Dinner was a lavish affair—roasted lamb chops, pan-seared trout, honey-glazed roasted chicken, and several varieties of vegetable salads filled the table. The head chef’s skills were indeed worthy of his reputation; the presentation and aroma of every dish were flawless. However, the atmosphere at the table stood in stark contrast to the feast laid out before them.
Li Yuan sat in the empty seat opposite Setis, a portion of roasted lamb chops before him. He used his knife and fork with a measured pace, his posture so perfectly upright it seemed like an ingrained habit.
Reinhardt sat diagonally across from him, clutching a fork in his right hand—the only one he could still move. He poked the roasted chicken several times without successfully piercing it, his gaze constantly drifting toward Li Yuan.
Setis sat to her father’s right, her head lowered as she focused intently on the trout on her plate. Occasionally, she would steal a quick glance at Li Yuan to confirm he was still there before looking back down.
Duke Sebas set down his soup spoon and cleared his throat.
“Mr. Li—” He had barely started when the Duchess, seated to his left, gracefully and precisely reached out with her chopsticks to place a piece of honey-glazed roasted chicken onto his plate.
“Eat first,” she said, giving him a gentle smile. “The food won’t taste as good once it gets cold.”
The Duke’s mouth remained half-open. He looked at the chicken on his plate, then at his wife’s warm, smiling face. His jaw tightened for a moment before he finally picked up his fork and stuffed the piece of chicken into his mouth.
Setis shot a grateful look toward her mother. The Duchess returned the smile and placed a piece of chicken on her daughter’s plate as well. Setis lowered her head, poking the chicken with her fork and flipping it over twice before finally taking a bite.
Reinhardt finally managed to spear a piece of chicken, but it slipped back onto the plate with a soft thud before it reached his mouth. He took a deep breath, set down his fork, and switched to a spoon.
The entire meal proceeded in this delicate atmosphere. The crisp clink of silverware against porcelain, the occasional sound of chewing, and the soft tap of spoons against bowl rims were all present, but the sound of human voices was noticeably absent.
Setis only spoke two sentences the entire time: “Could you pass the salt?” and “Thank you.” Reinhardt didn’t say a word at all, spending his time in a silent struggle with the roasted chicken. The Duke was served food by his wife three more times; every time he tried to speak, he was precisely cut off. Eventually, he gave up and focused on his meal.
The Duchess, on the other hand, chatted idly with Li Yuan from time to time. She asked trivial questions about where the teahouse was located, what kind of tea he usually sold, and whether he preferred black or green tea.
Once dinner concluded, Setis was about to stand up when her father’s voice drifted from the other end of the table.
“Mr. Li, come with me to the study.”
His tone wasn’t harsh, but it left no room for negotiation. Setis stood up almost reflexively, her chair legs letting out a short, sharp screech against the wooden floor. Before she could speak, the Duchess’s fan lightly pressed against the back of her hand.
“Your father and Mr. Li have things to discuss. Don’t go making a scene,” the Duchess said, tapping her daughter’s hand with the fan before turning to offer her husband a smile. “Take your time. I’ll take the children to the parlor.”
The meaning behind that smile was clear: don’t overdo it.
Duke Sebas glanced at his wife, nodded, and turned toward the stairs.
The study was on the other side of the second floor, separated from the guest rooms by a corridor. Upon pushing the door open, Li Yuan was greeted by the scent of old books and aged wood. The room wasn’t particularly large; three of its walls were covered by floor-to-ceiling bookshelves packed with volumes of various thicknesses. Many of the gold-leafed titles on the spines had faded, showing their significant age.
A mahogany desk sat by the window. The surface was clean, holding only a magic desk lamp, a pen holder, and several neatly stacked documents. An old map of the kingdom hung on the wall; its edges were yellowed, but it had been well-preserved. In the corner stood a set of half-plate armor, its surface marked by a few faint scratches despite being meticulously maintained.
The Duke walked behind the desk and sat down, gesturing toward the chair opposite him.
“Sit.”
Li Yuan took his seat, his posture poised but not stiff. The Duke didn’t speak immediately. Instead, he leaned back against his chair, studying Li Yuan with an evaluative gaze.
This look was different from the sharp glare he had displayed at the dining table. It was more of an assessment—not as if he were looking at an enemy, but as if he were looking at an object he hadn't quite figured out yet. Li Yuan was no stranger to such looks. In his early years on the Kyushu Continent, he had faced far more piercing scrutiny from sect leaders, reclusive masters, and even himself during his inner demon tribulation.
However, once he reached the Mahayana stage, the roles had reversed. Even the inner demons he manifested would now have to bow respectfully upon seeing him.
“You’re from the Bacas Principality?” the Duke finally asked.
“Yes. I arrived in the capital over two years ago.”
“What did you do before that?”
“I traveled. I spent a few years wandering various places before deciding that Kajinson was a nice place to settle down.”
“What about your family?”
“I have none. I’ve been alone for a very long time.”
The Duke tapped his fingers twice on the desk and shifted his posture.
“Setis said you sold her several amulets?”
“Yes. Just some consumable magic items that she happened to buy.”
“According to her, those amulets were put to great use on the day of the anniversary celebration.” The Duke paused for a moment. “She said they were extremely rare.”
“They aren’t very common,” Li Yuan said with a slight nod. “But I’m glad they were useful.”
The Duke asked several more questions, ranging from the business operations of the teahouse to the living conditions in the Outer City, and from his views on the kingdom’s situation to why he chose to settle in the capital.
Li Yuan’s answers remained gentle and appropriate. He answered every question fluently, yet every response left just enough unsaid. He neither lied nor revealed any unnecessary information. This airtight way of responding caused the Duke’s brow to furrow deeper and deeper.
It wasn't that the Duke hadn't met silver-tongued people—the diplomats in the palace were all experts—but this young man’s way of speaking was different from a merchant, a noble, or even a diplomat. He was far too composed.
This composure stemmed from an absolute control over his own situation and the knowledge that he would never be forced into a defensive position regardless of what he was asked... Logically, a young man of his age shouldn't possess such a composed mindset.
The Duke fell silent for a while, seemingly filtering through his remaining questions in his mind only to realize he wouldn't get anything substantial out of them. He leaned back and stared at Li Yuan for a long time before pinching the bridge of his nose, giving up on the interrogation.
“Fine. One last question.” His tone became somewhat helpless as he looked directly at Li Yuan. There was no more testing or circumvention; it was the most direct question possible once all diplomatic rhetoric was stripped away. “What do you think of Setis?”
Li Yuan paused slightly. The question was indeed unexpected, but upon reflection, it was reasonable for a father to ask such a thing of a strange man staying in his home.
He lowered his eyes to think for a moment before looking up and speaking seriously.
“Miss Setis is exceptionally bright, and her talent in magic and combat techniques is outstanding among her peers. She is straightforward and decisive, capable of staying calm and making the right judgments in critical moments. She is sincere, and her care for her family and friends is evident in her actions; though she isn't good at expressing it, her intentions are genuine. While she can be a bit impatient at times, she is inherently kind and possesses a strong sense of responsibility.”
It was a textbook answer.
As the Duke listened to this response, his expression shifted several times. First came surprise, then contemplation, and finally, it settled into a look that was difficult to read as he stared at Li Yuan with suspicion.
“Just... that? Nothing else?”
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