Chapter 70: Tea With Two Beauties
The bell above the door rang softly as the Captain of the Knight Orders stepped inside. The shop wasn't large, maybe a dozen tables at most, but everything about it whispered elegance. Warm wood floors. Velvet-backed chairs. Tables with subtle floral carvings. Dim magical lamps floated like amber fireflies across the ceiling, casting a golden haze.
On one side of the shop, an ornate glass counter displayed cakes so delicate they looked sculpted. Strawberry tarts with glazed fruit gleamed like rubies. Chocolate drizzles coiled like ink strokes over fluffy sponges. Behind the counter, a girl with auburn hair in a tidy bun straightened quickly, fixing her apron. Some strands of her hair clung gently to her forehead.
The moment Seraphina stepped in, the entire place shifted. Conversations slowed. Chairs stilled. Forks paused mid-air. Eyes locked onto her, some admiring, others stunned.
Behind her, Arwyn stepped in, her gait lighter, almost skipping, but even she couldn't hide the sharp air of authority wrapped around her.
"Wait... is that the Royal Knight Captain?"
One man whispered from the second table, already holding a fork in one hand, mid-bite. "And the Lieutenant too. What are they doing here?"
His date glanced at him, then the two women. "Maybe they just wanted cake."
"Yeah, or maybe it's some secret knightly inspection. Like checking cake quality for national defense."
"Oh shut up."
Another man whispered from the far side of the shop, watching too intently. "Look at those two. Gods... that silver-haired one, she's like a queen."
"You mean the Captain. She's stunning, yeah."
"I'd give my sword arm to go on a date with her."
"You'd give your sword arm just to be arrested by her."
Someone chuckled from behind. "Honestly, same."
"Guys, guys... shut up. What if they hear us? We'll be kicked out. Or worse."
As Seraphina moved forward, the air seemed to part. Controlled steps. Head high. Her gaze drifted slowly across the room, but never lingered. She didn't acknowledge the whispers. She didn't have to.
Then the bell above the door chimed again. Kael stepped in. And that was when things truly shifted. A moment of silence. Then a different kind of murmur began.
"Wait… is that him?"
"Kael, right? The guy without a party?"
"You mean that Kael? The one every one calls Velhart's weakest adventurer?"
"What the hell is he doing with them?"
Someone scoffed. "Probably got in trouble. That's the only reason a guy like him gets dragged around by knights."
Another shook his head. "Nah. I heard he joined an A-Rank party. Something's going on."
"That bastard's the luckiest man alive."
"Seriously. What did he do, sell his soul or something ?"
Kael heard it all. But he didn't meet anyone's eyes. His expression was unreadable. Casual. Maybe too casual. Like a civilian who accidentally walked into a noble's ball and decided to play along.
His thoughts whispered calmly in his head. "Of course. Here it comes. Judged again. Same old script, but a different audience. Let them talk. I've survived worse than words. It's expected, anyway, two of the town's most stunning beauties are walking beside me. Not just that, they're actually going to eat with me. One of them literally has the title 'the hottie.' Who even gave her that, though? And they call Seraphina 'the Crowned Beauty'... honestly, that one's pretty cool."
The auburn-haired girl behind the counter straightened, flustered. "W-Welcome to our shop, Captain. Lieutenant."
Seraphina gave a small nod. That was all. Arwyn smiled warmly. "Thanks. We'll find a table ourselves."
They moved to a round table near the center of the room, meant for two, but they squeezed in a third chair. Seraphina took her seat with graceful precision, her sword gently resting by her side. Arwyn plopped down opposite her with a playful spin of her chair.
Kael stood for a second, considering his position, then sat between them with a sigh, half amused, half doomed. The whispers behind them only grew louder now. More confused. More bitter.
"…I swear. That guy can't be normal."
"No, seriously, how is he sitting with them?"
"This guy has to be cursed with good luck."
"If that's a curse, I'll take ten of it."
