Chapter 358: Entry
The young girl’s door was gently pushed open by a slender hand, and silky silver-white hair cascaded down to her slender shoulders. Seeing the girl’s face clearly, Igte couldn’t help but be stunned: “Flarn?”
“It’s me.”
Flarn’s voice rang out, her pair of bright red eyes looking up at him, “Igte, it’s so early, what brings you to my sister’s room?”
“Haha, well…”
Igte hadn’t expected to encounter Flarn in Verafia’s room and hadn’t thought of a reason.
However, Flarn didn’t pay much attention. The Vampire Princess closed the door with her slender hands and gracefully took delicate steps to the young man’s side, her blood-red eyes looking up again, “I remember today is your assessment day, Igte. Are you here to find your sister to accompany you?”
“Ah, yes, that’s right.”
Seeing Flarn extricate him again, Igte couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. He smiled at the girl, “But, Flarn, why are you in the Young Lady’s room? Is she still asleep?”
“Well, I just came to find my sister… but, my sister has already gone out.”
“The Young Lady is out?” Igte couldn’t help but freeze.
“Mm.”
Flarn nodded her head, her blood-red eyes looking up, as if appraising the human youth before her, “She said she wanted to go out for a walk by herself, so she won’t be accompanying you today… Oh, right, my sister left you a note.”
The magic of Verafia covering the paper could ensure that the intended person would see the exact content.
Taking the letter from Flarn’s hand, Igte’s fingers lightly touched it, the sensation like the gentle warmth of the young girl’s body, and the magic of the golden flame was like a smile of spring snow. Written on the pure white paper was indeed Verafia’s handwriting.
Igte remembered that Verafia, the Phoenix Young Lady, was quite proficient in human writing. Although not as elegant as one might imagine, it had a touch of girlish charm.
A faint smile appeared on his face as his gaze swept over it. The content written by Verafia with a quill was not long, only a few short sentences, and the specific content was just as Flarn had said.
At the end, the girl specifically emphasized that she had run off not because she wanted to break her promise or not be with him, and told Igte not to overthink it.
“Veer, is she worried I’ll misunderstand?”
Igte folded the young girl’s letter, unable to help but chuckle wryly. He couldn’t help but imagine the young girl’s slender heart overthinking things while Hesitantly holding a quill and writing.
Yes, although Verafia had clearly overthought it, being cared about like this felt special… especially when it was her.
“Igte, what did my sister write…?”
The girl’s voice interrupted his thoughts. Igte shifted his gaze, the Blood Race girl’s bright red eyes still looking at him, and he shook his head and smiled, “It’s nothing, the Young Lady just told me not to worry.”
“‘Worry’…?”
Flarn murmured. She gently raised her head again, “But, Igte, you came to find my sister… and didn’t see her, hmm, won’t you be unhappy?”
“Unhappy?”
Igte looked at the suddenly strange-acting Vampire Princess beside him with some confusion, shook his head, and smiled, “Why would I be? Although the Young Lady didn’t say the specific reason, I’m sure she has her own. Mm… If I had to say one, perhaps she’s worried I’ll be alone later?”
Igte thought for a moment, not forgetting to add with a smile.
“Is that so?”
Flarn’s crimson jade-like eyes looked at the human youth beside her, and a faint smile suddenly appeared on her tender little face, she encouraged him, “But for your assessment later, even if my sister isn’t here, Ophi and I will cheer for you!”
Looking at Flarn’s expression, Igte couldn’t help but laugh, and the sense of loss in his heart due to the girl’s absence seemed to vanish.
Igte rubbed the little head of the girl’s delicate hair and said with a smile, “Since the Young Lady is not here, I should go prepare. By the way, Flarn, it’s so early, haven’t you had breakfast yet? How about we call Little Fei to join us?”
Flarn quickly agreed and hurried to follow him forward.
The sound of slender footsteps lightly fell on the floor of the castle corridor. The Blood Race girl looked up at the black-haired young man walking in front of her, “Hmm, Igte’s expression just now, he and my sister… could it be true? But, given my sister’s status, how could that be…”
The youthful and beautiful little face of the Vampire Princess was filled with confusion, and her pair of crimson jade eyes were even more uncomprehending. It was in the City of Blood, before Grand Duke Oran of the Crimson Wings, that she had first seen that radiant and noble young lady, and since then, she had always addressed the young lady as “sister.”
Although Oran and the young lady had not told her about Verafia’s identity, Flarn had vague suspicions… It was precisely because of this that Flarn had gone to Shiel’s room that night. The reason was not only due to her own selfish motives, but also because Flarn did not believe that Igte would have any outcome with the young lady.
But observing them these past few days… it had only been a few days, and it seemed the young lady and Igte were truly developing in that direction?
The Vampire Princess’s slender fingertips couldn’t help but twitch at her hair, and a troubled expression appeared on her youthful face. If this were the case, not to mention other things, how should she deal with what she had told Shiel a few days ago?
—
Throughout the entire Peka Southern Territory, the Landislofen family, with its Cross Kite Pattern, could undoubtedly be considered a long-established great family. Although it was completely different from Peka’s inheritance traditions, as the ruling family of the Mess Marquisate, the Landislofen family assessments were enough to attract the attention of many lords or the court.
Igte walked with his sword towards the knightly arena built within the castle. Beside the castle, this arena paved entirely with white dazzling stones was where the Marquis selected knights or held regional tournaments. It not only occupied a vast area but could also accommodate thousands of people.
However, when he arrived, quite a few people were already in the arena, divided by knights and guards maintaining order—among them, there were not a few young men and women who were also descendants of the Landislofen family and his competitors.
Although the family assessment was a sudden decision, three days were still enough for the family branches around Lorinc to arrive—as for the clan members who could not make it, the clan council had “graciously” understood, and they were allowed to postpone their assessments.
Igte thought with a hint of sarcasm.
The moment the black-haired young man appeared, many people around him fell silent. This was replaced by a low, even more annoying buzzing sound, some talking about the two girls, Flarn and Ophi, beside him, mentioning his sister Shiel, but more undoubtedly were the taunts directed at him.
Igte remained unfazed. He raised his head and scanned his surroundings, his gaze passing through the crowd, over the hostile or mocking gazes. Blade, the commander of the Silver Armor Knights, caused his gaze to pause slightly before he moved on.
The arena had a high platform, undoubtedly offering the best viewing point. The private rooms on the high platform were luxuriously decorated and magnificent, with maids and attendants preparing fine silks and fine wines.
In them, Igte saw many familiar and unfamiliar faces… but they undoubtedly shared the same characteristic: high status and great strength. As guests of the Marquis of Mays, the invited lords and Saints of Lorinc naturally deserved the best treatment.
Until the appearance of the youth with fiery red hair caught his eye. The youth seemed to have noticed his gaze as well, his eyes, like molten fire gems, shifting towards him, accompanied by a slight smile.
Douglas.
Igte clenched his fist. This was the person he needed to defeat today.
