Avril excitedly pulled Josh and talked for a long time.
Josh left the palace overnight without saying a word, leaving behind an obviously perfunctory note.
Avril: “I almost thought someone had kidnapped you, but then I remembered you’re the strongest among us, so I felt this worry was unnecessary… Your departure was just too sudden.”
After returning to her territory, she still kept thinking about where Josh had gone.
Josh had the best relationship with her among the adventure team, but only compared to others.
Josh had never told anyone about his family background, nor left any magical items for her to contact him, so when Josh disappeared, it was as if he had evaporated into thin air, leaving no trace in this world, impossible to find.
A magician can easily conceal their tracks.
He was like a quiet cat living in human society, able to accompany you and occasionally interact with people, but always remaining alert and ready to leave at any moment, never putting his tail in anyone’s hands.
If it weren’t for her aunt happening to visit her territory a few days ago and seeing a familiar name in the contact symbol her aunt received, she wouldn’t have come over with the thought of “just in case,” and she didn’t know when she would see Josh again.
Josh looked somewhat uncomfortable, not knowing how to explain his inexplicable disappearance.
Moreover, Avril’s aunt was watching them, making him even more awkward—probably lacking experience in dealing with unfamiliar female elders, he really didn’t know where to put his hands and feet just being stared at.
He could only feel his head go numb and say softly, “S-sorry…”
Avril shook his hand and said, “Oh, I’m not blaming you, I just worry.”
She was about to say something to Josh when suddenly a shadow approached.
She paused and looked up to see a tall, handsome man, his broad shoulders and narrow waist perfectly outlined by his fitted knight’s attire. His features were deep and sharp, and his deep blue eyes swept over her.
By appearances, he was the kind of man she would like.
But in the moment when their eyes met, the knight’s gaze and hers crossed.
In an instant, Avril felt as if she were being stared at by some venomous snake, and her spine involuntarily shivered. She had no time to pay attention to how handsome the other person looked.
The knight quickly averted his gaze, bowing his head to whisper something in the ear of the black-haired lord beside her. His slightly thin lips parted slightly, his voice too quiet for her to hear, and a faint smile appeared at the corner of his lips.
A very normal gesture, his dark golden short hair shining brightly in the sunlight.
“?”
The coldness that had crossed their gazes in that moment seemed to be nothing but a figment of Avril’s imagination, now completely nonexistent.
She turned her head to look around, and everyone else’s expressions remained unchanged, seemingly unaware of anything unusual.
Was it just a trick of the sunlight dazzling her eyes…?
Avril’s aunt spoke again, timely interrupting her thoughts: “Alright, Avril, you’re both going to be lords soon, so don’t be so frivolous. Look at yourself, what do you look like?”
Avril had no time to dwell on that little incident anymore, probably just a momentary dazzle: “Sorry, sorry, haha, I was just too surprised.”
Only then did she notice that she hadn’t let go of Josh’s hand yet, remembering that her friend didn’t usually like physical contact with people.
Quickly letting go: “Josh, take us to your territory for a walk!”
Josh breathed a sigh of relief: “Okay.”
He turned around and mounted his warhorse, leading the way for the carriage.
As he was getting on the horse, before he could grab the reins, his wrist was grabbed by Albert, who was standing by the horse’s side, and lifted up.
A clean handkerchief was used to press against the palm of his hand, meticulously wiping it once over.
Josh: “?”
He opened his palm and looked at it, smooth and white, clean and puzzled: “Is there something dirty?”
Albert casually threw away the handkerchief, smiling: “Seems like a bit of sweat.”
Josh didn’t pay it any mind: “Oh.”
Both parties exchanged simple greetings and formalities at the entrance of the town. Avril and her aunt returned to the carriage, while Josh led the way ahead.
This was Josh’s first time appearing outside the estate since he arrived at the territory nearly a month ago.
The handsome knight was indeed handsome, but he was seen every day, day in and day out. Everyone was tired of seeing him!
