Noticing the lack of a ringing bell or guard to announce his arrival, and yet having taken notice of the manor's front windows being wide open, Mael decided to cross the gateway, and make his way straight to the main door to directly knock at the door.

He knocked at the door once, twice, then finally thrice.

Mael waited, yet no answer came to him.

It was only then, when trying to knock for the second time, that the door opened, revealing behind a young girl's silhouette, which at first he assumed was a servant, a maid maybe, but then, as his eyes went upward toward the girl's face, he realized that that person was everything but a maid.

Before Mael could even comment on anything, which he didn't plan to, or say anything, the door shut on him, only to, a few seconds later, open up again just enough for the girl to show her face.

"Good morning, Lord Mael. What brings you here to our humble mansion?" The girl awkwardly asked.

With how abruptly it all unfolded, it took him a few seconds to finally muster an answer, "Good Morning,..."

It was only while trying to greet her back that Mael realized that he did not know how exactly to greet her, not with that outfit.

“It’s Analise, Análise Breslauer.” She introduced herself, believing that Mael didn’t know who she was.

The girl standing at the door, despite wearing a maid's outfit, was not one. Mael knew that the moment he saw her face. For hers was a face he had seen quite a few times among the Aurora Academia's students.

And as she has namely introduced herself, she was no maid, just a noble dressed as one.

"Good Morning, Miss Analise. I’m sorry to interrupt you with... Is Xavier Dubosc there? " He directly asked, wanting to be done with this as quickly as possible.

"Xavier," she, for a brief instant, peered inside the room before turning back to Mael, asking, "Did you two have a rendez-vous?"

"Not really. I came here unannounced. "

For a moment, she seemed to hesitate, sighing, "Ah, dammit," before opening the door wide and saying, "He’s in. Please get in with Lord Mael. I’ll inform him of your presence. "

"Is this really okay?" Mael wondered, this time weirded enough by this short interaction. “If I’m bothe-”

"Yes, it’s okay, please, get in." She insisted.

"I’ll permit myself then."

"Martha, our governess, just went out for a short course," she explained, inviting Mael to the nearby living room. “So…”

It didn’t take Mael long to understand that this was an attempt for her to explain the maid's outfit, but without being too judgemental, Mael thought that she wasn’t helping her case at all.

For a moment, Mael thought about saying, "I understand," but realized midway that it would be a very bad idea, so instead, he just kept silence.

"Would Lord Mael like some tea or coffee?"

"No, thanks. I’ll be fine. " Mael declined, before adding, "And please, you can just refer to me as Mael."

Glancing around, though the mansion was nowhere close to the familial castle Mael was living in, he knew that this mansion as a whole would be considered top-notch by most noble standards.

As weird as this first encounter turned out to be, Mael knew quite a few things about the girl from earlier. He knew that that girl was Xavier’s roommate here in the holy city, with whom, since their previous residence, they had already shared.

Nobles, upon reaching their fifteenth birthday, have to attend the Academy, and by doing so, they are required to leave their family for a place to stay here in the Holy City. The cost of living here in the Holy City is of no concern for young nobles like Mael, whose families are wealthy enough to have a familial propriety for them to stay, but for most nobles of humbler backgrounds, especially given how expensive the housing market is in the Holy City, the only option left for most of them is renting, which is not only affordable and cost-effective.

The mansion, Mael, was in and the mansion the Analize and Xavier used to live in were, were one of these rental estates.

But out there in the Holy City existed a more cost-effective option. The one of sharing rental costing of a mansion. By renting an estate with a second person, the rental would be split in half. This was the current situation of this mansion and its denizens. The mansion was a rental property, and the girl from earlier, along with the one Mael came here to meet, shared the rental expense of this property. Though it was fair to mention that their situation was somewhat special on several other levels,

Soon the girl was back and came to Mael, announcing, "He... he’s about to be done with what he’s up to."

“He’s occupied?” Mael asked.

The girl apologetically nodded, before saying,“I tried to reason with him. I told him it was you but he refused, so…”

“It’s nothing. I am the one who came unannounced, so I am the one to blame here,” for a moment, Mael hesitated before announcing, “I can wait.”

The girl nodded, then a short while later asked again, "Tea? coffee? Something? "

Not wanting to answer 'no' for a second time, Mael accepted, "Tea, please."

