Kiera sat quietly on the far end of the couch with her mind elsewhere.
The faint clinking of cups and the low murmur of conversation filled the Nobleâs Guest House, blending with the distant hum of the evening wind brushing past the windows.
A half-finished cup of tea rested in her hands with the steam curling lazily upward as she absently traced the rim with her fingertip.
The soft dip of the cushion beside her startled her.
She blinked and turned her head slightly to look at Brandon sitting beside her.
Kieraâs eyes flicked around the room, and there were other empty seats around them. Which meant he came and sat beside her deliberately.
Her expression didnât change much, but there was a subtle flicker in her gaze before she asked, "Is something the matter... Father?"
Brandonâs body stiffened, and the teacup in his hand stopped halfway to his lips as he turned slowly to face her.
Kiera met his stare with a faint, almost teasing smile that curved just one corner of her lips. The kind of smile that told him she did it on purpose.
He exhaled quietly, "Donât call me like that..." he said, setting the cup down on the table with a small clink. "You can just call me by my name."
She tilted her head, pretending to think it over "Hmm... okay then, Brandon."
Taking another small sip of her tea, she asked, "So, whatâs the matter?"
"Nothing much," he replied in a thoughtful tone "Just wanted to know if youâve decided what to do after this."
Kieraâs gaze lowered at that and her thumb brushed along the rim of her cup again as she thought for a moment before replying softly,
"For the time being... I donât have any grand plans. Maybe Iâll join a guild and do some hunting in the dungeons and towers."
Brandon nodded slowly and after a brief pause, Kiera raised her eyes again "Or... maybe Iâll create my own guild."
Brandon raised an eyebrow in surprise "Your own guild?"
Kiera nodded once, "As I said, itâs not really a plan... just a thought. But it would be nice to build something of my own, I suppose."
Hm. Brandon took a sip from his cup, thinking it over.
Looking at him, she spoke "You need to be an S-rank awakener or have someone at S-rank to back you if you want to start a new guild."
She glanced at him from the corner of her eye, "Even you could create one now. You meet all the requirements."
Brandon let out a chuckle, shaking his head. "I donât have any thoughts of creating a guild."
She raised an eyebrow curiously "Really? Not even a small one?"
He smiled faintly, setting his cup down "No. I think I have enough trouble as it is. I donât need a guild to make things more complicated."
That made her smile a bit "Fair enough."
They sat in silence for a while.
Turning to look at him, she asked "Seems like no one here knows about your relationship with my Mother."
Upon hearing this, Brandon let out a deep sigh. "Yeah..."
Kieraâs eyes squinted faintly "Tell Eira about your relationship with my mother. It is not a good thing to have an affair behind her back."
"She will know it one day anyway; the sooner you tell her, the better it will be... It will hurt a lot more if she hears it from someone else instead of from you. Be a responsible father."
Brandon: -_-
His lips twitched, and he gave her a long, deadpan stare, his face flattening into a comical look of disbelief.
"...Really?"
Kiera leaned back with a sip of her tea "What? It fits the situation."
Brandon groaned softly and rubbed his face with both hands "Youâre as bad as your mother sometimes."
She smiled quietly "I will take that as a compliment."
---
"Brandon?"
Eiraâs voice echoed faintly through the corridor and her steps quickened as she peeked around corners and down hallways.
Turning another corner, she came to a sudden stop.
Huh?
Standing at the far end of the corridor was Charlotte.
Eiraâs breath caught in her throat, and for a brief moment, her body refused to move.
She flinched and took a step back as she remembered the night âCharlotteâ tried to kill her.
Charlotteâs eyes softened immediately as she noticed the way Eiraâs shoulders stiffened.
Eira hasnât spoken much to her ever since that day.
She took a gentle breath, lowering her tone so it wouldnât sound as imposing.
"...Looking for Kael?"
Eira hesitated and then gave a slow nod "Mhm."
Charlotte nodded slightly in return, keeping her distance "He was in the main hall just now... with your sister."
Eira lifted her head slightly, her long lashes trembling "Oh... I see."
With her head still lowered, she gave a quick nod. "Thank you," she said softly, then turned and hurried away.
Charlotte stood there in silence, watching her go.
---
It was already night.
Florence stood near the edge of the courtyard, her phone pressed gently to her ear.
"Yes... thank you. I understand," she murmured to the person on the other end. "Your words mean a lot. Mother wouldâve appreciated it."
People who couldnât attend the funeral are calling her to offer condolences.
With a sigh, she ended the call and looked down at her phone.
Dozens of unread messages filled her screen; a few condolences, formal notes from nobles, and perfunctory remarks from powerful figures who barely knew Henriette.
Florence sighed faintly, closing the phone with a soft click. "Even in death, sheâs still a political matter..."
Turning her head, her gaze softened.
Across the courtyard, under the shadow of a willow tree Brandon was sitting on a bench waiting for her.
Florence made her way toward him, and as she came closer, the faint tiredness on her face melted into a small, genuine smile.
Without a word, she lowered herself onto his lap, sitting sideways. Brandonâs arms instinctively came around her waist.
She leaned her head against his shoulder and the night wind brushed against her hair, carrying the scent of her perfume.
His hand came up to cradle her cheek, brushing his thumb along her jaw.
Their eyes met for a brief moment... and then he kissed her.
Her hand slid up to his shoulder, and her fingers curled in the fabric of his shirt as she melted softly against him.
Her lips still hovered near his, "Hmm..." she hummed softly, a teasing glint in her eyes.
"Weâre out here in the open, you know. What if someone sees us?"
Brandon smiled, his forehead brushing gently against hers "Then theyâll know how beautiful you look when you smile."
With a giggle, she leaned forward to peck his lips.
Hugging her, he spoke "Also Florence.. we need to talk about our relationship to Eira."
Florence smiled wryly in her heart âI want to tell him that I already told her, and she knows our relationship. But...â
Eira has threatened her not to tell him about it.
Because Eira wants Brandon to tell her by himself after finding his courage.
She still remember her words
âDonât tell him. Let him be the one to come clean. I want to hear it from him, not from anyone else.â
She doesnât know what to say to him now.
Looking into her eyes, he smiled softly "You donât have to fear about anything, ok? I will talk to her. So that she wonât be mad at you."
Seeing the tenderness in his gaze, she felt a pang of guilt and briefly glanced down.
âSorry, Darling... How do I lie to someone who looks at me like that...?â
Brandon mistook her reaction and leaned forward to kiss her "Dear, donât worry... even if she doesnât agree, I wonât break our relationship. I will try to persuade her."
Caressing her cheek, he muttered with a soft smile "Getting to know you and our relationship is one of the best things that has happened in my life. How would I let that end?"
Her eyes trembled, and she hugged him tightly "Me too, Kael... me too. You are the best thing that has happened in my life."
Smiling, he hugged her back tightly.
However, at this time, they suddenly heard Eiraâs voice.
"Brandon?"
---
A.n: I am hit with exams again, so Chapter schedule might be inconsistent for the next 12 days :(