Paint and Sword [3]

The same long redwood table where negotiations with House De Ressa had taken place this morning now hosted a similar scene—with two key differences.

The food was more lavish and meticulously arranged compared to breakfast—a large main dish flanked by side plates, bowls of soup, and salads... And Felice was nowhere to be seen.

Anna-Accia, Anna-Lena, and Elder Jan sat in a row on one side, facing Vierenna and Deon across the table.

"It's fortunate your little dispute was resolved among the youth without my meddling," Elder Jan remarked warmly. "This bodes well for the future of Houses Eirenios and De Ressa. A promising era lies ahead, led by the likes of you."

The agreement between the two houses had already been finalized. The terms were set, spoken, and agreed upon.

The contract would last for three years, aligned with the academy's program duration. There were no excessive conditions; almost nonexistent, more akin to a formalized friendship than a binding pact. The sole purpose was to allow Anna-Accia to attend the academy alongside Deon, sparing him the fear of her shadowing his every step.

In the end, Deon found himself with a knight.

As skeptical as he was, Deon had a good feeling about this arrangement.

Though most likely, that feeling stemmed from his personal curiosity about his knight—or her ability to "see" when she supposedly shouldn't.

Deon had his doubts and theories but he kept them to himself—for now.

"As elders say, we can only do our best," Vierenna replied humbly to Elder Jan's closing remarks.

A faint smile touched on Deon's lips as he closed his eyes.

'It's been a long day. I barely got to train. But at least this is over.'

Deon was genuinely pleased. Relieved that everything had concluded without further complications beyond the morning's events, and eager to return to his usual monotonous routine in preparation for the academy.

He'd already lost too much time, and all he wanted now was to get back to the simplicity of his single-minded path.

"That's all any parent could ask for," Anna-Lena responded this time.

Deon opened his eyes to look at her. Something in her tone made him curious.

His heart skipped a beat when he noticed her hesitant glance toward Elder Jan.

'This isn't good.'

The tension in the air shifted, lingering for a breath too long—moments ago, it had been cheerful.

Vierenna sensed the shift a beat slower than Deon, but by then, there was nothing she could do to prevent what was coming next.

"There's something I'd like to propose, if possible," Jan interjected, "though personally, I see it as beneficial for the youth."

Vierenna tried to suppress her skeptical expression toward the smiling old man, but it still slipped through for everyone to notice.

"Young Vierenna worries too much. The agreement has been made, and we won't back out now," Jan said with a knowing glance at Anna-Accia. "Accia would kill me if… Well, my suggestion is simple and constructive."

He returned his gaze to Vierenna but glanced briefly at Deon, who observed everything unfold with a cold demeanor.

"A few friendly sparring matches among the youth—I will personally oversee them."

Vierenna frowned, but Jan cut her off quickly.

"Ah, don't look at me that way. This will dissolve lingering hostility. You worry too much over your little brother. And to be frank, I'm curious about young Master Deon's capabilities. He's now my granddaughter's liege, after all. You understand."

The statement left no room for evasion.

Vierenna glanced toward Deon, but his expression remained impassive the entire time.

'I can't let this continue.'

So, Vierenna took a different approach.

"You're right—I do worry too much. But not about this. I simply doubt fairness if any of the three oppose me."

"No, that's not—"

"Why not let me propose something instead?" she interjected, smiling at the tense expressions of House De Ressa's elders.

"The three can face me. It's still unfair, but I'll hold back as much as I can."

Anna-Accia's jaw dropped, her face angeled toward Vierenna.

Initially, she hadn't reacted to her grandfather's proposal for a spar. If anything, she was aware of it and didn't particularly care. It was something her mother had privately arranged to settle Felice's debt.

They would pit him against Deon—a win or loss wouldn't matter. At least Felice would get closure.

But now Vierenna's interference changed everything.

And Anna-Accia wanted nothing to do with Vierenna, especially in a spar—a "friendly" match, as they might call it.

'This is bad.'

It was bad indeed.

Yet Deon relished it.

He hadn't known how to bring up the subject with Vierenna, but this was the perfect opportunity to address one of his weaknesses:

Swordsmanship—

Deon had no formal training in swordplay, and he had never mentioned it to Vierenna for one simple reason.

The Deon before him was supposed to have a solid grasp of swordsmanship basics—being a noble of one of the four great houses within the Macezar Empire.

Additionally, noble houses typically had their own unique sword styles, which they taught their children. And Deon didn't think House Eirenios would be an exception.

Deon's ignorance demanded an excuse,

But how could he explain his failure in swordsmanship when he was expected to be skilled?

However, he had found a solution. In his studies, he had discovered something that could explain himself—but it would come at the cost of not being able to learn House Eirenios's ancestral sword style.

Deon was skeptical, but he prioritized his goals.

'I can figure out how to learn the Eirenios sword style later if I want. But for now, I need Vierenna's help and expertise. This opportunity can't slip away..'

Anna-Accia noticed the smile forming on Deon's lips, and her heart sank.

'Why is he excited?'

She could sense his racing heartbeat from across the table.

'Did they agree on this? No… How could they have known?'

Even Vierenna felt unsettled by Deon's smile, but unlike Anna-Accia, she attributed it to her own bold suggestion.

So, emboldened by her perceived success, she continued justifying her proposal.

"Though Elder Jan's wisdom is unparalleled, I'm confident that real experience comes from unfair battles."

Elder Jan said nothing, attempting to appear as skeptical as he could.

But Vierenna was a master of ignoring skepticism.

"This will be good and beneficial for all of us. I, too, would value Elder Jan's guidance. There's much for me to learn, too."

Jan closed his eyes for a moment before reopening them.

Vierenna had left him no room to maneuver, but his silence left Deon slightly uneasy. So, he decided to step in and support Vierenna in her endeavor.

"If one isn't curious about themselves, how can they learn and grow? Simply being next to my sister is already a great source of inspiration in itself. I see no reason why we shouldn't proceed with her proposal."

The De Ressa family stared at Deon's calm smile—and so did Vierenna, albeit for the wrong reasons.

Unlike her unreadable demeanor, the three on the opposing side of the table bore expressions of prey caught in a trap with no way out but further in.

They didn't look very pleased, but what choice did they have?

Elder Jan sighed on behalf of his entire household.

"Very well. We'll proceed as suggested."