Chapter 32: The Messenger of Stormveil County
### Morning
I woke up in my room, still recalling how Aurielle had shut her door the previous night, sending one last sharp glare my way before locking herself inside.
"I hope her anger has calmed down a bit," I thought, giving myself some false hope before changing into a simple shirt and pants.
With a soft creak, the door opened, and I stepped out toward the dining room. The corridor was already active—maids moved briskly as they carried out their duties, while armored knights maintained their patrol shifts with steady, disciplined steps.
After a while, I finally reached the room and stepped inside.
Inside, Aurielle was seated on the right, wearing a soft cotton loungewear dress. To my surprise, Aurora occupied the seat on the left, quietly enjoying her meal alongside us.
"Morning," I greeted with a smile upon entering. Aurora’s eyes lit up instantly, and a radiant smile bloomed across her face. The light breezy morning dress she wore matched with her relaxed apperance.
"Master!" Aurora cried out happily, pushing back her chair as she hurried to stand. Yet before she could move any closer, Aurielle voiced echoed.
"Eat quietly," she said flatly, refusing to even look at me.
Yep, definitely still angry, I thought. Right then, a maid in a black uniform pulled out the main chair for me, saving me from the awkward silence.
"Thank you," I said softly before settling into my chair. As my gaze swept across the room, I quickly noticed Margaret’s absence.
"Where is she?" I asked, glancing at Aurielle.
She didn’t answer. Instead, she puffed her cheeks and turned her head away with a huff, resembling an angry kitten.
"How cute," I said, unable to hold back a grin.
Then, before the angry kitten could protest, I leaned over and quickly kissed her cheek.
Aurora had been silently focusing on her meal, but the moment she saw her master’s actions, her eyes widened in surprise.
Thankfully, the maids were well-trained. Standing quietly with their heads lowered, they either saw nothing—or wisely pretended not to.
"What...?"
Aurielle’s eyes widened in surprise. The unexpected kiss had caught her completely unprepared. A soft blush bloomed across her cheeks, and she quickly lowered her gaze, unable to meet my eyes.
Looks like the angry kitten was finally calming down.
A smile crept onto my face, but before I could celebrate my success, Aurora’s voice suddenly cut in.
"Master, can I have one too?"
Aurora looked at me with sparkling, innocent eyes, completely unaware of how dangerous that question was.
CRACK.
The sharp sound echoed through the room, and I didn’t need to look to know exactly what had caused it.
Turning my head slowly, I looked toward Aurielle. The spoon she had been holding now bore a visible crack, while her gaze remained firmly fixed on me, filled with resentment.
"What did I do?" I protested, wearing a wronged expression. "I haven’t done anything."
While trying to soothe my offended wife, I cast a resentful glare toward the real culprit.
Aurora, on the other hand, had already given up on getting an answer and was calmly enjoying her breakfast, blissfully unaware of the chaos she had caused.
Soft giggles reached my ears from the side of the room. The maids were doing their best to suppress them, but not quite well enough.
CREEK.
"I’m saved," I murmured with genuine relief.
Never before had the sound of a door opening sounded so beautiful.
My savior had arrived.
All of us turned toward the door at once, except for Aurora, who remained focused on her meal, happily enjoying her food.
"Noah, what happened?"
Noah stood at the entrance with an apologetic expression on his face, clearly aware that he had interrupted our meal.
I gave him a slight nod, signaling him to speak. Noah straightened his posture and calmly conveyed the message he had brought with him.
"My Lord, a messenger from Stormveil County has just arrived. He claims to be carrying an official message from House Duvall."
A look of confusion flashed across my face.
"Who?" I asked, unable to understand why a messenger from Stormveil County would suddenly appear at my manor.
Aurielle, whose mood had finally calmed somewhat, shifted her attention to the mention of Stormveil County and answered before Noah could.
"Stormveil County is the territory of Count Magnus Duvall."
I waited for her to continue.
"And we fall under his jurisdiction," she added as she rose from her seat.
Without another word, she followed Noah out of the dining room, leaving me staring after them for a moment.
"Wait for me!"
I hurriedly stuffed a few bites into my mouth, having not touched a single piece of food since sitting down.
Aurora watched me rush out of the dining room with a puzzled expression. After a brief moment of consideration, she decided the matter wasn’t nearly as important as the chicken leg waiting on her plate and resumed her meal.
"Miss, not the bone too!"
A maid’s panicked voice rang out from behind.
I didn’t even need to turn around to know Aurora had done something ridiculous again.
By the time the realization hit, I had already caught up to Aurielle.
As the messenger represented a Count’s household, we took the time to prepare ourselves properly, dressing in formal noble attire before receiving him.
"Now you look presentable," Aurielle said, reaching up to straighten my collar.
