Chapter 44
The promised dinner was held in a room a short distance from the banquet hall. The room had only one large table that was exquisitely decorated. It was a place reserved solely for the blood of the Agnus family.
Joshua approached the door and pulled it open before the old butler had a chance to say anything.
“Yo-Young Master Joshua!”
Joshua was too occupied to hear the old butler. The first thing he saw through the open door was a middle-aged beauty with piercing eyes and arched brows seated at the head of the table. And next to her…
“Mother,” Joshua called out with a hardened expression.
“Joshua?” Lucia was startled by Joshua’s sudden appearance. Vanessa, and Chiffon, next to her, didn’t seem bothered.
“You’re Joshua, right? This is probably the first time we actually met?” Vanessa greeted him with a grin, but Joshua didn’t reply.
“Young Master Joshua, you stand before the Duchess of the Agnus family. Be courteous.” Chiffon scowled at him.
Still, Joshua remained silent.
“Young Master Joshua!” Chiffon exclaimed.
Joshua’s eyes snapped onto Chiffon for a moment, and the latter shivered instinctively.
‘That gaze…’ Chiffon’s throat quivered. Before those eyes, all pretensions of etiquette were blown away; nothing was left but primordial instinct.
“Shouldn’t you say your greetings, Joshua?” Lucia looked him up and down with a worried expression.
Joshua let out a sigh.
“I am Joshua von Agnus. I greet the Duchess.”
Vanessa twitched. Was he disrespectful? No. She was merely bothered by the way he used the name “Agnus”. However, the Duchess recovered quickly.
“I heard you’re departing for the capital shortly. I was a little worried since I feel like I’ve never properly gotten to know you.”
“—Arcadia? Are you talking about Arcadia, Duchess?” Lucia’s eyes flew wide open. She had only just heard of this news.
“Just call me ‘Sister’,” Vanessa said.
“Oh my God, how dare I—” Lucia stuttered with a confused expression. Both were Duke Agnus’s partners, but their standings were as different as heaven and earth. Vanessa, descended from the noblest blood in the Avalon Empire, and Lucia, nothing more than a maid; in any other situation, it would have been unthinkable for them to even look each other in the eye.
What perplexed Lucia even more was Vanessa’s demeanor. The Duchess had never treated her so well before.
“You haven’t heard anything yet?” Vanessa asked with a smile on her lips.
“Yes?”
“The Duke said he’d take my younger sister and Joshua with him when he returns to the capital.”
“Ah, what exactly do you mean?” Lucia widened her eyes in surprise. The sudden news had caught her off guard.
Chiffon then stepped up to fill in the holes.
“So Joshua is a Knight...” Lucia stared blankly at Joshua.
Meanwhile, despite all the attention on Joshua, his eyes were only on one person.
‘Would Joshua discover my intentions?’?Vanessa thought to herself as she put on an even polite smile.
“This is a sore spot for me, because it looks like I never invited any of you to dinner… Wouldn’t it be look bad on me if I just let you guys leave for the capital without a proper farewell?”
“Oh my, Duchess... Don’t say that.”
“You called me that again.” Vanessa furrowed her brows.
“Sister… sister.” Lucia stuttered.
“Please accept my apologies for neglecting you. If there is any lingering ill will, it is my wish that those feelings be laid to rest.”
“There are no grudges! You’ve been so gracious to extend this hospitality to us!”
“Thank you!” Vanessa clapped her hands together with a bright smile. “Please prepare the table as soon as possible.”
The door opened, and platters poured in one by one.
“Is your seat uncomfortable?” Vanessa asked Joshua. “You didn’t seem pleased the moment you came in.”
“It’s quite inconvenient.”
Vanessa was visibly astonished by Joshua's immediate answer.
“Young Master Joshua!” Chiffon couldn’t hold it in any longer.
“Do you want to die?” Joshua softly muttered, the killing intent apparent in his words.
Chiffon flinched like he’d been bitten. His hand instinctively dropped to his belt.
‘This!’ His cheeks flushed at his own actions. To think that he would react in this manner toward an entry-level C-Class Knight—!
“You disgraceful…!”
Alarm bells rang in Chiffon’s head as the murderous aura around Joshua’s body thickened. Chiffon prepared to draw his sword.
‘Killing intent isn’t something you acquire just by enhancing one’s swordsmanship. People are born with it. So…’
Cold sweat trickled down Chiffon’s back as if he were facing down a B-Class Knight.
Joshua seemed completely centered, like the emotions of other people meant nothing to him. It seemed as if he was in control of his life, somehow.
“Seeing as you’re ready to draw your blade, it appears Sir Chiffon has a short temper—”
“Joshua!”
Joshua ground to a halt when he realized who had spoken, and instantly withdrew the aura that he had let out. Chiffon let out a long breath, as if he’d just been scrubbed clean. Vanessa grimaced, and Lucia looked annoyed.
If they’d been left alone…
“Stop it, Sir Chiffon,” said the Duchess.
“What impoliteness is this, Joshua?” said Lucia.
“Sir Chiffon, may we speak for a moment?” Vanessa locked eyes with Chiffon.
“I understand, Your Highness.”
