"Was that good?" Pier asked Gage. The young child nodded his head in response. They were currently in the Leisure Room of the Duchy after having dinner. The couple was spending time with each other along with Pier and Raphael who were playing with the child, Gage.

"Yes, good brother! It's really yummy!" Gage said as he munched on a piece of muffin after eating dinner. Pier chuckled at Gage's messy actions. It was entertaining how Gage had a total makeover of his perception regarding Pier with just a few words.

He stood up and approached the couple that was sitting on the balcony of the second floor as they watched the overview of the entirety of the duchy's mansion. It was pretty much late at night but the Duchy still seemed like it was drowsed in light with how every corner was filled with light from the white magic orbs.

"I shall be on my way, Duke Callisto, Duchess Petunia" The Duke and the Duchess turned to look at him and they both stood up after seeing Pier. The dinner with the Sentinio household had gone well and the duchess clearly approved of Pier without Pier actually knowing. His actions surpassed her expectations of how well he could handle himself and how noble-like he would be.

"Then let us accompany you out, young master" Duke Callisto offered. It would be inappropriate to send an esteemed individual such as the young master from the Belmiunde Household outside without being accompanied by any members of the host household.

"Oh, it would be my greatest pleasure to be accompanied by the Duke and the Duchess themselves but I would also like to decline such a generous offer. I have leisurely stayed at the mansion and had dinner as well. I do not wish to burden you further." Pier certainly did not want any more of the special treatment the Sentinio Household was giving him. His slight worry about the household's reaction to him visiting had vanished.

'They even invited me to dinner.' Pier liked how generous and welcoming the couple was.

"If the young master does not want to be accompanied by the Duke and the Duchess then can I be the one to escort him out instead?" Pier looked at the voice and saw Raphael leaning on the doorframe of the leisure room.

Pier was about to refuse once more but he saw the expectant gaze of the couple and their eldest son directed at him. He smiled and nodded.

"Sure, Sir Raphael." Raphael's smile widened after hearing Pier's response.

As the two walked out of the mansion, Gage called out to Pier

"It was nice to meet you again, good brother!" He said with a grin that was so irresistible that if Pier did not hold himself back, he would surely not leave the duchy and will play with Raphael's younger brother all night.

"It was my pleasure to meet Sir Gage once more as well," Pier said as he crouched down and patted Gage's head. The young child's face reddening with how he was addressed by Pier.

As Pier bid his farewell, Pier and Raphael walked towards where the carriage had been waiting for Pier.

"I'd like to thank the young master once more for accepting my invitation," Raphael said out of nowhere. Pier who was enjoying the calm environment looked at him.

"You're welcome, Sir Raphael. I missed going to the Duchy, too." He said as he chuckled. His voice resonated in Raphael's ears.

"Pier-"Raphael tried to call out Pier's name after quite some time but the arrival of Pier's carriage interrupted him.

"Do you have something to say, Raph?" as Pier stood in front of the carriage, the shadow was cast upon his face yet the moonlight illuminated Pier's features. Raphael gasped silently at the sight. Pier's hair swayed along with the wind and he had a calm expression. His blue eyes shone brilliantly under the shade of darkness.

"Ah, it's nothing, Pier. You have already done so much for me this day, but can I request another thing before the day ends?" Raphael said. His voice was neither quivering nor stuttering. Pier tilted his head like a small puppy as he was curious about Raphael's request.

"As long as it is within my ability, then yes." Pier nodded. Raphael chuckled at Pier's words and stood in front of him.

"Then can I request the young master to share an embrace with me?" Pier was baffled at Raphael's unexpected request.

"Embrace?" His eyes slightly widened. He did not expect such words to come out of Raphael's mouth.

"Yes, young master. If that is not too much, I would like to hug you before you leave." Raphael stood there as he gulped his saliva. He was nervous about how Pier would respond to his question but he still showed a face full of confidence.

'I did not ask for too much, right?' He asked himself. He was worried because Pier only stood there unmoving. Raphael hesitated before moving his lips to speak but he was surprised by what happened next.

Raphael felt the soft fabric of Pier's clothes brush against his fingers and he smelt the rose oil scent on Pier's hair.

"Of course, it's not too much. You're my friend, right?" Pier mumbled as he buried his face in Raphael's sturdy chest. Raphael's hands found their way in Pier's back as he tightly embraced Pier.

It was just like he imagined, no, it was better. Pier's scent was so fragrant and his lean body perfectly fits right in his arms. He closed his eyes as he enjoyed the moment. Raphael unexpectedly buried his nose in Pier's hair. It was soft.

"Thank you for granting my request, Pier," he said as the two separated. Pier felt good, it was nice being with Raphael because he had no one in his previous life and the original owner of the body he was residing in had an ill relationship with the man that stood in front of him.

It was pretty much fixed now and he was glad that it happened too.

"Anytime, Raph," Pier said as he smiled and went to go inside the carriage. Once Pier left, Raphael stood there silently as he watched the carriage's back get smaller and smaller.

