36: Behind the Silence

Arlon resisted the urge to smirk, keeping his expression neutral as Ace continued.

"When you abandoned me to those tiny humans, they decided to 'bond' with me. First, there was the endless petting. Then, they brushed my fur—brushed, Noble Arlon. Like I'm some sort of showpiece. And then…" Ace paused for dramatic effect.

"…they decided I needed a 'gift.' And thus, this ribbon."

Arlon's lips twitched as Ace added, almost begrudgingly, "I'll admit, the color isn't terrible. But I'll deny that I said this if you repeat it."

Irish, oblivious to the exchange happening in Arlon's mind, crouched next to Ace and gently adjusted the ribbon. "He was so well-behaved while we tied it," she said with a grin. "He didn't even try to run away!"

Irien nodded, her smile faint but genuine. "He's… surprisingly cooperative for a cat."

Ace, sitting primly, shot Arlon a look that clearly translated to, "Surprisingly cooperative, my tail."

He's secretly liking it, Arlon thought, watching Ace flick his tail with feigned indifference. You should be grateful they didn't give you a collar instead.

Still, I've seen him endure far worse indignities. This might be his most tolerable defeat.

Arlon's attention shifted back to the twins. "Where's Eric?" he asked.

The bright energy in Irish's face dimmed slightly. "Miss Alice took him to retreat his wounds," she said, her voice softer.

Irien's gaze dropped momentarily, and she added quietly, "She said he might need some time to rest."

Arlon nodded, deciding not to press further. Miss Alice was meticulous, and if Eric was in her care, there was no need to worry for now.

"Is your meeting done?" Irish asked, her tone brightening again as she clasped her hands behind her back.

"Yes," Arlon replied simply, his voice calm.

Irish's face lit up, and she exchanged a quick glance with Irien. "Does that mean we can study now?"

Arlon didn't answer immediately. He hesitated, weighing the idea in his mind. After the tension of the meeting, the thought of diving into yet another task—even a relatively simple one like studying with the twins—felt like an unnecessary strain.

But before he could respond, Dimitri, who had been quietly trailing behind, stepped forward.

"I think it's an excellent idea," Dimitri said smoothly, his tone as calm and deliberate as ever.

Arlon glanced at him, brow raised slightly.

"You've completed your duties for the day, my lord," Dimitri continued, folding his hands behind his back.

"There's no better time to fulfill a promise to the young ladies. Besides…" He allowed a small, knowing smile to tug at the corner of his lips. "A moment of quiet study might do you some good after today's… excitement."

You're certainly skilled with words, Dimitri, Arlon mused silently.

Irish practically bounced on the balls of her feet, her excitement barely contained. Irien, though more reserved, also looked up at Arlon with hopeful eyes.

Arlon sighed inwardly but gave a small nod. "Fine."

Irish clapped her hands together, her excitement spilling over. "Thank you, Lord Arlon!"

Irien's smile widened slightly, and she gave a soft, "Thank you."

Satisfied, Dimitri straightened and turned toward the hallway. "I'll prepare some snacks and refreshments," he said. "Enjoy your time, my lord."

With that, he exited the scene with quiet precision, leaving Arlon standing with the twins—and Ace, still primly seated with his ribbon.

Irish and Irien exchanged excited glances before looking back at Arlon, their energy infectious.

"Shall we go to the library?" Irish suggested.

Arlon glanced down at Ace, who flicked his tail as if to say, "Don't expect me to save you from this."

Arlon let out a quiet sigh and gestured for the twins to lead the way.

As they began walking, Irish chattered excitedly about what they could study, while Irien quietly suggested topics they could explore. Arlon walked a step behind them, his hands tucked behind his back, his expression unreadable.

But as he watched the twins' cheerful energy, a faint thought flickered in his mind. Perhaps this is the quiet I needed after all.

Creak—

The grand doors to the library creaked open, revealing rows of towering shelves brimming with books. The warm light from the chandeliers cast a golden glow over the polished wooden floors, giving the space an inviting yet reverent air.

Irish practically skipped ahead, her footsteps light against the floor, while Irien followed with her usual measured pace. Arlon trailed behind, his gaze sweeping the library as the faint scent of aged parchment and leather filled the air.