Meanwhile, at the table, the tension lingered. Kael leaned slightly, resting an elbow on the edge, gazing toward the window.
He said nothing. Just listened. Like he was tuning in to the gossip around them like background music.
Arwyn's cheerful hum came to a halt. Her smile vanished completely, and her eyes turned sharp, slicing across the murmuring tables. She leaned closer to Kael and murmured, "You would do well to ignore them." Her voice softened as she glanced toward him. "People are quick to speak when jealousy clouds their hearts. They resent what they cannot achieve. Whether you surpass them or not makes no difference."
Kael finally looked at her, cool gaze, steady and unreadable. "You worry too much, Lieutenant," he said calmly. "This is nothing new to me. I've long grown used to it. They call me the weakest adventurer for a reason, after all."
She chuckled. "Touché. But still... you're forgetting something rather important. You're in the company of the two most gorgeous women in town. A bit of attention is only to be expected."
He leaned back slightly in his chair, a faint smirk tugging at his lips. "Well, I don't mind that kind of attention. Let them talk. It keeps them entertained, doesn't it?"
Seraphina, who had remained silent until now, finally cast Kael a glance, not directly, just a passing look from the corner of her eye. "You've grown used to being treated that way. Must be rough for you," she said, her voice cool and emotionless.
Kael gave a casual shrug. "Every label's a shield... if you learn how to wear it right. So no, it doesn't really bother me how people treat me."
For a moment, something, approval, perhaps, flickered in Seraphina's eyes. But it vanished as quickly as it came. "I see," was all she said, her tone composed and distant.
Arwyn glanced at her, a hint of exasperation in her eyes. She had expected more, something deeper. "Captain... what are you doing? Say something more. This is your chance to grow closer to him. Isn't it better to speak than to just follow silently behind him?"
A moment later, the auburn-haired girl approached with a notepad in hand. "Uhm... Captain, Lieutenant... it's really an honour to see you in my shop. What would you like to order, ma'ams?"
Arwyn turned her head to Seraphina. "Captain, you should order first since you haven't been to this shop before. What do you want?"
Seraphina turned her head a fraction. Her voice was soft but sharp. "Strawberry shortcake pastry. That's all."
"Elegant." Arwyn leaned back again, eyes on the floating magic lamps. Then she looked at Kael. "And you?"
He gave her a sidelong glance, then shifted his eyes to Seraphina. "I'll have the same. Guess I'm feeling noble today."
Arwyn gave a mock gasp. "Copying the Captain? How bold."
Kael raised an eyebrow. "It's strawberry shortcake pastry, not a sword technique."
The server gave a nervous smile. Then Arwyn turned back to the waitress. "Two strawberry shortcake pastries. One extra, and be generous with the strawberries on mine. And do you have tea?"
The waitress nodded. "Yes, ma'am."
"Good. One tea for the Captain, and... one for him too. I'll take coffee."
The waitress bowed. "Right away."
Kael opened his mouth, but closed it again. He sighed internally. "Why does everyone assume I want tea when I just want to be left alone with a cold drink and quiet air?"
As the waitress walked away, Kael leaned back again, his gaze drifting after her. And that was when he noticed, her hair was auburn, and something about her body structure, the way she walked, the movement of her legs, there was a faint resemblance to Celeste.
"Don't tell me… don't you dare tell me… she's somehow related to Celeste too…"
He cast a slow glance around the shop. The whispering hadn't stopped; it had only faded into the background. But the stares? They hadn't lessened one bit.
His inner voice muttered, "Yep. Rest in peace, normal life. I'm now officially the guy who eats cakes with 'the hottie' and 'the crowned beauty.'"
The three of them sat in silence for a few beats. From across the room, whispers shot their way, not aimed at them, but specifically at him.
"He ordered the same thing as her."
"You think that guy could actually get the Captain Seraphina?"
"There's no way. She probably doesn't even know his name."
"Still... look at the way he sits next to them like it's normal."
"Tch. I hate him already."