He looked at his hands. The feeling of Pier's body embracing in his grasp still lingered.

--

"The Sentinio Duchy has invited me over dinner, father," Pier said as he quietly munched on the high-quality bread served at the table.

Grace, Redon, and Richard grimaced at Pier's sudden announcement. Ronnovian simply nodded his head as he seemed unsurprised.

'Wow, he really does not care.' Pier thought as he continued eating.

"Why would they invite someone like you over?" Richard asked with a frown on his face. Pier raised his eyebrows in retort at the statement Richard had just said.

"Is there a problem with that, Richard?" He asked while directly staring at his stepbrother who had veins starting to show on his face.

"Of course there is! How can someone like you-" Richard had almost lost his temper when he saw Ronnovian's stare piercing through his head.

He stopped midway and settled back down and bowing his head.

'Huh, that's what I thought.' Pier smacked his lips as if he was enjoying his meal.

"How did it go?" The headmaster then asked him. Pier smirked inwardly at his father's actions.

'As expected.' Ronnovian did not care that Pier did not join dinner with their family. Instead, he cared more about the possible benefits he could gather along the way.

"Things are going smoothly, father. Duke Castillo and even the Duchess herself had said that they are looking forward to the next time." The other two individuals, Grace and Redon flinched at the mention of next time. Who would have thought that the infamous Duchy for not even inviting the noblest families would invite Pier, who was known to be a troublemaker and good for nothing?

"That's good," Ronnovian said as the environment went silent afterward. Pier nodded his head, not really caring about his father anymore.

The breakfast with the Belmiunde members went by without any problems. Even Grace and her sons stopped provoking Pier at the dining table as they saw that the Pier they had known before seems to have changed completely and is starting to make a name for himself in the social circles.

Pier was contented with it, but he still has many things to do.

His magic practice had been stagnant lately. He's trying to learn attack magic but the training was postponed because of his preparations for the Royal Banquet.

Pier was currently in his room. He was sorting out the piles of invitations that came in the previous week. It was a mountain load of invitations that came from all of the nobles who were present at the Royal Banquet.

'Huh?' One particular invitation stood out from all of the piles. It had a golden seal mark.

'Golden seal... so that means...!?' Pier was surprised when he saw the Royal Family's crest embedded in the seal.

"What's this?" He asked himself as he examined the outer coverings of the letter. He was curious as to why the Royal Family would send him a letter when the king could simply just request his presence through Pier's father.

Curious, Pier opened the letter carefully.

Inside, he saw a paper that was clearly only used by the Royal Family with writings on it.

To the Young Master of the Belmiunde Household,

Greetings, young master. I am personally writing this letter of invitation for you to join the gathering of the nobles from the royal faction. A tea party will be held along with the participants as well as the discussion of a few things that concern the kingdom. Your presence would be of great importance.

Asher Lumiere

It was only a short letter but Pier felt his insides churning from the contents.

"Why would he send me an invitation letter towards something like this?" Pier was baffled at the contents and as well as the sender of the letter. Asher personally wrote the letter for him?

"Is this some kind of joke?" Pier inspected the coverings and read the contents of the letter once more but he could not find any ounce of any mistake in the letter. It was perfectly written, short, and concise.

'What's happening?' Asher had never written any personal letters towards Pier for the past multiple years so it was definitely a surprise to see a letter that came from Asher himself.

Pier was suspicious at the invitation but he was curious as well. He wanted to know the real reason why Asher suddenly invited him to a tea party with the nobles of the royal faction.

"Was my avoidance too sudden?" Pier had thought that maybe because he suddenly avoided the crown prince like the plague and with his unexpected announcement in the king's garden the previous weeks, Asher wanted to inspect him because he was wary of Pier's actions.

"Maybe it's something like that." He said as he sighed and returned the fragrant paper in the envelope. He finally came to the conclusion of at least letting the prince live his own life the way he wanted to and marry the girl he loves. Now that he's allowing Asher to live his life, he's trying to invite Pier to his parties?

Pier was never invited to any of Asher's parties. Even if he's a member of the royal faction, Asher did not bother sending him a personal letter but instead was generated by the crown prince's aid.

"But I don't want to go." Pier sighed as he stood up from his seat. Why would he go there when he has nothing to benefit from in the first place? Eliam was never the type of person to do anything unless he gains from it thus his hesitance to attend Asher's tea party invitation.

He wanted to practice magic. His upcoming adventure is getting nearer and he still cannot do a proper magic attack.

"But it would be impolite for me to reject the crown prince's invitation without any pressing matters as an excuse. Not to mention people would gossip more about how I am desperately trying to get his attention through ignoring him." Pier sighed as he was frustrated.

His only option seems like he definitely needs to go to this tea party.

"Fine!" Pier spoke in exasperation as he lay on his bed.

'I do hope Raphael would be there. At least I have someone I can talk with' Pier inhaled the sweet yet light smell of rose oil in his pillows and fell asleep.