Envy

Lady Liliana was stunned in her place but Luna did not notice her as she was busy yawning and was too lazy to see who was beside her. Then she went straight to the hallway and walked downstairs as she wanted to go to the dining room for some water.

When she went to the area, the chefs and maids went startled by her sudden entrance as they were still preparing the dishes on the table. The main chef even checked his silver pocket watch to check the time and suddenly heaved a sigh of relief. He was still on time and the lady was just early.

"Uhm, excuse me, where can I get a cup of water?" Luna asked.

The main chef turned at the side and hastily tasked a maid to give her one. "We'll get one for you, young lady," he said.

Luna saw that the maid went to a door that she supposed was connected to the kitchen area of the mansion. Not long after, she managed to get one and went outside the dining room to avoid disturbing them. When she reached the lobby, she saw Ryle sulking into the corner of the couch, not uttering any words, and didn't bother to greet her.

It's not that Luna was asking for any attention, she just knew that something was bugging Ryle's mind which was enough to bring him into a sultry mood. She sat beside him and started talking.

"Too silent today, aren't you?" Luna asked.

Ryle looked at her and smile as weak as he could which contrasted his usual cheery smile. "Just some small family problem," he said.

He had his left hand on his forehead while his other hand was clenched tightly into a fist.

Seeing this, Luna didn't choose to go further into his matter as she knew how stressful it was when it's about family matters.

"Whatever problem it is, I know you can solve it in a matter of time. After all, you have overwhelming positivity in you. Don't ever say it's just a mask 'cause I can see that it's real," Luna said.

After that, she smiled gently and left Ryle to think over his matters himself. Since it was still morning despite training so hard earlier, Luna did not have much to do so she came back to her room and decided to read the books found on her shelves.

At the moment that Luna had entered her room, she once again did not crossways with Lady Liliana who had just opened the guest room's door. She stared at Luna's bedroom for a while before heading downstairs.

Inside Luna's room, she picked the books that talked most about the Magus Nation such as how the economy worked in the country, the different rulers that were maintaining peace, how their magic system was working, and other various occupations aside from using magic to fight. The new books above her wooden study table had piled that she had to put the finished ones on the floor.

Back in her previous world, Luna did not have the time to read books aside from academic textbooks because of her hectic mountain of school activities. Being able to read topics about magic refreshed her mind for a while. Not noticing the time, she finished a good amount of books that Miss Zione had gone to her room to remind about lunch but she declined, saying that she had just eaten earlier and was still full. The latter left, deciding not to force her.

Few hours had already passed so the lady who was sitting at the study table felt her eyes reddened by reading so many books in less than a day. Nonetheless, Luna learned a lot about Magus Nation thus would not be that much ignorant when she head alone outside Akiro's mansion.

But of all the information she read thoroughly, none of it was connected about Akiro's line of work and even the lightning element the author of "To Bend Magic at Your Own Will" had talked about.

'He better be not lying at all!' Luna thought. She stretched out her arms and legs after sitting on a chair for a long time. Then she walked towards the curtains and opened them to allow natural light to come in and stared outside for a while. The sunset filled the sky with the colors violet, orange, and red and it didn't take long for the cluster of shining stars to take over above with its two waning moons.

"I wonder if the night sky will be always this beautiful," Luna wondered and when she heard her stomach grumble, she decided to go downstairs. On her way to the lobby, she saw no one there thus she presumed that it was still not dinner time. Then she went to the main lobby, sat near the fireplace, and hummed her favorite song.

Her lovely voice echoed through the hall. Even though Luna wasn't a skilled singer, some of her friends, and classmates praised Luna for her heartwarming voice. Along the stairway, a lady in her wavy light brown hair went curious to the delightful voice she was hearing. Moreover, the song was very unfamiliar.

When Lady Liliana reached the main lobby, she saw the pretty young lady sitting near the fireplace with her sweet smiles and was singing in her closed eyes without a care in her surroundings. During lunch, she thought that she'd meet the young lady but the lady didn't show up. It bothered her the whole time seeing how she managed to stay in this mansion comfortably. However, despite Lady Liliana's curiosity, she would not dare question whoever the Honorary Master Mage had invited into his house.

When the young lady opened her eyes, Luna saw a stunning lady in a red dress that slightly showed her curves and Akiro who was walking at the back. Thinking that she's no doubt their visitor, Luna approached them.

"Akiro, this is our visitor isn't it?" Luna asked and stepped her right foot back and bent her body slightly while holding one part of her dress.

"It's a pleasure to meet our esteemed visitor, you can call me Luna," she said.

Despite being not a native of Vermillion, Luna knew the formalities and the manners befitting of a lady. Nonetheless, she did not like introducing herself in such a manner. A simple handshake would do but upon learning the ways of Vermillion earlier, they would find her weird if she didn't follow their rules especially for the lady in front of her that brought a different aura than Miss Mavel and Claret.

"N-nice to meet you too, I'm Lady Liliana of the Noble Lilieth," Lady Liliana said. Seeing Luna's actions, Lady Liliana thought that she came from a well-off family. The only thing that bothered her was Luna didn't introduce her family's name.

'A-and, she dared call the Honorary Master Mage's name directly?!' Lady Liliana thought but Akiro didn't seem to mind it as if it was just a normal act in which Lady Liliana went shocked out of her wits.

'I visited his mansion a few times, but he didn't seem bothered by my beauty yet the young lady in front of her is allowed to call his name?!' Lady Liliana thought. Unconsciously, she felt an envious feeling deep inside her heart.

Akiro silently praised Luna's way of talking to others although she gave away by calling him directly by his name. 'I should've said to her about my temporary position in Magus Nation,'

he thought.

"Lady Liliana, you haven't had the chance to meet her earlier. Lady Luna is a significant person in this mansion. An equal as mine. I hope you'll get along with her," Akiro said.

Lady Liliana slowly nodded, not daring to speak another word.

"Master, the dinner's ready," Miss Zione said.

Akiro nodded in response.

"Well, let's go?" he said.

All of them went toward the dining room but all of them ended up eating in silence. With Ryle's indifferent attitude, Akiro's usual silence, Lady Liliana's shock, and Luna's hungry stomach, the dining area became quiet with only the clanking noises of their utensils to be heard.

--To be continued...