The warm glow of the ceiling lamps flickered gently, casting ripples of light across their faces. Seraphina sat with her back perfectly straight, her gaze lowered in quiet composure, untouched by the hum of the shop around them.
Something stirred in the air. A faint shimmer, delicate wings catching the golden light. At first it was only a flicker in the corner of the eye, but soon shapes took form, dragonflies, drawn to the warmth that spilled down from above. They drifted lazily at first, tracing slow, spiraling paths as though testing the air, until their movement began to circle the table.
Seraphina's eyes followed one of them in silence. The faintest curve touched her lips, though it was not a smile, only the acknowledgment of beauty. "Beautiful…" she murmured, her voice low enough that it could have been mistaken for a passing thought.
Arwyn's breath caught, her eyes wide with the same quiet awe. She reached out, not hurriedly but with a gentle, deliberate motion, her fingers steady as if not to startle them. One of the dragonflies, a delicate blue-green creature with glass-like wings, settled onto her outstretched finger. Its wings trembled once before folding neatly along its back. "You're right, Captain," she said softly, as though speaking too loudly might break the moment.
Another dragonfly, with wings shimmering faintly in the light, came to rest atop Kael's hair. He didn't notice. Even as it clung there, shifting slightly, he remained unmoved, his attention elsewhere. To him, it was nothing worth a second thought.
Seraphina's gaze lifted briefly, catching sight of it. She gave a small, almost imperceptible nod, acknowledgment without comment, before lowering her eyes again.
The dragonflies lingered for a time, circling the table in loose arcs, their wings making the faintest whisper in the air. Then, with no clear signal, they drifted away, scattering into the dim corners of the shop until the golden light swallowed them whole.
Arwyn, meanwhile, had her hands clasped on the table, glancing between the two with a hint of hesitation, and mischief.
At that moment, the waitress returned with the orders. The aroma of fresh cake and warm tea softened the air. She placed the plates gently in front of each of them.
"Is there anything else you'd like, ma'am?" she asked politely.
Arwyn smiled. "No, thank you. This is perfect."
As the waitress walked away, Arwyn clapped her hands together. "Let's eat! I'm starving!" She dug in without a second thought.
Seraphina watched her for a moment, then chuckled lightly, just once, and began eating her own slice.
Kael, calm and composed, picked up his fork with the elegance of someone used to being watched. The moment softened.
Arwyn leaned forward slightly, resting her elbows on the edge of the table. "So, Kael," she said, carefully watching his face. "There's something I've been meaning to ask you."
Kael tilted his head, his tone smooth. "Of course, Lieutenant. Ask away."
"It's… a bit personal. But still... will you answer honestly?"
He gave a small smirk, eyes flicking to her and then away again. "That depends on the question, ma'am."
She hesitated just a second longer, then asked plainly, "Is there a girl you actually like? Romantically, I mean. Someone you want to… you know, maybe marry?"
There was a clink, Seraphina's spoon dropped into her teacup. But Kael didn't move. But the silence between them sharpened.
Seraphina's voice cut through it, smooth and crisp like cold wind across glass. "You're being far too casual with your questions lately, Arwyn." Her blue eyes rose, narrowing slightly. "Asking such questions at random doesn't suit a knight of your standing."
Arwyn didn't flinch. She smiled instead and leaned subtly toward her Captain, murmuring just for her ear: "Come on, Captain. Stop interfering like that. It's for your benefit. Someone has to move your love life forward."
Seraphina didn't move. Didn't speak. Her eyes slowly shifted toward her cake, and she took a bite with a regal poise that screamed: "This conversation is beneath me."
Arwyn sat back in her chair, looking victorious. Kael, who'd been watching the exchange with curious eyes, raised an eyebrow, but said nothing.
Seraphina exhaled slowly, tapping her fingers once against her cup as her thoughts stirred. "She's completely lost. Who fills her head with this kind of nonsense? And she has no idea I'm already married." Her eyes dropped, unreadable. "Poor girl. She's going to be furious when she finds out."
