27 Welcome, Have a Seat

Liliana was standing in front of the entrance of Bernard's compound. Her grandfather was smiling and humming a happy tune. While she waited, Liliana was inspecting her outfit. This whole week, she had been allowed to dress however she liked. So today, she wore comfortable shoes, light blue shorts, and a pink shirt. She loved how easy it was to put on and how comfortable it felt. Her outfits that her mom prepared usually had several layers, and were all dresses.

Then she remembered that her grandmother would be joining them in a month. She started to frown slightly. Sharon Phillips was more traditional than Ronan and insisted that Liliana wear a dress. Other than that, her grandmother was as easy going as her grandfather. Liliana wasn't a fan of dresses, at least not the ones she was used to. But her grandpa took her to a store this last week and helped her pick out some new clothes. The shirts and pants she bought were cute, and she even managed to find a few skirts and dresses. These dresses were different than what she was used to and were actually easy to wear. When she asked why she had to wear frilly annoying dresses instead of simple ones like these, her grandpa could only shrug. "It's a girl thing," he said.

The young girl's thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a door opening. Her hand brushed a stray lock of auburn hair behind her shoulder, and she straightened out her shirt. When the door finished opening, she saw an older gentleman the same age as her grandfather. He wore a white lab coat. His white hair and beard were neatly cut, and there was a big smile on his face.

"Ronnyyyy!" He said, drawing her grandpa's nickname. Bernard then opened his arms out for a hug.

"Bernieee!" Her grandfather returned the gesture and the two old men hugged each other like long lost brothers. After patting each other's back a couple of times, the two separated. "It's great to see you again old friend." Ronan then gestured to Liliana. "This is my granddaughter. We'll be in your care for the next few months." Her grandfather then looked at her expectantly. This was her cue to introduce herself.

Liliana was surprised that Bernard had answered the door himself. This was the first time she visited a noble, and a servant didn't greet them. She thought it was odd. Mr. Malston seemed to live a much humbler life than the nobles that she knew of.

"Hello Lord Malston, It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. My name is Liliana Phillips." She tried to curtsy but realized she wasn't wearing a skirt. Instead, she bowed and then looked Bernard in the eye. It was the common etiquette when meeting nobles of higher status to bow or curtsy, and she had done it out of habit.

Bernard nodded to her. "It is a pleasure to meet you as well Liliana. Welcome to my home, I hope you find your stay here enjoyable. Don't worry about proper etiquette, as it is quite unnecessary here."

Liliana turned to her grandfather and saw him nod at her. She then smiled at Bernard and nodded her head. "Okay!" Her posture drooped slightly and the tension eased from her shoulders. A satisfied smile made its way across her face. Then she heard the sound of rushing footsteps. A young boy walked up to Bernard.

His hair was black as midnight with a hint of blue, and there was a black and white kitten sitting on his shoulders. He had a gentle smile on his face and he bowed politely to Ronan and Liliana. "It is a pleasure to make your acquaintance. My name is Zephyr Malston. Feel free to call Zeph." He was emitting a noble aura. When he saw Ronan, Zeph almost gasped in shock. The man was built like a brick house, and it was hard to believe that he was a mage instead of a barbarian.

"Hello Zeph, it's my pleasure as well." Ronan gave him a slight nod. The muscle man had a white-haired crewcut and wore a back tank top and jeans. Zeph was expecting to see a motorcycle outside to go along with his biker beard.

Liliana tried to curtsy again and had to correct herself midway. "Hello Zeph, my name is Liliana Phillips." She straightened her back to properly portray a noble's daughter. Then she lifted her head and saw Bernard lightly slap the back of Zeph's head.

"Hey! What was that for?" Zeph rubbed the back of his head. His noble presence crumbled.

"I just got the poor girl to relax and here you are, making her bow again." Bernard turned to Liliana. Her mouth was hanging open in surprise at the old man's behavior. "Don't mind the boy, relax and come in." He then pulled Zeph along with him to the side and gestured to Ronan and Liliana. Ronan laughed at their antics and led Liliana in.

Ronan and Liliana entered a small foyer. The marble floor was decorated with a beautiful area rug, and there were ornate wooden chairs and tables on each wall. Her grandfather and Bernard were talking to each other about the last few years, but she wasn't paying much attention to their conversation. When she entered the living room, she saw two large couches and two pairs of recliners. They surrounded a wide red oak coffee table. A crystal rested on a silver stand in the center of the table. It was a CV projector similar to the one Zeph got for his Birthday. Bernard created it based on something Zeph said when they were discussing some of the boy's ideas. This crystal projected a holographic cube, using the four sides as screens. People could enjoy a show no matter where they sat.

