Chapter 2: Behind the Mask

*TOK! TOK! TOK!

Amidst silence, the napping Lucard was disturbed by the sudden knock from the door of his room. Then after, the door opened and a tall and very beautiful woman came in. Despite wearing a blue nightgown and looking seductive, she was still elegant.

Recognizing the woman, Lucard quickly hopped off from the bed and bowed his head with his right hand on his chest, showing his politeness to a Lady of Grimon family.

"Greetings, Lady Diona."

It was quite strange for a straight descendant of Grimon to visit someone like him. This made Lucard uncomfortable.

Diona Hecate Grimon, just like her older sister, the essence of the Olympian Blood flows strongly in her veins. Unlike her niece, Zaneya's bright pink hair, Diona had smooth silky and straight dark purple hair in bob haircut. She had a pair of possibly positive tilted almond shaped eyes with bright orange irises with golden hue. Her voluptuous figure could surely make any man and even women turn their heads on her. And aside from her ample breast, her legs, tighs, and butt were in the most paragon shape and measurements that could make anyone thirst for lust.

"Drop the formalities, Lucard."

As came she came in, Diona conjured light-ball and it quickly went to the ceiling at her will. She noticed Lucard's messy clothes and the blood stained on it. Seeing it, she already understood that someone bullied him again. This made her mood bitter.

"Here, take this."

Lucard looked at the brown envelope along with the small black envelope in Diona's hand for a moment. Then his gaze went to Diona, as though asking.

Diona gave a small smile as she hand over the envelopes. Her natural red lips were as perfect as ever. She went towards the bed and sat upon. As she crosses her long legs, her skirt slid, exposing her thick and long thighs.

Her smile surely expecting something, as her seducting gaze stuck on Lucard. However, no matter how attractive she may be, Lucard showed no hint of any kind of reaction or interest. This made Diona disappointed, but found him more interesting. If it was another man, he would probably lusting after her.

Lucard's concern was in the envelope. He first opened the brown envelope; therein were papers for his requirements for enrollment to the Royal Academy. In the black envelope, therein a grey card with the crest of Diona's personal Corporation. It even had his name carve on it.

"Lady Diona..."

Lucard quickly looked at Diona who was smiling at him. The concern in his tone could be heard.

"What? For your extra expenses."

"Forgive me, but I can't accept this, Lady Diona. What would the noble say if they learn of your generosity towards a plebian like me?"

"Don't mind them. No one can question my decisions. So fret not." By uttering these words, the pressure and arrogance in her tone was evident.

Lucard quickly kneeled his right knee and raised his forearm horizontally with closed fingers.

"Forgive, Lady Diona. I didn't mean to—"

"Forget it."

Diona approached Lucard and kneeled down before him. She held and raised his chin. Green particles with golden hue suddenly appeared around them and began to heal his wounds. It was Diona's doing.

"Just this time, will you stop your charades?"

"I know how smart you are, Lucard."

"And I know you're already considering leaving this household anytime soon."

Despite receiving such kindness from a noble, the shards in Lucard's heard didn't thawed.

Diona already knew of Lucard's hatred towards nobles despite him being one of them. In her eyes, regardless of his status as plebian, Lucard was still a noble and not just a young butler of the Grimon Household.

"You don't need to humble yourself to someone like me, Madam. I'll comply."

"Here, I cannot accept this privilege. But I'll at least take this one."

Lucard gently pushed away Diona's hand. He put back the card inside of the envelope and gave it back to Diona. As he was about to stand up at that very moment, he suddenly felt extremely tired and drowsy. He tried to fight it, but his consciousness was slowly fading as his eyelids were getting heavier.

Diona catched Lucard, as he landed on her chest. It seems the magic she cast had finally taken an effect on him. She did make sure that Lucard will feel relieved and fall into the state of drowsiness. A cunning move on her part.

Diona carried Lucard and lay him down on his bed. Since she's naturally strong, it was quite easy for her to lift him up.

Due to the temptations of curiosity, Diona couldn't help to remove his mask.

The mask had a strange design. It got a zipper on it, so that the user may be able to eat or drink without revealing his face. Goggles that were attached to it, so even his eyes could remain hidden. Although his hair were already long, enough to cover his entire face, he still use the mask to hide his face further.

The moment she managed to removed the mask, Diona was stunned by what she saw.

It was just a glimpse of Lucard's face, and yet, it couldn't made Diona's eyes off of him especially on his full pinkish lips that was covered by some strands of his hair. Reluctantly, her beautiful fingers couldn't help but to stroke his jet-black hair to the side, revealing his face that bears an ethereal beauty that could be said the forbidden drugged to all women and the prime subject of envy of all men; in fact this was one of Lucard's major problem and the reason why he always wore a mask.

In the past, a young noble beat him up for being too beautiful than the nobles themselves. And the reason was... a plebian should not have such face but a face of failure instead. It was also his sisters that made him wore the mask. Thus, he always wore the mask to avoid further attention, and formost, violence.

Diona's eyes widened. She couldn't help but to adore Lucard's beauty, as she touched his perfect lips. The moment she felt the sensation of his lips on her finger, the beat of her heart suddenly became rapid, making her breath heavy.

This was the first time Diona saw Lucard's face. All the rumors she heard about him having a distorted face faded in her mind. She had seen a lot of handsome and beautiful faces, both commoners and mostly nobles. But none of those could compare to Lucard's? He was just so perfect. He's even more handsome than Adonis and Narcissus themselves combined. If anyone would see him in the portraits, everyone would probably thought that he is the son Aphrodite herself. His face was literally the epitome of young male beauty: a very youthful appearance with both femininity and masculinity perfectly balance and harmonious. Furthermore, his face seemed like wearing a make up, but it was all natural.

"I never thought you were this beautiful. No wonder why those sisters of yours are still questing for you regardless of your status."

It's been already a year ever since Lucard became a butler of the Grimon Household. He was just a plebian, a lowly noble and even treated worst than the commoners... and yet, there was something about him that makes him different. Despite his gloomy appearance, he had this mysterious aura that caught her attention.

Lucard was a man of focus, that's at least what she lernt about him. A traits she liked the most from an individual.

.

.

.

An hour had already passed. It was already time for Diona to get back to her room. She wished to stay to looked at him further, but she had things to do for tomorrow.

Diona put the envelopes on his table and closed the lamp.

And before she left, she softly smiled at the sleeping Lucard and undone her light-ball she cast on the ceiling with a single '*SNAP!' of her fingers.