Just as Ryan stepped out of the room with the goblinette, a pretty girl in maid outfit rushed toward him. Her amber eyes flickered to the goblin, and her face scrunched up in distaste, but despite her hesitation, she still approached.
"Kaelith..." Ryan murmured, feeling a strange warmth bloom in his chest.
Their eyes met, an unspoken emotion passing between them.
A second later, both looked away, flustered. Kaelith moved to walk by his side, though she instinctively positioned the goblinette between them like a tiny, green shield.
Ryan looked at her reddening ears and his heart began thumping.
"Did you learn about martial arts?" she asked after a pause.
Ryan grimaced. "Eh, I did."
"Did you…" She didn't have anything else to say. "Like it?"
"Like what, martial arts?"
"…"
"…"
They both became silent.
I need to think of something to talk about, he panicked. I can't fumble this. Look, she is so cute—yeah, yeah let's praise her looks.
"Your freckles look cute," he blurted out.
Dumb shit.
I am a dumb shit.
"Really?" Her eyes lit up, but then her lips curled downward. "But you used to bully me about my freckles all the time. Don't lie."
"That was when we were young!" He defended, cursing himself: "The young me was a dog, and a dog doesn't know what's good for it! You look so cute!"
Kaeli couldn't stop a soft giggle.
More than his words, the desperation in his actions softened her. In the end—this guy did care about her. Bastard. He should have long shown her that!
Meanwhile, Ryan celebrated the small win in his heart.
Make a girl laugh and she will love you—he had seen that on the internet.
And Kaelith, this cute explosion of a maid, had giggled.
Then, a silence stretched between them.
Others might be okay when remaining silent with somebody while walking, but Ryan was not that kind of person. If a conversation paused and it became silent, he absolutely would not be able to stop thinking about something to talk.
Maybe he had ADHD.
Did I bring that with me to this world?
Damn.
"Ryan," Kaelith suddenly said softly, looking at the goblinette with clenched fists. "Why did you buy her?"
"I told you, you don't have to be worried about her, Kael, I swear."
Kaelith didn't look convinced, but before she could press further, Ryan made his move. He reached out and gently took her cool palm in his own. She tensed, her fingers twitching as if about to pull away, but in the end, she let him hold it.
His chest tightened in a way that felt foreign.
The girl's blush was clear.
And that made it even better.
They walked, the silence sweeter now with the warmth of their coiling fingers.
"Would—would you kiss this girl?" Kaelith asked. "Like you did with me."
Ryan sweated inwardly. He could feel her hand tighten in anticipation—her eyes glisten a she stared at him. He looked back at her.
Right then, his savior appeared.
"Oh? Handholding?" A smooth voice teased. "How scandalous."
Kaelith jolted as if burned, yanking her hand away. Ryan turned sharply, eyes narrowing at the new arrival.
A woman stood before them, her striking golden-blonde hair cascading beneath a feather-crowned hat. Despite being indoors, she wore a deep blue dress, elegantly tailored and exuding authority.
It was none other than Lady Eleanor.
She was a wife of the king, but she had more control over the capital than the king himself. A master of political games. A force lurking in the capital's shadows.
And a prime suspect in yesterday's assassination attempt.
All of them exchanged a glance that seemed to hide a plethora of hidden opinions about each other.
"Lady Eleanor," Ryan greeted with a small bow. "You didn't have to make my Kaelith so flustered. I worked hard to hold that hand, you know?"
"Oh?" Her sharp blue eyes twinkled with amusement. The brat's confidence has grown. Interesting.
"Then I did something wrong and I must apologize." She looked at Kaelith. "I hope you give him another chance."
The girl could only short-circuit and hide behind Ryan.
Smiling, Eleanor extended her slender hand towards Ryan. "Can I give my hand to you as an apology for a while, then, if Miss Kael doesn't mind?"
Ryan smiled, hiding his thoughts. "I would be honored to hold Aunt Elley's hand."
With practiced ease, he took her fingers, pressing a featherlight kiss to her palm before intertwining their hands. Then, ever so casually, he led her toward the nearby window, arms wrapped around her waist.
