Chapter 65
Hestia shot a question at Lumiere. Lumiere smiled, his gaze lingering on Clovis’s beautiful face, so alike her.
“Ask away, Your Highness.”
“Adelina. What is she like?”
Pierced by the succinctly pointed question, Lumiere calmly met the gaze of three pairs of eyes fixed on him. “Didn’t I mention it’s difficult to give a clear explanation as she is still under treatment?”
Clovis sighed at Lumiere’s evasive response. “If you say so, I have no way to press further. However, considering the substantial price I’ve agreed to pay, understand my desire for a proper answer.” Given the situation and the promised compensation, his words were quite restrained.
However, the long-lived elf instinctively knew the three people before him were merely being polite due to their ingrained upbringing. In truth, if provoked, they were capable of slaughtering not just an elf, but an entire lineage of elves right then and there. The elf, a serene seeker of truth, chuckled softly. Noticing their questioning glances at his amusement, Lumiere offered a casual explanation.
“It’s nothing, really. Just…”
“Just?”
“I’m beginning to understand the reasoning behind a conclusion I found utterly baffling.”
“What do you mean by that?” Two pairs of golden eyes and one pair of blue flashed with a predatory gleam.
Lumiere felt a stirring of the innate longing for the power of the Golden Dragon within his blood. It was an instinct he couldn’t control, a consequence of being born into a race that revered the Golden Dragon’s legacy. And here, before him, stood two individuals who possessed that captivating blood.
If they were determined to force an answer from him, Lumiere might very well collapse, groaning in agony. But he was also a being of intellect, capable of suppressing instinct with reason. I can’t prolong my life like that, not after the life I’ve diligently lived. The memory of those bright, determined eyes surfaced, perhaps a rebellious reaction to the overwhelming allure of the Golden Dragon’s descendants before him.
“Please be patient, though I understand your frustration. I promise to give you a definitive answer within a few days.”
At his resolute words, the three visibly relaxed. Seeing this, a bitter taste filled Lumiere’s mouth. Yes, whatever the outcome, he could provide a clear answer within a few days. Whether Adelina broke her stubborn pride and lived, or died as she was. Lumiere had a feeling neither outcome would be particularly pleasant. She’s a strangely interesting person. Unlike his kin, Lumiere enjoyed slipping away from the secluded forest and venturing into the world.
He’d met countless people throughout his long life, but few were as uninhibited towards a descendant of an ancient race from their very first encounter. Her raw, refreshing words and actions, the unprecedented illness he longed to study, her confident declaration of the secrets hidden within her body—her very existence sparked his curiosity. It was a shame to think she might disappear.
But that was all. The turbulent currents of the world were too much for the serene, truth-seeking race to bear. He shouldn’t get deeply involved with that woman who seemed to attract every storm and strife the world had to offer. His role was to observe from a distance, wait for the conclusion, and then collect his reward from either the Crown Prince or the woman herself.
Having settled his thoughts, Lumiere gave a slight bow to the three. “Then, I shall take my leave.”
“I hope we haven’t imposed. I will summon you again later.”
Lumiere turned to leave, having received Clovis’s permission, when a distraught knight burst into Clovis’s office, apologizing profusely for the intrusion.
“Sh-She…”
Seeing the knight stammer, unable to articulate his message, Hestia stepped forward. “Where did you leave Adelina? I specifically told you to bring her back slowly and carefully. Don’t tell me she’s been kidnapped…!”
“No! All the other knights are with her, ensuring her protection.”
At the knight’s swift denial, Hestia clutched her chest and glared at him. “Then why are you so flustered?”
The knight, sweating profusely, glanced around nervously before hanging his head. “Well, today…”
Lumiere, about to depart, paused and observed the ashen-faced knight. Whatever the news, it seemed to be of considerable gravity. Had she caused an incident serious enough to alarm these key figures mere hours after leaving the palace?
Under the combined scrutiny of Lumiere and the others, the knight, looking as if he wished the earth would swallow him whole, squeezed his eyes shut and blurted out the truth. “It’s just! The Acolyte Adelina said! She declared she intends to get thoroughly drunk, pick up a man, and enjoy a night of wild abandon! She instructed me to tell you not to worry and to sleep well! She made me promise to relay her message word for word…”
“Pfft.” Lumiere couldn’t help but let out a small laugh. There was no one in the room to reprimand him for the involuntary outburst. Before the knight could finish, Clovis had shot out of his chair, and Seikan had left without a backward glance. Hestia muttered something irritably under her breath and followed the two men.
With the dignitaries gone, the knight, left alone to grapple with the aftermath of his earth-shattering announcement, wore a look of utter bewilderment. Lumiere offered the unfortunate knight a sympathetic smile before leaving Clovis’s office.
“She’s certainly unpredictable, that Adelina.”
Even he found the situation absurd; he could only imagine the turmoil those three must be experiencing. Lumiere looked in the direction they had disappeared, a flicker of amusement in his eyes. He was almost tempted to follow them, just to witness the scene that awaited them.
Just as Lumiere suspected that the prim and proper woman’s claim of finding a man and indulging in a night of wild abandon was highly improbable, the sight that greeted those who rushed after her was quite different from what the knight had described.
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