"Right away, then." She declared, before heading straight for the kitchen, from which she returned a couple of minutes later with a plate upon which tea and biscuits were served.

“Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

Though definitely weirded out by the fact that he was served tea by a noble dressed as a maid, he snacked upon it while waiting for the one he came here to meet up with.

A silence took place, a silence which Mael wouldn’t have minded the least if it weren't for that girl, staring at him on the corner the same way a maid or an attendant would.

For a moment, Mael tried to bear it, but soon, done with it, Mael decided to strike up a conversation the moment she passed by to serve him more tea.

"So Miss Analise, how is the house?"

"How is the house?"

"Yes, how is the house? You two just moved in, didn’t you?"

The truth is that that girl and that person, Xavier, were two weeks ago living in another rental mansion which they already shared the expense of.

"Oh,... yes, how did you know?" She asked.

Mael didn’t answer her question and simply continued, "How is it? Is it comfortable?"

“Of course, the rooms are large. In fact, there could be too many of them. We were told that this mansion would be, in the future, shared with two other nobles who are not here in the holy city yet, but even if they came, there would still be a lot of space.”

“Oh, that’s good to hear…”

“We even have a large backyard; that’s a huge change from our previous rental mansion. This place is almost as big as our family mansion. In a sense, this mansion feels more like an actual family estate rather than a mansion supposed to welcome students of the Academy.”

"That had to be a good thing, right?"

"It sure is, but... still I wonder how that idiot managed to strike up a deal for this place. " She muttered, yet loud enough for Mael to hear.

"Idiot?’

"Oh, sorry. I was talking to myself. "

"I see. Well, I guess considering the drop off in the Academia caused by the calamities, would acquiring a rental property like this be something that surprising?"

"Isn’t it like two years late for that? I can’t understand why now all of a sudden."

Does it really matter where this came from? The important thing is that you’ve found a better place to live in, isn’t it? " Mael commented, leisurely sipping his tea.

"Well it is, but there is just something... something that doesn’t sit right." She mumbled, looking at Mael suspiciously.

"What is it, Miss Analise?"

"Nothing."

"I see, Miss Analise, how is your father doing?"

"I guess he’s doing well lately. I don’t really know much about what he’s up to. Does Lord Mael know my father?"

"Not personally, but I've heard of him through his work. Alfred Breslauer, the novelist. Though I haven't read the latest ones, I have read and loved, as a child, two of his earliest works."

"It must be an honor for my father to be known by someone as famous as you are, Lord Mael."

"Not at all. I doubt I am more known than he is. "

“Mael Edouard, heir of the Edouard family of Beaumont, second in charge of the Ascending Nobility Great Faction, the youngest and fastest faction to have risen to the rank of Great Faction. The Silver Knight, one of the first to have stood ground against one of the calamities, who in this entire holy city would dare to say, not knowing your name? Of course, you are more known than he is. "

Once again, Mael was reminded of what he was most well known for. This topic was, to no surprise, brought up to him again. In fact, at that point, he was wondering why it hadn't been brought over earlier than it was.

"I think you are underestimating how well-known your father is, Miss."

"I don’t think so."

Not wanting to pursue this particular topic, for he knew that this would lead to an endless sea of brown-nosed praise, he was in no mood to listen, Mael chose to remain silent.

It was amidst that silence that the girl said, "Lord Mael, I have been... writing lately," somewhat embarrassed, "It’s about the calamities."

"You were?"

"Yes, I was wondering if Lord Mael would mind if I asked a few questions?"

"A few questions?"

"Yes," she said, nodding.

Since she mentioned the calamities, Mael assumed this must be about the dragons.

"Well, why not."

"Please, I’ll be back shortly, " Standing up and heading upstairs, she reappeared a few moments later with an enormous yet roughly handled book, which she brought to the table in front of Mael and upon opening revealed was littered with paper-folded bookmarks on almost every page.

As she scrolled through the dozens of bookmarked pages, Mael realized that every single page of that enormous book was written off of her own handwriting.

"You wrote all of this?"

"Yes."

"That’s impressive."

"There it is." She said, pointing at a page of the said book.

