'Pheww'
I swept my wrist on my forehead after taking the portal that held me with a decent pressure but still bearable since the distance we teleported was not too far away. And right now, here I am, at Everton's mansion. From the look of it, by now I'm at the Hall of the Portal. The exquisite scenery is made of elusive stuff like diamond chandeliers put on the ceiling that I can't count how many there are lighting up this space and gold tiles that are put in an orderly arrangement, which brought feelings of wealth. And the window frame is designed with hard-carved woods that can rarely be found in the empire.
Eva came closer to me, accompanied by her butler next to her. " It's midnight now, so you need to stay here for a while while waiting for the night to pass. Besides, if you get caught by them again, you might not be saved because at this time people have already gone to sleep."
" Is it okay for me to be in a place like this? I'm just an ordinary person." I doubted her intention since I'm just an ordinary boy. There's no reason for nobles to help the vulnerable escape from this, especially the hopeless one like me.
" Who do you think I am? Am I not also a member of the Everton family?" Then her eyes turned towards her butler, who was looking at me with a sharp look as if she was ready in case something might happen to Eva. Really, is it true that he is a butler? Why does the aura he exudes show that he is a former royal soldier? Is he really need to act like that or it's already written on the paper to put their heart and soul carry out their task to fully protect this family?
" Uncle Leynon, please take him to the Everton guest room and give him the proper treatment. And make sure that tomorrow, before the sun is directly overhead, he has left the grounds of Everton Manor."
I'm pretty sure Eva doesn't have any ill intentions toward me, but at least can't she try to improve how to talk properly. It's alright if it's me, but if it's someone else, they might be mistaken that Eva is someone that have no courtesy and lacking of communication skills. Well if it so, I'm not fully disagree with all of that. Some of them might be true, but I still can see that she's a wonderful woman that always wanted to help people in need.
" Yes, young lady." Uncle Leynon answered without hesitation as he bowed his head to show respect for Eva.
So her butler was named Leynon. Indeed, his name seemed to have been heard before. I put my index finger to my chin trying to remember, but after a few seconds I still couldn't think of anything about this individual named Leynon. Well, whatever.
"Okay, Uncle Leynon. I want to go clean up myself since my body has been exposed to blood for a long time, I will head into the room first." Eva, who was tired, lowered her head slightly to excuse herself and started to leave the hall.
But, before she could step out of the hall,
"Young lady Eva doesn't want to meet the head of the family? He just arrived after a mission at the border of the Valley of Ignorance."
Eva who was walking paused her steps. Her body didn't move an inch from there.
"is it necessary?"
she continued her way to her room after replying with that short answer. Uncle Leynon beside me just looked at her with somewhat empty eyes, sighing with a short breath. I, who was next to Uncle Leynon, was just stunned listening to their conversation.
***
I still can't believe it, even though I've seen the luxurious decorations and very attractive designs many times, my jaw is still hanging open because this is like being in heaven. If this is the manor corridor, what about the guest room? My lips curled into a smile, imagining that I would take a shower in the toilet that probably had a bathtub and a water heater, wear high-quality clothes and lie on a soft bed that could make me sleep for a week.
The view from the outside also amazing, since this manor is located right on the hill. Thus, I can see almost the entire city of Evergrant from a glance at the window of this manor. Although most cities have more modern architecture and infrastructure, Evergrant City still maintains the taste of their infrastructure where it looks more classic and old.
However, its smooth economic flow shows that their infrastructure does not mean that they will become poor, on the contrary, more and more immigrants come to Evergrant City to enjoy and experience the old days.
The yellow light emitted by the mana lampposts made the entire Evergrant city filled with bright light. The drunken civilians on the streets of the city also brought a sense of peace. From all this, it is no wonder that many people say that Evergrant city is one of the great cities.
"What is your relationship with young lady Eva Everton?" The question addressed to me by Uncle Leynon startled me.
I turned my gaze from the window to him and realized that his hands were hidden behind his back as if he was hiding something. At that time, I was just thinking, why does this old man need to be so careful with young people. Especially with a handsome face like mine. It's ridiculous.
I who was in front of him looked back then sighed slowly.
"Don't worry, Uncle Leynon. Eva has been my friend since I started crawling in this academy. Do you think I would threaten her? Don't you know that Eva saved me from something?"
Uncle Leynon just looked at me with an intensity that was hard to ignore. His gaze became smaller and sharper, focused on me as if his doubts were still unwavering, piercing through the air like a blade. The weight of his words hung heavily between us, a palpable tension that filled the room.
"Remember, boy. If you dare to harm or threaten the Everton family, your life and that of your family will not be spared, even if you ask for mercy, understand?" His voice was low and threatening, leaving no room for misinterpretation.
I just ignored him, choosing instead to redirect my attention to the sprawling view of Evergrant City while walking toward the guest room. I, who was looking at him, felt a surge of frustration; this senile old man was just making me more furious. If it weren't for the looming shadow of the Everton family hanging over me, I might have kicked his ass for sure, just to release some of the pent-up anger boiling inside me.
After that brief confrontation, I finally arrived at the guest room, a space that felt both foreign and unsettling. The old man had also left me here, granting me a moment of solitude, but it did little to ease my agitation. And as expected, this was really crazy! I didn't think that my suspicions were true; the atmosphere in this house was thick with secrets and unspoken threats.
In the bathroom, there was a bathtub, its porcelain gleaming under the faint light, and a water heater that ran warm water on this cold night, offering a small comfort amidst the chaos. The warmth of the water felt inviting, yet it couldn't wash away the tension that lingered in the air, a reminder of the precarious situation I found myself in.
I took almost eternity for me to wash all over of my body. Thus, the blood that is sticking on my skin now have gone. Plus, my body also smells very nice after using the shower gel, the brand of which I have never heard of and the design of the soap bottle is very exclusive. The fragrance that permeates my entire body as well as the smell and traces of blood immediately disappear as soon as I rinse it with water.
The clothes provided were also made of high-quality sheep's wool, making my body less itchy unlike other clothes. In fact, the bed was soft and filled with pillows and thick blankets, making me wrap myself up without realizing it. I rolled on the bed like a madman, this was the first time I was treated as a respected person.
At that moment, the words of the Matriarch came to my mind, about the rewards of freedom and authority. If this is what they mean, is it worth it for me to become their slave in order to carry out their mission? My forehead furrowed at the thought of something disturbing, my sharp eyes focused on the bedside lamp beside the bed.
I, who was alone at that time, just hugged a pillow and rested my head on another pillow that was much softer than the one in my arms. Ignoring what was playing in my mind, I just tried to sleep and slowly, without realizing it, I lowered my eyelids to cover my eyes.
That night, that feeling, I will never forget until the end of my life.