CHAPTER 10: The Great Dame

"My Lady, are you sure it's all fit enough?" Lily asked.

Sean glanced at her and responded, "Yeah, just as expected of the tailor I hired." He said as he smirked in the mirror.

Lily slightly grimaced by her lady's words, "... But my lady, it was your family's hired tailoring in the first place." She explained.

Sean, didn't seem to bother and put his brooch on the left side chest as he watched himself wearing his usual comfortable clothes in the modern world. It was a light long sleeve polo and a slacks and a belt he has as well as the boots he commissioned from the craftsman that really suits all the clothes that he also commissioned from the family tailor's.

This was what he usually wears when he's around the hospital with a doctor's robe. But, somehow this time is kind of different from the usual one's. Except for the plain light polo, his coat has some ornaments or patterns that significantly better match with the Grand Duke and Solene's Brothers. The Zyphere's clothing signs.

He watched his current delicate body and his outfit suits him well. It's highly more appealing and appreciated to him for a lady to wear like this. '... More presentable enough.' He thought and whistled. 'Though it feels uncomfortable to admire myself...' He suddenly feels goosebumps, "Gosh I'm so pretty." He whispered.

"My Lady?"

He looked at Lily when she called him. He secretly grimaced, 'I still can't get into it.' He smiled. "Yes?"

"The kids yesterday told me that they wanted to see you everyday. So I presume you already have plans for them?"

'Oh right, the children.' The last day was somewhat light for him however somehow heavy. It was a tiring day but at least, it was worth it.

"Have they gone asking you about something?" He asked her.

Lily just shaked her head and handed him something, "They haven't, but my lady. A young boy gave it to me and he said it was something that belonged to you that you forgot to take back."

Sean stared at the brooch that Lily is handing him, before taking it. ".. He did?"

"Yes, my lady. He also said that it became special to him after saving them all, having that." Lily added.

"..." Sean couldn't stop himself but to grin, "That kid..." He remembered that young boy was sending him a letter lately and it's all about appreciating him for saving them. But of course, he only read them once because it's tiring to read it multiple times in different letters. "We'll have them visit after my meeting with the Grand Duke."

Lily looked at him a bit worried, "But, my lady. Are you really sure to ask that to your father? What if he'll decline?"

Sean just scoffed and said, "C'mon, I'm sure he won't."

"I decline."

The stern voice of the Grand Duke echoed around the room as he declined Sean's question.

"What?"

Along with the atmosphere, Sean asked him with a slight hysterical.

The Grand Duke looked at him and responded, "You can't dismiss every class you'll be having that I have appointed to the family's professor that has taught us for centuries."

Sean looked at him in disbelief, "But–!"

"Also..." The Grand Duke cuts him off, "Why aren't you wearing some proper dresses? It's unacceptable for a lady that has no title at the capital to dress up like that."

As the Grand Duke's statements, Sean balled his fist tightly as he was standing tall and straight in front of the Duke's table office. 'He sure really knows what to make people feel the pressure.' He thought. 'All I wanted was to have more time to evaluate and do everything to survive in this novel, away from every conflict..!'

"..." Meanwhile, the Grand Duke was looking at Solene, who's wearing something he didn't expect. It was somewhat unfortunate for him to see a Lady wearing that kind of clothes except for the Great Dame that has already retired from her duties decades ago. 'Perhaps she has read the book about her and was amazed so she decided to imitate her—'

His thoughts went cut off when a sudden loud bang hit his table. He stilled when he saw It was almost cracked but he remained calm. Looking at the hands of his daughter, it was placed on the table with balled fists while looking at him intently.

"It's not my choice and it's not for you to decide whatever I have to obtain, your highness." Sol's eyes were pierced into his as she talked like a walking ice because of its coldness, "You may have the highest authority, however, you cannot have the audacity to dictate me."

With the calmness and indifferent signs in her face, she faced her back at him and without saying a word, she left him inside his office with just a sound of heels from her boots, stunned by the actions his daughter just did.

'I... cannot believe she has done that right in front of me.' He thought as he stared at the cracked table. 'How did she...' A lot of thoughts now started to keep coming in his head, since the moment they had encountered her once after they got back from the Hunt.

'I'm sure she's been well since she's usually sending a lot of letters to us... But now, why does it feel like we're all missing something that should be determined?' He thought as he held his both hands together, but his pace never changed. 'Such an impossible encounter...'

He remembered that the moment they saw her, the flowers that bloomed around and light that surrounded her every time they saw her, had now gone nowhere. It's as if they were now looking at her with a black feather that surrounds her as well as the heavy atmosphere.

The Grand Duke didn't know that her Aura would become dark that much in such a short time.

While trying to figure out everything, he felt someone entered the room and it's Rayleigh.

He stepped forward and was stunned for a moment when he noticed the table, before saying a word, "My Liege, my father has sent me a letter that he wants me to let you know that the south and east border was secretly invaded by the alchemists from the Zid Country. He has also already sent a letter to his Highness the Emperor to let know the matter."

Upon hearing Rayleigh's report, the Grand Duke felt pressured for the first time. But not because of the Invaders.

"Have Leo appoint him to give men there. Also, Ravi has the knowledge about anything necessarily advanced from Leo, so have him in charge of the battalion." He unbotherly said

Aero Country has always been a rival in the eyes of every alchemist from the Zid Country. They always have these beliefs that every part of the Aero Country was one of theirs. However, the Great Dame could only have the conflict between two countries end without a bloody war for nations.

She's the only one who could resolve their conflicts, the reason why in her era was way peaceful. The emperor couldn't handle it himself without the Great Dame's help because of some responsibilities that needed to be responded to.

But since the Great Dame reigned from her seat, the Alchemists seemed to lose their hopes and started to get back from what they believed.

No one has known the story between the Great Dame and the Alchemists of Zid Country but, their relationship is beyond what anyone could expect.

Rayleigh has noticed that his Liege was somehow mentally absent for a moment before asking, "Shall I ask for a better table, Your highness?"

He took the Grand Duke's attention. "Ah... Yeah, please do."

And without further ado, Rayleigh made a contact to buy a customized furniture for his Highness. After that, he faced his Liege and asked another question.

"You seemed to have gotten your patience short, your highness? The table will be here soon." Grand Duke Freyr almost didn't pay attention to him, making him wonder something. 'Has his highness got his temper lately?' He thought to himself.

"It was not me."

Rayleigh looked at his highness when the Grand Duke finally responded.

"Beg for your pardon, your highness?" He asked again. He can't really figure out the Grand Duke with its straight face not knowing what he is thinking.

Freyr looked at him and replied, "I didn't create this." Pertaining to the cracked table.

"..Then.." Rayleigh looked around before looking back at the Grand Duke, "...Who was it?"

"..."

"..." His eyes almost closed while figuring his highness up. 'I really don't know what happened while I was gone...'

"... Nevermind."

The moment of defeat, Rayleigh has felt when the Grand Duke refuses to tell him who.

'Guess I should witness this kind of scene next time.'

...