Everybody in the country knew of the three members of the Zephyr family. Their names were famous - each man bearing their own unique characteristics.
The head of the Zephyr Household was Duke Ivan. He was notorious for his brutal strategies - leading the Empire's armies in war with upmost confidence. For the Empire, they knew that having Duke Ivan as the lead strategist and fighter would let them win.
With a cost.
He offered an absolute win, but his strategies required the death of many. He didn't care about the citizens of the country, merely using them as pawns for his ultimate goals. Due to the gravity of their situations, the Empire would reluctantly agree. Although now retired, the Empire still sought him out for strategic advice.
Under him were his two sons, the first a year older than the other. Both were far more talented than their father in the sword. However, in this world, a prodigy of their caliber was never sane, and the brothers were no exception.
Syrin Zephyr. The crazy one.
Or in other words, the psychopath. To him, the battlefield was a mere board game. A place for his own sickening amusement. He approached each war with a smile on his face and happily hummed his way past the bodies. The rumors have said that he liked to bathe in the blood of his enemies - strategically aiming for their throats. At the end of his fights, his hair would bleed red. A sign that he was content.
Although they were rumors, in this moment, she had no doubt that there was some truth within them.
The man at the door had white hair, glistening like crystals under the feint light. The amused, yet dark glint in his eyes showcased that he was not here for hospitality.
It was Syrin Zephyr.
Liliana's breath hitched at the back of her throat. A weakness of hers immediately unveiled. Having grown up in a small town surrounded by men who were far more concerned with their work than hygiene, her standards of looks were nonexistent.
The Zephyr family were known for their merciless deeds, but not once had people commented on their looks. Now, she understood why the brothers did not reveal their faces too easily. The mere sight of their visuals was a celestial to behold. Syrin's face was delicately drawn, eyes large and narrow with sharp cheekbones. He was tall, his frame muscular but lean. Perhaps it was her eyes, but a faint glow arose from his body. A fairy of the night
She quickly escaped from her trance.
Liliana stood up from her seat. She grabbed the sides of her dressed and lowered her head. "It is an honor to..."
"Meet me? Bullshit." His voice was clear. Like the sound of a violin underneath the night sky. Yet, it deeply contrasted with the rough words he used. Syrin didn't come here to deal with a stupid greeting. He wanted a piece of entertainment.
Liliana's cheeks burned with red and her heart raced loudly in her ears. This was the end.
Was he going to kill her? Did she make a mistake? She had merely introduced herself to him. She hadn't spoke to any nobles, but she was sure her greeting was respectable enough to meet his standards.
Syrin quickly dismissed her thoughts.
"I know you already know plenty about me Liliana. There's no need to keep up the act," he said.
A sigh of relief almost escaped her lips, but she controlled herself to keep them shut.
He walked towards her with ease and carefully placed his fingers underneath her chin, slowly prompting it up. Their eyes met, faces only a few centimeters apart. "You are much more beautiful than I expected for you to be. Hopefully you keep me entertained long enough."
Her body was conflicted. She was scared. He wanted her to entertain him? She was not a mere plaything he could control. Although he was a Zephyr, she too, was a human with her own thoughts and rights. A fate of being controlled was not what she wanted.
That was what her mind said, yet the blush on her face only grew deeper. He was beautiful, and much too close for her comfort. She had never been in such close proximity with a man. Her eyes quickly scattered to the floor.
Although quiet, she tried her best to speak out. "P-Please let go... Sir."
She cursed herself for sounding so weak. This wasn't like her at all. Liliana Grace was known to be outspoken. Free. Happy. But what choice did she have? No person could be confident in front of Syrin, unless you were part of the royal family.
There was a pause, but eventually he chuckled before letting go. "You can cut the formalities. Just call me by my first name."
"Yes... Syrin."
"That's it my dear. You're making progress." He leaned against the doorframe and his arms were crossed. His playfully casted his eyes down her body. "Now that the basics have been settled, the carriage ride must've been exhausting. You poor thing. Are you feeling okay?"