Arwyn turned back to Kael with a bright smile. "So? What's the answer?"
Kael leaned back slightly, staring at her for a moment before answering with a quiet chuckle. "None, ma'am. There's no one I see that way."
Seraphina's eyes flicked toward him again, this time just a fraction, cold and focused.
But deep down… there was something else.
"Expected. Of course."
Arwyn pouted slightly. "Not even one? You've got to be kidding. At least tell us if someone's caught your interest. Even a little."
Kael smirked faintly. "Well, I think there's one, actually." He raised a hand before Arwyn could speak again. "But before you ask who it is... sorry, it's a secret. I can't tell you."
Seraphina's fingers stopped moving entirely. Her gaze didn't shift, but there was a tightness in her shoulders now. An invisible pause in her breath. "He... won't say?"
"Why not?" Arwyn asked.
Kael looked at her with eyes that held something, anything but dullness. "I just can't..."
Arwyn tilted her head slightly, her tone light but laced with grace. "How disappointing. I had hoped you might share something with me. But if it is so dear to you that you must keep it hidden, I suppose I shouldn't press you."
"Thanks for understanding."
Arwyn, meanwhile, leaned back in her seat and gave Seraphina a side glance. A smirk crept onto her lips. "He didn't say the name because she's sitting right across from him. Isn't it obvious? Captain's got a chance!"
Without saying a word, she raised her hand behind the cup of coffee and gave Seraphina a tiny thumbs-up, hidden from Kael's view.
Seraphina narrowed her eyes slightly, the barest twitch in her brow. Her thoughts were far less amused. "What is she even trying to pull here? She's completely misunderstood everything. Such an idiot... meddling where she shouldn't. How does she survive with that wild imagination? I'm honestly worried about her future."
But her thoughts trailed off, lingering now, uncertain. "Still… he did say there's someone he interested in. So... who is it? That receptionist girl at the guild he mentioned once? Or someone else entirely? Someone I'm unaware of."
"But what if..."
Then her mind drifted back to that night, just a week ago. She had asked him, clear and direct, whether he loved her or not. Kael had said no. No hesitation. But then, just as she was about to look away, he added, quietly, as if the words had slipped out:
"But if I'm being honest… I do think of you as someone special. Maybe even more than that. Someone like family. Or… someone I could spend a lifetime beside. Not in passion or fire... but in peace."
Every word had been looping in her head ever since. Over and over again.
"No way… Did he actually mean... me?"
"No. Not on his life. There's no way I... I mean, seriously? Me? B-but then... who is it, then? The one he's so interested in? The one he can't even bring himself to talk about?"
Her brows twitched, a hint of heat rising to her cheeks. "It doesn't matter. Obviously. Not to me. Why should it?" she huffed, looking away from her own thoughts.
She picked up her fork again, this time with intent, and stabbed the soft cake like it had personally offended her. She even made sure to aim for the center. Precisely.
But then, right in the middle of that moment, just before Kael could turn to look at Seraphina... Arwyn tilted her head toward him and asked, "Kael… are you interested in joining the Royal Knights? I mean, have you ever thought about it?"
Kael blinked. That one actually caught him off guard. He looked immediately at Seraphina, as if searching for a cue, but she didn't look at him. Her eyes were trained on her cake, cold and distant, as if she hadn't heard the question at all.
"I... I don't think that's the path for me, ma'am. Honestly," he said slowly. "It'd be too much of a hassle. Besides... I probably wouldn't even pass the physical test."
Arwyn let out a short laugh, amused. "Hhha! That's what you're worried about?" She leaned forward, confidence in her smile. "Don't worry about test. If I trained you myself, you'd pass before you knew it. What do you say? Want to give it a shot?"
Kael smiled politely and shook his head. "I appreciate it, truly. But I can't… I'm not trying to sound rude, but the truth is, I've wanted to be an adventurer since I was a kid. And now that I finally fulfilled it… I can't just throw that dream away." He said it without hesitation. No waver in his voice, just calm, collected certainty.
