“Wow, Lily, you are such a good cook!” Emi said after she tasted it. “Right, Nerina?”

“Yes, this is amazing, I never imagined food could taste so good.”

“I’m glad you like it Miss Emilia, Miss Nerina,” the maidservant breathed in relief.

Adrin chuckled as he listened.

He was reading a book about runes and sadly, he had to read rather than just open it like the present he received. The book had become blank and useless as the complete knowledge about [Shell] spell glyph and the experience using it was absorbed by his mind.

“How about young master Adrin, will you please taste it?” The girl asked as she offered a plate to him.

Adrin took the plate without a word, a little surprised by what had just happened.

“Wait, why do you call Adrin young master?” Emi asked.

“But, young master Brian said,” she closed her mouth with her hand.

“What did he say?” Adrin asked while he already could guess what was going on.

“He says I better treat young master Adrin as my young master,” the maidservant stated. “Had young master Brian was just playing with me?” the girl began to panic.

“No, I don’t think so,” Adrin said as he tasted the pudding or something like it. “And this is really good, can I get second?”

“Yes, and thank you, young master,” the young girl with generous knockers bowed. “I’ll prepare for you another!” she ran off excitedly.

Emi watched as the girl, not more than seventeen, rushed towards the kitchen before she took a seat beside him. Nerina followed after her and hesitated before she sat on the other side.

“Do you think something is going on?” Emi asked.

“Yes, obviously,” Adrin said. “Hana had picked this place specifically for me.”

“She made a deal behind your back?” Nerina’s turn to ask.

“Yes, but to be honest, they don’t even need my consent,” Adrin said. “People in power can and will always take whatever they want, however they please.”

“But isn’t that awful? I don’t want somebody to just take me away,” Emi replied.

“Haven’t you noticed it yet?” Adrin asked.

“Notice what?” Emi replied with a question.

“The women are in power here, at least in the magic stuff.”

“Yes, the girls had said something about taking whoever they want,” Nerina said. “They sound like no one would dare to go against them. I never thought they meant this.”

“It makes sense because there are more women than men, and they have better talents in magic than men who can only play catch up,” Adrin explained. “But you girls are safe, at least.”

“But what about you?” Nerina grabbed his other arm.

Adrin chuckled, “thanks for your concern, but I can handle it.”

“But Adrin,” Emilia pulled his arm.

“I’ve expected this from the start,” he patted her hand. “Remember how Hana ordered the captain around? How does he behave in front of a girl much younger than him?”

“Yes,” Nerina said. “You are right.”

“Will I lose you?” Emi stated her real concern.

Adrin chuckled, “No, of course, not. They won’t place you two here if that’s their intention.”

Lily made herself seen before she kneeled to give him his plate of mixed-colored pudding. He didn't know what it was called and he didn’t have to know it to enjoy it.

“Yes, the young master is free to make any acquaintances or relationships outside the family,” Lily said. “He is just prohibited to go to the flower district for any reason as it will tarnish the family name. That’s another reason why I’m here.”

“What is this flower district?” asked the clueless Nerina. Emi helpfully whispered to her ears before her face turned all red. The girl had the same reaction when Marla told her about it.

“But I can’t believe you’ll just accept this,” Emi protested.

Adrin understood her concern. A small part of him also hated the idea of being used, but he got very little wiggling space or he would get stomped flat. The teenager part of him wanted to rebel against the power, but the old man part of him knew better.

Patience was key.

“It's a lot better than the random, stuffed-up girl claiming me as hers, right?” Adrin said with a shrug. “They probably can if their family is influential enough because I’m just a powerless commoner. But how powerful is the Emberwind family, Lily?”

“They are the most powerful even with their fewer numbers, as the family prioritizes quality over quantity. Many will literally kill each other if there is a chance it will get them into the family.” Lily said like she was reading a script. “I’ve been saved and treated well by the family, you don’t have to worry, young master. The family’s Matriarch is fair.”

“You see,” Adrin said. “Remember Miss Nina, she seems happy to serve the family even after being freed. If they treated their maidservants so nicely, I’m sure I’ll be fine.”

He would have tried to slip away or something else if he had seen anything less. It wasn’t a guarantee but probably worth the resource, he could milk from the family.

