‘What am I doing right now?’ As I question myself internally, I continue the act. He also responds, rather clumsily. Well, it’s not as if we have any experience doing this.

He better not has any experience! Otherwise, there’ll be much to answer for! Ah! I’m being like mother again. I must not, what will I do if he runs away.

While, I’m chatting away in my mind at near light speed, I unwittingly release him only to find him staring back into my eyes.

My thoughts just freeze up right there. I wonder what he thinks of me right now.

My thoughts wonder back to our time together over the years, when we first met right up until the present day.

My twin brother, Michael’s roommate, a commoner boy. Talented in mana manipulation, enough to shock those ‘pure blooded’ nobles around him.

It was a rather unintended effect, but Amelia Gray befriending the boy brought about unsavoury rumours from the crowd.

Word of how the Duke’s sole daughter was seducing the poor commoner boy with no background with honey traps and wealth, to rope him into her household, got around the academy.

I didn’t know who had spread such false facts, but it made me furious nonetheless.

I certainly was not about to lose her first friend to the likes of some scheming gossip.

Therefore, instead of backing away, I became even closer to the boy. I even went to visit his family despite his protests.

The rumour died down pretty quickly. We were only ten years old after all. As the months passed by, everything became natural. I’d be pulling his hands or hugging him as if he was a family member.

After the first few times, I’d be rolling in my bed in shame. But, I found comfort in such acts. He was family but different from my brothers.

They say girls mature faster than boys. Maybe it was because he was close to his big sister as he grew up, he had no real aversion to my skinship. It eased the embarrassment for me.

Our relationship grew steadily from that point on. Michael thought that we were being disgusting and stopped hanging out with us.

I don’t know when I started treating him the way I do now. Was it a year ago? Was it when I found out that he was moving away? I don’t know. It doesn’t matter.

Thoughts swirled in my head as I stared into his eyes, I couldn’t help but call his name.

“Alex…” “Amelia!”

We both laughed at the same time. He gave me a quick peck on the lips, refusing to look me in the eyes right after. It was the first time Alex initiated an intimate act! I couldn’t hide my smile as I thought about how to tease him later on.

I think I heard my father’s groaning and mother laughing somewhere.

***

The King had come to his private study after the morning session with his subjects. He’d been thinking about how to make life difficult for Kyle and his family.

The live reports on the whereabouts of the entire family showed that everyone was at their family mansion except for Alex, his son’s rival, who was at the Duke’s compounds.

This matter has actually given him a headache. Technically, they’d done nothing wrong, and as the King, he couldn’t just arbitrarily punish his citizens. Therefore, he’d have to do this under the table.

If word was to reach other’s ears about his plans, his rule could be cut short and his family ostracized by the public. As he sat down at the usual spot, he noticed a sealed letter present on the desk.

He picked up the letter with a doubt in his mind. Who could have placed a letter except for his secret guard in his private study?

Then he noticed the mana imprint of the royal family. Hurriedly sending mana into the parchment, a row of words began to unravel after the seal was released.

The King’s expression froze from reading the contents. They were precisely instructions from the royal ancestor to not bother Kyle’s family. While, the old man didn’t exactly imply that Kyle was stronger than himself, it could be seen that the royal ancestor was cautious about the man.

*Bang*

The study table shook as the fists of an adept ranked warrior struck in frustration.

“Damn!”

After releasing language not befitting of his station, he slumped back on his chair.

The King sighed out of partial relief and frustration. ‘At least they’re leaving the capital. Someone else’s problem now!’

***

“Have you decided, Alex?” Vanessa asked her little brother, sitting across from her, with his lover next to him.

She couldn’t help but smirk as she watched the two, holding hands, lost in their own environment.

“Well, I guess that answers the question.” Vanessa’s mumble escaped the two lovebirds as they got comfortable in their own fantasies.

“Oh, for crying out loud! It’s only been half a day, quit it already!” Vanessa sharp retort jolted the two, bringing an embarrassed but goofy grin on Alex’s face, and a pink glow on Amelia’s pretty features.

The time was a bit after lunch. Kyle had gone out with his daughter, taking the carriage to run errands around town. The maids were busy packing extra things for their relocation.

In the morning, all employees had signed a mana contract stating that they were not to divulge any details seen at the mansion under all but exceptional circumstances.

Therefore, Kyle had been freely using his storage ring inside the mansion, under the surprised eyes of the maids.

Amelia had also seen Kyle storing things into his ring. The poor girl had mistaken Kyle as a hidden hermit, powerful enough to work as a royal court mage if he so wished to, ever since she heard the details of the royal guards’ defeat from Ruby. Therefore, she was not surprised to see Kyle owning a ‘space artefact’.

Kyle didn’t see the need to correct her and the Duke would certainly not speak out about what went on in his study to anyone.

Alex was gingerly holding Amelia’s hands as he took a breath and spoke.

“Sister! I want to finish my studies at the academy! I want to stay together with Amelia.” He turned to look at the beauty beside him as he said the last part.

Before the two lost themselves in their own little world once more, Vanessa responded to Alex’s declaration.

“Well, I thought as much. It’s fine, we will come visit you once a year at least. As for what you want to do after three years, I will leave it up to you, little brother.”

“Amelia, I’ll have to ask you to continue to take care of my idiot little brother when I’m not here. Honestly, I still don’t know why you like him!”

“Sister!”

“Oh, I will, sister Vanessa, hehe.”

Vanessa thought of something as she observed Alex and Amelia. With a sly grin, she addressed Alex.

“Little brother!”

“What is it, big sis?”

“Have you talked about Liz to Amelia? The two girls will be seeing each frequently in the future after all.”

Alex’s face stiffened. He’d obviously forgotten about Liz, his new personal maid. Amelia sported a questioning expression while she turned to look at the boy next to her.

Her expression turning somewhat sour, having felt that she was being left out of the loop, she asked Alex.

“Liz? The maid? What are you talking about, sister Vanessa? Alex?”

“Umm…that…” Alex didn’t know where to start with the explanation. It was rather forced onto him. He could reject the girl but he didn’t know how to!

It was at that time that the maid in question walked into the room with a tray carrying tea and snacks.

Liz came into the room to find a smiling Vanessa, an awkward Alex and Amelia who was looking at her with a glare.

The maid, despite older than both Alex and Amelia, flinched from the unkind gaze. After softly setting the tray down and setting the cups of tea for each occupant, she quickly bowed and turned around to leave as if escaping from something scary.

This act did not help with the now very suspicious Amelia, who had pretty much connected the dots from the little spoken information and the odd behaviour from Alex and Liz.

She got up from the couch and followed after Liz, not forgetting to give Alex a death stare as she left.