LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 15: She Stays!
Alexander froze midstep, slowly Turning to greet Camilla with a sheepish grin.
"Hey." He said casually, "You come here often?" He joked about a nervous habit he picked up from his previous life.
Camilla chuckled softly before collecting herself. "May you lead us downstairs for breakfast?" She asked in a casual yet respectful manner.
Uhm, what?
Alexander was certain Camilla would grill him for listening in on their conversation, so for her to ask something so casual was… strange.
"I'm sorry, could you repeat that?" He asked again, turning his ear towards Camilla as he placed his hand behind it.
"Are you a fool?" Louise said with the stomp of her foot. "Take us to breakfast, for I am not in the mood for your games."
Alexander nervously nodded. "Of course, that's what I thought you said." He then stepped away from the stairs and gestured towards them. "A-after you." He stammered, gesturing a head down the stairs.
Look at me, a noble, waiting on hand and foot for two women I barely know… damn you Ben!
As Camilla and Louise walked past him and descended the stairs, Alexander slowly shook his head.
"Alexander Von Daname." He muttered to himself as the Nova sisters headed down the stairs. "More like Alexander the fucked."
Entering the main dining room, the trio was greeted by Marcus quietly enjoying a bowl of fruit and porridge while Olivia poked at her bowl with a bored frown.
"Lady Olivia, Marcus, good to see you both awake so early," Camilla said with a warm smile, sitting down at the table beside her.
Olivia gave a quick smile to Camilla before returning to her porridge.
Marcus reminded silently averting his gaze from Alexander, who stared him down with murderous intent.
Look at you acting all casual… I will have vengeance!
"Alex darling…" Olivia said softly.
Alexander looked at her with a slightly surprised expression. "Yes, mother?" He asked.
"Come here."
Alexander blinked his eyes in disbelief, Olivia has never ever wanted anything from him.
"Uhm…" Alexander stood frozen for a moment, stuck processing Olivia's request.
Camilla looked at Alexander with a curious expression. "Alexander, did you not hear your mother?" She asked curiously.
"Sorry," Alexander said softly as he walked over to Olivia. "Yes, mother?" He said curiously, standing beside her.
Olivia looked at him with a smile. "Do you want this?" She asked, pushing the bowl of porridge towards him.
Alexander looked towards the bowl, the tan and sticky porridge inside was unappealing to the eye, and that's not even mentioning Olivia has clearly been eating it already.
Ugh, she didn't even put any fruits or spices in here, what are we… poor?
Alexander looked up to Olivia with a forced smile. Although he didn't want to eat this, something at the back of his mind was begging him to.
To the average person, this would just be a woman trying to give her unwanted food to a child.
But Alexander had a feeling that Olivia didn't quite see it that way.
"Is there something wrong with it?" Alexander asked.
Olivia shook her head. "No, it's just…" she paused as she looked down at her porridge. She then grabbed the silver spoon and scooped some out. "Here, try it." She said, reaching the spoon towards his mouth.
Alexander hesitantly opened his mouth, as Olivia placed the spoon inside he expected a horrible taste.
But it never came.
Instead, he was met with a warm and gooey liquid that tasted of cinnamon and sugar. His eyes widened with delight as he savored the flavor.
"Mhmm, this is good." He said with a muffled laugh.
Olivia smiled. "I thought so too, so I had three bowls this morning." She said with a giggle.
Oh… see that makes sense, she couldn't finish it all.
"Look, between you and me, I never doubted you for a second." He said with a nod, before taking his seat beside her and enjoying the porridge.
Olivia looked confused for a moment. "Doubt?" She asked, growing closer to Alexander. "What was doubted?"
Alexander froze mid-spoonful, beads is sweat forming on his forehead.
Me and my big mouth!
Fortunately, before he was forced to answer, Camilla drew her attention. "Lady Olivia, may I have a word with you and Lady Erica, the matters I wish to discuss pertain to you both."
Olivia looked over at Camilla, "Erica is in the kitchen with the servants, but I'm sure whatever you wish to discuss she'll have a similar response to me, so please tell me."
Camilla sighed as she tightened her fist. She then looked over to Louise, who quietly sat beside her.
"I understand Lady Olivia." Camilla then took a deep breath. "My sister wishes to stay at your residence during my time at the front." A frown tugged at her lips, "understand that this is not a request I make lightly, and I completely understand if the answer is n–"
"Oh, she can absolutely stay," Olivia said with a warm smile. "Alex could use someone closer to his age around the mansion."
Camilla blinked in disbelief, while Louise smiled smugly.
"I-I see…" Camilla said with a nod.
"Excellent," Louise said with the cross of her arms.
"Was there anything else?" Olivia asked.
"Well Antoinette will be staying with h–"
"YES!!!" a shout of pure joy rang out from the entrance of the dining room. Turning to look, Ben could be seen with Antoinette at the entrance.
Ben dropped to his knees with his hands in the air, as Antoinette covered her face with a hand.
My man.
