Friendship

Three months had passed since the celebration of my welcome party.

During this time, I had adjusted to my new life as a member of the Solvein family.

I had received a warm welcome from the other members of the family, especially Lord Armand and his children.

They treated me as their own, and I felt a genuine bond with them.

But sometimes I sensed an odd feeling from Lord Armand, I asked the system about this and it said that it was because of my passive skill [Survival Instinct].

When the system mentioned that the feeling I was getting was because my skill [Survival Instinct] was detecting a potential danger from Lord Armand, I started to watch him closely but I did not notice anything unusual about his behavior.

So, I thought that it might be because Lord Armand was stronger than me that's why I felt this way, well anyway I don't think that he is a bad person.

He had done many great things for the Kingdom and he was a kind ruler of his duchy.

But it could also be possible that he was just pretending to be kind and generous in front of others and planning to do something evil in secret that nobody had figured out. Well, whatever it might be, let's not dwell on it any further.

I had also made some new friends among the other nobles and guests.

who attended the party; Lady Evelyn was one of them, after the party was over Lady Evelyn personally came to me and gave me an invitation to visit her Mansion which was given by the King of Aredia as a gift.

She said that she was interested in my Fire elemental powers.

I accepted the invitation and politely said that I was also interested in her magic and wanted to learn some healing magic if she agreed. In response to my request, she gave me a small smile and nodded saying she would be happy to help me.

She asked me many questions about my fire abilities, and not to mention, she is a delightful person to talk to; and we shared many interests and hobbies. She was also very curious about my past.

One day, I decided to visit her Mansion as promised, and I took a carriage from the Solvein estate and arrived at her place in an hour.

The mansion was huge, beautiful, and surrounded by lushes green gardens as well as a crystal blue water fountain.

It was a remarkable sight. A servant greeted me at the gate and led me to the main hall where Lady Evelyn was waiting for me.

She smiled when she saw me and hugged me warmly.

" I'm so glad you came! How have you been Lord Renial?" she asked.

"I've been well, thank you for asking. And about you princess Evelyn?" I replied.

"I've been busy with some matters, but nothing too serious. Come, let me show you around." she said.

She took my hand and guided me through the Mansion, showing me various rooms and facilities.

She had a library, a laboratory, a greenhouse, a training ground, and many other things.

She seemed very proud of her Mansion and explained everything in detail.

"This is where I study magic and conduct experiments,This is where I grow herbs and flowers for healing potions,This is where I practice my swordsmanship and archery skills,This is where I relax and read books." she said.

" Princess Evelyn, I heard you came here to enjoy your vacation. then why are you constantly working, even with the help of servants these research must have taken a long time?" I said.

She gave me a small smile and answered me with a question.

" Lord Renial, you must have not been a noble before your adoption, right?"

" Yes, I was a normal village boy before and an accident happened that forced me survive in the jungle where I had a fateful encounter with Lady Rose, But is this related to what I asked you before?" I said.

"'Yes." She said.

"You see, there is no such thing called a vacation for the life of a noble, and it's the same concept for the royals as well. Even I as a princess haas to be on guard in front of others, to protect myself and those who are close to me. Now that you are a nobel yourself, you should know the world of nobility might look beautiful for the outsiders and those who don't know the reality behind the noble society."

" What does that mean?" I asked, confused.

" Let's take an example. What would you do if you made a mistake in your village?" she asked.

" I would ask for forgiveness and take the punishment for my mistake, then-"

" Then everything would be fine again, right?"

" Yes."

" Then what would happen if you make a mistake now, not as a commoner but as a son of Lady Rose?"

" Well, even then I would do the same. I would ask for forgiveness and take the punishment for my mistake."

" Yes, you could ask for forgiveness and take the punishment for your mistake, but do you think you would be forgiven just because you asked for forgiveness and were ready to take the punishment for your mistake?"

" Yes, Lady Rose would forgive me."

" Yes, if it was her she would forgive you and maybe not even punish you. But what about others?"

" Why would I care about others? Why would it matter to me if others don't approve of me? All I care about is what Lady Rose thinks of me."

" Well, others might not matter to you, but what about Lady Rose? She is a viscountess. She has many enemies. Many nobles are waiting for her to make a mistake so that they can attack her. Many enemies of hers are trying to use her weaknesses to harm her. And you, as her son, are one of her weaknesses. If you make any mistake, the enemies of hers will use you to bring her down. Do you, Renial Solvein, want to become the reason for her downfall?"

" NO!!" I shouted out loud.

" I'm sorry if my words made you feel uncomfortable, Lord Renial. But the truth is that noble society is like that. Where your one mistake might put your loved ones in danger."

" I can understand." I said, calming myself down.

" Good to know that you understood. And much like nobility, royalty is not much different. You see, Lord Renial, I made a mistake that put my father, the King of Sinclairia, in a difficult situation."

I could feel her sadness when she mentioned her father.

" What mistake did you make that put your father in difficulty?" I asked softly. The mood around us was gloomy.

Lady Evelyn's eyes softened as she spoke, and I could sense the weight of her regret and sorrow.

"It was a foolish decision I made without fully understanding the consequences," she began.

"I got involved in a political matter without realizing the implications it would have on my father's reign. I thought I was doing what was right, but it ended up causing tensions with another kingdom."

"What happened then?" I asked, curious to know the aftermath of her decision.

"My father had to step in and handle the situation delicately. He managed to resolve the issue peacefully, but it was a wake-up call for me. I realized that even though I am a princess, my actions have far-reaching consequences that can affect the entire kingdom," she explained with a somber expression.

"I can't imagine how difficult that must have been for you," I said, empathizing with her situation.

"But it sounds like you learned from your mistake."

"I did," she replied, nodding.

"Since then, I've been more cautious and focused on honing my skills in magic and diplomacy. I want to be a capable ruler someday, someone who can protect my people and make wise decisions."

Her determination and resilience impressed me, and I admired her for taking responsibility for her actions.

Our conversation continued, and Lady Evelyn shared more about the responsibilities and challenges of royalty.

She spoke of her desire to foster strong relationships with other kingdoms and promote peace and cooperation throughout the realms.

As the sun began to set, Lady Evelyn and I moved to a cozy sitting area overlooking the garden.

She asked me about my own aspirations, and I shared my dreams of becoming a skilled fire elemental and using my abilities to protect and serve the kingdom.

She listened intently, offering encouragement and advice. All though I didn't tell her my real goal, which is to take revenge on those who inflicted pain to me, I was happy to talk with her about these things.

"You have a kind heart, Renial," she said warmly. "I have no doubt that you will be a great asset to Aredia and the Solvein family."

"Thank you, Princess Evelyn, Your words mean a lot to me," I replied gratefully.

As we sat there, the stars started to twinkle in the night sky, and Lady Evelyn suggested that we practice some magic together.

She taught me new spells and techniques, and I showed her how I controlled fire with my elemental powers.

We laughed, made mistakes, and cheered each other on with every accomplishment.