Let Us Talk

"Please put me down." Ellendise said softly. This was more uncomfortable than the count asking her to sit on his lap.

She was used to her father and brother doting on her and wanting her attention but it was not the same for outsiders. She was not able to accept this kind of intimacy from a stranger.

"I don't want to." Agnus stubbornly said, raising her higher. She was light as a feather or it must be because he was too strong.

The second reason seemed more appropriate.

Ellendise sighed. "Could you please put me down? I do not like being held by a stranger."

Her words were very cold this time. She did not act polite anymore for he was crossing the line.

Instead of answering, he started to walk towards the window and only when he opened it, did Ellendise realized he was serious at 'raising' her.

Was she getting kidnapped?

'What a strange turn of events. I should have killed him.' Before he could leap out of the room, Ellendise grabbed his mask, pulling it away from his face.

This action startled Agnus.

Ellendise placed the mask on her face and smiled.

"Hm. How young indeed. The fifteen year old genius mage with oceanic blue hair and aqua blue eyes has a handsome face." She covered his eyes that had constricted and was now speaking more like her true self.

"Let me show you what it really means to be a genius."

There was a flash of blinding light that came out of nowhere, momentarily stunning Agnus.

Inside a dark room where only candles are present to illuminate the place was a table filled with various documents and blueprints.

Two figures suddenly appeared in the center of the room, materializing in thin air.

Ellendise floated down on her own, sitting on the table and grabbing a few blueprints. She smiled somewhat cutely at the first ever visitor of her pocket space.

This was her own special room that she created for her own personal usage. Magic that was able to transcend space and time was easily made possible by the body she was currently occupying.

Ellendise was not totally weak. In fact, she has a lot of trumpcards in hand. With her knowledge of the book and knowledge from the modern world, it was easy to create a pocket space as big as a room.

Her visitor was sitting on a chair, eyes wide like saucers with disbelief presumably because he could not move his body nor could he say anything.

He was rendered mute and immobile.

In her pocket space, Ellendise was in full control of everything here. Because she was the one who created it, then she has all rights as the creator to manage anything and everything inside this place.

Unfortunately, it also took a lot of her mana to maintain this.

"My name is Ellendise Ariadne Mielle Vitron. I am ten and a half years old today. It's nice to meet you. May I know your name?" She asked courteously.

Agnus who remained still suddenly opened his mouth.

"My name is Agnus Scelles Palatine. I am fifteen years old. It is also nice to meet you." Agnus said but this was spoken against his own volition. His own body was being controlled.

He could not help but feel a sense of trepidation inside. This was a peculiar situation that he found himself in.

A ten year old girl who spoke in a mature tone was a count's only daughter. She did average at everything and was known to play violin atleast a few times a week during the night.

She looked as harmless and as cute as a rabbit who did not seem capable of harm.

Agnus knew that was not the case. Anyone who survived his attack was bound to earn his acknowledgment.

This ten year old girl who he presumed was dead when he visited her during the night and used magic to try and burn her to crisp remained alive.

He knew that she was strange and interesting. It was not out of like or anything but it was similar to a researcher's strange fascination towards a new species.

His butler, Sensen, said it was affinity.

Agnus did not understand.

What affinity?

He only understood affinity for magic and nothing else. Anything that was not related to magic was beyond him.

Except for exotic gardening.

He was a very great gardener.

After being put in such a dangerous situation and having his identity uncovered, he quickly turned back to his other persona as the Archduke.

Ellendise smiled. "The Archduke and the Emperor's only brother.. It is an honor." She gracefully bowed. Any person would have thought that it was quite adorable but a certain someone did not see its appeal.

In his eyes, was a ten year old girl with messy hair and red eyes pretending to be innocent while hiding their murderous claws.

Agnus realized he could speak on his own volition now so he opened his mouth.

"I see. I would say the same but you forgot to kneel before me." He said with a narcissistic smile akin to a villain.

Even while unable to move, he did not lose his pretentiousness and still exuded an air of arrogance.

Such was the drive of an egotistic mage who was used to getting what he wants. It also did not help that this egotistic mage was born with a silver spoon in his mouth.

Ellendise snapped her fingers. Her hair rearranged itself and became smooth and curly again. Her dress lost its wrinkles. She looked presentable again.

"You'll have to forgive me. I have never kneeled towards someone and I have no plans on doing so, your Grace."

When she stepped forward, her smile disappeared. A chair appeared under her and she sat down, crossing her legs.

A table materialized between them.

With cold eyes, she spoke, "Let us talk, your Grace."

▪▪▪