Allies 7

Lia and Mika remained on the plaza while silence lulled them to listen to the faint rustle of the leaves.

Finally, Mika opened his mouth, "I don't need you to pass anything on to me. None of your nonsense you've learnt. I will join you because that's the deal."

With that Mika stood up, glanced at her stomach not wanting to look at her eyes and stomped away.

"Although," he stopped, "If you're that strong, you should've helped us. Back in the cave."

Not waiting for Lia to speak, he continued his stomping until he vanished inside the mansion.

Lia watched him and sighed before turning towards the distant path to the city centre. It would be a stony path with him. Maybe she should've just given up on the D family.

"Miss," a servant came up to her and bowed, "Your room is ready, please take a bath."

"Oh," maybe it wasn't too bad.

Sweat and dirt from the fight left their stains on Lia's clothes and her skin, so a bath would be refreshing. Lia hasn't had a bath in ages, Xavi's place only had showers. Xavi didn't admit it but Lia guessed it was because Xavi could easily drown in a bathtub so Lily refused to let them have bathtubs.

The servant led Lia through the hallway to her spacious room. Inside her room was her own bathroom. The water was already filled. The servant left her a change of clothes, bowed again and then made his way out.

Lia soaked in the warm water and blew the strands of hair out of her face. She hasn't been able to relax like this in a while.

Now, thinking about it, it didn't seem like there was a Madam D. Could it be Mika turned out to be this reserved because he had lost his mother?

However, Lia didn't want to make hasty judgements and pry. If the D family wasn't going to tell her, she wouldn't actively ask them.

After the bath, she spent the time in her room and examined her image in the mirror. Her hair grew longer and her bangs almost reached to her ear. She didn't feel like having bangs anymore, so she parted her hair and decided to keep it shoulder length.

She wouldn't go for long hair anymore and bangs obstructed her view. During fighting, it would be inconvenient, and for some reason, Lia liked having shorter hair. It made her feel like she didn't look like the girl who cared greatly about her appearance to impress someone who wasn't worth it.

Her naïve and kind look also went away with her shorter hair. She appeared more mature, dignified and aloof.

She liked this.

Suddenly, there was a tumult outside. Lia hurried out and grabbed a servant who rushed past her, "What's going on?"

The servant nervously stumbled over his words, "There are some intruders!"

Lia followed the servant as he ran through the hallway outside to the plaza. Then she sneered.

"Those are your intruders? A kid and a little girl?" Lia walked next to Mika and looked at him. Mika only stared in the front at those two people surrounded by servants with swords.

"Hey! I'm not a little girl, for effing sake, Lia!" Lily shouted and made an unpleasant gesture. Xavi on the other hand had the red rose to the tips of his ears again.

If she teased someone, this was what she wanted to see and not someone as stoic as Mika.

Lia remained next to Mika and simply asked, "What did you do now?"

"Nothing!" Lily insisted and stomped with her foot, "We… we just… heard the Lord resides here and wanted to give him a piece of our mind."

"With what?" Lia's mood greatly improved and she was amused. This pair never failed to lighten the atmosphere.

"With… young master's orbs?" Lily hesitatingly nudged Xavi who wished he could bury himself into the ground.

"Don't involve me! It was your idea!" Xavi really wanted to crawl into a black hole and be sent into the universe.

"And you're revealing crucial information so easily…" Lia sighed and turned to Mika, "They're harmless, even if they want to kill you, you can just poke them a little bit and they'll fall over."

"Lia!!! That's not true! I'm stronger than you!"

Of course, it wasn't true. Lily was strong enough to take on several soldiers herself and Lia knew that but she couldn't help but vent out the frustration of not having any victim to tease.

Mika was slightly surprised to see the change in Lia. He saw her genuine pleased and happy expression she subconsciously showed and looked at the two clowns on the plaza.

"Who are they?"

"Oh, they're from the A family."

"Hmm," Mika extended his 'hmm' and looked down on Xavi and Lily.

"This is the esteemed A family? The personal aids of the Immortal King?"

Lia immediately figured out that Mika didn't approve of them and wanted to establish his dominance over them. Lia rooted for Xavi but unfortunately, the little boy was too embarrassed and wanted to run, not sure where, so he ended up running in a circle.

The servants broke out in laughter and even Mika with his always scorning face had his lips pull up. Lia pitied Xavi, especially when Lily hugged and patted Xavi on the head, "Young Master, it's ok! It's ok!"

"So, this the esteemed A family?" Mika repeated and each word stabbed Xavi into his inferior heart.

"Stop it," Lia set Xavi and Lily free, and Mika ordered his men to retreat and lead the two new guests into the mansion.

Lia slowed down her pace until she was able to pat Xavi on the head, "Good job making it here."

Even more embarrassed, Xavi buried his head into his hands and let Lily push him forward to follow the servants.

"Don't always tease young Master like this! We've been through a lot!"

"I didn't have it easy either. While you were able to spend your days with a cute little kid, I had to deal with this moody brat," Lia openly pointed at Mika and all the servants who heard and witnessed her gesture glanced at Mika who briefly stopped on the spot but quickly resumed.

"He heard it!! Why are you like this?" Lily hit Lia lightly in the shoulders.

"So what? Just let him hear it, it would do him good to-"

"Stooooop!" it was absolutely impossible for Lily to let Lia ramble on like this. How many enemies has she made being like this? How many?

Didn't Lia see the glare the guy gave her? He definitely hated her.

"By the way, why are you here with the Lord?" Xavi finally got over his embarrassment and asked.

"Well, isn't our task to make allies?"

"Wait, you're saying-"

"Yes, this is the D family and not a Lord. They're only borrowing the name of a Lord."

"No wonder, he had the audacity to make fun of the A family!" Lily had a less favourable view of the D family now.

Mika brought them to the dining room again and sat at the table, "You must be hungry?"

He had some servants bring some food for Xavi and Lily. They were surprised but didn't decline.

Since Lia and Mika already ate only two hours ago, they only watched the funny pair.

"Lia… that's a peculiar name," Mika sat opposite of Lia and his brattish eyes glared at her.

"There's no need to hide it. It's what you think."

Mika wiped the oncoming smirk away and made way for the disbelief, "No way, you are!"

"Yes."

"Now it makes sense why you're so twisted," in the end Mika was able to get out his smirk while Lia's eyes slightly twitched.

"L-Let's not continue that," Xavi was afraid that Lia might murder their good ally.

For a good second, Lia was actually considering it. There was no need for a pain in the butt like Mika.