But the lord, except for those who worked in the estate regularly, many people hadn’t seen him yet. So everyone spread the word and came to see this lord who had done so many good deeds but never showed himself.
Many people were stunned by how young he looked.
Josh was already in his twenties, and with his youthful and refined appearance, at first glance, he didn’t look much different from an eighteen or nineteen-year-old.
Exclaiming: “How can you be so young? Isn’t the lord the same age as you? You look older than him, haha…”
“His hair is pure black, it’s so rare nowadays.”
“…”
Josh stared straight ahead without glancing sideways, his face showing a faint expressionless demeanor. However, upon closer observation, one could still detect his almost deliberately stiff demeanor, with a faint blush appearing on his neck.
But welcoming the host while riding a horse was etiquette.
Josh didn’t have time to find a carriage to hide in.
We’re sorry for MTLers or people who like using reading mode, but our translations keep getting stolen by aggregators so we’re going to bring back the copy protection. If you need to MTL please retype the gibberish parts.
Avril saw the scene of Josh being surrounded from the carriage and chuckled.
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Qtfc atfgf kjr cbatlcu egufca, Abrt mbeiv fnfc rajs tbifv eq lc jc lcc obg tjio j wbcat klatbea rafqqlcu bea bo atf gbbw, jcv wjcs qfbqif atbeuta atflg afjw bcis tjv olnf wfwyfgr!
Avril was immersed in the joy of catching her good friend and felt proud: “Auntie, what do you think? I told you he’s very cute!”
The beautiful woman said, “I didn’t expect you two to have such a connection. So, do you like him? Alyssa put a lot of effort into nurturing him. Although the Drake family has declined, his own excellence should be enough to compensate for this shortcoming.”
Avril almost choked: “…Isn’t this topic too far-fetched?! We’re just friends, and I don’t like this type of younger brother.”
The beautiful woman smiled slightly behind her folding fan, covering her lips: “I know, just teasing you.”
She casually remarked, “You shouldn’t be too obsessed with mingling with those knights. Settle down with a suitable betrothal sooner rather than later; it would help solidify your power. Although you’ve already secured the inheritance, your siblings won’t just sit back and accept it.”
Avril replied, “Auntie, please stop lecturing me; I have a headache.”
Marriages among nobles are mostly based on strategic alliances, and love is considered a luxury for them.
Avril’s aunt is a staunch believer in this principle.
She married two husbands in succession. The first was a high-ranking mage, and together they formed a strong alliance, but they eventually divorced due to political differences. Her second husband was a weak lord. After his death, Avril’s aunt inherited all his estates, thus holding the highest authority of two families on her own.
After that, she never remarried, focusing on nurturing heirs, though she did have several lovers.
Avril was of noble birth, so she was naturally accustomed to this kind of lifestyle.
However, there was one thing she thought differently from other nobles: “Why have so many children! I’ll only have one child in the future; otherwise, dealing with all the rivalry would be too much of a headache…”
The beautiful woman smiled and didn’t offer any judgment on her naive words.
Young heirs sometimes have many naive and silly ideas, but experience and setbacks will eventually teach them to grow.
Nobles often have many children, not just as a result of promiscuity. The fundamental purpose is that only with a sufficient number can there be a large enough probability of selecting a suitable heir to continue the family’s authority.
She lifted the curtain of the carriage and glanced outside, seeing Josh’s slender but straight figure, his black hair falling by the warhorse’s side, resembling a precious piece of silk. His profile was gentle and harmless.
…This child looks nothing like the people of the Drake family.
From appearance to personality, he was completely different from his mother.
It was hard to believe that the proud and stubborn woman, like a fierce lioness, could have given birth to such a quiet child, like a little kitten.
Her voice was barely audible, whether she was responding to Avril’s words or speaking to herself: “But, I once knew a silly girl who had the same idea as you.”
…
Josh endured the gaze of the townsfolk all the way and finally returned to the estate.
This time, his palms were truly sweaty, and he reached out for Albert to wipe them for him.
