"This is my wife Beth and my sons Jas, Pete and Theo." Viscount Boltzer introduced his family to with a welcoming smile.
I sat down at the table and the good was served. The three guys were probably in their twenties or early thirties and except for one of them the other two were blonde with blue and green eyes respectively. Unlike the Viscount, these n had inherited the tall and lean figure of their mother.
"It’s a pleasure to et the rumoured Saintess," Pete, the guy who shared his physical traits with his mother spoke up with a smile and I smiled back.
"Rumoured?"
"Yes, you might not know but the word about your benevolence and gifts have been going around the towns."
That was good to know.
"I rely did what the other healers might be doing," I said.
Viscount coughed, "Pardon saying this, Miss Clarkson but even in this dire situation where the people are dying of plague, the Temple hasn’t sent even a single Healer to us."
I tilted my head slightly, "Earl Fenson did tell about it,"
"See? I and a lot of Lords from around this territory had sent letters to the Main Temple but they only ever replied that they would send soone and then nobody ca." He said and then smiled at , "I’m really grateful that you ca through,"
"Dear, shouldn’t we let the lady eat? She must be tired and hungry after such a long ordeal." Beth spoke up.
"Ah, yes. Apologies." He smiled and we started eating.
The food wasn’t half bad but I could feel the eyes of the family on including the eyes of the servants who were there in the sa room. After a while, the dinner was almost at the end and Jas spoke up.
"Miss Clarkson," he called and I looked at him.
"Yes?"
"You will be leaving tomorrow morning,"
"Yes,"
"You can stay for longer, Miss. The journey could be taxing on your body." Pete said and I smiled.
"I’m grateful for the offer but I’m afraid I must keep moving if the temple is really late in sending the healers then the people must be there to help those in need."
They exchanged a glance before Beth who had not asked any questions yet spoke up.
"Is it true that you are capable of healing 50 people at once?"
"Yes, I grow quite weak after casting the spell but instead of curing people one by one, I can cast a spell that can heal the people in a hall at once."
"That’s... quite a gift you have, Miss Clarkson," Viscount said and I smiled.
"And equally beautiful soul." Theo who had sat quietly up till now said.
"Thank you."
"How old are you, Miss Clarkson?" Beth asked.
"I’m 16, My Lady."
"You haven’t even had your debutante yet and you are carrying out such a huge responsibility!" She gasped.
"Age doesn’t stop a person from achieving what they set their mind to, My Lady."
"... Indeed."
Her eyes drifted over to her husband once before they focused on eating.
"Do you have any siblings, Miss Clarkson?" Jas asked.
"Yes, I have an older brother."
"I’m surprised he let his beautiful sister leave ho for such a huge task."
My smile dwindled as I said, "He’s at the war,"
Their expressions grew grim and I smiled sadly, "But, I’m sure he’ll return safely. I will tell him what I did when he returns so that he’ll be proud of ."
"Such a pure soul!" Viscount comnted.
"Say, Miss Clarkson would you like to be engaged to one of our sons?" Beth asked making freeze as well as the three young n.
"Pardon?"
Beth looked at everyone before she chuckled, "Oh my! I was simply jesting!"
The family laughed and I also let out a fake chuckle as I noticed that it was actually their original motive.
"But..." Viscount started, "It’s not a bad suggestion. My sons are quite good-looking, aren’t they Miss Clarkson?"
I smiled at him as I spoke with slight blush on my cheeks, "My father has already arranged my engagent with soone so, I cannot accept, My Lord."
"Sha..." He spoke, "My sons lost such a beautiful wife."
"Father we should stop talking about this," Jas said and Viscount laughed before they fell into their monotonous rhythm.
The showers of praises continued until the end of dinner and after dessert, I was led back to my room by Theo.
"So, who are you engaged to?" He asked while we were walking.
"He’s a rchant,"
"A rchant?"
"Yes, a Baron."
"Is he good-looking?" He asked.
"Yes, he is."
