Mikhail is unceremoniously dismissed from the mission by Jaigar and Gorak, left with only a few copper coins and his hidden silver. Javier, secretly aware of the deception, allows Mikhail to leave, believing him to be a good man better suited for a merchant's life. Meanwhile, Liana and Gloria discuss their draining family reunions at the Elven Royal Palace, with Liana eager to check on their husband.
“Ah, right~” Gloria’s smile bloomed as she produced her own mana talkie and mana glasses. Slipping them on with practiced grace, she declared, “I also wish to check on him. I’m curious how many elven girls have flocked to him in our absence.”
Liana shot a sharp, envious glare her way before replying, “I’ve maintained contact. With Buddy present, most of the elven girls merely observe from afar. They’re too intimidated to approach.”
“Ara~ is that so? My, my~” Gloria’s smirk widened. “Even in disguise, the Young Master attracts admirers among the elven girls, and they are famously the most beautiful race. How vexing~”
“Indeed.” Liana sighed, then channeled her mana, tapping her mana talkie and activating her mana glasses.
“Young Master?”
“Hmm?”
Liana tilted her head, awaiting a response. Silence.
“Young Master?”
Gloria, having just activated her own devices, was about to channel her mana when she observed Liana removing her mana talkie and inspecting it.
“Liana? What troubles you?”
“Nothing...” Liana murmured, her brow furrowing as she examined the device. “He’s not responding. Perhaps it’s malfunctioning?”
“Truly?” Gloria tapped her own mana talkie and called out.
“Young Master?”
Silence.
“Hello?”
“Young Masterrr~?”
She paused, her expression shifting to bewilderment. “How strange... I only hear static. It’s as if there’s no signal.”
Liana’s eyes narrowed. She swiftly checked her mana glasses, cycling through the live feeds. Her focus landed on the fountain in the Elven Northern Border town square, but Javier and Buddy were nowhere in sight. Biting her lower lip, her fingers flew across the interface, checking other locations around the town.
“Gloria,” Liana hissed, her voice sharp. “Scan the other sectors immediately.”
“On it.” Gloria’s fingers danced across her mana glasses, changing views rapidly. “Not here... nor here...”
A cold realization dawned on Liana, her jaw tightening. Her hands trembled slightly as she bit her lip, her expression morphing from worry to frustration, and finally, to pure, unadulterated rage.
“Young Masterrrr!!!” she snarled through gritted teeth, her voice a low, dangerous growl.
Both women abruptly removed their mana talkie and mana glasses, stuffing them into their pockets. They rose in unison and rushed toward the main entrance.
As the door swung open, Lyzia, Liana’s youngest sister, peered in with a gentle smile.
“Lianaaa~”
Liana exhaled sharply, shaking her head. “Apologies, Lyzia. We must depart. An urgent matter has arisen. We need to check on our Young Master.”
“Umm...” Lyzia stepped inside, clasping her hands before her, her voice soft. “Someone from Armand is here. She arrived via flying metal.”
Liana’s eyes narrowed with suspicion. “Who?”
“Umm... she introduced herself as Erinette.”
Liana and Gloria exchanged a look. Their faces drained of color, then flushed crimson with fury as the revelation struck them with the force of a thunderbolt.
Liana’s cheeks blazed with rage as she bit her lower lip, her voice dropping to a low, seething murmur.
“I’m certain this was the Young Master’s scheme all along.”
She flicked a sharp glance at Lyzia before moving closer, fixing her sister with an intense stare. “Lyzia... were you aware of this?”
Lyzia’s gaze darted away, her hands fidgeting nervously. “Um... I... I don’t understand what you’re implying... L... Liana...”
Liana crossed her arms, intensifying her glare at Lyzia, who appeared increasingly uncomfortable.
“It’s quite suspicious. This past week has been filled with ‘family activities’ and ‘hangouts,’ all designed to keep us occupied and distracted from checking on our Young Master.”
Gloria moved to Liana’s side, arms crossed, chin resting on her hand, a sweet, deceptive smile gracing her lips.
“Yes~ It is a tad suspicious, isn’t it?” She tilted her head, her tone light and airy. “My own brothers were so insistent on spending time with me. So eager to keep me occupied. I wonder why~?”
Her smile widened, her eyes gleaming with dangerous amusement.
Lyzia swallowed hard, her lips pressed into a tight line as she averted her gaze, her hands twitching at her sides.
