anything formal."

"Wait—don't worry about that," Noa interrupted.

"I already have someone in mind for the job." Vionette turned her head toward him, confused.

"Someone in mind?" Noa looked up, a nostalgic shadow passing over his face.

"Yes. Someone very important to me." Vionette stared at him for a few seconds, then looked back toward Kaelen.

"Okay then. Next: did you get the people I asked for? The spies?"

"Yes, we've trained the soldiers and selected the very best," Kaelen nodded.

"Perfect. Assign them to Viselle. She's reliable, even if she acts like a lunatic most of the time."

"I will." <Your Majesties, there is an urgent report. > Numael's voice echoed through the minds of Noa and Vionette. The two immediately locked eyes, the playful atmosphere of the morning evaporating. <What is it? > <The King and Queen of Lythoria, Evander Elvaris and Selene Elvaris, have arrived. They are requesting an audience with Your Majesties. >