Emi stared at him for a long time as he ate. Nerina wasn’t as brave, but she also looked at him with worry plastered on her face.

“Fine!” Emi huffed. “If they try anything like marrying you or selling you off like father tried to do to me, I’ll have a word with this Matriarch. She’ll regret even thinking about it.”

“That’s my Emi,” he sneaked a kiss on her cheek. “I’ll be counting on you.”

“Young master?” Lily suddenly called for him.

“Yes?”

“I- I always admired and envied Miss Nina,” she said. “I… I want to be just like her, carrying and giving a child for the family. Miss Nina said that I have a wide birthing hip, and since you are my young master…” the girl let hang while hiding her face.

Adrin almost sprayed the food inside his mouth when his head caught up. He chewed, swallowed, and cleared his throat. Emi’s eyes were open wide and her mouth agape while Nerina was hiding her face in her hands.

“Let’s wait until it’s official first, okay? We can’t afford to make any mistakes here.”

“Okay,” she chirped with a red face and stood up, “I’ll be in my room if you need me,” she bowed and ran away like a maiden in love.

“I think she is in love with you,” Emi said bluntly.

Adrin scoffed, “that’s impossible, she just met me, Lily is just embarrassed.”

“I’ve seen that face before,” Nerina said. “It’s the face of a maiden in love,” she mumbled.

Emi sighed and hugged his arm tight, “at least I can rest for a while without worrying so much about it,” she muttered in her fake concern.

Nerina grabbed his arm, “go… go easy on her, okay?” she shyly teased him.

“I’m not a sex maniac, you know,” Adrin sighed and laid deeper to his back. Why did he keep getting into the same situation all over again?

“He said it,” Emi chuckled.

“Yes, he did,” Nerina agreed, covering her laughter with her hand.

“Have you guys planned this?”

“No,” said both of them.

“Fine, I’ll be in the library for a bit,” he sighed and got up. “Call me if Brian shows his ugly face here, but don’t let him inside the house.”

---

Nerina watched as the young man stomped his way up the stairs. Emi and she had bullied him until he gave up and ran away. She felt bad for him but she also felt good and warm inside.

She was terrible.

“Awww, isn’t he cute?” Emi asked her.

“But I feel bad for him,” Nerina admitted.

“Then go and say you're sorry,” Emi replied. “But I’m sure he’ll be fine, he had faced worse than two girls teasing him. He’ll forget everything as soon as he slips into his space.”

“What do you mean by his space?”

“Adrin’s head loved to wander off to who knows where, that’s what I call his space,” the girl chuckled.

“Why do you make fun of him, don’t you love him, Emi?” Nerina asked.

She was confused by the two’s interactions. They didn’t act like lovers most of the time. It was strangely refreshing if she was, to be honest.

“I- I don’t love him if you refer to those lovey-dovey girly-girls,” Emi said while huffing and crossing her arms.

Emi might not mean it, but Nerina was sure it was just an act. It was just Emilia was being cute again. Who would sleep with a man that she didn’t like?

“But then, how could you, you know, sleep with him?”

“Adrin is a fine man, a good man that will never ever hurt me, isn’t that enough?”

“But shouldn’t a girl wait for her true love?”

Emi looked at her in disbelief. The girl then burst into a fit of laughter. It took her a while before she was able to calm down a little.

“Don’t tell me you are one of those people?” Emi said, “Aren’t elves carefree people?”

“But grandma said, a girl shouldn’t be too easy with her body, they should wait for the one-”

“Your grandma is half-right, a girl shouldn’t be too easy with her body,” Emi said with a serious face. “Adrin also said, a girl can only be intimate with only a few men before she’ll be too heartbroken, like Marla. The woman didn't even cry when her good, loyal husband died. But good luck if you are trying to find true love or the one. He might be lying dead somewhere in the Wilds or eaten alive by the goddamned goblins. Adrin doesn’t need to tell me that life is too short to wait. I’ve lost my brother to a hunt, and he was only twenty. He died a virgin,” Emi chuckled darkly.

Nerina was stumped. She never expected to be lectured by Emilia. Her new friend was so carefree and cute all the time.

Nerina had just found another side of the girl she never expected to exist.