In the master bedroom, a girl of young age with graceful curves sat quietly at the rosewood dressing table, reading a book while a maid carefully applied a drop of Beast Blood Essence to her cheek.
The Beast Blood Essence, like a tear mole, slowly glowed on her cheek. A red streak spread from that "tear mole" into her eye, instantly activating the spell power within her.
As faint red incantations spread across her body, the air in the room became noticeably warmer.
The maid could not help but look at the young lady in the dressing mirror.
Her beautiful face wore a cool and distant smile, with eyebrows that were slightly sharp. Yet without lipstick or face powder, her lips bore the red of blossoming April cherry blossoms.
Her delicate cheek, flawless as white jade, surpassed the snow, softening the sharpness in her eyes, like a red rose frozen in ice!
What a resilient and untouchable flower.
Indeed, my lady is exceptional! thought the maid.
"Did he come to visit today?" Elanna turned her head to the maid, her eyes showing a hint of curiosity, revealing a glimpse of her dazzling radiance.
She had heard from her father long ago about his engagement arrangement with a top warrior from the Lion Heart Battle Group. Though they hadn't met over the years, it wasn't entirely true to say that she wasn't curious.
The daughter of a noble family was still a girl, and although she was not yet married, she naturally had dreams about her future partner.
Who wouldn't want their husband to be as handsome and powerful as the heroic knights in travel tales?
Thinking of this, she raised an eyebrow and looked at her maid.
The maid, who had grown up with Elanna and knew her thoughts well, smiled playfully and said, "Miss, the person is in the downstairs living room. I just went down and took a peek. He is really good-looking!
When I go down to serve tea later, I'll secretly pull down the curtain in the living room, so it won't be as easy for people to see the staircase from the outside."
Elanna immediately understood the maid's intention.
Even though Elanna had a cheerful disposition, she blushed slightly at the maid's teasing but... did not refuse her kind offer.
With the curtain pulled down, it should be harder for people to notice her secretly observing the guest in the living room, right?
Thinking about this, she tidied up her dressing table, her eyes showing some urgency.
The maid said no more, gave a light laugh, and quietly left the room.
Elanna felt a bit impatient.
Later, she would sneak a peek from behind the curtain.
Even if she got noticed, what did it matter? She was allowed to take a few more glances at her betrothed, right?
She wasn't like those traditional noble ladies who spent most of their time in their family castles, only gaining some freedom during noble salons and enrollment in the Royal Knight Academy.
At most, her father would scold her a bit, but it wouldn't be a big problem.
Thinking of this, Elanna surmised that the maid had already lowered the curtain. She quietly descended the attic and headed towards the main hall.
At this moment, Kael was chatting with the housekeeper in the main hall. After several rounds of tea, the housekeeper was quite open with him.
Through their conversation, Kael came to understand the origin of the engagement.
Baron Newman, a member of the emerging nobility, was once an accomplished maritime adventurer. With his exceptional courage, he was among the first to "discover" the new continent.
Naturally, upon returning to the country, he was granted a title by the duchy and became a baron.
It was evident that even among the new nobility, there was a clear hierarchy of disdain.
Nobles like Baron Newman, with remarkable abilities and courage in specific fields, represented the elite of the emerging nobility and even held official positions within the duchy.
Some wealthy merchants who had amassed fortunes by trading along the newly established routes to the new continent could also buy baronial titles. However, for specific tasks, they still relied more on capable nobles like Baron Newman.
The connection between the Newman family and Kael's father stemmed from this.
Before Baron Newman was conferred a title, he was targeted by a destitute local noble who coveted his exceptional maritime knowledge and control over extensive navigation routes and island distributions. During that era of restricted information, such knowledge was an invisible wealth.
The noble had even sent people disguised as bandits to ambush the Newman family on their return home by carriage.
Unexpectedly, they were defeated by Anthony, who happened to pass by, saving their lives.
This incident would have ended there, as Anthony, a knight of the Iron Cross, had frequently stood up for justice in the past.
However, when the duchy later ennobled a group of emerging nobles led by Newman, Baron Newman was pleasantly surprised to see Anthony, stationed in the hall with the knights of the Golden Cross, and was deeply grateful.
This anecdote, though lacking a dramatic story, showed Baron Newman's appreciation of kindness. During his occasional visits to Anthony, he learned about Kael's situation and formed an idea.
Recalling past events, the housekeeper laughed heartily for a moment.
While acting as a listener, Kael guessed the housekeeper's other identity.
Baron Newman's wife had passed away years earlier, and he had never remarried. Now it seemed that there was already a new lady of the house.
As he pondered this, Kael suddenly felt something and his spiritual power vaguely detected a gaze. Using the excuse of pouring tea for the "lady of the house," he glanced at a place where the curtain had been drawn.
The curious and clear eyes behind the curtain met his instantly, and like a startled fawn, they withdrew at once, leaving only a breeze gently stirring the uneasy curtain.
Kael chuckled softly, as if he had seen nothing, and after pouring the tea, he continued his conversation with the housekeeper.
Behind the curtain, Elanna felt her heart racing and couldn't help but recall those calm, deep eyes.
Though their eyes had met for just a moment, it seemed as if those eyes were imprinted in her heart, and unknowingly, her cheeks grew hot.
She lightly patted her face, eyes cast down, and whispered, "He is… quite handsome?"
She had worried that her father, driven by a sense of gratitude, might have found her an unsuitable partner.
If that were the case, she had thought she might have to use her sword to gain control of the marriage (physically).
But now… she only felt her face growing hotter.
A guy as handsome as jade and composed as him seemed like a good match?
The concerns in her heart about her betrothed started to fade. Then she frowned again.
No!
She was never one to judge by appearance alone, nor the type to blush at a mere glance from a man. Yet, just now, a simple look from that man had made her heart race.
"So that's it, the charm of the Incubus? No, it must be more than that..." Elanna showed a hint of shame.
The charm of the Incubus was powerful, but she had heard that her fiancé hadn't fully developed his Incubus bloodline.
Thinking of this, her shame and anger grew.
Because to fully exert the charm of the Incubus, there was an even simpler method –
He just happened to strike a chord in her heart.