Chapter Nine: Bonfire and Banquet
Evelia quietly stood aside, never expecting that the banquet meant to welcome the new master of the manor would turn into a small bonfire party.
Everything started when Alman casually strolled into the kitchen and just happened to run into Evelia, who was holding a copy of “The Maid’s Knight.” However, it seemed like Alman didn’t pay much attention to what she was holding. He simply greeted her and ran off to the kitchen, and ultimately, the entire banquet transformed into a courtyard party for everyone in the manor at his discretion.
Laughter and joy filled the air among the men and women, as the welcoming banquet for Alman turned into a networking event. Young people often got to know each other in such settings, and perhaps some sparks would fly as a result.
Of course, there should still be some rules; no inappropriate behavior was allowed today, and any plans for “deeper understanding” would have to wait until future holidays. After all, both the maids and knights would need to return to their normal duties tomorrow.
Evelia, on the other hand, was the least fond of such lively atmospheres. As everyone in the courtyard chatted excitedly, she merely stood by the small artificial pond, relishing a moment of the familiar silence that the night brought.
“What are you doing here?”
Someone inevitably broke her tranquility, like the Commander of the Knight Order, whose hair was as dark as a moonless night, but his blue eyes sparkled like stars against that darkness.
“Mr. Alman.”
Evelia slightly bowed in greeting.
“It seems you don’t like the noise.”
Alman smiled and leaned against the railing beside her.
“Not exactly.” To seem more sociable, Evelia told a small lie, “I just came to enjoy the night breeze.”
“The night breeze? It’s quite cold out here, but you seem fine. The winter coat of the maid keeps you warm.”
The end of winter and the beginning of spring were indeed chilly at night, but with the large bonfire and endless drinks, the wind felt less biting.
Evelia felt better than before when it came to keeping warm with her hair down. As the Commander of the Knight Order, it was only natural that his maid would have decent treatment; the exquisite fabric was enough to keep her warm by the bonfire.
The people here had long adapted to the temperature, singing and dancing in pairs. They wouldn’t feel too cold under the excitement, and when a girl sneezed, a knight would show up to drape his coat over her, which seemed rather romantic.
Most of the knights were very enthusiastic, inviting maids to dance various traditional dances from their faraway homes. The group that Alman brought to the manor consisted mostly of people he trusted, handpicked for their character and quality, so the maids could confidently accept the knights’ kindness.
It resembled a large matchmaking event, but the purpose of dances was often to connect with more people.
“Did you escape?”
Evelia didn’t look at him; she merely stared forward blankly. In front of her was a scene of joy, but all she could reflect in her eyes was the darkening sky.
“The way you used ‘escape’ is quite nuanced.”
“Because this is your banquet; as the host of the event, if the main character secretly leaves, that is indeed an escape.”
“Haha, that’s true~ But I came out specifically to look for you. I hope you can always be within my sight. After all, of all my maids, you’re the most familiar to me. We need to cooperate long-term in the future.”
Alman chuckled, bending slightly forward, his gaze angled down at Evelia, attempting to discern something from her face but finding only a completely calm surface.
“By the way, have you ever thought of escaping?”
Looking at Evelia’s emotionless yet beautiful face, Alman fell silent for a moment before asking.
“Escape?” Evelia lifted her head slightly, casting a sidelong glance at Alman’s blue eyes partially veiled by his bangs. “I don’t understand what you mean.”
Both of them wanted to read something from each other’s eyes but found themselves unable to glean any information from one another.
Evelia’s gaze remained serene, while Alman’s eyes were filled only with mirth.
“I mean escape, to do things as you wish, to not do things you dislike.”
“Are you talking about avoidance?”
“Don’t make that word sound so harsh. It’s just a matter of escaping~”
“It’s Evelia, Mr. Alman, not ‘Shifu.'”
“Haha, Evelia, Eve. The names are so similar; it’s hard to distinguish.”
“…Ha.” Evelia sighed, looking a bit weary. “I really don’t understand how you became the commander of the Royal Knight Order.”
This question had been bothering Evelia all day. Other than the thought of “Is this guy the Second Prince’s lover?”, she couldn’t fathom how someone so oblivious could become a commander. They had only known each other for a short time, yet Alman had already dubbed her many names. Had he forgotten so quickly, despite having called her by the right name once before? Did his brain not function better than a walnut’s?
“I’m just bad with names; you don’t have to question me like that. It makes me sad.”
He said this, yet Alman still wore a cheerful smile, showing no signs of true sadness.
“If you can’t even remember names, how do you manage your subordinates?”
“I just can’t remember sometimes. I’ve spent many years with these soldiers. I can still call out the familiar names, but we rarely use names on the battlefield; everyone has their own nicknames. After all, we wouldn’t want the enemy to know our real names and identities and threaten our families.”
Leaning casually against the railing, Alman scanned his knights and servants one by one.
“Rather than names, which are abstract, I think remembering characteristics and habits is much more useful. After all, today you can be ‘Evelia,’ but tomorrow you might be called something else like ‘Ileya’ or ‘Shifa,’ and your appearance can change, whether you cut your hair short, dye it black, etc. But those ingrained habits can never change.”
Though these were just simple examples, Evelia felt a slight chill.
However, it seemed that Alman was unaware of Evelia’s subtly changing expression and raised his hand, pointing at the knights not far away one by one.
“The one on the left we call ‘Cook’ because he’s the best cook in our squad, and he’s a left-handed cook who likes to stomp his foot to the rhythm of the knife while chopping. The one jumping in the middle is called ‘Fox Dog,’ the smartest yet dog-like person we have; he likes to bend his middle and ring fingers repeatedly while making a fist to hear the sound of his knuckles cracking. And the one drinking over there is ‘Balloon’ because this guy loses weight at a speed that will blow your mind…”
Alman introduced his knights to Evelia one by one. Although he didn’t mention anyone’s true name, it was evident from his descriptions that he truly remembered the characteristics of everyone he interacted with. Even maids he had only glanced at could be quickly matched with their quirks and habits. As for nicknames, it seemed Alman had yet to think of better ones for the new maids, simply referring to them as “the black-haired girl from the kitchen” or “the green-eyed girl responsible for cleaning the cabinets.”
If an ordinary person heard these remarks, they might find it quite touching, considering Alman a considerate person, capable of gently remembering everyone’s traits and habits. However, to Evelia, it felt rather terrifying.
Those knights, alongside the servants, numbered in the dozens. Alman detailed aspects of all of them. Though Evelia was not well-acquainted with them, through her brief observations, she found that almost everything Alman said was correct and much more detailed than what she knew. Not to mention the knights he was familiar with, if this was indeed the first time he met the servants at the manor, when had he meticulously observed every single person here?
Evelia was a very cautious person, but she had moved among the servants without ever noticing Alman’s presence.
—What about me?
While Evelia marveled at Alman’s terrifying observational skills, she thought about her current situation.
—Would he discover my true identity?
For the first time, Evelia felt a bit anxious, but what worried her was not what Alman would do if he found out, but rather if she failed her mission, the Second Prince would—
