The Asheville Mansion remained quiet beneath the silver moonlight.
Cold night winds drifted softly beyond the towering crystal windows while silver chandeliers illuminated the grand reception hall in warm golden light. Shadows stretched elegantly across polished marble floors while ancient Asheville swords displayed upon the walls reflected faint glimmers beneath the flickering mana lamps.
Yet despite the beautiful atmosphere—
The tension inside the room continued growing steadily.
Reina sat calmly upon the matriarch seat.
Elegant.
Cold.
Untouchable.
Her silver hair flowed across one shoulder like moonlight itself while the black noble dress she wore perfectly emphasized the composed authority surrounding her now. One slender leg crossed over the other while silver eyes remained fixed calmly upon the viscount's son sitting opposite her.
And behind her—
Kel stood silently.
Like a shadow.
Like a blade waiting quietly behind the throne.
His expression remained calm.
Unreadable.
Yet somehow—
His mere presence alone made the atmosphere feel heavier.
The viscount's son awkwardly shifted slightly within his seat again.
Because ever since Herald entered the room—
The pressure became unbearable.
Not openly hostile.
Not threatening.
Just…
Oppressive.
As though a predator quietly observed him from behind Reina's chair.
Still—
The young noble refused giving up.
Because in his own mind—
This was romance.
Persistence.
Dedication.
Not humiliation.
"…Lady Reina."
His voice sounded softer this time.
Almost desperate.
"I truly mean everything I said before."
Reina's expression did not change.
The viscount beside him visibly looked exhausted already.
Honestly—
He regretted bringing his son here again.
Weeks.
For weeks this fool kept talking about Reina endlessly.
Couldn't focus on administration.
Couldn't focus on training.
Couldn't focus on noble duties.
Only Reina.
Reina.
Reina.
At this point the viscount himself personally wanted this matter resolved just so peace could finally return to his household.
The young noble continued speaking nervously.
"I know I acted improperly before…"
His face flushed slightly remembering the earlier incident.
"…but my feelings are sincere."
Reina quietly stared at him.
Cold silver eyes.
No warmth.
No anger.
Only restraint.
And somehow—
That felt worse.
The viscount quickly joined the conversation afterward before silence killed his son emotionally again.
"Lady Reina…"
He awkwardly cleared his throat.
"My son truly admires you deeply."
Kel silently observed from behind.
Inside his mind—
Sairen sounded highly entertained.
"The father looks more desperate than the son."
Kel internally replied calmly.
"He wants peace."
"No."
The silver-haired spirit softly laughed.
"He wants his son to stop embarrassing the household."
"…Also true."
Meanwhile—
The viscount continued awkwardly.
"You are talented."
"Beautiful."
"Capable."
"One of the most respected young matriarchs within western-central territories."
Another pause.
"And our households together could strengthen political stability considerably."
Reina finally spoke afterward.
"…Political stability?"
Her voice remained calm.
But dangerously calm.
The viscount immediately straightened slightly.
"Yes."
He smiled nervously.
"Both our houses would benefit greatly from alliance through marriage."
Silence.
Then slowly—
Reina leaned slightly against the armrest of her chair.
Her silver eyes reflected the warm chandelier lights softly.
"And if I refuse?"
The viscount's expression froze slightly.
Meanwhile his son immediately spoke again.
"Why would you refuse?"
The room became quiet instantly.
Even the viscount internally wanted to strangle his own child.
Reina slowly looked toward him afterward.
The young noble immediately stiffened beneath her gaze.
"…Explain."
Her voice sounded calm.
Too calm.
The young noble swallowed nervously.
"I mean…"
He tried smiling awkwardly.
"I'm not lacking compared to other nobles."
The more he spoke—
The more exhausted his father looked.
"I genuinely care about you."
"I'm willing to support House Asheville."
"And I've already proven my sincerity many times—"
Inside his mind—
Kel quietly thought:
"You proved persistence."
Sairen immediately laughed.
"You're becoming increasingly annoyed."
"I'm observing."
"You've repeated that several times tonight."
Meanwhile—
Reina quietly rested one finger against the armrest afterward.
The atmosphere around her slowly became colder.
Not visibly.
Emotionally.
"Your sincerity…"
Her silver eyes remained fixed toward the young noble calmly.
"…included attempting to force yourself into my personal space despite repeated warnings."
The young noble immediately paled slightly.
