Chapter 118: Unexpected Hospitality
Kael woke up from the deepest sleep, sitting back as he yawned and stretched his hands above his head, although something seemed to be wrong. The soft white blanket that had been covering his chest slid down into the bed, and he blinked a couple of times in confusion.
His chest was bare, there was no shirt clinging to him, and he could clearly see his light brown skin along with the lean muscles that had developed quite a lot due to his recent training. Of course, there was also that strange tattoo on his abdomen that looked even clearer now under the sunlight. Strangely enough, his trousers were still there.
"Why the hell am I half-naked? Wait... who did it?"
He glanced around the spacious room that surrounded him, noticing the big soft bed against one side of the wall and a small wooden table beside it.
The sunlight poured in from the tall windows, bright and warm, and on the windowsill several plants and flowers swayed softly. He didn't recognize the room at all. As far as he could remember, there were no such rooms like this in his mansion except for Seraphina's, which he had never visited before. But he was certain this was not his mansion either.
"Where am I? Don't tell me... I'm in some kind of dream again?" he thought quietly, rubbing his temple slightly. "If I am... I'll be damned. Well, there's just no way to know until I check it out."
He quickly stepped out of the bed, glancing around once more, but he didn't notice his shirt anywhere nearby. Grimacing a little, he decided to walk out of the room.
The corridor outside was filled with several doors, most of them closed, and here and there he saw small pots of flowers or vines hanging from the ceiling, which gave the place a strange warmth.
He continued walking until he reached the end of the corridor where a curved stairway led downward.
"Am I on the second floor... or does this lead to the ground floor? Which one is it?"
Shaking his head, he slowly descended the stairs. The moment his foot touched the last step, his eyes widened slightly as he finally recognized the place. The living room came into view... just sofas scattered around and nothing else.
It was Arwyn's house.
"Why in the world am I here? Wait a minute... did Arwyn kidnap me because I told her she was heavy and I was going to throw her into the water? Did Seraphina tell her that? Should I try to run away? But where is Seraphina? So... many questions."
Troubled and confused, he shook his head once more and looked around. Seeing no one nearby, he quietly stepped out of the mansion.
Outside, under the bright sunlight, the mansion looked entirely different compared to the night before. In front of him was a large stone fountain dividing the path into a circle, where water glittered like crystals under the sun. A smooth stone path led to the main gate, and on both sides of the road tall trees and blooming flowers stood, bathing peacefully in the morning light. The whole scene was breathtakingly serene.
Then he noticed a familiar figure standing near the fountain, watering the flowers with calm precision and a faint hint of amusement on her face. Her shimmering mint-green hair was tied into a long ponytail with a golden ribbon, dancing gently in the air with the breeze.
She paused for a brief moment before turning slightly toward him and saying in her usual soft tone, "You've finally woken up... I see. Good morning."
Kael tilted his head slightly, still dazed. "Uh... good morning. But can you please explain what I'm doing here in your house? What happened to me last night after I fell asleep?"
She glanced at him, her teal-green eyes gleaming under the sunlight as she continued watering the flowers, her voice calm and even as she replied, "Many things happened. After you fell asleep, I woke up from my slumber and found you pierced by an arrow. I rushed toward you and healed your wound as quickly as I could, but you were already deep asleep by then, so we decided not to wake you up."
Kael took a step forward, frowning slightly. "I see. That explains why my back doesn't hurt anymore... but why am I here exactly?"
She finally stopped watering and turned her gaze toward him, speaking slowly, "Well, about that, you took care of me after I fell asleep and didn't do anything stupid even though you had the chance. You also protected me from that arrow, so it didn't feel right to leave you there alone on the roof. Oh, and besides, I didn't exactly know where you live, so something had to be done. Seraphina and I argued a little about what to do with you."
Kael interrupted her slightly, frowning. "Why did you two argue?"