Seraphina's eyes slowly lifted toward him. "He says it so convincingly. Like he believes every word. But he's hiding something. Always hiding. That stubbornness... it's irritating." She sipped her tea. No words left her lips.
Arwyn, meanwhile, studied him with a knowing smile. "Well, I guess dreams are important. Everyone does have a noble dream. I won't try to steal yours, then."
Kael nodded with appreciation. "Thank you, ma'am."
But Arwyn wasn't done. She tilted her head slightly, a small, measured movement, yet one that carried the weight of intent. Her eyes sharpened, not with anger, but with a cutting awareness, as though she had been quietly observing him all along, and now, finally, she was ready to speak her judgment.
"But dreams alone won't keep you alive in a real fight," she said, her voice calm, but her words biting with the precision of someone used to commanding silence in a room. "You say you've fulfilled your dream, and perhaps, to some, that might sound noble. But did you truly fulfill it? Or did you simply grasp the title and stop there? Tell me, Kael… do you truly believe this is what it means to achieve a dream?"
She paused then, letting her words echo faintly before continuing, no rush, no stumble, just the unflinching cadence of a noblewoman speaking the truth as she sees it.
"It isn't," she said flatly. "It's empty."
Seraphina turned her head toward Arwyn, but said nothing, perhaps sensing that this moment wasn't meant for her. And Kael, he simply sat there, listening quietly, unmoved by the judgment being laid before him. It wasn't pride, nor defiance. He just didn't seem to care. Not because her words were wrong, but because they didn't matter, not to him.
Arwyn exhaled softly, the air behind her words carrying no warmth. "Your dream, if you can still call it that, is hollow," she continued, each word measured like steps on marble. "You became an adventurer, yes... but what have you done since? What mark have you left? What legacy have you begun to build? Nothing. Absolutely nothing. And forgive me if the truth stings a little, but better a sting now than a blade later."
Kael didn't answer. He simply nodded, slowly, deliberately in recognition. He knew better than to argue with someone like her. Besides, there was no need. Because becoming an adventurer had never truly been his dream to begin with.
Still, Arwyn wasn't finished. "If you truly want to fulfill your dream... not just wear it like a badge, but become something worthy of it... then let me train you," she said, her voice lowering, turning colder and sharper, like tempered steel drawn in quiet judgment. "Because I can. I can break that shell you've wrapped yourself in and forge something real from the pieces. Being born weak… that wasn't your fault. That was the will of the gods. But choosing to stay weak when strength is within your reach? That is your failure. And if you stay as you are, then yes, Kael... you are a failure."
She moved a little closer, not threateningly, but with purpose, her final words falling like a challenge cloaked in nobility. "So, tell me… what do you think of this offer?"
Kael didn't say anything at first, not because he lacked a response, but because the answer should have been obvious.
Then he felt it. A cold, brutal gaze boring into him, like the sharp edge of a dagger pressed against his neck. His shoulders flinched, just slightly, instinctively. He didn't need to look. He knew it was her... his wife.
That glare from Seraphina didn't need words. It said everything: 'Refuse, and you may not survive the day.'
Kael let out a quiet sigh, less from fear and more from resignation. He straightened his back, brushed his fingers through his hair in a half-done gesture, and spoke casually, his voice calm, even amused. "You want me to become your student?"
Arwyn gave the faintest tilt of her head, a smirk tugging at the corner of her lips. "You can say that. But trust me... you won't regret making this choice. Not with me."
Kael raised a brow, pretending to consider it, though his fate had clearly already been sealed by a certain Captain's eyes. "Oh... then of course I'd love to train with you, Lieutenant. There's no way I could turn down a golden offer like that," he said with a relaxed tone, though the gleam in his eyes hinted at something sharper beneath. "From now on, I'll be in your care... Lieutenant Arwyn."
