The manor was buzzing with activity. Servants rushed through the halls, their arms laden with linens, trays, and decorations. The usual air of cold indifference had been replaced by an unusual urgency, and I couldn't help but notice the strained looks on their faces.
"Did I miss something?" I muttered under my breath, stepping aside to let a maid scurry past with a vase of fresh flowers.
For the past hour, I'd been wandering through the house, trying to piece together what had everyone so flustered. No one seemed willing to explain, and asking was more trouble than it was worth.
It wasn't until I found Ariana in the garden that I got my answer.
She was perched on a low wall near the rose bushes, nibbling on one of the butter cookies I'd made her. Her golden hair gleamed in the sunlight, and her blue eyes sparkled with mischief as she looked up at me.
"You're finally here," she said, waving me over. "I was starting to think you'd gotten lost."
"I was trying to figure out why everyone's running around like their heads are on fire," I said, taking a seat beside her.
Ariana grinned, her tone light and teasing. "Oh, it's nothing. Just the most important visit of the year."
I raised an eyebrow. "Important visit?"
She leaned closer, dropping her voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "The Duke's family is coming."
That caught my attention. The Duke of Falcren was a name even I recognized. He wasn't just a powerful noble; he was a Sword Saint, one of the few Rank II warriors in the kingdom. His reputation as a boisterous but honorable man preceded him, and his exploits were the stuff of legend.
"And?" I prompted.
"And," Ariana continued, drawing out the word, "rumor has it that Father and the Duke were friends back in their Academy days. They fought side by side, saved each other's lives, all that good stuff."
I frowned. "That explains the visit, but not why everyone's so panicked."
Ariana's grin widened. "Because the Duke's bringing his daughter."
I blinked. "His daughter?"
"Yes. And before you ask, yes, she's as incredible as the rumors say." Ariana ticked off points on her fingers. "Silver hair, silver eyes, a talent for swordsmanship, and she's already on track to inherit the title of Sword Saintess."
That explained the chaos. A family of this caliber didn't just drop by for casual visits.
"And," Ariana added, her tone suddenly serious, "there's talk that the Duke is here to propose a marriage alliance."
My stomach twisted.
"To Damien, I assume?"
Ariana shrugged. "That's the logical guess. He is Father's favorite, after all."
"Right," I said, the word laced with more sarcasm than I intended.
Damien's ego was already insufferable. If he married into the Duke's family, it would reach astronomical levels.
+
As if on cue, Damien swaggered into the garden, his armor polished to an almost blinding sheen. His smirk widened the moment he saw me, as if he'd been looking for an excuse to gloat.
"There you are," he said, his tone dripping with condescension. "I was wondering where the talentless embarrassment had wandered off to."
"Good afternoon to you too, Damien," I said dryly.
He ignored the jab, turning his attention to Ariana. "Sister, you should prepare yourself. Today is an important day for our family."
Ariana rolled her eyes. "I'm fully aware, Damien. I don't need your lectures."
"Of course you don't," he said, brushing her comment aside. "But Lloyd here..." He turned to me, his smirk widening. "Well, let's just say you'd do everyone a favor by staying out of sight. Wouldn't want you embarrassing us in front of the Duke or his daughter."
I shrugged, refusing to rise to his bait. "I wasn't planning on joining the festivities."
"Good," Damien said, his tone smug. "Because I'd hate to see you fall asleep mid-conversation. Suspicious, wouldn't it?"
I clenched my jaw, but Ariana beat me to the punch.
"Leave him alone, Damien," she said sharply, glaring at him. "You're insufferable enough without dragging Lloyd into your nonsense."
Damien raised his hands in mock surrender. "Relax, sister. I'm just stating the obvious."
He turned to me one last time. "Try not to get in the way, Lloyd. Some of us have real futures to look forward to."
With that, he strode off, his self-satisfaction practically oozing from every step.
+
I sighed, leaning back against the wall. "Remind me why we keep him around."
Ariana chuckled. "Unfortunately, he's family. Don't let him get to you."
"I won't," I said, my tone calm. "Besides, I think he'll be more embarrassed than I will by the end of today."
She gave me a curious look, but I didn't elaborate.
+
When the Duke's family arrived later that afternoon, the household was in full display mode. Servants lined the entrance, their heads bowed as a grand carriage pulled into the courtyard.
The Duke himself stepped out first, his broad frame and boisterous laugh filling the space. His silver hair and striking eyes gave him an almost regal presence, though his easy smile softened the intensity.
"Harland!" he boomed, striding toward my father with open arms. "It's been too long!"
Father returned the greeting with a rare smile, clasping the Duke's hand. "Indeed, Falcren. Welcome to our humble estate."
Humble. Right.
Then she stepped out of the carriage.
The rumors hadn't done her justice. The Duke's daughter was breathtaking, her silver hair catching the sunlight as she surveyed the courtyard with a calm, calculating gaze. Her presence was as commanding as her father's, though her movements were more graceful, almost predatory.
Damien, of course, was transfixed, his mouth opening and closing like a fish out of water.
"This," the Duke said, placing a hand on her shoulder, "is my pride and joy, Seraphina."
She inclined her head politely, her expression unreadable. "It's a pleasure to meet you."
I stayed at the back, watching the scene unfold with mild amusement. Damien, predictably, was already trying to position himself in her line of sight.