Arwyn looked away for a moment, as if recalling the memory, then replied evenly, "Ah, you see, you have quite the luck when it comes to women, young man. Imagine this... two beautiful women, one being a Lieutenant and the other being the Captain of the knight order, both arguing about who gets to bring you home to let you rest a little. Please, don't misunderstand us though."
Kael blinked and stared at her awkwardly. "I wouldn't dare."
Arwyn exhaled softly as if relieved. "My reasons were simpler. You were my student, so it's my duty to protect you. Seraphina, on the other hand, insisted that you protected her, so she wanted to take you home. You wouldn't believe how embarrassing that whole argument was even for me. I could've just handed you over to her, but I didn't... do you know why?"
Kael tilted his head slightly, his mouth opening and closing for a moment before he asked quietly, "Why?"
She paused, her lips curling slightly into a mischievous smile, and her tone turned a little insidious as she said, "That woman... who knows what she might have done to your poor body while you were asleep in her bed. I mean, she's trustworthy and she's a good woman, probably even wife material, and in normal circumstances, she would never do anything inappropriate. But the situation was different. She has fee—" she stopped abruptly, frowning at her own words before shaking her head with a small sigh, "Oh, what the hell am I even saying. I must be out of my line. Regardless, I accused her of intending to do something intimate with you, so she didn't say anything and gave up arguing with me. Though... she seemed far too angry with me for some reason."
Kael touched his temple. Actually, he didn't understand anything, what exactly she was talking about or explaining, but he understood one thing clearly, he wouldn't be welcome in his own mansion today. He groaned inwardly, his eyes narrowing slightly as he murmured in frustration, "Why did you do that to me... Arwyn."
Kael lingered for a moment before speaking again, his tone filled with mild disbelief, "But how did you manage to bring me to your house..."
She remained silent for a short while. The soft trickle of water from her pot echoed faintly in the courtyard until she finally stopped watering the flowers and stood up.
She brushed her dress lightly, the soft fabric swaying as the hem reached just below her knees. "How else? I carried you with my hands, of course..."
Kael nearly tripped in disbelief. He blinked several times, his mind completely blank for a moment. What? What did she mean by that? There was no way she did that. She didn't... right?
As if realizing the confusion written across his face, she laughed quietly and shook her head with a faint grin on her lips. "Oh... gosh! You actually believed that. Oh, no, no, I would've never done that even if I was able to lift you."
She raised her finger toward him playfully, and before he could react, several tendrils made out of green vines burst out from the ground. They coiled around him gently and lifted him upward, causing him to hover in the air helplessly.
Kael's legs flinched out of embarrassment while she sighed softly, "That's exactly how I did it."
Kael groaned, half-exasperated and half-ashamed. "I get it... I get it. Now, would you mind pulling me into the ground already?"
Her lips curled into another laugh. "Sure. Sure."
The next moment, his feet touched the earth again as the tendrils slowly dissolved back into the soil, leaving no trace behind.
Kael had always suspected that her element had something to do with plants or wood, but seeing it so closely made him realize that she was more like a tendril user, or whatever strange name she had for it.
She walked forward, her steps light, and spoke again with a mischievous tone hiding behind her calm voice, "Oh, didn't I mention it... I was the one who undressed you. But not fully though..."
Kael froze completely. His gaze dropped to himself and he blinked in silence.
Oh right.
He was standing half-naked in front of her. Well, it wasn't like he had a body to be proud of anyway. He wasn't muscular enough to show off, though not entirely embarrassed either... except for one thing...
Arwyn walked closer, her curiosity evident, and then her eyes traveled downward. The look on her face made Kael's worst suspicion come true. No way. She was going to...
She stared at his abdomen for a moment before meeting his eyes again. "By the way, Kael... where did you get this unusual tattoo? I didn't think you actually had that kind of hobby."
She tilted her head slightly, her eyes filled with teasing amusement. "If you want to impress someone, please remove it. Otherwise, they might just run away from you. Ah, I'm not trying to judge your taste, but it really doesn't suit you."