Ace, still adorned with his red ribbon, perched on Arlon's shoulder like a small sentinel, his tail flicking idly. He looked around, unimpressed. "If I fall asleep, don't blame me," his voice echoed dryly in Arlon's mind.

Irish stopped near one of the smaller tables, her eyes sparkling as she turned to Arlon. "We'll pick the books we want to study!" she declared, her excitement unmistakable.

"And…" She hesitated briefly, then added with a grin, "Maybe a few others that we want to show you."

Irien nodded, stepping toward the nearest shelf. "It won't take long," she said softly, her fingers brushing over the spines of the books as she began to search.

Arlon simply nodded, taking a seat at the table they had chosen. The chair creaked slightly under his weight as he leaned back, his sharp eyes following the twins' movements.

tap- tap- tap-

Irish darted between shelves, pulling out books with enthusiasm. "Oh, this one's really interesting!" she said, holding up a book with an ornately decorated cover.

"It's about the history of ancient castles. Did you know that some of them had secret tunnels that led outside the walls?"

Irien, nearby, selected a slimmer volume and glanced back at Arlon. "This one has strategies about managing estates," she said, her voice calm. "I thought it might be useful for you."

Together, they were like two halves of a whole—a storm and its calm eye. Irish's energy filled the room, while Irien's quieter, thoughtful approach kept everything balanced.

Arlon arched a brow but said nothing, watching as the twins each began to gather a growing pile of books.

Irish returned to the table first, setting down her armful of books with a satisfied sigh. She patted the top of the stack and grinned. "There's a lot to learn in these!"

Ace leapt from Arlon's shoulder onto the table, landing with the grace of someone entirely too comfortable with themselves. He sniffed at the pile of books, then sat back, curling his tail neatly around his paws.

"I hope you're ready for an exciting lecture on castle tunnels, noble Arlon," he quipped.

Arlon ignored him, his gaze shifting to Irien, who was placing her chosen books down with a quieter focus. Her stack was smaller, more organized, and included a mix of practical guides and personal favorites.

"This one," she said, brushing her hand over a dark leather-bound book, "is a story about a knight. Mother read it to us when we were younger." She hesitated for a moment, then added, "I thought you might like it."

Arlon's gaze lingered on the book for a moment before he nodded slightly. "I'll take a look."

Irish grinned as she grabbed one of the history books she had brought. "Okay! Let's start with something fun first," she said, flipping it open to a section about mythical artifacts.

"Did you know there's a legend about a sword that can summon storms? It's said the wielder could control the wind and lightning."

Arlon's eyes flickered briefly, but his expression remained calm. "I've heard of it," he said simply.

"Really?" Irish's eyes widened. "Do you think it's real?"

Arlon's response was measured. "Legends often hold a grain of truth. But they're usually exaggerated."

Irien looked up from her book on estate management. "Even if it's exaggerated, there's value in understanding the stories people tell," she said thoughtfully.

"Sometimes they reveal more about the people than the objects themselves."

Arlon nodded, glancing between the two of them. Their excitement and eagerness were infectious, though he kept his expression steady.

The twins continued to chatter, alternating between the books they wanted to study and the ones they wanted to share with Arlon. Irish, ever the enthusiast, leaned closer to Arlon, holding up a page with an illustration of an ornate staff.

"Look! This one's supposed to control time! Wouldn't that be amazing to have?"

"Or dangerous," Irien interjected quietly, turning a page in her own book. "Power over time would come with consequences."

Ace, lounging on the table, let out a dramatic yawn. "I vote for anything that lets me nap longer. Maybe skip forward to the part where I don't have to hear about time-controlling staves."

Arlon gave him a brief, sidelong glance but otherwise ignored him.

As the hours passed, the atmosphere in the library softened. The twins' chatter grew quieter, their focus shifting more toward study, though they occasionally shared snippets of information or curious questions with Arlon.

At one point, Irish tilted her head and asked, "Lord Arlon, did you always like reading?"

Arlon paused, his fingers lightly brushing over the cover of one of the books.

His mind drifted unbidden to a memory—vivid, yet distant—of a different time.