They all sat down, Lord Valtor easing back into his armchair like he owned the room, and Sara and Lys settling on the cushioned sofa across from him. The seat felt a bit stiff under Lys, or maybe that was just his nerves. He sat up straight, hands on his knees, trying not to fidget.
He felt a little nervous. The person before him was a high-ranking noble, after all. One wrong word, and things could go bad fast. Although he had just gotten into this world barely some days ago, he knew very well how serious it was to offend or get on bad terms with a noble in a world like this.
Sara gave him a quick, encouraging glance, but her own posture was perfect, back straight, hands folded in her lap.
Lord Valtor leaned back comfortably, crossing his legs. His voice was calm but carried a silent weight, like every word coming out of his mouth mattered. "So, Miss Sara, tell me more about this village. How have things been lately? Elowen mentioned some troubles, so I thought it would be good to get some updates on this village while I'm here."
Sara nodded, her voice steady but respectful. She glanced at Lys again, as if drawing a little strength from him. "Uhh, it's been mostly stable, my lord, just the Gaiya Forest around us has become a little more dangerous than usual. Wolves and other monsters are showing up far too often. They've attacked a few travelers on the roads, and some have even come close to our fields, scaring the farmers. Just three days ago, we held a village meeting about it. The council and I drafted a letter to the capital, requesting knights or hunters to help clear them out, but... we haven't received any reply yet. So it's been worrying everyone."
Lord Valtor frowned deeply, stroking his little beard with one hand. His eyes narrowed, showing real concern. "Hmm, that's troubling indeed. Lately, something seems to be going on around the Gaiya Forest, I heard from my butler. Heard something stirred up the wilds everywhere, beasts growing bolder, more aggressive. So it's really true. Hmm, okay, I get it now. It's indeed a problem to be solved immediately. Okay, I tell you what, I'll make some inquiries when I return to the capital. Perhaps I can push things along a little faster. We can't have good folk like you living in fear."
Sara bowed her head slightly. "Thank you, my lord. Your help would mean the world to the village. We've been managing, but it's getting harder."
Lord Valtor turned his sharp gaze to Lys, making him sit up even straighter. Lys felt a knot in his stomach; those eyes seemed to see right through him. "And you, young man? You've faced these threats firsthand, taking on those wolves to save my daughter. What do you think needs to be done? Speak freely."
Lys swallowed, his mouth got a bit dry. He wasn't used to nobles, let alone one asking his opinion like it mattered. Yet he tried his best, trying not to look nervous. "Uh, well, my lord... more patrols could help. And, um, training some villagers to fight back properly. We can't always wait for help from the capital, it's too far. Better to be ready ourselves."
As he spoke, Lys felt the words come easier. Lord Valtor's nod encouraged him, and the nervousness faded a little. He met the noble's eyes more steadily now.
Lord Valtor nodded slowly, a thoughtful expression on his face. "Hmm, Smart thinking. It is very practical, too. I like a man who sees the reality on the ground." He paused, then his smile widened, warm but with an edge of calculation. "Speaking of which, Lys... my daughter has spoken very highly of you. She's taken quite a liking, more than I've seen in a long time. So, what do you say? Would you be willing to become a Valtor as well?"
Lys blinked, totally confused. His mind raced. What did that even mean? "A Valtor? I'm sorry, my lord, but... what do you mean?"
Lord Valtor chuckled softly, leaning forward a bit. The room seemed to hold its breath. "I mean, join the family, lad. Become her fiancé. Elowen's chosen you, and from what I see and hear, I approve wholeheartedly. It's not every day a young man impresses both her and me."
The words hit Lys like a cold splash of water. Marriage? To a noble's daughter? His heart pounded, but he kept his face as steady as he could. The offer was massive, life-changing. But something inside him twisted. "I... I'm truly honored, my lord. More than I can say. But...Isn't that a little too fast, considering we have just met?"
Lord Valtor let out a deep, rumbling laugh that echoed softly off the stone walls of the chamber, his broad shoulders shaking with genuine amusement. "Hoh hoh! Aye, lad, I get that a lot. You're right; it does seem hasty, doesn't it? Offering the hand of my only daughter to a man I've yet to share a meal with. But life's too short for dithering, especially in matters of securing a healthy man for my dear daughter, a healthy man like you. I won't hesitate, I can't. If I dillydally on this matter only to see that what I wanted has been taken by others. I've learned that the hard way over the years."
He leaned back in his chair, the wood creaked a little under his weight, and fixed Lys with a gaze that was equal parts being a father and also a shrewd appraisal.