Vanessa rose gently and turned to Lucia.
“Wait for just a moment,” said the hostess. “You can eat first.”
“Ah…” Lucia didn’t have time to reply before they walked out the door.
“Joshua, what’s the matter with you? What do they mean when they say you’re going to the capital? What about becoming a knight—?”
“I’m sorry.”
Lucia came to an abrupt halt when she saw the genuine remorse on Joshua’s face. Letting out a sigh, she shook her head to show that it was fine.
“Should I wait until later to hear what happened?” Lucia continued.
“Okay.”
“All right—”
“However.”
Lucia cocked her head curiously.
“For the time being, I hope you’ll trust me.”
“Joshua?” Lucia was confused by Joshua’s stern expression.
His eyes were more frigid than they’d ever been.
***
Vanessa turned around once she’d gone some distance from the dining room.
“What do you think you are doing, Sir Chiffon”
“That—”
“Stop making excuses.”
“My apologies.” Chiffon bowed.
“I’m not sure why you’re acting like that, Sir Chiffon.” Vanessa glared at him with poisonous eyes. “You’re fighting a small child.”
Chiffon was confused by his own actions too. He recalled the first time he had seen that boy. From the depths of his heart, rage swelled. Animosity, without reason. He didn’t understand that emotion until now.
‘Isn’t this envy?’?He didn’t want to admit it, but he couldn’t help himself. An unbelievable talent, superior to his beloved master, and a profound sense of dignity that drew people in.
‘Damn it.’?Chiffon chewed his lip.
“Don’t be influenced by irrational feelings,” Vanessa said. “After some time, you might not even get to see him anymore, that vulgar thing.”
“What do you mean?”
“Those things just arrived yesterday. They call it ‘Gari’.” replied Vanessa.
“Gari…!” Chiffon stared wide-eyed at her.
Gari was a poison well known among the knights.
One of the main ingredients of Gari was a poisonous herb found in the Blue Mountains, which had the highest peak in all of Ingrant Continent, and was also known to be the most dangerous of all places. The resulting product, Gari, was a pure white powder that was nearly tasteless and odorless, even to the highly developed senses of the knights.
‘Gari might work.’
“Even for a mere beast, the last road is a comfortable one,” Vanessa said as she made her way slowly back to the dining room. “Knight? Arcadia? It’s not even funny. I don’t think a bug could be worse than him.”
Vanessa’s smile was as cold as ice.
“This time, don’t make a mistake.”
***
The doors opened, and the Duchess and her knight entered the room.
“Have you been waiting for us? I told you to eat first. I’m ashamed we—”
“How could we start without the host?”
Vanessa flashed a bright smile at Lucia’s reply before looking at Joshua.
“I offered Sir Chiffon some harsh advice; I hope you’re satisfied by it as well.”
Vanessa sat down and examined the food set on the table. Peculiarly, extra food was placed in front of Lucia and Joshua—Vanessa's intentions were, of course, hidden within.
“Sister Lucia, I hope you or your child don’t find this dinner to be too bothersome?”
“Not at all! We’re fine.” Lucia spoke loudly, as if unsure of herself.
“I’m thrilled!” Vanessa smiled. “Thank god. I was afraid my sister would despise me.”
“That’s impossible,” said Lucia. She leapt to her feet like a frightened rabbit.
“I’m serious.” Vanessa covered her mouth bashfully. “I want to get to know my younger sister a little better.”
Lucia was greatly moved. Although she hadn’t been bullied openly, she had to sleep with one eye open for years. It was only natural she would feel reassured by the first warm words offered to her.
“Shall we eat, then?” Vanessa asked as she held up her cutlery.
Lucia nodded brightly.
“Then—”
“Wait.” The voice filled the dining room, instantly capturing the guests’ attention.
Joshua’s lips curled into a tiny smile.
“Before we eat, I’d like to express my regret. I had no idea there was a deeper meaning to this dinner, and I was oversensitive.” He rose from his seat and bowed. “Please accept my heartfelt apologies.”
“All is well.” Vanessa seemed perplexed but smiled and nodded. Lucia, too, was smiling.
“It appears my young mind has accumulated useless poisons,” Joshua continued. “I don’t think First Mother thinks like I do. If we’d known ahead of time, we would have prepared something ourselves—”
“It’s not too late.”
Joshua grinned widely at Vanessa’s reply.
“I appreciate you saying that, but you reached out first—” Joshua pointed at the table. “I can’t accept this kind of treatment from you.”
“Hey, Joshua, what do you mean?” Lucia shifted uncomfortably.
“Mother, it appears First Mother is overly concerned about us. She only receives a small portion of the food, while we have so much.”
“Ah!”
Indeed, delicacies were piled high in front of them. Vanessa’s cheeks flushed with unease as Joshua continued to push her.
He was observing Vanessa’s reaction down to every minute detail, and hadn’t missed out that trace of anxiety that briefly flashed past her countenance.
Joshua drew an angelic smile on his lips as he pressed the attack home.
“First Mother, I hope we can all enjoy our last dinner together.”
For the first time, Vanessa’s perfect smile cracked.
1. She’s referring to Lucia here.
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