Kael truly wanted to disappear. His face flushed in embarrassment, his thoughts screaming for a hole to hide in. It wasn't his fault though. The tattoo came on its own, without his permission, and he had no way of removing it even if he wanted to.
He cleared his throat, trying to sound calm, "What do you know about the taste of men? Aren't you a man-hater?"
She crossed her arms and gave him a look that was half smug and half amused. "I know enough. But I'm saying this from a girl's perspective, you know. Do whatever you want, but I don't think any girl will like that."
Kael exhaled quietly and muttered, "No need."
She brushed past him and gestured for him to follow. Kael did as she asked, walking a few steps behind her. Despite everything, he couldn't shake off a strange curiosity growing in his mind.
When they entered the mansion, Arwyn paused near the entrance and placed the watering pot on the floor before straightening her posture.
Kael stopped beside her and spoke quietly, "Arwyn..."
She turned her head slightly, her brow lifting in question.
Kael sighed, his tone soft yet serious, "Do you know what happened to that black-haired woman you guys saved the other day?"
Arwyn placed a finger under her chin as if trying to recall. "Oh, you mean Eska. Many things happened to her after that. I'm surprised she managed to keep herself calm despite facing such heartbreak. That girl was truly something else. After finding out that her husband was involved in such terrible things, she didn't break down at all. Instead, she slapped him across the face, spat on him, and walked away without looking back. I actually admired that. A woman should always act like that when a man betrays her. I think she's still working in the tavern."
Kael felt a quiet sense of relief hearing that. He had no real reason to think about her anymore, but somehow he did. Maybe it was because of the role she played in what happened to him, or maybe it was because she had shown remarkable strength even in misery. Either way, it was good to hear that she hadn't fallen apart.
He spoke evenly, "I... see. So, what are we going to do now?"
She cleared her throat softly, "Breakfast, of course." Then she looked away, her tone suddenly awkward. "Would you mind wearing your shirt, young man? I'm not exactly used to seeing men naked."
Kael chuckled lightly, "Of course, I wouldn't mind if you give me back my shirt first."
Her cheeks seemed to flush, and just then, a soft crashing sound came from upstairs.
A moment later, a tendril descended from the staircase, holding his pale shirt at its tip. It stretched out toward him, presenting the shirt neatly.
He took it and looked at it for a moment. The tear at the back where the arrow had struck was gone. Curious, he asked as he slipped one arm into the sleeve, "Do you know sewing?"
She answered without turning back, "A bit, I guess."
Kael buttoned his shirt slowly, his eyes still on her.
She continued speaking in a more distant tone, "Actually, my mother taught me when I was little. You can say it was sort of a tradition in our family."
Kael finished fastening the last button and noticed the subtle shift in her shoulders. For a moment, he remembered the night when she had mumbled about her parents in her sleep. He hadn't said anything then, and now he didn't know how to start either.
She must have sensed his gaze because she said quietly, "Well, don't mind me. Come on. Come on."
With that, she led him through a door at one side of the wall. The next room opened into a wide, bright space that smelled faintly of herbs and sunlight. A large wooden dining table stood in the middle, and beyond it stretched a well-kept kitchen filled with shelves, cooking pots, and jars neatly arranged.
Kael's eyes roamed across the place, and he exhaled softly. "Well, it's a mansion... what did I expect."
Arwyn gestured for him to take a seat at the wooden chairs with intricate designs carved along their edges, each curve and pattern carrying a sense of quiet refinement.
Kael just nodded, pulled one out, and sat down with a low sigh, the faint creak of the wood mixing with the soft rustling of the leaves outside.
For a moment, he simply let his eyes wander to the garden beyond the window where the wind moved through the leaves in rhythmic sways, bending the branches and brushing over the clusters of flowers that bloomed in quiet grace. The scent of fresh herbs reached faintly from the open window, blending with the warmth inside the kitchen.
