Chapter 47 - 46: His Feelings Don’t Matter

Chapter 47: Chapter 46: His Feelings Don’t Matter

One arm was clad in a dark green uniform, the palm bearing thin calluses from years of practicing swordsmanship—it looked stern and aloof, yet as solid as a rock.

The other arm was draped only in a pure white shirt, the cuff rolled up slightly to reveal a pale wrist and prominent wrist bone—resilient, elegant, and warm to the touch.

Without hesitation, Lilia took one hand in each of hers and used their leverage to hop down from the carriage.

At the entrance, Williams’s butler was already waiting with gifts. Count Beaumont had also received the news in advance and was waiting at the door with the Countess.

The three entered, exchanging friendly pleasantries.

Lucian was highly skilled at socializing; otherwise, he wouldn’t have made so many friends at Lien Academy. After exchanging just a few words upon meeting, he had Lady Beaumont beaming with joy, prompting her to repeatedly invite him to stay for dinner. Naturally, Lucian did not refuse.

At the dinner table, Lucian and the Beaumont couple conversed merrily. The air around Caius, however, was chillingly oppressive.

"I see." Lady Beaumont covered her lips and chuckled. "I was wondering why you suddenly sent someone over to say you were visiting tonight... So it was for Lilia."

"The banquet last night," the Earl said with a nod. He certainly remembered it. At the time, Lilia and Lucian had walked in together, attracting quite a bit of attention. He had naturally seen it too.

At the time, he had been somewhat critical, as interacting with the declining Williams family was not part of his plans. Later, when he saw the siblings of the Englis Family so easily won over by Lucian, praising him to the high heavens, the Earl had grown somewhat wary of the boy. After all, Lucian was around the same age as Caius, and he didn’t want his child to encounter such a formidable and slick rival. However, looking at it now, it had all been a misunderstanding. It turned out Lucian had liked Lilia all along. And judging by Lilia’s behavior, she seemed to have a favorable impression of him as well.

This was a good thing. For the Beaumont family, it was a tremendous boon.

The Earl said, "When I saw you last night, I thought the Williams family had produced quite a fine heir. I figured I must get to know you when I had the chance, but I didn’t expect my wish to be fulfilled so soon."

Lucian maintained his smile. "Had I known, I would have come to visit much earlier."

The Earl burst into laughter. "It’s not too late now. In fact..." His gaze swept over Lilia, who was eating quietly. "...the timing is just perfect."

Across the table, Caius tightened his grip on his knife and fork. He applied a bit too much force while cutting his steak, scraping a sharp screech against his porcelain plate.

"Caius," the Earl said sternly. "Where are your manners?"

"Apologies, Father." Caius set down his cutlery, his eyes lowered. "I was careless."

"I heard the first-years had physical conditioning classes all day," Lucian chimed in, smoothing things over for him. "It’s completely normal to feel a bit unaccustomed after your first encounter with physical training."

Count Beaumont asked, "Is that so, Caius?"

"...Yes," Caius replied. "It is indeed a bit hard to get used to."

"It was just one day of physical training; you need to get used to it as soon as possible. If you want to become a powerful Mage, physical fitness is equally important."

Since they had a guest present, the Earl didn’t scold him further. After a few brief remarks, he dropped the subject and steered the conversation elsewhere.

The dinner proceeded in a joyful and harmonious atmosphere. At least, on the surface.

Once dinner concluded, the Countess invited Lucian to stay a little longer, but he declined, citing that he still had matters to attend to at home. The Countess didn’t insist, asking Lilia to see him out. Lilia nodded and left the dining room with Lucian.

After the maids cleared the dishes, Count Beaumont spoke up, "Williams is indeed a suitable candidate."

His status was high enough, yet his position was incredibly awkward. He possessed noble blood, but he had to rely on the Beaumont family to survive. Compared to other Nobles, the assistance he could provide the Beaumont family might be somewhat lacking, but at least they wouldn’t have to worry about the distribution of interests. To gain the Beaumont family’s support, the Earl believed Lucian would agree to any condition.

Furthermore, the Earl thought highly of Lucian. Perhaps the Williams family could truly be revived in his hands.

"He’s a good boy," the Countess nodded in agreement. "Polite, well-educated, and most importantly, he treats Lilia very well."

Just now at the dinner table, knowing they were present and unable to act too boldly, Lucian had behaved impeccably. However, under the Countess’s deliberate observation, she noticed that his attention was focused on Lilia most of the time.

It was an attentiveness that couldn’t be faked. Regardless, the Countess was very fond of Lilia. Even if sacrificing her marriage was an unavoidable necessity, she still hoped Lilia could find someone she liked and who treated her well. Otherwise, she wouldn’t have spent so much time and effort vetting prospects for Lilia; she could have simply married her off to any Noble willing to support the Beaumont family.

Therefore, the Countess was extremely satisfied to have met Lucian today.

If there was anyone among the three of them who was dissatisfied with this arrangement... it was only Caius.

Caius kept his head down, concealing the gloom in his eyes. "I don’t like him."

The Earl’s tone remained calm. "I thought you would have realized long ago that, for you, ’like’ is the most useless emotion."

"...A true powerhouse is someone who can still get what they want even without anyone’s support," Caius retorted.

"Yet, since ancient times, countless such powerhouses have fallen to their own arrogance." The Earl rose from his seat. "Caius, it’s good to have confidence, but excessive confidence will bring you nothing but your own ruin."

He turned and walked toward the door. "Since you aren’t accustomed to physical training, go find your instructor and have him add a few more rounds of exercises for you until your body gets used to it."

Caius fell silent for a moment. "Yes. I understand, Father."

...

"You can stop here." Standing at the entrance of the Earl Mansion, Lucian turned to look at Lilia. "The wind is strong late at night, and you’re only wearing your uniform. You’ll catch a cold if you’re exposed to too much wind."

Lilia nodded. "Alright."

"Today went very smoothly," Lucian smiled. "Except for the fact that your childhood playmate still isn’t willing to accept me."

Lilia tilted her head. "But he doesn’t get to make decisions for me."

She said this so matter-of-factly, as if Caius’s feelings didn’t matter to her in the slightest.

Lucian looked at her for a moment. "...True."

He dropped the subject of Caius. "Are you free this Sunday? I heard a new shopping mall just opened in the East District, and they have quite a few novelties in stock."

"Is this a date?" Lilia asked.

Lucian smiled. "Yes, it is."

"So, would you be willing to join me?"

Lilia gazed into those jade-green eyes. Framed by the night, his normally clear green eyes appeared somewhat deeper, which only added a touch of tenderness and profound affection.

Lilia neither agreed nor refused. Instead, she asked a seemingly irrelevant question: "Are you very popular at school?"