Arwyn smiled in satisfaction, as if everything was proceeding according to her plan. "Well, then. It's settled. Though, you're rather hard to find, you know. I'll give you the training schedule later, sometime this afternoon, perhaps, in front of the Knight Order's office. Would that suit you?"
Kael gave her a casual nod, his hands slipping into his pockets. "Of course. Just... don't set it during times when I might be out on a quest or something. I still need to make a living."
Arwyn chuckled softly, brushing a strand of hair behind her ear as she replied, "Even if I wanted to, I couldn't. I'm stuck on duty all day. Today's just… an exception. I managed to convince our Captain to accompany me, though she's been far more exhausted than she admits."
"I see," Kael said with mock seriousness, glancing toward Seraphina with a faint grin teasing his lips. "Even Captains need a little break every now and then."
Seraphina turned her head sharply, casting a sidelong glare in his direction, her expression cold but quiet. Internally, though, her thoughts were far from still. "Look who's talking... The man who never lets me rest properly now pretends to understand everything." She groaned inwardly.
"Yes, even you understand," Arwyn said, her tone dry, but vaguely amused. Then she looked at Seraphina and added, almost as if on cue, "But I truly wonder… who's going to make her understand?"
"Enough, Arwyn," Seraphina said coolly, adjusting the glove on her right hand, her voice flat, her face unreadable. "I'm fine. I don't need rest as much as you seem to think."
Arwyn gave a soft sigh, part tiredness, part dramatic flair, and let it go with a faint shrug. "If you say so..."
She stood, gathering her things with practiced elegance. "Well then, we're already running late. We should be on our way."
Kael stood up a second later, stretching briefly, his cloak shifting behind him. "You're right, ma'am. I've got a quest to handle myself."
Arwyn straightened as well, giving him a sidelong glance. "Then walk with us a while. We're heading toward that district too."
"Alright," Kael said easily, offering a small smile.
Seraphina stood wordlessly. Her eyes flicked toward Arwyn as they exchanged a few quiet words, half argument, half routine. In the end, it was Arwyn who paid the bill, ignoring Seraphina's protests with a simple wave of her hand. The waitress bowed quickly and stepped away, the tension in the air beginning to fade.
Around them, the cake shop slowly returned to its previous rhythm. Conversations resumed, mugs clinked against wooden tables, and laughter returned. But under the surface, whispers lingered.
"That Kael guy… how the hell does someone like him end up sitting with the Captain and her Lieutenant?"
"He must've saved a princess or something."
"Or maybe he's just really good at something, if you catch my drift..."
"Pfft. More like he's lucky as hell."
Unaware, or perhaps uncaring, that the quiet adventurer had already become the center of rumors, Kael stepped out of the shop alongside two of the most powerful women in Velhart.
And none of the onlookers could possibly imagine… just how many secrets that man truly carried.
---
After that, they walked together for a while, not speaking much, only the occasional drift of Arwyn's nonsense filling the quiet between them like a faint, aimless melody, and eventually, their steps brought them to a long stone path, where the road stretched forward in silence and, to one side, a great tree stood tall and unmoving, its heavy branches casting shadows that swayed faintly with the breeze.
And then, just as they were about to continue walking, a strange noise suddenly cut through the stillness, low at first, almost like a whisper carried by the wind, and they paused, their steps halting as the sound grew clearer, sharper, until from somewhere up ahead, distant but undeniable, they could hear it echoing through the air:
"Kill... Kill... Kill..."
Their eyes turned toward the voice, drawn to a gathering of people, mostly strangers, their faces unfamiliar, bodies tense, arranged in a loose circle. Their legs shifted nervously, uneven and restless, as if waiting for something to break loose.
"What's happening there?" Kael wondered, but before he could focus, Seraphina had already vanished. Only her voice remained, sharp and commanding.
"Control yourself, Arwyn. Do not lose your mind. Do not let your hatred control you. Your magic is needed here."
---
(Chapter Ended)