After a somewhat awkward scene, the couple and the youngsters moved to the dining hall for a proper meal.
There were two tables in the room, but they chose the smaller one, which was used more frequently, and everyone was properly served by Jasper.
As suggested, instead of having dinner, they skipped straight to dessert — a beautiful slice of blueberry pie, previously mentioned, accompanied by a cup of tea, was served to all.
As soon as they were served, everyone began eating. Aidan, like Ver?nica, showed a certain degree of etiquette by using utensils, unlike Sophie, who ate in a hurry. Her somewhat wild behavior was understandable given the circumstances. Even a noble like Jacob lacked proper manners, eating in almost the same way. Though he had previously refused, he was clearly very hungry.
Once they finished, they began conversing properly. Ver?nica briefly introduced the topics, summarizing a few points to avoid dragging out the story.
— "Hmm... I think I understand. So this pair has been causing some trouble in our city? Good work, I must say. The local security has arrested people for less, but for two kids to be running free like this... I’d call it quite the achievement." — Jacob praised.
— "Don’t take his comment too seriously. He acknowledges your accomplishments — just in the wrong way." — Ver?nica justified.
— "So you offered them a deal? Should I assume they’re special, at the very least?" — he evaluated, intrigued by his wife’s interest.
— "Yes... or maybe not. It’s more of a gamble. I don’t know what kind of talent they possess, but I’m certain they’re worth watching, wouldn’t you agree?" — she explained, showing some uncertainty.
— "Hmm... I suppose so. Do both of you agree with this idea?" — he directed the question to the two of them.
— "Absolutely!" — Aidan agreed immediately.
— "It was either this or being handed over, right? Not like we had many options." — Sophie explained sarcastically.
— "I wasn’t going to hand you over. That would’ve ruined all the fun for him." — Ver?nica said, referring to her friend in the local guard.
— "Don’t be so hard on Rowan. He’s been working hard since his promotion." — Jacob demanded.
— "And how long ago was that? Almost five years? He could at least give himself a break." — she replied, clearly irritated.
— "Rowan?"
Sophie vaguely mentioned the name.
— "At least you know one famous name, huh?" — Ver?nica said, surprised.
— "Not that I know him personally, but the guards mention him all the time." — she replied, based on recent experiences.
— "You’ve caused so much trouble you even irritated the Captain of the Guard. You really are something, after all." — Jacob praised their accomplishments again. — "So? What are your plans?"
— "About that... I’m not sure yet. I have a few ideas, but they’ll need time to develop. In the long run, I suggest you stay here."
Ver?nica mentioned gently. The suggestion was nothing short of an invitation for the two of them to live in the mansion — not just beside a renowned magic-user, but alongside a noble just as famous.
— "You mean... live here?!" — Aidan asked in disbelief.
— "And where else would you stay?" — she answered with a question of her own.
— "We’re in the noble district of Eswain, aren’t we? Wouldn’t it be strange for street kids to suddenly live in a mansion?" — Sophie explained, logically, though still surprised by the proposal.
— "You’re not exactly famous, are you? Then what’s the problem?" — Jacob asked.
— "What Sophie means is... we wouldn’t be a bother to you, right? Wouldn’t it cause trouble for you?" — Aidan asked both, returning to logic.
Jacob placed his arms on the table, intertwining his fingers as he looked at the youngsters.
— "Your concern is understandable. Of course, there will be questions here and there. Obviously, the fact that you’re here can’t be entirely hidden. I don’t know what my dear Ver?nica wants with you, but she’s not na?ve. If she trusts you, then I will too. These matters can be dealt with over time. And from what I gather, both of you are searching for your paths, and she only wants to guide you in the right direction."
He explained to Aidan, who listened intently.
— "Maybe the biggest issue is introducing you to our world. But don’t worry — you won’t have to deal with the headaches of nobility just yet. For now, we’ll give you a place to stay. What you do when you’re adults will be your responsibility. You’ll need to prove you’re worth my attention and interest in the meantime." — Ver?nica expressed her opinion once again.
— "So we’re your toys now?" — Sophie interpreted it in a twisted way.
This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.
— "I’d say you’re more like lab rats. But if that’s how you want to see it... I’m kidding. I’d say I’m simply investing in someone else’s potential. And something tells me you’ll surprise us." — she explained with a smile.
— "Then it’s settled, it seems. Though this conversation isn’t over yet, it’s getting late. You should sleep — who knows, we may have a long day tomorrow."
Jacob then called Jasper, who had been waiting in the next room.
— "Jas, is the guest room still available?" — he asked.
— "A bit messy, but no dust. I can tidy it up temporarily, if you prefer." — the butler suggested.
— "Then do it. I believe our young guests — and now tenants — must be tired of listening to adults." — he accepted the suggestion.
— "But before that, I’d like to ask for at least a minimum of decency. Did you carry out the preparations I requested?" — Ver?nica asked.
— "Precisely. A bath was prepared in advance for them." — Jasper replied.
— "A bath?" — Sophie reacted strangely to the word.
— "You may look clean, but I observed the method you used for bathing. This is just our way of ensuring things. As for clothes, we’ll provide a proper change soon." — Ver?nica commented.
— "Don’t worry. We have the best bath salts, and the water is at the perfect temperature." — Jacob said with a smile.
