Javier raised an eyebrow, still grinning.
"Chill, Liana… Gloria… what's with the aura?"
Liana's voice ca cold and unwavering.
"I hate them."
"Err… chill a bit?" Javier tried, maintaining his casual deanor.
"No, Young Master," Gloria replied bluntly.
"What if they betray us again?" Liana added, her eyes sharp.
Without another word, Liana drew her twin blades.
At the sa ti, Gloria reached back, her warhamr forming and expanding, glowing with faint mana lines.
The atmosphere grew heavier, as if gravity itself had shifted.
The aura doubled.
Amazarak warriors fell to their knees, unable to breathe properly. So collapsed completely, hands trembling.
Even Zania froze.
She took an unconscious step back, her legs wobbling.
Her breath caught.
Cedric simply smiled, arms still crossed.
"Liana. Gloria. Put your weapons down."
Imdiately, the pressure vanished.
Liana and Gloria halted mid-step, then lowered their weapons without hesitation.
They bowed slightly, in perfect sync.
"Master Cedric…" both said softly.
Cedric gave a small nod.
"Don't worry about it. I'll handle things here."
Javier clicked his tongue.
"I was just about to have fun."
Cedric shot him a sidelong grin.
"Shoo shoo, brat. Take your girls and go play sowhere else."
"Damn you, brother Cedric," Javier muttered with a sigh, hands still behind his head as he turned to leave.
Liana and Gloria followed closely behind, calm again—but still throwing occasional death glares toward the Amazarak warriors.
Liana paused beside the line of kneeling Amazarak warriors.
She turned her head slowly, eyes sharp.
"Betray Armand…" she said softly, her voice graceful but cold,
"…and you'll et my friend here."
She unsheathed one blade just enough to gleam, then brought her finger across her throat in a slow, silent cutthroat gesture.
No shouting. No threats. Just a quiet promise.
Then—elegantly—she turned, slipping her blade back into place, and walked with practiced grace to Javier's side.
Zania peeked nervously from behind Cedric, whispering,
"She's so scary…"
Cedric chuckled.
"Well, she served Armand back when I was still a kid."
He glanced toward ira.
"Longer than you, right?"
ira nodded without hesitation.
"Yes, Master Cedric. She joined the household before and Lithia."
She tilted her head in thought.
"If I rember correctly… she was around thirteen when she entered Lord Garius's service."
Zania blinked.
"Thirteen?
She's been trained that long…?"
ira smirked.
"Trained… and tempered. She's not just a maid, you know. Liana's one of the few trusted by both Lord Garius and Lady Francesca to serve the main bloodline directly."
"And Gloria?" she continued.
"She beca the next head of the household maids after Liana was assigned to Young Master Javier."
Zania's eyes widened.
"Wait… Gloria was the head maid?"
ira nodded, hands on her hips proudly.
"Yep. Liana used to be the head maid too, before she ranked up to personal maid."
She glanced toward where Javier, Liana, and Gloria had disappeared around the corner.
"And now Gloria's one of his personal maids as well."
Her grin widened slightly.
"Not to ntion—she's also one of us. An elite battle maid."
A soft voice spoke from the side—another elite maid standing at attention nearby.
"Yes, Miss ira. She was."
Zania stamred softly, eyes wide.
"I-Is Liana… also one of the elite battle maids?"
ira shook her head.
"Hmm? No, she wasn't."
She crossed her arms and leaned slightly against Cedric with a casual smile.
"We don't know why, but she's not part of the elite battle maid unit."
Her tone dropped a bit, becoming more serious.
"But don't get the wrong idea."
She glanced toward the path Liana had walked down.
"She might not wear our title… but she's stronger than most of us."
Zania blinked.
"Even you?"
ira smirked.
"Well… I've never seen Gloria and Liana go head-to-head. And as personal maids, we've never truly fought one another either."
"Our training is always under Mrs. Erinette—Mr. Alf's wife. She's the leader of all maid divisions. So, honestly… the only one who really knows how strong Liana is…"
She smiled faintly.
"…is Young Master Javier himself."
Zania lowered her gaze.
"So Liana's that important to him?"
"Liana," ira said simply, "is the only one Young Master Javier would never let go."
Zania looked confused.
"What do you an?"
ira looked up at the sky for a mont, her smile softening.
"Back when Young Master Javier was still a toddler—maybe around three— and Lithia were temporarily assigned to be his personal maids."
She glanced at Lithia, who gave a shy little nod nearby.
"After that, we were reassigned to Master Cedric and Master Marcellus."
She exhaled slowly, the mory still vivid.
"But I still rember the day Young Master Javier thought Liana had been dismissed because he refused to attend noble school."
"He sulked for days… wouldn't eat… wouldn't talk to anyone… just kept begging Lady Francesca to bring Liana back."
"Of course," ira added with a small smirk, "Liana was never dismissed at all. But to him? She was everything."
Zania stayed silent for a mont, still processing everything ira had said.
Then—
ira narrowed her eyes, crossing her arms again.
"And now you co here, disturbing my peaceful love life with Master Cedric!"
She hissed, like a cat ready to pounce.
Zania snapped back instantly.
"And for the record—Cedric is not yours alone!"
She puffed her chest slightly.
"He's mine too!"
ira glared at her.
"Delusional."
Zania smirked.
"Jealous."
Cedric sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"…Here we go again."
Behind him, the elite guards tried to remain stone-faced,
but a few were clearly struggling not to smile.
"Okay, all you slaves!!" Zania suddenly shouted, throwing her hand up as if addressing an army.
Cedric sighed and shook his head.
"Zania… they're your people."
"Oh—right!" Zania cleared her throat and stood with her hands on her hips.
"Now, Amazarak warriors!" she declared, puffing herself up.
"You are free to choose your fate!"
She pointed dramatically at nothing in particular.
"Live with honor in Armand, or go ho and rebuild. But don't you dare betray the trust of this land!"
"All dismissed!"
There was a long pause.
Cedric blinked.
"…Just like that?"
Zania spun around and grabbed his arm with a grin.
"Yep! I'm busy now!"
She snuggled against him.
"Busy with my prince charming~"
ira exploded.
"GET OFF HIM, YOU STICKY-WITCH!!"
Zania stuck her tongue out.
"He's warm and slls nice!"
Cedric looked like he was regretting many life choices.
( End Of Chapter )
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