After following Sebastian through the endlessly long corridors, feeling as if I had just walked a full lap around the VNU campus, we stopped before a double oak door carved with intricate patterns.
"Lady Aiselin is waiting for you inside," Sebastian spoke, then slowly pushed the door open and entered.
I took a deep breath, adjusting my breathing rhythm so my heart rate wouldn't fluctuate beyond the safe amplitude, then timidly stepped inside.
The moment I crossed the threshold, a visual shock hit me straight in the eyes.
This living room was so magnificent that I was almost overwhelmed. The ceiling was towering, dotted with exquisite frescoes. In the middle of the ceiling was a massive chandelier, but instead of using candles, it was embedded with mana crystals radiating a warm, soothing, and evenly distributed golden light, no different from a high-end LED lighting system. The floor was paved with polished monolithic marble, reflecting light perfectly enough that I could clearly see my pathetic peasant appearance printed on it.
And right at the origin of that luxurious spatial coordinate system, on an elegant red velvet armchair, was Aiselin. My young patroness was leisurely sipping a cup of tea. Her raven-black hair and sapphire eyes glowed under the lights. Aiselin sat there, her demeanor composed, noble, and tranquil, inadvertently becoming the most perfect stroke of paint adorning the entire aristocratic painting of the Grand Ducal family.
I was about to bow according to the etiquette I had mentally rehearsed, but my eyes suddenly collided with an object placed in the corner of the room.
A piano.
My cognitive system instantly stalled, reporting a 2-second error. A glossy black Grand Piano, its design curving proudly like a bird's wing.
Wait a minute, there is something extremely illogical here. With the level of metallurgical and mechanical technology in this world—where people still prefer traveling by horse-drawn carriages and blacksmiths still use hammers to beat iron by hand—how could something like this exist? A piano is a system that demands extremely high mechanical precision; the margin of error must be almost zero for it to operate smoothly. Who, or what faction, could manufacture this in this era?
"How long do you plan to stand there in a daze, Zero?"
Aiselin's familiar voice rang out, directly terminating the mechanical history debugging process in my head.
She set her teacup down on the porcelain saucer with a very soft clink, then gracefully stood up.
"Apologies, My Lady. I was a bit taken aback by the magnificence of this place..." I bowed my head.
Aiselin did not respond to that flattery. She gave a slight nod to the butler standing solemnly beside her, then glanced at me.
"Prepare yourself mentally. Sebastian and I will take you to see my father right now. He is waiting in the study."
A chill ran down my spine. It's over. No matter how illogical that piano is, just ignore it for now. My survival now does not depend on the laws of physics, but on the project evaluation committee named the Grand Duke of Shirakawa ahead.
"Yes, My Lady." I swallowed, stepping behind Aiselin and Sebastian, heading straight into the tiger's den.
Outside the corridor in front of the Grand Duke's study.
"Oh, Brother Fibuku."
Aiselin, having just returned to the estate after some time, was about to happily greet him when she suddenly stopped. The smile on her lips vanished upon seeing her older brother walk out, holding up Rayen by the armpits—who was completely unconscious at this moment. The mud-stained servants following behind all had panicked expressions.
"Brother... what happened?"
"Oh. Aiselin. I'm glad you're back," Fibuku nodded slightly, trying to force a reassuring smile even though his forehead was dotted with sweat. "As you can see, I currently have a bit of an emergency. We will talk later."
"... Yes."
As Fibuku supported Rayen walking past, a few servants immediately rushed in to assist, carefully taking the injured person away. Relieved of the burden on his shoulders, Fibuku let out a breath. In the moment he turned his head back, his gaze swept over Aiselin's group.
Aside from the familiar head butler, standing next to his sister was a young man bearing the lowly appearance of a commoner—Zero.
"........"
