Novel Bin Chapter 8: I talked to a noblemanʼs daughter?
Chapter 8: I talked to a nobleman?s daughter?
After a while, the Viscount excused himself to go and mingle with other guests.
"You should come visit me sometime boy, you\'re welcome anytime... Mwuhahaha!" (Lugnar)
I watched him walk away, feeling grateful for the brief moment of camaraderie we shared.
My shoulders felt like they\'d collapse, amidst his grandiose laughter, he slapped my back several times.
Nevertheless, it was nice to have someone else to talk to who didn\'t treat me like I was invisible.
Also, I learnt a few interesting things about Viscount Lugnar.
It would come in handy if I ever planned to visit him.
As the head of his family, Efistes, Viscount Lugnar governed three viscounties in the Kingdom of Cross - Argentia, Ivory, and Obsidia. These Viscounties were under the Earldom of Goldcrest and the Duchy of Drakoria.
He was known to be a strict and disciplined ruler who took the well-being of his people very seriously.
He invested a considerable sum of his wealth into providing proper infrastructure, healthcare, and education to his subjects.
Apart from his political pursuits, Viscount Lugnar also operated his own private army, which he called the Blue Guards.
The Blue Guards were an elite group of highly trained soldiers who served the Kingdom of Cross and were at Viscount Lugnar\'s disposal whenever he required them.
Many people speculated that this army was one of the reasons why he had such a strong hold on his three viscounties and why he was often called upon by the king to help quell rebellions and uprisings in other parts of the kingdom.
—"I won\'t bore you with the details."
As the night went on, I watched Genevieve open her presents and dance with her friends.
The atmosphere was filled with joy and celebration, and I couldn\'t help but feel a twinge of envy.
"(I wish I had a crowd like that to celebrate my birthday.)" (Lumiere)
Suddenly, a young woman caught my eye.
She stood on the other side of the room, talking to some of the other children of nobles.
She looked no older than Genny, so I\'d say she was eight or so. So around my age.
She wore a simple, beautiful dress that accentuated her appearance, and her long brown hair was tied up neatly in a bun.
She looked different from the other girls in the room, something about her sparkled with a quiet confidence and grace.
I found myself drawn to her and decided to walk over to see if I could introduce myself.
As I approached her, my heart started to race. I\'d never talked to a girl like this before, and I wasn\'t sure what to say.
"(Stop going forward dammit, you\'ve never spoken to a lady before, she\'ll reject you...)" (Lumiere)
Finally,
"Excuse me, miss. I don\'t think we\'ve met. I\'m Lumiere," I introduced myself, trying to sound as smooth as possible.
Almost like my presence was toxic, the other noble kids immediately left the scene.
She turned towards me and smiled, her eyes twinkling. "I\'m Lucretia. Nice to meet you, Lumiere."
My eyes immediately lit up.
As the night drew on, Lucretia and I found ourselves drawn to each other. Our conversation turned flirtatious, with playful teasing and coy glances being exchanged.
"Tell me, Lumiere," Lucretia said, a mischievous grin playing on her lips. "What\'s the most romantic thing you\'ve ever done for a girl?"
I felt my cheeks flush with embarrassment as I thought back over my past romantic endeavors.
Wait a minute, I had none. I was only eight!
"I, uh, once wrote a poem for a girl I liked." (Lumiere)
What a lie.
Lucretia\'s eyes widened in surprise. "Really? Do you remember what you wrote?"
I took a deep breath, trying to recall the non-existent lines. "Roses are red, violets are blue. Without you, my heart feels so blue."
The cringe. It was so corny.
Lucretia let out a laugh, covering her mouth with her hand. "That\'s adorable, Lumiere. But I think you could do better than that."
Challenge accepted, I thought to myself.
"How about this?" (Lumiere)
I took her hand in mine and looked deeply into her eyes.
"Lucretia, your beauty radiates like the sun, your grace and confidence are truly second to none. In a room full of people, you still shine bright, like a diamond that glows in the darkest night." (Lumiere)
Lucretia?s eyes softened, and she gave me a shy smile.
"You certainly know how to make a girl feel special, Lumiere." (Lucretia)
- - - - - - - -
As midnight approached, the music slowed, and the guests began to filter out of the ballroom. Lucretia and I were reluctant to part ways, but alas, it was time to go. As I walked her to the door, my heart was beating fast with excitement and a little bit of fear.
"Can I see you again, Lucretia?" I asked, suddenly feeling nervous.
She beamed at me. "I would like that very much, Lumiere."
As she walked away, I couldn\'t help but feel a sense of warmth spreading through my chest. I had a feeling this was just the beginning of something wonderful.
We didn\'t consider the titles and social status that would usually keep us from interacting.
It was wonderful.
As I was standing alone, watching Lucretia leave, I felt a presence behind me. It was none other than Viscount Lugnar Efistes, the pompous and arrogant man who usually had no time for anyone outside of his Viscounties. To my surprise, he made an exception for me, probably because I had the confidence to laugh at him when he tripped and fell. He was already drunk, stumbling and slurring his words.
"Well my boy, the night is old, and I must head back to my place," he said, laughing heartily.
"Of course, goodbye sir." I responded, trying to show a modicum of respect.
"Sir? No need for such formality! You can call me Lug, haha!" He roared.
I was taken aback, Lugnar was a Viscount, a noble of high standing, and he was asking me, a mere nobody, to call him by his first name? Nevertheless, I obliged him.
"Alright, I\'ll do that, Lug." (Lumiere)
The name felt foreign on my tongue.
Honestly.
"Don\'t forget, when you\'re older, come and pay me a visit, boy!" He shouted, waving goodbye.
The thought of meeting him again made me uneasy, but I nodded courteously. Before he stumbled out of view, he turned around and yelled, "I hope you didn\'t get anyone pregnant, my boy!"
As he left, I felt a chill run down my spine. It was not just because of Lugnar\'s crude comment, but also because I had just witnessed an unexpected encounter between him and Lucretia. She called him father, and he called her daughter. I felt my world spinning, and the ground beneath my feet gave way. The next thing I knew, I was lying unconscious on the ground.
When I came to, Genny, my half-sister, was beside me, her face filled with concern.
"Are you okay? What happened?" She asked, shaking my arm gently.
I told her what I had seen and fainted again, this time from the realization that the pompous Viscount was Lucretia\'s father. It was a travesty, his deplorable behavior and crude remarks were unfitting for a noble of his stature. It made me wonder how someone like him could have a sweet and kind-hearted daughter like Lucretia.
Still, he was a cool guy.
I was sure I\'d meet him sometime again in the future.