When Setis pushed open the doors to the Duke's estate, Hogg was right behind her.
The maid polishing vases in the foyer looked up and reflexively curtsied upon recognizing the eldest miss. However, her movements froze the moment her gaze landed on the man in the deep blue formal suit behind her.
“The... the Royal Preceptor—”
Hogg gave a slight nod in acknowledgment.
Setis handed her coat to the maid. “Is my father in the study?”
“The Duke is in the second-floor study, and the Madam and young master are in the parlor.” The maid took the coat, her voice still trembling with lingering shock. “I’ll go inform them at once—”
“No need, I’ll get him myself.” Setis turned to Hogg. “Royal Preceptor, please have a seat in the parlor for a moment. I’ll go call my father down.”
Hogg nodded and followed a servant’s lead toward the parlor. Before he even reached the sofa, footsteps echoed from the other end of the hallway—Duchess Sebas was returning from the back garden with Reinhardt on her arm, and they ran straight into Hogg at the parlor entrance.
The fan in the Duchess’s hand nearly clattered to the floor.
“Lord Hogg?” she stammered, her voice thick with unconcealed surprise as she hurriedly performed a formal curtsy. “What brings you—”
“Pardon the unannounced visit,” Hogg replied with a polite bow. “I’ve come to discuss a matter with the Duke.”
“You are far too kind. Please, sit, sit.” The Duchess ushered Hogg to a seat while using her fan to nudge the dazed Reinhardt. The young man finally snapped to his senses and bowed low. The sudden movement yanked at his slung left arm, causing his face to twitch in pain, but he forced himself to remain silent.
As the servants brought out tea and refreshments, a flurry of hurried footsteps sounded on the stairs. Duke Sebas rushed down, his casual lounge clothes clearly half-buttoned in his haste. Setis followed behind him, having evidently dragged her father straight out of his study.
“Lord Hogg!” The Duke hurried forward to shake Hogg’s hand, his expression flickering between pleasant surprise and confusion. “What brings you here in person? You should have sent word ahead so I could prepare—”
“There is no need for such formalities.” Hogg stood to shake his hand, only sitting back down after the Duke did. “I’ve come today to discuss the palace memorial and the award ceremony scheduled for next month.”
The Duke sat down and leaned forward slightly, his expression turning serious. The Duchess sat beside him, Reinhardt stood behind his mother, and Setis took a seat next to her mother.
“The ceremony requires a student representative to deliver a speech on stage.” Hogg went straight to the point, his gaze shifting to Setis. “I’m sure you are all aware of Setis’s conduct on the day of the academy attack. Immediately after the assault began, she organized her classmates to evacuate civilians and took the initiative to lead a team back to rescue trapped students and teachers. Later, she showed remarkable courage when facing core members of the Blood Moon Cult. Her deeds have spread throughout the academy, and the faculty and students are in unanimous agreement that she is the most suitable representative.”
The Duchess unfurled her fan, unable to hide the widening smile on her face. The Duke straightened his back, his lips twitching as he suppressed his pride, though his hands clenched his knees unconsciously.
“And Reinhardt.” Hogg turned to the young man standing behind his mother. “His name is also on the commendation list. His performance in protecting civilians and covering his classmates’ retreat is equally worthy of praise.”
Reinhardt’s attempt at composure failed completely. His ears turned bright red, and he instinctively reached to scratch the back of his head with his left hand, only to remember it was in a sling. He hissed as a jolt of pain shot through him. The Duchess gave him a gentle tap with her fan, and he sheepishly lowered his hand, though he couldn't stop the grin from spreading across his face.
Hogg sat up straighter, his tone becoming more solemn. “On behalf of His Majesty the King, I thank you both for raising such exceptional children. The Sebas family stepped forward in the kingdom’s hour of peril, and both His Majesty and I have taken note of such commitment.”
The Duke hurriedly stood, his voice thick with emotion. “You overpraise them, milord. This was merely the duty of the Sebas family—”
“Duty is one thing; being able to fulfill it is another.” Hogg shook his head. “Setis managed to remain calm even when her mana was depleted and she was surrounded. She even gave her own life-saving amulet to me—that kind of decisiveness isn't something just anyone can manage. I’ve been at the academy for two hundred years, and students like her are few and far between.”
Silence fell over the parlor for several seconds. The Duchess’s hand trembled slightly as she held her fan, her eyes shimmering with a thin veil of tears as she looked at her daughter.
Setis kept her head down, her finger tracing idle circles on her knee, her ears so red they looked ready to bleed. Reinhardt stood to the side, looking at his sister’s profile. His throat bobbed, but he said nothing, merely shifting half a step closer to her side.