— "You’re included too, Master Jacob." — Jasper interrupted, counting his employer in.
— "Really? I don’t think I’m that dirty."
Jacob was used to his work clothes and oil stains on his skin — he considered it completely normal.
— "The bath has already been prepared. No point in denying it now, sir. Of course, a change of clothes has also been set aside."
As soon as he said that, the three were escorted by Ver?nica and Jasper to the mansion’s bathrooms, where the bathtubs were already filled with water at just the right temperature, bath salts, and even bubbles.
Aidan and Sophie found it strange — after all, everything had been prepared in such a short time by a middle-aged man. Neither of them knew of Jasper’s efficiency, except his employers.
[...]
Everyone who had been informed — including Jacob — was escorted to their respective baths, climbing the large staircase of the hall.
Once done, the two put on their clothes and followed the butler through the upper hallway, which led them to one of the guest rooms. Jasper made a point of opening the wooden door for them.
— "You may stay here for now. We receive some guests, but they rarely stay long. It’s a bit messy, but I believe it’ll meet your expectations." — Jasper said, motioning them in.
SNAP!
With a snap of his fingers, the candles and lamps lit up, illuminating the room.
He had called it messy, but it was actually quite spacious and cozy. There were two beds separated by a dresser with a beautiful runic lamp, as well as glowing magical crystals. Since the room was used only occasionally, most of the furniture was empty, as were the wardrobe and vanity next to the bed, lit by a candlestick.
The place had a small exterior area, reminiscent of their old hideout — though this time, with quality furniture and actual beds.
— "If you prefer a separate room, just let me know and I’ll clean and rearrange one." — Jasper suggested in case they had a preference.
— "No, this is more than perfect for us." — Aidan said, satisfied.
— "This place... it can’t be real." — Sophie said in disbelief.
— "As guests of Miss Ver?nica, these accommodations are the least she can offer. Now it’s late, so I suggest you get a good night’s rest. I’ll be available if you need anything in the morning."
Jasper bid them goodnight and left them in the room, where they began to explore little by little.
— "It’s almost the size of our old hideout." — Aidan noted.
— "Yeah, but without the mess, drier and... with a pleasant smell." — Sophie added after sniffing the air briefly.
As they looked through some furniture, they saw it was mostly empty, with only a few signs of past use, along with runes and magical artifacts illuminating the space.
Breaking their biggest doubt, both sat on their respective beds. Aidan chose the one closer to the entrance and the book desk, while Sophie had the advantage of the window view.
The feeling of touching the mattress was indescribable. They weren’t sure whether it was too soft or too comfortable, considering what they had been used to. They lay on their backs, facing opposite directions as usual.
But it took a while for them to find a proper sleeping position, as they weren’t used to such comfort.
— "This is..."
— "Weird?" — Aidan added.
— "I was going to say different. But yeah, weird works too. It’s been a while since I last laid on a bed." — Sophie commented as she tried to settle in.
— "The last time we had this kind of comfort was when we laid on those old newspapers and torn posters." — the boy added.
— "It wasn’t bad, but it wasn’t good either. This... this is really strange."
Despite her complaints, she eventually found a good position to rest, turning completely to the opposite side of the bed.
Meanwhile, out of curiosity, Aidan picked up one of the books beside him and began flipping through it. It was an old edition of a furniture maintenance guide. Clearly, those books hadn’t been swapped out in ages, but they remained as part of a peculiar collection.
At the same time, Sophie had fully settled in, though something seemed to bother her.
— "Do you hear that?" — she asked.
— "Uh... not really? What is there to hear?" — he pointed out the lack of noise.
— "Exactly. There’s nothing to hear. Silence... No dripping water, no creaky pipes, no running water, nothing. Not even the sound of rats scavenging."
— "Do you miss that, by any chance?" — Aidan asked, puzzled by Sophie’s statement.
— "No, but it’s really weird. You have to agree with me."
— "A bit, maybe. I miss my inventions, but I might ask Miss Ver?nica to bring them to me soon." — he commented on his discomfort.
— "You talk like you’ve already accepted this place as your new home." — Sophie said, almost bitterly.
— "And you haven’t? Going back isn’t an option anymore. I want to believe this will be the best for both of us from now on." — he spoke with hope.
— "Hmph, if you say so..."
— "Didn’t you hear Miss Ver?nica? Now we have a chance to forge a new path. She’s going to help us however she can."
— "Yeah, because we’re her toys." — Sophie repeated the thought in a twisted tone.
— "Think whatever you want. But don’t dwell on that. From now on, we can think about our future. No more pessimism. Let’s move forward — together."
— "How sappy. My heart is melting. Should I kiss you now, my prince?" — Sophie teased sarcastically.
— "The real illusion is you calling yourself a princess, when you’re more like a barbarian with no manners." — he replied in kind.
— "Hey! I can be very feminine if I want to! You just haven’t noticed." — she retorted indignantly.
— "Sure. If you thought about that, you wouldn’t have eaten the way you did in front of the grown-ups."
— "Whatever... yawns I’m too tired to ruin your mood right now. Good night, dream boy."
— "Good night, brat girl."
With playful teasing, they said their goodnights. Following Jasper’s example, with a snap of his fingers, Aidan turned off the lights and settled in to sleep.
Double Trouble)