After Albert helped him wipe his palms clean, he reached out to tidy up his collar, which was a bit messy from riding.
The two were very close, and as Albert helped Josh straighten his collar, the falling strands of his hair lightly brushed against Josh’s cheek.
Avril jumped down from the carriage and witnessed the scene.
…That strange feeling appeared again.
Josh was indeed lazy, but when did he ever let someone help him straighten his collar?
When their team was invited to stay temporarily at the palace before, servants offered to assist Josh with dressing, but he refused.
Josh wasn’t accustomed to people getting too close to him.
However, the tall knight quickly left the estate because he still had matters to attend to.
The banquet was already prepared, and Avril was busy catching up with Josh. She had a lot to talk to him about, so she temporarily suppressed her doubts.
Upon learning that the damaged formation had been repaired, Avril’s aunt said, “It’s a pity I couldn’t help you this time. I promised Alyssa that I would help her, but I didn’t. I’ll leave you another communication symbol. If you need any help next time, you can continue to contact me.”
Josh said, “No, there’s no need—”
The beautiful woman smiled. Her smile seemed to have been measured with a ruler, maintaining a level of warmth without being too approachable. Her eyes, tranquil with the passage of time, looked at Josh.
She asked him softly, “This is a promise between your mother and me, dear. Do you want me to become a person who goes back on her word?”
“…”
Josh had no idea how to respond to this soft yet firm way of speaking.
Of course, most importantly, he felt completely at a loss because of this person’s identity.
Josh’s relationship with his mother had absolutely nothing to do with the word “intimate.”
Naturally, he had no position to discuss such intimate topics on behalf of his mother with her former friend.
So every time the other party mentioned his mother Alyssa, Josh could only remain silent.
He nodded vaguely, “Okay, I understand, thank you…”
The beautiful woman looked at Josh, who seemed to be pricked by something upon hearing his mother’s name, and then shrank back dejectedly without saying anything.
A hint of contemplation couldn’t help but show in her eyes.
She didn’t know much about this child of Alyssa, only hearing about him during their conversations.
From some intermittent clues, she inferred that Alyssa’s demands on this child were strict to the point of being almost harsh, even if she intended to groom him as the sole heir, it wouldn’t be to that extent.
What’s even stranger was that she hid Josh so securely, not even revealing his name, and created an appearance that she didn’t value this child. Noble families don’t groom heirs like this.
Only her best friend at the time could vaguely sense from some uncovered traces that Alyssa wasn’t as indifferent as she appeared.
Later, before Alyssa’s final adventure, she wrote to her asking her to look after this child, which further confirmed her thoughts.
Since she valued him so much, why choose such a strange way of handling him?
Being able to reach a high position at a young age and being admired by so many people, her friend was not just powerful; she was also a wise woman.
But everyone has their own secrets and ways of dealing with things, and even close friends cannot interfere too much.
She had discussed parenting experiences with Alyssa a few times, but every time Alyssa just shook her head in silence, showing no intention of delving deeper into the topic.
So, she was at a loss.
There are limits to what friends can touch upon.
Before coming here, she had at most thought that Alyssa’s stubbornness had led to some biases in her education.
After all, Josh was her only child, and there was a natural bond between them that couldn’t be severed.
But obviously, the relationship between this child and Alyssa seemed far more strained than he had imagined.
…
Although the matter of inviting someone over had been resolved, it would be impolite for Josh to just send the person back after they had come such a long way.
So he decided to invite them to stay for a while.
Coincidentally, he and Avril were old acquaintances.
Under Avril’s persistent coaxing, the beautiful woman agreed to Josh’s invitation and decided to stay at the Lord’s mansion for a few days.
After dinner, Avril’s aunt went to rest, while Avril, full of energy, followed Josh to his study for a tour.
