Lancaster Mansion.
Amelia and Rachel could be seen waiting at the dining table. Luxurious and delicious looking dishes filled the table. Each dish were treated like works of art as the content was neatly and thoughtfully placed, bringing out the aesthetic beauty in food. However, the food had already all gone cold as they waited for the Duke to return home.
"I'm sorry, my dear. I was a little caught up with work." Duke Ignis apologised as he enter the dining room.
"Sit down, we'll talk over dinner." Amelia nodded. Work commitments couldn't be helped. "Go reheat the food."
The servants came and took the plates away, leaving the family of three at the dining table alone.
"I heard you sent my steward out on a task?" Ignis had a bitter look. His own right-hand man was being ordered around casually by his wife. Was he the duke or was she the duke? He may seem imposing and dignified outside, but at home, even he had to listen to his wife. He was a henpecked husband.
"Yeah, I wanted him to watch over someone secretly in case of any mishap."
"Oh? To send the steward to watch over this person, he must be very important. Who is he?"
Sebastian may just be a steward of the duke household, but he was a 7th step awakener. His status wasn't any lower than the marquises of the kingdom.
"The prince."
"You found him?" Duke Ignis was pleasantly surprised. He knew how hard his wife had been working to find him these days. It's good that she doesn't have stress over it anymore.
"That child is very good. I'm very satisfied with this son-in-law of ours." Amelia nodded with a smile.
"Oh? What is good about him?" Duke Ignis narrowed his eyes for a moment before glancing over his daughter. He thought she would protest against the engagement like usual, but she was strangely quiet.
Feeling her father's stare, she lowered her head with a blush. She might seem like she wasn't paying attention, but her ears were wide open as soon as her parents mentioned Leon.
"Can't you see I'm quite lively and not tired? It's all thanks to that child's tea."
"Tea?" Duke Ignis mood soured. "Don't you know tea keeps you wide awake? You might not feel it now, but it will only hit you harder later when it wears off. That child is clearly harming you!"
"What do you know? What he gave me was herbal tea. It's not really tea in the truest sense. Don't run your mouth if you don't know anything." Amelia defended.
"What? Tea that isn't real tea?" Ignis was baffled by her words. What nonsense is that? Wasn't I just being concern about you? Why do you defend a child you just met so vehemently?
Glancing over at his daughter again, she was also giving him a disapproving look for accusing Leon's good intentions.
What? Even his daughter is not happy with what he said? Why is his own wife and daughter not on his side? Exactly what happened today? What spell did that kid cast over his daughter and wife? Duke Ignis felt indignation and blamed it on Leon. Leon might have cried 'injustice!' if he knew.
"Hmph! I'll let you have a sip to know, but a sip is all you get. Amelia grunted. "Prepare the herbal tea!"
Amelia's firm articulate voice was heard in the kitchen next door and the maid, Lily soon got to work right away.
The herbal tea was gifted to her and useful for Rachel. She was also a tea connoisseur. She liked the tea very much. Amelia wasn't willing to share her herbal tea with her duke husband.
She was only willing to part with one sip to convince him of its extraordinariness.
The tea came out before the food and it was as she had intended, one sip was all Ignis get.
His eyes lit up as he fell the warmth soothe his being and brought him a strange calmness and relaxation he hadn't felt in a long time.
"Cough* Erm... Dear, I did not taste it well. Can I have another sip?" Ignis rubbed his hands and asked carefully. The herbal tea was incredible.
"No." Amelia flatly rejected.
Ignis winced at his wife's flat rejection.
"Cough* Well I admit the tea is good, but I must also see for myself whether or not he is suited for our daughter."
Both daughter and wife looked at him with
disdain. Would he dare break off the engagement if the prince wasn't good enough for his daughter? Most likely it was an excuse to ask for some herbal tea himself.
Duke Ignis had always been the staunchest supporter of the engagement. He felt he had failed his sworn brother for not being there when he needed him most. Protecting the engagement was a form of solace to liberate himself from his self-blame.
The door to the living room was suddenly knocked twice.
"Come in." Amelia's voice rang out.
Having received the acknowledgment, the door was pushed open as steward Sebastian entered.
"Your Grace." Sebastian saluted.
Duke Ignis did not show any displeasure for not being greeted first. He didn't dare upset his tigress wife.
The steward was the faint presence Leon had sensed since he left the Lancaster Mansion. From Leon's departure to his arrival at Lina's home, nothing was missed under the steward's watchful eyes from the dark.
Amelia nodded. "Did they return home safely?"
"Safely?" Sebastian was rooted as sweat began to form on his forehead. He asked carefully, "Didn't you want me to spy on then and report back where they headed to?"
"I asked you to watch over them... What part of watching over them do you not understand? Don't you think a 7th step expert like you have better things to do then tailing someone!? I wanted you to protect them from any harm! Amelia was livid. Such simple instructions couldn't be understood? Did he feed his brains to the dogs!? She immediately exploded. She just found the prince, if something happened to him then she wouldn't dare imagine what her sworn sister would do.
Duke Ignis wanted to speak up for his servant, but he kept his mouth zipped and looked on with pity. He knew his wife's temper well. The storm would not stop for anyone, not even him. Why would he want to direct the angry god at himself?
Sebastian felt his head buzzed. He knew he had fucked up. Leon wasn't a simple guest as he thought. In fact he was a very important guest!
The instruction of the Duke's wife had been very clear, but he had interpreted incorrectly.
In his mind, he had looked down on Leon.
Although he had displayed a unique set of skill, he was still just a commoner who had been lucky to befriend the young lady and invited to their home.
He had thought the Duke's wife intention for him was to track Leon's home to dig deeper into his secrets later. Naturally he wouldn't interfere when Leon was attacked and expose himself.
Sebastian had forgotten his own roots, having served the Duke household for many years. He was a classic example of commoners hating on other commoners.
"I was wrong. Please punish this servant." Sebastian dropped on his knee and admit mistake.
"Just answer my question." Amelia said darkly.
"Yes, they were attacked by the Grey family's steward, Gael. The steward was killed, while the guest was heavily injured and taken away by a passerby. His condition left unknown." Sebastian recounted what he saw. He had only seen Lina once when she was still a little girl and didn't recognise her current self.
The emotions of the family of three fluctuated between agitation, shock and concern like a rollercoaster during Sebastian's recount.
They were so anxious they had unknowingly stood up. The Duke who had not met Leon seemed to be the most anxious of them all. He might not like the prince much due to his wife's and daughter's favouritism but the prince was still the son of his sworn brother, the king.
"Round up the servants at the 5th step and higher outside. We leave immediately!" Duke Ignis barked with an imposing aura. At times like these, the men took charge of the matters outside. He was a peak existence but he wasn't so arrogant that he would believe he could take on the Grey family alone.
He had to take precautions against the Greys actions when they discover their steward was killed. Their movements would not be small.
"Y-Yes, my Lord!" Sebastian scurried to his feet and left in shock. Duke had not met the guest earlier in the day, but seems to already know who the guest was. Exactly what is the identity of the boy to move even the Duke himself!? He had questions, but it was not his place to ask. The lord will inform him when he needs to know.
Rachel was burning with anxiety as her trauma relapsed. Why does every friend she make dies? Was Leon going to be the same? She started hyperventilating.
"You go first, I'll follow later." Amelia said to her husband before refocusing on Rachel. She had notice her situation right away. "Drink some tea, my dear."
Duke Ignis had nodded and left. Although he was also worried about his daughter, he had his wife taking care of her.
...
A big storm was brewing in the Lower West District.