Liana stepped closer, her voice dropping to an unnervingly sweet, low tone.
“Lyzia~”
“Y... Yes... L... Liana?”
“Did you just deceive me? Do you not truly cherish me as your sister?”
Lyzia’s eyes widened in genuine panic, her hands flying up in a frantic gesture.
“N... No! None of us were deceiving you! We truly missed both of you! The reason we insisted on all those family activities and spent so much time together was because we genuinely wanted to be with you!”
“Is that so?” Liana narrowed her eyes suspiciously.
"Mm... yes..." Lyzia quickly confirmed, her tone softening. "Our brother-in-law reached out. He inquired about your well-being and expressed his desire for you both to have the most enjoyable experience during your stay. He emphasized the importance of family activities and spending quality time together. He apologized for not arranging your visit to your hometown sooner and mentioned that he was the one who suggested all of this."
Before Liana and Gloria could respond, Erinette entered, crossing her arms with an air of calm composure.
"You should refrain from harboring negative thoughts or suspicions towards your own family. Family is meant to be cherished, not doubted. Their actions stemmed from love, not deceit. Prince Javier requested that they spend time with you because he wanted you to have this moment, a rare opportunity to reconnect with your loved ones. He offered this not to mislead you, but to grant you something precious. Your family merely followed the wishes of someone who desired nothing less than your happiness."
Both Liana and Gloria joined their hands and offered a graceful bow.
"Mrs. Erinette."
Erinette regarded them both, her voice steady and warm.
"You both served as Armand maids for a considerable period before your betrothal to the prince. You have faced everything together, experiencing both triumphs and hardships. As someone familiar with Armand's ways, and particularly with Prince Javier's deep concern for those he cares about, you should understand his intentions."
She paused, allowing her words to settle.
"He sought to protect you. He wished for you to cherish your time with your families without the encumbrance of this mission. Furthermore, His Majesty the King himself was concerned for his future daughters-in-law, not wanting you exposed to unnecessary peril. Place your trust in the love that has been cultivated between you, and do not permit suspicion to obscure the truth."
Liana and Gloria fell silent, their gazes lowering to the floor as Erinette continued.
"Prince Javier himself was reluctant to involve you in this. However, recognizing how long it had been since your last visit with your families and hometown, and given that the mission was situated within the same nation, he made a difficult choice. He wanted you to have this time with your loved ones."
Erinette's gaze intensified, her voice adopting a firm tone.
"Nevertheless, he made it unequivocally clear from the outset that the mission was his sole responsibility. You were intended to spend time with your families, not to accompany him into danger. Yet, understanding your insistence on following him, he had to devise a method to ensure both your safety and happiness. Do not misinterpret his care as deception."
Liana and Gloria maintained their focus on the floor.
"Y... yes, Mrs. Erinette."
"Mm... Now, you have three hours. Utilize them judiciously. Pack your belongings, share a meal with your families, and bid them farewell. Following that, we shall return to Armand. The King has commanded me to ensure your safe arrival, and I am fully prepared to fulfill that order."
Erinette turned and paused at the doorway, casting a glance over her shoulder with a cool, cautionary tone.
"And you both should know better than to contemplate slipping away. I trust I will not need to remind you of the repercussions."
After Erinette departed, Liana and Gloria released a shared, prolonged sigh before exchanging glances.
Liana murmured softly. "She speaks the truth, you know. We should have anticipated this. It's simply how Armand operates. We cannot simply join him on every mission, regardless of our desire to do so."
Gloria nodded and offered a smile, a trace of resignation in her eyes. "Yes... I suppose we have no alternative but to adhere to Mrs. Erinette's instructions. She is not someone with whom we can engage in debate."
Liana chuckled lightly. "It's not as though we possess any other options. Even after navigating the challenging underground training room on the ninety-ninth level, the two of us combined still couldn't best Mrs. Erinette."
Gloria emitted a soft laugh, bringing her palm to her lips. "Indeed. Even if we were to officially become the Young Master's fiancées, I doubt we could defeat her. She operates on an entirely different plane."
"Mm..." Liana surveyed the surroundings and then looked at Lyzia, who stood nearby with a nervous smile.
Lyzia, noticing Liana's mood lighten, beamed. She rushed forward and embraced Liana tenderly, nestling her cheek against her sister's.
