As the maid said those words, both Arthur and Yuna looked at each other.
Arthur said, "That was fast."
Yuna nodded.
"It is. I thought she would arrive tomorrow or something."
Both Yuna and Arthur got up from the table.
They started making their way outside the mansion.
The hallway was quiet, their footsteps echoing softly against the polished marble floors. Arthur glanced out the tall windows lining the corridor, catching a glimpse of the black sedan parked near the entrance. The sun was beginning to set, casting a warm golden glow across the manor grounds.
Just as they came out, they saw a platinum-blond-haired girl getting off a black sedan.
Her platinum-blond hair shimmered in the light, falling in soft waves past her shoulders. Her brown eyes were warm yet sharp, holding both kindness and determination. A sheathed sword rested on her hip, its hilt polished and refined.
She wore casual clothesâa fitted white blouse tucked into dark jeans, a light brown jacket draped over her shoulders. Despite the simplicity of her outfit, she looked stunning, radiating a quiet elegance.
Arthur said with a smirk, "Sheâs as radiant as ever."
He walked toward her.
She looked toward him.
A smile formed on her face.
"There you are," she said.
She walked toward him slowly.
First, she hugged Yuna.
"Itâs nice to meet you, Lady Yuna," she said.
Yuna smiled warmly.
"Itâs nice to see you too, Bella," she said, hugging her back.
In the next second, Isabella looked toward Arthur.
He spread his arms for a hug.
"Itâs my turn now. Come on," he said.
Isabella stomped on his foot.
Arthur winced in pain.
Isabella yelled.
"Was it that hard to make a call, even after I gave you my number?! Iâm sure you even forgot our promise!"
Arthur rubbed his foot.
"Of course I remember! But itâs Yunaâs faultâsheâs been training me night and day without even a second to breathe!"
Isabellaâs mouth twitched.
A vein popped on Yunaâs head.
They both were about to retort.
A voice came from behind.
"So thatâs the disciple of the famous Yuna Akatsuki."
They all looked toward the direction of the voice.
From the same black sedan, a woman stepped out.
She had a beautiful, curvaceous figure and looked to be in her thirties. She had long, pointed ears, green hair that flowed down her back like a waterfall, and bright green eyes that gleamed with intelligence and warmth. A long sword was strapped to her back.
She was an elf.
She wore casual clothesâfitted jeans and a simple white shirt tucked in, paired with a light green cardigan. Despite the simplicity, her beauty was breathtaking, her presence both graceful and commanding.
The air around her seemed to shimmer faintly, as if nature itself recognized her presence. Her movements were fluid and deliberate, each step carrying an elegance that could only come from centuries of refinement. Arthur could feel the strength radiating from herâcalm, controlled, and overwhelmingly powerful.
Yunaâs eyes immediately lit up seeing her.
"Sophia! Itâs been a long time," she said with a smile.
The elf lady smiled and looked toward Yuna.
"The moment I heard that you slayed a Demon Lord, I had to come and meet you," she said.
She looked toward Isabella.
"And it just so happened that Isabella knew your disciple too. So I also came. I hope itâs not a problem."
Yuna shook her head.
"Of course itâs not."
Meanwhile, Arthur was mesmerized as he looked toward Sophia.
It was the first time in his life he was seeing a real elf.
He had read about them in books and heard about them, but seeing one in person was entirely different. Her presence was almost otherworldly, as if she didnât quite belong to the same plane of existence as everyone else.
Isabella elbowed him.
"Stop gawking at my master," she said.
Arthur rubbed his side.
"I was just admiring her beauty, okay?" he said.
Isabella glared at him again.
Arthur immediately noticed the aura coming from Isabella now was even more dense than before.
He thought, âLooks like sheâs broken through to the second tier of C-rank already.â
Suddenly, Sophiaâs voice came.
"So youâre the famous Arthur Celestian, huh? The boy who made his mark in the Ashford Empire."
Arthurâs face turned red as he blushed.
"Well, Iâm not that great. I just helped out my master," he said.
Sophia observed Arthur carefully, her green eyes studying him with interest.
"Looks like you got yourself an interesting one, Yuna," she said. "Is he even human?"
Yuna smiled faintly.
"He is, at least when I found him. Now Iâm not so sure."
They both squinted their eyes at Arthur.
He looked away and whistled.
Isabella now also observed Arthur carefully.
She was surprised beyond belief.
âIs that the same guy I met a few months ago?â she thought.
When she had met Arthur in the past, Isabella was sure she could beat him one-on-one easily. But now, seeing him like this, she wasnât so sure anymore.
Noticing her gaze, Arthur smirked.
"What? Having doubts about beating me?" he said.
Isabellaâs breath hitched.
âHow did he know what I was thinking?â
She changed the subject.
"Letâs go to the training room and have a match right now. Iâll show you," she said.
Arthur shook his head.
"Sorry, but Iâve already done my fair share of training for today, and now Iâm exhausted. Iâm not gonna train again. So youâll have to wait till the entrance exam."
Isabella crossed her arms.
"Why donât you just say that youâre scared?" she said.
Arthur smirked.
"Yeah. Scared of beating the shit out of a spoiled brat."
Isabellaâs eyes widened.
"What did you say?!"
Sophia and Yuna both laughed.
Suddenly, a system notification appeared in front of Arthur.
[ DING ]
[ Condition: Rescue Himari and deliver her to Yuichi. ]
[ Completed ]
[ Reward: Extraction Link has been established with Sakura Takahashi. ]
[Reward : 50 Attribute Points has been granted ]
Arthur was completely taken aback as something completely unexpected was happening in front of him.