He had walked the path from the Twenty-First District to the Duke’s estate many times, but never had it felt quite like today. He couldn’t put his finger on the sensation, only that his pace was a bit faster than usual and his heart seemed to beat a few counts quicker. It wasn’t exactly nervousness... it just felt a bit inexplicable, a feeling...
By the time he reached the gates of the estate, the sunset had completely vanished from the horizon. The magic lamps at the entrance were already lit, and the two grand gates stood half-open. A loyal guard stood under the porch, straightening his back and saluting as soon as he saw Li Yuan.
Li Yuan stopped at the entrance.
He was suddenly unsure if it was appropriate to go in now. Before leaving, he had said he would be back in about a month, but it had been less than ten days. Returning so suddenly might cause a disturbance. Moreover, it was dinner time, and dropping in unannounced felt somewhat improper.
As he hesitated, a set of footsteps approached from behind.
The footsteps were steady, rhythmic on the stone pavement, punctuated by the occasional soft tap of a cane. He turned around and met the slightly surprised face of Duke Sebas.
The Duke was dressed in dark gray formal wear today, carrying the cane that never left his side. It looked like he had just returned from his duties at the palace. Two attendants followed him; one carried a stack of documents, while the other led a horse toward the side gate.
The Duke stopped three paces away from Li Yuan, looked him up and down, and a smile slowly spread across his lips.
“What’s this? Forgotten the way after only being gone for a few days?”
Li Yuan smiled and bowed slightly. “Of course not... I was just wondering if it was appropriate to disturb you at this hour.”
“What’s inappropriate about it?” The Duke stepped forward and patted him on the shoulder. The pressure was a bit heavy, his tone carrying a hint of impatient familiarity. “Enough, stop being so fussy with all these formalities. It’s good that you’re back. Setis has been talking about you all day—honestly, I don’t know what’s so great about you anyway.”
He deliberately lowered his voice for the last sentence, as if talking to himself or complaining. But the expression on his face was clearly filled with the helplessness of a father.
Before Li Yuan could respond, the Duke pulled back his hand and jerked his chin toward the door, signaling for him to follow. Then, without waiting for a reaction, he strode toward the main entrance.
Li Yuan smiled helplessly to himself and followed.
The guard under the porch had already pushed the gates wider. The Duke handed his cane to an approaching attendant and unbuttoned his overcoat as he crossed the foyer.
The magic lamps in the living room had been dimmed to the warm yellow light typically used for dinner. A faint aroma of roasted meat drifted through the air, mingled with a familiar scent of flowers and herbs.
The people sitting in the living room heard the footsteps almost simultaneously.
Duchess Sebas was the first to look up. The fan in her hand paused for a moment before a smile bloomed on her face. Reinhardt was leaning against the sofa reading an academy announcement; he froze for a second when he saw Li Yuan, then stood up and nodded to him.
And then there was Setis—she was sitting on the sofa with her back to the door. She looked back after hearing the commotion, and then her entire body seemed to be pinned to the spot.
She was wearing light-colored loungewear today, her golden hair draped casually over her shoulders, holding a half-finished cup of black tea in her hand.
The moment she saw Li Yuan, her golden-brown eyes went round. Her lips moved as if she wanted to say something, but she forced the words back down at the last second.
Then she set her teacup down, stood up from the sofa, and said in a tone that struggled to remain calm despite a slight rise at the end, “You’re back?”
Though the words were strained, they were steady enough. However, her eyes had long since betrayed her—they were full of ill-concealed joy and the irritation of “why didn't you tell me in advance?” Oh, and perhaps a tiny bit of grievance and smugness.
Looking at her, Li Yuan smiled and nodded. “I’ve returned as promised.”
The Duke walked around the sofa and sat down next to his wife. He took a sip of the steaming black tea on the table and jerked his chin toward Li Yuan. “Don’t just stand there, sit. You’re just in time for dinner. Peters made roasted chicken today; you’ve returned at the perfect time.”
The Duchess unfurled her fan, covering half her face and revealing only her eyes, which were curved into crescents. She gently nudged her husband’s arm with the fan and whispered, “Did you say something when you walked in just now?”
The Duke’s hand holding the teacup paused slightly. He replied without changing his expression, “I didn’t say anything.”
“Why did I think I heard someone’s declaration of surrender?”
“You must have misheard.”
Seeing the Duke’s refusal to back down, the Duchess chuckled behind her hand. She then began arranging for the meal to be served.
Dinner began in a peaceful atmosphere.
The topics at the table weren't numerous, but it was far from a cold silence. The Duchess asked a few questions about Li Yuan’s situation in the Bacas Principality. Li Yuan picked out some trivial anecdotes to gloss over the details, saying just enough to avoid suspicion without appearing dismissive.
Reinhardt uncharacteristically took the initiative to chime in a few times. Li Yuan followed his lead, and the two actually had a fairly agreeable conversation.
Setis said very little throughout the meal. She sat opposite Li Yuan, her head bowed as she focused intently on the food on her plate. Occasionally, she would steal a quick glance at Li Yuan as if to confirm he was still there before looking down again.
However, her appetite was much better than usual. At the very least, she didn't keep poking the same piece of meat over and over with her fork like she used to.
The Duke sat at the head of the table. His wine glass was refilled twice, and the expression on his face was much more relaxed than usual. It was only when he saw Setis occasionally glancing at Li Yuan that his brow would unconsciously furrow, a gesture he quickly masked by taking another drink.
After dinner, the servants began clearing the dishes. The Duchess took the Duke’s arm and walked toward the living room. Reinhardt followed, but stopped halfway to look back—just in time to see Setis standing up from her chair, heading not toward the living room, but toward the stairs.
He opened his mouth to speak but was stopped by a single look from his mother.
The Duke wanted to say something as well, but his arm was gently tapped by the Duchess’s fan. The force was light, but the meaning was clear. He let out a muffled huff to show his dissatisfaction.
Li Yuan rose and bowed slightly to the group before heading upstairs. Setis followed behind him, keeping a distance of about three or four steps. Her footsteps were very light, giving her a slightly guilty, surreptitious appearance.
In the second-floor hallway, Li Yuan pushed open the door to the guest room and was about to enter when the footsteps behind him stopped. He turned around to see Setis standing in the hallway, hands behind her back. Her face was struggling to maintain its usual calm, but her eyes were darting around so fast they were almost spinning.
Seeing this, Li Yuan felt he should speak first. Once he was sure she had something to say, he asked,
“Miss Setis, is there... something you need?”
“Yes.”
Setis’s gaze snapped into focus. She jerked her chin toward the bedroom door.
“Let’s talk inside.”
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