Alexander smirked as he gave a supportive nod.
Olivia and Camilla chuckled in unison at Ben's over-the-top reaction.
Camilla then sighed. "Well, I suppose that's all." She then stood up from the table. "I'll be on my way now, the faster I leave the better." She then turned to look to Louise, "Write a letter to Mother on your decision to stay, and ensure to inform her that you are NOT at the front, understand?"
Louise gave a nod. "I understand."
Camilla then headed for the exit, stopping only to give a nod to Antoinette, who saluted in response.
A fist to her chest as she clicked her heels together.
With Camilla gone, a brief silence fell over the room, before Louise finally broke it. "I wish for a slice of toast and jam, with a glass of honey mead."
She said with the cross of her arms as she leaned back in her seat.
Antoinette nodded as she looked towards Olivia, "Excuse me, Lady Olivia, do you happen to have those items?"
Olivia nodded with a smile. "Of course, though the mead we have is on the fresher side."
Antoinette nodded. "I'm sure Lady Louise has no complaints, right my lady?"
Louise waved her hand with a sigh. "Indeed, fresh is fine."
With Antoinette leaving for the kitchen, Alexander quietly looked over at Louise. He figured that since it was he who gave her the idea to stay, he should at least talk to her.
"So…" Alexander began casually. "Were you always into mead, or do you dabble in liquor."
Louise turned to look at Alexander with a confounded expression. "What?"
Alexander continued. "I'm more of a water person myself, though I boil it personally, you know." He said with a small smile.
"…" Louise remained silent as her face scrunched up.
Marcus burst into laughter as he turned his face towards the wall. Gently hitting his fist against the table.
Olivia began to chuckle herself, raising a hand to her mouth as she averted her gaze.
What? alcohol is alcohol…
"A-are you mentally deranged?" Louise finally asked. "I want something to drink." She said in a contemptuous tone. "Not a death wish."
Alexander shrugged.
You know… now that I think about it, I really just asked a seven-year-old if she drinks liquor.
He sighed as she looked down at his empty bowl of porridge. "I see…"
Olivia raised a hand and placed it on his head. "So Alex, what are doing after practice?" She asked him in a soft and gentle tone.
Sleep, like always.
"I don't know." Alexander answered, "I haven't thought about it." he lied.
Olivia smiled warmly. "Well, maybe we can go out on the town, and explore for a bit, with Louise and Marcus."
Marcus quickly perked up. "Oh, can we visit the tinker's store!" He said with excitement. "I want to check out that wrist blade Camilla was talking about yesterday."
Olivia's eyes widened slightly. "What in the goddess's name would you need that for?"
Marcus' eyes twinkled with excitement. "To try a new weapon, she said that people didn't use them because of the inconvenience, but it sounded so cool, right Alex!"
Alexander glanced at Marcus with an annoyed expression. He still hadn't forgotten about what happened earlier and it still triggered him.
But, that hidden blade Camilla mentioned yesterday during dinner was something he was interested in.
Though he knew it was pointless as a weapon. You had to get extremely close to using it, putting you at a major disadvantage, and then there was the thing with missing fingers from the blade extending prematurely.
Leaving it as more of a novelty for the wreck.
Though now an idea popped up in Alexander's head.
If Marcus got that damn thing, and a finger just so happened to go flying off…
"I agree!" Alexander said with a flush of excitement, "We should definitely get you one of those!" He said with an excited chuckle.
"Absolutely not," Olivia said in a stern tone, killing the joy of the moment. "Camilla clearly stated that device was dangerous, even for the most experienced of Pathfinders, I will not let you bring that in this house."
Both Alexander and Marcus groaned in unison, both for different reasons.
"Perhaps a trip to the clothing retailer should suffice, since I'm staying here, I need to thicken out my wardrobe." Louise chimed in.
Olivia's eyes widened with excitement. "That sounds wonderful!" She said with glee.
Aw, fuck not this, anything but a shopping spree with a woman that's loaded with cash to spend!
"I think I'm sick…" Alexander said with a fake cough. Raised out of his seat to get away from Olivia.
"M-me too!" Marcus chimed in.
Olivia chuckled as she sat Alexander back down. "Oh come on boys." She said with a soft laugh, "There's clothes for boys too, besides, it'll just be in and out, no detours."
Alexander gave Olivia a skeptical look.
We both know that isn't true.
Alexander sighed as he relaxed in his seat. "Fine, 20 minutes, in and out?"
Olivia nodded with a wide smile, gently massaging Alexander's shoulder. "Oh absolutely, maybe even fifteen minutes if you're a good boy."
We aren't coming home till noon…
— — —
After their usual training session with Elise, the boys along with Louise and Olivia were preparing a carriage for their journey to the city.
Elise was their driver and Liz was their windwalker.
Inside the carriage, Marcus sat across from Alexander and next to Olivia. While Alexander sat next to Louise, who sat across from Olivia.
With everyone dressed to impress and settled into the carriage, their journey towards the city began.