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The exhaustion from the previous day had indeed fulfilled Aresia’s wish to stay in bed. She also warned the maids to not disturbed her sleep.
Upon awakening, the sun was nearly searing her backside.
Getting up late obviously didn’t bring her any luck.
Aresia had forgotten that her mother, the dear Duchess, had attended a banquet last night. Usually, such gatherings lasted until nearly midnight, and by the time the Duchess woke up would also be close to noon.
As Aresia tidied her room, packed her belongings and headed towards the hall, she caught sight of the Duchess scolding Amos. The latter was already preparing to return to the legion but wore an expression of utter despair, unwilling to heed his mother’s guidance.
Hiding around the corridor’s corner, Aresia stealthily listened in. Her mother was reproaching Amos for leading outdoor adventures, deeming him that it is not only dangerous but also unsuitable for a noble lady.
“I am not saying that Aresia can’t do this, but as an older brother you should be good at persuading her. This is something adventurers do. But how can you let your younger sister do it? What if they encounter danger?”
The Duchess had a pained expression while lecturing, almost shedding tears, rendering anyone to be obedient and not dare retort. He simply listened attentively.
Amos was truly feeling dizzy from it all. He had initially planned to sneak back to the legion early to avoid his mother’s scolding. Unfortunately, she knew him too well. In the morning, as he attempted to slip away quietly, he found several guards stationed at the door.
They were sent by Grysenna last night to prevent his escape. Apparently, they weren’t allowing him to leave until she wake up, making Amos obediently wait for her mother to wake up.
Their mother’s lecturing was something they weren’t fond of, despite Grysenna’s seemingly light demeanor. Her character had a touch of the common ailment of their parents’ generation – being overly talkative. She would repeat a point endlessly, making one’s ears calloused, yet she wouldn’t allow any interruption. For if interrupted, Grysenna would feel unloved, making one cry until surrendering and apologizing.
This disposition, indeed, was inherited from their father. Amos couldn’t tolerate it. He firmly believed that his future partner would never resemble his mother, the noble lady who was far too strict!
Amos, feeling nearly dizzy from the constant chatter, suddenly caught a glimpsed a piece of clothing’s hem around the corner of the staircase. Unaware of how long the person had been standing there, he felt a lifeline. With a swift movement, he interrupted Grysenna, pointing toward the staircase, “Mom, Aresia is here.”
Caught off guard, Aresia shivered all over. It was too late to retreat now. She braved herself and came around the corner, descending the stairs.
“Good morning, Mother.”
Even though the Duchess maintained her composed appearance, her angry expression lingered slightly as she approached Aresia. After a few steps, noticing Aresia’s vigor, seeming more refreshed than the last time they met, the Duchess relaxed a bit.
“Good morning, Aresia. Did you rest well last night? Did Mom disturb your sleep?”
Amos rolled his eyes at the mention. Aresia’s bedroom was far from the hall. How could they have disturbed her?
“Not at all. I had a good rest.”
Aresia shook her head, sensing Grysenna’s growing irritation, quickly preempting any trouble by admitting fault.
Seeing Aresia grasping Grysenna’s sleeve, eyes downcast, wearing an uneasy apology, “I’m sorry. I heard what you said. I shouldn’t have let my brother take us on those adventures.”
Aresia was typically reserved, less adept at this kind of behavior. However, the Duchess’ affectation was skilled at being playful, and with Karina nearby as a model, Aresia tried to mimic, feeling somewhat embarrassed but resembling her in appearance.
However, Grysenna wasn’t entirely taken with the act. She was about to scold but held back, swallowing her words, “Oh, my dear, next time don’t keep secrets. Let Mom know first so that I can arrange guards to protect you. You have no idea how worried I get when I hear about these things!”
Had she known Aresia was venturing outside, she would have insisted on stronger guards from the estate.
Aresia simply didn’t want anyone following her.
“I have my brother around, and we never go too far, it’s safe.”
Grysenna gave Aresia a sharp look, “Your brother is unreliable. Don’t rely on him.”
It wasn’t to belittle her son. Although Amos was praised as a young knight, he was, in the end, just a novice, not even at the fourth level. Compared to those at the fifth or sixth levels, or even Grysenna’s husband, a seventh-level professional, Amos was considerably lacking in combat prowess.
Unwilling to engage further with his mother, Amos grumpily closed his mouth.
“Fine, I brought defensive charms and magic scrolls. We’re safe.”
Aresia gestured, indicating the Duchess’ earrings, necklace, a set of bangles on her arm, and rings on her fingers, all magical charms for defense. In her storage space, there were plenty of magic scrolls, some of which were prepared by the Duchess herself. She wasn’t afraid of the Duchess not recognizing them.
Only then did Grysenna take notice of the accessories on her body, indeed recognizing them as the magical charms Amos had given. She relaxed upon seeing them.
Grysenna knew Aresia was studying magic at the imperial academy, so while she disapproved, wilderness trials were part of the curriculum for aspiring professionals. She was just being light-hearted in her scolding.
What truly irritated her was their secretive, reckless behavior, not because they were noble children. It was more about not following the rules—well, maybe it was a bit inappropriate, but who made it an imperial decree that magic-gifted individuals must attend magic schools and comply with their arrangements?
This should be the fault of the royal academy!
After a while, coupled with their daughter’s coquettish behavior, Grysenna’s anger subsided, reverting to her usual gentle demeanor.
Sighing, she relented, “Alright, this time, I’ll let it go. But no more of this.”
“Alright, Mom!”
The siblings, having escaped trouble, stealthily exchanged a glance, seated on either side of the Duchess in the dining hall.
It had been quite some time since lunchtime, and the kitchen had prepared the meal, waiting for their arrival.
The foods were lavish, including a dish made from the Windhorn Gazelle that Aresia and her companions had brought back. Despite Grysenna knowing about their hunting escapade last night, though disapproving, it didn’t deter her anticipation to taste Aresia’s latest bounty.
The meat of the Windhorn Gazelle was decent among low-level magical beasts—without the gamey taste typical of carnivorous magical creatures, it was tender and popular among lower-level professionals. However, in the Duke’s mansion, such meat usually didn’t grace the master’s table.
Today, however, the Windhorn Gazelle meat took center stage on the trio’s plates. Chefs had tenderized it further, pairing it with other high-quality ingredients, altering its taste significantly.
Despite the chefs’ efforts, the Windhorn Gazelle meat, given its inherent quality, didn’t match up to the flavors of more superior magical beast meats nearby. Even with the chefs’ expertise, its taste didn’t quite surpass that of the higher-grade magical beast meat.
Yet, Grysenna appreciated it, not only finishing her portion but also requesting the kitchen to prepare more of this meat, a gesture highly appreciated by Aresia.
During the meal, Grysenna learned about their adventure. Aresia tactfully shared details, ensuring Amos didn’t reveal anything alarming, emphasizing calmness and safety to avoid triggering their mother’s sensitive nerves.
Their wilderness trip this time wasn’t particularly eventful aside from confronting the Windhorn Gazelle. Nevertheless, Grysenna was engrossed in hearing about it.
The conversation shifted to Aresia’s teammate, Karina.
Grysenna sighed, remarking, “I know Karina; she used to be quite shy. To think she faced a magical beast attack.”
This evaluation left Aresia momentarily stunned. While Karina had always appeared cheerful and lively around the Duchess, especially keeping a low profile in front of Grysenna, her presence had been rather subdued, probably due to the household’s atmosphere.
Thinking about Karina’s feelings about Amos. Though unsure if it would work, Aresia decided to help Karina improve her impression on Grysenna.