Looking at where she pointed, Mael read aloud, "Report on the event on the twelfth full moon of the year 4009," as it was the title of the document she presented him. "Miss, Analise, what is this?" Mael asked, for what she presented to him didn't seem to have anything to do with the calamities.

"Yes, it is not about the calamities, it is about the event your people of Beaumont call the Night Ecarlate." I went through dozens and dozens of archives in my disposition and this is the only thing I could’ve found about the Night Ecarlate. "

The page she pointed at Mael was, unlike the rest, barely enough to fill up even one page.

"Yes, but why would you research anything about the Night Ecarlate?"

"I have recorded in this book everything we knew about the calamities, and by putting everything together, I realized that years before the first calamities, over the span of several years, a series of strange phenomena, among which are the 'Night Ecarlate', occurred in Beaufort, the duchy, you lived in before moving here, Lord Mael."

"What do you expect of me, Miss Analise?"

"With what I’ve learned about this event, this is all I've been able to write. I was barely able to make a page out of it. You were in Beaumont when it happened, weren’t you? Lord Mael, I wondered if you could tell me more about how it was the night it happened."

"You want me to-" started only to be interrupted.

“Of course, if you don’t want to, I would understand. After all, I know how busy you are.”

"No, it’s not-" noticing the noise of footsteps from upstairs, Mael stopped mid-sentence.

Soon, the owner of the footstep went down the stairs, and their face was revealed to Mael. The footsteps belonged to two girls, both barely older than Mael and Analise were.

The girls, upon reaching the ground floor, noticing Mael, froze up, before both, slightly bowing, greeted, "Lord Mael, Good Morning."

"Good morning, you two." Mael greeted back.

"Oh, you two know Lord Mael.""A voice said, as the one it belonged to descended the stairs.

The one who spoke was a boy of around eighteen. He was no one else but the one Mael was here for, Xavier Dubosc.

"Lord Mael, Lady Ana, and Lord Xavier, I think it is time for us to take our leave." One of the girls apologized for wanting to take her leave.

"Lord Mael, I’ll be with you in an instant," the boy said, as he accompanied the girls to the door, leaving Mael with Analizeyet again.

"Lord Mael, you know them?" She said, looking at Mael with a weird gaze.

"Yes, I do."

Mael noticed the girl's surprise upon hearing his words. It didn’t take him long to understand why.

"Before this instills some sort of misunderstanding, I will specify that I am acquainted with the owner of the establishment these girls are working for, and as such, it does happen that they require my service as a healing magic user." Mael said, glancing at the small gladstone bag that is always following him.

Embarrassed, she stuttered, "Ahhh, so that’s what it was,..." It makes sense. After all, someone like Lord Mael would never resort to these kinds of service from a-"

"-a Fille de Joie?"

"Yes," she mumbled, nodding, visibly embarrassed.

Mael had his own opinion of the fille de Joie, and he felt that there was nothing here to be ashamed of, at least not for the two of them.

Filles de joie.

That’s how the girls working for the establishment, known as the Rose Blanche, are most commonly referred to. And the Rose Blanche, a well-known noble brothel in the Holy City.

"I’m sorry, I think I’ve overstepped myself here."

"It’s nothing."

"Lord Mael, I’m sorry for having made you wait." The young man, named Xavier, apologized after having escorted the girl out.

He and Mael shook hands, and as he took his seat, "Asked, what were you two talking about in my-" Noticing the book on the table, he immediately rectified, "Oh, she already showed you her book. She’s really passionate about these dragons. "

"Xavier, please... stop."

"I saw that." Mael confirmed.

"By the way, Ana, what’s this outfit for?" Xavier remarked,

It was only then that she remembered that she was dressed rather weirdly, at least for a noble.

"Ah, erm,... I, it was not supposed to be... like that, "she muttered unintelligibly before turning her back to Xavier.

Xavier showed confusion at first, but then, after staring at her back for some time, asked Ana, "You couldn’t undo this apron knot?"

"Yes, please."

It took him some effort on his part to undo the thing, but after a short while he managed it. It was only at that moment that their focus

"Sorry for this display." Analize Apologized.

"I, too, apologize, Lord Mael. This is the first time our house has received such an honorable guest. And this is how I treat him," the young man bowed apologetically.

"It's nothing."

"So, Lord, not wanting to sound once again impolite, may I ask what you might be looking for me for?"