Looking around, she sighed at the cozy seating by the window, “Wow, you really know how to enjoy life. Napping in the study, aren’t you afraid you won’t be able to wake up? Sigh, don’t even mention it. I’ve been handling various estate affairs with my old man recently, tired like a dog, only getting five hours of sleep a day! If it weren’t for not wanting to give my siblings an advantage, I would have quit long ago.”
Avril continued, “Being a Lord is even more exhausting than I imagined. I really didn’t expect you to be able to handle this! I see your estate’s development is doing well, the roads in town have been newly repaired, right?”
She marveled, “Why couldn’t I see how hardworking you were before? Josh, are you really my good friend Josh? Haven’t you been taken over by some alien creature?”
Josh brushed her off, “Hmm, you’re right. Now that you’ve found out, what should I do? Should I silence you?”
Avril replied, “It seems like you’re still the same old you. I can rest easy now.”
She sighed heavily, “I used to think you were lazy, but I didn’t expect even a lazy cat like you to be a good Lord. I lost.”
Josh modestly responded, “It’s okay.” He couldn’t help but feel a bit guilty being praised by his friend.
He didn’t dare to mention that he often slept through his naps until late afternoon and hardly dealt with any official matters.
The affairs that needed to be presented to him naturally were handled by Albert.
He’s just a Lord responsible for eating, drinking, and having fun.
Avril sat in front of Josh, her expression mysterious. She lowered her voice and said to him, “By the way, do you remember when you disappeared from the palace without a word last time? You don’t know how terrible the expression on the face of the Holy Saint was when he found the note you left before the banquet.”
“It was like someone stole his wife.”
“At that time, he ordered a lockdown of the central city and a thorough search to find your whereabouts. But those big nobles were not happy about it. Under their joint pressure, he lifted the ban after just a few hours.”
Josh was speechless, “…”
News travels slowly these days, and he doesn’t care about the changes in the central city. He really didn’t know about this follow-up.
Now it seems.
It’s a good thing he made a decisive escape, not giving the Holy Saint a chance to react.
Otherwise, he might have caused some trouble, and it wouldn’t have been easy to get away.
Avril leaned in and said, “Hey, Josh, I won’t beat around the bush with you anymore. I think he likes you to the point of being paranoid. Locking down the city? What a joke?! He thinks he’s in a play, trying to show off… What an idiot, he’s too full of himself, acting like he’s already on the throne. He’s wasted his good looks, open up his head and you’ll see it’s all garbage.”
Josh replied, “He’s an idiot.”
His expression visibly cooled, the faint disgust in his eyes no longer bothering to hide.
Avril looked at him curiously, “Are you cursing?”
“Well, this kind of pursuer is very annoying. You’re so indifferent to him, obviously not interested. Do you think he might think being like this is domineering and charming?”
Josh: “…”
To be honest, it’s probably true.
After hearing those stories from the prophecy scroll, he completely believed that’s what his former teammate thought.
As Avril spoke, she shivered with a chill, looking sympathetically at Josh. “You’re really unlucky, little kitty.”
She said, “Anyway, I think this guy is mentally unstable. You should be careful. Since you’re working in the territory now, your identity won’t stay hidden for long. Sooner or later, news will reach his ears, and who knows what he’ll do then.”
She said somewhat irritably, “After all, he’s the prince of the Tully Empire, and also the Holy Saint. His reputation is high. If he really wants to trouble you, it’ll be quite annoying.”
Josh crumpled the pages of the book in his hand, lowered his eyes, his voice chilly. “He can try.”
Hearing that name soured his mood a bit, and a slight feeling of annoyance surged within him.
Josh reached up and undid a few of the top buttons. Today, because he had to welcome guests, he obediently wore a high-necked formal suit. The collar was almost close to his Adam’s apple, occasionally brushing against it, which was uncomfortable and felt constricting.
Josh unbuttoned his collar and rubbed his neck, feeling a bit relieved.
As they were talking, the study door clicked open, and someone walked in without knocking.
Avril turned her head to look, and it was the powerful knight who had been with Josh earlier. His outerwear was off now, much more casual than when they saw him outside, and he was holding a fruit tray, his eyes deep as he looked at them.
