Third's person pov:
A man in his sixties he paced around the room, his full white beard giving him a distinguished appearance despite his age. With a bald head gleaming under the soft glow of the room's lamps, he commanded the attention of all those around him.
"Prepare the pots and chairs! We need more sweets, and make sure the decorations are in place!" he barked, his voice carrying a sense of urgency as he directed the bustling servants to attend to their tasks.
Meanwhile, a woman much younger than the man observed him with confusion. Her expression was one of curiosity as she watched his frenetic activity.
Approaching him with a graceful stride, she reached out to gently touch his arm, halting his restless movements. "Grandfather, what's happening?" she inquired, her voice soft but tinged with concern.
The old man paused, turning to face his granddaughter with a warm smile. "Ah, Annabelle , we're preparing for a special guest, and I am preparing the room to host him'' As he said so he turned toward the servant ''IT SEEMS THAT WE WILL HAVE TO WALK HIM TO THE GARDEN THOUGH''
And soon enough the servants moved even quicker.
Annabelle watched the flurry of activity with mild interest, her gaze drifting towards a servant who approached with a pot of tea and a tray of delicate cups. "Who is he?" she inquired, her curiosity piqued.
"He is Favian Delecroix, son of the Count of Rein," her grandfather replied, his voice tinged with a note of reverence. "Apparently, he's the youngest demon slayer in history."
Annabelle's eyes rolled subtly at the mention of the renowned demon slayer. "Yes, yes, I've heard three different stories about how he killed the demon," she remarked, her tone bordering on boredom. "My ears will bleed if I hear his name mentioned once again."
Her grandfather's expression softened as he regarded her with a gentle smile. "Well, make sure to keep your thoughts to yourself, my dear," he advised, his tone tinged with a hint of admonition. "He is to be treated with the utmost respect."
Annabelle appeared to ignore the gentle reprimand as she reached for one of the sweets from the tray, her movements graceful and deliberate. "Perhaps he may even take a liking to you," her grandfather suggested, a twinkle of mischief in his eyes. "He is quite a good candidate for marriage, don't you think?"
A look of determination flashed across Annabelle's features as she met her grandfather's gaze head-on. "If he tries anything, he'll find himself a man no more once he leaves the room," she retorted, her tone laced with a hint of defiance.
Her grandfather sighed, the sound filled with a mixture of resignation and amusement, before returning to his task of directing the servants. As Annabelle continued to indulge in the sweets, the old man's voice rang out once again, guiding the preparations for their esteemed guest's arrival.
As the preparations in the room reached a crescendo, the atmosphere seemed to hum with anticipation. Suddenly, the door swung open, and a young man stepped into the room.
He had an air of confidence about him and yet he was also respectful in the way he entered another's home, his black hair falling effortlessly across his forehead, framing his sharp features. His brown eyes held a piercing gaze that seemed to take in everything with keen observation.
The old man, standing at the center of the room, greeted the newcomer with a warm smile and a respectful nod. "Ah, Lord Favian, welcome," he said, his voice carrying a note of reverence.
Favian returned the greeting with a polite nod of his own, his expression calm and composed. "Thank you, Grand-Master Rothgar," he replied, his voice measured and confident''It's an honor to be invited by such powerful man''
The two exchanged pleasantries as Favian surveyed the room with a curious gaze, taking in the elaborate preparations and the bustling activity of the servants.
Rothgar busied himself with pouring tea into delicate cups a sign of goodwill made to guests, his movements deliberate and precise. He passed a cup to Favian with a gracious smile before offering on
e to Annabelle, who accepted it with a murmured word of thanks.
As they sipped their tea, the conversation turned to lighter topics, with Rothgar regaling Favian with tales of his time as a student at the royal academy. Favian listened attentively, occasionally interjecting with questions or comments of his own.
Annabelle, though less engaged in the conversation, maintained a polite demeanor, offering the occasional nod or smile as she listened to her grandfather speak.
''The royal academy is honored to host such potential among his students '' Rothgar said with a smile before turning to th young woman at his side ''This is my grand-niece Annabelle''
''Honored to meet you '' Favian responded absentmidly as if paying little attention to her.
''Likewise'' she replied sternly as she clearly felt the disinterest, it stung a bit to her ego and annoyed her yet she knew better than to raise issue.
Sensing the tension between them, Rothgar quickly changed the subject. "Ah, if only I could have attended the feast at court," he said wistfully, a hint of regret in his tone. He hoped to distract Annabelle from Favian's indifference towards her.
Favian nodded in understanding, his curiosity piqued. "You missed quite an eventful end when a demon appeared as an envoy," he commented with a small smile.
"That much I have heard," Rothgar replied with a smile of his own. "And I heard that you exchanged words with it."
"Aye, we did indeed," Favian confirmed with a nod. "But unfortunately there was no battle, who know maybe I would have added another name to my list of victories."
Annabelle couldn't help but think that maybe Favian should consider himself lucky 'as maybe his name was the one added to the demon's. But instead of voicing her thoughts, she asked politely, "I suppose you will not be participating in the upcoming exams, Lord Favian?"
Favian shrugged nonchalantly. "You suppose right. I will simply observe from the sidelines'' he asnwered ' and see if any other competitors catch my eye.' he thought
The grandmaster's unexpected invitation for Favian to join them at their distinguished seating area caught Annabelle off guard. She hesitated, exchanging a quick glance with her grandfather, silently questioning the propriety of offering such an honor to a newcomer.
"Grand—" Annabelle began to voice her objection, but a discreet pinch at her thigh from her grandfather silenced her protests.
"If it is not too much, then I will accept," Favian responded, his tone gracious yet observant as he too noticed the subtle tension between Annabelle and her grandfather.
As Annabelle reluctantly acquiesced to the situation, she couldn't shake the feeling of unease. The seat beside the grandmaster was traditionally reserved for esteemed guests, individuals of high status, or those with significant influence within the academy. To her, granting such a privilege to a newcomer like Favian seemed excessive and unwarranted.
Nevertheless, she maintained a polite façade, suppressing her reservations and offering a forced smile as she came to know that Favian took his place beside the grandmaster. Beneath the surface, however, Annabelle's thoughts churned with a mix of annoyance and resignation.
Meanwhile, Favian settled into the seat with poise and diplomacy, keenly aware of the delicate social dynamics at play. His acceptance of the invitation was not only a gesture of respect but also a calculated move, after all accepting the seat meant that he would enter the academy as a reserved guest , something that maybe in the future if Favain , was to become someone important could be remembered and exchanged in good will.