The Duke took a deep breath and bowed solemnly to Hogg. “Lord Hogg, our family is humbled by this honor. It is a privilege for my daughter to represent the academy on such an occasion, and it is an honor for our entire family.”
“Then it is settled.” Hogg nodded, returning to his usual composed manner. “There is no rush on the speech. The ceremony is nearly a month away, so there is plenty of time to prepare. If you need any coordination, simply contact Marz.”
The atmosphere between the host and guest relaxed, and the conversation shifted from the ceremony to other matters. The Duchess asked several questions about the academy’s reconstruction progress, her tone far more casual than it would be in a formal setting. Reinhardt listened quietly for a long time before finally gathering the courage to ask a question about techniques for simultaneously practicing magic and martial arts.
Hogg didn't hold back, offering a few simple explanations and even adding a compliment about the young man’s “solid foundation,” which made the injured youth sit up even straighter.
Setis said little throughout, simply listening quietly. Occasionally, when her father reached a particularly proud point in the conversation, he would glance at her, and she would nod in response. While her mother kept the conversation going, Setis’s gaze would unconsciously drift toward the foyer.
As the sky grew dark, the servants lit the magic lamps in the parlor, their warm amber glow deepening the twilight outside. The Duke was in the middle of an enthusiastic sentence when the sound of footsteps and a manservant’s greeting drifted from the foyer.
“Mr. Li, you’ve returned.”
The Duke’s words faltered, and almost everyone in the room turned their gaze toward the parlor entrance at once.
Li Yuan walked in from the hallway, still wearing his spotless cyan robe and carrying a paper bag, looking as though he had just returned from a stroll. He reached the parlor entrance and scanned the room, his gaze pausing briefly on Hogg.
Stopping at the entrance, he gave a slight bow to the group before looking at Hogg, his tone as gentle and polite as ever. “Royal Preceptor, it has been a while.”
The Duke was about to stand and introduce them, but he froze mid-motion upon hearing those words.
“Mr. Li and the Royal Preceptor know each other?”
“We do.” Hogg set down his teacup, a rare smile touching his lips. “I happened to visit Mr. Li’s teahouse once for a cup of tea. The experience left a deep impression on me.”
The Duke’s eyebrows shot up. He looked at Li Yuan again, his gaze now holding something more than mere scrutiny. Before he could speak, the Duchess stood up first, her tone becoming much warmer. “In that case, Lord Hogg, why not stay for dinner tonight? Mr. Peters happened to prepare some fresh venison today. It’s a rare opportunity.”
Hogg hesitated slightly and glanced at Li Yuan. Li Yuan maintained his gentle smile, offering neither objection nor encouragement, as if whether the guest stayed for dinner had nothing to do with him.
“Then I shall impose upon your hospitality,” Hogg agreed with a nod.
The dinner spread was significantly more lavish than usual. The head chef had likely heard of the Royal Preceptor’s visit from a servant and had gone all out, adding three extra dishes and lighting two more candelabras than normal.
The seating along the long table was rearranged—Hogg was placed in the guest of honor seat to the Duke’s right, facing the Duchess. Setis and Reinhardt sat on their mother’s side, while Li Yuan was seated diagonally across from Hogg.
The atmosphere during the meal was several degrees more relaxed than the previous night. The Duke and Hogg discussed various affairs of the capital, from the academy’s reconstruction to the relocation efforts in the Outer City, the conversation flowing without pause.
Reinhardt, for once, didn't struggle with his utensils. He occasionally chimed in with a word or two and received brief responses from Hogg. The Duchess periodically encouraged everyone to eat more, while using her eyes to check her husband whenever he tried to brag too much about their daughter in front of the Royal Preceptor.
Setis sat across from Li Yuan. Her appetite was clearly better than it had been the day before; at the very least, she wasn't poking the same piece of meat over and over with her fork. However, whenever Hogg and Li Yuan spoke, her fork would unconsciously slow down as she tilted her ear toward them.
“What are your plans for the future, Mr. Li?” Hogg asked casually as he cut into his venison. “Do you intend to reopen the teahouse?”
Li Yuan set down his fork and dabbed the corners of his mouth with a napkin. “I do. I’ll begin work once the reconstruction permits for the Outer City are approved.”
“In the same location?”
“Yes, the Twenty-First District. I’ve grown accustomed to it.”
Hogg nodded and didn't press further.
After dinner, the group moved back to the parlor for tea. Hogg stayed a while longer, discussing the specific arrangements for the award ceremony with the Duke before rising to take his leave. The Duke’s family saw him to the door. Hogg turned and waved them back, signaling that there was no need to see him out further. His gaze swept over the group, lingering for a split second on Li Yuan, before he turned and vanished into the night.
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