Elise heard the sounds of heels as Lady Ellen and Duke Gary left the dining room. Ian had stood up from the seat but Elise couldn't find her eyes to look at him in fear to see his disappointed face. She had just fallen deeply in love with the Lord that seeing his angry face made her on the corner. But Elise didn't stay worried for so long, she looked up bravely to meet his red eyes. Their gazes were exchanged each having their on thought until a smile came to Ian's lips to Elise's relief.

Nevertheless she recall that it was her fault that started the friction between the family of the Duke and him. She could also see the askance expression Maroon who had come inside the dining room wore as he looked at her but she didn't want to read to deeply on the man's expression as Maroon was a person with a stern expression. "I apologize, Master Ian, I had done a mistake." She said with a bow, Ian lifted his brows seconds passed to minutes but Elise heard no answer from him.

Ian parted his lips when a voice chided in,

"What are you apologizing for?! That woman was the one who had dropped the napkin not you!" Came the voice of Hallow who had been keeping silence like the good chick he was but hearing Elise to have to apologize the grim reaper could not stand the unfairness!

His yellow round head popped out of Elise's pocket, his wide green eyes looking at Ian who gave silence to take him by the back of his neck. "For once this chick is correct." His eyes then narrowed and his smile dripped with evilness when he clicked his tongue, "I should have killed those two humans but if I did that, it will ruin my appetite which is now gone." Behind Ian and Elise, the flower that had died and fell to the ground turn black to ashes.

Elise looked at Ian's expression that was still with anger and ran her tongue on her pursed lips. She didn't know what to say but the silence she had until she heard Ian spoke, "I will be waiting in the library." and before she replied, Ian left the place with the chick on his hand.

Elise lifted her face and gazed at his back with a mixed emotions in her heart. It was her first time to fall in love with a man and she didn't know what she should do every emotions she felt toward Ian felt new and unknown to her.

It felt as if she was placed in a new place where every moves, expression, and touch that Ian's gave to her could sway all her emotions and muddled her thoughts. Elise wished she could see him smile; if to have his heart was hard, she thought she could be fine with the care he showed to her but then there was the words he declared to her that swayed her heart to slowly believe that Ian had took a liking to her.

A conflicted feeling budded in her heart, she didn't know and wasn't too sure if it was love he had for her. Elise wished it was love but it was hard to read or guess one's heart, especially of the man she had feeling for.

After retreating herself to her room, Elise took the key of the library. Walking alone she felt that quietness which she wasn't fond of to be somewhat lonely. It was perhaps because she had alway been with her friends, Carmen and Vella or Aryl. Speaking of Aryl, Elise hadn't met the Sulix for a long time. She had said the last time that there were matters she had to do in the faeries land which made her worried and wondered if the faeries land was in a peril.

Elise ascended the stairs, the second floor where there were rarely maids or servant who came and found herself looking all around the walls. Though the first floor maybe similar, the second floor was darker with scarce light. There were markings on the ceiling like what she had noticed in the first floor which wasn't there in the past. The curves and drawings made her wonder if there were meanings for the pattern.

Elise had walked a few doors when one opened and she stopped to see Austin and Cynthia walking out of the room, her ears caught them speaking,

"Which village?" asked Cynthia whose hand was holding the door knob, her eyes were looking at Austin that she didn't notice Elise was in front of them.

"The west of Georgia." noted Austin, "I've found a little news for the surrounding for now we will need for the survey and filed the rest of the evidence." Austin replied though the two had often fight against each other when it came to work, they were the best partner for each other.

"Good afternoon, Austin, Cy." greeted Elise with a wide smile she managed to give after having her mind cleared out from the walk. Cynthia had a little frown on her forehead before she met Elise but now that their eyes met, the frown disappeared and a smile formed on their faces.

"Are you about to go out?" asked Elise,booting down the coat they wore

"Yes." Cynthia replied instead of Austin, "Well there are some troubles we have to clean up amongst the magistrate and the people of the village." Elise nodded at Cynthia's explanation. "That's right, Elise I heard you came to the soiree with the Lord? He should have brought a dress for you." commented Cynthia who had heard of what had taken in place in the soiree.

Austin kept his thought to himself he wasn't told to tell and so he didn't say anything despite wanting to. Ian had ordered him to tailor a dress for Elise but it wasn't for the soiree that took place yesterday, it was for the winter ball held at the end of the month in Runalia and he came to the soiree yesterday out of a whim and possibly brought Elise with him for the same reason.

"I'm fine without a dress, I also enjoyed the soiree." said Elise truthfully. At first she was worried of the dress she came with but it wasn't because of embarrassment and when Ian had said that it was fine she didn't see why she should be worried of her dress again.

Elise was a simple girl who doesn't feel embarrassed in what she had and what she was brought with. She had been taught by Mr. and Mrs. Scott that the heart was important not the dress that make up people.

Cynthia hugged her shoulder, squealing at her innocence and her pure heart. "How sweet you are, I just want to keep you in my pocket!"

"You wouldn't want to be inside her pocket, Elly. This brash woman over here would destroy her own pocket when she fight. Ow! See?" Austin rubbed his sides which was elbowed by Cynthia who had sent him a quiet glare. "Anyways, where are you going now?" Seeing Austin and Cynthia squabbling reminded Elise of her childhood and it did the effect to make her smile.

"To the library, Master Ian requested my presence." Cynthia drew her brows but her hum was kept friendly. She could see how smitten Elise was by the Lord that merely asked to come to the private library made her happy. But it was also the first time for Ian to show his fondness to a person that she couldn't blame Elise for liking the man. If one cross out his murderous nature and some times his sadistic tendency she would rather not to say, Ian was a perfect man to many women.

Austin who noticed the expression Cynthia had took her by her hand and chided, "Look at the time! We will have to go now, Elly see you later!" Elise giggled seeing how Cynthia protesting to be pulled by Austin and their back fading as they left the corridor she took the key she placed in her pocket.

Elise decide to be more talkative it wasn't every day she had the chance to talk with Ian and after the incident that took place this afternoon she believe Master Ian wasn't angry at her seeing his words that told her she was not to blame.

*

A/N: Starting tomorrow, the chapters would be locked as the book have gone to contracts starting from chapter 69 and good news, the book will have steady updates and maybe by next month the book would update two chapters a day regularly. I had fun reading everyone's comment, please do comment again at the end of the chapter^^