She bit her lip. It was true that her legs were about to crash at any moment, but she could not dare say it in front of him. After all, how dare she say that she was tired when the Zephyr's gave her a grand carriage to ride. "I am alright. I'm really grateful for the carriage."
Syrin hummed a light tune. He didn't like her answer. "I see."
He uncrossed his hands and walked toward the couch in front of her. He swung his left arm on top of the sofa head while casually leaning back. He signaled for her to sit down with his right.
She obeyed.
With her back straightened, her hands stayed in her lab. She focused on making sure her body posture was good enough. A commoner takes no etiquette classes unlike the rich. She did not want to feel more out of place than she already was.
However, by focusing on her posture, she subconsciously fiddled with her fingers. A bad habit of hers when she got nervous.
His eyes glanced at her hands, before looking at her with a greater smile than before. "Your body aches yet you lie to me, and now you are fiddling. You're nervous. Do I scare you?"
Her heart dropped in her chest. Every nerve in her body pinched in anxiety as her mind tried to think of a plan to answer his question correctly. She did lie, but it was out of respect. Was it the wrong thing to do? Her common sense said no, but she knew the Zephyrs were not just any noble.
Now how should she respond? Another white lie? Or should she tell the truth.
She tried to sneak a glance at Syrin again, but instead they made eye-contact. He winked before she could move her gaze away. He was playing with her. This was all a game to him.
"Yes you do."
It was clear Syrin was able to read her mind easily. The best course of action was to be truthful and see where it lead.
His laughter rang through the room. His smile continued to linger once he stopped. "That's adorable Liliana. Really is."
The atmosphere turned lighthearted to her happiness. Perhaps she was going to survive this ordeal. She was still frightened but as long as Syrin stayed at this level, she was almost hopeful that everything was going to be fine. All she needed was to tell the truth. Right?
His next words changed her thoughts.
"Can you tell me why you're so scared? Please do enlighten me. Is it my sword? The rumors? Or..." Syrin pointed to himself. "Me?"
He cocked his head playfully, his eyes sparkling with amusement. "It can't possibly be me right? After all, I've been so nice to you so far..."
Liliana gulped. He was right. He did scare her. How could he not? The rumors that surrounded him labeled him as a psychopath. He waltz into the room, treating her like an easy toy to play with. Of course, she would be scared of this man.
And she knew, he knew too.
She continued with her truthful answers, seeing that it served her good. "W-wouldn't it be more absurd if I wasn't scared of you? Especially with the rumors that float around in the kingdom." She took a deep breath. "I am sure you know how infamous you are."
"Infamous? Not famous?" Syrin replied. He crossed his legs and leaned forward. "Tell me more. What exactly do the citizens of the Empire say about me."
He was acting dumb. It was obvious. However, she was in no position to call him out for it. Instead, she had to act along and see if she could escape from the path he was leading her into. She still didn't know why she was invited, but she didn't come to be toyed with.
Her past relief disappeared and now she was back to square one. He was not someone he could lower her guard around.
"They say you thrive on the field, treating your enemies as mere prey."
"Continue."
Liliana avoided his gaze. It was working. He wasn't angry, in fact, quite the opposite. "That your hair is dyed red at the end of your fights. Purposely made for your content."
He chuckled. "Very nice. A bit more."
She paused for a moment, wondering if her next words would cost her head. However, seeing his eagerness to learn more, she couldn't keep her thoughts to herself. After all, Syrin would've already noticed that there was more to say.
"A monster. The biggest word to describe you would be monster."
Liliana's blood froze. She had done it. The expression on his face was enough to bring her to tears.
Syrin had the widest smile on his face - his full set of teeth on display. His eyes were open as if they were popping out of his sockets. The man in front of her disappeared, to be replaced by the person she had known from the rumors. He looked crazy.
And when they made eye-contact, she knew that she was his prey.
"Do you think I'm a monster. Liliana?"