Victor was sweating buckets. He had no idea what was going to happen. If the gorgeous Von Heim ladies ordered his execution, then that would be that.
Sure, it might stir a few minor storms in the capital, but nothing substantial would co of it.
His family didn’t have the strength or standing to seek retribution for him, and even if they did, none of them would willingly put their lives at stake for soone like him.
Soone like .
Victor repeated the words in his mind, a scowl almost forming on his face.
Then he heard Isolde speak.
"What do you want, arriving uninvited... again?"
Victor flinched as though struck, then gulped.
"Well, you see..."
He glanced around nervously, lowering his voice to a whisper.
"It’s an important issue. Can we talk... in private?"
Isolde contemplated briefly, her expression unreadable.
She turned to Selaphiel, who was staring at the portly man with the kind of venom reserved for deep personal grudges.
Ah, that’s right. He had called her ears canoes. Royal canoes, no less. If such a ridiculous thing even existed.
Unwilling to let things escalate further, Isolde piped up.
"Fine."
Her voice rose slightly as she addressed the servants spaced evenly around the chamber.
"Lead him to—"
But Selaphiel cut her off sharply, her tone authoritative and ice-cold.
"You see, we don’t have much ti to waste. So either you speak directly, or you kindly escort yourself out."
Victor’s features darkened, but only for a brief—almost imperceptible—mont. It slipped past Selaphiel and Isolde’s notice.
But not Lugh’s.
Perched on the elf’s shoulder as a bird, the boy caught the change through his enhanced, avian-tuned eyes.
Even then, it was subtle.
He tapped his fingers quietly against the sofa, deep in thought.
Victor spoke.
"You don’t have much ti?"
Selaphiel narrowed her eyes. His lack of offense at her tone wasn’t anything special. What concerned her was what he had taken from her words.
She repeated firmly,
"Why are you here?"
Victor chuckled awkwardly, flexing his chubby fingers as he fidgeted under their gaze. None of his expressions escaped Selaphiel’s scrutinizing eyes.
He cleared his throat to speak, opened his mouth—then promptly shut it again. The words hung heavily on his tongue.
He hesitated.
Selaphiel, however, had no patience.
"Speak!"
She bellowed.
Victor flinched, then inhaled deeply.
"Here goes..."
"I want to discuss a marriage alliance with you."
Selaphiel blinked.
Isolde’s eye twitched.
"A marriage alliance?"
She repeated.
Victor nodded.
"Again?"
He cut in smoothly.
"Well, my last offer was rejected, so I figured—I might as well try again."
Selaphiel shook her head in exasperation.
Unwilling to waste more energy standing, she took a seat in one of the room’s exquisite velvet chairs.
"Sit"
She gestured curtly, and both Victor and Isolde followed suit.
Victor leaned forward slightly.
"I know you said your daughters will only marry whoever they choose—"
At this, Selaphiel gave Isolde a long, aningful glance. The younger woman remained still, devoid of expression.
Victor continued,
"But... there are other ways to form an alliance without involving your daughters."
"And which way will that be?"
"For instance... your stepson. Lugh."
The room fell into a frozen silence.
Even the air shifted.
Victor felt the temperature drop, the chill crawling up from Selaphiel’s chair like a creeping frost. He didn’t dare look in her direction.
Lugh, still observing through the eyes of his perched puppet, was already piecing together faint smudges of information.
Isolde’s voice finally broke the silence.
"All right then. Your family wants an alliance with the Von Heims. Furthermore, you want your hands on the extraordinary talent known as Lugh. So... what are you bringing to the table?"
Victor blinked.
"Huh?"
"Like I said—what are you bringing to the table?
Who is the bride-to-be? What benefits would an alliance with the Aelhursts even offer?
I don’t see a single gift with you, despite arriving unannounced and uninvited. Is such a house even worth building ties with? Prove it to ."
"Wha—"
Victor was caught off guard. He had expected them to shoot down his proposal without even giving him a chance. This... this
’This is troubling’
He remarked internally.
Still, he composed himself.
"Hmm, well—uhm... I’m sorry for not bringing a gift."
Then he continued, straightening slightly.
"As for the details, the benefits and all that, there’s a docunt. A full docunt detailing everything."
Isolde crossed her legs.
"Okay, then show ."
"What?"
"Show the docunt."
"Oh! Right. I’m... not with it today."
She raised an eyebrow. Selaphiel rely watched, cold as ever.
"You’re not with it."
"Yes, that’s right. It’s still back at ho. I’ll send it when I return."
"Interesting,"
Isolde said, her voice silky smooth. Victor imdiately grew wary.
"So then, why are you here?"
She asked again.
Victor stared, choosing his words carefully.
"To request a marriage alliance, of course."
Isolde replied almost instantly.
"And yet you arrived personally without bringing any of the things that would make your request successful. A job applicant walking into an interview without a résumé. That’s exactly what this is."
Victor exhaled. The nervous smile on his face nearly cracked into sothing else—sothing less controlled.
This had thrown him off balance.
Still... there was a way to salvage this.
He lowered his head.
"Well, you see. Our intentions for a marriage alliance are genuine. But it’s not the only reason I ca."
The room froze.
"The real reason I ca is... because of Lugh! The Priest of Blood! Officer of Death! A man among n! Okay, okay—he’s not quite a man yet, but still!"
He flung his hands up like a magician unveiling a grand illusion.
"When I saw him cutting down beastkin like he was weeding a vegetable patch on market day—I swear to the heavens, I nearly converted religions right then and there! I’m a fan! A huge fan!"
Isolde was visibly thrown.
Victor clutched his chest theatrically.
"That’s why—if you could just bring Lugh here, let see him. No, better yet—let just shake his hand! I’ll be good. I’ll go ho, throw petals in the air, and declare it the best day of my life!"
He clasped his hands together pleadingly.
"Just five seconds with the young war god! I’ll even make a donation to your house! And bake cookies! I make great cookies! My mom said so before she disowned !"
After his outburst, the room turned toward him, each gaze drilling into his soul. Most were confused. All were stunned.
"So... your reason for personally coming... is because you want to et Lugh?"
"Yes!"
Victor replied imdiately, nodding like a startled chicken in a storm.
Selaphiel’s voice cut through the air like a sword.
"Well... I’m sorry to disappoint you."
She paused.
"But Lugh is dead."
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