"In reality, I've come to you today to request a favor."

"A service from me?" What is it? "

For a moment, Mael hesitated to reveal what it was because of Ana, but then chose to do it nonetheless.

"I need a sample of your blood."

Both Xavier and Analizewere taken aback by Mael’s request.

"You want me to give my blood?"

Mael retrieved a small transparent spherical bottle from his gladstone bag, putting the object next to Ana’s book on the table for them to see, "Just enough of your blood to fill this recipient."

Both stared clueless at the object on top of the table before Xavier asked, "May I ask what that blood will be used for?"

"That is something I, despite, I know, my very strange request, cannot reveal." Mael made clear

"So if I get it right, you want me to fill this up with my blood without knowing what it will be used for?"

Miss Analize Sent an elbow to him, to which he answered back with a grimace.

"I would understand if you refuse, but yes, that’s it."

For a moment, he stared at the object on the table before announcing, "I’ll do it."

"You’re sure?"

"Yes, I just got used to this mansion. I am not in a hurry to move back to my old house anytime soon."

"What do you mean by that?" Analize Asked.

"Come Ana, where do you think I struck the deal, that is this house?" Ana, understanding the underlying meaning of what he meant, looked at Mael. "The deal was obviously too good, so I was expecting something wrong with it somewhere. For almost two weeks, I still haven’t found anything wrong or anything that could explain it, but now, two weeks later, the answer came to me. Isn’t it, Lord Mael? "

"Yes," Mael admitted, "but you have no fear about losing the manor. I wouldn’t do that. You are free to accept or refuse this request. You do not have to feel threatened; the choice is still yours. "

Xavier went silent for a moment before confirming his answer.

"It’s still a yes, but I too have a request I’d like to submit, which I believe would require only half a day of your time." Xavier bargained.

"What is it?" Mael asked, surprised and curious about this sudden request.

Looking at Mael from head to toes, Xavier said, "As you most likely already know, as my father, I’m a painter, and I was wondering if Lord Ma-"

Before Xavier could add anything else, a slap came onto the back of his head, along with a voice shouting, "You idiot!"

"Hey, what’s wrong with you?"

"Do you realize what you were about to ask him?" Analize Shouted at him.

"To pose for one of my paintings."

"That’s exactly the problem!"

"Tsk."

"Please, Lord Mael, don’t listen to him; he is going to give his blood."

Mael, despite her world, searched for approval from Xavier, but this one simply said, "You heard her, I’m giving my blood. Let’s get this done."

Having received confirmation from Xavier, using tools he brought beforehand, Mael prepared to collect the blood he needed from Xavier, but while doing so, Mael voiced out a second request to him.

"Can you please stir up your mana while I proceed?"

"Can you stir up my mana?"By that, you mean using magic?"

"Yes, do it the way it suits you, as long as you use your mana."

"I see, I guess...." He said, summoning a strange violet cube hovering just above his palm. "This should do it fine, right?"

"Yes, thanks."

This is the magic Xavier wielded, and what Mael was after: space magic.

It took Mael less than ten seconds to fill the transparent recipient with Xavier's blood, and then, carefully putting the now-filled inside his bag, he healed the cut he had made to Xavier’s to retrieve the blood.

"It’s done." Mael announced, picking up his instrument.

"Already? Really?."

"It’s really done," Mael reassured.

" That was fast and I barely felt anything. There is not even a scratch. "

"That’s just how my healing magic works," Mael explained.

"I see,"

"You asked Xavier to use magic earlier? May I ask why?" The one asking was not Xavier but Ana, who observed the whole process in silence.

Mael thought about it, then chose to shake his head.

"I can’t reveal that either."

"Ah, I see, that’s a shame."

"I’m really sorry for being this secretive with a demand as strange as this one, but if there is something I can do to repay, please do ask? I’m the one in debt here. " Mael declared.

"In that case, what about po-"

Something similar to what happened earlier happens yet again. Xavier was interrupted by Analise.

"What did I tell you earlier!"

"Okay, okay. I get it. No need to come to violence with this. I won’t ask him to pose for me."

