6 Fooling around

''What are you talking about? I am me, always was.'' Leto showed a puzzled look.

''Hmm, still, you're so different...'' Stella rubbed her chin. Squinting, she stepped closer and muttered after a short nervewracking silence.

''In what way?'' Leto showed an innocent look.

''Hmm, the way you act, your look...just small details, but they changed...'' She didn't sound sure of herself either.

''Have you been stalking me?'' Leto pretended to be frightened.

Stella blushed and pinched his ear.

''Ow, ow, mercy please.''

''A...anyway, humph, forget everything, you're still a little rascal you were before. I might have been overthinking things.'' She said hurriedly and left with hasty steps.

''Stella...thanks for taking care of me...'' Leto shouted before she disappeared. He sounded nervous.

''Small stuff. We are family, right?'' She turned around and smiled at him brightly, then scurried away.

''Family, huh..?'' Leto clutched his chest, feeling painful.

''That's right. I have a family now...'' He smiled brightly and entered his room.

In the warm bed, he fell asleep.

* * * * *

''Flex your muscles, boys. Let your sweaty bronze skin glitter under the sun!'' A towering man full of muscles instructed dozens of bulky men in the training field. He sounded so enthusiastic.

''Sir, you have visitors.'' A call came.

''A small break, boys,'' Carlos shouted and left while wiping his sweat with a towel.

''Long time no see, Carlos Vensmonty.'' As he entered the meeting room, a black-cloaked man was already there, drinking tea.

Carlos was surprised as he frowned and sat on the couch, facing the mysterious man.

''Let's just get to the point.'' Carlos sipped his tea and answered comfortably.

''Kukuku, to the business, to my liking...plans have changed. We need your help.'' The mysterious man said the last part in especially solemn tone in his croaky voice.

Half an hour later...

''What?! You want me to persuade that unruly brat?! Impossible! I don't want to talk to that little devil!'' Carlos shouted as he shot up. The couch behind him fell over with a thud.

''Why not? She's your niece, after all.'' The mysterious man sounded disdainful.

''You don't understand...'' Carlos sweated as he shook his head.

''This is not a negotiation, but an order! Don't fail us, Carlos, else there won't be head on our shoulder when the time comes.'' The black cloaked man harrumphed as he stood up and was about to leave.

''Does...Charles know about it?'' Carlos asked through gritted teeth.

''Nah, we're going to give him a big surprise. Don't worry about anything else. You know her standing. She won't oppose, I suppose. You just need to give a little push. Farewell.'' The mysterious man's voice drifted away as he left.

* * * * *

The time of the great event has come.

Today, the Lockhart family was full of bustle and hustle. The flow of carriages passing through the gates never stopped.

All kinds of people of authority gathered in the castle's grand hall, where rows upon rows of tables full of rare delicacies and varieties of food were aligned.

The birds of the feather made small cliques and talked boisterously.

The feast hadn't started yet, but it was already lively. Lockhart family servants were having a hard time tending to the guests.

''Bro, you're alive!'' The bald youth shouted in excitement as he hugged Leto, who was sitting leisurely, eating grapes and observing the crowd.

Leto was startled as he recognized the guy. He was former Leto's best friend and ally in crime, Chris! They were both 15 years old and got along well.

''Now you remember me, stinky bastard? I almost died, you know. You didn't even visit me once!'' Leto sneered as he tried to get rid of the annoying guy.

''You're wrong! I so wanted to see you, but after that event, my old man locked me up and wouldn't let me go. I thought I'd never see you again!'' Chris sobbed pitifully.

Leto's eyes twitched.

''Fine, fine. I won't keep the hard feelings this time. So, did your old man wipe your butt?'' Leto was curious as he remembered what the idiot duo had done.

''Yeah, he paid my debt, but my allowance was cut. Bro, you have to help me, I'm flat broke now. Look, I don't even have money to buy new shoes.'' Chris acted pitiful as he grabbed a chicken drumstick and munched on it.

''Don't tell me you don't have a full stomach too.'' Leto felt funny, as this was coming from the heir of the viscount family.

''You got me.'' Chris nodded and wastefully threw away the chicken drumstick, which had only half bite torn.

''Anyway, your head's sparkling, as is mine. We are true bros for life now.'' Chris chuckled, happy about other's misfortune.

''Get outta here. My hair will grow, while yours won't.'' Leto looked at him in disdain.

''Ouch. Oh, look! Bro, look at that girl!''

''Where?''

''Damn, I was smitten. She's just my type.'' Chris drooled while staring at petite beauty, standing by her father's side, who was talking to fat noble cheerfully.

''Are you going for the hunt?''

Chris chuckled evilly.

''Sigh, don't tell me I didn't warn you when you get beaten black and blue, though.'' Leto helplessly shook his head.

''Haha, that's why you're here. They won't dare touch me if you're there.'' Chris tugged his clothes and dragged him away.

''Ah, fuck, really? Not this shit again!'' Leto grumbled, but on the second thought, he decided to go along with the flow. One of his purposes in today's banquet was to show he was the same old him, so everyone would put down their guards against him even more. He even held back and didn't recover fully for this sake.

And so, the duo mildly harrassed noble beauties here and there, though the young beauties avoided them like a malignant tumor. They were indeed infamous.

Meanwhile, since Leto was the host's son, who was also a great general with countless merits, nobody would dare to outright scold them too harshly, afraid of how others would look at them. The relationship between nobles wasn't as harmonious as it seemed on the surface.

Chris, who didn't have as prominent background as him, wittily used his cover well.

Leto was also having some fun interacting with others.

''Damn brats!'' The fat noble fumed as he glanced at the duo, who were teasing the girls.

''Haha, leave them be. You aren't worried about your daughter, are you? Haha, if a bunch of hoodlums can sway our kind so easily then...we can only blame their lack of upbringing from our side.'' The stout middle-aged noble ridiculed the fat baron indirectly.

''Nonsense! You...ah wait, isn't that your daughter? She's blushing so hard. Oh, haha, I agree with your words, old friend. Some people lack upbringing.'' The fat noble's belly jiggled as he laughed with squinted eyes.

The sound of glass shattering rang by his side. Seems, the stout noble had instinctively crushed the wine glass in his hands.

''Hey girl, why don't you marry me? I'll devote my heart to you. I'll give up everything if you as much as wish for me to do so.'' Chris posed dramatically.

''Get lost. You told that girl the same thing. Shameless!'' The petite beauty's neck turned red as she scolded him.

''Lecher.''

''Scoundrel.''

Whispers arose from the nearby girls.

''Bro, maybe that's enough.'' Even Leto felt shameful accompanying his thick-skinned friend of his.

1 hour later...

''Another glorious defeat on our side. Sigh...why won't it just work for once?'' Chris sighed as he tiredly mumbled while slurping the sweet drink.

''Maybe because we are fooling around? Do you really think they'll take us seriously if we act like that?''

''Bingo, you're a genius, bro! Alright, let's change tactics. Yeah, we'll surely catch a delicious fish sooner or later.''

Leto didn't know whether to smile or cry. 'Maybe it's too late? Our reputation is sweeping floors at this point.' He thought.

Suddenly, the sound of horns echoed.

''Hey, the important guests are coming. I wonder who it is?'' Chris elbowed him to grab his attention. He seemed to completely forget his downcast mood.