FULFILLING A CHARACTER'S WISHES [1]

As lunch drew to a close, Adrian wiped his mouth with a napkin and turned to Eva with a warm smile.

"Since you'll be staying for a while, we'll see each other around. I'm headed to the training grounds for some body strengthening."

Eva chuckled, her eyes sparkling with amusement.

"Still the same old battle junkie, huh? Obsessed with training."

Adrian grinned, shrugging his broad shoulders.

"Some things never change."

Together, they walked outside with Diaval, enjoying the fresh air and the company. The sun was shining, casting a warm glow over the estate.

As they strolled through the courtyard, a familiar, imposing figure appeared in the distance.

Valtor Astarot, the head of the house, approached them with a smile that softened when he saw Eva.

"Well, if it isn't my favorite girl!" Valtor called out, his voice warm and affectionate. He reached out, pinching Eva's cheeks gently.

"How's my little princess doing?"

Eva laughed, her cheeks turning a slight shade of pink.

"Hello, Master Valtor! I've missed you."

Valtor pulled her into a tight hug, lifting her off her feet for a moment.

"I've missed you too, sweetheart. It's been far too long."

"But come on we talked about this, you can call me father," Valtor added laughing.

Diaval watched the exchange with a silent smile, feeling a sense of warmth and happiness at seeing his father so affectionate and playful with Eva.

Valtor had been like that since Eva joined the House when they were young. Since he only had sons, Eva was like a daughter to her, spoiling her whenever he got the chance.

It made the young Diaval and Adrian mad but they came to accept it.

Valtor set Eva down gently and looked at her with genuine interest.

"So, tell me, how's the job as a professor going for you?"

Eva beamed, her pride evident.

"It's been amazing. The students are eager to learn, and the faculty is incredible. I feel like I'm really making a difference."

Valtor nodded approvingly.

"That's wonderful to hear. I had no idea you were coming to the mansion today. What a pleasant surprise!"

Eva giggled. "I wanted to surprise everyone, especially Diaval and Adrian."

Valtor turned to Diaval, his expression becoming more serious but still kind.

"Diaval, a word with you?"

Diaval nodded, following his father a few steps away.

"Yes, Father?"

Valtor inquired in a low voice, "How is the project progressing?"

Diaval replied confidently, "It's going well. The weekly report is in your study, as always."

Valtor placed a hand on his son's shoulder, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"Good. Keep up the excellent work. I'm proud of you."

Turning back to Eva, Valtor gave her a warm kiss on the forehead.

"You're always welcome here, Eva. I'll see you around."

Eva smiled, her heart swelling with affection. "Thank you, father. It's good to be home."

Hearing Eva call him Father left a smile on his face and with that, Valtor walked away, leaving Diaval and Eva standing together, the warmth of their bond lingering in the air.

Diaval and Eva began their stroll around the mansion grounds, their footsteps soft against the cobblestone paths.

Eva noticed the construction on one side of the mansion and the activity in the training grounds, her curiosity piqued.

"What's going on over there?" she asked, pointing to the bustling scene.

Diaval sighed, rubbing the back of his neck.

"It's a long story. A dungeon portal opened up in my room, and we had to deal with a horde of undead. The guards did a great job handling it, but as you can see, there was some damage."

Eva's eyes widened.

"A dungeon? In your room? How did that even happen?"

Diaval chuckled wryly.

"Betty got hold of one of my keys and, well, chaos ensued. We redirected the undead to the training grounds to contain the situation."

"Betty, who's that?" Eva asked curiously.

"Oh, Betty is a cute and sweet little kid, and despite her innocent looking face, she's one to cause mischief around."

"She's just like you when you were her age," Diaval added, chuckling a bit

Eva shook her head, laughing softly. "Leave it to Betty to stir things up, if we team up its over for you."

They wandered into the garden, where the lush green grass and vibrant flowers created a serene and picturesque setting.

The scent of blooming flowers filled the air, and the gentle rustling of leaves added to the tranquility.

"Do you remember when we used to play hide and seek here?" Eva asked, a nostalgic smile on her face.

Diaval grinned.

"How could I forget? You always had the best hiding spots."

Eva laughed, her eyes sparkling.

"And you were terrible at finding me. I think you gave up more times than you actually found me."

They both laughed heartily, reminiscing about their childhood antics.

"There was that one time," Eva began, her cheeks flushing slightly, "when you tried to impress everyone by climbing the tallest tree in the garden, but you got stuck halfway."

Diaval laughed, shaking his head.

"I was trying to be brave! But yeah, I remember. You had to climb up and help me down."

Eva giggled.

"You were so scared, and you kept saying, 'Don't tell Adrian!'"

Diaval grinned, teasingly.

"And you promised you wouldn't, but then you told him anyway."

Eva's face turned a deeper shade of red. "Well, you deserved it for calling me a scaredy-cat the day before."

Suddenly feeling playful, she gave Diaval a gentle push. He caught her wrist, and they both stumbled, falling into the soft grass.

Eva landed on top of Diaval, their faces inches apart. Her red eyes twinkled as she brushed her hair behind her ear, her face growing redder.

Eva quickly stood up, trying to hide her embarrassment.

"So, what was your father talking to you about?"

Diaval got up and dusted himself off, a playful smirk on his face.

"Oh, just about a certain project. Nothing too exciting."

Eva raised an eyebrow, teasingly.

"Since when did the Lazy Noble start taking on projects?"

They both laughed, the tension easing. Diaval looked at her, his expression turning thoughtful.

"Instead of telling you, how about I show you?"

Eva's curiosity was piqued, and she nodded eagerly. "Alright, lead the way, Great Master Diaval."