He couldn't help but find it a pity inwardly. If my skill were active, I would have made this hand holding last for a few more minutes to plunder you.
Her hand was warm, surprisingly so. And Eleanor also smelled good for a political fox.
He flicked a glance at Kaelith, subtly signaling her to leave. She hesitated but eventually nodded, tugging the goblinette along as she left. They would run to Lysandra and snitch about this meeting—that will be his insurance in case things went sideways.
"She is a little cutie," Eleanor praised. "Just like you."
"And you are beautiful, my lady. Just like the moon."
She raised her eyebrows, moving a bit closer. "Oh? Your poetry is quite refined. This aunt likes it."
Ryan felt her softness press against him. Damn, how can a woman be so soft? Is she a sponge?
He pulled her waist closer. "So why did aunt come to meet me? It is rare that I get to see you."
She sighed, her face wearing an innocently worried expression. "I heard some ominous rumors, so I had to come and see."
Ryan brushed his nose against hers. "Ominous rumors? Like what?"
"Rumors that someone tried to assassinate my dear nephew. It startled me. I was so afraid I rushed here immediately."
"Oh?" His fingers trailed down her spine. "But I haven't told anyone about it yet. So tell me, my beautiful aunt—how did you learn of this?"
"You left blood everywhere," she said. "The maids were talking and I listened, nothing more. Almost everyone knows it already."
Ryan could no longer hold back and he shamelessly pecked her lips, shamelessly bit them. Then, he let go.
Eleanor inhaled sharply, her exposed neckline trembling.
Then, she pushed him away with a smile.
"Seeing that you are fine, it seems my fear was unnecessary."
Ryan pulled her back to his embrace, startling her. His own heartbeat quickened, but he pressed her towards the wall by their side and just stared at her.
She stared back at him. An expression of, "you dare?" on her face.
Ryan pinned her arms.
Appraisal!
[Beast Tamer]
[Lv.???]
[Appraisal level insufficient]
His hands clasped her fingers.
"This…" she said, face reddening. "Aunt is old, you shouldn't push her too far."
"This nephew is young and brash. Let me see if Aunt has any problems."
He kissed her again.
This time, she was surprised at the intensity and the clumsiness of it all, his tongue didn't even care about propriety anymore. But after just a simple invasion and playing with her passive tongue, he stopped and pulled himself back.
He didn't want to embarrass himself due to a lack of skill.
Eleanor stared at him silently, her blue eyes watching everything closely.
Then, smiling, she shoved him away again, this time putting some distance between them.
"That was too short," he said.
She sighed, shaking her head. "Indeed, it was too short. But it seems like your mother is on her way to ruin this for us, so Aunt will leave for now." Then, she smiled and walked past him. "It was good luck that you escaped, brat—I didn't think you'd survive."
She waved her hand and walked away with a chuckle.
Ryan watched her go, then clutched his cheeks.
A line of blood had appeared on his cheek.
Drip.
Drip.
"Ah, so much blood," he said with a sigh. "What a thorny rose."
His mother appeared, her face cold. "Is she gone?"
Ryan sighed. "Yes. But now I am sure who the one behind the assasination was. She isn't even bothered about telling it outright."
Lysandra seethed at the sight of her son's blood. "She hurt you? She wouldn't dare do this without a reason, did you do something to give her leverage?"
Eh, does kissing her count?
"Not really…"
His mother frowned, then figured it out after some thinking.
"She must have seduced you, that vile bitch!"
Ryan had nothing to say. Now that he thought about it, that had been really bold.
His mother began healing him. In merely a few seconds, the bleeding stopped and new skin grew over the wound. But a bruise, a new one, was clearly visible on his earlobes.
Someone had twisted it till it became red and purple.
"If you're that desperate, do something about it!" she snapped, then strode away.
Kaelith and the goblinette, who had appeared at some point, watched him silently.
Kaelith's face was especially full of worry.
"I am fine," he said.
Kaelith clutched his hand. "I hate Lady Eleanor," she said with gritted teeth.
Ryan smiled wryly. "I don't like her either."
"You have saliva on your lips."
"..."
Do I?