Josh also looked up and called out to him, “Albert.”
At this moment, Avril was still in the position of whispering in front of Josh, although she didn’t touch him, she was still very close at first glance.
The golden-haired knight’s aura condensed imperceptibly for a moment.
Avril inexplicably felt a chill down her neck. Under his gaze, her limbs moved before her brain could react, and she involuntarily straightened up and sat back in the chair opposite Josh.
The golden-haired knight paused by the door and said, “Sorry, I forgot to knock. Did I disturb you?”
Josh replied, “It’s okay, no problem. Come in.”
Josh’s gaze focused on his hands, or more precisely, on the fruit tray he was holding.
The golden-haired knight approached him.
Josh looked up at him and asked, “Why are you back so late?”
He had to sit here and listen to Avril talk about that annoying guy for so long, which put him in a bad mood.
Perhaps even he didn’t notice it, but as soon as he spoke, there was a bit of a complaining tone in his voice. However, because of his clear voice and slightly soft tone, it didn’t sound aggressive but rather like another form of teasing.
Albert walked up to him and said softly as he bent down to discuss official business with the lord, extremely naturally reaching out to pick up a piece of fruit and offering it to Josh’s lips.
Josh bit into it without taking a bite, leaving a small tooth mark and pushing it out with his tongue.
He wrinkled his brow slightly and said critically, “It’s a bit sour, I don’t want to eat it.”
Albert obediently put the fruit with the tooth mark back, smiling calmly. “Sorry, my mistake. I didn’t check it properly. Let’s not eat this one, I’ll have it later.”
As he spoke, he bent down, one hand resting on the back of the chair Josh was sitting in, almost in a posture to hug him, and Josh didn’t seem to notice or mind, either not realizing how close the gesture was, or being used to it, and said nothing.
Albert picked up another piece of fruit and offered it again, saying, “Try this one. It’s freshly picked, the first batch of the year. Didn’t you mention wanting to try it before?”
Josh bit into a piece of fruit and mumbled, “Mm, it’s okay…”
One dared to be picky, while the other dared to serve.
Avril across from them: “…”
She had originally wanted to ask why there was only a fruit tray for Josh, and where was her meal as the guest?
But as she watched, she couldn’t say anything.
Although there were clearly three people in the study, the conversation and interaction between the other two seemed so natural, as if they had a barrier around them.
There was simply no room for her to interject.
In fact, she even felt like she was emitting a faint light.
So glaringly bright and abrupt.
Avril gradually became dumbfounded.
Josh, isn’t he being too delicate now?
Her little buddy used to be a bit lazy, but he was quite well-behaved and easy to get along with. How could he be so pampered now, asking someone to feed him fruit, pointing out any little displeasure, and even behaving somewhat arrogantly?
How could he look completely spoiled!
How long has it been? How did it become like this?
They haven’t seen each other for only a month, not a year, right?
Although Avril used to joke about giving Josh a knight to hand-feed him fruit, she knew very well that Josh didn’t like people getting too close to him. He had a cleanliness obsession when it came to contact with others, so it was just a joke.
But, what’s going on now?
It’s like, it’s like…
Her gaze scanned Josh suspiciously.
Finally, when she saw him turn his head and spit out a fruit pit, she noticed a large ambiguous red mark on his neck where he had undone his collar.
With her experienced eye, she immediately recognized how it got there.
Combined with the overly intimate posture between these two…
Avril: “?”
Where’s her socially anxious, shy, and adorable little buddy?
How come after just a while, he’s already gotten himself a lover?!
Aww.. what a complicated mother-son relationship. I understand to an extent. Happy to know our boy was loved.
Gosh, I can hardly believe this is an “extra” story, loving it!
Thank you for the chapter 😍 ❤️ ❤️ ❤️
I like possessive Albert!
They’re already married, they just don’t know it yet ( 〃▽〃)
I love jealous albert 🤣🤣 this story is so goid ❤️❤️