Chapter 78: Meet my brother
The chirping of birds was the only sound on the balcony. Both fell silent at Jaden’s words. He also didn’t say anything and lifted the glass full of water placed on the plate and drank from it.
Maria also continued to stare at him with a frown, leaning back in her chair before speaking.
"I apologise for asking such questions. I didn’t want to make things awkward."
He smiled at her and put the empty glass down as he replied.
"It’s alright, I wanted to talk about it with someone... I can’t let something like this fester in me, after all."
Listening to his response, a smile unknowingly appeared on her lips.
"It makes sense now that I listen to you."
"Oh? What does?" Jaden asked with a raised eyebrow.
She lifted her hand and pointed at him as she answered with a playful smile.
"You being Adept-ranked even though you are not even in your twenties."
’What?’
Hearing that, Jaden’s body quavered slightly, and his smile threatened to plunge into a frown, but he forced himself to hold it back and responded.
"I-Is that so?" He tried to appear nonchalant about it, but the slight stutter was all Maria needed to guess his true thoughts. She opened her lips to say something, but found out that he wasn’t paying attention to her.
’...I made a wrong decision by assuming that only nature marks can guess the rank of others. How can I make such a huge mistake? No, how would I have known that I would appear in front of a gatebreak?’ he thought.
Seeing him reacting like that, she heaved a sigh and answered with a serious look.
"I didn’t say it to threaten you or something. So don’t worry about it."
He looked at her and forced a smile as he tried to hide his worries.
"That’s not what I was thinking about."
Listening to his words, she heaved another sigh and leaned forward in her chair as she placed both of her hands on the table and replied.
"There’s no point in lying when your thoughts are clearly visible on your face. Others may find it hard to read because of your smile, but those who truly know how to read people will be able to glean every single thought."
Jaden’s forced smile crumbled into a frown as he leaned back in his chair and asked.
"Why did you help me? There was no need for your servants to look after me."
Maria’s usual mischievous smile returned to her lips as she answered.
"Well... What can I say? You are a heartless one who stole the heart of this pure maiden."
Jaden stared at her playful smile with a deadpan look. He rolled his eyes and responded with a sneer.
"You are not the only one who can read others, Lady Maria. I know the eyes of those who are in love and the way you look at me... matches more to someone who wants me as some sort of tool instead."
Maria raised an eyebrow at his words and gracefully clapped her hands as she spoke.
"Oops, looks like I got caught? But I am not that heartless to make you a tool. I simply want someone with your talent to join our clan," she paused, and her mischievous smile reappeared on her face before she continued in a seductive tone, "one... way or another."
Jaden looked into her eyes before collapsing back in his chair and looking at the flower pot placed near the edge of the balcony. He stared at them for a few moments, and Maria frowned at his lack of response.
’Am I that bad at seduction?’ she thought before furrowing her brows. Her lips parted to voice, but Jaden stopped her words with his own.
"I once thought of life as nothing more than a set of fixed events, doing the same stuff over and over again, a melancholic chore where we repeat the same things every day..." he paused and looked into her eyes before continuing with a faint smile, "If you had asked me this question back then, I would have said yes. However, unfortunately..."
He took a deep breath as the memories of Nightshade City began to resurface. A bittersweet smile appeared on his face. He forced himself to push those memories back and continued, "Or, fortunately, I’ve been through events that made me reflect. I no longer think of life as a chore, I wish to explore more of the unpredictability it brings each moment—I wish to truly live."
Maria looked at him with a deep frown, her lips parted to respond. However, right then, the door swung open with a heavy thud, and Amelia spoke with a wide, bright smile on her face.
"Young Lady! The young master has returned!"
Maria’s eyes widened as she stood up from her chair, and her shoulders trembled as she asked.
"W-Where is he?"
Amelia replied with the same energy.
"In the hall."
Maria turned towards Jaden, and a thoughtful look appeared on her face.
’Maybe if he becomes friends with James...’
She finished her thoughts and asked.
"Sir Jaden, would you like to meet my younger brother?"
Jaden raised an eyebrow as he nodded and stood up to leave with her.
"Sure."
"Let’s go," Maria said as she gestured to Amelia to lead the way. They walked through the hallway with quick steps, their footsteps echoing like galloping hooves.
As they walked, Jaden glanced at the strange combination of historical and modern architecture within the mansion.
’It looks so strange, yet it doesn’t look bad at all... How revolting.’
They soon reached the hallway, and Maria’s eyes brightened upon seeing a black-haired young man with brown eyes. He radiated an untamed aura with the arrogance of a noble.
Jaden looked at the youth and stopped in his tracks; his mouth hung open.
Amelia walked towards the youth and spoke, "Young master, young lady Maria has come."
Jamie turned towards his sister with a haughty look and spoke.
"Oh my dea—How the fuck?!"