"Master, Miss Aecilia's vehicle has arrived." Upon receiving the cue, a servant bowed respectfully, causing Avendial, positioned next to Rivia and Alfred, to direct their eyes towards a Rolls Royce that had pulled over. The airport lay a mile from the Princess's Palace, with the mansion allocated to the Marquess located on the way.
Accompanied by the blaring horn and the soft purr of the engine, the Rolls Royce came to a stop at the entrance of the mansion, leaving a tire mark on the ground. It approached from the left direction, now veering to the right, heading towards the Princess Palace and the nearby airport.
'Night dress?' Avendial stood as the chauffeur exited the Rolls Royce before moving towards the vehicle's gate and opening it as Aecilia exited the car while wearing a thin, silky nightgown. It stretched down to her thighs yet was enough to reveal her cleavage and a subtle amount of skin.
"Aven—I mean Marquess, are you alright?" Aecilia, upon exiting her vehicle, searched for Avendial before approaching him to inquire.
"Yes, Miss Aecilia, let's depart then." With his words, Avendial noted that the servants of the Croceaus family had begun to board the vehicles prepared for them. Given that they were in the princess's territory, high-end buses were made available for the staff. As they loaded their luggage onto the bus, the bodyguards climbed into Range Rovers.
Alfred and Rivia rode in the Rolls Royce that Aecilia had come in. At the same time, Avendial and Aecilia got comfortable in an opulent Rolls Royce Limousine.
Given that the arrangements were made by the princess, the fleet of cars wasn't of the status of the world's richest men yet far more than enough for them to provide a safe and comfortable ride to the airport.
The convoy of vehicles finally reached the airport, entering through the back gate and directly onto the tarmac. Multiple flights were ready, with each aircraft having been thoroughly checked, inspected, and prepared for takeoff at a moment's notice as the vehicles dispersed in their designated directions toward their awaiting aircraft.
The bus and the convoy of Range Rovers turned and moved toward the third runway where a Boeing 787 Dreamliner stood, with the gates led by a staircase open for individuals to board as servants and bodyguards entered the plane.
Following that, the Rolls Royce carrying Rivia and Alfred moved toward a private jet—Bombardier Global 7500—waiting for their arrival as they boarded the jet.
'They will be alone,' Rivia, while walking through the stairs to avoid the plane, glanced in the direction of the limousine, which moved toward a similar private jet, reminding her that she would not be able to accompany her master to the free cities.
"Wouldn't Master have a positive image of you, Miss Rivia, if you fulfill the task he assigned?" Seeing how Rivia was looking in that direction, Alfred, following the order of his master, narrowed his gaze and adjusted his bow tie. He suggested to the woman in a composed tone, knowing how to keep her in check.
'...yes,' With her gaze locked in that direction, Rivia gradually pivoted towards the jet's door as she stepped inside. A powerful wave of killing intent coursed through her, her fingers clenching tightly around the grip of her shoulder.
"Don't think I'm blind to your insinuations, Alfred. Just hope that Master doesn't put your name on that list of traitors." A fierce glimmer flashed in her eyes as she readied herself to execute her master's commands and reclaim her place in his perception, even if she needed to kill each one of the individuals inside Croceaus territory.
"How will you respond if he includes your name in that?" Alfred entered the jet before the door closed, as he, without retreating, replied back in a calm tone.
Afterward, a limousine arrived outside a Gulfstream G800 aircraft. Both Aecilia and Avendial stepped aboard the jet, while Aecilia was draped in her nightgown and Avendial donned a sleek black suit.
His silver hair fluttered in the breeze, contrasting sharply with Aecilia's dark attire. Her golden pupils remained steady, yet she couldn't resist casting furtive glances at the man with unsettling blue eyes, who seemed uncaring of her presence.
"Marquess, doesn't my outfit make you feel uneasy?" Aecilia asked, pausing beside Avendial as they reached the airstairs of the aircraft, glancing over at him as he too came to a stop.
"Miss Aecilia," Avendial replied in a calm voice while a smile started to emerge on his face, with his head slightly tilted as he glanced in her direction with a hint of tears in his voice, "Rather than feeling uneasy, shouldn't I appreciate the sight you bestowed upon me?"
"Huh?" Aecilia, hearing his words filled with tease, slightly felt confused due to her instincts, interpreting his words as a flirtation but ignoring it; she looked forward before gesturing with her hand, "Please, Marquess, before your words confuse me even more, let's board."
Aecilia certainly grasped the significance of his words; however, she found it perplexing. It was likely her own interpretation leading her to assume he was flirting. Perhaps he was simply offering her a sincere compliment.
"Yes, but ladies first," Avendial nodded but gestured for her to board first as she looked toward him for a moment before turning her eyes toward the airstairs. As she took a step forward, she started to climb a bit while her consciousness was hitting her hard that he was just behind her.
"Do you know, Miss Aecilia, why a man always offers a woman to be first in line?" Avendial, climbing, took out his phone, which was provided by Alfred, and started to type names of individuals from the Croceaus family who needed to be put in their place—graves. But while doing so, he didn't forget the guest etiquette, given he kept her in conversation.
"That's..." Aecilia struggled to rein in her lewd thoughts, her instincts urging her to respond from her own viewpoint. However, aware of Avendial's character, she encountered only resistance despite her desire to reply—Was it because he could see her butt? She continued, "Apologies to Marquess, I don't have an idea."
"Isn't it simple?" Avendial kept his gaze focused on the phone screen while typing the names and answered in a calm and composed tone, "It's to make a woman feel safe, knowing that someone strong is behind her who can provide firm support for her to lean on."
"I-I see," Aecilia entered the plane as a slight hint of crimson blush appeared near her ears, which went unnoticed by Avendial, who was busy typing on his phone.
'Hm, was it the Elite Academy?' Avendial, entering the aircraft, recalled a story from his previous life about a young man who, after gaining powers, did not even respect the woman who supported him during his hardest times when he was weak and powerless, but instead showed his love for another woman.
Given the love that naive woman held since her childhood, she always remained by his side until the end while, from afar, she looked at her beloved walking beside another woman.
Avendial, feeling sympathy for the woman, decided to rescue her from that ungrateful man and provide her with someone who would respect her strength and offer her love—of course, no one can be a better candidate than him for her love.
After all, he was now even going as far as to personally enter free cities to rescue that damsel in distress.
As he settled into his seat, his eyes roamed over the lavishly decorated interior of the jet. He turned his gaze to the window, watching the runway slip away as the plane took off. 'I hope the Elite Academy can provide some benefits for us, my soon-to-be lover.'