My gaze settled on the mirror. Reflected within was a figure dressed in the Raven Silk Noble Set—a black silk shirt woven with understated elegance and a lightweight overcoat that flowed neatly over my frame. The dark attire gave off a quiet sense of authority without relying on excessive ornamentation.
I turned to look at Aurielle and found myself momentarily distracted. The Velvet Crest Noble Gown she wore was crafted from deep royal-purple velvet that draped elegantly around her figure. Under the gentle light, the fabric shimmered faintly, enhancing her natural beauty while maintaining the dignified elegance expected of a noble lady.
Unable to resist, I leaned in and kissed her softly. It lasted only a moment, but when we pulled apart, a slight mark from her lipstick remained on my lips.
"Stop it. You’re going to ruin this dress."
Aurielle smacked my hand away before it could reach its destination. Her cheeks were slightly pink, though the glare she sent me was far more intimidating than embarrassing.
"You look absolutely stunning today," I said, a helpless smile tugging at my lips as I ran a hand through my hair. "Can you really blame me for being distracted?"
"Pervert."
Aurielle shot me a glare before turning away.
Unfortunately for her, the smile she was trying to hide completely ruined the effect.
After a short walk, we reached the guest hall—the same place where we had hosted Baron Cedric not long ago. This time, a messenger occupied the seat reserved for guests.
What is that fat man doing now? I thought as memories of Cedric came to mind.
---
Somewhere near the border of the Blackstone Highlands, a fat man was running laps around a training field. Sweat poured down his body, soaking his clothes as he struggled to maintain his pace. Fortunately, the morning sky was covered by clouds. Otherwise, running across the open training ground beneath the scorching sun would have been far more difficult.
"My Lord, you should rest for today."
A gray-haired middle-aged man hurried alongside the track, carrying a towel and a flask of water. Worry lined his weathered face as he observed his master’s exhausted state. The pristine black suit and disciplined posture he maintained despite the circumstances identified him immediately as a veteran butler.
Sweat streamed down Cedric’s face as he forced his heavy body onward, each step demanding tremendous effort. His butler’s concerned voice reached his ears, but he ignored it completely. With gritted teeth, he retrieved a yellow potion from his belt and drained it in a single gulp. Warm energy spread through his limbs, restoring a portion of the stamina he had just burned away.
"Henry, Count Magnus Duvall’s daughter will soon celebrate her twentieth birthday."
The words came between heavy breaths as Cedric completed his fifth lap.
"So, many beautiful noble ladies will be attending as well."
Cedric paused and bent forward, placing his hands on his knees as he drew several ragged breaths.
Henry came to a stop as well. Unlike Cedric, however, his breathing remained calm and steady, as though running several laps around the training ground had barely affected him.
Cedric finally relaxed a little. Taking the towel from Henry’s hands, he wiped the sweat from his face before continuing where he had left off.
"Just think, Henry. If I manage to win the heart of a noble lady there, wouldn’t our territory prosper because of it?"
Cedric glanced at Henry’s face, hoping for some sort of reaction. However, the butler’s expression remained as calm and unreadable as ever. Having long grown accustomed to it, Cedric simply ignored the lack of response.
A grin slowly spread across Cedric’s face.
"And I’ve heard that both of the Count’s daughters are renowned beauties," he said. "Some even claim that heirs of ducal houses have sought their hands in marriage."
Cedric accepted the glass of water from Henry and drank it in a single gulp. After wiping his mouth with the back of his hand, he struck what he believed to be a dignified pose before turning to his butler.
"Henry," he asked, "what do you think?"
"And if I were somehow able to marry one of them, wouldn’t that be even better?" Cedric said with a hopeful smile.
Henry let out a quiet sigh after seeing his lord’s heroic pose. Unfortunately, the considerable belly protruding beneath Cedric’s clothes undermined much of the intended effect.
Then Henry asked, his expression unchanged. "And why would they choose to marry you, my Lord?"
A wide smile spread across Cedric’s face as the butler finally asked the question.
"Because Viscount Ashenford informed me that a competition will take place during the banquet as well," Cedric said with confidence.
He paused, a gleam of greed flashing in his eyes. "And the winner receives another secret prize—the chance of becoming engaged to his daughters, if they approve."
"Then that’s excellent, my Lord. I’m sure they’ll be impressed by your bravery and masculine presence," Henry said with a polite, slightly strained smile. Cedric ignored the tone entirely, focused instead on proving everyone wrong.
---
"Hello, Mister Reid."
After entering the room alongside Aurielle, I greeted the young man seated on the sofa, who was calmly sipping his tea with refined elegance.
I observed his appearance carefully—sharp-eyed and slightly travel-worn, with dark hair tied back neatly to keep it from falling across his face. He wore a simple black courier coat bearing the stamped seal of House Duvall on the chest. Lightweight boots rested beneath him, and a sealed leather satchel was strapped securely across his shoulder, marking him clearly as a trained messenger.
[Chapter End]