"That was because I drank too much—"
"And?"
The single word cut through the room sharply.
Silence followed instantly.
Reina slowly stood afterward.
Her black dress moved elegantly beneath the chamber lights while overwhelming pressure subtly spread throughout the room.
Not mana pressure.
Authority.
The authority of a woman who rebuilt herself through suffering.
"I rejected you politely."
"One time."
"Twice."
"Several times."
She slowly descended the steps beneath the matriarch seat afterward.
The viscount immediately looked nervous.
His son looked cornered emotionally.
"And yet…"
Reina's silver eyes narrowed slightly.
"…you continued appearing."
The young noble instinctively leaned backward slightly.
Not because Reina looked violent.
Because she looked disappointed.
And strangely—
That hurt more.
"I admired your determination at first."
Her voice remained calm.
"But eventually…"
A faint coldness entered her expression.
"…it became disrespectful."
The hall became completely silent afterward.
Kel quietly observed her from behind.
And honestly—
He approved.
Reina changed tremendously.
Years ago she carried pain quietly beneath silence.
Now—
She carried authority.
Control.
Sharpness.
The viscount immediately stood afterward trying to stabilize the situation.
"Lady Reina, please understand—"
"No."
Reina calmly looked toward him.
"I understand perfectly."
The older noble froze slightly.
Reina's voice softened afterward.
Not warm.
But calmer.
"You are a father tired of your son's obsession."
The viscount visibly stiffened.
Because she directly exposed his real intention instantly.
"You hoped marriage would settle him."
Silence.
The viscount slowly lowered his gaze afterward.
Because unfortunately—
She was correct.
Meanwhile—
His son looked devastated.
"Father…"
The viscount rubbed his forehead tiredly.
"…You've embarrassed yourself enough already."
The young noble froze.
"You've stopped training properly."
"Stopped handling work."
"You speak about nothing except Lady Reina."
The older noble's exhaustion finally surfaced openly.
"I came personally tonight because I wanted this madness to end."
The room became painfully awkward afterward.
Inside his mind—
Sairen softly muttered:
"This family really lacks subtlety."
Kel internally agreed.
Meanwhile—
The young noble looked toward Reina one final time.
Almost pleading.
"…Is there truly no possibility?"
For the first time tonight—
Reina became quiet longer than usual.
Her silver eyes slowly shifted briefly backward.
Toward Kel.
Just one glance.
Brief.
Almost invisible.
Yet enough.
The young noble noticed.
The viscount noticed.
Even the hidden Twin Swords silently noticed.
And somehow—
The atmosphere changed completely afterward.
Because suddenly—
Something became painfully obvious.
The place behind Reina's chair…
Already belonged to someone.
Not officially.
Not publicly.
But emotionally.
Instinctively.
Naturally.
Reina calmly looked back toward the young noble afterward.
And quietly answered:
"No."
Simple.
Absolute.
The young noble slowly lowered his head afterward.
Finally understanding.
Or perhaps—
Finally accepting.
The viscount deeply exhaled beside him.
Relief.
Embarrassment.
Exhaustion.
All mixed together.
Eventually—
The older noble bowed respectfully toward Reina.
"We apologize for disturbing your peace repeatedly."
Reina calmly nodded once.
"Accepted."
The viscount immediately grabbed his son's shoulder afterward.
"We're leaving."
The young noble still looked emotionally destroyed.
Yet before turning away—
He suddenly glanced toward Kel standing silently behind Reina.
And for one dangerous moment—
Their eyes met.
The young noble instantly understood something terrifying.
Herald never spoke once tonight.
Never threatened him.
Never interrupted.
Yet somehow—
The entire room revolved around his existence silently.
And worse—
The young noble realized something else too.
The reason he could never approach Reina closely…
Probably had something to do with him.
That invisible barrier.
That electric shock.
That overwhelming instinctive warning.
None of it felt natural anymore.
Fear slowly crawled across his spine afterward.
Then quietly—
The viscount and his son finally left the reception hall beneath cold moonlit silence.
The enormous doors slowly closed behind them.
And the moment they disappeared—
The atmosphere inside the room changed instantly.
The cold pressure vanished.
The formality vanished.
The hidden tension disappeared completely.
Reina remained standing silently for several moments afterward.
Then slowly—
She turned toward Kel.
Silver eyes finally softened fully.
And for the first time since he returned—
The lonely matriarch quietly smiled.