"If there is another request that comes to your mind, you know where to find me." Mael said, putting his bag on top of the table, standing up and readying himself to leave, "Miss Ana, for what you asked me about the Night Ecarlate, I’ll tel- no, I’ll send you a report on what could potentially interest you that happened that day, as soon as I find time." Mael added, handing Analizeback her book.

"Actually, there is no need-"

"I know," interrupted Xavier.

"Yes?"

"I know what Lord Mael could do for me."

"You’re still not done with that?"

"At least, listen to what my request is," Xavier said, shielding his head, before turning to Mael and asking, "You said I could ask anything, right?"

"As long as it is within my power,"

"Then, this is my request. What about you take her on a date?" The moment he spoke these words, Xavier ran and went to shield himself behind a sofa.

It took Mael some time to fully register what he had just said.

"Huh?"

"What are you talking about, you bastard!"

"Hey, calm down, Ana, I mean, you were asking questions about your book, didn’t you?"

"Yes, then what does it have to do with you asking him to go on a date with me?"

"You don’t get it? Isn't it you who always says that you prefer collecting information from its source? Here I give you a nice opportunity, and it’s by violence that you want to thank me. "

"I never asked you to do that for me."

"But I still did, so Lord Mael, what’s your answer."

Mael went thoughtful for a moment before giving his answer, "If Miss Analise agrees, then I suppose I can do that."

"What?"

"Really?"

Mael, nodding, declared, "Yes, I don’t know when I would be free to do that yet, but once I’ll have a date, I’ll immediately inform you."

"We have a deal then." Xavier said, reaching out his arm to Mael.

Both men shook hands.

"Would it be possible for you two to keep everything that happened today a secret?" Mael inquired. "I would like to avoid having strange rumors about me stealing people’s blood running around, especially considering the magic I’m known for."

Miss Analize and Xavier looked at each others, before announcing,

"Of course!"

"You can count on us to not say a word."

"I’ll be taking my leave then," Mael announced, walking toward the exit, only to be called out by Analize not even a dozen steps away.

"Lord Mael, there is something I would like to ask."

"What is it?"

"I was told upon renting that this place would be shared with two other nobles. We weren’t told who these nobles are? wondered if Lord Mael knew who the other two were. "

"Now that you mention it. We were never told anything beside the fact that there would be two of them. "

It was understandable for them to ask that question; after all, if Mael interfered to get them this house, it had to have interfered in the other two cases as well.

"I do, in fact, know who they are." Mael confessed.

"May I ask who they are? If it is not indiscrete?"

Mael dwelled on it before ruling, "I think it would be best if you just learn who they are from themselves. I can only just say that they are two boys, two brothers. "

"Two brothers?"

"Yes, you don’t have to worry. They won’t cause any problems. I can guarantee it."

"If Lord Mael says so, then I’d believe his judgment."

"Besides, there is still nothing fully guaranteed about their arrival yet, so that’s all I can say."

"Understood, we are impatient to meet them then."

"Same here."

"I appreciate your enthusiasm." Mael smiled, before announcing, "Well, I still have a certain appointment to attend, so I’ll take my leave here, Mister Xavier, Miss Ana."

With these words, Mael left the mansion and hopped into the carriage that waited for him outside. and headed for his castle.

An optimistic smile took shape on his face.

Today, he got what he wanted by coming to this place.

He got the blood of a space magic user.

He had wanted one for a long time but couldn't seem to get his hands on one.

Not only that, but he also managed to kill two birds with one stone by ascertaining both Xavier and Ana's respective personalities.

Though they were not like what Mael had imagined them to be, they would make perfect roommates for his cousins.

There were two criteria that Mael used to choose the duo instead of anyone else as his cousin’s doormate.

The first being that since he, for some time now, was already after Xavier’s blood, Mael already knew what kind of person he was. As for the girl, Mael had heard that she was a somewhat curious person, and he got the opportunity to see that with his own two eyes. Though they were somewhat different from what he had imagined them to be, Mael was satisfied enough with what they turned out to be.

The second criteria was nothing else but the fact of who these two’s parents were. The truth is that their respective parents were well-known for their eccentricity, something which the children, from what Mael has observed, seem to have inherited.

The truth is that Mael would’ve loved to have taken his cousins to his side, but considering himself as their elder brother, and considering what he was after, he couldn’t afford to involve yet another of his cousins in this crusade he was charging into.