"This place has changed quite a bit since I've last visited. Where are Alex and Keva?" Ronan walked to one of the recliners and sat down, making himself at home. Liliana was at a loss and stood next to her grandfather's chair.

"It's okay to sit down. Make yourself at home." Bernard told the young girl. "Alex and Keva are visiting their son and grandchildren. I've let the staff off for the week and they won't be returning until tomorrow."

Liliana looked at the various seating options and couldn't make up her mind. "I recommend the recliner, it's pretty comfortable." Zeph tapped her on the shoulder and pointed to the recliner next to her grandfather. She nodded and took a seat, this would be the first time she ever sat in a recliner. The closest she had come was a rocking chair her parents had in the garden. After climbing into the chair because she was too short, Liliana leaned back. It was heavenly. The softness was comparable to a bed, and it made her want to take a nap.

"See, I told you." She opened her eyes to see the young boy sitting on the couch next to her. Zeph looked at Bernard. The old man was sitting on the couch next to Ronan, and their conversation was still going. It seemed they were still talking to each other about how things were the last few years. The last time they had seen each other was shortly after Liliana was born. Bernard had visited the family and celebrated with them.

"It seems like our grandfathers have a lot to talk about. Do you have any questions, or would you like to watch a CV show or something." Zeph was hoping she picked CV show because he had no idea what he would talk about with a little girl.

"I would like to chat with you if you don't mind," Lilia said, turning the Recliner to face more toward Zeph, her feet dangling in the air.

"Sure, what do you want to talk about?" Zeph tilted his head and smiled. But on the inside, he frowned.

"Why is there a kitten on your shoulder?

"This is Rin. She's my familiar, and she likes resting there. It's not uncomfortable so I let her do what she wants."

"I see." Liliana bit her lower lip, struggling to ask her next question. Zeph could guess what she wanted.

"Would you like to hold her?"

"Can I please?" Liliana's almost jumped from her seat in excitement.

"Sure, hold on Rin." With a wave of his hand, Zeph used TK to lift the kitten off his shoulder.

"Nyaaa," Rin meowed happily, and Zeph could hear her in his head. ~Weeeeee!~

He floated Rin over to the excited girl and placed the kitten in her lap. Liliana watched Zeph with a surprised look on her face. Suddenly an idea popped into her head.

"If you don't mind, I have another request." She was petting the kitten and was amazed at how soft Rin was.

"I don't mind. What is it?"

"I would like to compete with you."

This was the competitive spirit that she had inherited from Ronan. She really wanted to measure her skill against Zeph. In the capital, she was known as one of the most talented children among the noble families, and only a few could measure up to her skill level. Unfortunately, the other prodigious children were on opposing political sides and they weren't able to become friends or spar with one another. Zeph, however, seemed skilled enough to keep up with her. Her family would also be more than happy if the two would be friends.

"Um….sorry?" Zeph thought he might have heard wrong. It seemed like the girl wanted to fight him. "In what way would you like to compete?" Maybe he misunderstood. She could just want to play a game like bolt or something.

"If possible, I would like to compete in a magic duel. I lack proper opponents, and I need strong rivals to grow. I was hoping you could fill that role, at least for the duration of my stay here in Asperitus." Her request was honest and pure. There were no signs of a girl with a crush trying to get closer with a boy. She truly just wanted to fight and get stronger.

"Hold on a moment." Zeph held up his hand to stop her before she said anything more. "This is the first time we've met, and I know nothing about you. You also know nothing about me, but you want to duel me in a magic battle?" There was something wrong with this girl.

"Yes, that is correct." She nodded while smiling. The Phillips family was known for their love of battle and came from a long line of valir. Liliana wanted to follow in the footsteps of her predecessors.

"That sounds like a wonderful Idea. My grandson hasn't made any friends since he got here, and it would be great if you two got along. After all, Ronny's rivalry with me helped him reach the heights he has today." Before Zeph could tell her no, Bernard cut in on their conversation. The old man showed a friend the smuggest grin he could.

Ronan's eyebrows furrowed. "What was that you old table jockey. I got strong thanks to my own hard work. If anything, I drove you to work harder." Ronan's feathers were ruffled because of Bernard's jest. His losing streak was fine for him to talk about. It was a different story when someone else talked about it, especially if that someone was Bernard.

"Please, you were always asking me for a duel back when we were in school." I'm pretty sure you were trying to impress a girl back then." Bernard was tapping his chin pretending to be deep in thought.

"You know what, you old goat? I may have never beaten you. But that doesn't mean that I won't ever beat you. Let's take this outside and have another go, just like old times." Ronan hopped out of his chair.

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