After a thirty-minute drive to Nieza's home, her elite black sedan finally came to a stop before a towering silver gate nearly five meters high, adorned with luxurious lion ornaments. Beyond the gate lay a sprawling estate covering roughly twenty thousand square meters. The mansion stretched horizontally, dominated by pristine white walls. In front of the grand house was a garden as wide as Neopjevan School's sports field, complete with an elegant fountain. To the right of the gate stood a metal plaque engraved with a single word: Puternic.
"This is a residential area? So where exactly is your house, Nieza?" Kira asked in awe.
"Don't be ridiculous, Kira. The gate in front of us is my gate, and all the large houses inside are my house," Nieza replied casually.
"Oh… my goodness…"
After a brief pause, a voice echoed from hidden speakers around the gate.
"Identification confirmed. Please proceed."
The gate slowly opened, and the black sedan drove straight toward the main entrance at the center of the estate.
The central mansion was the largest of them all. Before reaching its entrance, there were about fifteen stone steps to climb.
"We'll get off here, Kira. Istabene, thank you for your help today," Nieza said as she stepped out of the sedan.
"You're welcome, Miss Nieza," Istabene replied politely, though his gaze remained fixed on Kira.
Noticing that, Kira hurriedly exited the car.
Nieza walked up the steps toward the front door. Kira followed at a slower pace, his eyes wandering over the sheer scale of the mansion he was about to enter.
"…What's wrong, Kira? You seem quieter than usual," Nieza teased.
"I'm just nervous… that's all."
"Oh? For some reason, I enjoy seeing you like this. Revenge can be satisfying—within certain contexts," Nieza said with a soft, elegant laugh.
They arrived at the entrance. The door stood about two and a half meters tall, decorated with beautiful silver ornaments. Nieza opened it slowly and stepped inside.
Suddenly, Kira and Nieza were greeted by two neat rows of servants—female maids and male butlers in formal attire.
"Welcome home, Lady Nieza!" they said in unison, bowing deeply.
"Thank you for the warm welcome," Nieza replied casually as she walked past them.
Kira froze, stunned by the overwhelmingly elite reception.
"Kira…? Why are you spacing out? Follow me."
"…Oh, right."
As Kira followed Nieza, many of the servants turned their eyes toward him in curiosity. Some male servants looked at him with disdain, while several younger maids stared at him in fascination.
Kira felt a strange mix of pride and discomfort under their gazes. He quickened his pace to stay close to Nieza.
"…Where are we going, Nieza?" he asked.
"To meet my father and mother. We should ask for their permission before discussing anything in this house, shouldn't we?"
"Your father and mother…?! Oh no… now I'm really nervous," Kira said in a panic.
"Hohoho… just act like your usual self, Kira. Honestly, I want to see my parents' reactions," Nieza said with a mischievous glint in her eyes.
They entered a large room furnished with sofas, a table, and a fireplace lavishly decorated with silver ornaments. On the wall hung a family portrait. In it, Nieza sat between a gentle-looking blonde woman with green eyes wearing a cream-colored dress on her left, and a red-haired man with a thick mustache, dressed in a shirt and brown vest, on her right. His gaze was stern. Other paintings depicting natural landscapes adorned the walls.
"Father, Mother—I'm home!" Nieza said cheerfully.
"Oh, Nieza. Come here, dear. Let me hold you," said the woman from the portrait—Nieza's mother—as she approached and embraced her.
"Nieza?! Are you alright?" asked the red-haired man in a harsh tone. He was Nieza's father.
"I'm fine, Father. It's all thanks to my friend, Kira Rainhard," Nieza said, gesturing toward Kira.
Her parents turned to look at the black-haired young man who had been standing at a respectful distance. Nieza's father immediately stood and walked toward him.
"…So you're the one who helped my daughter during that mysterious incident?" he asked heavily, his voice like an interrogation.
"I—I just happened to be there and did what felt natural to me… ahahaha…" Kira replied nervously.
"…Are you trying to trap my daughter?"
"Uh… no."
"…Then how exactly did you help her?"
"Well… um… Nieza probably knows the details better."
"What?! Are you playing games with me?!" her father snapped angrily.
"N-No! That's not it. I only helped by offering her a solution to a problem at school. I don't even know if she found it helpful…" Kira said desperately.
"Hmph! So all these mysterious incidents were your doing, just to win over my only daughter?! Answer me!" her father threatened, grabbing Kira by the collar.
"I-I think you're overreacting… hahaha…" Kira forced a laugh.
"So it is true then?!" the man shouted.
"Dear, that's enough. The young man is right—you're thinking too much," Nieza's mother said calmly, restraining her husband.
"Azul, don't be naïve! I sense something bad about him!" her father—Vermello—retorted, glaring at Kira.
"Vermello, mind your manners. You're a grown man. Kira, was it? Please forgive my husband's childish behavior. He's just jealous because his daughter looks happier than usual," Azul said gently.
"J-Jealous?! Azul! What do you mean by that?!" Vermello exclaimed.
"S-Sorry if I said something that might have offended you, Mr. Vermello…" Kira said, completely confused.
"Oh, I like your mature attitude. A handsome and polite young man like you might indeed be suitable as Nieza's husband someday," Azul said casually.
"WHAT?!" Kira and Vermello shouted in unison.
"So that's your plan?! You want to take Nieza?! Step over my dead body first!" Vermello roared, trying to lunge at Kira, but Azul held him back.
"I-I didn't mean that at all…!" Kira said, backing away and glancing desperately at Nieza for help. Nieza, however, looked amused.
"Father, please stop. I brought him here because there's something important I need to discuss with him," Nieza said, holding her father's hand.
"Discuss… what?" Vermello asked.
"Se-cret," Nieza replied casually.
"Nieza?! Why are you acting like this toward your own father?! I was worried sick!" Vermello exclaimed.
"Hahaha… I'm joking, Father. It's about schoolwork. Even though he looks rough, he's quite intelligent. I brought him here to get your and Mother's permission so we can finish our discussion properly."
"…Nieza," Vermello said softly, still conflicted.
"Father, please…" Nieza pleaded—the magic words she always used to get her way.
"…A-Alright. But remember, I'll be watching you while you're discussing," Vermello finally said.
"…Thank you. I love you, Father," Nieza said, hugging him. The frightening look on Vermello's face gradually softened. Nieza then turned to her mother.
"I understand, Nieza. You have my permission, dear," Azul said warmly.
"Thank you, Mom! Let's go, Kira!" Nieza said, quickly grabbing Kira's hand and pulling him out of the room.
"H-Hey, wait!" Kira protested as he stumbled after her.
"Mr. Vermello, Mrs. Azul, I'm sorry if I was disrespectful!" Kira called back loudly.
As Nieza and Kira disappeared from the central room, Vermello and Azul could only watch with puzzled expressions.
"Nieza seems different," Azul said quietly.
"Different how, Azul?" Vermello asked.
"Oh dear… you're her father. You should know. Usually, when she comes home from school, she looks pale and sickly. She has to take several private medications just to appear healthy in front of us. But now it's different. She looks healthier and more cheerful—without any medicine."
Vermello fell silent.
"Could it be that Kira is the medicine Nieza has been searching for all this time?" Azul mused.
"You watch too many dramas, Azul," Vermello snapped.
"Love is the best medicine."
"…KIRA RAINHARD! STEP OVER MY DEAD BODY FIRST!" Vermello roared through the mansion.