Fibuku slightly furrowed his brows. A commoner? A mix of apprehension and doubt flashed through his mind, but was immediately replaced by a pang of sympathy as he looked at Aiselin's resolute face. He knew very well that she always carried two great wishes on her shoulders: the desire to break the ruts of traditional magic to seek a new breakthrough, and the desperate search for a tutor who could make Cecilia use magic.
Academically, Aiselin had risen too fast, so excellently that she could carve her own path without needing the guidance of renowned four-star mages anymore. However, she was deadlocked in finding a new path for magic, as well as deadlocked before her troublesome younger sister. The tutors invited for Cecilia—some were humiliated, some were injured, and others simply gave up and left. Gradually, Cecilia's notorious reputation spread far and wide, and no one dared to step foot into the estate anymore. Even so, Aiselin did not give up; she continuously lowered the standards, searching everywhere as long as the person was persistent, even if they were just a two-star mage.
And now, looking at the impoverished commoner, lacking even a single outstanding ripple of mana fluctuation standing beside the eldest lady, Fibuku could only sigh mournfully.
"Has the situation become so desperate that she has to blindly grab an individual of unknown background like this to seek novelty in magic and act as a tutor?"
Aiselin's efforts were truly respectable, but from a brother's perspective, it only made his heart heavier. It really seemed like his sister had no one left to invite.
Fibuku quietly walked past Aiselin, heading down the corridor, feeling as if a heavy stone was pressing down on his chest.
"Aiselin, how has your life been?"
"Thanks to your care, Father, every day is very pleasant. Recently, I have been learning to play the piano; if I have time, I will perform for you to hear."
"Oh, really? Once you are proficient, we can have you perform in the main hall of the estate during festivals."
"Please don't say that, Father. I am not good enough yet. I must at least practice to the point where I am not teased by the servants, so please give me a little more time."
Aiselin smiled brightly, deliberately keeping the conversation light. Seeing this, the Grand Duke's heavy, worry-filled expression also softened a bit. Despite the bad reputation of his youngest daughter, Aiselin remained deeply loved by everyone in the ducal estate.
Born with the aura and demeanor of a noble lady, she was endlessly pampered by her parents, two older brothers, and even the retainers. To the extent that at only 13 years old, she had been granted much administrative authority and quickly entered high-society circles. She was truly the most brilliantly shining jewel of the Shirakawa family.
"Ah, I almost forgot. This time, I brought back a tutor candidate."
"... I see."
When his gaze met Zero, the Grand Duke's brows furrowed tightly. An annoyance flashed through the depths of his eyes. The majestic Shirakawa estate now had to harbor someone who looked no different from a common peasant? Logically, he would have immediately thrown him out. But... looking into Aiselin's hopeful eyes, he sighed softly. The people Aiselin had brought back as tutors for Cecilia were not just one or two. And no matter who they were, they had never lasted more than a few weeks before fleeing for their lives.
It was hard for him to place his hopes on anyone anymore. But regardless, this was still the choice of his dearly beloved daughter.
"Alright."
He replied with just one word. For a long time, after countless times witnessing the most renowned magic masters shaking their heads in helplessness, the Grand Duke no longer wanted to give lengthy remarks or hasty judgments.
Aiselin quietly observed that reaction, then smiled a faint smile, mixed with a bit of resignation.
"Then, please excuse me to freshen up after the long journey, and we will talk more in the living room. Father, I have many things I wish to tell you."
"Alright. I will speak with you later."
After speaking, Aiselin bowed perfectly and turned to walk out of the study.
"Wait. You stay."
The Grand Duke spoke in a cold voice, directly calling out to Zero—who was also just about to turn and follow Lady Aiselin.
The heavy oak door closed with a dry "thud," completely severing any hope of clinging to the shield named Aiselin. The danger warning system in Zero's head instantly wailed continuously, feeling like a circuit that had just experienced a sudden voltage surge exceeding its tolerance.
Now, in this closed room with suffocating pressure, there was only the powerful Grand Duke radiating an overwhelming killing intent... and a guy preparing to enter a life-or-death project defense session.
End of Chapter 7