Chapter 864: Javier’s Little Setup ( 864 )
Javier’s grin twitched at the corner of his lips.
An idea flashed in his mind, sharp and sudden.
He forced himself to stay calm, cleared his throat, and hid his sly expression behind a sip of sake. Then, with his best "serious noble face," he turned toward Heres and poured him another cup.
"Ahem... anyway, Heres," Javier began, his tone smooth but casual. "About that girl, she did come to my room earlier, asking me to teach her something. Something about..."
Heres blinked. His hand froze halfway to the sake cup.
Inside his mind.
She came to his room... asking him to teach her something?
Maybe... maybe that’s it. She must’ve gone to Javier because she trusts him. She’s only comfortable talking to him since they’re old school friends. And with her title gone... she must feel lonely.
So... she doesn’t love him. She just needed someone to rely on.
A faint warmth spread in Heres’s chest, his shoulders relaxing slightly.
That means... she doesn’t love Javier. Right?
"Oi, Heres." Javier’s voice snapped him back. "You listening?"
"W-Whut?" Heres jolted, blinking fast.
Javier squinted at him. "What’s wrong with you? You spaced out like an old man! I said, could you help me with that?"
"...H-Help? What?"
Javier groaned, leaning closer with a deadpan stare. "You didn’t listen to anything I said, did you?"
Heres scratched the back of his head awkwardly, eyes darting away. "I-I’m sorry... I just... got lost in thought."
Javier groaned, rubbing his temple as he sat upright in the bath. "Anyway," he began, pretending to sound annoyed but barely hiding his sly grin, "that girl wanted me to teach her how to ride a Pekko."
He lifted his cup and took a casual sip of sake. "But since I’m too busy, I was hoping you could do it. Teach her, guide her, whatever. She’s new here, after all."
Heres, mid-sip, suddenly choked. "Wha!? M...Me!?"
Sake splashed into the water as he coughed, his face heating up instantly.
Javier blinked, startled. "Oi! What’s with that reaction? You look like I just asked you to slay a wyvern!"
"I-I just..." Heres looked away, staring at the surface of the bath. "I don’t think she’d want me to teach her."
"Huh!? Don’t worry about that," Javier said confidently, waving it off. "I’ll tell her myself that you’ll be helping her. So just go along with it, alright?"
"I... I..." Heres tried to speak, but Javier cut him off, nodding firmly and puffing out his chest.
"Nope! You’re not escaping this one, Brother Heres! By the command of the next heir" he grinned, jabbing his thumb at himself "I order you to teach her how to ride a Pekko!"
Heres just stared at him with the flattest deadpan look.
Javier blinked. Noticing Heres was about to reject it, he quickly shifted tactics and pressed his palms together pleadingly.
"Pleaaaaseeee, just this once, Brother Heres! Help this poor, overworked little brother?"
Javier leaned closer, his grin widening. "I’ll even treat you to my new chocolate later. Come on! For family!"
Heres exhaled deeply, closing his eyes for a moment. "...If you ask me like that... how can I say no..."
"Yessss!!!" Javier pumped his fist in the air, splashing water everywhere. "Knew I could count on you!"
Heres turned toward him with a curious look. "You can teach her too, you know. Why me? Why not Marcellus, Cedric, or Aelius? Or even Athine?"
"Hah? You forgot?" Javier counted off on his fingers.
"Marcellus is busy with paperwork, Cedric’s trapped between Meira and Zania, don’t even get me started. Aelius and Athine? Have you ever seen those two apart? Ever seen them walk separately? Nope, those two lovebirds are glued together."
Heres chuckled, shaking his head. "But you could still do it yourself. Or Liana. Or Gloria."
"You weren’t listening, were you?" Javier smirked.
"Liana and Gloria want me to teach them more about chocolate. And that brat...uh, I mean, Kliatana, has nothing to do and keeps pestering...uh... I mean, asking for a favor, so you’re my only hope."
He clasped his hands in mock desperation. "Pleeeeease?"
Heres rubbed the back of his neck again, half-defeated. "Alright, alright... I’ll do it. But are you sure she’ll accept?"
"Eh? Don’t worry about it," Javier said with an easy grin. "She’ll agree. Trust me."
He lifted his cup again. "I’ll tell the staff to prepare a Pekko for her. Or better yet, she can just ride yours. Besides, doesn’t your Pekko get lonely when you don’t visit?"
Heres blinked, then gave a small nod. "Ah... that might be true."
"Good!" Javier said, satisfied, slapping the water once. "All settled then! I’ll tell her later. Be ready at the courtyard."
Heres nodded quietly, still a bit dazed.
Javier leaned back against the stone edge, letting the steam wash over him as he tried to hide the smug, satisfied grin stretching across his face.
Inside his mind. Heh...perfect setup. Now, let’s see if this plan actually works.
Heres stayed quiet for a few moments, the faint ripple of water the only sound between them.
On the surface, he looked calm, composed as always, but inside, his thoughts were racing.
Kliatana...
I’ll get to teach her... to ride a Pekko...
To see her again... to talk to her...
To be close to her...
It felt like fate itself had handed him a chance, one he knew might never come again.
He drew in a slow breath, steadying his heartbeat, then stood up from the water with deliberate composure. His expression returned to its usual calm and mature look, masking the excitement stirring within.
Javier glanced up, tilting his head. "Hmm? Heres?"
Heres met his gaze with that composed, unbothered expression of his. "Yes?"
"You done with your bath already?"
Heres nodded once.
"Hmm. Yes. I’ve been in here long enough. And since you’ve asked me to teach Lady Kliatana how to ride a Pekko, which, honestly, isn’t something I’m particularly fond of doing..." he said, his tone calm but firm, "...I’ll do it. But if it causes any problem later... I’ll be blaming you."
Javier’s mouth fell open slightly. "Eh!? Blame me? What did I do!?"
"You’re the one who arranged it," Heres replied, stepping out of the water with composed grace and reaching for the towel.
"So if anything goes wrong, it’s your responsibility."
Javier groaned, rubbing the back of his head. "Oh come on, don’t make it sound like I’m planning a disaster."
Heres gave a faint, mature smile. "Anyway, I’ll be heading out first. I’ll change my outfit and go to the Pekko stable. I’ll wait for you in the courtyard."
He moved gracefully toward the side of the bath, taking the towel and slowly wiping the water from his body before putting on the light robe prepared nearby.
"Alright, little brother. I’m going now."
Javier leaned back with a grin. "Yeah, yeah, go on. Don’t be late, Mr. Calm and Composed."
Heres gave him one last look, half amused, half serious, before quietly exiting the bath area.
Once the door closed, Heres found himself smiling without even realizing it.
( End Of Chapter )