Chapter 146: Natasha’s Surprise [1]

Elias rose from his chair and left the room, carefully locking the door behind him before making his way toward his own room.

The manor had grown quieter with the approaching night.

As he had expected, only Stella was in his room.

It was already time for dinner, so he had guessed that Natasha, who had always been strict about the daily schedule, would have already left.

He stepped farther inside the room and paused by the bed to look at Stella.

The woman was sleeping peacefully with a calm expression on her face, completely unaware of the worries she had handed to him a few hours ago.

He smiled faintly before turning around and leaving the room.

As he descended the stairs, he caught sight of flowing black hair near the lower end of the staircase.

His lips parted, but before he could call out to her, the person went beyond his line of sight.

He sighed dejectedly.

He had wanted to ask Natasha why she had been ignoring him throughout the day, but without her being in his line of sight, he could not use Mental Whisper.

’I have to ask her.’

He quickly descended the remaining stairs and headed toward the dining hall.

Benjamin stood beside the dining room’s door, and the moment he saw his master approaching, he bowed respectfully.

"Good evening, My Lord," the old butler greeted.

"Good evening," Elias replied before lowering his voice slightly. "Did you find him?"

"I have not, My Lord," Benjamin answered. "The lack of information is not helping, and Priest Mekah is currently staying at the camp around the Rift to find out why it is widening much faster than usual."

Elias placed a hand on his forehead and asked, "Did you ask Olide about him?"

Benjamin frowned before he shook his head. "Not yet, My Lord. I am trying to find him without outside help if possible."

He bowed once more before adding sincerely, "Please understand that I am only doing this for your safety, My Lord."

Elias nodded.

"It is alright. We have more than enough time to look for him, though the earlier we find him, the better it would be."

"I will make sure not to disappoint you, My Lord," Benjamin promised.

"I wish the same."

Elias stepped past the old butler and entered the dining room.

His gaze immediately fell upon Natasha; she was sitting in her usual chair beside the dining table. Her golden eyes were fixed upon the table, and her long black hair had been tied into a twisted bun.

Elias walked over and sat in the chair opposite her before calling out.

[Natasha?]

She raised her head and looked at him with an impassive expression.

His brows furrowed slightly at the sight.

[Is something wrong?] he asked.

Natasha didn’t have her notebook and quill, so she had no way to answer him. So she, instead, lifted one hand and flicked it, trying to communicate something through the gesture.

Elias narrowed his eyes as he tried to understand what she meant.

’What is she doing?’

After a few seconds, he finally made a guess.

[Later?]

Natasha nodded.

’It is already dinner. What do you mean later?’ he wondered, unable to understand her thoughts.

He decided not to press her for the moment.

Some time later, the maids entered the dining room carrying the meals and carefully placed the dishes onto the table. The lamps had already been lit, and their warm light mixed with the shadows cast across the walls as Elias and Natasha ate together in silence.

A few minutes later, Natasha finished her meal and quietly left the dining room.

Elias did not follow her immediately. Instead, he continued eating at a slow pace, his expression becoming increasingly melancholic as he stared at the empty seat across from him.

Ever since his maidservant had left, he had eaten alone, with only a single maid standing beside him to collect the plates and spoons afterward.

Even Balith had left the Ducal estate, which meant that, since his birth, that day had been the first time he had truly felt alone.

The following day had been no different, and gradually, eating alone had become part of his daily routine.

First, the stain of being a bastard had kept others from approaching him, and then came the news that he possessed no talent for the sword.

A bitter chuckle escaped him as he chewed.

How absurd was that situation?

He belonged to a clan whose very identity had been built around producing talented swordsmen, yet he had been the one child who seemingly possessed none of that talent.

His gaze slowly swept across the empty seats surrounding him before he muttered, "Lonely once more... haha."

The bitter smile remained on his face for a moment longer before fading.

A few minutes later, Elias finished his meal and left the dining room.

His legs carried him directly toward his room, where Natasha was waiting.

He was finally going to ask her why she had been acting so strangely throughout the day.

Elias reached the door, placed his hand against it, and pushed it open.

The moment he did, he blinked before his eyes widened.

"What is this?" He muttered in surprise.

Lit candles were placed along the bed and walls, casting a faint glow across the room, together with the moonlight streaming through the window.

He couldn’t understand why Natasha had done this.

He took a step forward, and his eyes slowly shifted toward the figure sitting on the bed, and his steps halted.

His eyes widened, and his cheeks turned slightly red as he asked, [W-Why are you wearing that?]

Natasha was sitting on the bed wearing a red dress.

The problem, however, was that the dress was made entirely of see-through lace, making parts of her body that he had never seen before visible through the fabric.

[Image]

Her golden eyes narrowed in mischievous playfulness, and a faint smile appeared on her face as she raised her notebook toward him.

The page had a single word written on it.

Come.