"You see, I wasn't always the Lord Valtor, as I'm now. No, I started much like you, a young upstart with more grit than gold, scraping by on wits and whatever scraps the world threw my way. I was a commoner, Lys, born in a dusty village not unlike the one you hail from. No noble blood, no ancient lineage to lean on. Just a lad with dreams bigger than his boots."
Lys shifted slightly, his confusion giving way to intrigue. He could feel the weight of the moment pressing down on him as the man before him shared his own story. "My lord... how did you..?"
"Ah, now that's the tale worth telling," Lord Valtor interrupted with a wink, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial tone as if sharing a secret long buried. "It was Elowen's mother, Isolde, who spotted me first. I was no more than a wandering mercenary then, fresh from a skirmish on the borders, covered in mud and glory. We'd just repelled a band of raiders, and I was nursing a wound in some tavern when she walked in."
He paused, his smile softening with a touch of nostalgia, his fingers drumming idly on the armrest. "She thanked me for saving her life from these raiders. She didn't hesitate, lad. That very night, she dragged me before her father, the old Lord Valtor himself. 'I'm going to marry him,' she declared, bold as brass. No courtship dances, no endless banquets or flowery letters. Just pure, unfiltered conviction. Her father grumbled, of course, called it reckless, impulsive. But Isolde? She wouldn't hear it. 'Life's for the bold,' she said. 'And this man's got the fire to match mine.'"
Lord Valtor's eyes gleamed with the memory, a hint of moisture gathering at the corners that he blinked away quickly. "Back then, the curse wasn't there to speak of. So everything was normal. But yet she chose me."
His face showed a hint of warmth while talking about this part, then again, he wiped that expression just as that came, "So tell me, lad, if I had hesitated that day, where would I be? A mercenary, or some knight, or dead in some war field, lying on the ground headless. But I didnt hesitated when she said she would marry me, a commoner, ignoring everyone's crude comments. And look at me now, I'm Lord Valtor now, with lands stretching to the horizon, a legacy built on that one swift decision. Of course, it wasn't easy; there were trials, betrayals, nights when I wondered if I'd bitten off more than I could chew. But that leap? It forged me, lad. Made me the man I am. And Elowen... I tell you what! She's got her mother's fire, through and through. When she speaks of you, lad, I hear that same certainty. So tell me true, will you take the plunge, or let the moment slip away?"
Lys just stared at Lord Valtor's face, even when he stopped talking, as if he had been too stunned and moved to hear this epic tale of the man before him. At least that's what it looked like to Lord Valtor.
'Huh, what is this guy saying? Is that supposed to be a real history that actually took place? Do people really marry like that?'
Lord Valtor saw the stunned look on Lys's face and took it as his hesitation, so he held up a hand, his tone reassuring but firm. "Take your time. Of course, you can refuse; no pressure from me. But understand what it means. Being my daughter's fiancé would grant you a noble title immediately. And as my gift, I'd provide a territory of your own, a solid piece of land to rule and build on with her. Security for life, wealth to grow, respect from all corners. It's a good path, lad. Not bad at all, eh?"
Sara's eyes were wide, her hands clasped tight in her lap. She looked at Lys, a mix of shock and silent urging in her gaze. She didn't know if she should say something or not.
Lys took a deep breath. The room felt tense to him now, the air thick with expectation. He could feel Lord Valtor's eyes on him, waiting.
After some thinking like that, he finally shook his head firmly. "Thank you, my lord. Really, from the bottom of my heart. But I have to say no. I don't want wealth or titles I didn't earn myself. If I'm going to have anything like that, I want to work for it. Build it with my own hands."
Just as he rejected it, the silence stretched inside the room. Lord Valtor raised an eyebrow, leaning back slowly. He didn't look angry, but the warmth in his smile cooled a bit, replaced by a sharp surprise. He didn't expect this outcome when he offered Lys his daughter's hand.
The mood in the room tensed like a bowstring. "You're sure about this? You're sure you won't regret it later? Most men in your position would jump at the chance, lad. It's rare to offer such a thing from a man like me. I offered you this because my daughter seemed very happy when she spoke of you. Like you were her hero."
Lys nodded, his voice steady despite the knot in his gut. "I'm sure, my lord. Forgive me for saying this. It's a great honor, but it's not for me."
Sara shot him a sharp look, her face a whirlwind of shock and frustration. She stood up quickly, her chair scraping the floor. "Uhh, Lord Valtor, excuse us for just a moment, please. I...uhh.. I need to say a few things to Lys privately."
Lord Valtor waved a hand dismissively, his expression still calm but with a hint of curiosity now. "Go ahead. Take your time. I'll wait."
Sara grabbed Lys's arm; her grip was tight as she pulled him toward the door.