"Must be a lucky man,"
"I’m the lucky girl." I smiled.
"You seem smitten by him."
"A lot of won are, but I got him." I shrugged my shoulders.
"Heh? Who is this Baron? Tell his na, I would like to know more of him."
We had reached in front of my room by now and I turned to look at Theo.
I smiled with the glint of deceit in my voice as I spoke, "His na is... a secret."
"Heh? That’s unfair! Tell ."
I chuckled as I opened the doors to my room.
"Good night, Young Master Theo." I said before I walked in leaving him behind.
"Na of the man is," I turned the sapphire earstud in my ear turning back to my male form.
"Baron Ocean Ryujin."
I plopped down in the bed and lay there still hearing the sound that resonated in every nook and cranny.
I had thrown a pebble into the still lake and the ripples had started forming now, I was waiting for those ripples to return to and see what my opponents could do.
My lack of information was a problem but with ti I would fix that and then the real fun would begin.
The next day, Earl Fenson joined us for breakfast as well and the talks once again returned to the Viscount’s family asking to stay back or asking about my personal life.
But after refusing to a good number of proposals and offers, I was finally out of the Viscount’s mansion with Earl Fenson escorting .
"I hope you liked your stay here for the night, My Lady." He said and I smiled.
"I did, thank you for escorting , Lord Fenson."
"It’s a pleasure, My Lady." He replied with a charming smile and I feigned hesitation before I asked.
"Um, may I ask you a question?"
"Why yes!"
"You were talking about the Temple not responding to the pleas of the Lords..." His eyes grew focused.
"I may not know much about the politics but, isn’t there so friction between the Temple and the nobles?"
His eyes narrowed a little as he smiled, "Yes, there is. But unlike the Temple, we nobles just like you are doing all we could to keep our country from being destroyed, My Lady."
"It must be troubleso with the ongoing war as well." I mumbled.
"It is indeed! Since the temple isn’t helping with either. That’s why," he leaned ahead gently grasping my hand in both of his with a pleading expression.
"It’s my earnest request, My Lady. Please... don’t be swayed by the Temple’s claims or lies. They will try their best to have you on their side just like they have a Saint. If we all lose you as well then it’ll be all over for Denril."
If it were a naive girl instead of , she would have fallen for his words but I knew the underlying aning of it.
"Then, would you be kind enough to help , Earl Fenson?" I asked.
"You only need to ask, My Lady."
"Send a letter to the Temple and let them know of ." I spoke making his eyebrows twitch.
"I can see that you are working on your own with the Viscount’s na in the front so, I need you to be on my side of you want the power to return to the nobles."
His smile froze hearing my words and his eyes grew sharper.
"I... have mistaken in recognising you, My Lady."
I smiled, "Many have, that’s why you should be smarter and do as I say if you want the power to return to you all."
"And what do you want?"
"That’s my business, isn’t it?" I smiled sweetly.
I could feel eyes on from the window of second floor that’s why I was keeping the facade of the innocent and benign Saintess while talking with Fenson.
"I would like to talk more about it, My Lady." He spoke and I nodded.
"Sure, I won’t exactly be leaving this town today itself so, et at the outskirts of the town at Rain Inn after midnight and co alone, please."
Fenson’s smile turned sly before he brought my hand up to his mouth.
"I’ll make sure to be there, My Lady!"
With that said and done, I got inside the carriage with Lyall in the driver’s seat and we took off from the Boltzer household.
At night, I reverted back to my Assassin’s outfit since I had found comfort in that dressing and waited in the room of the Rain Inn. It was half past midnight when there was a knock on the door of my room and Lyall’s voice seeped through.
"Master, he’s here."
"Co in."
I sat on the chair with my legs crossed one over other as Lyall and Fenson entered the room.
"Good evening, Earl Fenson." I smiled and he smiled back.
"Good evening, Miss Clarkson."
"Have a seat, Lord Fenson. We have a lot of talk about."
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