In the middle of wild old trees, there was a hundred-meter wide crater. Birds and beasts in the vicinity ran while glancing at the one responsible for the destruction of their habitat.
At the edge of the crater, Sophia stood with a downcast expression. She remained silent, her face flushed red from embarrassment.
A blurred silhouette appeared beside her and turned into Aileen.
"It is almost time for lunch," Aileen respectfully said. "We should return."
She has observed everything that took place from a distance. She knew why the young miss did what she did. This was why she could understand her embarrassment.
"Ah...!" Sophia was happy by the timely rescue. She secretly eyed and noticed he was looking back at her.
Sophia quickly moved her eyes elsewhere and said, "I have to leave!"
She turned around, no longer wanting to stay at this place for another second. She took a step ahead when a voice came from behind.
"Wait."
Sophia flinched like a cat whose tail was stepped on by someone. Normally, she was bossy and people from her circle considered her as a ’fiend’, but now the embarrassment from her actions made her react like this.
She didn’t want Zed to enquire more about her actions.
"Father always said I should face problems head-on without any worry!"
As a noble-blooded descendant of an aristocrat family, she quickly regained her composition. She felt there was nothing for her to feel bad about.
If he dared cause any problem, she could just teach him a lesson.
He might not be at fault but she has a lot to vent. And she wouldn’t mind removing her frustration of that scoundrel on him.
With a cold expression, she turned towards him, and said, "Yes?"
Zed opened a white plastic jar. It contained a green cream which was actually a Grade III recovery medicine. If applied on a wound, the healing particles would enhance the cells self-recovery ability, and make the wound disappear in a moment.
"Please apply it on your knuckles," Zed offered the jar to her while his eyes were focused on her right hand.
The recoil from last moment change in aim has created scratch marks on her knuckles. Along with scratches, there were even traces of blood.
Till now, Sophia didn’t notice them nor felt any pain as her concentration was elsewhere, but now when she noticed the injuries, she felt a slight pain.
She looked back at him, once again caught off guard by his actions. She was expecting enquiry or even challenge, and yet, he was actually handing her medicinal cream.
"Is he the type of person mom said only existed in fairy tales?" Sophia recalled her all-knowing mother.
Even Aileen was stunned by Zed’s gesture. She swiftly got back to her senses and said, "We appreciate your concern but we have medicines."
There was no way a scion of Sophia’s status would be in lacking resources, whether they were weapons or medicines.
"I apologise if I overstepped my boundaries," Zed politely said. "Please take care."
He then turned around and walked towards Ashlyn.
Behind, the young miss and her middle-aged servant were once again surprised.
Aileen observed Ashlyn and remembered her fighting a Dark Star. She didn’t see the conclusion but seeing her here now, she realized that the contest was either a draw or Ashlyn won. In both cases, it symbolized she wasn’t weak.
Aileen was in the middle of thinking when Sophia parted her lips and said, "Would you two join us for lunch?"
Sophia felt she has been losing manners ever since she met that golden-haired scoundrel. Something her mother wouldn’t approve of, especially the way she acted with a nice guy like Zed.
Aileen was startled by the invitation and so were Zed and Ashlyn.
"Consider lunch as an apology," Sophia further said. "I’m sure you are heading to Guardian Spirit Village just like us, and a short rest for lunch wouldn’t prove any obstruction."
Aileen was amazed by her young miss’ words. She knew just how extraordinary her invitation was.
Back in their hometown, hundreds of young masters from powerful aristocrat families would beg to spend a moment with her, but she would always refuse. She would never entertain wishes of the opposite gender who desperately wanted to court her.
Yet, now she was personally inviting a young man for lunch.
If the scions from aristocratic families learn of this, they would flip tables! Not only this, but most of them would even cough blood from anger.
They could not even get ready for a brief exchange despite all their efforts, and yet, she was requesting a youth who has done nothing to deserve her attention.
This was far too unfair and unjust!
Aileen checked Zed out.
She was used to seeing handsome men in aristocratic circles but she felt Zed could give those men a run for money. He was truly good-looking and perhaps, one of the most handsome men she has ever seen.
But she knew this was not the reason why her miss invited him.
Zed and Ashlyn exchanged glances before accepting Sophia’s invitation.
"Great," Sophia radiated a sweet smile.
Aileen walked in front to guide them to the camp house. As they proceeded ahead, Sophia said, "I’m sorry for almost attacking you."
Zed was behind her, and walking alongside Ashlyn.
He suppressed a smile and said, "It is fine. I’m sure that was a misunderstanding."
"Yes, a big misunderstanding," Sophia readily agreed. "I thought you were him so I attacked without confirming."
"Him?" Zed asked, his voice filled with curiosity.
"The shameless villain!" Sophia quickly answered.
Ashlyn nodded as if saying ’as expected’. She has witnessed the short conflict between Kiba and Ashlyn before the auction.
"......." Zed didn’t react.
"I felt he was with her," Sophia spun around and pointed at Ashlyn. "This was why I jumped without thinking."
"...."
"I should have known better," Sophia sighed before saying. "When that villain is around, the entire area would be enveloped with an aura of shamelessness. It was absent now. Not to mention, whenever he is around, there would be evil acts."
Sophia vented her frustration by continuing further and saying, "A mere glance at him is enough to tell you that countless scoundrels were sacrificed for his birth."
Sophia felt a little better.
Zed, on the other hand, felt she was wrongly slandering a gentleman.
There was no way that Kiba could ever be associated with words like shameless, scoundrel, evil, and definitely not villain!
Kiba has never done anything to deserve such titles.
If anything, he should be only associated with altruism and philanthropy...
A few minutes later, they arrived in the camp house. It was not like Sophia didn’t own a portable house but she didn’t use it. So the retinues have to create a grand temporary camp.
The retinues were surprised by the guests but they didn’t say anything. They were servants and they only followed orders.
"Please enter," Aileen invited them in the dining room. "I will make arrangements for lunch."
The camp room has a dining table with a capacity for seven. Sophia sat in the host seat while Zed and Ashlyn sat on the following chairs.
A servant filled their glasses with mineral water and took his leave.
As Zed brought a glass to his lips, Sophia scanned his facial features. Till now, she only gave a cursory glance but now, she checked him fully.
As soon as his full features registered in her mind, her misty-blue pupils constricted. In her eyes, his face was superimposed by the image of a mighty woman she has seen a few years ago.
Sophia recalled the woman whose house she has visited along with her parents. If she didn’t remember it wrong, it was for the birthday of that woman’s daughter.
A daughter who was so sick that she needed continuous medical care and was confined to a wheelchair.
Sophia cleared her mind of these thoughts. She felt she must be seeing it wrong but still, she felt Zed carried a slight facial resemblance to that woman.
The woman who seldom showed herself and yet almost everyone feared her.
Rebecca Hestia.
Sophia has only seen her once but her image was stuck in her mind. She remembered how even her parents were a bit respectful towards her, despite their high status.
"Maybe I’m thinking wrong," Sophia thought.
Still, she felt there was only one way to know for sure.
"Excuse me," Sophia said as Zed placed the glass down.
"Yes?" Zed brought his eyes on her.
"Are you also from the State of Avalon?"