His gaze slowly turned toward Arwyn who had just tied an apron around her waist and begun cutting vegetables with smooth, practiced movements. Kael hadn't expected to see that. A noblewoman, someone of her grace and standing, cooking in her own kitchen with such ease... it felt strangely out of place but oddly natural when she did it.
Who would have imagined he would witness something like this?
He cleared his throat softly and called out, "Arwyn."
She didn't pause, her tone calm and even as she replied, "Yes."
He hesitated for a brief moment, his eyes still following her movements before asking, "Do you make your meals by yourself? Don't you have any maids to serve you?"
She was silent for a moment, only the sound of the knife tapping against the wooden board filled the room. Then she spoke, her voice carrying quiet composure, "Yes, I make them myself. And no, I haven't hired any maids. Is there something wrong with that?"
Kael rested his cheek against his palm, his elbow on the table, and spoke in a low thoughtful tone, "No, nothing wrong. It's just hard to imagine a woman like you managing all of this alone. Don't misunderstand me, I'm not trying to offend you or question your way of living, it's just that you already have a great deal of duties from morning till evening, and even after all that, you come home and make dinner with your own hands. It would still be manageable perhaps, however, you also keep your home spotless judging by the shine of these floors and the walls, not to mention tending to all these plants outside. How exactly do you manage all of it with just two hands?"
She stopped cutting for a brief moment, turned slightly toward him with a faint smile playing on her lips, and said with a quiet laugh, "I understand what you mean, Kael. But... who said I have only two hands?"
Kael blinked and tilted his head slightly, his eyes narrowing in curiosity as he looked carefully at her hands to make sure he wasn't missing something obvious. Then he pointed at her lightly and said, "But... I can only see two hands."
Before he could even finish the thought, something suddenly gripped his shoulder.
He flinched, startled, and turned his head only to find a green tendril wrapped around him with a strange firmness. His eyes widened slightly as two more rose from the ground nearby, moving with fluid motion. They reached for the shelves, took out two plates, and placed them gently... one in front of him and another beside him.
He blinked several times, trying to make sense of it, then exhaled quietly, a faint hint of embarrassment flickering in his expression as he thought to himself, "So that's what she meant by having more than two hands. What a convenient element that is."
Arwyn chuckled softly while pouring the cut vegetables into a pot, adding a few more ingredients with graceful ease before placing it on the magical stove. The blue flame lit up beneath it. "As you can see," she said, her tone light yet filled with pride, "I can control these tendrils however I wish, so you could say I have hundreds of hands by my side. With that, why would I ever need maids? Do you think they could possibly do more than my tendrils?"
Kael let out a small sigh, shaking his head slightly. "I don't think so."
She smiled quietly, satisfied with his answer. Then she took a few pieces of meat and began slicing them swiftly, her knife gliding through them almost soundlessly, her movements too natural, too fluid.
As Kael watched her, his attention was suddenly interrupted by a familiar voice echoing softly in his mind.
[Good morning, darling.]
Kael's brow furrowed slightly, his inner voice carrying a faint trace of irritation as he responded.
[Good morning. But why exactly are you calling me 'darling'?]
The answer came instantly, the tone light and teasing.
[Why else? You're going to be my future husband, that's why.]
Kael sighed, letting out a quiet breath, and replied in a flat voice.
[Whatever...]
Before he could continue, she laughed softly inside his head, the kind of laughter that always made him feel he was about to regret asking anything.
[Ah, look at you, enjoying yourself while watching a woman cook for you as you sit comfortably. What a peaceful life you have. I envy you, brother-in-law. Keep going.]
Kael's brows twitched, his lips pressing together tightly as he thought, "This girl..."
There was silence for a heartbeat, then her voice returned again, this time with clear mischief.
[But you know what… she seems far too perfect to leave out of your harem. Should I add her to my list for you, hmm? I think she has every quality your future wives should have. A beautiful face, eyes that could make anyone stare, flawless ivory skin, a narrow waist and a hourglass body that's just... stunning. Tell me, what else could you possibly need?]
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(Chapter Ended)
To be continued...